Situation Reports

The contents of the joint South Korea-U.S. Ulchi Freedom Shield military drills, their largest annual joint drills scheduled for Aug. 18-28, will be curtailed, with around 40 field training exercises delayed until September, according to a spokesperson for the South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff on Aug. 7.

The U.S. federal register released on Aug. 6 noted that the new 15% tariff on Japanese goods would come on top of existing tariffs for all Japanese imports, contrasting with Tokyo's understanding that Japanese exports to the United States with a preexisting tariff of 15% or higher would be exempted.

A German auction for offshore wind sites ended without any awards on Aug. 1, Germany's Federal Network Agency announced Aug. 6.

Argentina's Chamber of Deputies voted down several decrees President Javier Milei had issued to reform or eliminate bureaucratic bodies, and reactivated a commission to investigate a crypto scandal involving Milei, Clarin reported Aug. 7. 

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would place a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors but would exempt tech companies that have committed to building manufacturing facilities in the United States, specifically mentioning Apple, Politico reported on Aug. 6.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met for three hours with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow to discuss a potential Ukraine peace deal, just days ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline for Russia to end the war or face sanctions, Reuters reported on Aug. 6.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa proposed holding a new referendum on Dec. 14 with seven questions, including one that would allow the establishment of foreign military bases in Ecuador to combat organized crime, which the National Assembly approved in June but still must be approved in a referendum to take effect, AP reported on Aug. 5.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China on Aug. 31 for the annual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Heads of Government Council, which will mark Modi's first visit to China since June 2018, Reuters reported on Aug. 6, citing an unidentified Indian government source.

In an executive order, President Donald Trump announced a new 25% tariff on Indian imports, raising the total to 50%, citing New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil, the Financial Times reported on Aug. 6.

The United States and the Cook Islands reached a bilateral agreement to develop joint seabed mining exploration initiatives around the island country's exclusive economic zone, the U.S. Department of State disclosed in a statement on Aug. 5.