Global Beat is your weekly stop for news from around the world. Join us every Friday morning for important stories you should know about.

This week, President Trump raises the stakes on NAFTA renegotiations; French presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen head to a runoff on May 7; Somali pirates attack commercial ships again after five years of calm; and more.
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Americas

U.S. President Donald J. Trump considered withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), then reversed course after calls with the leaders of Mexico and Canada. He said Thursday that he will seek to pull the United States out if the three countries fail to negotiate a new deal. Last week during a speech in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Trump stated that “NAFTA’s been very, very bad for our country.” On Monday, the United States slapped a 20 percent tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, further complicating trade relations.

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• In act of defiance, Venezuela may become first country to withdraw from Organization of American States – Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times

Central & South Asia

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday called for a national day of mourning after the deadliest attack by the Taliban on security forces since 2001. The assault began as soldiers were observing Friday prayers at Camp Shaheen near Mazar-e Sharif, with as many as 140 people reported dead. On Wednesday, a former Taliban spokesman who recently surrendered, Ehsanullah Ehsan, accused Afghanistan and India of giving funds and other assistance to Taliban militants terrorizing Pakistan. Afghanistan has strongly denied the claims, while India has yet to comment.

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• India bans social media in Kashmir amid violent unrest – BBC

China & East Asia

The United States and South Korea on Tuesday began installing key elements of a controversial missile-defense system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD). Work began about 135 miles southeast of Seoul in Seongju. The deployment of THAAD has become a key issue in South Korea’s upcoming May 9 presidential election. While former President Park Geun-hye was in agreement with the plan, Moon Jae-in, an opposition leader currently ahead in the polls, has vowed to review the agreement if elected. The move has reportedly angered China, which says THAAD will do little to deter North Korea and will only further destabilize security in the region.

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• China, sending a signal, launches its first home-built aircraft carrier – Chris Buckley, The New York Times

Europe & Russia

French voters on Sunday chose centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen for a runoff vote to determine the next president, which will be held May 7. It is the first time in the 59-year history of the French Fifth Republic in which neither of the country's two major political parties, the Socialists and the Republicans, will advance to the second round of balloting. Macron has campaigned on a pro-European Union platform while Le Pen has campaigned on an anti-EU platform. Sunday’s first round of voting was held under tight security following a terrorist attack on Thursday night that disrupted the final day of campaigning on Friday. The Pacific Council will host a Situation Briefing on May 4 about the election.

Also check out:

• Russia says U.S. missile strike on Syria was a threat to its forces – Andrew Osborn and Andrey Ostroukh, Reuters

Middle East & North Africa

Turkish warplanes on Tuesday bombed Kurdish fighters in Iraq and Syria. The Turkish military’s target included the Y.P.G., an American-backed ally that is crucial for U.S. operations against ISIL. At least 20 and as many as 70 fighters are said to have been killed. Kurdish officials also stated that one airstrike had mistakenly stuck Kurdish Peshmerga troops on Mount Sinjar in Iraq’s autonomous region. Russia expressed “serious concern” over Turkey’s strikes, calling the actions a hindrance in the fight against terrorism. Clashes also erupted Wednesday near the town of Darbasiyeh in northeast Syria, although there were no immediate reports of casualties.

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• U.S. defense chief arrives in Kabul as his Afghan counterpart resigns in disgrace – Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Pamela Constable, and Sayed Salahuddin, Washington Post

Southeast Asia & Oceania

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is serving as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plans to adopt a softer than usual tone toward Beijing over South China Sea disputes at a leaders’ summit this week in Manila. According to a draft of Duterte’s statement, ASEAN will drop references or even allusions to China’s construction of artificial islands and the military hardware it has installed on them. Meanwhile, ASEAN member states are suspicious about China’s intentions in pushing for a code of conduct in the region.

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• Australian troops will be in Iraq, Afghanistan for long term, says Malcolm Turnbull – David Wroe, Sydney Morning Herald

Sub-Saharan Africa

U.S. Defense Department officials are advising commercial ships traveling through the Gulf of Aden to once again shore up their defenses against Somali pirates, who are staging attacks after five years of no activity. In the past eight weeks, at least six attacks have been carried out, five of which were successful. The head of the U.S. Africa Command, General Thomas D. Waldhauser, said drought and famine in Somalia are likely behind the recent spike in attacks.

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• From Congo child soldier to award-winning wildlife ranger, Rodrigue Katembo has been awarded a Goldman prize for risking his life fighting to protect his country’s wildlife – Damian Carrington, The Guardian

Stay informed. We’ll see you here again next week.