While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 15, 2025
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US President Donald Trump (right) and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on July 14.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
Trump arms Ukraine, threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil
US President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on July 14, and threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Russia agrees a peace deal, a major policy shift brought on by frustration with Moscow’s ongoing attacks on its neighbour.
But Mr Trump’s threat of sanctions came with a 50-day grace period, a move that was welcomed by investors in Russia where the rouble recovered from earlier losses and stock markets rose.
Sitting with Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Mr Trump told reporters that he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin and the billions of dollars in weapons would be distributed to Ukraine.
“We’re going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they’ll be sent to Nato,” Mr Trump said, adding that Washington’s Nato allies would pay for them.
Zelensky names new PM, taps official who spearheaded US minerals deal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on July 14 to lead a new government, setting the stage for a political reshuffle as Ukraine's war with Russia raged on.
Mr Zelensky also proposed that Ukraine's current prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, take over as defence minister, describing him as holding the right qualifications for a very important job.
The nominations, which require parliamentary approval, came as diplomatic efforts to end the war, now in its fourth year, have stalled and as Ukraine seeks to revive its cash-strapped economy and build up a domestic arms industry.
Israel strikes southern Syria as sectarian clashes left nearly 100 dead
Syrian government forces were advancing towards the southern city of Sweida on July 14 to quell deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes, with one Druze armed group saying talks with authorities aimed at brokering a truce were underway.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported 99 people killed since the fighting erupted on July 13 – 60 Druze, including four civilians, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military uniforms.
As the violence escalated, Israel – which has previously warned it would intervene in Syria to protect the Druze – said it struck “several tanks” in the area as a “warning” to Damascus.
EU threatens countermeasures over US tariffs; Trump is open to talks
The European Union on July 14 accused the US of resisting efforts to strike a trade deal and warned of countermeasures if no agreement is reached to avoid the punishing tariffs President Donald Trump has threatened to impose starting on Aug 1.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, said he was open to further discussions with the EU and other trading partners before new 30 per cent tariffs kick in next month and that EU officials would be coming to the United States for negotiations.
“They would like to do a different kind of a deal and we’re always open to talk, including to Europe,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “In fact, they’re coming over. They’d like to talk.”
Heatwaves in Spain caused 1,180 deaths in past two months
High temperatures caused 1,180 deaths in Spain in the past two months, a sharp increase from the same period last year, the Environment Ministry said on July 14.
The vast majority of people who died were over 65 and more than half were women, the data it cited showed.
The most affected regions were Galicia, La Rioja, Asturias and Cantabria - all located in the northern half of the country, where traditionally cooler summer temperatures have seen a significant rise in recent years.
