Latest news for 12 September 2025

SOUTH KOREA

Back home.

The 300+ South Koreans apprehended in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia have finally arrived home amid a local media frenzy. President Lee is warning the raid could impact future Korean investments in the US. (BBC)

VENEZUELA

Not true.

Venezuela’s interior minister is rejecting US claims it struck a cartel boat last week, insisting the US navy’s footage instead reveals a typical small fishing boat. Meanwhile, US senators continue to push the Pentagon for more evidence about the vessel and its passengers. (Independent)

CHINA

Correction?

A rep for LeBron James is saying the basketball star never penned the op-ed that appeared under his name in the Communist Party’s main daily earlier this week. Rather, while the words attributed to him were accurate, his team says they just came from group interviews he conducted with local reporters. (NYT)

Comment: The People’s Daily isn’t commenting, and LBJ’s team doesn’t spell it out, but this is either a) splitting hairs (ie, someone else wrote it but he approved), or b) the King himself just got verballed (state outlets often put friendly words in VIP mouths). We explored this one on Tuesday.

GERMANY

Another committee?

Berlin’s new Commission for the Modernization of the Debt Rule met for the first time this week, tasked with updating Germany's infamous debt brake by the end of 2025. (Tagesshau 🇩🇪)

Comment: There are two main doubts here. First, whether the timeline is realistic (a few weeks to tweak Germany’s sacred cow!). And second, whether the politics are workable: the responsible minister runs Germany’s main centre-left party, which might irk a German electorate that ranked right-leaning parties higher in February’s elections.

SINGAPORE

Cruise control.

Disney’s cruise line is delaying its maiden voyage in Asia back to March 2026, citing shipbuilding setbacks. (Straits Times)

Comment: Western navies might take solace they’re not the only ones struggling to deliver vessels on time and on budget. But this particular snafu relates to the fact Disney bought the half-built ship from a defunct rival in 2022. It’s already undergoing sea trials (and will feature the world’s longest roller-coaster at sea 🤢).

ARGENTINA

Welcome back.

President Milei has resurrected Argentina’s interior ministry, almost two years after he first downgraded it as part of his cost-cuts. (AP)

Comment: The interior ministry typically manages ties with Argentina’s (opposition-led) provinces. So this looks like a rare conciliatory gesture after last weekend’s loss in a provincial election, and ahead of next month’s crucial mid-terms.

SOUTH SUDAN

On the brink.

Authorities have charged South Sudan’s main VP (Machar) with treason, after placing him under house arrest back in March. (ABC)

Comment: You’ll recall South Sudan already fought a bitter civil war after the same president dismissed Machar as VP in 2013, accusing him of plotting a coup. That’s why this apparent repeat has the whole region on edge again.