外媒每日新闻 Evening Edition

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday erased limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president, striking down a federal election law more than 50 years old. In a 6-3 decision along ideological lines, the conservative majority overturned the limits that were originally designed to prevent large donors from skirting individual contribution caps by funneling unlimited sums through parties. The lawsuit was filed by Republican committees joined by Vice President JD Vance. After Trump took office, the Federal Election Commission dropped its defense and joined Republicans in urging the law's repeal. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, warning: "Every time we interfere with the congressional design, we make matters worse."^[1]

Russia launched a massive retaliatory missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight from July 1 to 2, killing at least 13 people and injuring 86. Over 20 residential buildings were damaged across the capital, with more than 500 rescue personnel deployed. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed the strikes were retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure. President Zelensky cut short his foreign visit and rushed back to Kyiv. The scale of destruction marks one of the most devastating single-night assaults on the capital in recent months, further escalating tensions amid faltering Doha peace talks.^[2]

The Trump administration's refusal to extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement has triggered a 10-year countdown to the pact's termination. U.S. Trade Representative stated that USMCA "failed to deliver on its promises" to reduce trade deficits and secure market access for American workers. The decision has sent shockwaves through North American supply chains, with automakers and agricultural exporters particularly alarmed. Canada and Mexico have expressed willingness to renegotiate, but analysts warn the ten-year wind-down period creates a "slow-motion trade crisis" that will chill cross-border investment. Canada and Mexico are also exploring diversifying trade partnerships with Europe and Asia.^[7]

China and the European Union held their first-ever Trade and Investment Consultation Mechanism meeting on June 29, releasing a rare joint statement — the first in seven years. The new mechanism covers four key pillars: trade and investment balance, export controls, intellectual property, and WTO cooperation. A joint monitoring mechanism was established to share trade data and identify sudden import surges. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic set an "October deadline" for tangible results and announced he would visit China in the autumn to assess progress. Bloomberg noted the deadline aligns with the upcoming EU leaders' summit and a potential Trump visit to Beijing in September.^[8]

The devastating death toll from Venezuela's 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude twin earthquakes has climbed to 2,295, including nine confirmed Chinese casualties. China has decided to provide additional post-quake relief and reconstruction aid. According to preliminary statistics from the Chinese Embassy, Chinese firms in Venezuela have donated over 115 tonnes of emergency supplies including food, drinking water, daily necessities and medical items. Venezuela is observing a seven-day national mourning period as international rescue teams continue arriving. The disaster has revealed deep vulnerabilities in the country's disaster preparedness infrastructure.^[11]

Portugal's government has issued extreme heat warnings across 12 of its 18 districts, with temperatures potentially reaching 47°C in some areas from July 2. Interior Minister Luis Neves urged citizens to avoid all fire-risk activities including outdoor barbecues and agricultural burning, warning of possible localized power cuts. The government simultaneously raised the wildfire alert to Level 3, the second-highest tier. Lisbon previously recorded surface temperatures of 58.3°C on asphalt. The heatwave is part of a broader European weather crisis — France recently recorded its hottest night and day since records began, exceeding 44°C, forcing 13,500 schools to close.^[12]

A United Nations independent expert panel has issued a stark warning that artificial intelligence development is advancing faster than scientific comprehension and policy frameworks can keep up, posing risks of "catastrophic harm." UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all nations to urgently strengthen AI governance. The warning comes as China prepares to host the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai from July 17-20. Experts note that while AI offers transformative potential in healthcare, education and climate science, the absence of robust international regulatory standards creates unprecedented risks.^[14]

The hashtag #SCOTUS trended globally for hours following the 6-3 ruling to strike down party-coordinated spending limits. Critics compared the decision to the controversial 2010 Citizens United ruling, with #CampaignFinance generating over 300,000 posts. Democratic lawmakers and campaign finance reform advocates took to Twitter to denounce the decision, while Republican supporters argued it "levels the playing field." Legal scholars debated whether this could lead to a flood of unregulated dark money in future elections. Vice President JD Vance, who helped initiate the lawsuit, was both praised and pilloried in trending threads.