One Step Closer to Catastrophe
AMERICAS
Gangs attack Haiti's ports, hastening doom — Haiti has extended its state of emergency as gang violence escalates, with intruders breaking into a major port terminal that handles food imports. That's bad news, as maritime routes are the only way to transport aid to much of Haiti. The country's healthcare system is under severe strain, with shortages of oxygen and other vital supplies. Only one public hospital remains open in the capital. The Dominican Republic is securing its borders due to fears of being overwhelmed by refugees from the violence. (WaPo, CNN)
MIDDLE EAST
Biden's Gaza port plan: can it work? — Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz had been pushing his plan to create an island off the Gaza coast for years. Katz first came up with his idea following the 2005 disengagement, inspired by Israeli gas tycoon Yitzhak Tshuva. The plan even earned support from key Israeli lawmakers on the right. The project, however, was always dismissed as an unrealistic fantasy. (Haaretz)
U.S. threatens Iran with bureaucratic moves — The U.S. threatened future action against Iran at the IAEA if it continues to deny cooperation and answers to inspectors regarding past undeclared nuclear activities. While the U.S. and its allies have so far refrained from pushing for a new resolution, the US warned that Iran's lack of cooperation provides grounds for further action. (Reuters)
ASIA
Life in Hong Kong under the CCP just got nastier — The Hong Kong government has unveiled a draft national security law that would allow for life imprisonment for offenses related to treason, insurrection, and inciting mutiny. The law aims to "safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests" according to the one country, two systems framework. It defines national security broadly and includes vague offenses like "seditious intentions." (Nikkei)
EUROPE
Moves and countermoves on Europe's frontier — With the leader of Moldova's restive Gagauzia in Moscow meeting with Putin and asking for protections, France's President Emmanuel Macron was in Chisinau signing a defense cooperation agreement with Moldova. (Politico, Reuters)
Portugal's weekend election could be a bellwether for Europe — Portugal has resisted populism for the last few election cycles. But that could change with this weekend's elections, where the social media savvy right-wing Chega party, polling as high as 15 percent, could end up a possible "kingmaker", helping throw out the flailing Socialists. Strong populist showings are seen as likely across the continent later this year. (CNN, Politico)
AFRICA
Don't forget Boko Haram — "Bring back our girls" redux: Around 200 displaced people were abducted while collecting firewood near the border with Cameroon in Borno state, likely by the Islamist Boko Haram insurgency. Separately, dozens of children were kidnapped from a primary school in Kaduna state. (NYT, FT)
