July 8, 2025. International news round-up / last 24 hours

The conflict in Ukraine dominates international politics. Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and Ukrainian drone strikes on several industrial and military targets on the territory of the Russian Federation define the dynamics of the conflict. The humanitarian situation of the population in the Gaza Strip and the threat posed by the Houthi rebels' actions to navigation in the Red Sea are shaping the picture of regional instability in the Middle East. US tariff policies complement the international political agenda.

The war in Ukraine

Ukraine has attacked military and industrial infrastructure near Moscow and the port of Novorossiysk with drones.

Middle East

• Israel responded with airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen after Houthi rebels attacked two merchant ships in the Red Sea, one of which was badly damaged.
• In parallel, Israeli forces in Gazaare accused of abuses against civilians, specifically of attacking people near food distribution centers.
• BRICS has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.

US tariff policy

• Donald Trump announces 25% tariffs on Japan and South Korea, provoking backlash from Asian leaders.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has held tense talks with the US president over Washington's tariff policy.
• Trade tensions also took center stage at the BRICS summit, where leaders warned against Washington's "economic imperialism".

Other topics

• Hungary was hit by a violent storm and Budapest airport suspended operations.
• Bulgaria is at risk of overshooting its budget deficit because of public sector pay rises.

Top entities mentioned

1. Russia
2. Donald Trump
3. Ukraine
4. Israel
5. US

*****Summary compiled using a monitoring feed provided by NewsVibe Romania. The top international topics are identified from the automated monitoring of impactful media sources in Romania, as well as from the tracking of foreign policy topics in mainstream media sources and the pages of the main influencers. The analysis, data and images presented were enhanced with the help of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence tools.