Tom O'Connor
Senior Writer, Foreign Policy
Tom O'Connor is an award-winning senior writer of foreign policy at Newsweek, where he specializes in the Middle East, North Korea and other areas of international affairs and conflict. He has previously written for International Business Times, the New York Post, the Daily Star (Lebanon) and Staten Island Advance.
Follow @ShaolinTom for daily news on Twitter and his official Facebook page.
Email t.oconnor@newsweek.com with tips or for media commentary and appearances.
China Tells U.S. to Stay Out Of Its Border Fight with India
"We don't accept countries outside the region pointing fingers, let alone meddling or making instigation, which will only endanger the regional peace and stability," China's embassy in India said.
Lebanon Army Finds Tons More of Explosive Ammonium at Beirut Port
The Lebanese Armed Forces announced Thursday that its army engineering regiment discovered 4.35 tons of ammonium nitrate during an inspection of four containers at Beirut port entrance 9.
U.S. Troops in Syria Stuck in 'Forgotten War' for Oil as Russia Advances
"It's a clusterf**k in Syria," one senior U.S. intelligence official told Newsweek. "We don't have a strategy."
China Trashes U.S. 'Cold War' Report, Defends Border Moves on Land, Sea
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying criticized an annual Pentagon assessment that found the People's Liberation Army had outpaced the U.S. in certain categories.
U.S. Military Defends Rocket Drills Called 'Extremely Dangerous' by Russia
"This exercise is a demonstration of partnership between NATO Allies aimed at improving interoperability, and is not directed toward a particular country or adversary," the 41st Field Artillery Brigade's Major Joseph Bush said.
Pentagon Report Finds China Tops U.S. in Ships, Missiles and Air Defense
"[T]he PRC has marshalled the resources, technology, and political will over the past two decades to strengthen and modernize the PLA in nearly every respect," the Pentagon found.
China Troops 'Practice for War,' U.S. Backs India In Latest Border Standoff
Chinese and Indian diplomats again blamed each other for the deteriorating security situation at their disputed Himalayan border, where troops are preparing for the worst even as their commanders try to make peace.
Russia Holds Drills Near U.S. and Its European Allies While Belarus Festers
Russia and Belarus both held drills around Baltic NATO states Lithuania and Poland, accused by Moscow and Minsk of instigating unrest against longtime President Lukashenko as U.S. and Russian jets met across the world.
China Demands India Withdraw Troops As Both Claim Border Incursions
Both the Chinese and Indian militaries have accused the other of violating border agreements at the disputed Line of Actual Control, leading to a new flare in tensions between the nuclear-armed Asian neighbors.
Russia 'Hopes' It Won't Need to Send Force to Belarus, Which Blames West
"Russia wasn't and isn't interfering with Belarusian affairs," the Kremlin said as Moscow officials accused neighboring NATO nations of "external interference in the affairs of a sovereign state."
China Defends Missile Tests, Calls U.S. 'Troublemaker' After Navy Challenge
"The United States will never bow in intimidation or be coerced into accepting illegitimate maritime claims, such as those made by the People's Republic of China," U.S. Navy Lieutenant James Adams told Newsweek.
U.S. Intercepts Russian Military Planes After Spotting Sub Near Alaska
Neither the six Russian maritime patrol aircraft nor the Russian submarine entered Alaskan territory, according to the U.S. military.
China Says It Forced U.S. Navy Away from Disputed Islands as Tensions Rise
The incident at the disputed Paracel Islands comes a day after the U.S. Navy confirmed to Newsweek it surveilled People's Liberation Army exercises in defiance of Chinese warnings.
U.S.: Palestinians Should Follow Trump Deal Instead of International Talks
A State Department spokesperson told Newsweek that U.S. officials "encourage the Palestinians to bring any concerns to the negotiating table within the context of direct talks based on the Vision," also known as "the deal of the century."
U.S. Allies Demand New Vote in Belarus, Belarus Seeks Russia for Support
"Latvia considers that the only solution is new presidential elections," the Baltic country's foreign service told Newsweek of neighboring Belarus, where President Alexander Lukashenko warns against an outside plot against him.
China Poses Unprecedented Security Risk to US Far Beyond Elections
"There is no country that presents a broader and more comprehensive threat to our ideas, innovation, and economic security than China," the FBI told Newsweek, calling the country "the FBI's top counterintelligence priority."
U.S. Acknowledges Monitoring China Military Drill After Being Told to Stop
"Our forces continuously monitor exercises throughout the region to include the recent PLA exercise," the U.S. Navy told Newsweek. "Our naval forces remain ready to respond to any threats to our allies and partners throughout the region."
Palestinians Say Ready for Peace Talks with U.S., U.N., Europe, Russia
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that he is "ready to go to negotiations under the auspices of the International Quartet and with the participation of other countries."
North Korea's Kim Jong Un Taps Sister, 'Gang of Four' to Navigate Crises
North Korea expert Michael Madden said that Kim Jong Un is "outsourcing and delegating certain tasks and issues" amid reports that top officials Kim Yo Jong, Pak Pong Ju, Ri Pyong Chol and Choe Pu Il were being granted additional duties.
U.S. Allies Watch Borders as Belarus Sends Military, Russia Presses West
The foreign ministries of Poland and Lithuania tell Newsweek they are closely monitoring Belarusian border exercises, as President Alexander Lukashenko accuses them of hatching a U.S.-led plot against him.
ISIS Church Bombs Help China Gain Indian Ocean Ally to America's Chagrin
With the historically pro-China Rajapaksa brothers back in power, Sri Lanka is being asked by the U.S. to shun the Belt and Road Initiative and prioritize "a transparent, private sector-driven investment, grant, and business model."
Possible U.S. F-35 Sale to UAE Tests Tensions Over Israel, Iran and Yemen
"We have legitimate requests that are there," UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said Thursday. "We ought to get them."
Syria Says Trump 'Stealing' Its Oil, After U.S. Company Makes Deal to Drill
"The U.S. occupation forces, in full view of the United Nations and the international community, took a new step to plunder Syria's natural resources, including Syrian oil and gas," Syria's mission to the U.N. said in remarks sent to Newsweek.
South Korea Sees North's Kim Jong Un Giving More Power to His Sister
Kim Yo Jong will be directing "overall state affairs," including relations with the U.S. and South Korea, according to the South's National Intelligence Agency.
Iran Rejects U.S. Disputed U.N. Move, Seizes UAE Ship, Shows Off Missiles
"The U.S. move to 'snapback' U.N. sanctions is manifestly illegal, illegitimate and will not be accepted by neither Security Council or JCPOA members nor the rest of the world community," Iran's mission to the U.N. told Newsweek.
Somali Pirates Take Over Panama-Flagged Ship From UAE, Official Says
Somali pirates have hijacked a Panama-flagged ship that encountered mechanical issues on a trip to the capital Mogadishu from the United Arab Emirates, a regional official told Reuters.
Trump Sets Up U.N. Spat with Russia, China Over Much Dismissed Iran Demand
President Donald Trump seeks a "snapback" of international sanctions against Iran but Russia and China oppose the idea and even U.S. allies aren't on board.
Russia May Use Belarus Unrest to Boost Security Against West, Officials Say
"I mean the stars are aligned. The best timing to inject 'order' is when a society is in chaos, especially given the power vacuum," a senior U.S. intelligence official told Newsweek.
These Are Top 10 Conflicts to Worry About, U.S. Is One of Them, Report Says
COVID-19 and George Floyd's death "have shattered the status quo ahead of the 2020 general election," allowing "new flashpoints for state repression, extremist attacks, militia clashes, and other forms of political violence," ACLED found.
Seattle, Portland Protests Show Generational Tensions in Black Lives Matter
"National leadership, frankly, has been caught napping, and so there are other leaders, other organizations who have risen up and who are speaking out," Roland Martin told Newsweek.
