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, China removes presidential term limits; Syrian humanitarian truce doesn’t stop civilian casualties; U.S. intelligence officials announce that seven U.S. states had their election systems hacked by Russia in 2016; and more.

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Americas

U.S. intelligence officials had evidence that seven states—California, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and Wisconsin—had their voter registration systems compromised by Russian operatives during the 2016 election. The states in question were alerted by the intelligence community that foreign operatives were probing their election systems, but were not told that Russia was behind the attack. State and federal officials maintain that no changes were made to vote counts or voter registration. A former Obama White House cyber-security official stated that the Obama administration worked to inform those states, "but clearly it didn’t happen the way that we wanted it to."

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• U.S. steel and aluminum imports face big tariffs, Trump says – BBC 

Central & South Asia

The United States and Pakistan are working to manage counterterror issues through their shifting relationship. Pakistan is seemingly warming to Russia and China, while the United States has cut security funding to Pakistan and pushed to include them on a list of financers of terrorism. Furthermore, President Trump has said the relationship has given the United States nothing but "lies and deceit." However, the head of U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel, testified to the House Armed Services Committee that Pakistan is showing "positive indicators" in the fight against terrorism.

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• India is growing faster than China again – CNN Money 

China & East Asia

China’s ruling Communist Party removed presidential term limits for Xi Jinping, which had been in place since the end of Mao Zedong’s reign. This move has been condemned by critics as a power grab and a move to remain in office indefinitely. China watchers are increasingly concerned about the rule of law taking a back seat to Xi’s political self-preservation. President Xi has cracked down on corruption and purged political dissidents from government, putting so many in jail that the best-known political prison is reportedly over capacity. China’s rural poor hold the populist leader in high regard. He has also been praised for his moves to protect the environment, lead in nuclear proliferation, and work to counter pandemics.

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• South Korean prosecutors request 30-year sentence for disgraced former President Park – Washington Post

Europe & Russia

The European Union’s chief negotiator believes British Prime Minister Theresa May is running out of time to negotiate a Brexit transition deal, stating there are still significant points of disagreement. Additionally, May is splitting her Conservative Party and angering business leaders and the Labour Party by refusing to enter into a customs partnership with the EU. A customs union would keep some free-trade agreements (FTAs) while limiting the ability for Britain to make FTAs with other countries. A hard-border between Ireland and Northern Ireland resulting from Brexit has also been brought into the spotlight, as goods and people will no longer be able to flow freely through the region, and has reignited debates to the region’s status coming out of the conflict known as "The Troubles."

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• Russia’s ‘Fancy Bear’ reportedly hacks German government network – NPR 

Middle East & North Africa

A recent plan for Syria’s Ghouta region has failed to pan out. The Russia-proposed daily five-hour truce to allow for humanitarian assistance to civilians has been branded a farce by those living in Ghouta, failing to halt bombings by the Assad regime against rebel forces in a suburb of Damascus. A chemical weapons watchdog is reportedly investigating further use of chlorine gas bombs, allegedly provided by North Korea, by the Assad regime against civilians and fighters alike.

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• The ‘water war’ brewing over the new River Nile dam – BBC 

Southeast Asia & Oceania

The United States is cutting aid to Cambodia due to concerns over receding democratic norms. The ruling CNRP party stated it had won every senate seat in the February 25 election. Opposition leader Kem Sokha was jailed in September 2017 on charges of treason as part of a wide crackdown. Aid cuts will come in the form of USAID, Treasury, and military programs, though the White House statement maintains that projects directly helping the Cambodian people, such as mine clearing, health, and agricultural programs, will continue.

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• 57,000 firearms surrendered in Australian amnesty – TIME 

Sub-Saharan Africa

The Democratic Republic of Congo may be moving towards a renewed form of their bloody civil war. The civil war that raged from 1998 to 2003 left an estimated 1 to 5 million Congolese dead, and ethnic violence is ramping up again. Twenty-three civilians were killed on Wednesday, and two others were killed during recent anti-government protests. There are more than 70 rebel groups in rural areas; security forces and the army are waging a campaign against Islamist guerillas and civilians alike, and millions of Congolese are internally displaced, with more projected to follow suit. The current president, Joseph Kabila, is in the seventh year of a five-year term, after refusing to call new elections.

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• Tillerson to make first trip to Africa as top U.S. diplomat – Reuters 

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