Trump’s military spending request. The White House asked Congress Friday to greenlight roughly $1.5 trillion in defense spending for the 2027 fiscal year, around 40 percent more than the current level. The request was part of a broader budget that offset the spending increase with proposed $73 billion in cuts to areas such as health, housing, and education.
Shifting satellite availability. Planet Labs, a California-based satellite imaging firm, said Saturday it would stop publishing images of Iran or the regional conflict zone following a U.S. government request. Satellite images are often used by reporters and researchers to track battlefield developments. Chinese open-source data firms have continued to share images of the conflict.
War’s latest energy fallout. Senegal announced Friday it is banning government ministers from nonessential foreign travel due to rising fuel costs. The same day, France announced it would offer loans of up to nearly $58,000 to small businesses hit hardest by the price increases. Oil alliance OPEC+ agreed yesterday to modestly raise oil output for May, though many members’ ability to do so is hampered by the war.
Zelenskyy in Syria. Ukraine and Syria agreed to cooperate on security and economic issues during Zelenskyy’s trip to Damascus yesterday. Turkey’s foreign minister also attended a portion of the talks. It was Zelenskyy’s first visit to Syria since the two countries restored diplomatic ties; Syria’s former Assad regime was a close ally of Russia.
U.S.-Congo deportation deal. The Democratic Republic of Congo will start receiving third-country migrants deported from the United States this month, the Congolese communications ministry said yesterday. The United States is paying for the program and has reached similar deportation deals with at least seven other African countries.
Afghanistan-Pakistan talks. Chinese-mediated peace talks between the two countries are advancing, Beijing said Friday. Envoys from the countries began meeting last Wednesday in western China. The talks come after fighting between them killed hundreds of people earlier this year. An Afghan government spokesperson accused Pakistan last week of carrying out cross-border attacks even as the negotiations moved forward.
Afghanistan-Central Asia trade. Envoys from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan attended a trade meeting in Kabul yesterday. Afghanistan aims to increase trade with Central Asian countries from $2.7 billion in 2025 to $10 billion within the next three to four years, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said.
North Korean succession. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter is being positioned as his successor, South Korea’s intelligence chief told lawmakers today. North Korea has only had male leaders since its establishment in 1948. Recent photos of Kim’s daughter driving a tank and firing a pistol appear designed to reduce wariness about a female leader, Seoul’s intelligence service said.
