The Global Eye – Reflections
Alla ricerca di altri paradigmi strategici / In search of other strategic paradigms (Marco Emanuele)
Australia – Syria
(AFP/Al Arabiya) The last Australian women and children held in a northeast Syria camp housing relatives of suspected foreign extremists left the site this week seeking to return home, a camp official told AFP on Saturday. “Twenty-one Australians left Roj camp” on Thursday – seven women and 14 children, aged eight to 14 — the Kurdish administrative official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Syrian Kurdish forces control the Roj camp, where relatives of suspected foreign extremists including Westerners have been held for years. – Last Australians leave Syria camp holding extremist relatives: Officials
Bolivia
(AFP) Bolivian riot police clashed with anti-government protesters in La Paz on Friday for the second time in a week as unions and Indigenous groups pressed their calls for President Rodrigo Paz to step down. Demands for the business-friendly conservative to resign have persisted despite his promise to respond to the grievances of labor unions and Indigenous communities. Many businesses in central La Paz had closed their doors, anticipating a repeat of the clashes that marked a similar demonstration on Monday. – Police protesters clash in new marches against Bolivian leader
China
(The Associated Press/Al Arabiya) A gas explosion at a coal mine in China’s northern province of Shanxi killed at least 82 people, state media reported Saturday and dozens were trapped underground. Official news agency Xinhua said the accident at Changzhi city’s Liushenyu coal mine happened on Friday evening and 247 workers were trapped underground. – Coal mine gas explosion in China kills 82 people, state media says
China – Taiwan
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Taiwan’s security chief said Saturday that China has deployed more than 100 navy, coast guard and other vessels in regional waters stretching from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea and Western Pacific. The deployment happened in the past few days after US President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, National Security Council chief Joseph Wu said on X. – Taiwan security chief says China deployed ‘over 100 vessels’ in regional waters
Colombia
(AFP/Al Arabiya) The death toll from a bloody land dispute between Indigenous groups in Colombia rose to seven, while over 100 people were injured, authorities said Friday. The clash between the Misak and Nasa peoples took place on Thursday in the restive Cauca region, southwestern Colombia. Raising the death toll to seven on Friday, authorities said four victims were Misak members, two were Nasa members, and one body had not yet been identified. – Death toll in Colombian indigenous land dispute rises to seven
Cybersecurity and Surveillance
(DigWatch) The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has warned that cyber threats are becoming more frequent and complex, with AI contributing to faster and more scalable attacks. Digital Minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra said cyber resilience is increasingly important for national security and economic stability. According to the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey, 43% of businesses reported experiencing a cyber breach or attack during the past year. The minister said AI tools are making some cyber capabilities more accessible by automating tasks such as vulnerability detection and reconnaissance. – UK government launches cyber resilience measures amid AI-related risks | Digital Watch Observatory
(Suzanne Smalley – The Record) The Supreme Court is currently weighing a case that could reshape how law enforcement works with technology firms to identify potential suspects. In the next few weeks, the court is expected to rule on whether or not so-called geofence warrants are legal under the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets requirements for issuing warrants. Lawyer Adam Unikowsky argued the case last month on behalf of petitioner Okello Chatrie, who was charged with robbery after law enforcement obtained a geofence warrant directed at Google. Under such warrants, tech companies are asked to give law enforcement the location history of people in a certain area so they can identify unknown suspects, and Google has said it has been served with geofence warrants covering exceptionally large areas across multiple days. The case is the first involving digital privacy to hit the Supreme Court since 2018 and could have major implications for other types of police tools that involve large amounts of data. Unikowsky spoke with Recorded Future News about why he believes geofence searches are problematic, how people do not understand what they are consenting to and why the way the court rules could have a dramatic impact on Americans’ right to privacy. – Why the Supreme Court’s Chatrie case could change the meaning of privacy in America | The Record from Recorded Future News
(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record) German university hospitals are grappling with a large-scale patient data breach after unknown hackers targeted an external billing service provider used by medical centers across the country, according to statements from several affected medical institutions. The attack reportedly hit Unimed, a company that handles billing services for privately insured and self-paying patients on behalf of numerous German hospitals. Hospitals said the breach did not compromise their own clinical infrastructure or disrupt patient treatment. Several university hospitals, including those in Cologne, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Tübingen, Ulm and Mannheim, disclosed Thursday that patient information had been stolen after attackers breached the service provider in mid-April. The scale of the breach varied by hospital. – Hackers steal patient and billing data from German hospitals via third-party provider | The Record from Recorded Future News
(Jonathan Greig – The Record) Cybercriminals are using a new, easy-to-use service to trick people into giving them access to their Microsoft 365 accounts, according to the FBI. The law enforcement agency published an advisory on Thursday about Kali365 — a Telegram-based service for cybercriminals that allows them to capture legitimate “OAuth” tokens enabling widespread access to Microsoft 365 environments. Multiple cybersecurity companies warned last month that they were seeing hundreds of attacks enabled by Kali365. The tool, which the FBI referred to as a Phishing-as-a-Service platform, “lowers the barrier of entry, providing less-technical attackers access to AI-generated phishing lures, automated campaign templates, real-time targeted individual/entity tracking dashboards, and OAuth token capture capabilities.” – FBI warns of Kali365 phishing-as-a-service after April Microsoft 365 attacks | The Record from Recorded Future News
(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record) A Belarus-linked hacking group known as GhostWriter has launched a new espionage campaign against Ukrainian government officials using fake emails disguised as messages from a popular online learning platform to deliver malware. According to Ukraine’s computer emergency response team, CERT-UA, the campaign has been active since the spring of 2026 and has involved phishing emails sent from compromised accounts to employees at government organizations. The emails were disguised as messages from Prometheus, Ukraine’s largest online learning platform, and claimed to offer certificates for completing online courses. Prometheus provides classes ranging from programming and business to public administration and also hosts courses related to military service and drone engineering. – Belarus-linked hackers use fake training certificates to target Ukrainian officials | The Record from Recorded Future News
(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine) Security researchers at EclecticIQ have uncovered a new malicious campaign in which cyber threat actors created fake sites posing as Google Gemini’s coding tool and Anthropic’s Claude Code to deliver information stealing malware. The initial warning came from an independent security research, known as @g0njxa on social media. On April 21, they flagged on X an impersonation campaign exploiting Gemini command line interface (CLI), a feature that lets developers interact with Gemini AI models directly from their terminal. EclecticIQ researchers investigated the campaign based on these findings. They found that the threat actor started deploying malicious domains in early March 2026. They also assessed that the campaign is likely geographically tailored to target users in the US and the UK, as evidenced by the selection of .co.uk, .us.com and .us.org top-level domains in some of the attacker-controlled domains. – Fake Gemini and Claude Code Sites Spread Infostealers – Infosecurity Magazine
(Danny Palmer – Infosecurity Magazine) Apple blocked App Store users from losing over $2.2bn in fraudulent transactions during the last year and prevented over a billion accounts from being created to commit fraud. The total of fraudulent App Store transactions Apple has blocked over the last six years now stands at more than $11.2bn. The Apple App Store contains over 680,000 apps which are used to sell goods and services. As a widely used ecosystem which people use to make payments, cybercriminals and fraudsters will naturally attempt to target users. – Apple Blocked $2.2bn in App Store Fraud in the Last Year – Infosecurity Magazine
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) US authorities have charged 23-year-old Jacob Butler (aka “Dort”), an Ottawa resident, for allegedly operating the recently disrupted Kimwolf botnet. Authorities arrested the suspect in Canada, he could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted in the US. Butler was charged with aiding and abetting computer intrusion. According to the Justice Department, investigators linked him to the botnet using IP addresses, account records, financial transactions, and messaging app data. In January, Synthient researchers reported that the Kimwolf botnet has compromised more than 2 million Android devices, spreading primarily via residential proxy networks. – Authorities arrest 23-year-old accused of running the Kimwolf botnet
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) For years, threat intelligence focused mostly on malware families, phishing domains, and individual indicators. But a new report from Hunt.io shows why defenders may need to pay closer attention to something more boring, hosting infrastructure. After spending roughly three months mapping malicious infrastructure across the Middle East, researchers identified more than 1,350 command-and-control servers spread across 98 providers in 14 countries. What stands out is not just the scale of the activity, but how concentrated it is. One provider alone, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), accounted for more than 72% of all observed regional C2 activity during the period analyzed. Most of that infrastructure appears to consist of compromised customer systems rather than intentionally malicious hosting, but the result is the same: a huge amount of attacker traffic flowing through a relatively small slice of infrastructure. – One Telecom Provider Hosted Most of the Middle East ’s Active C2 Infrastructure
Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Human Rights Watch) The Human Rights Watch executive director, Philippe Bolopion, urged senior Congolese officials to respect freedom of expression, end arbitrary arrests and detentions, and ensure accountability for abuses during his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo from May 17 to 21, 2026, Human Rights Watch said today. The visit took place against a backdrop of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group’s occupation in eastern Congo; a crackdown against journalists, activists, and political opposition members; and the renewed use of secret detention sites in the capital, Kinshasa. “The current crackdown in Congo is eerily reminiscent of the Joseph Kabila era, with many Congolese activists and political opponents living in fear of retaliation by the authorities for merely expressing their opinion,” Bolopion said. “Human Rights Watch is concerned that restrictions on free expression and criticism of officials could usher in a broader repression.” – DR Congo: Renewed Repression, Impunity Top Rights Concerns | Human Rights Watch
(UN News) The UN is rushing emergency personnel, funding and supplies into eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to counter the fast-growing Ebola outbreak spreading through conflict-ravaged provinces. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday raised the national risk assessment for DRC to “very high” – although the global risk remains “low”. So far, 82 cases and seven deaths have been confirmed in DRC, but WHO says the real scale of the outbreak is likely far larger, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths reported. The outbreak is unfolding amid intensified fighting, mass displacement and deep mistrust of outside authorities, fuelled by rumours and misinformation. One hospital in Ituri province on Thursday was set on fire by angry relatives after authorities refused to release the body of a deceased family member, fearing contamination, according to reports. – Ebola risk ‘very high’ in eastern DR Congo as UN intensifies response | UN News
Europe
(Nektaria Stamouli – Politico) European Union’s public debt trajectory could become “explosive,” hurting the bloc’s economy, if no action is taken to deal with fiscal pressures, the International Monetary Fund told EU finance ministers on Saturday. “If left unchecked, public debt will be on an unsustainable path. Under unchanged policy, debt of the average European country would reach 130 percent of GDP by 2040 — roughly doubling from today,” the IMF said in a paper presented to the finance ministers during an informal meeting in Nicosia. The Fund warned that EU governments will face increased spending pressure for defense, energy and pensions in the next 15 years. It suggested a mix of structural reforms, as well as fiscal reforms, joint borrowing and fiscal consolidation to cope. – EU’s public debt could become ‘explosive’ without action, IMF warns – POLITICO
France – Israel
(Al Arabiya) France has banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering French territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Saturday, citing what he described as the minister’s “unacceptable actions” toward French and European citizens aboard the Global Sumud flotilla. “As of this day, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from accessing French territory,” Barrot said in a statement. – France bans Israel’s Ben-Gvir from entering country, urges EU sanctions
Gaza
(UN News) Dire conditions in Gaza marked by continuing violence, rodent infestations and the spread of infectious disease are being made worse by blockages of essential medical supplies, UN agencies warned on Friday. Recently returned from a visit to the devastated enclave, Dr. Renee Van de Weerdt, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told reporters in Geneva, “Nothing prepares you for Gaza”. “I thought going in the second time would make things easier. But it just doesn’t,” she said. Dr. Van de Weerdt underscored that since the October 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at least 880 people have been killed in the Strip and more than 2,600 injured. “There is perhaps less fire, but the violence continues,” she said. “We hear bombs nearby. There is gunfire every day.” – Gaza: Life-saving medicines blocked as killing continues, disease gains ground | UN News
Hungary – Europe
(Nicholas Vinocur and Nette Nöstlinger – Politico) Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar will travel to Brussels next week to discuss unlocking billions in frozen EU funds with the European Commission, the country’s foreign minister said Saturday. “One of our most important tasks in the first couple of months is that we will get access to the recovery and resilience funds, which is a €10.4 billion envelope for Hungary,” Anita Orbán, who was sworn in as Hungary’s foreign minister earlier this month, told POLITICO in an interview at the GLOBSEC conference in Prague. “And yes, I can confirm, there is a plan of a meeting next week in Brussels,” she added. The politician, who is not related to Hungary’s former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, also said that several days of negotiations with Brussels over the frozen funds had already taken place at expert level in recent days. – Magyar to visit Brussels next week to discuss unfreezing funds for Hungary – POLITICO
International Labour Organization
(DigWatch) The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) have examined how AI may reshape labour markets and employment patterns across the Arab region. The organisations released a report exploring how AI adoption may transform jobs, productivity, and workforce dynamics by 2035. According to the report, outcomes will depend on policy choices related to skills development, labour protections, and social support systems. – International Labour Organization warns AI could reshape labour markets across the Arab region | Digital Watch Observatory
Russia – Ukraine – Baltic States
(Chris Lunday, Laura Kayali, Veronika Melkozerova and Zoya Sheftalovich – Politico) Russia is trying to turn a string of stray combat drones appearing over the Baltic countries into a political crisis between Ukraine and some of its staunchest allies. So far, the effort appears to have fallen flat. After a wave of drone incidents across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — blamed on Russia using electronic warfare to redirect Ukrainian drones into NATO airspace — Moscow accused the three Baltic countries of allowing Ukraine to use their airspace for attacks on Russia and threatened them with retaliation. Baltic officials denied the charges. A statement issued by the three governments late Friday said they “categorically reject Russia’s blatant disinformation campaign and its fabricated accusations following the airspace violations, which Russia shamelessly uses to mask its military failures.” – Russia’s drone blame game fails to split Ukraine from its Baltic allies – POLITICO
Russia – Ukraine – Europe
(Chris Lunday and Nicholas Vinocur – Politico) Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said Europe should put frozen Russian assets back on the table as it looks for ways to sustain Ukraine financially and increase pressure on Moscow to negotiate a peace deal. Speaking at the POLITICO Speakeasy at Prague’s GLOBSEC on Saturday, Budrys said last year’s agreement on a €90 billion loan for Ukraine was a useful step, but not a final answer to Kyiv’s long-term needs. “It’s not the end,” Budrys said of the frozen assets debate, arguing that Russian state assets immobilized in Europe remain “the real resource of support to Ukraine” and “the real leverage to force Russia to negotiate.” – Lithuania calls for frozen Russian assets to return to Ukraine funding debate – POLITICO
Saudi Arabia
(Yusra Asif – Al Arabiya) As millions of Muslims prepare for this year’s Hajj, Saudi Arabia has expanded the use of artificial intelligence and smart digital infrastructure to improve crowd management, enhance operational efficiency and make the pilgrimage safer and smoother for worshippers from around the world. The Kingdom’s efforts are being led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is operating a range of integrated AI-powered platforms and digital services throughout the pilgrimage journey – from pilgrims’ departure from their home countries to their arrival in Saudi Arabia and departure after completing Hajj. “Our goal is to ensure that AI operates quietly in the background while making the pilgrim journey safer, smoother and more efficient at every stage,” SDAIA official spokesperson Majed al-Shehry told Al Arabiya English. – How Saudi Arabia is using AI to transform the Hajj experience
Türkiye
(Human Rights Watch) A court decision ordering the removal of the party chair and leadership of Türkiye’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is the latest deeply damaging blow to the rule of law, democracy and human rights in Türkiye, Human Rights Watch said today. On May 21, 2026, the 36th Ankara regional court of appeal issued an interim measure to remove the CHP chair, Özgür Özel, and the entire party leadership and annul the November 4-5, 2023, party congress at which party delegates elected them. The court restored the previous party leadership of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who lost the May 2023 presidential election to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and had been replaced by Özel at the party congress. “The court’s decision to remove Özgür Özel and the entire CHP leadership is part of the Erdoğan government’s broader political efforts to sideline the main political opposition in ways that profoundly undermine civil and political rights and Türkiye’s democratic process,” said Benjamin Ward, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “After the government jailed the Istanbul mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, and other CHP mayors and officials on bogus charges, it is clear that the Turkish authorities want to remove the current leadership of the CHP as a viable force in politics.” – Türkiye: Court Removes Leadership of Main Opposition Party | Human Rights Watch
Türkiye – Syria
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Ten Turkish citizens accused of being members of ISIS group have been arrested in Syria, Turkish state media said on Saturday. The 10 – for whom Interpol had issued international alerts, or Red Notices – were apprehended in a joint operation by the Turkish and Syrian intelligence services, they said. – ISIS suspects from Turkey arrested in Syria: Media
UK – Europe
(Nette Nöstlinger – Politico) Brussels turned down a U.K. proposal to create a single market for goods with the European Union, according to media reports. Nearly a decade after the country voted to leave the bloc, the EU and the U.K. are in the midst of widely renegotiating their relationship. A landmark summit between the two sides is expected to be held in the coming weeks. The proposal by the British government, first reported by the Guardian, appears to be another sign that the U.K. under Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking significantly closer trade ties with the EU and is willing to blur previous red lines to get there. – EU reportedly nixes UK pitch for single market in goods – POLITICO
UK – NATO – Russia
(Mason Boycott-Owen – Politico) Deep underground, below one of central London’s tube stations, the British army has been simulating a 2030 large-scale land conflict between NATO and Russia sparked by Kremlin aggression in Eastern Europe. The disused platform of Charing Cross station was transformed this week to create a subterranean command post in Estonia, housing a U.K.-led NATO offensive formation capable of deploying quickly to command tens of thousands of troops on the alliance’s eastern flank. The scenario envisages two years of covert Russian actions, military build-up and large-scale exercises as it positions troops for a conflict with NATO. This would see cyberattacks on Estonia across transport, internet and health care infrastructure alongside anti-NATO and anti-European disinformation campaigns. – UK wargames AI-driven NATO conflict with Russia – POLITICO
Ukraine – Europe – NATO
(Chris Lunday and Jan Cienski – Politico) Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said Saturday that Ukraine should have a path to join NATO, arguing that Kyiv’s battle-tested armed forces and fast-growing defense industry would strengthen the alliance despite opposition from some member countries. Speaking at the POLITICO Speakeasy at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague, Jonson said Sweden supported Ukraine eventually becoming a member of both NATO and the European Union, adding that Kyiv should be given a long-term Euro-Atlantic perspective. “All European countries should have the right to join NATO as such when they live up to the requirement,” Jonson said, citing NATO’s open-door policy. “There shouldn’t be anyone who has a veto against this. That’s our position.” – Sweden backs Ukraine’s path to NATO, defense minister says – POLITICO
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a letter to EU leaders that a German proposal to grant Ukraine “associate” membership of the European Union was “unfair” because it would leave Kyiv without a voice inside the bloc. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested allowing Ukraine to participate in EU meetings without a vote as an interim step to full membership of the bloc, which he said could help facilitate a deal to end the four-year-old war triggered by Russia’s invasion. – Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says proposal of associate EU membership ‘unfair’
US
(Michael Williams – CNN) The Trump administration will now require people seeking green cards to leave the United States during the application process — a sweeping change that could upend the lives of hundreds of thousands of people seeking the right to legally and permanently live and work in the US. In a new rule announced Friday, US immigration authorities said green card applicants would have to return to their home countries to apply for permanent visas. The abrupt policy change stands to affect a large swath of the legal US immigration population, compelling those seeking legal permanent residency to leave the country — separating families, forcing people to leave their jobs and disrupting communities in the process. Applying for a green card is a notoriously arduous process that can take several months to years to complete. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the rule provides exemptions for “extraordinary circumstances,” Zach Kahler, a spokesperson for the agency, said in a statement. – Trump administration upends green card process, potentially compelling hundreds of thousands to leave US to apply | CNN Politics
(Angelica Sedgwick Oun – Human Rights Watch) Against the backdrop of Mental Health Awareness Month and the advancement of Congress’ budget reconciliation bill, hundreds of immigrants, community members, and allies gathered in the nation’s capital on May 20 for a peaceful march from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) headquarters to the Capitol. The demonstration was held to protest the budget reconciliation bill’s funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE’s parent agency. ICE has terrorized communities and harmed the mental health of many. The bill’s proposed additional $71 billion in funding would come with none of the lifesaving oversight and reforms that Human Rights Watch and others have repeatedly called for. – Mental Health Is Another Unfortunate ICE Casualty | Human Rights Watch
(Avery Lotz, Marc Caputo – Axios) Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s director of national intelligence, announced Friday she is leaving the administration. Gabbard wrote in her resignation letter that her departure is related to her husband’s diagnosis with an “extremely rare form of bone cancer”. “At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle,” she wrote. “Abraham has been my rock throughout our eleven years of marriage — standing steadfast through my deployment to East Africa on a Joint Special Operations mission, multiple political campaigns, and now my service in this role”. Gabbard’s resignation will go into effect on June 30. Aaron Lukas, the principal deputy director of national intelligence, will take over as acting director of national intelligence, Trump said in a Truth Social post. – Tulsi Gabbard resigns as director of national intelligence
(Neil Irwin, Courtenay Brown – Axios) The Warsh era begins with soaring inflation, a Middle East energy shock bleeding into other parts of the economy and colleagues skeptical that rate cuts should come anytime soon. Kevin Warsh faces more political pressure to deliver lower rates than any other Federal Reserve chair in recent memory. The 17th Fed chair, sworn in Friday at the White House, inherits a set of economic conditions that make it difficult to justify cutting rates. Despite President Trump’s unprecedented pressure on Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, to cut rates, the president struck a different tone on Friday. Honestly, I really mean this: I want Kevin to be totally independent and just do a great job. Don’t look at me, don’t look at anybody. Just do your own thing and do a great job,” Trump said at Warsh’s swearing-in ceremony. – New Fed chair Warsh inherits big economic obstacles
(Russell Contreras – Axios) America’s classic neighborhood watch programs are fading as AI-powered apps turn neighborhoods into digital watch zones. The automation of neighborhood safety with tools like Amazon’s Ring and the Nextdoor app is quietly dismantling one of the country’s most basic forms of civic life: neighbors who actually know each other. What’s replacing it is faster, smarter — and far more detached. – Why neighborhood watch groups are fading
US – Belarus
(Rikard Jozwiak – RFE/RL) US officials have proposed that Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine lift sanctions on Belarusian potash to allow the transit of the agricultural product – a major source of hard currency revenue for Minsk — through their territories. An undated, unsigned, one-page document sent to the three countries bordering Belarus, which was obtained by RFE/RL, cited the March decision by President Donald Trump’s administration to lift financial restrictions on the state-run fertilizer giant Belaruskali. “Now that the United States has lifted US sanctions on Belaruskali, US firms are interested in acquiring and transporting Belarusian potash,” the paper says. “Doing so would require transit through EU countries bordering Belarus or through Ukraine to avoid transport through Russia.” – Exclusive: US Asks Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine To Allow Belarusian Fertilizer Exports
US – Cuba
(Pascal Fletcher, Duncan Walkerand, Alicia Curry – BBC) The relationship between the United States and Cuba – already strained and fragile for decades – has been rapidly deteriorating in recent weeks. Accusing Cuba of posing a national security threat, the US has hit it with an oil blockade, sanctions and now an unprecedented murder indictment against former leader Raúl Castro. Washington is also warning that a peaceful agreement with the Caribbean nation is unlikely, while Cuba says the US is using a “fraudulent case” to justify military intervention. But what is driving the US pressure on Cuba and how is it responding? – Why is the US putting pressure on Cuba and what are Trump’s aims?
US – India
(AFP/Al Arabiya) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday opened a visit to India that will include talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, looking to renew ties with a usually like-minded partner a week after Washington’s warm summit with China. Rubio, a devout Catholic, began his four-day, four-city tour by touring the headquarters of Mother Teresa’s charity in the eastern city of Kolkata and praying over her tomb. Wearing a yellow garland over his suit, Rubio, who was visiting India for the first time in his life, smiled before an assembly of nuns, all clad in the late humanitarian’s signature white and blue saris. “Rubio spoke about aiding the homeless, terminally ill and those afflicted by leprosy,” Sister Marie Juan of Missionaries of Charity told reporters after his hour-and-a-half-long visit. – Rubio in India to renew ties after Trump’s China lovefest
US – NATO
(Alex Raufoglu – RFE/RL) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ended a tense round of NATO talks in Sweden with a blunt message to European allies: Washington’s military footprint on the continent will shrink over time, but the US insists its commitment to NATO’s collective defense remains intact. Rubio’s visit to the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg came amid mounting confusion over contradictory signals from US President Donald Trump regarding troop deployments in Europe, especially after Trump abruptly announced that 5,000 additional American troops would be sent to Poland just weeks after Washington revealed plans to reduce forces elsewhere in Europe. The uncertainty overshadowed much of the summit and exposed growing anxiety inside the alliance over whether Europe can still rely on the predictability of US security guarantees. – Rubio’s Stark Warnings To NATO On Russia, Troops, And Alliance Strains
US – Poland
(Jan Cienski, Zoya Sheftalovich and Chris Lunday – Politico) Poland is examining whether former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro broke the rules by fleeing to the U.S. despite facing charges back home over accusations of misusing public funds, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said at Saturday’s POLITICO Speakeasy at the GLOBSEC Forum. Ziobro, who is still an MP and deputy chairman of Poland’s opposition Law and Justice party, “needs to face the charges,” Sikorski said. Ziobro had been in Hungary since 2025 after former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán granted the disgraced minister asylum. New Hungarian leader Péter Magyar, however, promised to launch extradition proceedings against Ziobro upon taking office. – Poland’s fugitive former justice minister can’t rest easy in the US – POLITICO
(Jan Cienski and Chris Lunday – Politico) A senior aide to Polish President Karol Nawrocki told POLITICO on Friday that “chaotic communication” in Washington is behind confusion over U.S. troop deployments and said the White House remains committed to boots on the ground. In an interview at the POLITICO Speakeasy at GLOBSEC, Marcin Przydacz, secretary of state to the nationalist president, said Donald Trump’s announcement late Thursday that the U.S. would send 5,000 troops to Poland was not a surprise in Warsaw. “It was very much expected in Poland, and especially in the presidential palace,” Przydacz said, adding that Polish officials had been working on the issue for some time. – Despite ‘chaotic communication’ Polish aide says Trump is committed to troops in Europe – POLITICO
US – Ukraine
(Dmytro Basmat – The Kyiv Independent) A bipartisan group of U.S. senators urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a May 23 letter to release a previously approved $400 million aid package for Ukraine that has been delayed for months. The letter, spearheaded by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, comes after months of delays and mounting pressure from U.S. lawmakers for the Pentagon to release a broader $600 million security package, that includes $400 million in assistance to Ukraine and $200 million for Baltic states. – US senators press Hegseth on delayed $400 million aid package for Ukraine
War in Iran. Middle East and the Gulf
(AFP/Al Arabiya) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was a chance Iran would accept a deal to end the Middle East war as soon as Saturday. His comments came as Pakistan’s powerful army chief arrived in Tehran to bolster mediation and US President Donald Trump abruptly skipped his son’s wedding to stay in Washington due to “circumstances pertaining to government,” fueling speculation that talks had entered a sensitive stage. – Rubio says ‘chance’ of Iran accepting deal as soon as Saturday
(Al Arabiya) Iran presented two proposals during Pakistani army chief Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran on Saturday, diplomatic sources told Al Arabiya, as Islamabad intensifies efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States and prevent a renewed outbreak of war. According to the sources, Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US paying compensation to Iran. Tehran also requested that discussions on sanctions relief and frozen Iranian funds take place before any agreement is signed. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Saturday “we are both very far from and very close to an agreement,” adding that the purpose of Pakistani army chief Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran was to exchange messages between Iran and the US. – Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz in exchange for US compensation, sources say
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in China on Saturday, Chinese state media said, kicking off a four-day trip overshadowed by the Iran war. The Chinese foreign ministry has yet to confirm whether the pair will discuss the conflict in the Middle East, which Islamabad and Beijing have both sought to mediate in. – Pakistan PM arrives for China visit overshadowed by Iran war
(RFE/RL) A renewed push for a peace agreement involving Pakistan and Gulf states is under way to prevent the fragile cease-fire between Iran and the United States from collapsing, as mediators race to bridge major differences over sanctions, uranium enrichment, and the future of the Strait of Hormuz. The latest round of diplomacy stretched from Tehran to Beijing and a NATO meeting in Sweden, reflecting growing concern among regional and international powers that another round of fighting could trigger a broader crisis. At the center of the mediation effort is Pakistan, which has emerged as a key intermediary between Tehran and Washington because of its working ties with both governments. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in China on May 23 for a multiday visit expected to include discussions on the Iran conflict with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while Pakistani army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, traveled to Tehran on May 22 for talks with senior Iranian officials. – From Tehran To Beijing, Pakistan Continues Diplomatic Push With Latest Iran War Talks
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) Pakistan army chief, Asim Munir, held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on Friday as Islamabad steps up diplomatic efforts to help mediate between Iran and the United States, Iran’s state media reported on Saturday. – Pakistan army chief held talks with Iran’s foreign minister in Tehran, state media says
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Israel staged fresh airstrikes in Lebanon on Saturday after earlier raids killed 10 people, according to media and the government in Beirut, targeting an area near the Syrian border. The state-run National News Agency said there were five Israeli airstrikes shortly before midnight in the mountainous Nabi Sreij area on the outskirts of Brital, which had been spared from attacks since an April 17 ceasefire with Hezbollah. – Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 10
(Golnaz Esfandiari – RFE/RL) Anwar Gargash, a senior official in the United Arab Emirates, said a resumption of hostilities in the Iran war would be “catastrophic” for the Middle East, which has been embroiled in the US-Israeli conflict with the Islamic republic. In an interview with RFE/RL on May 22 at the annual Globsec security conference in Prague, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president said only a “political resolution” could end an 11-week war that has disrupted international oil and gas supplies and upended the global economy. In response to the US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28, Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles at its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, including the UAE, an ally of the United States and Israel, which has borne the brunt of Tehran’s retaliation. The UAE has been the most hawkish country in the region toward Iran. Recent US media reports suggest the oil-rich country carried out secret attacks on Iran during the US-Israeli military campaign. Pakistan is mediating talks between Washington and Tehran over a deal to end the war. President Donald Trump has warned the United States could resume military action if the sides cannot reach a negotiated settlement. – Senior UAE Official To RFE/RL: Restart Of Iran War Would Be ‘Catastrophic’
(Sean Lyngaas – CNN) Iranian hackers have posed as job recruiters to target software engineers in the aviation sector as part of an elaborate espionage scheme during the US and Israeli war with Iran, cybersecurity researchers told CNN on Friday. The Iranian operatives also targeted a US oil and gas firm as well organizations in Israel and the United Arab Emirates, according to researchers with US cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42. Compromising aviation, oil and gas companies could, in theory, allow Iran to do things like track flight manifests to the Middle East or better understand how US oil companies are dealing with a volatile oil market. It’s the kind of asymmetric threat that US intelligence officials have warned about since the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February. The hacking effort involved fake job postings and video conferencing software infected with malicious code. In one case, they impersonated a US airline. It shows the lengths to which Tehran-linked hackers have gone to collect intelligence that could be useful for the regime’s survival in the face of US and Israeli airstrikes. – Iranian hackers are targeting aviation, oil and gas companies in espionage scheme, researchers say | CNN Politics
War in Ukraine
(Sebastian Shukla, Tim Lister – CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin is running out of time to win his war against Ukraine, amid a stalemate on the battlefield and growing troubles at home, a European intelligence chief has told CNN. In the next four or five months, Putin “may not be able to negotiate from a position of strength anymore,” Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, said in an interview at the intelligence agency’s headquarters in Tallinn. Rosin detailed a combination of economic, military and societal pressures facing Putin that could force him to the negotiating table. “Time is not in Russia’s favor,” he said. – Battlefield losses and economic pain pile pressure on Putin, European spy chief says | CNN
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) A Russian drone struck a funeral procession on Saturday on the outskirts of the northeast Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing one person and injuring nine, a senior local official said. – Russian drone kills one, wounds nine at funeral near Ukraine’s Sumy, official says
(Polina Moroziuk – The Kyiv Independent) Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least five people and injured at least 62 others over the past day, local authorities reported early on May 23, with some of the heaviest attacks recorded in Kherson Oblast as Russian forces continued targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas across the front-line region. Located on the western bank of the Dnipro River near the front line in southern Ukraine, Kherson city and nearby communities face regular artillery and drone attacks since Ukrainian forces liberated the city in November 2022. Residents have described Russian FPV drone strikes that hunt and target pedestrians, cyclists, civilian vehicles, and public transport as a “human safari.” – Russian drones kill 5, injure 62 across Ukraine, hitting homes, church and cyclist in Kherson
(Volodymyr Ivanyshyn – The Kyiv Independent) NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on May 22 underscored support for Ukraine and said he hopes to better spread military support for Kyiv among Europe’s members of the alliance. “What I want to achieve is that the burden is more evenly spread, that there is more burden sharing here. Because at the moment, it is only six or seven allies who are doing the heavy lifting,” Rutte said at the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers. After U.S. President Donald Trump rolled back military aid for Ukraine, Kyiv’s European allies have largely footed the bill to support Ukraine. – Rutte hopes to achieve ‘more evenly spread’ military support for Ukraine among Europe’s NATO members
(Volodymyr Ivanyshyn – The Kyiv Independent) A fire broke out at a fuel terminal in the southern Russian city of Novorossiysk overnight on May 23 amid a Ukrainian drone attack, local authorities and media channels reported. The Grushovaya oil terminal, part of the major Sheskharis Transshipment Complex, was struck by Ukrainian drones, leaving a fire, independent Telegram news channel Exilenova Plus reported. Meanwhile, the Krasnodar Krai Operational Headquarters claimed that the fire broke out at an unnamed facility as a result of fallen drone debris. – Fire at Novorossiysk fuel terminal amid Ukrainian drone attack, Russian authorities say
(UN News) The United Nations voiced alarm on Friday over reports of an overnight attack on a vocational school and dormitory in the town of Starobilsk in Ukraine’s Luhansk region which killed and injured multiple civilians, including children. The UN does not have access to the area – which is under temporary Russian occupation – and cannot verify the details of the reported strike. UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban said the dormitory had reportedly housed at least 86 adolescents aged between 14 and 18. “The attack reportedly left six dead and dozens of others injured, including children,” he said during an emergency Security Council meeting in New York. Mr. Chaiban added that rescue operations were still underway and that “it is too early to know the full extent of the casualties.” – Ukraine: UN alarmed by reports of deadly strike on dormitory in occupied Luhansk | UN News
World Urban Forum
(UN News) A landmark gathering of more than 57,000 participants – the largest in the history of the World Urban Forum – closed on Friday in Baku with an urgent call to rethink how the world houses its people, as a new roadmap urges governments, cities and communities to act collectively on a crisis affecting billions. The Baku Call to Action, shaped by voices from 176 countries, sets out a shared path forward, including: Reframing housing as a system, linking homes with land, infrastructure, transport, services and economic opportunity rather than treating construction in isolation; Confronting interconnected pressures – from rising costs and land speculation to displacement, weak governance and climate shocks – through integrated, people-centred solutions; Recognizing housing and climate justice as inseparable, with the most vulnerable communities facing the greatest exposure to floods, extreme heat and environmental risks; Scaling up climate-resilient housing, including through nature-based solutions, retrofitting, upgrading informal settlements and strengthening disaster preparedness; Turning commitments into action, with stronger multilevel governance, expanded financing, better data and greater support for locally led, community-driven solutions. – World Urban Forum backs ‘Baku Call to Action’ on global housing crisis | UN News
