Reader Edition

Sunday, May 3

A woman wearing a mauve dressing gown scratches her head and looks at a damaged house surrounded by debris following a Russian drone attack in Ukraine's southern Odesa region. Photo: 3 May 2026
Foreign PolicyMay 3, 2026

Ukraine Strikes Russian 'Shadow Fleet' as Moscow Continues Brutal Assault on Cities

Ukraine has launched a series of high-stakes drone strikes against Russian oil tankers and naval vessels, even as Moscow continues to target Ukrainian civilians with a relentless barrage of missiles and drones.

A soldier from the US Army in full combat gear stands in the background piloting a drone in a simulated village during the Combined Resolve "Greywolves" exercise at the US military Hohenfels Training Area in Hohenfels, Germany, on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Foreign PolicyMay 3, 2026

Trump administration moves to slash troop presence in Germany, signaling shift in European defense

The Pentagon is moving to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, a strategic pivot that has sparked debate among lawmakers over the future of American military commitments in Europe.

Saturday, May 2

Zelensky on the left with a soldier holding a drone on the right
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Zelensky pivots to Gulf partnerships as Ukraine navigates shifting global conflicts

President Zelensky is leveraging Ukraine's battlefield experience in drone warfare to forge new defense partnerships with Gulf states, even as the nation faces ongoing pressure from the Russian war machine and an uncertain diplomatic landsc

A white rectangular Starlink device rests inside a brown cardboard box. The hands of a person wearing thin blue plastic gloves and dark clothing are touching it at the edges, as if lifting it out of the box.
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Clandestine Networks Smuggle Starlink Into Iran to Bypass Regime Blackouts

As the Iranian regime maintains a long-running national internet shutdown to suppress dissent, a covert network is smuggling Starlink terminals into the country to provide citizens with access to the global internet.

President Donald Trump speaks to the press before departing the White House for Florida on May 1, 2026, in Washington DC
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Trump asserts authority: Ceasefire pauses War Powers clock in Iran conflict

President Trump has notified Congress that the ongoing ceasefire with Iran has paused the 60-day War Powers clock, asserting that his administration is not required to seek legislative authorization for military actions that have effectivel

A man in a grey and black striped jacket looks at smoke rising from a building following an Israeli airstrike, he is holding a smart phone.
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Southern Lebanon as Terror Group Violates Ceasefire

Thirteen individuals were reported killed in southern Lebanon following Israeli air strikes targeting Hezbollah military positions, as the terrorist organization continues to engage in combat despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

US troops walking during a training exercise in Germany. They carry rifles and wear camo
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Trump Orders Withdrawal of 5,000 Troops from Germany Amid Standoff with Chancellor Merz

President Trump has directed the Department of Defense to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany following a public spat with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran and European military inaction.

People march with Cuban flags in Havana on May Day.
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Trump Tightens the Screws on Cuba's Communist Regime

President Trump has signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on Cuban officials involved in corruption and human rights abuses, signaling a firm shift toward dismantling the island's communist leadership.

George HW Bush (L-R), Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton
Foreign PolicyMay 2, 2026

Trump Challenges Unconstitutional War Powers Constraints

President Trump is pushing back against the 1973 War Powers Resolution, noting that while he is being scrutinized for his actions in Iran, his predecessors frequently ignored these same legislative limitations.

Friday, May 1

Ex-Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic arrives in the courtroom prior to the hearing of the final verdict on appeal against his genocide conviction over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre
Foreign PolicyMay 1, 2026

No Mercy for the 'Butcher of Bosnia': War Criminal Mladic Seeks Early Release

Convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic is attempting to secure his release from a UN detention facility by citing poor health, a move that victims' groups are dismissing as a transparent legal maneuver.

A child with brown hair in a red and black chequered shirt sits at a table and eats a plate of peas and mushrooms
Foreign PolicyMay 1, 2026

Iran's Aggression Threatens Global Food Security

The ongoing conflict involving Iran has disrupted global fertilizer production, threatening to slash crop yields and trigger a catastrophic food price crisis for the world's most vulnerable populations.