Good morning, everyone!
Today, we will look at U.S. tariff changes, developments in Africa and the Middle East, and other news spanning each continent.
Let’s get to it.
Africa
-Rwandan President Paul Kagame said he was unsure whether a newly signed peace agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo would hold and that he would respond if the neighboring country played “tricks.”
Last week, the two countries signed a peace deal to end fighting in Congo’s east after the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group seized the region’s two largest cities earlier this year. Rwanda denies its support for the militant group but maintains that its forces have a right to defend themselves from Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
-At least two hospitals in Nairobi, Kenya, were vandalized as protests swept the capital city to mark the 35th anniversary of pro-democracy rallies.
-South Sudanese President Salva Kiir dismissed the nation’s army chief.
-The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday approved a $367 million disbursement to Ghana.
-President Donald Trump will host leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in Washington, D.C., today.
Separately, Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Windhoek.
-Egypt’s central bank will announce changes to its benchmark interest rate tomorrow.
Other Links:
Top South African official accuses police minister of colluding with crime syndicates - Africa News
Liberian president issues official apology to civil war victims - Africa News
U.S. deports men from Asia and Latin America with criminal records to South Sudan after legal saga - CBS
Rwandan opposition leader Ingabire appears in court on subversion charges - AP
Libya's eastern-based government bars entry of EU migration commissioner, three ministers - Reuters
Africa hit by extreme heat waves in 2024 - Semafor
Americas and the Caribbean
-The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it would end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants from Honduras and Nicaragua.
The protection—which grants migrants the ability to stay and work in the United States—has been in place since 1999.
President Donald Trump rescinded the designation for nationals from the two countries in his first term before being reinstated by his successor, President Joe Biden.
-Trump said on Monday that former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was the victim of a “witch hunt.”
Bolsonaro—a close ally of Trump during his time in office—is currently on trial on charges of plotting a coup following his election defeat to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022.
-Consumer prices in Chile fell by 0.45% in June from the previous month—the steepest decline since late 2023.
-Multiple earthquakes struck Guatemala on Tuesday.
Other Links:
BRICS group condemns increase of tariffs in summit overshadowed by Middle East tensions - ABC
Brazil’s Lula Hosts Modi in Bid to Turn India Into a Major Trade Partner - Bloomberg
Brazil's retail sales miss forecasts, fall for second straight month - Reuters
Mexico’s president calls march against mass tourism ‘xenophobic.’ Critics blame government failures - AP
Gangs in Haiti burn beloved Gothic gingerbread hotel that rose to international fame - AP
Asia/Indo-Pacific
-President Donald Trump sent letters to the leaders of Japan and South Korea on Monday, saying Washington would impose higher tariffs on their countries.
-U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would meet with his Chinese counterpart in the coming weeks to discuss trade and other bilateral issues.
-U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
-Chinese Premier Li Qiang will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo today.
Separately, Taiwan’s military will kick off its annual Han Kuang exercises. The drills—which prepare the island’s forces for combat in the event of an attack by mainland China—will run through July 18.
-A South Korean court is expected to hold a hearing today in Seoul on a detention warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Other Links:
ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women and girls - AP
A million more Afghans could be sent back from Iran, Red Cross warns - Reuters
China says it will retaliate on unfavorable deals after Trump warns Asia of higher tariffs - NBC
Treasury Secretary Bessent to Visit Japan Next Week for Expo - Bloomberg
Thailand strikes at Cambodia with raids on tycoon Kok An's properties - Nikkei
Europe
-President Donald Trump said he would resume military aid to Ukraine, noting Russia was hitting the country “very hard.” He added that the Ukrainians “have to be able to defend themselves.”
The announcement comes just days after the Pentagon halted the shipment of some supplies to the country.
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its air strikes on Ukraine.
Separately, Trump said he was considering imposing stiffer sanctions on Moscow.
-A Russian minister was found dead hours after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin.
-German industrial production rebounded in May after a decline in April. The growth was fueled by an uptick in car and pharmaceutical sales.
Other Links:
UK and France have duty to 'firmly' tackle illegal migration, Macron tells Parliament - BBC
EU probes alleged misuse of funds by far-right lawmakers including ex-Le Pen adviser - France 24
China retaliates against EU with a ban on European medical devices - AP
15 EU countries allowed to violate deficit limit for defence spending - Euronews
Former British PM Rishi Sunak rejoins Goldman Sachs as adviser - Reuters
Middle East
-President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday to discuss the ongoing war in the besieged Gaza Strip. At a dinner that evening, Netanyahu said he had nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in mediating talks between Israel and Hamas.
Pakistan nominated Trump for the award earlier this year.
Netanyahu’s trip to Washington was his third since Trump returned to office in January. Yesterday, he met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Trump and Netanyahu met again on Tuesday evening to discuss the war in Gaza.
-Iran’s government said at least 1,060 people were killed in its 12-day war with Israel.
-Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson interviewed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on his YouTube show.
Other Links:
Militants kill 5 Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Israeli strikes kill 51 Palestinians - AP
Israeli report accuses Hamas of using sexual violence as a weapon of war on Oct. 7 - AP
Netanyahu says any future Palestinian state would be a platform to destroy Israel - Reuters
Israeli military official says Iran hit some military sites last month - Reuters
Kurdish PKK militants to begin handing over arms in Iraq on Friday, NTV says - Reuters
United States
-President Donald Trump on Tuesday extended a pause on his planned tariffs to August 1.
Separately, Trump announced he would impose a 50% duty on copper imports.
-The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward with its plans to downsize the federal workforce.
-The Department of Justice on Monday said that the government had no “incriminating client list” of Jeffrey Epstein, setting off a wave of criticism from key supporters of Trump.
The list, often referred to as the “Epstein list,” has been suspected to contain information involving associates of the now-deceased financier and his sex crimes.
Trump and his political allies have long pledged to release any documents related to the case.
-Trump held a Cabinet meeting yesterday.
-The death toll from heavy flooding in Central Texas has surpassed 100.
-The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes at some airport checkpoints.
-More than half of murders in 2023 in the United States went unsolved, according to a report in The New York Times.
Other Links:
Independent Dan Osborn makes another run at Nebraska Senate - Politico
Graham: Senate will move ‘soon’ on Russia, China sanctions - The Hill
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok makes antisemitic posts on X - NBC
Biden's former doctor asks to delay testimony to House panel, citing patient privilege concerns - AP
Troops and federal agents briefly descend on LA's MacArthur Park in largely immigrant neighborhood - AP
Gavin Newsom swings through South Carolina, where Democrats will play pivotal 2028 nominating role - AP
California will not block trans athletes from school sports, defying White House - Sacramento Bee
That’s all for today. See you tomorrow.
Notes:
https://scowcroft.substack.com/p/tsg-weekly-calendar-july-7-13