Japan, Britain sign free trade deal for post-Brexit era

Japan and Britain signed a bilateral free trade deal Friday in the the first such major post-Brexit deal, reducing tariffs on Yorkshire lamb sold in Japan, as well as auto parts for Japan’s Nissan plant.

Plan to release Fukushima water into Pacific provokes furious reaction

Environmental groups have reacted furiously to reports that the Japanese government is set to approve plans to dump more than 1 million tons of highly radioactive water stored at the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, with their concerns shared by the governments of neighboring countries and people living in northeastern Japan.

China’s Army is increasing military coercion and provocations in Asia

A National Defense University expert on China told a congressional hearing Wednesday that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is increasing its level of military coercion in Asia as part of a strategy to extend China’s power and influence across the region, the Washington Times reports.

World population growth in worrying decline

A new study forecasts that the current downward trend of population growth will continue and will decline dramatically, such that in 80 years the populations of countries like Spain and Japan may be reduced by half, Live Action reports.

World Rushing To Find Vaccine After $8 Billion Pledge

Donors have pledged 7.4 billion euros ($8 billion) for developing a vaccine against the new coronavirus disease COVID-19. But after the online-meeting with world leaders, banks and organizations, officials warned more money might be necessary.

World Leaders Pledge Billions For Coronavirus Vaccine

An international pledging marathon has begun where world leaders are to raise at least 7.5 billion euros ($8.2 billion) to find a coronavirus vaccine. With social distancing the world’s new norm, world leaders choose video conferencing to raise the billions of dollars needed for research into a possible vaccine.

Mexico and the EU agree to new free-trade deal

The EU and Mexico agreed to a new free-trade deal Tuesday after four years of negotiations, the Financial Times reported. The deal provides that almost all trade between Mexico and the EU bloc will be duty-free.

Some 132,000 Turn To Christ In ‘Quarantine Revival’ 

More than 130,000 people from across the world, many in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, have decided to follow Jesus Christ after an online evangelism event, organizers said. “We are living through a Great Quarantine Revival, and I think God is just getting started,” explained evangelist Nick Hall, whose Pulse movement organized the virtual program.

Fed announces more emergency moves to stem dollar, liquidity strains

The U.S. Federal Reserve continued to roll out emergency support on Friday as it enhanced efforts with other major central banks to ease a global dollar-funding crunch, backstopped a market essential for U.S. state and local government finances and ramped up its purchases of mortgage-backed securities.

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