Evening Brief: US Designates More Gangs as Terrorist Organizations, Xi and Kim Pledge Stronger Ties

· Guy D. McCardle

US State Secretary Marco Rubio during recent Ecuador visit. (Screenshot/C-SPAN)

Thursday evening brief wrap-up, September 4, 2025.

 

US Designates Ecuador’s Los Lobos and Los Choneros Gangs as Terrorist Organizations

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday in Quito that the United States has designated Ecuadorian gangs Los Lobos and Los Choneros as foreign terrorist organizations.

The move gives Washington expanded authority to target their members, finances, and operations, and follows a US military strike this week on a Tren de Aragua-linked vessel that killed 11 people.

Rubio said the designation opens “all sorts of options,” including intelligence sharing and direct action, to support Ecuador against groups blamed for the surge in violence since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa welcomed the decision, calling it vital to eliminating terrorist threats.

Violence in Ecuador has escalated as local gangs partner with international cartels to traffic cocaine, with Los Lobos and Los Choneros involved in killings, extortion, and prison violence.

 

Judge Orders Trump Administration to Release $11.5 Billion in Withheld Foreign Aid

A federal judge in Washington has ordered the Trump administration to release $11.5 billion in foreign aid that Congress approved but the White House had frozen.

US District Judge Amir Ali ruled that the administration’s decision to withhold the funds was likely illegal, noting the president lacks authority to block spending without congressional approval.

The order covers nearly $4 billion for USAID global health programs and more than $6 billion for HIV and AIDS initiatives.

President Trump had attempted to use a “pocket rescission” to prevent $4.9 billion from being spent, marking the first use of the tactic in almost 50 years. Nonprofits argued the freeze violated federal law and disrupted lifesaving programs abroad.

The administration has filed an appeal, and Ali acknowledged that higher courts will likely issue the final decision.

 

US Army Rotates New Units to Southern Border as 101st Airborne Takes Lead

The US Army announced this week that soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division and other units will deploy to the southern border this fall to relieve forces currently carrying out security operations.

About 8,000 troops are involved in missions that began after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in January, supporting law enforcement with detention, searches, and crowd-control activities.

The rotation will swap in the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters, the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, and the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, among others, replacing units from the 10th Mountain Division, 1st Infantry Division, and other commands.

The Pentagon also authorized the new Mexican Border Defense Medal for troops serving 30 days or more in these operations.

 

Pentagon Approves Use of Chicago Navy Base for Immigration Operations

The Pentagon has approved Naval Station Great Lakes, near Chicago, as a staging ground for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operations against undocumented immigrants, defense officials said.

The base may also be used to house National Guard or active-duty troops if President Donald Trump orders a deployment, similar to recent actions in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has strongly opposed any plan to send troops without state consent, warning it would be unconstitutional.

The move comes as DHS expands Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Chicago, while critics note that most detainees in earlier sweeps had no history of violent crime.

The legal debate over Trump’s authority to deploy troops domestically continues, with a federal judge recently ruling that the Los Angeles deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act.

Expanded ICE activity in Chicago is expected to begin this week, though whether military forces will follow remains uncertain.

 

Congo Confirms 16th Ebola Outbreak With 28 Suspected Cases and 15 Deaths

Congo’s health ministry declared a new Ebola outbreak Thursday after confirming a case in southern Kasai province, marking the country’s 16th outbreak.

Authorities reported 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four among healthcare workers, with a provisional fatality rate of 53.6 percent.

The confirmed case involves a 34-year-old pregnant woman in Boulapé. Patients have shown symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and hemorrhage.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed experts and supplies, including protective gear, mobile labs, and medical equipment, and said Congo has reserves of treatments and the Ervebo vaccine.

Officials aim to contain the spread quickly and protect communities from the highly contagious virus.

 

Sudan Landslide in Darfur Leaves Hundreds Dead, Possibly Up to 1,000

Sudanese authorities said Thursday they have recovered and buried 375 bodies after a massive landslide struck Tarasin in the Marrah Mountains of Darfur on August 31.

Officials warn the true toll could reach 1,000, with many victims still trapped underground. The disaster followed days of heavy rainfall in the remote, mountainous region.

Rescue efforts are hampered by lack of equipment and difficult terrain, forcing aid teams to reach the area partly by donkey.

The United Nations has launched an emergency response, providing medical kits, food, and mobile health services for up to 750 people, while at least 150 residents have been displaced.

Officials described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe, compounding Sudan’s ongoing civil war, which has already killed more than 40,000 people and displaced millions.

 

Seven US Deportees Held in South Sudan as Authorities Weigh Next Steps

South Sudan’s foreign ministry said Thursday that seven of eight men deported from the United States earlier this year remain in custody while officials decide whether to keep them in the country or repatriate them elsewhere.

The eighth deportee, a South Sudanese national, has been released to his family.

Spokeswoman Apuk Ayuel Mayen said the deportations were arranged through bilateral talks with Washington rather than a formal agreement.

Authorities have not disclosed where the men are being held or whether they have legal access.

The US has also deported groups of men to Eswatini and Rwanda, and has sought to send another detainee to Uganda, though those plans face legal challenges.

 

Israeli Strikes Kill 28 in Gaza as Hamas and Israel Reaffirm Clashing Demands

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 28 people, mostly women and children, overnight into Thursday, local health officials said.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that the overall Palestinian death toll has surpassed 64,000 since the war began nearly two years ago following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.

Hamas said it is willing to release all 48 remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, open border crossings, and reconstruction.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office rejected the proposal, insisting the war will continue until all hostages are freed, Hamas is disarmed, and Israel retains full security control of Gaza.

The strikes coincided with Israeli troops preparing for an offensive on famine-stricken Gaza City. Hospitals reported that the dead included nine children, six women, and a 10-day-old baby.

Israel has not commented but maintains it targets militants and blames civilian casualties on Hamas’s presence in populated areas.

 

Macron Says 26 Nations Pledge Troops for Ukraine Security Force After War

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that 26 countries have agreed to contribute troops, ships, or aircraft to a “reassurance force” in Ukraine once a ceasefire or peace deal is reached with Russia.

Speaking in Paris after a meeting of the 35-nation “coalition of the willing,” Macron stressed the mission will not fight Russia but will guarantee Ukraine’s long-term security and deter future aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US envoy Steve Witkoff joined the talks, with both Macron and Zelenskyy saying Washington signaled willingness to support the plan.

European leaders also spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump, who urged tougher economic pressure on Russia and China and criticized Europe’s continued energy imports from Moscow. Germany warned that sanctions would escalate if Russia stalls on peace talks.

Zelenskyy reiterated the need for a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin, while NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called for stronger deterrence across Europe as Russia continues strikes inside Ukraine.

 

Poland Backs Talks on Safe Skies Over Ukraine but Ties Plan to Its Own Security

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that Poland will take part in discussions on creating safe skies over Ukraine but stressed that any plan must include security guarantees for Poland.

Speaking after a Paris summit of the “coalition of the willing,” Tusk highlighted Warsaw’s concerns following repeated airspace violations, including a 2022 incident when a stray Ukrainian missile killed two people in Poland and more recent drone incursions.

Polish forces, alongside NATO allies, have been on constant alert during Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.

A NATO member and strong supporter of Kyiv, Poland continues to balance its commitment to Ukraine’s defense with the need to safeguard its own territory, particularly near the Belarusian border.

 

Afghanistan Earthquake Death Toll Rises Above 2,200 as Relief Efforts Struggle

The death toll from Sunday’s 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has risen to 2,205 after more bodies were recovered from villages destroyed in Kunar province, Taliban officials said Thursday.

Nearly all buildings in the province were damaged or destroyed, leaving survivors without shelter as aftershocks continue.

Aid groups report severe shortages of staff, supplies, and funding, with the Norwegian Refugee Council citing a $1.9 million emergency funding gap. Relief efforts are hindered by landslides and difficult terrain, forcing aid workers to hike for hours to reach cut-off villages.

Taliban authorities have deployed helicopters and commandos, while Qatar sent its minister of state for international cooperation to oversee humanitarian aid delivery.

The disaster compounds Afghanistan’s existing crises of drought, economic weakness, and mass refugee returns.

 

Xi and Kim Pledge Stronger China-North Korea Ties During Beijing Talks

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to strengthen cooperation and mutual support during talks in Beijing on the sidelines of World War II commemoration events, state media reported Thursday.

Xi emphasized the “traditional friendship” between the two countries and said relations would remain firm despite international pressures.

Kim, on his first visit to China in six years, echoed the sentiment and called for deeper economic and trade cooperation.

The meeting followed a Chinese military parade attended by Xi, Kim, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking the first time Kim joined a large gathering of world leaders since 2011.

While North Korea has recently leaned heavily on Russia for military and economic support amid sanctions, experts say Kim is balancing ties with both Moscow and Beijing as he faces economic challenges and looks ahead to potential talks with the US.

Analysts noted, however, that the joint appearance of Xi, Kim, and Putin does not amount to a formal three-way alliance.

 

Sources: News Agencies