U.S. approves new assistance to Venezuela.
Today's events
Venezuela aid.
A presidential determination clears new U.S. assistance to Venezuela, finding it in the national interest and waiving trafficking-related aid limits — the second such determination since November 2025, with the State Department to notify Congress.1Jul 5 · WHU.S.–Japan cyber.
At their 11th Cyber Dialogue in Washington, the two governments agreed to share threat intelligence, target Indo-Pacific scam centers, and speed adoption of post-quantum encryption and secure sovereign cloud.2Jul 3 · StateCartel sanctions.
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control blacklisted Oscar Guillermo Juraidini Silva, a Mexican national tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, under U.S. drug-trafficking and counterterrorism sanctions authorities.3Jul 5 · TreasuryUSMCA review.
The U.S. Trade Representative said President Trump declined to rubber-stamp renewal of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada trade pact, faulting Mexican curbs on energy investors and Canadian dairy limits; the deal stays in force during talks.4Jul 3 · USTRChina steel duties.
Commerce opened a circumvention inquiry into whether Chinese corrosion-resistant steel finished in Thailand is dodging U.S. anti-dumping and countervailing duties, at Nucor and Steel Dynamics' request; it separately issued a new duty order on Algerian rebar.5Jul 5 · CommerceEbola surge.
The CDC said the Democratic Republic of Congo outbreak is nearing 1,000 confirmed cases across 31 health zones — plus 19 in Kampala, Uganda — the third-largest on record; it rated the risk to the United States low.6Jul 5 · CDCCounter-drone rule.
A Justice and Homeland Security interim rule implements the SAFER SKIES Act, letting state, local, tribal, and territorial police detect and bring down threatening drones under a two-tier certification system; it took effect July 1.7Jul 5 · DOJTicketmaster remedy.
The Justice Department filed a proposed final judgment against Live Nation and Ticketmaster requiring capped amphitheater ticket fees, divested venues, and looser exclusive contracts; a 60-day public-comment window opened.8Jul 5 · DOJCaribbean security.
The United States joined the inaugural Regional Security Conference in Martinique, convened by France under its G7 presidency; envoy Herschel Walker urged partners to counter narco-trafficking networks and join a regional anti-narcotics treaty.9Jul 3 · State
Allied Governments
Hormuz transit.
Britain and France called the Strait of Hormuz “a vital artery for the global economy,” said Oman will help keep its waters safe, and offered to deploy a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation.aJul 3 · UK No.10Sixth-gen fighter.
The UK signed a £4.6 billion contract with Italy and Japan to advance the Global Combat Air Programme's stealth fighter, targeted for 2035 service and supporting around 4,500 British jobs.bJul 3 · UK MoDUkraine.
At the UN Human Rights Council, Britain condemned Russia's continued aggression and this week's attack on Kyiv, reaffirming support for Ukraine's territorial integrity “including Crimea” and backing accountability efforts.cJul 3 · UK FCDO
Voices
“[Assistance] to Venezuela would promote the purposes of the Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United States.”
Presidential Determination · Jul 51
“Mexico and Canada have in several cases not lived up to their existing commitments under the USMCA.”
Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith · Jul 34
“The United States and Japan reaffirmed their shared commitment to addressing threats in cyberspace directly.”
U.S.–Japan Joint Statement · Jul 32
“This is already the 3rd largest Ebola outbreak on record and the 17th Ebola outbreak identified in DRC since 1976.”
CAPT Satish K. Pillai, CDC · Jul 56
“[The] United States will not allow transnational criminal organizations or narco-terrorist networks to threaten the sovereignty and prosperity of nations in our hemisphere.”
U.S. Dept. of State · Jul 39
“[The rule] authorizes State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement or correctional agencies to conduct counter-unmanned aircraft system operations.”
DOJ & DHS Interim Final Rule · Jul 57
Sources
- Federal Register · White House, “Presidential Determination on Assistance to Venezuela Consistent With the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000,” July 6, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/presidential-determination-venezuela
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Joint Statement of the United States and Japan on Cybersecurity Cooperation,” July 3, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/us-japan-cybersecurity
- U.S. Dept. of the Treasury · OFAC, “Notice of OFAC Sanctions Actions,” July 6, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/notice-of-ofac-sanctions-actions
- USTR, “American Farmers, Ranchers, Manufacturers, and Businesses Applaud President Trump for Not Rubber Stamping the USMCA,” July 3, 2026. ustr.gov/…/not-rubber-stamping-usmca
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce, “Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From the People's Republic of China: Initiation of Circumvention Inquiry,” July 6, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/core-china-thailand-circumvention
- CDC, “Update on Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda and CDC's World Cup 2026 Activation,” July 2026. cdc.gov/media/releases/…/ebola-drc-uganda
- U.S. Dept. of Justice · DHS, “Counter-UAS Authority for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Law Enforcement and Correctional Agencies,” July 6, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/counter-uas-sltt-authority
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “United States et al. v. Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement,” July 6, 2026. federalregister.gov/…/us-v-live-nation-final-judgment
- U.S. Dept. of State, “U.S. Participation in the Inaugural Regional Security Conference in Martinique,” July 3, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/regional-security-conference-martinique
- UK Prime Minister's Office (No.10), “Joint statement on the Strait of Hormuz: 3 July 2026,” July 3, 2026. gov.uk/…/joint-statement-strait-of-hormuz
- UK Ministry of Defence, “Over £4 billion invested in next-generation fighter jet with new international contract,” July 3, 2026. gov.uk/…/next-generation-fighter-jet
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “UN Human Rights Council 62: UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on Ukraine,” July 3, 2026. gov.uk/…/uk-statement-ukraine-hrc62