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Thai / Cambodian Border Tensions, Trump Travel Ban Expands as LA Riots Escalate, Kampala Suicide Bombing, Colombian Presidential Candidate Shot Andrew Sheves Good morning, Five stories to help you catch up after the weekend. 🇹🇭** 🇰🇭 Thai / Cambodian Border Tensions** Thailand and Cambodia will return forces to previously agreed positions after a May 28 firefight killed a Cambodian soldier along their disputed border. Thailand has taken control of all 17 border crossings and shortened operating hours at 10, citing threats to sovereignty. Cambodia seeks International Court resolution while Thailand prefers bilateral talks, leaving fundamental disagreements unresolved. More - Al Jazeera ...

Trump-Xi Trade Talks Reset, Israel Strikes Beirut Andrew Sheves Good morning. ☪️ عِيد مُبَارَك 🇨🇳** 🇺🇸 Trump-Xi Trade Talks Reset** President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to resume trade talks “shortly” after a 90-minute call that appeared to break an impasse over rare earth minerals and other disputes that had derailed their Geneva agreement. Trump acknowledged the trade relationship had gotten “a little off track” but said they were now “in very good shape,” though he didn’t specify whether China agreed to speed export licenses for critical magnets needed by US companies. The leaders exchanged invitations to visit each other’s countries, but tensions remain over technology controls and Taiwan, with both sides having just 90 days under their Geneva tariff reduction deal to reach a broader agreement. More - Bloomberg ...

US-China Rare Earth Exports Explainer, US Vetoes Gaza Ceasefire, Putin Threatens Ukraine Retaliation Andrew Sheves Good morning. ⛏️ US-China Rare Earth Exports Explainer The US-China trade deal celebrated in Geneva is fraying over rare earth exports, with Washington accusing Beijing of violating promises to restore mineral flows while China maintains licensing requirements imposed in April. China agreed to suspend sanctions on 45 US companies for 90 days but never explicitly promised to reverse export licensing for seven critical rare earths used in electric motors and hard drives. US officials expected immediate resumption of exports after Geneva talks, but Chinese licensing approvals are coming through slowly as Beijing works through bureaucratic processes, with some companies now obtaining permits but exports remaining below pre-restriction levels. Full Explainer on Bloomberg ...

Lee Jae-myung Wins South Korean Presidency, Pakistan Prison Break Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇰🇷** Lee Jae-myung Wins South Korean Presidency** Opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung decisively won South Korea’s presidency exactly six months after predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law attempt triggered massive protests and his impeachment. The victory represents a clear rejection of the ruling People Power Party, which voters blamed for the democratic breakdown, though Lee faces immediate challenges including ongoing Supreme Court charges and navigating a deeply polarized nation. His top priority will be negotiating a trade deal with President Trump to soften US tariff impacts while working to heal divisions in a country where turnout reached 79.4%, the highest since 1997. More - BBC ...

Bangladesh Lifts Islamist Ban, Mongolia PM Ousted Andrew Sheves Good morning, 🇧🇩** Bangladesh Lifts Islamist Ban** Bangladesh’s Supreme Court restored registration for Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Muslim party, ending a decade-long ban imposed by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. The decision allows the controversial party, which supported Pakistan during Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war, to participate in next year’s general election expected by June. The ruling came as the court also overturned a death sentence against key Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam for war crimes, while Hasina faces trial in absentia for her deadly crackdown on protesters that killed up to 1,400 people. More - Al Jazeera ...

Ukraine Destroys 1/3 of Russia’s Strategic Strike Capability, Poland Elects Nationalist President Andrew Sheves Good morning, 🇺🇦** Ukraine Destroys 1/3 of Russia’s Strategic Strike Capability** Ukraine launched its largest long-range attack of the war, using 117 drones in a “Spider’s Web” operation that struck at least 40 Russian warplanes at four military bases — 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers — including facilities thousands of miles from Ukraine in Siberia. The SBU security service spent 18 months planning the complex operation, smuggling drones in wooden cabins on trucks and remotely launching them near Russian airbases, causing an estimated $7 billion in damage to strategic aviation assets. The strikes occurred as Russian and Ukrainian negotiators prepared for peace talks in Istanbul, though expectations remain low given the sides’ fundamental disagreements on ending the conflict. More - BBC ...

Judges Halt, Reinstate Tariffs, Hamas Rejects Ceasefire Terms Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🧑‍⚖️ Judges Halt, Reinstate Tariffs A federal appeals court granted Trump a temporary reprieve from a lower court ruling that blocked his sweeping tariffs, but the White House now faces slower, more complex alternatives if the legal challenge ultimately succeeds. The administration could pursue tariffs through Section 232 investigations or other authorities, but these would take months to implement rather than the immediate impact Trump sought through emergency powers. The original ruling would have reduced effective US tariff rates from nearly 27% to below 6%, marking one of Trump’s biggest setbacks as he races to deliver results before midterm elections. More - Bloomberg ...

Trump Tariffs Blocked, Iran Strike ‘On Hold’ Andrew Sheves Good morning. ✋** Trump Tariffs Blocked** A US trade court ruled President Trump’s global tariffs illegal and blocked their implementation, delivering a major blow to a cornerstone of his economic agenda. The three-judge panel sided with Democratic states and small businesses who argued Trump wrongfully invoked emergency powers to justify the levies, marking one of his biggest legal setbacks amid widespread challenges to his executive orders. Global markets have fluctuated wildly since the tariffs were announced April 2, with trillions in market value lost and regained amid delays and potential trade deal announcements. More - Bloomberg ...

Gaza Aid Distribution Chaos and Ukraine Drone War Escalates Andrew Sheves Good morning. 🇵🇸** Gaza Aid Distribution Chaos** Thousands of Palestinians stormed a US-Israeli backed aid distribution center in Rafah operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, overwhelming security and forcing staff to retreat as crowds climbed fences to seize food parcels. Israeli troops fired warning shots during the chaotic scene, highlighting the desperation of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents facing potential famine after an 11-week blockade. The UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the controversial GHF system, calling it a weaponization of humanitarian aid that contradicts core principles of neutrality and independence. More - BBC ...

Toxic Ship Sinks off India, Germany Lifts Deep Strike Restrictions on Ukraine, EU Pledges Fast-Track Trade Talks Andrew Sheves Good morning, 🇮🇳** Toxic Ship Sinks off Kerala Coast** A Liberian-flagged cargo vessel carrying hazardous chemicals and 451 tonnes of oil capsized off Kerala’s coast near Kochi on Sunday. All 24 crew members were rescued, but authorities issued coastal alerts as oil slicks and drifting containers threaten the biodiverse shoreline and tourism industry. The Indian Coast Guard deployed pollution control equipment while officials warned residents against touching containers or oil that wash ashore. [More - BBC] ...