Jul 25, 2026, 09:00 AM UTC

The European Union and key international trade partners are evaluating their response to new US import duties of up to 12.5 percent targeting around 60 economies. The measures, announced by US President Donald Trump, follow the expiration of a previous 150-day tariff regime limited by a US Supreme Court decision.

Washington justified the levies by alleging affected nations failed to adequately combat forced labor, a legal foundation questioned by international experts and foreign governments. Within the European Union, the announcement has renewed scrutiny over Brussels' diplomatic posture, with debate over whether maintaining a restrained stance protects commercial interests or exposes the bloc to continued pressure.

Sources: DW, El Mundo, Rzeczpospolita, Tagesschau

Rising instability across Middle Eastern and East African shipping corridors has triggered new security measures and military shifts. The European Union's Aspides naval mission raised its threat level to high for the Bab al-Mandab strait and the southern Red Sea after a recent attack on the Saudi-flagged tanker NCC Masa.

In a separate incident, United States forces disabled a commercial vessel by targeting its engine room after it repeatedly attempted to breach an Iranian port blockade. Concurrently, Germany is withdrawing two warships from the Gulf of Aden to redeploy them to the eastern Mediterranean. The move coincides with reports that Somali pirates in Puntland continue to hold a merchant vessel hijacked in the Gulf of Aden with eight German nationals aboard.

Sources: ORF, Tagesschau

Wildfires raging across western Madrid and eastern Ávila have consumed over 20,000 hectares, triggering Spain's largest emergency deployment since the COVID-19 pandemic. The blazes, ignited after a vehicle caught fire along the A-5 highway, rapidly spread across seven kilometers of terrain within two hours, crossing the San Juan Reservoir and destroying local recreation sites.

Emergency officials noted that the fires pushed operations beyond extinction capacity, affecting up to 45,000 residents through evacuations and confinements while threatening historic areas near El Escorial. However, regional authorities indicated that a favorable shift in wind direction has improved the outlook for containment efforts.

Sources: El Mundo

Fuel prices in Kosovo have risen to 1.69 euros per liter, marking the highest increase since May and prompting calls from the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce for government intervention. Lulzim Rafuna, head of the Chamber of Commerce, warned that the nine-cent weekly increase will directly impact citizens and local businesses.

In legal developments, the Kosovo Judicial Council convened to deliberate on requests from Kosovo Serb judges and support staff seeking to withdraw their 2022 resignations following a petition by acting President Albulena Haxhiu. Concurrently, the Special Prosecution requested guilty verdicts against Sami Lushtaku and co-defendants over alleged witness intimidation in the "Drenica" war crimes trial, where defendants maintain their innocence.

Sources: Koha.

Severe wildfires fueled by extreme heat and strong winds are sweeping across parts of Western Europe, forcing the evacuation of more than 65,000 people in Spain and France.

In Spain, authorities have declared a national state of emergency. Carlos Novillo, the regional emergency management chief in Madrid, stated that the primary blaze near the Spanish capital is currently "beyond the capabilities" of firefighting crews as it spreads toward surrounding municipalities.

Meanwhile, French authorities ordered a full evacuation of the Cap Ferret peninsula to protect residents from advancing flames. Emergency services across both countries continue to battle unpredictable conditions brought on by the heatwave.

Sources: Koha.