US News

• The FBI is looking to gather new information about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported on Thursday. AWC
• Rodolphe Jaar was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the plot to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moise in 2021. AJ

Mexico

• Mexican TV has reported that a militant affiliated with Mexico’s Gulf Cartel was spotted carrying an advanced rocket launcher, the same type that the US has shipped thousands of to Ukraine. AWC

Russia

• The Russian Defense Ministry said early Monday that Ukraine began a “large-scale offensive” by launching attacks along five sections of the frontlines in the eastern Donbas region. AWC
• NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Turkey has not changed its position  on refusing to allow Sweden in the alliance. Boston Herald 
• The US will focus its efforts on arming Ukraine and not attempting to bring the war to a negotiated settlement, America’s top diplomat said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken laid out a plan to massively expand Kiev’s military before talks begin. AWC
• The Pentagon Thursday said it’s awarded a contract to Elon Musk’s SpaceX to ship Starlink satellite internet terminals to Ukraine. AWC
•  Ukrainian soldiers trained by NATO and armed with Western weapons will serve as the “tip of the spear” during the upcoming counteroffensive against Russian forces, according to the Washington Post. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said this support represents the “next level” of security assistance. The Institute
• The Kremlin says it will not reenter the New Start treaty until Washington lifts its hostile policy towards Russia. Fox News
• Zelensky says Ukraine is ready to launch its counteroffensive. The Hill

China

• The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced Thursday that the US and Taiwan signed the first trade agreement under a new economic initiative that was launched last year. AWC
• Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu delivered a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore and said a conflict between the US and China would be an “unbearable disaster,” a warning that comes amid soaring tensions between the two powers. AWC
• US Indo-Pacific Command accused a Chinese warship of acting in an “unsafe manner” when it passed a US Navy guided-missile destroyer that was transiting the Taiwan Strait with a Canadian frigate on Saturday. AWC
• National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says the One China policy is still in effect. Politico
• Germany will send two warships to the Indo-Pacific in 2024. Reuters

Iran

• Iran’s navy commander said Friday that Tehran was working to form a naval alliance with several Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iraq. AWC

Somalia

• US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced that it launched an airstrike in Somalia on June 1, marking the second US bombing in the country within a week and the third since May 20. AWC