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, Puerto Rico is still in need of FEMA assistance; the United Kingdom and China are looking to make a post-Brexit trade deal; Cape Town imposes firmer restrictions on water use; and more.

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Americas

Puerto Rico is still suffering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria. Rolling blackouts, school closures, and an uncertain future continue to plague the island months after the hurricane passed through. Fears and frustrations were exacerbated this week when a government official misstated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was cutting its water and food assistance to the island. So far, 25,000 residents have left the island, 21 schools have closed due to damage or low enrollment, and one-third of the remaining schools are without power.

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• CIA director expects Russia will try to target U.S. mid-term elections – Reuters

Central & South Asia

The BBC completed an in-depth study of Afghanistan, finding that 70 percent of the country is controlled or threatened by the Taliban. Thirty percent of the country is fully controlled by the Afghan government, while 4 percent is fully controlled by the Taliban. Per the United Nations, the first three-quarters of 2017 saw 8,000 civilian casualties due to the insurgent violence, while final figures for 2017 have not yet been published. Also in 2017, President Trump agreed to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, bringing the in-country total to 14,000, which could again be increased by 1,000 this spring. Additionally, ISIL has increased its presence in the country, but still has far less influence than the Taliban.

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• India unveils "world’s largest" public healthcare scheme – BBC

China & East Asia

The United Kingdom and China will hold an in-depth trade review, and seek to build an ambitious trade agreement in the future, according to Prime Minister Theresa May’s office. After Brexit, May’s office states that the UK will be "free to strike our own deals" without the rest of the European Union. May and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping also spoke about China’s "One Belt, One Road" initiative, and about the important of "international standards and transparency." China will open more financial services markets for UK firms.

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• South Korea’s Olympic gains – Scott Snyder, Council on Foreign Relations

Europe & Russia

Venezuela and Spain engaged in a diplomatic back-and-forth this week resulting in two expelled ambassadors. Venezuela made the first move by expelling the Spanish ambassador to Caracas for "interfering with internal affairs." Spain responded by declaring the Venezuelan ambassador to Madrid a persona non grata, thus expelling him as well. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claimed that Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was taking orders from U.S. President Donald Trump when imposing new sanctions on the country. The sanctions referred to, however,  are European Union sanctions agreed to by all 28 member states, not just Spain.

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• European Commission president: "Nationalism is the real war" – El Pais

Middle East & North Africa

Witholding funding from a United Nations agency working with Palestinian refugees will put the Eastern Mediterranean region’s stability and security at risk, according to Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The U.S. government will withhold $65 million out of $125 million of funding for the UNRWA, an agency funded by member donations, affecting millions in the region. According to Reuters, over 1 million people in Gaza, over half the population rely on some sort of funding from the UNRWA. The agency was established in 1949 by the UN after the establishment of Israel and the esuing war in 1948.

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• Lebanon using diplomacy to counter Israel over offshore energy tender – Reuters

Southeast Asia & Oceania

A 10th Australian politician has resigned from parliament over dual citizenship concerns since the onset of the saga last July. Australian law dictates that dual-nationals are not allowed to be members of parliament (MPs), a situation that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hoped to rectify by forcing all parliamentarians to publicly clarify their citizenship history. The High Court of Australia will rule on opposition Labor party politicians with dual citizenship. Labor claims that there are other MPs from different parties that should also have their status determined by the High Court.

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• AP finds evidence for graves, Rohingya massacre in Myanmar – Associated Press

Sub-Saharan Africa

Cape Town’s water crisis is spreading, alarming the industrial regions surrounding Johannesburg and Pretoria. Low water levels in Lesotho, a landlocked country in the middle of South Africa, could be drained by Pretoria, already drawing from Lesotho’s reservoirs, if the drought persists. The problem is worrying for all of South Africa, but continues to be most urgent for Cape Town. Authorities have further restricted water consumption to 50 liters—about 13 gallons—per person per day, and threatened to impose fines or install water-management meters on those who ignore the restrictions. Cape Town authorities estimate only about 55 percent of residents are complying with the restrictions as of last week, when limits were at 87 liters per day. The city is racing to catch up, building desalination plants and working to recycle water, but are still making plans for "Day Zero," the name given to the day water runs out. On Day Zero, all residential water will be shut off, with only schools and hospitals receiving running water.

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• Namibia bans foreign travel for government officials – Al Jazeera

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