海角大神

The U.S. and Iran reported progress in nuclear talks. Both parties agreed Saturday to meet again this week over Tehran鈥檚 rapidly advancing nuclear program, following talks in Rome. Before they formally meet in Oman on April 26, technical-level talks would be held, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. The fact that experts would be discussing details of a possible deal suggests movement in the talks. 鈥� The Associated Press

The Signal story appeared to deepen. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared sensitive information about U.S. military strikes on Yemen last month in a second Signal chat group that included his wife and brother, according to a weekend report by The New York Times. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said 鈥渘o classified information鈥� was shared, in a statement to the press Sunday night. 鈥� Staff
Related Monitor story:聽Last month, we looked at how Signal group chat leak threatened U.S. military morale.

U.S.-China trade war makes more ripples.聽Last week, the Trump administration reportedly suggested it would ask other countries to restrict trade with China as a way to negotiate lower tariffs with the U.S. Today, China warned countries that it will retaliate against any such steps, calling them 鈥渟elfish.鈥� Beijing 鈥渇irmly opposes鈥� any deal reached at China鈥檚 expense, and will take 鈥渃ountermeasures,鈥� China鈥檚 Ministry of Commerce said on its website. 鈥� Staff

Netanyahu declared 鈥榥o choice鈥� on Israel鈥檚 Gaza fight. The Israeli prime minister said Saturday that Israel will not end the war before destroying Hamas, freeing the hostages, and ensuring that the territory won鈥檛 present a threat to Israel. He said that Hamas has rejected Israel鈥檚 latest proposal to free half the hostages for a continued ceasefire. Many in Israel now question the continuation of the war. The prime minister spoke after Israeli strikes killed more than 90 people in 48 hours, according to Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry. 鈥� AP

The U.S. escalated its airstrikes in Yemen. Attacks on a port held by Houthi rebels killed 74 people and wounded 171, the group said April 18. It was the deadliest known attack under President Donald Trump鈥檚 current maximum pressure campaign. It also represented the first strike on oil facilities. The Houthis reported more U.S. airstrikes Saturday, including on an airport, a port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida, and in the capital, Sanaa.听鈥� AP
Related Monitor stories: The U.S. first attacked Houthi rebels in January 2024 in an effort to secure Red Sea shipping lanes.听

Consumer bureau layoffs were blocked. President Trump鈥檚 attempt to fire nearly everyone at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was paused Friday by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who said she was 鈥渄eeply concerned鈥� about the plan. The decision leaves in limbo a bureau created after the Great Recession to safeguard against fraud, abuse, and deceptive practices. Administration officials argue that it has overstepped its authority. A new hearing is scheduled for April 28. 鈥� AP

Pope Francis has died. The first Latin American pontiff, he was celebrated for his humble style and concern for the poor, but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. From his first greeting as pope of a simple 鈥淕ood evening鈥� to his embrace of refugees and the downtrodden, the Argentine-born pope signaled a different tone for the papacy, stressing humility over hubris for a Catholic Church beset by scandal and accusations of indifference. 鈥揂P

America鈥檚 executive and judicial branches are at a constitutional standoff over fundamental democratic ideals: The handling of illegal immigration and citizen safety has led to court orders, questions over due process, and charges of government overreach. Federal courts have mostly ruled against the executive branch. (On Saturday, the Supreme Court blocked the deportations of Venezuelans held in northern Texas under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, after an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union.) But the equivocation that has characterized the administration鈥檚 legal responses to date is turning into objection and refusal, raising concerns that a simmering constitutional crisis could reach a full boil.听

Iraq has often been in the midst of regional tensions, its territory a proxy field for others鈥� battles. But as Turkey talks with the Kurds, and the United States engages Iran, Iraq鈥檚 leaders and citizens are daring to look to an era of progress and stability as the country moves past war and the long-lasting harms left by conflict with the Islamic State. There is hope amid risk. Iraq鈥檚 stability could either be cemented or collapse, depending on the two talks鈥� outcomes.听

Chinese restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals, which have critical military and commercial uses from flight-control systems to electric-vehicle batteries, are spurring calls for increased U.S. production. Reestablishing that domestic supply chain has long been an interest of a bipartisan array of lawmakers. It has strategic importance, along with ecological risks. And it means that companies will have to figure out how to make a cleaner extractive industry 鈥� or the government will have to reduce environmental and permitting regulations.

In traditional Chinese culture, 鈥渕ianzi鈥� means 鈥渇ace,鈥� or honor. 滨迟鈥檚 a concept enshrined in Chinese leader Xi Jinping鈥檚 goal to achieve national rejuvenation after what is known here as the 鈥渃entury of humiliation鈥� between the mid-1800s and the mid-1900s at the hands of Western colonial powers and Japan. To minimize the risk of face-jeopardizing diplomatic encounters, Beijing has for months sought to forge back-channel communications with Washington, enabling the quiet diplomacy that China favors. From Beijing鈥檚 perspective, the Trump administration has done little so far to suggest that it is sensitive to concerns.

In recent months, Panama鈥檚 relationship with China has come up often in connection with geopolitics and the Panama Canal. But Panama also has a long history of Chinese culture 鈥撀爄ncluding gastronomic culture 鈥� within its borders. Consider the dumpling. At Panama City鈥檚 Lung Fung Chinese restaurant, our writer met server Susana Zhuo, born here nearly four decades ago to Chinese parents who came from Guangdong province. 鈥淚 consider myself Panamanian,鈥� says Ms. Zhuo. And dim sum 鈥渋s as Panamanian as you can get.鈥�

If any Mideast country has a big heart these days, it would be Iraq. A country that has suffered so much from war and terrorist attacks made a magnanimous gesture this week toward its neighbor Syria, which itself is now emerging from years of conflict.听聽

The gesture was to invite Syria鈥檚 interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to Baghdad for an Arab summit in May. The magnanimity lies in its measure of forgiveness: Mr. Sharaa was once a leader of Al Qaeda based in Iraq and was jailed for years after the 2003 American-led invasion. He left Al Qaeda in 2016 and formed a more moderate Islamist group that overthrew Syria鈥檚 dictator this past December. He now appears to be a reformist leader guiding Syria toward an inclusive democracy.

There鈥檚 another aspect to Iraq鈥檚 generosity. The country鈥檚 majority Shiite Muslims have steadily learned to work toward a common good with the minority Sunnis and others. That sets an example for Syria鈥檚 dominant Sunnis, like Mr. Sharaa, to act without sectarian fear toward the nation鈥檚 minority faiths.

The top United Nations official for Iraq confirms the shift. 鈥淚raq has crossed that bridge from being a country that was a subject and a victim of violence to an active nation that would like to play a positive role, as it used to do historically,鈥� U.N. special representative Mohammed Al Hassan told The National.

Iraq鈥檚 prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, met with Syria鈥檚 new leader this week. He is also cooperating with Syria on trade and security along their border. And he offered this advice to Mr. Sharaa: 鈥淧rotect Syria鈥檚 diverse social, religious, and national fabric as well as safeguarding holy sites, houses of worship and places of prayer.鈥�

Iraq has benefited from the occasional moral intervention of its leading Shiite scholar, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. This month, for example, he stated through a representative that Iraqis should stay true to the national values in their constitution and move toward recovery and stability without fear.

Iraq still has a long way to go to heal its divisions and end Iran鈥檚 influence. Yet its progress so far now allows it to mentor a neighbor struggling toward postconflict reforms. Writing for the website 1001 Iraqi Thoughts, Iraq analyst Muhammad Al-Waeli wrote, 鈥淚t is in Iraq鈥檚 strategic interest that the Syrians ... learn from Iraq鈥檚 lessons.鈥�

Iraqis, he added, 鈥渦nderstand the importance of enabling the Syrian people to practice their own agency to manage the transition period the best way possible.鈥�