Latest news for 18 July 2025

UNITED STATES

You’ll regret this.

President Trump has vowed to sue erstwhile ally Rupert Murdoch, whose Wall Street Journal just reported on a cryptically “bawdy” letter Trump allegedly sent the late predator Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. Trump has directed his attorney general to release the testimonies from Epstein’s grand jury trial. (Le Monde)

ISRAEL

Bibi apologises after church hit.

President Trump has called Benjamin Netanyahu after Israeli fire hit Gaza’s only Catholic Church, leaving three dead. Bibi says his country deeply regrets the incident, which he’s blamed on stray ammunition. (BBC)

IRAN

Got you.

NBC is reporting that a recent US assessment has found last month’s US airstrikes “mostly destroyed” Iran’s nuclear site below Fordo mountain, setting back its enrichment capabilities there by up to two years. US strikes at Natanz and Isfahan, however, might’ve only degraded Iran’s capabilities to the point where it could resume enrichment within months if it wanted. (NBC)

Comment: The most interesting part of this report is less the way it furthers the debate around your preferred definition of ‘obliterated’, and more in the new details it reveals about Natanz and Isfahan: apparently Iran was already building tunnels deep underground there, precisely to evade America’s purpose-built bunker busters.

INDIA

All oil’d up.

India’s energy minister has flagged he’s confident Delhi can find alternative oil sources if the US follows through on its threats to hit Russia with secondary sanctions (ie, sanctioning anyone buying Russian oil). (Times of India)

Comment: His comments were also interesting in the way he (again) referred to double standards in the West, though the trajectory matters here: the EU’s energy dependence on Russia has collapsed ~85%, while India has ramped up its Russian oil imports 40x (though that number has likely eased in 2025).

UNITED KINGDOM

Quite the handshake.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has welcomed his German counterpart Friedrich Merz to London, pledging mutual defence and a closer partnership on nuclear deterrence and beyond. (No. 10)

Comment: Huh: first, they both already pledge mutual defence via NATO; and second, only one of the two (the UK) actually has nukes. So what’s going on? The common thread is a fear of the US withdrawing from Europe, prompting Europe’s players to start doubling down on the NATO basics: mutual defence backed by a nuclear umbrella.

INDONESIA

Don’t bring that up in here.

Indonesia’s national narcotics agency has warned that Bali has become a key hub for transnational drug trafficking, with syndicates using crypto to evade detection. (Strait Times)

Comment: Like any hot spot, Bali has always had its dark side, though there’s been a clear uptick in visible underworld activity there lately: meth labs, mob hits, crypto scams etc. It’s re-opened the classic ‘quantity vs quality’ debate around tourism.

BRAZIL

Is Green still in?

A polarising environmental bill has now cleared Brazil’s congress, but it’s unclear whether President Lula (who casts himself as an environmentalist) will sign it. The bill’s supporters argue it simplifies environmental bureaucracy, whereas its critics say it weakens environmental protections. (AP)

Comment: Months out from hosting his big COP climate summit, Lula really seems to be leaning more into immediate economic wins — just last month, he fast-tracked new oil licenses at the mouth of the Amazon. Our sense is in an uncertain and tariff-heavy world, capitals are seizing whatever economic advantage they can get.

CAMEROON

One more dance?

The world’s oldest head of state, Cameroon’s Paul Biya (a spritely 92), has promoted several new generals the same week he announced he’ll once again be a candidate at October’s presidential elections. He’s held power since 1982. (TRT Global)

Comment: It’s an unsubtle attempt to keep the military onside as some of Biya’s longstanding political backers seemingly distance themselves from him.