While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 2, 2025
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (centre) - accompanied by Republican senators John Barrasso (left) and Mike Crapo - speaking to reporters after the Senate passed US President Donald Trump's so-called "One, Big, Beautiful Bill," on July 1.
US Senate approves divisive Trump spending Bill
The Republican-led US Senate approved President Donald Trump's mammoth domestic policy Bill on July 1 by the narrowest of margins, despite misgivings over delivering deep welfare cuts and another US$3 trillion (S$3.8 trillion) in national debt.
Republican leaders had struggled to corral support during a record 24-hour 'vote-a-rama' amendment session on the Senate floor, as Democrats offered dozens of challenges to the most divisive aspects of the package.
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune was able to turn around wavering moderates to deliver a 50-50 vote, with Vice-President JD Vance breaking the tie.
The sprawling text now heads to the House of Representatives, where it faces unified Democratic opposition and multiple Republicans baulking at the budget-busting costs, as well as slashed health care and food aid programmes for poor Americans.
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Shifting to Asia, Rubio meets Quad and talks minerals
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) poses for a group picture at a press conference with the the Indo-Pacific Quad alongside Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong (2nd-L), Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (2nd-R) and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the State Department in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2025. (Photo by Allison ROBBERT / AFP)
AFP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on July 1 with counterparts from Australia, India and Japan, shifting focus to Asia after a tenure so far marked by crises elsewhere and domestic priorities.
Mr Rubio had welcomed the foreign ministers of the so-called Quad in his first meeting since President Donald Trump's inauguration, seen as a sign that the new administration would prioritise engagement with like-minded countries to counter China.
Since then, much of Mr Rubio's attention has been on the Middle East, with the United States bombing Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israel; on Ukraine, as Mr Trump unsuccessfully seeks a ceasefire in Russia's invasion, and on boosting Mr Trump's domestic priorities such as mass deportations of migrants.
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Trump hails new 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant detention centre
U.S. President Donald Trump visits a temporary migrant detention center informally known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in Ochopee, Florida, U.S., July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
REUTERS
US President Donald Trump revelled in a new Florida migrant detention centre dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' on July 1, joking that any escapees would be taught to run away from the reptiles to avoid being eaten.
Critics of Mr Trump's harsh immigration crackdown have called the site in the Everglades swamp inhumane, but the Republican embraced the controversy as he attended its official opening.
'A lot of cops in the form of alligators – you don't have to pay them so much,' Mr Trump told reporters in Ochopee, Florida.
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Macron urges Ukraine ceasefire in first talks with Putin since 2022
FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 26, 2020. Michel Euler/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
REUTERS
Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin on July 1 spoke by telephone for the first time in over two-and-a-half years, with the French president urging a ceasefire in Ukraine but the Russian leader hitting back that the West was to blame for the conflict.
One week after a ceasefire ended Israel's 12-day war with Iran, the two men also discussed Tehran's nuclear programme, with Mr Macron suggesting Moscow and Paris work together to de-escalate tensions.
Fighting still raged on the ground in Ukraine over three years after Russia's full-scale February 2022 invasion of its neighbour sparked the war, with efforts to agree a ceasefire at a standstill.
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Gauff crashes out of Wimbledon on day of shocks
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 1, 2025 Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska and Coco Gauff of the U.S. embrace after their first round match REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
REUTERS
Coco Gauff crashed out of Wimbledon on a day of significant first-round shocks on July 1, but defending champion Barbora Krejcikova kept her nerve to battle back from a set down.
US second seed Gauff came to the All England Club with high hopes after winning the French Open in June but was beaten 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 by Ukranian world number 42 Dayana Yastremska.
Other high-profile casualties on day two of the grass-court Grand Slam were women's third seed Jessica Pegula, fifth seed Zheng Qinwen and men's third seed Alexander Zverev.
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CNA
26 minutes ago
- CNA
Oil prices jump 3% as Iran suspends cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
NEW YORK :Oil prices rose 3 per cent on Wednesday as Iran suspended cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog and the U.S. and Vietnam reached a trade deal, but a surprise build in U.S. crude supplies limited price gains somewhat. Brent crude settled $2.00 higher, or 3 per cent, to $69.11 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $2.00, or 3.1 per cent, to $67.45 a barrel. Brent has traded between a high of $69.21 a barrel and low of $66.34 since June 25, as concerns of supply disruptions in the Middle East have ebbed following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Iran enacted a law stipulating any future inspection of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency will need approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. The country has accused the agency of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel's air strikes. "The market is pricing in some geopolitical risk premium from Iran's move on the IAEA," said Giovanni Staunovo, a commodity analyst at UBS. "But this is about sentiment, there are no disruptions to oil." Prices also gained after President Donald Trump and Vietnamese state media said the U.S. and Vietnam had struck a trade agreement that sets 20 per cent tariffs on many of the Southeast Asian country's exports following last-minute negotiations. "Risk appetite appears emboldened by an apparent tariff deal between the U.S. and Vietnam today," analysts at energy advisory firm Ritterbusch and Associates said in a note. Prices pared gains earlier in the session after the U.S. Energy Information Administration said domestic crude inventories rose by 3.8 million barrels to 419 million barrels last week. Analysts in a Reuters poll had expected a drawdown of 1.8 million barrels. Gasoline demand dropped to 8.6 million barrels per day, prompting concerns about consumption in the peak summer driving season. "During summer time, 9 million (bpd) is basically the line in the sand to define a healthy market," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho. "We're now well below that. That's not a good sign." Meanwhile, planned supply increases by OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia, appeared priced in and were unlikely to catch markets off-guard again imminently, said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at brokerage Phillip Nova. Four OPEC+ sources told Reuters last week the group plans to raise output by 411,000 bpd next month when it meets on July 6, a similar amount to the hikes agreed for May, June and July. Saudi Arabia lifted shipments in June by 450,000 bpd from May, according to data from Kpler, its biggest increase in more than a year. However, overall OPEC+ exports are relatively flat to slightly down since March, Staunovo said. He expects this trend to persist over the summer as hot weather drives higher energy demand. The release of the key U.S. monthly employment report on Thursday will shape expectations around the depth and timing of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in the second half of this year, said Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG. Lower interest rates could spur economic activity, which would in turn boost oil demand.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
US judge blocks Trump asylum ban at US-Mexico border, says he exceeded authority
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A drone view of the Rio Grande River between Mexico and the United States in Presidio County, Texas, U.S., February 24, 2025. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump's asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border, saying Trump exceeded his authority when he issued a proclamation declaring illegal immigration an emergency and setting aside existing legal processes. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss said in a 128-page opinion that Trump's January 20 proclamation blocking all migrants "engaged in the invasion across the southern border" from claiming asylum or other humanitarian protections went beyond his executive power. The ruling is a setback for Trump, a Republican who recaptured the White House promising a vast immigration crackdown. Since Trump took office, the number of migrants caught crossing illegally has plummeted to record lows. The American Civil Liberties Union brought the challenge to Trump's asylum ban in February, arguing it violated U.S. laws and international treaties. Trump's border restrictions went beyond a similar ban put in place by former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in 2024. Key parts of the Biden ban were blocked by a separate federal judge in May in a lawsuit also led by the ACLU. Moss said he would stay the effective date of his order for 14 days to allow the Trump administration to appeal. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Ukraine left scrambling, seeking clarity after US says halting some arms shipments
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Rescuers working at the site of a children's hospital that was hit by a Russian missile in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 8, 2024. KYIV - Ukraine appealed to the United States for clarity on July 2 after it was caught off guard by a White House announcement that Washington was halting some arms shipments to the war-battered country. The Ukrainian defence ministry, which is deeply dependent on US arms, said it had not been notified about the reduction in aid announced one day earlier. Moscow revelled in the decision, saying it could bring the end of the war closer. Any slowdown in US support could harm Kyiv's ability to fend off escalating Russian aerial bombardments or front-line gains. Kyiv has long feared halts to US aid since Mr Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, having criticised the tens of billions of dollars in support and weapons sent by his predecessor, Mr Joe Biden. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address that Kyiv and Washington were clarifying details on supplies. 'Continued American support for Ukraine, for our defence, for our people is in our common interest,' he said. 'It will be even more scary, even more painful, and even more civilians will suffer,' Kyiv resident Yevgenia Prysiazhna told AFP, referring to a increase in overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Mr John Ginkel, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Kyiv, was summoned by the foreign ministry – a rare diplomatic move usually reserved for foes and rivals, not vital allies – given uncertainty about what the cuts would mean for Kyiv. 'Now is not the time for weak decisions,' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X. 'We need more interceptors and systems. We are also ready to purchase or rent them,' he added. The White House had said that it was halting some key weapons shipments promised by the previous US administration, without elaborating. Under Mr Biden, Washington spearheaded Western support for Ukraine, with Congress having approved more than US$100 billion (S$127 billion) in aid, including US$43 billion in weaponry. Mr Trump instead has pushed the two sides into peace talks, including in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin – who rejected pleas for a ceasefire and demanded that Ukraine cede more territory if it wants Moscow to halt its invasion, which was launched in 2022. 'Consistent pressure' The US president has refused to announce new aid packages and Kyiv has been corralling Washington's European allies to step up their support. Kyiv remains 'seriously dependent' on US arms supplies, a high-ranking source in the Ukrainian military told AFP. 'Europe is doing its best, but it will be difficult for us without American ammunition,' the source added. A May report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said that Europe 'had only made limited progress' in strengthening its defence industries. But it said that 'continued US aid remains extremely important for Ukraine's long-term effectiveness on the battlefield.' In Moscow, the Kremlin said that reducing weapons deliveries to Kyiv would help end the conflict. 'The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question by AFP, using Russia's term for its more than three-year-long offensive. The White House told AFP in an email that the decision to reduce shipments was taken following a 'review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries'. Kyiv said that it was caught off-guard by the move. The defence ministry said that the country had 'not received any official notifications' on the issue. Escalating drone attacks Politico and other US media reported that missiles for Patriot air defence systems, precision artillery and Hellfire missiles are among the items being held back. Russia ramped up attacks on Ukraine in June, launching nearly twice as many missiles and over 30 percent more drones than in May, according to an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data. Kyiv was in June subjected to at least four fatal attacks that left more than 40 people dead. Its residents are worried that a cessation of US aid would leave the capital even more vulnerable. 'We had gotten used to seeing America as a country of values, a country that defends democracy,' Mr Igor Stambol, a Kyiv resident, told AFP. 'But there is hope that they will remember their values,' the 36-year-old added. AFP
