10 Things Global News - 17 July 2025
News that matters from around the world
Israel strikes Syria as ceasefire announced
Prosecutor Maurene Comey fired amid Epstein case fallout
Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong acquitted in merger fraud case
Couche-Tard abandons $47B bid for 7-Eleven owner
Eswatini to repatriate migrants deported by United States
ICC rejects Israel’s bid to void Netanyahu arrest warrants
IATA backs airlines’ call to ease EU green fuel targets
US moves to ban Chinese tech in undersea internet cables
UK and Germany sign wide-ranging treaty targeting smuggling and defence
Fire destroys Tomorrowland main stage just before open
The unrest in Sweida began with tit-for-tat attacks between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribes. Syrian forces intervened but were accused of human rights abuses, fueling further resentment. As the violence escalated, Israel launched a series of airstrikes across southern Syria, including rare bombings near the presidential palace and the Defense Ministry in Damascus. Israel stated the strikes aimed to protect the Druze population and force Syrian troops out of Sweida.
Syria’s interim president accused Israel of stoking division and warned against turning Syria into a new battleground. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed that all parties had agreed to specific steps to end hostilities, but tensions remain high, with Druze civilians reporting continued shelling and disappearances.
Maurene Comey, the federal prosecutor who handled high-profile cases involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, was abruptly fired Wednesday by the Trump administration. The dismissal came without public explanation but immediately raised questions given Comey’s prominent role in cases tied to the disgraced financier and ongoing political pressure surrounding them. Comey, daughter of former FBI director James Comey, had most recently led a trial against Sean Combs, securing convictions on prostitution charges but not sex trafficking.
Her firing was formalized under Article II of the Constitution, suggesting presidential authority was invoked. Some of Trump’s supporters had called for her removal, citing frustration over the Justice Department’s refusal to release Epstein-related files. Comey had previously opposed unsealing certain records, warning they could jeopardize Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal and expose victims.
While no official link has been made between her firing and the Epstein controversy, the move follows a pattern of politically charged dismissals. The Justice Department and the White House have not commented.
South Korea’s Supreme Court has acquitted Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong of fraud and other charges stemming from a controversial 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates. The ruling marks the conclusion of a nearly five-year legal battle, freeing Lee from his most pressing legal risk and paving the way for a stronger leadership role at Samsung amid declining profits.
Prosecutors had alleged that Lee manipulated accounting at Samsung Biologics to inflate its value and unfairly influence the merger terms, securing control over Samsung Group at minimal cost. Courts previously rejected those claims, and the Supreme Court upheld those rulings, citing improperly obtained evidence and lack of admissibility.
The acquittal drew praise from South Korea’s business community, with hopes that Lee’s return to full leadership will accelerate strategic decision-making, including mergers and acquisitions. Industry observers also expect more aggressive moves to revive Samsung’s struggling semiconductor business and bolster its position in AI and robotics.
Canadian convenience store giant Couche-Tard has formally withdrawn its nearly $47 billion bid to acquire Seven & i Holdings, citing a lack of constructive engagement from the Japanese company. In a strongly worded letter, Couche-Tard accused Seven & i of stalling the process, withholding key information, and failing to address critical questions—despite a non-disclosure agreement and multiple high-level meetings.
Seven & i, the parent of 7-Eleven, had resisted the takeover by pursuing its own restructuring, including a planned share buyback, divesting its superstore unit, and preparing to list its U.S. operations. The board expressed disappointment over the failed deal but rejected Couche-Tard’s criticisms.
The collapse of what would have been Japan’s largest-ever foreign takeover underscores ongoing resistance to cross-border acquisitions in the country’s corporate culture. Analysts say the failed deal now puts pressure on Seven & i to prove that its standalone strategy can generate stronger returns for shareholders in a challenging retail landscape.
Eswatini has announced it will repatriate five foreign nationals deported there by the United States under a controversial third-country deportation program. The five men—citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos—were convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. and deported after their home countries refused to accept them. The Trump administration initiated the transfers following a Supreme Court ruling allowing such deportations.
The Eswatini government said the men pose no security threat and are being held in isolation at correctional facilities while awaiting repatriation. A government spokesperson confirmed coordination with U.S. authorities and the International Organization for Migration, though the IOM later denied involvement in the transfer.
Opposition figures in Eswatini sharply criticized the move, calling it a violation of national sovereignty and a symbol of Western exploitation. Human rights groups have also condemned the broader policy as a legal overreach that may expose deportees to mistreatment in unfamiliar countries.
Judges at the International Criminal Court have rejected Israel’s request to withdraw arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. The court also denied a separate request to suspend its investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Gaza, saying such action would be premature while jurisdictional challenges remain unresolved.
Israel, which is not a party to the Rome Statute that governs the ICC, has contested the court’s authority, citing its own jurisdiction over the matter. However, ICC judges ruled that admissibility challenges require states to show they are investigating or prosecuting the same individuals—something Israel has yet to initiate.
The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024. A warrant for a senior Hamas figure was later withdrawn after reports of his death. Tensions have escalated over the case, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on ICC judges involved, and the court’s chief prosecutor currently on leave amid unrelated misconduct allegations.
The International Air Transport Association has endorsed European airlines’ appeal to soften near-term sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandates, warning that current EU targets are unrealistic without a dramatic increase in fuel production. Under the ReFuelEU initiative, EU airports must supply 2% SAF in 2025, 6% by 2030, and 70% by 2050. But SAF currently represents just 0.3% of global jet fuel, with costs still three to five times higher than conventional fuel.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said the SAF supply gap renders the 2030 mandate “not capable of being achieved,” and criticized EU policymakers for failing to base targets on actual production capacity. Airlines also warned that regulatory burdens are straining competitiveness, with compliance costs reportedly reaching €15 billion by 2024.
While long-term industry commitments to net-zero emissions remain, airline leaders argue that the success of that roadmap hinges on scaled production, investor confidence, and more realistic policy timelines.
The United States is preparing to bar undersea communication cables linked to Chinese technology from connecting to its networks, citing national security concerns. The Federal Communications Commission announced it will adopt new rules to prevent the use of equipment from companies deemed threats, including Huawei, ZTE, China Telecom, and China Mobile.
The FCC emphasized the growing risk posed by “foreign adversary ownership” of submarine cable infrastructure, which carries 99% of global internet traffic. Since 2020, U.S. regulators have blocked four projects involving links between the U.S. and Hong Kong. The FCC is now seeking public comment on additional safeguards for these critical communications assets.
The announcement follows a series of high-profile incidents involving damaged undersea cables, including suspected sabotage in the Baltic Sea and cable cuts near Taiwan. Officials say the proposed rules are part of a broader effort to reduce vulnerabilities in global digital infrastructure and prevent potential espionage or cyberattacks.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signed a landmark bilateral treaty on Thursday aimed at disrupting smuggling networks and deepening defence, industrial, and academic ties. The agreement commits Germany to criminalise facilitating illegal migration to the UK, enabling law enforcement to target logistics hubs and seize smuggling assets. Officials say the new legal tools will significantly hinder the supply chains behind dangerous Channel crossings.
The treaty also strengthens defence collaboration, including joint export campaigns for Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets, and a commitment to develop a long-range Deep Precision Strike capability. A new UK-Germany Business Forum was launched to enhance trade and investment, supported by more than £200 million in new commercial deals, including a defence tech investment from Germany’s STARK.
While not a return to EU frameworks, the agreement is seen as part of Starmer’s effort to rebuild strategic ties post-Brexit and adapt to shifting transatlantic dynamics.
A large fire engulfed and destroyed the main stage of Belgium’s Tomorrowland festival on Wednesday evening, just two days before the event’s scheduled opening. Organisers confirmed that no injuries were reported and emergency crews were able to contain the blaze before it spread to nearby homes or forests, though some local residents were evacuated as a precaution.
The fire broke out around 18:00 local time during final stage preparations in the town of Boom, south of Antwerp. Videos shared online showed thick grey smoke and flames consuming the elaborate set. Festival staff described the scene as “apocalyptic,” noting that weeks of work had been lost in minutes.
Despite the incident, organisers announced that the festival would proceed as planned, with the campsite opening Thursday. While the main stage will not be replaced in time, they are working to implement contingency plans for the weekend’s performances, which include acts such as David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia.