Wednesday Morning Briefing: China presses Europe for anti-U.S. alliance

Highlights

China is putting pressure on the European Union to issue a strong joint statement against Trump’s trade policies at a summit later this month but is facing resistance, according to European officials.

China’s threatened tariffs on $34 billion of U.S. goods will take effect from the beginning of the day on July 6, a person with knowledge of the plan told Reuters, amid worsening trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

From the moment Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court last week, speculation has centered on whether his replacement would vote to overturn a woman’s right to abortion. But the top contenders for his seat have a sparse record on the subject, making it hard to predict how they might rule in abortion-related cases.

Fireworks, music and the pursuit of hot dogs will mark the 242nd year of independence for the United States on what is expected to be a steamy Wednesday in much of the country.

World

Rescue teams in northern Thailand were giving crash courses in swimming and diving as part of complex preparations to extract a young soccer squad trapped in a cave, and hoping for a swift end to their harrowing 11-day ordeal.

Malaysia’s former prime minister, Najib Razak, pleaded not guilty to abuse of power and other charges arising from an investigation into a scandal-plagued state fund, weeks after he was ousted in a stunning election defeat.

Hong Kong’s top court ruled that a British lesbian should be granted a spousal visa in a landmark judgment that could open the door for expatriate same-sex partners to move to the Chinese-ruled city.

Polina Ivanova  @polina__ivanova

The head of a Russian ad agency was tasked with decorating Moscow ahead of the #WorldCup So he decided to use the opportunity to paint a 12-storey portrait of his wife, holding a football. ...here for all your #onlyinRussia needs. https://reut.rs/2KyJKGk

4:45 PM - July 3, 2018
Reuters Top News  @Reuters

Two Reuters journalists have been detained in Myanmar since Dec. 12, 2017. See our full coverage: https://reut.rs/2yPnwus

6:33 AM - July 3, 2018

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commentary

A Ukrainian economist on the perils of Trump's Putin policy

Moscow is skillfully exploiting Western leaders’ divisions and disagreements on issues ranging from the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear accord, to the Nord Stream-2 gas project and U.S. tariff plans, writes Ukrainian economist and former parliamentarian Igor Kryvetskyi.

8 min read

After his big win, how will Mexico’s AMLO handle Trump?

Once in power, Andrés Manuel López Obrador will be the most legitimate president in Mexican history. The question now becomes: What does AMLO, as he is widely known, do with his mandate? And how will he shape Mexico’s relationship with the United States?

9 min read

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Iran's rulers face discontent as U.S. pressure mounts

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