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US President Donald Trump and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán shake hands as they pose for a photo, at a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war, amid a US-brokered prisoner-hostage swap and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025.
What We’re Watching: Orbán seeks Russian oil carveout from Trump, Nigerien uranium to pass through risky area, Israel hits southern Lebanon
MAGA’s European hero comes to Washington – with a mission
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will visit the White House today to try to convince US President Donald Trump to allow him to continue purchasing Russian oil despite new US sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil firms. Oil refineries in China and India – the largest two buyers of Russian oil – are already exploring alternatives. But Orbán is hoping he can leverage his personal and ideological connection to Trump to gain a carveout. Landlocked Hungary relies on Russian pipelines for nearly 90% of its oil, though other non-Russian import routes via the Balkans are also possible. With the opposition surging ahead of next April’s election, there’s a lot on the line for Orbán. Will Trump give his mate a favor, or put his foot down?
Will Nigerien uranium reach Russia?
French officials believe Russian nuclear giant Rosatom struck a $170-million deal with the ruling military junta in Niger to purchase 1,000 tons of uranium from a mine formerly run by a French firm. The reported deal is the latest sign of Russia’s growing influence in the region, at the expense of the former colonial power, France. The greater concern with this purchase, though, could be that the uranium will have to pass through areas of Burkina Faso that are controlled by jihadist groups. Islamist militants are gaining momentum in West Africa – they have the Malian capital surrounded – sparking concern among governments in the region.
Israel attacks southern Lebanon
Israel temporarily breached its ceasefire deal with Lebanon on Thursday, issuing evacuation orders before bombing buildings in southern Lebanon it claimed were a part of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. One person was killed and three were injured, per media reports. The Israeli military said the strikes were due to Hezbollah rebuilding its military capabilities, despite the Lebanese government agreeing to disarm the group. Fears are rising in Lebanon that Israel may resume major airstrikes if Hezbollah doesn’t give up its weapons soon, but Lebanon's government worries about inflaming local tensions if they push Hezbollah too aggressively.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his wife, Kim Hye Kyung, are pictured at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Aug. 24, 2025, before flying to Washington, D.C., USA.
What We’re Watching: South Korea’s Lee to meet Trump, Israel offers withdrawal for Hezbollah disarmament, Maryland man now headed to Uganda
Lee-Trump meeting to center on China
South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung visits Washington, D.C., with plenty on his agenda as he meets US President Donald Trump. Top of the list will be China. Unlike his predecessors, Lee wants to boost ties with Beijing – he even said Seoul should stay out of any China-Taiwan conflict. Meanwhile Trump wants South Korea to bolster its forces so that the American troops stationed there can focus on containing China rather than helping defend the locals from North Korea – this, unsurprisingly, worries Seoul. Trump’s post this morning about there being a “Purge or Revolution” in South Korea won’t help, either. Lee’s charm offensive has already begun, with the use of Trump’s (likely) favorite attire: a red hat.
Israel offers the carrot and the stick in bid for Hezbollah disarmament
Israel said it would cut back its forces in southern Lebanon if Beirut took steps to force the militant group Hezbollah to disarm. The announcement comes after the Lebanese cabinet approved plans earlier this month aimed at disarming the weakened, Iran-backed militant group. The flipside of Israel’s pledge appears to be some sort of continued military presence in southern Lebanon: IDF troops and Hezbollah were both supposed to exit the area two months after signing a ceasefire deal in November, but the Israelis stayed after the militant fighters remained active in the area. Whatever the approach, disarming Hezbollah will be easier said than done.
Kilmar Ábrego García to be deported to Uganda
The United States is set to deport Kilmar Ábrego García – a Salvadoran man who resides in Maryland – to Uganda. It comes after Uganda joined the growing ranks of African countries, including South Sudan and Eswatini, that have agreed to receive US deportees from other countries. The small nation of Eswatini faces a court challenge after accepting five deported men, sparking outrage over human rights violations and overcrowded prisons. As such arrangements expand, Africa risks becoming a receiving zone for migrants — and the unresolved legal issues that come along with such transfers.Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with US special envoy Steve Witkoff ahead of Ukraine war talks.
What We’re Watching: US envoy in Moscow, Tariffs rock South Africa’s government, Hezbollah dismisses disarmament
US envoy meets with Putin ahead of sanctions deadline
US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday ahead of US President Donald Trump’s Friday deadline for the Kremlin to end the war or face new US sanctions. Neither side has revealed details about the talks yet, but Putin is reportedly unmoved by Trump’s threats, seeing his own war aims as being worth the price of further economic pain. The Witkoff-Putin talks came a day after Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed Russia sanctions and increased defense cooperation.
US tariffs cause political trouble in Africa’s largest economy
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing a backlash from his coalition partners over his failure to deftly handle tariff negotiations with Trump. In May, Ramaphosa made a trip to the White House where he sought to allay the US president’s trade concerns and push back against largely fabricated stories about a “genocide” of South African white farmers. None of it worked — Africa’s largest and most industrialized economy is under a 30% tariff, the highest rate on the continent.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm
Hezbollah on Wednesday said it would be a “grave sin” for the Lebanese government to try to take away its weapons. The defiant statement comes after Lebanon's cabinet, acting under US pressure, ordered the army this week to draft a plan by year’s end to place Hezbollah’s weapons under state control. Iran-backed Hezbollah faces its weakest moment in years: Israeli strikes have decimated its weapons and leadership, and it no longer has an ally in Syria. Click here for more on what it would take to disarm the group, and here for the most famous recent example of a paramilitary disarmament that actually worked.
A man, draped in a version of the Israeli flag, stations himself outside the Capital Jewish Museum, after two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead there, in Washington, D.C., USA, on May 21, 2025.
HARD NUMBERS: Two Israelis murdered in Washington, Arms race for AI talent, & more
2: An Israeli couple who work at their country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot and killed last night outside the Capital Jewish Museum by a gunman who reportedly chanted “free, free Palestine,” after he shot and killed them. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were identified as the two people murdered. A 31-year-old suspect is in custody.
$20 million: Google DeepMind is offering artificial intelligence researchers $20 million of compensation per year in a bid to attract the top talent, amid an industry-wide battle for top talent. OpenAI and SSI are also offering eight-figure salary packages, and company leaders are personally courting top talent. If they need a hand, Nick Saban is available.
8: Mahmoud Abbas, the longtime chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, visited Lebanon on Wednesday for the first time in 8 years. He met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, as the two leaders called for the disarming of armed groups that operate in Palestinian refugee camps.
75: US Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who was serving his ninth term in Congress, died Wednesday morning at the age of 75. The former congressional staffer oversaw his district’s transformation from a sleepy suburban area on the outskirts of D.C. into a booming tech hub. His passing means there are now three vacancies in Democratic-leaning House seats, and gives US Speaker Mike Johnson a little breathing room as he prepares to pass the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
$245 million: Former Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo was found guilty of embezzling $245 million inpublic funds, and sentenced to a decade of hard labor. Matata, who was prime minister from 2012 to 2016, had received praise from the International Monetary Fund for stabilizing the Congolese economy.
4,268: If you don’t have anything rice to say, don’t say it. Japanese Farm Minister Taku Eto resigned Wednesday after he declared over the weekend that he never has to buy rice because his supporters give him the staple grain free of charge. The comments didn’t land well with the public, in large part because rice prices have ballooned to 4,268 yen ($29.63) for a five-kilogram bag, a record.
Smoke rises from a burning building in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border, March 23, 2025.
Israel ramps up military offensives as Bibi battles the courts
Israel stepped up its attacks against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon this weekend. The Israeli military ordered the evacuation of Rafah and confirmed the killing of a Hamas leader on Sunday, while the Israeli cabinet approved a proposal to create a directorate to advance the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from Gaza. In Lebanon, Israel carried out airstrikes in retaliation for rockets fired into Israel. The strikes killed seven people, including a child, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, and prompted fears of a “new war” in the region.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s biggest fight might be internal. Last week, he announced the firing of Shin Bet security head Ronen Bar over alleged failures to prevent the Oct. 7 attacks in 2023. Bar had been investigating Netanyahu’s office for allegations of corruption.
On Friday, the Israeli courts stayed Bar’s dismissal pending further hearings. Now, the Israeli prime minister is attempting to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who vocally opposed the dismissal of Bar and has clashed with Netanyahu over his proposed overhaul of the judicial system, an issue which has Israelis taking to the streets regularly to protest his attempts to expand executive power.
On Sunday, the Israeli cabinet unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against Baharav-Miara for “ongoing substantial differences of opinion between the government and the attorney general, which prevents effective collaboration.” The issue of her removal will now go to a committee expected to be stacked with Netanyahu loyalists, whose decision can then be appealed to the Supreme Court.
That process could take weeks and set up a showdown between the executive and judicial branches of government. Opposition leader Yair Lapid warned that if Netanyahu defies the courts, Israel “will no longer [be] a democracy” – and that citizens may stop paying taxes in protest.Syrian troops sit atop a tank as they head toward the Syrian-Lebanese border following clashes with Lebanese soldiers and armed groups, in Qusayr, Syria, March 17, 2025.
Hezbollah takes on Syria’s new army
Fighting erupted across the border that separates Syria and Lebanon over the weekend. The new government in Syria claims the militant group Hezbollah triggered this violence by crossing into Syrian territory on Saturday, kidnapping three Syrian soldiers, and then executing them inside Lebanon. Hezbollah denies the allegation, and Lebanon’s state media blames the killing on local clans and militias. The two sides agreed to halt the fighting late Monday night.
The Syrian government and Hezbollah have historically acted as allies, but two important changes have occurred. First, Israel has pounded Hezbollah positions inside Lebanon in recent months, badly weakening the group and killing most of its leadership. Second, the current Syrian regime is composed of fighters who defeated the government of Bashar Assad, which had been Hezbollah’s reliable regional partner. Assad now lives in Moscow under Russian President Vladimir Putin’s protection.
Hezbollah has good reason for frustration. In the past, when its fighters needed more weapons and materiel, Iran provided them by sending reinforcements across Syrian territory. The new Syrian government has severed that channel. The Lebanese and Syrian armies say they have increased cross-border communication to restore calm, though Hezbollah representatives remain defiant.
An Israeli soldier stands next to a gate on a road near the Israel-Lebanon border, in Israel, on March 12, 2025.
Israel and Lebanon are set for border talks
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to start talks “as soon as possible” on their disputed land border nearly four months after a ceasefire paused the most recent war between the two countries.
The Netanyahu and Trump administrations announced on Tuesday that Israel, Lebanon, France, and the US would establish working groups to negotiate the Israel-Lebanon border, the presence of Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, and the release of Lebanese detainees held in Israel.
Israel freed five Lebanese prisoners this week who had been captured during last year’s war in what Jerusalem called “a gesture” to the newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
The state of affairs: IDF troops control five points in southern Lebanon where Israel says Hezbollah still poses a threat to Israelis in the northern part of the Jewish state. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has accused Israel of violating the November ceasefire by failing to withdraw its troops and launching sporadic attacks. Between the Nov. 27 ceasefire and mid-January, the data collection group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project recorded hundreds of air strikes, shellings, and infrastructure demolitions by Israel.
The extent of the talks remains unclear. A senior Israeli official told the Times of Israel that the aim of the negotiations is “to reach normalization” with Lebanon. But a US official told Fox News the goal of mutual recognition and “normalization” of ties was “overblown” and risked stalling progress on agreeing to a set border between the two Levantine nations. The Lebanese government denied claims that the talks could lead to a permanent normalization.Residents of south Lebanon, who were displaced during the war, tried to return to their villages still occupied by Israel despite the expiration of the 60-day ceasefire implementation period. These Lebanese Muslim Shiite women inspect their destroyed house in the southern Lebanese border village of Ayta ash-Shaab after returning to their devastated hamlet.
Refugee returns begin after Trump suggests Gaza exodus
Hostilities continued on Sunday in southern Lebanon, where more than 22 Lebanese civilians were killed and over 124 wounded by Israeli forces, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Officials say that displaced residents were attempting to return home in defiance of military orders and that the Israeli military was “procrastinating” on withdrawing from the area, despite a deadline for them to do so having passed on Sunday.
Israel had also stopped thousands of Palestinians from returning to Gaza after accusing Hamas of changing the order of hostages released this week, in violation of the parties’ ceasefire agreement. Civilian Arbel Yehoud was supposed to have been freed before the four IDF soldiers were released on Saturday. But an agreement was reached early Monday to release Yehoud and two other hostages before Friday, ending the delay. In turn, Israel opened routes into north Gaza, allowing some 200,000 Palestinians to begin returning home. But they are returning to a world of destruction – nearly three-quarters of the buildings are destroyed or badly damaged in Gaza City alone.
Where should Gazans go during the rebuild? President Donald Trump’s suggestion Saturday that Palestinian refugees be transferred to Jordan and Egypt to “clean out” the territory while it undergoes reconstruction has been met with a hard “no” from Amman. On Sunday, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said his country’s rejection of any displacement of Palestinians is “firm and unwavering.” Hamas officials similarly refused the idea while Cairo has yet to comment. At the same time, Trump also announced that the US will resume shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, which had been halted under the administration of President Joe Biden..