US News

• The police department in Marion, Kansas raided a local, family-owned newspaper’s offices as well as the owner’s home in an aggressive search which myriad press groups have deemed illegal and unconstitutional. This raid may have been motivated by the paper’s investigation into the new Chief of Police and allegations that he had a history of sexual misconduct when he was a police captain in Kansas City, Missouri. The Institute 

Russia

• A group of Republicans led by neoconservative Bill Kristol have launched a campaign to rally GOP support for President Biden’s new request for an additional $24 billion in spending on the war in Ukraine. AWC
• A NATO official has suggested Ukraine could cede some territory to Russia in exchange for joining the Western military alliance. AWC
• Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called on Congress to approve President Biden’s request for an additional $24 billion in spending on the Ukraine war “right away.” AWC
• A NATO official who sparked a backlash from Kyiv for suggesting Ukraine could cede territory to Russia in exchange for NATO membership appeared to walk back his comments on Wednesday. AWC
• The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the US is considering “military solutions” to protect shipments of grain leaving Ukraine’s Danube River ports as an alternative to the Black Sea grain deal that Russia recently exited. AWC
• A Ukrainian official said Wednesday that Kyiv has given up hope that it will be able to use US-made F-16 fighter jets this year as the training process is facing delays. AWC
• Berlin has backed off its plan to legally commit itself to meeting NATO’s two percent yearly military spending target, a government source told Reuters on Wednesday. Finance Minister Christian Lindner’s draft of a new budget financing law was passed by parliament after – at the last minute – a clause pledging to meet the target was deleted. The Institute 
• Berlin has been mulling sending its advanced Taurus missiles to Kiev. However, the German government has resisted due to concerns the missiles could be used to attack Russia, and key components could fall into Moscow’s hands. To alleviate these concerns, Berlin may limit the range of the missiles before transferring them to Kiev. The Institute 

China

• A new US-backed military pact between Japan and Australia came into effect on Sunday that makes it easier for the two nations to deploy troops to each other’s territory, a type of cooperation the Pentagon has called “game-changing.” AWC
• The US Air Force last month conducted a drill rehearsing the evacuation of thousands of casualties in the Pacific as part of its preparations for a future war with China in the region, The South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday. AWC

Iran

• A bipartisan group of senators is urging President Biden to facilitate the transfer of stolen Iranian oil that has been stuck on a tanker off the coast of Texas. AWC

Niger

• Military chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will meet in Ghana on Thursday and Friday to discuss potential military intervention in Niger to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday. AWC