The Philippines and the United States will start their annual joint army workout routines in the present day, however this time they’ll happen in part of the central South China Sea claimed by China, removed from Philippine territorial waters. International regulation permits the workout routines to be carried out there, however China would think about them a provocation. Read extra Passover begins at sundown in the present day and ends at sundown subsequent Tuesday. Presidential elections shall be held in North Macedonia on Wednesday. Read extra US Secretary of State Blinken will go to China this week to warn Beijing to cease Chinese firms from serving to construct Russian army tools.Read extra Product Prices Aluminum: $2,669/ton Antimony (minimal 99.65% ingot from China): $14,200/ton Cobalt: $27,830/ton Copper: $9,876/ton Gold: $2,337/ton Lead: $2,219/ton Natural Gas (Nymex): $1.77/MMbtu WTI Crude oil (Nymex): $82.77/barrel Zinc: $2,852/ton International News
iran and israel
After an unprecedented change of direct assaults between Iran and Israel final week, each international locations seem like backing down. Iran downplayed Friday’s Israeli drone strike, seemingly content material that it was the final on this salvo. Read extra Israel’s Friday assault hit a defensive artillery battery close to a few of Iran’s most necessary nuclear infrastructure. Western officers stated Israel’s goal was to indicate it might penetrate Iran’s defenses undetected, and it appeared to have accomplished simply that on Friday. Read extra Some Israeli media experiences counsel that Israel used a supersonic “Rampage” missile in Friday’s closing assault. Neither Israel nor Iran have confirmed these experiences. Iranian officers are prepared to let their individuals consider the overseas minister’s remark that the weapons deployed in opposition to Isfahan weren’t high-tech weapons however “like toys that youngsters play with” (567 kg). missile. Read extra Separately, Iraq’s pro-Iranian Popular Mobilization Forces accused the US of attacking one in every of its bases close to Baghdad, killing one militant.learn extra
Gaza
The United States reportedly plans to impose sanctions on the Israel Defense Forces’ Netza Yehuda Battalion for alleged human rights violations dedicated within the West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “combat” sanctions that will finish U.S. funding and coaching for the drive. Read extra His Israeli army intelligence chief, Aharon Hariba, turned the primary senior official to resign over his failure to foresee and forestall the October 7 Hamas assault. The assault, which passed off greater than six months in the past, comes amid rising protests over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dealing with of the struggle, and critics are hoping for a backlash.learn extra
ukraine
After in depth delays and political maneuvering, the U.S. House of Representatives has authorised a long-delayed $95 billion overseas help invoice for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Ukraine welcomed the information, saying that $61 billion of the overall quantity has been allotted to Ukraine, together with $14 billion for weapons. The Kremlin warned that passing the invoice would “additional spoil” Ukraine.learn extra
Venezuela
Saturday was the deadline to exchange candidates on the poll for Venezuela’s presidential election in July. Read extra Opposition events had hoped to place United Party chief María Colina Machado on the poll, as she stays barred from working for politically motivated technical causes. All 10 of the principle opposition events have aligned themselves behind the comparatively unknown former diplomat. The candidate is Edmundo González.learn extra
Myanmar
Recently unified insurgent teams are quickly retaking territory from authorities forces in Myanmar. Rebels now management half the nation.learn extra
China
The Maldives’ pro-China ruling occasion, the People’s Congress (PNC), received a decisive victory on this weekend’s parliamentary elections, successful sufficient seats to safe an outright majority. Read extra His PNC management, incumbent President Muiz, has steered the nation nearer to China, however has been restrained by parliamentary management by pro-India events. Now that the PNC additionally controls parliament, the Maldives will pivot extra sharply in the direction of China.learn extra
sahel
The United States has reluctantly agreed to withdraw as much as 1,100 troops from Niger, an unwelcome transfer. Read extra Diplomats have tried to steer the army junta to reinstate army cooperation agreements signed by its civilian predecessors, however the junta has refused to just accept unconditional calls for from Russia and (to a lesser extent) China. It looks like they’re all for serving to. Read extra It’s not clear what is going to occur to the U.S. drone base, which has value between $100 million and $110 million to deal with troops. The base has been largely dormant because the July 2023 coup. The solely drones working there nowadays are surveillance drones supporting U.S. positions.learn extra
north korea
U.S.-based cyber sleuths have discovered proof suggesting that North Korean animators helped create TV animation for upcoming exhibits on Amazon and HBO Max. Because the work was subcontracted to China, Amazon and HBO had been virtually definitely unaware that their artwork got here from North Korea.learn extra
The World Daily Brief is produced day by day by former CIA and intelligence officers.
Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist, and proprietor of the broadcasting firm Howard Stark Holdings. He can also be half proprietor of the Baltimore Sun.