AnewZ Morning Brief - 16 December, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 16th of December, covering the latest developments you need to...
Toyota has signed a $2 billion deal to build a wholly-owned electric vehicle plant in Shanghai, as the Japanese automaker strengthens its position in China’s growing EV market during heightened US-China trade tensions.
Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation has signed a $2 billion agreement to establish a fully-owned electric vehicle (EV) plant in Shanghai, state media reported on Tuesday. The announcement comes as trade tensions between the United States and China escalate, with tariffs impacting key industries, including automotive and metals.
Toyota reached the deal with the Shanghai municipal government, aiming to enhance its presence in the world’s largest automotive market. According to Beijing-based Xinhua News, the company will invest a total of 14.6 billion yuan (approximately $2 billion) in the new energy vehicle (NEV) project based in Shanghai’s Jinshan district.
The project will focus on the research, development, production, and sales of Lexus-branded EVs and electric vehicle batteries. It follows a similar move by Tesla, which established its Shanghai Gigafactory in the city.
Tatsuro Ueda, chief executive officer of the China Region and chairman of Toyota Motor (China) Investment, said the initiative would introduce advanced technologies, contributing to a leading carbon neutrality model with global influence.
Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in June, with production expected to start in 2027. While Toyota did not confirm production capacity details on Tuesday, earlier estimates in February suggested an initial output of around 100,000 units per year. The project is expected to create roughly 1,000 new jobs during its early phase.
The announcement follows Honda Motor’s decision to relocate parts of its production to the United States, as Japanese companies adjust to avoid a 24% tariff imposed by the Trump administration. The tariff policy affects automotive, steel, and aluminum products, while negotiations between Tokyo and Washington continue after a 90-day tariff reprieve for all nations except China.
As the US has raised tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 245%, Beijing has responded with tariffs reaching up to 125% on American goods.
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, has said that Ukraine has not provided Moscow with a list of thousands of children it alleges were taken illegally to Russia, despite the issue being discussed during talks in Istanbul.
An explosive device found in a vehicle linked to one of the alleged attackers in Bondi shooting has been secured and removed according to Police. The incident left 12 people dead.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has offered condolences to President Donald Trump following an ISIS attack near the ancient city of Palmyra that killed two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter, Syrian and U.S. officials said Sunday.
At least 17 people, including students, were killed and 20 others injured after a school bus fell off a cliff in northern Colombia on Sunday, authorities said.
At least 37 people have died and dozens of others were injured after flash floods swept through Morocco’s Atlantic coastal city of Safi on Sunday, authorities said.
Ford Motor Company said on Monday it will take a $19.5 billion writedown and scrap several electric vehicle (EV) models, marking a major retreat from its battery-powered ambitions amid declining EV demand and changes under the Trump administration.
Iran has rolled out changes to how fuel is priced at the pump. The move is aimed at managing demand without triggering public anger.
U.S. stock markets closed lower at the end of the week, as investors continued to rotate out of technology shares, putting pressure on major indices.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50% to 3.75% following its two-day policy meeting, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday, 10 December.
China has carried out a major test of a new “super wireless” rail convoy, a technology that could reshape the future of heavy-haul transport.
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