U.S. Secretary of State Meets Gulf Officials in Saudi Arabia |
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Riyadh today for a meeting with foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council where they are set to discuss the conflicts (AFP) in Yemen, Sudan, Syria, and the Palestinian territories, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry said. Yesterday in Jeddah, Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for nearly two hours. The pair discussed prospects for a lasting peace deal in Yemen, the potential normalization of Saudi-Israeli ties, and efforts to mediate the conflict in Sudan.
Blinken has said that the U.S. supports a normalization (NYT) of Saudi relations with Israel, but that it should not come at the expense of progress toward reaching a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Riyadh’s conditions for normalizing ties include the ability to develop a civilian nuclear program, Reuters reported.
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“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is putting a high price on his signature to the Abraham Accords [which would normalize relations with Israel],” Kim Ghattas writes in the Financial Times. “Short of a full accession to the accords, the Biden administration could seek more public co-operation between the two countries—anything that builds bridges in a difficult region.”
“The grand strategic overlap that for decades defined the U.S.-Saudi relationship no longer exists. But the prospects for cooperation on a relatively narrow set of regional and economic issues remain good, if both sides understand these shifts so they can reach a more realistic set of mutual expectations,” Texas A&M University’s F. Gregory Gause III writes in Foreign Affairs.
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Japan to Join U.S., Australia in $95 Million Undersea Cable Project |
The three countries are stepping up cooperation with the Pacific islands to build the cable, which will connect East Micronesia island nations (AP) to improve networks in the Indo-Pacific region. The project is expected to be completed around 2025.
Taiwan: President Tsai Ing-wen apologized to the public and pledged to strengthen gender equality initiatives (Bloomberg) following sexual harassment allegations against former members of her ruling party. Members of Taiwan’s opposition party have also faced recent allegations of sexual harassment.
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Air India Flight to San Francisco Diverted to Russia Due to Technical Issue |
The flight from Delhi likely had American citizens aboard (Reuters), a U.S. State Department spokesperson said. The United States has banned U.S. airlines from flying over Russia during its war in Ukraine, but this doesn’t apply to foreign airlines that serve the United States.
Bangladesh: A fuel shortage has triggered frequent power cuts (Reuters) that could last for two more weeks as the country experiences a heat wave with temperatures nearing 41℃ (106℉), officials said. Some primary schools closed this week due to the extreme heat.
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Middle East and North Africa |
U.S. Announces New Sanctions on Those Aiding Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program |
The U.S. Treasury Department said that seven people and six companies in Iran, China, and Hong Kong who helped Iran procure materials (Bloomberg) for the program will face sanctions. Tehran’s military envoy in Beijing was among those sanctioned. |
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UN Judges Declare Rwanda Genocide Suspect Unfit for Trial |
Judges said they could not reach a guilty verdict against Félicien Kabuga due to his dementia, but would continue to hear evidence (AP) without the possibility of a conviction. Kabuga was accused of bankrolling mass killings during the country’s 1994 genocide.
Rwanda: President Paul Kagame dismissed more than two hundred soldiers (BBC), including senior military officers, according to a statement released today by the Rwandan army. He did not announce a reason for the dismissals, which come amid high tensions with neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Flooding from Ukrainian Dam Collapse Triggers Mass Evacuations |
Thousands of people were attempting to flee flooded homes (FT) in southern Ukraine today in the aftermath of yesterday’s collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said hundreds of thousands lacked access to drinking water (BBC).
Ukraine: A European intelligence report shared with the United States in June 2022 said the Ukrainian military had planned an attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the Washington Post reported. The pipeline was destroyed in September 2022. The White House and the CIA declined to comment on the Post’s report.
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Earthquake in Haiti Kills Four People |
The estimated 4.9-magnitude quake hit early yesterday in southern Haiti (AP) and left four people dead and thirty-six wounded, authorities said. The country is still recovering from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the same area less than two years ago.
This Backgrounder by Rocio Cara Labrador and CFR’s Diana Roy details Haiti’s troubled path to development.
Mexico: Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced he will resign (AP) in order to pursue the 2024 presidential nomination for the ruling left-wing Morena party. |
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UK Prime Minister Begins Two-Day Visit to Washington |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 |
1777 F Street, NW — Washington, DC 20006 |
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