Russian pushback on Ukraine truce. Moscow cannot accept the U.S. proposal for a cease-fire in Ukraine “in its current form” because it does not address “problems related to the root causes of this conflict,” state media quoted Russia’s deputy foreign minister as saying. Separately, a Kremlin spokesperson said yesterday that the issue behind the war was “very complex.” The comments came after Trump on Sunday criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russia’s approach to the cease-fire and threatened tariffs on buyers of Russian oil.
U.S. ups Mideast deployment. An aircraft carrier strike group will stay in the Middle East longer than originally planned while an additional group has been ordered to join it, the Defense Department said yesterday. It is unusual for two groups to be deployed so closely, though the Joe Biden administration took the same step last year. A Pentagon spokesperson warned against threats by Iran and its proxies while announcing the deployment.
A possible TikTok divestment. At a meeting today, Trump is expected to consider a deal for U.S. investors to buy TikTok’s operations from its Chinese parent company, unnamed sources told CBS News. The firms involved in the deal reportedly include Oracle, Blackstone, and Andreessen Horowitz. They did not comment for reports in Bloomberg or the Financial Times. TikTok’s owner faces an April 5 deadline to sell its U.S. arm to non-Chinese entities or face a ban.
U.S.-South Africa dialogue. Senior South African officials met in Washington with White House, State Department, and Treasury officials to discuss “misconceptions on what has been presented by some as race laws designed to undermine minority rights in South Africa,” South Africa’s foreign ministry said yesterday. Citing Pretoria’s land expropriation policies, Washington has halted aid to South Africa and skipped a Group of Twenty meeting there. The Trump administration has also launched an on-the-ground initiative in South Africa to help white Afrikaners migrate to the United States.
Deportation error. The Trump administration said in a legal filing that it made an “administrative error” amid its immigration crackdown in transferring a Maryland man to prison in his home country of El Salvador last month. A U.S. judge granted Kilmar Abrego Garcia legal protection from removal in 2019 due to a credible fear of persecution in El Salvador. The Trump administration said in another filing that it cannot ensure Abrego Garcia’s return because he is no longer in U.S. custody.
U.S. strikes on Houthis. A U.S. attack in Yemen killed at least four people today, the Houthi rebels said. The group says at least sixty-five people have died since the latest U.S. air campaign began last month. Meanwhile, satellite images show that at least six U.S. nuclear-capable B-2 Spirit bombers are stationed at a base in the Indian Ocean, according to the Associated Press. It is rare for nearly a third of Washington’s B-2 fleet—planes worth around $1 billion each—to be stationed at a single overseas base.
Myanmar junta’s warning shots at Chinese relief convoy. The junta fired at a Chinese Red Cross convoy transporting earthquake relief supplies, a military government spokesperson said. He added that the aid group had not informed authorities of its presence and failed to stop their vehicles. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the team was safe and called for “open and unobstructed” relief routes.
Namibia, Russia nuclear energy talks. The two countries met to discuss boosting nuclear power cooperation in Namibia, Africa’s largest producer of uranium. Namibia is seeking international support for its local mineral processing and refining industries rather than solely for mining. The two countries have “room for further development,” Russia’s deputy prime minister said during his visit. Namibia has held talks with other partners, such as China, on the topic.
