U.S. Offers Prisoner Swap With Russia as Ukraine Intensifies Counterattack in Kherson |
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the United States offered to release (Bloomberg) a Russian arms dealer in exchange for the freedom of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, two Americans whom Washington said Moscow has wrongfully detained (NYT). U.S. officials proposed the swap several weeks ago, but Russian officials recently said no deal has been made. Blinken said he will raise the issue when he speaks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in their first call since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a campaign by Ukrainian forces to recapture the Russia-controlled city of Kherson in southern Ukraine is “gathering momentum” (BBC), according to Western officials. Ukrainian forces intensified their attacks in recent days, destroying a critical bridge near the city that had allowed Russia to resupply its forces via Crimea. Separately, Russian forces stationed in Belarus launched several missiles at northern Ukraine.
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“There is a very difficult balance here between not wanting to set a precedent for asymmetrical trades of people who haven’t really done much criminally in Russia for someone who has done something very significant criminally in the United States,” New York University’s Preet Bharara tells CNN.
“Even though the current Russian campaign is centered on the Donbas, the more significant territory that Russia has occupied thus far is Kherson,” CNA’s Michael Kofman tells the Wall Street Journal. “The city has greater implications for Ukraine’s economic viability, and will also prove the future focus of this war.” |
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North Korea Threatens to Use Nuclear Weapons if U.S. Attacks |
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India Seeks to Amend Laws to Allow for Lithium Extraction |
The government is looking to amend existing policies (Bloomberg) to allow private miners to extract lithium, an essential component in electric vehicle batteries.
The Why It Matters podcast looks at how the global demand for lithium is outpacing supply.
Sri Lanka: A senior official from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the Sri Lankan government needs to reach an agreement (Daily Mirror) with creditors, including China, before it can receive IMF assistance. |
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Middle East and North Africa |
Report: Moroccan Government Has Created ‘Ecosystem of Repression’ |
Human Rights Watch released a report detailing how the Moroccan government uses smear campaigns, intimidation tactics, and digital surveillance to repress critics and dissidents.
Palestinian territories: Protests broke out in Gaza after Hamas, the militant group ruling the territory, raised taxes (AP) on imported clothes, office supplies, and other items to combat rising prices. |
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Eritrean Refugees Allege Abuse in Ethiopia |
Refugees told The Guardian that Ethiopian government security officers targeted them for abuse, arbitrary detention, and forced relocation to camps despite their legal status allowing them to stay in the country.
Kenya: The ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa has killed 179 elephants (BBC) across Kenya in the past year, the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife said. |
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France to Hold Talks With Saudi Arabia |
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today on his first trip to Europe since Saudi agents murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in 2018. The leaders are expected to discuss (AFP) energy supplies and Iran’s nuclear program. |
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Brazilian Oil Exports to China, India Fall |
Brazilian oil exports to China and India fell by 36 percent and 54 percent (MercoPress), respectively, in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period last year after the Asian countries increased imports from Russia.
Chile: Amazon Web Services, a subsidiary of Amazon that focuses on cloud computing, said it will invest more in Chile (Reuters). It also expects to see continued growth across Latin America in the next few years despite regional instability.
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Biden, Xi to Discuss Areas of Competition, Cooperation |
In their phone call today, U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss (Reuters) issues including the war in Ukraine, climate change, and tensions over Taiwan.
This timeline traces the history of U.S.-China relations. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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