Judge Blocks Trump's LA National Guard Deployment; Israel Strikes Iran; Russia and Ukraine Exchange More Prisoners

Good Morning,

From the Middle East, where Israel launched major airstrikes on Iran, to the Pacific, where a Chinese fighter jet came dangerously close to a Japanese surveillance aircraft, international incidents are raising alarm bells worldwide. Meanwhile, domestic challenges continue in the United States as a federal judge blocked Trump's National Guard deployment plans for Los Angeles, while in Sudan, the paramilitary RSF claimed control of a strategic border region with Egypt and Libya. On the legal and diplomatic front, Brazil's Supreme Court moved to hold social media companies accountable for user-generated content, and a rare moment of cooperation emerged as Russia and Ukraine conducted another prisoner exchange.

Top Stories

• Judge blocks Trump’s National Guard deployment in Los Angeles - The Hill

• Sudan’s paramilitary RSF say they seized key zone bordering Egypt, Libya - Al Jazeera

• Israel Launches Major Airstrikes on Iran - NBC

• Japan says Chinese fighter jet came within 150 feet of surveillance plane above Pacific - CNN

• Brazil’s Supreme Court justices agree to make social media companies liable for user content - Associated Press

• Russia and Ukraine exchange more prisoners of war on Thursday - France24

United States

• Judge blocks Trump’s National Guard deployment in Los Angeles - The Hill

• Harvey Weinstein retrial ends in mistrial over rape charge after one juror allegedly threatened another - CBS

• How Many L.A. Protesters Have Been Arrested? - New York Times

• Barbie-maker Mattel teams up with OpenAI, eyes first AI-powered product this year - Reuters

• US orders 500,000 citizens of four countries to self-deport - BBC

Africa

• Sudan’s paramilitary RSF say they seized key zone bordering Egypt, Libya - Al Jazeera

• Burundi elections marked by intimidation and absence of opposition: rights group - Jurist

• Hundreds of internally displaced persons from Western Tigray protest at Interim President’s Office - Addis Standard

• Burkina Faso Nationalizes Five Gold Mines - Reuters

• At least 49 people have died in flooding in South Africa with toll expected to rise, officials say - Associated Press

Middle East

• Israel Launches Major Airstrikes on Iran - NBC

• US not involved in strikes against Iran, says Marco Rubio - Economic Times

• Gold tops 1-month high as Middle East tensions spur safe-haven demand - Reuters

• Torture and forced disappearances: Inside Wagner’s secret prisons in Mali - France24

• Egypt blocks activists aiming to march to Gaza to draw attention to humanitarian crisis - Associated Press

Indo-Pacific

• What We Know About the Plane Crash in Ahmedabad, India - New York Times

• Japan says Chinese fighter jet came within 150 feet of surveillance plane above Pacific - CNN

• Taiwan jails China captain for undersea cable sabotage in landmark case - BBC

• End to inter-Korea ‘loudspeaker war’? - SCMP

• Japan to move up auctions for imported rice amid production crisis - Japan Times

Europe

• Czech Leader Calls on Trump to Give Europe More Time to Rearm - Bloomberg

• Spanish PM apologizes for corruption scandal as opposition demands resignation - BBC

• Debate on minors' access to social media networks begins with three EU countries - Euro News

• America’s uncertainty is Europe’s power play, CEOs tell CNBC - CNBC

• Russia and Ukraine exchange more prisoners of war on Thursday - France24

Latin America  

• Peru weighs sending foreign prisoners to El Salvador - Reuters

• Brazil’s Supreme Court justices agree to make social media companies liable for user content - Associated Press

• Argentina's monthly inflation rate drops to 1.5% – lowest level in five years - Buenos Aires Times

• Yellow Fever cases rising in South America - CGTN

• Bolivia anti-government protests turn deadly as tensions rise - Reuters

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