THE TOP THREE
1. Latest on the U.S.-Mexico border wall

What's going on
After the Pentagon approved $1 billion from a military personnel account to fund a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. House of Representatives held a vote on Tuesday to overturn President Trump's first veto (last week President Trump vetoed a resolution from the Senate that rejected his declaration of a national emergency at the border). The vote to overturn his veto failed, leaving the national emergency status intact.
What Ambassadors are saying
Florida Congressman Francis Rooney (former Ambassador to the Holy See) says " My vote to override a veto of the resolution to rescind the national emergency declaration was based on the U.S. Constitution and had nothing to do with President Trump. We need to secure our southern border and control who enters and leaves. This can be accomplished with the right combination of defensive barriers including walls and fences, surveillance technology, and vigorous enforcement of our laws." ( NBC 2 )
2. Elections in Thailand

What's going on
 Preliminary election results are in from Thailand's general elections on Sunday, the country's first since a military coup in 2014. The results show Palang Pracharath, the pro-military party allied with the ruling junta, in the lead with 8.4 million votes; Pheu Thai, the opposition party, with 7.9 million votes; and a new opposition party, Future Forward, with just over 6 million votes. There are concerns of voting irregularities and official results won't come before May.
What Ambassadors are saying
"In 2018, the United States and Thailand commemorated the bicentennial of diplomatic ties, celebrating two centuries of Thai-American friendship under the banner 'Great and Good Friends.' That people-to-people friendship endures regardless of political changes and economic ups and downs." (Ambassador Curtis Chin, former U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank)
3. U.S. House passes 3 bills to expand assistance to Venezuela

What's going on
In the first legislative response to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, the U.S. House of Representatives passed three bills on Monday to expand humanitarian assistance, examine Russia's growing military presence, and prohibit the export of crime control tools from the U.S. to Venezuela that could help Nicolas Maduro stop pro-democracy protests.
What Ambassadors are saying
“The Congress and the people of the United States must stand united with the people of Venezuela, to ensure that all individuals who violate human rights are held accountable. This bill supports these efforts by identifying and holding accountable any U.S. entities providing defense articles to Maduro’s security forces.” (Ambassador Francis Rooney, R-Florida, in Miami Herald )
IN THE MEDIA
Q UOTE

Education has been the cornerstone of the U.S.-China relationship, deepening and informing communication and interaction between the two countries

Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch on education exchange .
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