Syria sanctions removed. Trump signed an executive order yesterday terminating many sanctions on Syria. It also directed agencies to review the country’s listing as a state sponsor of terrorism and the terrorist designation on the rebel group that ousted former leader Bashar al-Assad. Trump met with Syria’s interim president—also the former leader of the rebel group—Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia six weeks ago.
EU-Ukraine trade deal. The European Union (EU) and Ukraine reached a preliminary deal to replace a special duty-free agreement implemented after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That arrangement supported Ukrainian agriculture sales but prompted farmer protests in member countries including Poland. The new deal returns to a quota system for more sensitive Ukrainian products such as sugar and maize. Ukraine pledged to open its markets and align with EU farm production standards.
Thai PM suspended. Thailand’s Constitutional Court voted 7–2 to suspend Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra following a petition from lawmakers that accused her of breaching ethical standards over a leaked phone call. During the call, she criticized a Thai military commander while discussing a border dispute with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Paetongtarn apologized and said she had been trying to “maintain our sovereignty.”
Plan to tax air travel. Countries including Barbados, France, Kenya, and Spain yesterday said they intend to tax premium-class flights and private jets to fund work to address climate change. The announcement opened a UN summit on how to pay for global economic development that last convened a decade ago. As many countries are cutting back on official bilateral development aid, some advocate for taxing polluting industries directly as an alternative.
Study on USAID cuts. A global team of researchers has estimated that Trump administration cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) could cause more than 14 million deaths around the world by 2030. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the past said many of the agency’s operations did not serve U.S. “core national interests.” The State Department did not immediately comment to multiple news outlets about the study.
Probe into MS-13. A deal to send migrants to El Salvador could have undercut ongoing U.S. efforts to dismantle the gang MS-13, according to a New York Times report. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele sent Washington a list of detained MS-13 leaders he wanted sent back to El Salvador as part of the deal. U.S. prosecutors are now trying to drop charges against an MS-13 leader, citing “foreign policy considerations.” The White House pushed back on “any suggestion” that Trump “isn't successfully eradicating terrorist criminal gangs.” The U.S. attorney's office that brought cases against MS-13 did not comment.
Lithuania-Philippines ties. The two countries agreed to step up defense cooperation, their defense ministers said in Manila yesterday. Lithuania’s defense minister cited the fact that both faced challenges from “shadow fleets by some big countries” in the South China Sea and Baltic Sea. Manila has sought to widen its defense relationships in response to China’s maritime territorial claims nearby.
Wildfires in Turkey. Wildfires have prompted more than fifty thousand people to evacuate their homes in Turkey as Europe experiences an unusually early summer heatwave. At least forty-six people were injured in the blazes, the country’s health minister said. Large areas of Western Europe are under heat conditions that normally only occur later in the summer, a director at the EU’s climate change service said.
