WORLD ROUNDUPDonald Trump Says He May Strike Nigeria to Save Christians. Really? | America and China Circle Each Other in the South China Sea | Why Germany Is Still Divided When It Comes to Russia, and more

Trump Aid Cuts Kill More Christians Than Jihadists Do  (Nicholas Kristof, New York Times)
I have great news for President Trump!
He has expressed such outrage at attacks on Christians in Nigeria that he has threatened military intervention there, and the Pentagon has obligingly prepared plans for attack. Trump’s concern for Nigerians is welcome, but here’s the awkwardness: Trump’s aid cuts are killing far more Nigerian Christians than Islamic terrorists are.
So if Trump wants to save the lives of Nigerian Christians, the good news is that he doesn’t need to spend billions of dollars on charging (as he put it) “into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing.’” Rather, all Trump has to do is restore the American aid that was estimated to be saving the lives of more than a quarter-million Nigerians each year.

Donald Trump Says He May Strike Nigeria to Save Christians. Really?  (Economist)
The reality behind the American president’s latest threats.

War Looms in Venezuela as Trump Tests an “Americas First” Doctrine  (Economist)
A gathering armada risks repeating the mistakes of the “war on terror.”

Why Germany Is Still Divided When It Comes to Russia  (Christopher F. Schuetze, New York Times)
Many East Germans are more sympathetic toward Moscow than their western compatriots, reflecting decades of Soviet ties and disillusionment since reunification.

Germany’s Gruff Defense Minister Aims to Make His Country “War-Ready”  (Aaron Wiener, Washington Post)
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius must reckon with his center-left party’s anti-militarism and the country’s need to defend Europe against Russian aggression.

China’s New Aircraft Carrier Signals Naval Ambitions  (Chris Buckley and Amy Chang Chien, New York Times)
The Fujian, China’s most advanced carrier, went into official service this week. It brings the country closer to challenging U.S. naval dominance.

America and China Circle Each Other in the South China Sea  (Economist)
Naval tensions around Scarborough shoal are at their highest in years.

Mexico City Is the Most Video-Surveilled Metropolis in the Americas  (Dalila Sarabia, Wired)
Despite 83,000 public cameras, crime in Mexico City remains high—and widespread surveillance raises myriad ethical issues.

Trump Is Alienating Southeast Asia  (Hunter Marston, Foreign Policy)
Tariffs and inattention have pushed regional states toward China.

What Are China’s Nuclear Ambitions?  (James Palmer, Foreign Policy)
Trump’s testing plans revive scrutiny of Beijing’s growing arsenal.