• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would delay his government’s proposals to overhaul the judiciary system until the next parliamentary session after months of escalating unrest and political tension. In order to placate the far-right coalition members that stand between him and potential imprisonment on corruption charges, Netanyahu agreed to form a civil “national guard” under the control of far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir. (The Guardian)
• U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced during a visit to Ghana that the United States would provide $100 million in security aid to West African countries fending off threats from terrorist and extremist groups. The lion’s share of the support will go to Ghana, Benin, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Togo over the next three years, as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group take advantage of deteriorating environmental and economic conditions to gain strength in the region. (The Wall Street Journal)
• The World Bank warned that the global economy’s long-term economic growth potential has declined due to the havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, potentially leading to a “lost decade.” Officials said the conditions are likely to worsen poverty and reduce resources available to fight climate change, and that the “golden era” of development work appeared to be closing. (The New York Times)
• Belarus said it was driven to host Russian nuclear weapons because it had “been subjected to unprecedented political, economic and information pressure” from Ukraine’s Western allies. The Kremlin announced Saturday that it would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to its neighbor. (Reuters) 

Happening today (all times Eastern):

• 10 a.m. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak testifies before the House of Commons Liaison Committee, where he is expected to be asked about his deal with the European Union over trade in Northern Ireland.

• 2:30 p.m. U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about his plans to invest in infrastructure and address supply chain issues in Durham, North Carolina. 

Upper legislative houses tend to be biased and malapportioned

The Economist

Belt and Road Initiative: China spending billions to bail out megaproject’s debtors

Jessie Yeung, CNN 

For the past decade, China has lent massive sums to governments across Asia, Africa and Europe, growing its global influence through its Belt and Road infrastructure megaproject and becoming one of the world’s biggest creditors.

New Zealand may join Aukus pact’s non-nuclear component

The Guardian 

Defense minister says the government ‘willing to explore’ participating in ‘pillar two’ of defense deal founded by Australia, UK and US.

UN Security Council won’t probe Nord Stream blasts

Michael Weissenstein, The Associated Press 

The U.N. Security Council on Monday declined a Russian request to investigate the blasts on the pipelines that move natural gas from Russia to Europe under the Baltic Sea.

‘We are all Chinese’, former Taiwan president says while visiting China

Nicoco Chan, Reuters 

People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are ethnically Chinese and share the same ancestor, former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said on Tuesday at the start of a historic visit to China that Taiwan’s ruling party has criticized.

Former president Ma Ying-jeou’s trip to China undermines Taiwan government: critics

Hsia Hsiao-hwa and Hwang Chun-mei, Radio Free Asia 

Ma’s visit comes as his opposition Kuomintang chooses rapprochement with Beijing despite rejecting Chinese rule.

Opposition disrupts Indian Parliament after Gandhi’s ouster

Piyush Nagpal and Shonal Ganguly, The Associated Press 

Members of opposition parties dressed in black disrupted India’s Parliament on Monday and protested in the capital, New Delhi, after Rahul Gandhi, a key opposition leader and fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was expelled from the legislature last week.

Russia says it test-fired anti-ship missiles in Sea of Japan

The Associated Press 

Moscow test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday, with two boats launching a simulated missile attack on a mock enemy warship about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away.

U.S. and Japan Strike Deal on Minerals Used in Batteries for Electric Cars

Andrew Duehren, The Wall Street Journal 

Move aims at China’s supply-chain dominance and Japan meeting requirements on EV subsidies in the U.S.

Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong kicks off China visit, set to meet Xi Jinping and speak at Boao Forum

Dewey Sim, South China Morning Post 

It’s Lee’s first mainland visit since the pandemic began; in CCTV interview he describes China-Singapore ties as ‘very good’

North Korea to restart diplomatic activity after three years of Covid isolation

Edward White, Financial Times 

Stalled nuclear talks could benefit as leader Kim Jong Un slowly reopens country, diplomats say.

Russian soldiers say commanders used ‘barrier troops’ to stop them retreating

Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian 

Assault unit members claim in video that superiors ‘want to execute us’ after ‘huge’ losses in eastern Ukraine.

Russian body armor on the battlefield in Ukraine has links to China

Erin Banco and Steven Overly, Politico 

Photos on eBay and other sites show the Russian body armor, which Ukrainians say they’ve recovered from the front lines.

First German Leopard 2 tanks delivered to Ukraine

Laura Pitel, Financial Times 

Further boost for Kyiv after recent tank consignments from Poland, Spain and the UK.

Hundreds of thousands to continue strikes and protests in France

Angelique Chrisafis, The Guardian 

Fears of more violent clashes with police as demonstrations against Macron’s unpopular pensions policy to carry on.

Money pulled from eurozone banks at record rate in February

Martin Arnold, Financial Times 

Outflows indicate difficulties in retaining deposits even before this month’s banking turmoil.

Europe’s Big Polluters Win Carbon-Credit Windfall

Shane Shifflett, The Wall Street Journal 

Years of free credits gave businesses surpluses that many sold when prices soared.

Multinationals Slam New EU Foreign-Subsidy Law’s Reporting Rules

Kim Mackrael, The Wall Street Journal 

Companies warn new disclosure requirements could disrupt deals, halt public tenders.

Hungary approves Finland’s Nato membership in westward pivot

Marton Dunai and Richard Milne, Financial Times 

PM Viktor Orbán starts turning his back on Moscow as businesses seek to diversify

SNP election: Humza Yousaf wins race to replace Sturgeon as Scotland’s next leader

Lauren Kent, CNN 

Humza Yousaf has won the Scottish National Party leadership contest and is set to become Scotland’s First Minister replacing Nicola Sturgeon, it was announced Monday.

Greek prime minister calls general election for May 21

The Associated Press 

Greece’s center-right Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday called a general election on May 21, in the aftermath of a train disaster that has reduced his party’s long-standing majority in opinion polls.

El Salvador marks its first year under anti-gang crackdown

The Associated Press 

The Central American nation of El Salvador marked a full year Monday under anti-gang emergency measures that were originally supposed to last only a month.

Voter abstention rises in Cuban National Assembly election

The Associated Press 

Cuba’s government reported Monday that abstention in National Assembly elections was 24.1%, a figure some analysts said reflects discontent with the island’s economic crisis as well as a rise in apathy.

UN alarmed over surge in violence in eastern DR Congo

AFP via France24 

A surge in attacks in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 700 lives at the hands of militia fighters since December, the United Nations said Monday.

Biden Officials Hold Off on More Airstrikes in Syria, for Now

Eric Schmitt, The New York Times 

The administration says it is seeking to avoid a wider war with Iran and its proxies while protecting U.S. personnel from attacks.

China’s Xi speaks with Saudi crown prince, supports Saudi-Iran talks

Ethan Wang and Bernard Orr, Reuters 

China’s President Xi Jinping spoke by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, discussing a wide range of subjects including supporting follow-up talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran, state media CCTV reported on Tuesday.

Biden Acts to Restrict U.S. Government Use of Spyware

Mark Mazzetti, The New York Times 

The president signed an executive order seeking to limit deployment of a tool that has been abused by autocracies — and some democracies — to spy on dissidents, human rights activists and journalists.

U.S. Congress to invite South Korea’s Yoon for address with eye on China

Ryo Nakamura, Nikkei Asia 

Key lawmaker calls for more joint exercises to handle North Korea’s provocations.

Biden plan could force asylum officers to break law, union warns

Hamed Aleaziz, Los Angeles Times 

President Biden’s plan to limit some migrants’ access to asylum could force federal asylum officers to break U.S. law, the union that represents asylum officers argued Monday in a formal filing opposing the proposal.