A sandstorm struck Anbar in western Iraq, sending 27 people to hospitals with breathing difficulties, according to the provincial health authorities.
The Anbar Traffic Directorate urged caution, warning that visibility had dropped significantly across the region.
The Green Iraq Observatory reported that sandstorms cost the country around $1 million daily due to their impact on health, agriculture, transport, and services.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic warned that a proposed 30% US tariff on European goods would effectively amount to a trade ban, severely disrupting transatlantic supply chains.
Speaking ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Sefcovic expressed disappointment over a letter from US President Donald Trump that halted expected trade progress. “We were close to an agreement,” he said, but now “must prepare for all outcomes.”
The EU has delayed retaliatory measures on $72 billion worth of US goods until August 1, hoping for a negotiated resolution. Sefcovic emphasized that “no one wants a trade war,” while France urged faster preparation for countermeasures and Hungary blamed the EU Commission’s weak response to US pressure.
Danish and Lithuanian ministers echoed calls to avoid escalation but emphasized EU readiness to defend its interests.
TR