After the Pentagon announced it successfully tested (TIME) a new ground-launched cruise missile, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said Moscow will not be dragged into an arms race (Bloomberg). The test, conducted off the coast of California, was the United States’ first of a medium-range missile after exiting a landmark arms treaty with Russia earlier this month.
 
The deputy minister said Russia will not deploy missiles (FT) barred under the Cold War–era agreement, known as the INF Treaty, as long as the United States also refrains from doing so. At the same time, China’s foreign ministry called on the United States (Manila Times) to “let go of its Cold War mentality.” New U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said following the U.S. withdrawal that he supports placing intermediate-range missiles (Reuters) in Asia.

Twitter announced it suspended more than nine hundred accounts that originated in China for spreading disinformation (SCMP) about Hong Kong’s protest movement, while Facebook said it removed five accounts. Twitter also said it will no longer allow advertising by state-controlled media.
 
China: The UK Foreign Office said it is “extremely concerned” about reports that an employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong was detained during a trip (Guardian) to mainland China.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump had phone calls yesterday (AFP) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in which he urged both countries to reduce tensions in the disputed Kashmir region.
 
On this episode of the President’s Inbox podcast, CFR’s Alyssa Ayres discusses the turmoil in Kashmir.
 
Sri Lanka: A general accused of overseeing extrajudicial executions in 2009 was appointed the new head of the army (Hindu). UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was “deeply troubled” by the move.

Benjamin Netanyahu, on the first visit by an Israeli prime minister to Ukraine in two decades, met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and called for closer ties (RFE/RL) between the countries. The trip comes ahead of elections in Israel, which is home to some two hundred thousand Ukrainian immigrants (RFE/RL).
 
Syria: A Syrian government air strike on a Turkish convoy in the rebel-held area of Idlib killed three people (BBC) and injured a dozen others, Turkey’s defense ministry said.

On the first day of a corruption trial against ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, a police investigator said Bashir admitted he accepted $90 million (Al Jazeera) from late Saudi King Abdullah and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for use outside of the state budget.
 
Somalia: Qatar plans to finance a port (Bloomberg) in the town of Hobyo, in central Somalia, the two countries announced during a visit by Qatari officials.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will address parliament today (BBC) ahead of a confidence vote. The vote was scheduled after Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called for new elections amid political deadlock.
 
Hungary: At a ceremony marking the thirtieth anniversary of the so-called pan-European picnic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a “truly united Europe” (Politico) would include the Western Balkan states. She also urged Europe to accept more refugees (Al Jazeera), while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban defended his anti-migrant stance.
 
In Foreign Affairs, Paul Lendvai discusses how Orban has changed since 1989.

The UN high commissioner for refugees, on a visit to Brazil, praised the country’s efforts (UN) to give Venezuelan migrants documentation and emergency assistance. He also called for more international support to address the Venezuelan crisis, stating that the United Nations and aid groups have received less than a quarter (Al Jazeera) of the $770 million they requested at the start of this year.
 
In Foreign Affairs, Cynthia J. Arnson writes that the Venezuelan refugee crisis is not just a regional problem.
 
El Salvador: The Salvadoran woman who was sentenced to thirty years in prison for abortion was acquitted in a retrial (BBC). The country’s supreme court had overturned the verdict against her in February.