AnewZ Morning Brief - 8th July, 2025
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....
Short-term rental owners in Croatia protested against proposed tax hikes, claiming the measures unfairly target low-income earners and threaten their livelihoods. The government argues the changes aim to tackle a housing crisis driven by tourism demand.
Owners of short-term rental properties gathered in protest in Zagreb on Saturday, 23rd November, opposing the Croatian government’s proposed draft laws aimed at addressing a tourism-related housing affordability crisis.
The legislation, which was approved by lawmakers last week but awaits final approval following broader consultations and potential amendments, includes measures to raise taxes on short-term rental properties and increase the lump-sum tax on tourist rentals. However, long-term rental properties remain unaffected.
Protesters argued that renting out properties is a vital source of income for many, helping pensioners and their families avoid poverty. "We have gathered here to express our opposition to the entire legal package proposed by our government with the sole and exclusive aim of reducing the number of beds in our property. These laws are anti-social and hit those with the lowest incomes the hardest," said Vedran Tomac, a protester from Rijeka.
Brankica Grmoja, from the coastal resort town of Makarska, highlighted how the laws would hurt families like hers. "My father started building it (house) when he was 18 years old. They (her parents) together have a (monthly) pension of 1100 euros, and they both worked full time. If it weren't for that, they would be just poor, and like this, they can go to restaurants, go on trips," she explained.
Tourism is a cornerstone of Croatia's economy, contributing around 20% of the nation’s GDP, with millions of visitors arriving annually. Approximately 125,000 people are employed in the home rentals sector.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
China has warned Myanmar's Kachin rebels it will block rare-earth imports from their territory unless they halt an offensive on a key junta stronghold, raising fears over the global supply of critical minerals.
China has consolidated its rare-earth sector into two state-owned giants, tightened export quotas, and introduced new supply-chain tracking systems as part of a sweeping push to reinforce its global dominance in critical mineral processing.
Beijing has warned the Trump administration against restoring steep U.S. tariffs next month and signalled it will retaliate against countries that cut China out of supply chains through bilateral deals with Washington.
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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told President Donald Trump he had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, handing Trump a nomination letter during a meeting at The White House. The two leaders met for the first time since the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
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