Latest news for 29 July 2025

COLOMBIA

Guilty?

In a case that’s been running for 13 years, a court just found conservative former leader Álvaro Uribe guilty of trying to bribe a witness to retract damaging testimony about Uribe’s links to right-wing paramilitaries. Uribe will appeal what is now Colombia’s first major criminal conviction of a former leader. (NYT $)

Comment: US Secretary of State Rubio has accused Colombia of weaponizing the judicial branch against a political foe, and we can’t help but wonder if this case (like the one against Bolsonaro in Brazil next door) will end up as a bilateral irritant.

TAIWAN

No stopover for you.

DC has reportedly denied permission for Taiwan’s President Lai to stop in New York en route to diplomatic partners in Belize, Guatemala, and Paraguay. (Newsweek)

Comment: It’s an attempt to avoid rocking the boat with China while trying to land a trade deal and possible Trump-Xi summit. The risk is, by implying US support for Taiwan is negotiable, you can weaken the kind of deterrence that’s so far helped avoid a war.

CHINA

Make more babies!

China’s leadership has rolled out a $500 per year subsidy for every kid under three in an effort to boost population growth (aka curb population decline). (DW)

Comment: The CCP’s one-child policy has left an enduring legacy the government is now trying to reverse. It’s a reminder the human spirit isn’t a tap you can turn on/off, though Korea’s possible success with pro-natalist policies suggests there are still things governments can do to incentivise and simplify family life.

RUSSIA

Earlier the better.

President Trump has said he’s bringing forward his 50-day peace-or-sanctions deadline on Russia, reiterating he’s “disappointed in President Putin”. A precise timeline is still TBC, but the US president says the Kremlin now has less than two weeks to cut a deal before the US starts sanctioning anyone buying Russian oil. (CNBC)

UNITED STATES

No thanks.

The US and Israel are skipping this week’s two-state solution UN conference, which focuses on recognising a Palestinian state, reforming the Palestinian Authority, disarming Hamas, and normalising Arab-Israeli ties. The official US statement describes the New York conference as a reward for terrorism. (State Dept)

Comment: While speakers have mostly reiterated national positions, Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Mustafa generated headlines when (in addition to calling on Israel to withdraw from Gaza) he called on Hamas to disarm and surrender.

VENEZUELA

No contest.

President Maduro has claimed a “great victory” after his party ✌️won✌️ almost all of Sunday’s 335 mayoral races. The divided opposition mostly boycotted the ballot in protest against Maduro’s regime. (Colombia1)

EGYPT

Get outta my business.

In a notably blunt report, the International Monetary Fund has warned that Egypt’s military-controlled economic model is hobbling growth, by side-lining private players and distorting the market for investors. (MEM)

Comment: That’s the trouble with tigers: once you let them in, they’re hard to get out.