Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 8th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Trump announces 25% tariffs on goods from Japan, South Korea in letters to leaders
President Donald Trump on 7 July began telling trade partners - from powerhouse suppliers such as Japan and South Korea to minor players - that sharply higher U.S. tariffs will start 1 August, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched in earlier 2025.
The 14 countries sent letters so far, which included smaller U.S. exporters like Serbia, Thailand and Tunisia, hinted at opportunities for additional negotiations while at the same time warning that any reprisal steps would be met with a like-for-like response.
“If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,” Mr Trump said in letters, released on his Truth Social platform, to Japan and South Korea.
2. More than a 100 dead in Texas flash floods as search for missing continues
The death toll in the devastating flash floods in Texas has risen to 104 people, according to local authorities, as search and recovery efforts continue across several counties.
Flash floods across central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend have killed more than a 100 people, with search operations still underway for those missing, including several girls attending a summer camp in Kerr County.
3. Netanyahu meets Trump at The White House as Israel, Hamas discuss ceasefire
U.S. President Donald Trump, hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at The White House on Monday, said the United States had scheduled talks with Iran and indicated progress on a controversial effort to relocate Palestinians out of Gaza.
Speaking to reporters at the beginning of a dinner between U.S. and Israeli officials, Netanyahu said the United States and Israel were working with other countries who would give Palestinians a "better future," suggesting that the residents of Gaza could move to neighboring nations.
4. Trump says U.S. will send more weapons to Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances.
Washington's decision to halt some weapons shipments to Kyiv prompted it to warn the move would crimp its ability to fend off Russia's air strikes and battlefield advances, while drawing criticism from Democrats and some of Trump’s fellow Republicans.
5. China extends visa-free entry to more than 70 countries to draw tourists
Foreign tourists are trickling back to China after the country loosened its visa policy to unprecedented levels. Citizens from 74 countries can now enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, a big jump from previous regulations.
The government has been steadily expanding visa-free entry in a bid to boost tourism, the economy and its soft power. More than 20 million foreign visitors entered without a visa in 2024 — almost one-third of the total and more than double from the previous year, according to the National Immigration Administration.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuw...
The bodies of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and members of his household killed in Israeli–U.S. air raids were laid to...
At least 28 people have died after a fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping hundreds of workers inside the multi-storey buil...
At least 28 people have died after a fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping hundreds of workers inside the multi-storey building. Authorities said more than 200 people escaped, while others were unable to get out before the blaze spread.
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Gaza to mourn Mohammad al-Waheidi, an aid worker remembered for bringing rare moments of happiness to families displaced by war by organising public screenings of World Cup matches.
Azerbaijan should unlock the full potential of its tourism sector to drive long-term economic growth, diversify its economy and create jobs as reliance on hydrocarbons declines, the World Bank has said.
The South Caucasus is increasingly being viewed not only through the lens of past conflicts but also as a strategic bridge linking Europe, the Caspian region and Central Asia. One analyst says this presents an opportunity for a new Euro-Atlantic approach focused on long-term regional cooperation.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
Typhoon Bavi churned southeast of Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, its winds easing overnight to just shy of 200 kph (124 mph), as authorities urged residents to stock up on supplies and brace for what could be the most powerful typhoon since 2024.
China's technology sector is producing billion-dollar startups at its fastest pace in nearly five years, with artificial intelligence and robotics driving a new wave of investment that is reshaping the country's innovation economy.
At least 28 people have died after a fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping hundreds of workers inside the multi-storey building. Authorities said more than 200 people escaped, while others were unable to get out before the blaze spread.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
Western Europe experienced its hottest June since records began in 2026, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The record-breaking month brought extreme heat, widespread disruption and thousands of excess deaths across parts of the continent.
South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol's seven-year prison sentence in a case linked to his 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
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