Good morning, everyone!
Today, we will look at unfolding developments in the Middle East, U.S. politics, and other news spanning the globe.
Let’s get to it.
Africa
-The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a draft peace agreement ahead of a formal signing ceremony slated for next week, according to the two countries and the United States.
The pact aims to end months of intense fighting in the Congo’s east where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels made rapid territorial advances.
President Donald Trump has pushed for a deal as Washington seeks to invest in the region’s vast rare earth minerals.
-Kenya’s parliament passed this year’s proposed finance law.
Last year, protests erupted across the East African country after President William Ruto proposed tax hikes. Ruto abandoned the proposal after clashes between demonstrators and security forces led to over 60 deaths.
-The South African government declared a state of emergency after heavy flooding killed nearly 100 people.
-The West Africa Economic Summit will convene in Abuja, Nigeria, today.
-The U.S.-Africa Business Summit will kick off in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday.
Other Links:
Nigerian president orders crackdown on gangs after 150 killed in conflict-hit north - AP
Police officer arrested over shooting of civilian during Kenya protest - Reuters
Funeral standoff halts repatriation of former Zambian president’s body - AP
Activists sue East African governments over torture claims- Semafor
South Africa opens a new inquiry into apartheid-era killings known as Cradock Four - AP
Americas and the Caribbean
-Tens of thousands in Argentina took to the streets to protest the start of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s six-year house arrest.
Kirchner—who served two terms as president from 2007 to 2015—was convicted by a court in 2022 over fraud allegations related to public projects in Patagonia.
-Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would soon adopt measures to combat unfair trade practices and global overcapacity in the steel and aluminum industries.
-Carney, fresh off the heels of hosting the Group of Seven (G7) earlier this week, will depart for Brussels on Sunday to attend the 20th Canada-European Union summit.
He will then attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday.
Carney said he is seeking closer cooperation with European countries “across all sectors” amid tense bilateral relations with the United States.
-The Central Bank of Brazil hiked interest rates by 25 basis points and signaled that it would keep borrowing costs elevated for a “very prolonged” period amid persistent inflation.
The rate hike is the seventh in a row.
-Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado called on the United States to impose stiffer sanctions against authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro.
-The Colombian Senate adopted a labor reform bill amid a standoff between lawmakers and President Gustavo Petro.
-Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum made her debut visit to the G7 this week in Canada. On the trip, she held talks with her Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
-The world’s largest LGBTQ pride event will be held tomorrow in São Paulo, Brazil.
Other Links:
US cites murder of TikTok influencer in new Mexcian cartel sanctions - Reuters
Brazil’s Bolsonaro used intelligence agency to spy on judges, lawmakers and journalists, police say - AP
China floods Brazil with cheap EVs triggering backlash - Reuters
Erick makes landfall in southern Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane - AP
Falklands/Malvinas dispute must be resolved through peaceful and negotiated means, reiterates UN C24 - MercoPress
Asia/Indo-Pacific
-North Korea launched “more than a dozen” rockets on Thursday morning, according to South Korea’s defense ministry.
-Thailand’s Bhumjaithai Party exited Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s coalition government. The move comes amid tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
Last month, a Cambodian soldier was killed after a brief clash between the two countries. Tensions have ratcheted up in recent days as Cambodia has deployed forces to the border and Shinawatra has come under fire for her approach to the conflict.
-New Zealand’s government has paused millions of dollars in funding to the Cook Islands over the nation’s ties with China.
The move comes as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is on his first official visit to China since assuming office in November 2023.
-Sunday marks 60 years since Japan and South Korea normalized diplomatic ties.
Other Links:
Trump’s Envoy to China Calls Out Threat of Foreign Supply Chains - Bloomberg
Aung San Suu Kyi’s supporters strive to set world record to honor her 80th birthday - AP
Thai PM apologises for leaked audio of call with Cambodia's Hun Sen - Reuters
Taiwan on alert over China's military activities in Pacific - Reuters
Australia jobs unexpectedly dip in May but unemployment holds steady - Reuters
Europe
-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more international pressure on Russia after it launched a deadly strike on a residential building in Kyiv on Tuesday. The strike was part of Moscow’s deadliest assault on the capital city this year, killing at least 28 people and wounding 142 others.
-Ukraine and Russia carried out an exchange of captured soldiers on Thursday as part of a deal reached during peace talks last month.
-Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said a proposal calling for higher defense spending from NATO member countries was “unreasonable.”
In 2014, the Western military alliance set a spending target of 2% of gross domestic product on defense for member countries. In recent months, President Donald Trump has called for that target to be raised to 5%.
Currently, 23 of the bloc’s 32 members are meeting the 2% goal.
Sánchez’ comments come just ahead of the group’s annual leaders’ summit in the Netherlands next week.
Both Sweden—the bloc’s newest member—and the Netherlands recently pledged to boost their defense spending to meet the 5% goal.
-Russia and Indonesia inked a strategic partnership agreement following talks between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
During the talks, Putin expressed his support for Jakarta’s bid to join the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) bloc of developing nations.
-Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony said a Pride march would proceed on June 28, despite a ban imposed by Hungarian authorities.
-The Economic and Financial Affairs Council will convene today in Luxembourg.
Other Links:
Putin says he's ready to meet Zelensky if West 'stops pushing' Ukraine to fight - The Kyiv Independent
Russia to return 5 Ukrainian children separated from families by war - ABC
Italy, pressed to boost defence spending, lashes at 'stupid' EU rules - Reuters
Slovak police in failed bid to arrest ex-defence chief over aid to Ukraine - BBC
Europe rights chief flags Germany's Gaza protest response - DW
Middle East
-The White House announced on Thursday that President Donald Trump would allow two weeks for the possibility of negotiations before deciding on strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The announcement comes as tensions between Israel and Iran enter their second week, with both countries continuing retaliatory missile and drone attacks and mounting casualties.
The Israeli government has encouraged Washington to strike underground Iranian nuclear facilities with heavy bombs.
-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the toppling of the Iranian government is not the intention of his government’s bombing campaign but it “could be a result.”
-Global oils prices rose slightly yesterday amid the escalating tensions in the region.
-Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will host Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Ankara today.
-Foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will meet in Istanbul, Turkey, tomorrow.
Other Links:
Iranian missiles hit a hospital and wound over 200. Israel threatens Iran’s top leader - AP
Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran’s nuclear deal - AP
Israel suffering casualties from Iranian strikes, while war continues in Gaza - CBS
Erdogan says Iran has ‘legitimate right to defend itself against Israel’s thuggery,’ compares Netanyahu to Hitler - The Times of Israel
At least 12 Palestinians killed waiting for aid in Gaza, say medics - BBC
United States
-Social Security’s trust funds will be insolvent—or unable to pay full benefits—to recipients in 2034, according to the program’s trustees. Separately, Medicare’s hospital insurance fund is expected to be unable to pay full benefits by 2033.
-U.S. unemployment claims slid to 245,000 last week.
-The Federal Reserve held off on an interest rate cut on Wednesday, citing higher unemployment and lingering inflation.
-A federal appeals court blocked California Governor Gavin Newsom’s effort to regain control of the National Guard after President Donald Trump federalized 4,000 soldiers earlier this month.
-The Department of Homeland Security has issued new restrictions on members of Congress attempting to visit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities following several high-profile encounters.
-The State Department will review the social media accounts of student and scholar visa applicants.
-The Justice Department plans to cut the number of inspectors who monitor federally licensed gun deals by two-thirds.
-According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, 62% of self-identified Democrats say their party needs to replace its current leadership.
Other Links:
Trump remakes the White House with new flagpoles - AP
Democrats walk out of Senate Judiciary hearing probing Biden’s mental fitness - Politico
Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slavery - AP
Hundreds gather to remember prominent Minnesota lawmaker and husband slain in their home - AP
US to end LGBT suicide prevention service, says general hotline sufficient - Reuters
Louisiana’s 2025 legislative session ends with governor saying he plans to call a special session - AP
That’s all for today. See you next week.
Notes:
Thank you for your hard work and dedication!