WORLD ROUNDUPA New Era in Sabotage | What Does Viktor Orban Want in Africa? | The Private Sector Won’t Save America’s Indo-Pacific Policy, and more

Backlash Erupts Over Europe’s Anti-Deforestation Law  (Patricia Cohen, New York Times)
Leaders around the world are asking the European Union to delay rules that would require companies to police their global supply chains.

A New Era in Sabotage: Turning Ordinary Devices into Grenades, on a Mass Scale  (David E. Sanger, New York Times)
The attacks in Lebanon required getting deep into the supply chain, which is difficult to do. But the sabotage contributes to a sense of vulnerability that ordinary devices can become a source of danger.

Pagers Atack Brings to Life Long-Feared Supply Chain Threat (Eva Dou and Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post)
Everyday electronics rigged to explode reflect the near-impossibility of securing modern, globalized electronics supply chains.

How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers  (How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers, New York Times)
The Israeli government did not tamper with the Hezbollah devices that exploded, defense and intelligence officials say. It manufactured them as part of an elaborate ruse.

The Israeli government did not tamper with the Hezbollah devices that exploded, defense and intelligence officials say. It manufactured them as part of an elaborate ruse.

Europe’s New Defense Chief: ‘A King Without a Kingdom’?  (Steven Erlanger and Jenny Gross, New York Times)
The European Union has vowed to enhance its military capability. But money is scarce, responsibilities overlap and the new job is less about soldiers than arms manufacturers.

The Private Sector Won’t Save America’s Indo-Pacific Policy (Economist)
More needs to be done to repair the economic relationship with South-East Asia.

China Should Worry About Europe if It Attacks Taiwan  (Agathe Demarais, Foreign Policy)
European Union sanctions would matter more than U.S. ones in a Taiwan war scenario.

What Does Viktor Orban Want in Africa?  (Nosmot Gbadamosi, Foreign Policy)
Hungary’s leader argues that sending troops to Chad will slow migration, but he seems to be seeking security partnerships in exchange for lucrative minerals.

Washington and the West Struggle for a Way Forward with Putin’s Russia (Robyn Dixon and Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post)
In the United States and Europe, there is growing uncertainty about how to counter Putin’s aggression without stoking a direct conflict with Russia.

U.S. General Explains U.S. Movements, Partnerships in West Africa  (Carla Babb, VOA News)
The most lethal violent extremist organization threat in the world resides in West Africa.

China-Connected Spamouflage impersonated Dutch Cartoonist  (Wenhao Ma, VOA News)
China has created a network on X of “spamouflage” accounts, which pretend to be the work of real people but are controlled by robots sending out messages designed to shape public opinion.

Germany: Number of Refugees Reaches New High in 2024  (DW)
There are more refugees living in Germany than ever in recent history, according to German government data. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has contributed to the increase in refugees in Germany.