Israel said it would maintain five strategic points in Lebanon

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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