Trump warns of tariff hikes on European products
US President Donald Trump announced that he plans to increase tariffs on European products to 30% starting August 1. The news was made public through a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which he posted on his social platform, Truth Social.
Trump also warned that this rate could increase further if the European Union decides to retaliate, adding that "this level is far below what is needed to eliminate the imbalance in the trade deficit."
The European Commission responded through a written statement:
"We are ready to continue efforts to reach an agreement by August 1."
However, the EC stressed that "at the same time, we will take all necessary measures to protect the EU's interests, including countervailing measures if necessary."
Portugal classifies rape as a public crime
The Portuguese parliament approved a legal change on Friday that categorizes rape as a public crime, giving authorities the right to investigate and prosecute cases without the need for a formal complaint from the victim.
The proposal was presented by the Bloco de Esquerda (BE), LIVRE and PAN parties, and received the support of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the right-wing Chega party.
Under the new rules, witnesses can report rape cases and investigations can begin immediately, regardless of whether the victim wants to press charges or not.
However, several PSD and Chega MPs abstained from voting, which caused discussions and questions in the parliament hall.
Migration boosts EU population to record high
Migration to the European Union pushed the bloc's population to a record 450.4 million last year, according to Eurostat data released on Friday.
The EU has recorded more deaths than births every year since 2012, meaning migration is the only source of population growth.
"The observed population growth is mainly related to the increase in migratory movements following the COVID-19 pandemic," the Eurostat report states.
In 2024, the EU added 1.07 million new inhabitants, with a positive net migration of 2.3 million people compensating for the natural decline of 1.3 million inhabitants.
Erdogan declares victory after PKK disarmament ceremony
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that "a new page in history has been opened" after the Kurdish militant group PKK, which has led a long insurgency against the state, began the process of disarmament.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) held a symbolic ceremony on Friday in northern Iraq, the first concrete step in a promised peace process.
Speaking on Saturday at a meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan hailed the development as a major victory.
"Turkey won, my nation won. Every one of our 86 million citizens, Turks, Kurds or Arabs, won," he said.
