International News 13 August 2025
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Colombian Presidential Candidate Miguel Uribe Dies at 39 After June Shooting
Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe, 39, passed away on Monday (Aug 11, 2025), two months after being shot in the head during a campaign rally. Uribe, a prominent right-wing Democratic Center legislator from a distinguished political family, was attacked on June 7 while vying for his party’s 2026 presidential nomination. His death, announced by Bogotá’s Fundación Santa Fe Hospital, is considered Colombia’s worst political violence in two decades, echoing the assassinations of four presidential candidates in the 1980s–1990s linked to drug cartels. His wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, while international leaders, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressed condolences and demands for justice. Authorities have arrested six people in connection with the attack, including a 15-year-old alleged shooter who confessed to being paid by a local drug trafficker. The Colombian government, with assistance from the U.S., U.K., and UAE, has offered a reward of 3 billion pesos (USD 740,000) for key information. Uribe’s political lineage includes former President Julio Cesar Turbay as his maternal grandfather and former Liberal Party leader Rodrigo Uribe Echavarria as his paternal grandfather. His career began at 25 as a Bogotá city council member, where he was a vocal critic of then-mayor Gustavo Petro. Uribe leaves behind his wife, one son, two stepchildren, his father, and a sister.
https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/calon-presiden-kolombia-miguel-uribe-tewas-ditembak
India Seeks to Continue Trade Talks Despite U.S. Tariff Hike Over Russian Oil Purchases
India aims to proceed with ongoing trade negotiations with the United States despite Washington’s recent decision to raise tariffs on Indian exports to 50%, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil under U.S. sanctions. Last week, President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% duty, on top of an existing 25%, making it one of the highest tariffs applied to any U.S. trade partner. According to junior finance minister Pankaj Chaudhary, the new tariffs will impact around 55% of India’s goods exports to the U.S., valued at roughly US$87 billion in bilateral trade last fiscal year. The Ministry of Commerce is coordinating with stakeholders to assess the situation. Shashi Tharoor, head of India’s parliamentary foreign affairs panel, confirmed that the sixth round of trade talks will proceed as planned during a U.S. delegation visit to New Delhi starting August 25. He stressed that India’s relationship with Washington is “multidimensional” and should not be viewed solely through a trade lens. The panel also raised concerns over reported comments by Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, regarding nuclear threats in South Asia. The Foreign Ministry has condemned the remarks, with Tharoor asserting that “nuclear blackmail will not work with India.”
Singapore GDP Growth Beats Forecast in Q2, Outlook Revised Up
Singapore’s economy expanded 4.4% year-on-year in Q2 2025, slightly above the earlier 4.3% estimate, according to official data released Tuesday (Aug 12). On a quarter-on-quarter, seasonally adjusted basis, GDP grew 1.4%, reversing the 0.5% contraction in Q1 and matching preliminary forecasts. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) raised its 2025 GDP growth forecast to 1.5%–2.5% from the previous 0.0%–2.0%, citing stronger-than-expected performance in the first half of the year. The upgraded forecast follows an earlier downgrade in April from 1.0%–3.0%, prompted by concerns over planned U.S. global tariffs. While the stronger growth outlook signals resilience, MTI cautioned that global economic uncertainties persist, with risks skewed to the downside.