International News 16 April 2026
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Japan Prepares US$10 Billion Fund to Help Asia Secure Energy Supplies.
Japan has announced plans to establish a funding scheme worth approximately US$10 billion to assist Asian countries in securing energy resources amid intensifying global competition triggered by conflicts in the Middle East. The initiative aims to mitigate potential spillover effects on Japan’s own supply chains, particularly in industries that rely heavily on energy and raw materials from across Asia. The funding will primarily be channeled through state-backed financial institutions such as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI).
The Trump Administration Prepares to Launch an Import Tariff Refund System Next Monday.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is set to introduce a new system on Monday (April 20) aimed at refunding import tariffs to American companies. The system will process reimbursements totaling US$166 billion in import duties that were previously paid by importers but were later ruled invalid by the Supreme Court of the United States in February. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it has completed the initial development phase of the refund mechanism, known as CAPE. Through the CAPE system, refunds will be consolidated, allowing importers to receive a single electronic payment, including interest where applicable. This approach is considered more efficient than the previous method, which processed refunds separately for each individual import transaction.
The U.S. Prosecutor’s Office Conducts Surprise Visit to the Fed’s Project, Intensifying Pressure on the Central Bank.
Pressure on the United States central bank is intensifying. Prosecutors from Jeanine Pirro’s office made an unannounced visit to the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation project on Tuesday (April 14, 2026). According to Reuters, the surprise inspection is part of a broader wave of pressure from the Donald Trump administration on the central bank. During the visit, two deputy prosecutors reportedly spoke with construction workers. However, they were denied access to the project site due to the absence of prior authorization and were instructed to coordinate with the Federal Reserve’s legal team. The move comes amid an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell concerning oversight of the headquarters renovation project in Washington.