Trade : Bowing to US pressure, EU agrees to a 15% tariff on its goods (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The United States and the European Commission concluded a framework agreement at a private meeting at the Turnberry Golf Resort in Scotland on 27 July, with Brussels reportedly agreeing to a unilateral tariff of 15% on all its goods entering the US market, including automobiles and auto parts, as well as purchases of hundreds of billions of dollars in energy and military equipment from Washington.

WTO : In a tilt toward Washington, DG appoints Trump official as DDG (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The World Trade Organization's Director-General, Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on 25 July appointed Ms Jennifer DJ Nordquist, a senior economic official with the Trump administration, as a Deputy Director-General (DDG), replacing former DDG Angela Ellard, also from the United States, who was the nominee of the previous Biden administration, said people familiar with the development.

Sudan : UN calls for urgent aid as 1.3 million displaced begin journey home (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
United Nations agencies have called for an urgent increase in financial support, as humanitarian operations remain massively underfunded both inside Sudan and across neighbouring countries hosting those who have fled.