Israel said it would maintain five strategic points in Lebanon even after a ceasefire expired on Tuesday, requiring it to withdraw all its troops. Refusing to withdraw completely risks reigniting tensions with Hezbollah militants and undermining Lebanon's newly formed government. It comes as a fragile six-week ceasefire with Hamas also faces risks, with a turning point expected this weekend.
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When Trump visited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020, the American leader stood before a cheering crowd of 100,000 in Modi's home state of Gujarat and declared: "America will always be a true and loyal friend to the people of India." » Five years later, the leader of the world's most populous nation will face a minefield of negotiations when the two leaders meet in Washington today, with Trump signaling that India remains a potential target for trade tariffs.
Hours after her Senate confirmation as director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard said trust in the U.S. intelligence community was "at an all-time low" and vowed to end what she called "weaponization and politicization." She did not say how that happened or what changes she planned, but the statement echoed ongoing attacks on the agencies by Trump and some of his allies. Gabbard speaks at an inauguration ceremony at the White House yesterday. Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg
Austria's bid to form a far-right-led government collapsed yesterday when Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl ended talks with the conservative People's Party. If they had succeeded, the country would have joined a growing list of European nations led by pro-Russian, anti-immigrant politicians.
Namibia's central bank chief, Johannes !Gawaxab, warned that rising tensions between the United States and neighboring South Africa could destabilize its economy, citing its close ties with both countries and the vulnerability of its currency, which is pegged to the rand. Trump has frozen all U.S. aid to South Africa over its land policy and is taking the case to the International Court of Justice against Israel. Indonesia wants to diversify its markets as global protectionism intensifies, while also taking steps to protect domestic producers, Deputy Trade Minister Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri said in an interview.
The Netherlands should prepare for more Chinese espionage in several key sectors, including semiconductors, ahead of a NATO summit in The Hague in June, Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou survived another no-confidence vote yesterday, clearing a major political obstacle to implementing a delayed 2025 budget.
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