Israel’s outposts in Lebanon. Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Southern Lebanon today as previously agreed in a cease-fire deal but said they would stay past today’s withdrawal deadline in five locations on Lebanese territory. An Israeli military spokesperson said the move was “agreed upon” with the U.S.-led monitoring group created as part of the cease-fire deal. Lebanon views any continued Israeli presence on its territory as an occupation, a spokesperson for the Lebanese presidency said.
China warms to private tech. President Xi Jinping pledged government support for private tech companies at a Beijing meeting yesterday attended by some of the country’s biggest tech CEOs. It signaled a shift from a previous regulatory crackdown on the sector. That crackdown frequently targeted companies such as Alibaba, whose founder Jack Ma attended the Monday event.
India’s tariff easing. India is planning additional tariff cuts for U.S. goods following those it announced a few weeks ago for motorcycles, textiles, and other products, the country’s finance minister said. New Delhi could see U.S. duties on its products rise if Trump goes through with his plan for reciprocal tariffs. A senior Indian customs official told The Hindu that its tariffs on the top thirty products imported from the United States are between 0 and 7.5 percent.
State Department language on Taiwan. Beijing urged Washington to “correct its mistakes” after a department webpage on Taiwan policy was updated. The new version omitted a phrase about not supporting Taiwan’s independence, and said Washington would support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations “where applicable.” Taipei welcomed the revision, while a State Department spokesperson said the United States “remains committed to its One China policy.”
Contested accounts of Guantánamo detainees. Family members of some migrant detainees recently taken to the U.S. base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, pushed back against Trump administration affirmations that the migrants were part of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua; a Department of Homeland Security official did not respond to a Washington Post request for details on how it identifies members of the gang. As of last Friday, 126 migrants were being held at Guantánamo Bay, an unnamed defense department official said.
Zimbabwe’s presidential succession. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he will leave office at the end of his presidential term in 2028 despite a proposal by his own party to extend his term by two years. His party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, has ruled the country since its 1980 independence.
Rebels take another Congo city. Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized Bukavu, the second-largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, over the weekend. They reportedly encountered less resistance from Congolese forces than in the nearby city of Goma. The rebel advance is increasing the risk of a regional war, analysts say; Bukavu lies near the border with Burundi.
South Korea’s DeepSeek skepticism. New downloads of DeepSeek apps are paused in South Korea while the company works with authorities to address privacy concerns, South Korean officials said. The app is also blocked in Italy, and Australia and Taiwan have banned it from government devices.
