Threads
Stories that unfold over weeks: where things stand, what has changed and what comes next.
Latest changes
Saturday 25 July
Saudi-led coalition strikes Houthi targets in Yemen
Saudi-led coalition forces carried out airstrikes against Houthi military sites in Yemen after the group attacked Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, further threatening international trade routes.
25 companies urge US to keep AI models open, opposing restrictions
A coalition of 25 companies, including Nvidia and Microsoft, signed a public letter opposing restrictions on open-weight AI, deepening a rift with closed-model leaders who would benefit from a crackdown on Chinese rivals.
Trump links Saudi nuclear deal to Abraham Accords membership
President Trump stated he will not proceed with a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia unless Riyadh normalizes relations with Israel. This ties energy cooperation to specific bilateral concessions in regional diplomacy.
Friday 24 July
Federal appeals court refuses to stay ruling blocking Trump's $100,000 H-1B fee
The First Circuit on 24 July refused to stay a lower-court ruling vacating Trump's proposed $100,000 supplemental H-1B visa fee, leaving it unenforceable while the government appeals. The fee, set to expire 20 September, was framed as deterring skilled immigration.
China and US officials agree to deepen law enforcement cooperation
China's Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong met FBI Director Kash Patel in Beijing, and both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in specific law enforcement fields, including counter-narcotics and anti-money-laundering.
US threatens tariffs on EU after Google fine
The US president announced a Section 301 investigation and threatened "substantial tariffs" against the EU, following the European Commission's €890 million fine against Google under the Digital Markets Act.
US President Trump states Xi and Putin will not arm Iran
US President Donald Trump stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin personally assured him they would not supply weapons to Tehran. This statement comes amid renewed daily US-Iran strikes around the Strait of Hormuz.
Russian ballistic missiles strike Kyiv defense expo, killing 10
Russian forces launched a daytime ballistic missile attack on a defense exhibition in Kyiv Oblast, killing 10 people and wounding about 100. An employee of a Polish defense company was among the victims, confirmed by the Polish foreign ministry.
US threatens sanctions on Chinese AI firms over alleged IP theft
The US is considering tighter measures, including sanctions, on Chinese AI firms over alleged intellectual property theft and export-control violations.
US imposes new tariffs on 60 economies including EU
The US administration imposed new 10-12.5% tariffs on imports from approximately 60 economies, including the EU, Japan, and South Korea, by invoking Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, following a Supreme Court ruling that curbed earlier tariff powers.
US replaces expiring tariffs with new levies on 60 trading partners
The US implemented new 10–12.5% tariffs on goods from 60 trading partners, replacing a temporary global tariff that expired simultaneously. The US Trade Representative stated the measure targets insufficient enforcement against goods made with forced labor.
Euro area business activity shows early signs of recovery in July
S&P Global’s flash composite PMI for the euro area rose to 51.9 in July, up from 50.0 in June, marking the first expansion in four months. This improvement was driven by stronger services activity, while manufacturing remained under pressure.
Polish President refers windfall fuel tax to Constitutional Tribunal
President Karol Nawrocki referred the government’s windfall tax on fuel companies to the Constitutional Tribunal, preventing its entry into force. This action triggered a bitter exchange with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and cabinet ministers over the blocked revenue.
Anthropic launches Claude Opus 5, reducing coding costs
Anthropic released Claude Opus 5, a new model with coding and reasoning performance matching or exceeding its previous flagship Fable 5, while significantly cutting token prices.
Spain declares national emergency due to wildfires
Spain declared a national emergency after two wildfires west of Madrid merged, burning 6,000 hectares and forcing over 19,000 evacuations. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will visit the crisis center Saturday.
US conducts 13th night of airstrikes against Iran
The United States carried out its thirteenth consecutive night of airstrikes on Iranian military targets, including command centers and drone-storage sites, as tensions persist in the region.
Trump administration implements new global tariff regime
The Trump administration approved a new trade framework imposing 10–12.5% tariffs on imports from 60 economies, including all EU member states, replacing the temporary 10% global tariff that expired today.
EU High Representative proposes new sanctions on Russian military firms
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas announced she would propose expanding the EU sanctions list to include additional enterprises and entities from Russia’s military-industrial complex, following the recent strike near Kyiv.
Spanish media warns of EU "governance gap" regarding autonomous AI agents
Spanish outlet Ategi published a feature examining how recent incidents with semi-autonomous AI agents expose structural weaknesses in EU oversight frameworks, calling for new EU-level safety standards for runtime monitoring and authenticated agent identities.
IMO adopts resolution on Strait of Hormuz navigation
The International Maritime Organization adopted a resolution reaffirming freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, responding to disruptions and an estimated 6,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf.
US and Iran circulate de-escalation memorandum
Washington and Tehran have circulated a memorandum of understanding proposing a ceasefire with Iran, an end to Israel’s war with Hezbollah, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a 60-day negotiation period on Iran’s nuclear program and US sanctions.
Meta announces labelling of AI-generated content on its platforms
Meta will begin labelling AI-generated video, audio, and image content as "Made with AI" across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, implementing internal detection tools and requiring user self-declaration to enhance transparency.
EU issues preliminary findings against TikTok for child safety breaches
The European Commission issued preliminary findings that TikTok's default settings exposed minors' profiles to strangers, potentially leading to cyberbullying and predatory behavior. The platform could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual turnover.
Ukraine hits military enterprise in Kirov with drone
Ukrainian forces widened their drone strikes on Russia, hitting a military enterprise in Kirov, which President Zelensky stated is linked to components used in drones, aircraft, and missile systems.
Trump threatens to seize Iranian assets for shipping damages
President Trump declared that any damage to ships, cargoes, or associated property in the ongoing crisis will be covered from Iranian financial resources held under US control. This directive is presented as binding until revoked, linking financial coercion to military actions.
US President Trump considers further military strikes on Iran
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a "massive attack" on Iran, stating Tehran has not "received enough pain yet." This comes as Iran's foreign minister warns of a "heavier price" for further aggression.
Trump administration threatens sanctions against China over alleged AI theft
The White House accused China's Moonshot of stealing Anthropic's Fable model to develop Kimi K3, with Trump administration tech advisor Michael Kratsios threatening sanctions. This marks an escalation in technology-related tensions.
US imposes 50% tariffs on Canada and Brazil
The US imposed separate 50% tariffs on selected exports from Canada and Brazil, utilizing a rarely used 1930 Tariff Act provision, indicating a willingness to employ older trade tools against close partners.
Houthi forces attack two Saudi tankers in Red Sea
The Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced missile and drone attacks on two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, expanding their declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. This widens the crisis beyond the US-Iran confrontation.
US tech coalition warns against open-weight AI restrictions
A coalition of 25 major US tech firms, including Microsoft and Meta, published a letter to US policymakers warning that sweeping restrictions on open-weight frontier models would damage competition and innovation.
President Trump orders pause in Iran strikes for diplomacy
After 13 days of US airstrikes, President Trump ordered a pause on Friday to allow diplomacy over the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran denies any talks are underway.
Madrid wildfires merge, forcing 19,000 evacuations
Two wildfires west of Madrid fused into one on Friday, forcing over 19,000 evacuations as the combined blaze burned 6,000 hectares. This event prompted Spain to declare a national emergency.
China adds 14 EU entities to export control list
China's Ministry of Commerce added 14 EU-based entities, including German defence group Rheinmetall AG, to its export control list.
US-Saudi nuclear deal stalled by Trump over Abraham Accords
President Donald Trump has put the US-Saudi civil nuclear energy agreement on hold, conditioning its approval on Saudi Arabia formally joining the Abraham Accords and recognizing Israel. This linkage uses nuclear cooperation as leverage for broader Saudi-Israel normalization.
Moonshot AI announces full model weight release for Kimi K3 by July 27
Chinese startup Moonshot AI plans to release the full model weights for its Kimi K3 open-weight frontier model by July 27, enabling wider access and modification. This move intensifies debates over governance and safety of open-source AI.
Poland's Law and Justice party splits as over 30 MPs leave
Over 30 Members of Parliament departed from Poland's largest opposition party, Law and Justice, following a power struggle between Jarosław Kaczyński and Mateusz Morawiecki. This split deepens a months-long battle over the party's direction.
Central and Eastern Europe experience multi-day temperatures above 35°C
The heat dome previously over western Europe has shifted eastward, causing temperatures above 35°C in parts of Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, and Romania, prompting red heat alerts and increased emergency admissions.
US and China deepen law-enforcement cooperation
China’s public security minister and FBI director Kash Patel met in Beijing, agreeing to expand cooperation on narcotics, cyber-fraud, money laundering, and fugitive repatriation, despite broader strategic rivalry between the two nations.
Anthropic releases Claude Opus 5, a cheaper model matching Fable 5 capabilities
Anthropic launched Claude Opus 5, a new model priced at $5 per million input tokens, which approaches the capabilities of its top-tier Fable 5 model, becoming the default for Claude Max subscribers.
China adds 14 European entities to export control list
China placed 14 European entities on its export-control list, blocking Chinese exporters from supplying them with dual-use items and restricting foreign transfers of China-origin controlled goods.