At approximately 1950 EST, initial reports indicated that at least five people were shot in Sevran, France. At least three have already been hospitalized and one has died. https://twitter.com/redabelhajj/status/1786537011169390884?s=46&t=fwloThPnqgTH71QlDeR_hA As of this publication, the suspect is still at large after fleeing the Micro-Folie cultural center. Micro-Folie was launched by the French Ministry of Culture in 2020 as a mobile, digital museum of French art. This is developing.

The Shan State Army-North (SSPP-N) said any discussions with the junta are "useless," and the only way to reach federal democracy is through armed conflict.  Should the SSPP enter the conflict, it could potentially bring in more alliances, such as the United Wa States Army (UWSA). Another possibility is potentially opening a new front in the war, impacting the balance of Southern Shan State.  The SSPP/SSA is opposed to the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and its armed wing, the SSPP-South, over territory amid other issues. Despite having a ceasefire, the two groups still have problems.

On April 29, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced that it had strengthened “law enforcement patrols” around the Taiwanese Kinmen Islands, according to Taiwan News. The Kinmen Islands are only around 5 miles (8km) away from the Chinese mainland. On February 14 of this year, a Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel pursued a Chinese fishing boat that had entered the territory of Kinmen. The pursuit led to the death of two Chinese fishermen, according to Taiwan News. On Feb. 17, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said there are no "restricted" or "prohibited" waters around the Kinmen Islands. This comes as Taiwan has increased its cooperation with the United States, and China has increased its aggressive actions in the South China Sea. China is very likely to continue its active violation of Taiwanese territorial claims by utilizing air and sea assets to penetrate Taiwan's territorial claims. The tension between China and several nations in the Pacific has risen as China has increasingly utilized aggression to cement its claims in the region.

As this publication reported earlier this week, United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) reported that it had begun and would soon complete construction of a humanitarian aid pier off the coast of Israel. However, that same organization has now announced that construction of the pier has been paused due to forecasted high winds and sea swells. https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1786409493548634378 This announcement further compounds the problems facing U.S. troops involved in this pier. On April 25th, as UN observers were taken by the IDF to the beach to survey the site, they were fired upon by mortars. U.S. Defense Secretary Austin told lawmakers on May 1st, that if U.S. troops are fired on, they may return fire while building and manning this pier. USCENTCOM has not projected a complete date for this project or how this delay will impact that estimate.

According to Patrick Youssef, the regional director for the International Red Cross in Africa, two ICRC drivers were killed, and three other members were wounded when unknown gunmen ambushed a convoy in South Darfur, Sudan. As of this publication, no group has taken responsibility for the attack. However, this area of the country is controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which have been engaged in a civil war with the Sudanese Armed Forces for over a year now. It is worth noting that Janjaweed is also active in this area. https://twitter.com/PYoussefICRC/status/1786099238817923440

Protests in Georgia's capital continue to swell, opposing pending legislation that would force organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from a foreign source, as foreign agents. Opponents say the law is Kremlin-inspired and authoritarian. Protests in the capital haven't been opposed by the police today and have been largely peaceful, although tear gas and stun grenades were deployed by law enforcement against the protests, some of which were marked by violence, the last two days. Demonstrators have not shown any signs of backing down, according to Reuters.The ruling Georgian Dream Party, founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has pushed the law as an effort to diminish Western influence. The passing of the legislation and standoff is seen as a larger determinate of whether the Caucasus country of 3.7 million will move towards European or Russian influence in the coming years.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has admitted that a May 2023 drone strike targeting what was believed to be "senior Al Qaeda leader" in northwest Syria actually killed a civilian. An investigation into the strike determined that "U.S. forces misidentified the intended Al Qaeda target and that a civilian, Mr. Lufti Hasan Masto, was struck and killed instead." Masto, a 56 year old sheep herder from Qorqanya, had no ties to any terrorist organizations. A statement added that the "U.S. Central Command acknowledges and regrets the civilian harm that resulted from the airstrike" and "We are committed to learning from this incident and improving our targeting processes to mitigate potential civilian harm." No information or details were given as to exactly how the strike was botched.

The Kuwait Public Prosecution Office announced that a suspect has been detained in relation to a plot to bomb American forces stationed in the country. In a statement, the office said that the suspect is being charged with joining a "banned organization" and "planning terrorist acts inside the country by publishing visual and audio recordings of that organization's actions and news on social media sites in support of it." Likewise, the suspect has also been accused of leaning how to make explosives with other unnamed defendants. The exact "banned organization" was not specified in the statement. https://twitter.com/PPGOVKW/status/1785639637723099513

Turkey has suspended trade with Israel, including imports and exports, Turkish officials tell Bloomberg's Firat Kozok. https://twitter.com/FiratKozok/status/1786051045220917465

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that Russian forces allegedly executed at least 15 Ukrainian soldiers attempting to surrender in 5 different incidents, with suspicions of 6 more cases since December 2023. The organization urges investigations into these potential war crimes, citing violations of international humanitarian law. Examination and analysis of drone footage, social media content, and interviews enabled HRW to pinpoint the alleged executions in both Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. However, the precise location of an incident that occurred on February 19 remains unconfirmed independently. The report also highlights an audio recording instructing Russian soldiers to "take no prisoners, shoot everyone," suggesting direct orders for execution without capture. Despite evidence of these violations, Russia has not responded to inquiries or shown a willingness to prosecute these alleged war crimes. The United Nations has corroborated some claims, noting consistent violations against Ukrainian POWs. Human Rights Watch has called for accountability and adherence to international standards prohibiting the execution of combatants who have surrendered or are incapacitated, and urging for prosecution of war crimes to ensure justice for the victims.

Local Kyrgyz media has reported that 29 school children have been hospitalized, seven of which have been put in the ICU and three are in critical condition after a runaway truck plowed through a cultural event in Jerge-Tal, Kyrgyzstan. The event was on a traditional jailoo in which the school children were reciting the Epic of Manas in a manaschi. According to the Ministry of Health, seven children were hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the Jalal-Abad Regional Children's Hospital, three are in serious condition. Three more were taken to the Suzak Regional Hospital, and eight children were taken to the Oktyabrsky General Practice Center. Their condition is assessed as stable. The other 11 have been released to outpatient care with minor injuries. https://twitter.com/TessaronF/status/1786021873194569823 Local police made this statement to 24.kg: "The Porter had to distribute ice cream to those present from the board. According to the driver, he parked the car above the place where the event was held. It is not yet known for what reason the car rolled down and rammed the children." As of this publication, this is being investigated as gross negligence and not terrorism.

Governor Youngkin of the American state of Virginia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to officially sponsor and partner with Finland under the State Partnership Program with the National Guard and the Finnish military. Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen commented that the cooperation between the Virginia National Guard and the Finnish military will stretch across the Finnish Army, Air Force, and cyber actors. He said: "These areas of cooperation support the development of Finland's defence and complement the existing cooperation with the United States." The State Partnership Program is borne from the Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP) of 1992 which was originally formed to build up the military and civil defense capabilities of former Warsaw-Pact nations. However, the program has thus expanded to a global footprint, including 106 nations from USEUCOM, SOUTHCOM, AFRICOM, CENTCOM, NORTHCOM, and INDOPACOM. Finland is now the second nation to partner with the Virginia National Guard after Tajikistan in 2003.

The Chin Brotherhood Alliance Forces, with members of the Arakan Army (AA), captured the Cindwe sub-township in Kanpetlet township, located in southern Chin state, on April 29th. The attack began four months ago, when members of the Chin Brotherhood Alliance, the AA, the People Defense Force (PDF), and additional PDF members from Yaw and Gangwa, attacked junta positions. During the offensive, the junta reportedly launched 319 air strikes, having little effect on dislodging the resistance groups. The junta was said to have suffered losses in the hundreds, with resistance groups also experiencing casualties.

DARPA has released photos of the experimental “Manta Ray” autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) being developed by Northrop Grumman for “long-duration, long-range and payload-capable undersea missions without need for on-site human logistics.” According to DARPA, the Manta Ray has the ability to “anchor to the seafloor and hibernate in a low-power state,” marking a major step in autonomous deep sea operations. While exact capabilities remain unknown, one could speculate that the system will be tailored towards deep sea ISR and anti-submarine warfare. https://twitter.com/DARPA/status/1785671213160825071

While speaking to crowds during a May Day march in Bogota, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that starting tomorrow, diplomatic relations will be broken with Israel "due to having a genocidal president." Although he said "president," he was likely referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.