Japan and the United States confirmed today theyjointly intervened to prop up the Japanese yen, the first such action since 2011. Washington purchased an estimated $5 to 10 billion worth of yen, though the White House has not confirmed the exact amount. The Japanese currency recently plunged to a 40-year low against the US dollar due to rising oil prices, persistent budget deficits and a wide interest-rate gap with the US. Washington reportedly feared that Japan, as the largest foreign holder of US government debt, could unsettle the American bond market should it have to dump more US Treasuries – and push up borrowing costs for Washington. Commenting on the decision, however, President Donald Trump focused less on markets and more on the US-Japan relationship,telling reporters that “we're always there for Japan.” Traders arenow watching whether the Bank of Japan raises interest rates from its current level of 1%, which would give the yen more durable support.
Hungary was forced to shut down its only nuclear power plant this weekend after a record drought and heatwave pushed water levels in the Danube River to historic lows. The plant relies on the river to cool its reactors, but water levels in Budapest fell to just 10 centimeters, significantly lower than the previous record low of 33 centimeters in 2018. Prime Minister Péter Magyar warned on Saturday of a possible energy emergency because of the closure, as the plant supplies nearly 40% of Hungary’s electricity. Budapest also said the crisis could cost the country between $315 million and $630 million in energy imports to cover the shortfall. Neighboring Romania over the weekend also shut down two reactors at its main nuclear plant – which also sits along the Danube – and took the drastic step of deploying the military to blast rock formations to direct more water toward the facility.
US President Donald Trumpdropped his threat to unleash devastating new attacks on Iran, saying a ceasefire deal was within reach. That was Saturday, but wasn’t that sentence cut and pasted from two weeks ago? The Iran war has become a kind of Groundhog’s Day of threats, small escalations, and hopeful climbdowns. But why? In part because Trump can’t square several circles. At home, he clearly wants out of a deeply unpopular war that hasn’t achieved its aims. Abroad, US regional allies are lobbying at cross purposes: Israel wants to escalate in order to “finish the job,” while Arab allies caught in the crossfire want to de-escalate. (A phone call from the Saudis reportedly pushed Trump to back down this time.) The Iranians, meanwhile, remain defiant, insisting on dictating maximal terms for any reopening of Hormuz, while betting they can withstand any further bombardment for longer than the US public would support it. Tehran has denied that any new deal is in the works at all. Will next time be different?
As AI creates new opportunities, the people who understand a community best play an important role in determining how those opportunities take shape. Across the US, Microsoft is supporting AI literacy classes as part of a new program developed in collaboration with the Public Library Association, working through trusted local institutions to help people build practical AI skills. By pairing new technology with local knowledge, the initiative is helping communities explore how AI can support their needs and open new possibilities, while putting local leaders and organizations at the center of that work. Read the full story here.
Russia is testing NATO’s red lines with escalating drone attacks and airspace violations. Can Europe defend Ukraine and itself without help from the US? Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.
Who among us has not gotten stiffed by a superpower. #PUPPETREGIME
Is Putin's war machine starting to crack? Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski discusses Ukraine's battlefield gains and mounting economic pressure on Russia.