Latest news for 23 July 2025

JAPAN

We’ll trade ya.

After weeks of talks, President Trump has announced another trade deal, dropping his 24% Liberation Day tariffs on Japan to a flat 15% rate. That 15% will give Japan’s auto sector an edge over others still facing 25% tariffs. In return, Japan is promising to invest $550B in the US, plus more market access for US agriculture. (CNN)

Comment: It comes just days after voters rebuked PM Shigeru Ishiba at the ballot box, in part over concerns about the economy. We can only wonder if that defeat at home made Ishiba more open to compromise abroad, in hopes of a quick win.

UKRAINE

Don’t do it!

President Zelensky has signed into law a controversial provision stripping the national anti-corruption bureau of its independence, citing “Russian influence”. The move is facing widespread domestic opposition given ongoing criticism around his concentration of power. (Guardian)

Comment: US and EU officials have also expressed concerns, and the timing is miserable — right as Kyiv needs every ounce of Western solidarity in the face of Russian aggression.

PAKISTAN

Canned.

An anti-terrorism court has jailed eight senior members of former leader Imran Khan’s party for inciting riots against military sites after his 2023 arrest. (Independent)

TURKEY

Splish splash!

Turkey has accused Greece of exploiting universal issues like the environment to expand its own territory, after Athens unveiled the boundaries of what it’s calling the biggest marine sanctuaries in the Mediterranean. It’s all just public consultation at this stage, but Ankara is vowing to announce its own marine parks. (EuroNews)

AUSTRALIA

Bloomin’ hell.

A toxic algae is in full bloom Down Under, forcing various seafood businesses to shut down and putting export income at risk. There’s now debate on whether to declare the (naturally occurring) phenomenon a national disaster. (ABC)

PUERTO RICO

Turn the lights on.

Authorities have sued power company Luma for negligence, holding it responsible for household appliances damaged by persistent outages across the island. (AP)

UNITED STATES

Nuclear hackers.

Microsoft says at least three China-based groups have exploited a vulnerability to hack into more than 100 servers globally, targeting institutions like the US National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Education, and governments from Europe to the Middle East. (Bloomberg $)