President Trump said Saturday that a deal with Iran, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, has been “largely negotiated” after calls with Israel and other allies in the region, the AP reports.

He said final aspects and details of the deal are being discussed and will be announced “shortly.”

New York Times: “Mr. Trump provided few details about the preliminary agreement, and there was no immediate confirmation from Iran or Israel. It is unclear if the latest negotiations were just about extending the current cease-fire or a more permanent peace.”

“African countries are finding it harder to export to the U.S. since President Trump returned to the White House with a long list of tariffs. But China sees their struggle as an opportunity,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Since May 1, Beijing has removed tariffs on all goods from 53 of 54 African nations in an effort to win business and influence across the continent. Everything from wine to sesame seeds and wool has been entering China tariff-free from everywhere except tiny Eswatini, which maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan.”

“Analysts say the move could push Africa’s population of more than a billion people and vast mineral resources further into China’s orbit.”

“Tehran is trying to formalize — and monetize — its control over the Strait of Hormuz, previously a transit point for one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas, by charging a fee for passage,” the New York Times reports.

“What Iran is proposing violates the rules on which international shipping is based, which hold that countries cannot charge for safe passage through international waterways, and is unlikely to succeed, analysts say. Still, it is unsettling the shipping industry, heaping more uncertainty on companies with vessels and workers who have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for nearly three months as the war in Iran drag on.”

“The concern is that Iran, emboldened by having brought the United States to an impasse by invoking a powerful geographic choke point, could find a way to influence traffic through the strait even after the conflict ceases. The Iranian threats underline the war’s potential to do lasting damage to the global economy.”