U.S.-China deal inked. Washington and Beijing signed an economic deal originally discussed last month in Geneva, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Bloomberg yesterday. He said that the United States would remove unspecified “countermeasures” on China once China delivered rare earths to the United States; China’s commerce ministry said today that Beijing would approve export restrictions for certain unspecified items. Lutnick also said the United States would finalize trade deals with several countries in the coming two weeks.
DRC-Rwanda peace agreement. Foreign ministers from both countries are due to sign a peace deal in Washington today alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department said; Trump is also expected to meet with the officials in the Oval Office. The three countries said the deal would cover “respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities” and disarming “non-state armed groups,” without giving further details.
Russian seizure of lithium. Russian forces in recent days have captured an area in eastern Ukraine that is home to a deposit of lithium, independent groups tracking the war said. Russian control of the area complicates a U.S. and Ukrainian plan to co-develop Ukraine’s mineral resources following a potential end to the war. The deposit is under one square mile in size but has high concentrations of the mineral.
Asian defense disagreements. A defense ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ended without a joint statement because members could not agree on language regarding terrorism, India’s foreign minister said yesterday. The ten-country group also includes China, Pakistan, and Russia; its meeting was the first time senior officials from India and Pakistan appeared on the same stage since the air war between the countries in May.
Thailand-Cambodia border visits. Thailand’s prime minister and Cambodia’s former prime minister visited different areas of their shared border yesterday following a recent deadly flare-up between soldiers in the area. In the wake of the incident, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing plans for a parliamentary no confidence vote and calls to step down.
India-U.S. trade talks. A delegation of Indian trade envoys has arrived in Washington for two days of talks, unnamed sources told multiple news outlets. The office of the U.S. Trade Representative and India’s trade ministry did not immediately comment. India is among the many countries seeking a deal with the United States ahead of a July 9 deadline, when tariffs are set to increase. So far, the bilateral discussions have reportedly hit friction over a U.S. demand that India open its market to genetically modified crops.
Ecuadorian crime boss captured. Ecuadorian authorities plan to extradite drug boss José Adolfo “Fito” Macías Villamar to the United States after his capture by security forces this week, President Daniel Noboa said. Macías Villamar was accused of ordering the killing of an Ecuadorian presidential candidate in 2023. The United States helped track the former fugitive after his recent escape from a maximum security prison, an unnamed senior Ecuadorian police official told the Washington Post.
French pushback on climate target. The European Commission’s executive vice president said today that a French proposal to delay the roll out of the European Union (EU)’s 2040 climate target was “a mistake.” French President Emmanuel Macron suggested delaying publication of the target yesterday to ensure it is in line with the bloc’s competitiveness. The EU is also due this year to announce a separate 2035 climate goal as part of UN climate negotiations; that target could be less ambitious if the EU’s 2040 commitment is delayed.
