Ukraine virtual meeting. U.S. President Donald Trump is participating today in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies. It precedes Trump’s planned meeting this Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the White House yesterday called a “listening exercise.” Russia seeks control of Ukraine’s Donetsk as part of a deal, Zelenskyy said; European Union leaders with the exception of Hungary said in a joint statement that “international borders must not be changed by force.”
U.S. global human rights report. An annual State Department report sharply decreased criticism of certain countries compared to last year. El Salvador’s entry went from including credible reports of arbitrary killings and torture to “no credible reports of significant human rights abuses.” Criticism of Israel also dropped, while criticism of Brazil and South Africa—countries that have clashed with Trump—rose. A State Department spokesperson said the changes aimed for readability to remove bias and declined to answer questions about specific countries.
Panama ports. The Panama Canal Authority said it plans to pursue ownership of some ports around the canal. Its planned expansion into new business activity comes after the United States criticized Chinese influence in the canal; a Hong-Kong-based company has operated nearby ports. The canal became flush with income this year after imports surged into the United States ahead of planned tariff hikes.
Mexican prisoner transfer. Mexico sent twenty-six people imprisoned for drug-related crimes to the United States, the second transfer this year of high-profile prisoners. The move comes as the two countries continue tariff talks and after Trump reportedly ordered the Pentagon to use military force against Mexican cartels. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected reports that the U.S. military was authorized to strike within Mexico’s borders.
DRC mineral sanctions. The United States sanctioned an armed group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and companies from the DRC and China that it said were profiting from illegal mineral sales. The conflict minerals trade is causing danger and hampering lawful mining, a U.S. Treasury official said. Washington says it is trying to broker a peace deal in the country and invest in minerals there.
Iran sanctions warning. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom told Iran they are prepared to trigger a process to reimpose international sanctions if Tehran does not enter negotiations on its nuclear program by the end of this month. UN sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of a 2015 deal. Amid a war with Israel in June, Iran considered leaving the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; Iran later halted cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
China-Czech Republic rift. Beijing said it was suspending cooperation with Czech President Petr Pavel after Pavel met with the Dalai Lama—who the Chinese government considers a separatist—last month. Pavel went to congratulate the Dalai Lama on his birthday during a trip to India; his office did not immediately comment on China’s diplomatic suspension. Chinese-Czech relations had already hit tensions in 2023 when Pavel held a phone call with Taiwan’s then-president.
Blackout in Iraq. A heatwave and rising electricity demand prompted power outages across the country yesterday. Though electricity was restored by today, the heatwave is expected to last more than a week, with temperatures surpassing 120°F. Two provinces of the country are currently hosting millions of extra visitors as part of a religious pilgrimage.
