Today's Headlines and Commentary

President Trump has signed a bill that creates a new foreign aid agency, the United States International Development Finance Corporation, and has given it the authority to disburse $60 billion in loans, guarantees and insurance to companies doing business in developing countries. Previously, the Trump administration has pushed for less funding to foreign aid agencies, and this significant shift in strategy is a means to counteract China’s ambitions in developing nations, according to the New York Times.

Saudi Arabia is facing rising pressure from the U.S. and other nations to explain what happened to dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, says the Times.

President Trump stated that he is immediately sending Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with Saudi King Salman in order to investigate the disappearance and potential murder of Khashoggi, reports the Washington Post.

The Philippines has won another term on the U.N. Human Rights Council, a decision that sparked outrage from international groups who argue that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s violent war on drugs may amount to crimes against humanity, according to the Times.

Syria reopened a key border crossing with Jordan on Monday as a sign of President Assad’s gains in re-establishing control over the country. Assad is seeking to normalize relations with other Arab nations and stabilize the Syrian economy, reports the Times.

North and South Korea reached an agreement on Monday to establish road and rail links even though such a pursuit may be in violation of U.N. Security Council sanctions, reports the Post.

ICYMI: Last Weekend on Lawfare

Jen Patja Howell posted the latest episode of the Lawfare Podcast, a continuation of a January conversation between Mike Doran and Benjamin Wittes about President Trump and L’Affaire Russe.

Gunther Hellmann analyzed the effect souring U.S.-EU relations has on Germany’s position within Europe.

Chinmayi Sharma summarized the European Court of Human Rights ruling in Big Brother Watch and Others v. the United Kingdom, a case that challenged the UK’s bull data-collection programs.

Jessica Marsden explored how a recent federal court ruling in Georgia has implications for the judiciary’s future involvement in election security.

Quinta Jurecic uploaded a Court of Military Commission Review ruling, ordering pretrial hearings to resume in United States v. Al-Nashiri.

Victoria Clark and Anushka Limaye summed up all of last week on Lawfare.

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