Ryosuke Ellis

The Philippines and China launch hotlines to ease South China Sea tensions. Trump urges Taiwan to pay for U.S. defense. Ex-CIA officer Sue Mi Terry faces charges for aiding South Korea, and Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui is convicted for $1B fraud.

China Everbright in Hong Kong has imposed partial bonus clawbacks on some staff. Separately, Palau faces rising pressure from China, including cyberattacks, over its Taiwan ties, prompting regional responses from the U.S., Japan, and Australia.

Donald Trump called for unity following an assassination attempt by 20-year-old Thomas Crooks. In separate news, China's Q2 GDP growth missed expectations at 4.7%, hindered by low consumer spending and high unemployment, raising concerns over economic slowdown despite manufacturing gains.

Australia, Japan, and Korea accuse China's APT40 of cyberattacks, marking Australia's first direct attribution. Meanwhile, S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit records as investors anticipate inflation data to gauge Fed rate moves.

France’s left-wing alliance wins most seats, creating a deadlock for Macron. Modi visits Russia to discuss arms amid China tensions. Boeing pleads guilty to fraud over 737 Max crashes, faces $243M fine, and criticism from victims’ families.

The Labour Party’s election win secures Keir Starmer as the next UK prime minister. Bitcoin fell to $54,000 as Mt. Gox started creditor repayments, impacting the crypto market. Meanwhile, U.S. unemployment rose to 4.1% in June, hinting at effects from Federal Reserve policies despite job growth.