Trump swaps DHS chief. Trump announced on a social media yesterday that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was leaving her post and being assigned a new role at a to-be-announced security initiative. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) will replace Noem, Trump said. He did not give a reason for the change, though Noem has been one of the most visible faces of Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown.
U.S. sanctions waiver for Russian oil. The United States issued a thirty-day waiver yesterday that allows India to buy Russian oil already at sea amid market shocks caused by the Iran war. The United States had previously sanctioned Russian oil sales to the country in order to restrict Moscow’s resources for waging war in Ukraine. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on social media that India is an “essential” U.S. partner and that the waiver would counter “Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage.”
UK counter-terrorism probe. United Kingdom (UK) authorities arrested four men today suspected of assisting Iran’s intelligence service by spying on sites and people linked to London’s Jewish community, UK police said. One man is Iranian and three are Iranian-British nationals. The head of London’s counterterrorism policing asked the public to “remain vigilant” and report any concerning behavior.
Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap. The two countries exchanged five hundred prisoners each in a two-day swap that concluded today. Some of the Ukrainian men had been in Russian detention since 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media. Though the two sides have been holding indirect peace talks for months, Zelenskyy said Wednesday that upcoming negotiations would be postponed due to war in the Middle East.
China’s climate target. China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, announced a cautious new climate target yesterday. Premier Li Qiang said China aims to reduce its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 17 percent by 2030. China had an 18 percent reduction target for that same indicator between 2020 and 2025, but only achieved an estimated 12 percent reduction.
NATO stance on Iran war. NATO has increased its missile defense readiness following the Turkish interception of an incoming missile targeting the country Wednesday, an alliance spokesperson announced yesterday. Turkey accused Iran of firing the missile, while Iran’s air force denied doing so in a statement in Iranian media yesterday. NATO does not plan to trigger its Article 5 defense clause over the incident, Secretary-General Mark Rutte told Reuters yesterday.
U.S.-Venezuela diplomatic ties. The United States and Venezuela’s interim government are re-establishing diplomatic and consular relations, the U.S. State Department announced yesterday. Washington had previously cut off relations in 2019 during the first Trump administration. The restoration comes two months after the U.S. ouster of former President Nicolás Maduro. The State Department said the restoration would help “promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation.”
Indonesia’s social media limit. Indonesia’s government announced a new social media ban for children under sixteen, barring them from having accounts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X. The country’s communication and digital affairs minister said the platforms expose children to threats, including pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and addiction. Implementation will begin in phases starting March 28.
