South Korea’s new president. Democratic Party politician Lee Jae-myung took office earlier today after winning yesterday’s snap presidential election by more than an eight-point margin. He pledged to value the country’s alliance with the United States, but is also expected to pursue stronger ties with China and dialogue with North Korea. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the bilateral alliance was “ironclad” and Washington hoped to deepen trilateral cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo.
Ukraine attacks Crimea bridge. Ukraine struck the bridge linking Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea with explosives yesterday and damaged its support pillars, the Ukrainian military said. Russian media said the bridge was temporarily closed to traffic in the morning, and local authorities said it was closed again in the afternoon. This is the third time Ukraine has targeted the bridge, a main supply route for Russian forces, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
Gaza aid operation scrutinized. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution site in the territory’s south is closed today for logistical work after a series of deadly incidents in recent days. The pause is meant to ensure the site can accommodate larger crowds, according to the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization. Yesterday, at least twenty-seven people were killed after Israeli forces opened fire near the site, the Red Cross and Gaza Health Ministry said. Israel’s military said certain people near the site “posed a threat” to soldiers.
Israel-Syria hostilities. Israel carried out airstrikes in southern Syria after it said that projectiles were fired from Syria toward Israel yesterday. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa for yesterday’s projectiles, while Syria’s foreign ministry said it could not immediately verify reports of strikes from inside Syria and was working to contain nonstate actors in the country.
Mineral curbs squeeze automakers. The head of Germany’s car lobby yesterday became the latest global industry figure to warn that Chinese export controls on critical minerals and magnets could soon prompt production delays. Last week, an Indian carmaker similarly warned of a production slowdown. Beijing imposed the curbs in early April following Washington’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. Diplomats and businesspeople from India, Japan, and Europe have sought meetings with Chinese officials, Reuters reported.
Myanmar truce extended. The country’s military junta has prolonged its post-earthquake ceasefire against rebel groups to June 30, it said yesterday. Fighting in the country’s civil war had initially impeded aid efforts following the March 28 quake. The country’s armed opposition groups said they, too, would continue their ceasefire through the end of the month.
Sudan aid convoy targeted. UN agencies called for an investigation yesterday as they reported that five members of an aid convoy to the city of El-Fasher were killed in an attack earlier this week. Each side in Sudan’s civil war accused the other of targeting the convoy with drones. The convoy did not reach El-Fasher, which the UN food and children’s agencies called “famine-stricken.”
Ecuador’s stance on foreign bases. The country moved closer to again allowing foreign military bases on its soil yesterday as the legislature approved a constitutional reform to do so. The proposal next faces a countrywide referendum. Ecuador previously hosted foreign bases until a leftist government spearheaded a constitutional ban in 2008; the United States hasn’t had a base in the country since 2009. Ecuador’s current administration argues U.S. military cooperation could help fight crime, while its opposition says the government would still need a plan that doesn’t rely on foreign military support.
