Controversial response from pardoned Nikola founder's critic, Nate Anderson

Headline: Global News Roundup: July 2025

Japan and US Agree on Trade Deal

Japan has reached an agreement with the US on a trade deal, which includes a 15% tariff on its exports and an investment of up to $550 billion in the US. This deal is expected to boost economic ties between the two nations.

US President Unveils AI Action Plan

US President Donald Trump has unveiled an "AI Action Plan" prioritizing deregulation. The plan aims to support the growth of artificial intelligence in the US and reduce regulatory barriers.

Border Clashes Cause Casualties and Displacements in Thailand and Cambodia

At least 16 people have died, while 100,000 have been displaced in border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. The disputed Thai-Cambodia border has been a source of tension since the 1900s.

Trevor Milton Pardoned by Trump

Trevor Milton, convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors, was pardoned by Trump after donating more than $1.8 million to the president's 2024 campaign. This decision has sparked controversy and debate.

European Central Bank Maintains Interest Rate

The European Central Bank maintained its benchmark interest rate at 2%, as uncertainty over the US' tariff plans prompted policymakers to halt their yearlong rate-cutting campaign.

Google's Capital Expenditure for 2025

Google's capital expenditure for 2025 is expected to be about $85 billion. This significant investment is a testament to the company's commitment to innovation and growth.

Meta Stops Accepting Political Ads in EU

Meta announced it will no longer accept political, election, or social issue ads in the European Union, blaming the bloc's new regulations requiring full transparency in digital campaigning as "unworkable."

Food Insecurity in Nigeria

As many as 31 million people face acute food insecurity in Nigeria, following cuts to USAID on which humanitarian programs relied. This situation is a cause for concern and requires immediate attention.

Boom in China for Nvidia Chip Repair

Demand is booming in China for repair work on Nvidia chips that should not exist in the country at all. This illegal activity highlights the challenges of enforcing trade regulations.

Cambodian Soldier Dies in Fighting

A Cambodian soldier died in fighting in May. The ongoing border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia have led to numerous casualties and displacements.

No Evidence of Feud between Nate Anderson and Trevor Milton

There is no widely known or reported feud between Nate Anderson and Trevor Milton affecting their business activities, as of July 2025.

Other Notable Events

The head of the World Health Organization directly blamed Israel's aid restrictions for causing "mass starvation" in Gaza.
Republicans on a US Congressional subcommittee rebelled against party leadership by voting to subpoena Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein.
Acting associate attorney general Chad Mizelle overruled Justice Department antitrust chief Gail Slater to approve HPE's $14 billion takeover of Juniper Networks.
The interview provided new fuel for Carlson's escalating fight with Bill Ackman.
The UN's secretary general called on big tech companies to move to 100% sustainable energy to fuel their AI ambitions.
US-regulated utilities asked for a record $29 billion in rate increases in the first half of 2025 alone, double last year's level, essentially passing the cost on to customers.
Brussels plans to impose 30% tariffs on approximately $117 billion worth of US goods if no agreement is reached with Washington by August 1.
South Park's new season debuted with jokes about CBS, the "Epstein list," and Trump literally in bed with Satan, potentially creating headaches for Skydance, which needs federal approvals for its takeover of Paramount.
Gaza is facing "mass starvation," with 33 children reportedly starving to death in two days.
Chinese state-backed hackers reportedly broke into a US agency which designs nuclear weapons.
On Carlson's podcast, Milton accused Anderson of shopping his Nikola report to the Justice Department and questioned the integrity of the government's primary witness.
Russia and Ukraine held brief peace talks, but the warring countries remain far apart with little progress made.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law that critics say weakens Ukraine's anti-graft watchdogs, sparking nationwide protests and consternation in Brussels.
Top Trump DOJ officials told associates that two of Slater's deputies, Roger Alford and Bill Rinner, were out.
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would recognize the state of Palestine, becoming the first G7 nation to do so.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a free trade agreement, expected to boost British exports to India by 60% by 2040.
Google's CEO stated that AI is positively impacting every part of the business.
Coca-Cola announced it would introduce a new version of its beverage sweetened with cane sugar, not corn syrup, potentially increasing shelf prices and adding to the trade deficit that Trump is trying to tackle.
The new season of South Park debuted with jokes about CBS, the "Epstein list," and Trump literally in bed with Satan, potentially creating headaches for Skydance, which needs federal approvals for its takeover of Paramount.
The UN's secretary general called on big tech companies to move to 100% sustainable energy to fuel their AI ambitions.
US regulators approved an $8.4 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance.
US President Donald Trump unveiled an "AI Action Plan" prioritizing deregulation.
The head of the World Health Organization directly blamed Israel's aid restrictions for causing "mass starvation" in Gaza.
Republicans on a US Congressional subcommittee rebelled against party leadership by voting to subpoena Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein.
Acting associate attorney general Chad Mizelle overruled Justice Department antitrust chief Gail Slater to approve HPE's $14 billion takeover of Juniper Networks.
The interview provided new fuel for Carlson's escalating fight with Bill Ackman.
The UN's secretary general called on big tech companies to move to 100% sustainable energy to fuel their AI ambitions.
US-regulated utilities asked for a record $29 billion in rate increases in the first half of 2025 alone, double last year's level, essentially passing the cost on to customers.
Brussels plans to impose 30% tariffs on approximately $117 billion worth of US goods if no agreement is reached with Washington by August 1.
South Park's new season debuted with jokes about CBS, the "Epstein list," and Trump literally in bed with Satan, potentially creating headaches for Skydance, which needs federal approvals for its takeover of Paramount.
Gaza is facing "mass starvation," with 33 children reportedly starving to death in two days.
Chinese state-backed hackers reportedly broke into a US agency which designs nuclear weapons.
On Carlson's podcast, Milton accused Anderson of shopping his Nikola report to the Justice Department and questioned the integrity of the government's primary witness.
Russia and Ukraine held brief peace talks, but the warring countries remain far apart with little progress made.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law that critics say weakens Ukraine's anti-graft watchdogs, sparking nationwide protests and consternation in Brussels.
Top Trump DOJ officials told associates that two of Slater's deputies, Roger Alford and Bill Rinner, were out.
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would recognize the state of Palestine, becoming the first G7 nation to do so.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a free trade agreement, expected to boost British exports to India by 60% by 2040.
Google's CEO stated that AI is positively impacting every part of the business.
Coca-Cola announced it would introduce a new version of its beverage sweetened with cane sugar, not corn syrup, potentially increasing shelf prices and adding to the trade deficit that Trump is trying to tackle.
The Thai-Cambodia border has been disputed since the 1900s.
US regulators approved an $8.4 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance.
Meta announced it will no longer accept political, election, or social issue ads in the European Union, blaming the bloc's new regulations requiring full transparency in digital campaigning as "unworkable."
As many as 31 million people face acute food insecurity in Nigeria, following cuts to USAID on which humanitarian programs relied.
Demand is booming in China for repair work on Nvidia chips that should not exist in the country at all.
A Cambodian soldier died in fighting in May.
Trevor Milton, convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors, was pardoned by Trump after donating more than $1.8 million to the president's 2024 campaign.
The European Central Bank maintained its benchmark interest rate at 2%, as uncertainty over the US' tariff plans prompted policymakers to halt their yearlong rate-cutting campaign.
Google's capital expenditure will be about $85 billion this year.
Slater's team reportedly pushed HPE to dispense with two consultants close to the Trump administration, Mike Davis and Arthur Schwartz, and negotiate directly with the government's lawyers.
Nate Anderson, a short-seller whose research led to the conviction of Nikola CEO Trevor Milton, responded to a Tucker Carlson show portraying Milton as a deep-state victim.
The episode deepens the perception that Trump's efforts to support Big Tech in the AI race with China or punish corporate diversity initiatives are crowding out the antitrust enforcement popular with parts of his base.

The trade deal between Japan and the US is expected to boost health-and-wellness, as well as finance and business, as Japan has agreed to a 15% tariff on its exports and invest up to $550 billion in the US.
The US President's AI Action Plan prioritizes deregulation in technology, aiming to support the growth of artificial intelligence in the country.
The border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have caused casualties and displacements in the health-and-wellness, education-and-self-development, and general-news sectors, due to the ongoing disputes and resulting tension.
Politics and crime-and-justice collide when Trevor Milton, pardoned by President Trump, was convicted of defrauding investors, sparking controversy and debate.
Sports see a challenging dynamic in China as there is a boom in the illegal activity of repairing Nvidia chips, highlighting the difficulties in enforcing trade regulations.