Jul 24, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on July 24 that intelligence indicates Russia is preparing a large-scale missile attack against Ukraine within the next 48 hours. Zelensky also noted that a ceasefire would be preferable to a conflict lasting another decade or two if it preserves human lives.

Separately, member states of the International Criminal Court voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of sexual misconduct towards an associate, according to diplomatic sources.

In Western Europe, severe wildfires raging across Spain and France have forced over 100,000 people to evacuate or seek shelter indoors. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Washington is conducting negotiations with Iran to end regional hostilities, noting that Iranian officials are taking the talks more seriously.

Sources: Tanjug.

Combined total evacuations across France and Spain have surpassed 140,000 as unchecked wildfires continue to spread. In Spain, three separate blazes west of the capital merged into a single 6,000-hectare front advancing toward Navas del Rey. Local officials warned the inferno is "beyond the capacity" of firefighters to contain, prompting the country's first national emergency declaration for a wildfire.

In southwestern France, dual blazes near Arcachon and Bordeaux have forced over 65,000 evacuations, with emergency crews deploying ships to rescue stranded individuals while French President Emmanuel Macron formally requested European Union assistance.

Sources: BBC News, ORF, Tagesschau.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, according to an anonymous administration official.

The upcoming bilateral talks in Washington mark a significant encounter between the two leaders as diplomatic discussions regarding US support and the conflict in Ukraine continue. Details regarding the exact agenda of the meeting have not yet been fully disclosed by administration officials. The announcement was initially confirmed by White House representatives to news agency Agence France-Presse.

Sources: RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal).

Spain’s conservative People’s Party (PP) is navigating heightened pressure from the far-right Vox party across regional and local administrations.

In the Valencian Community, the PP agreed to Vox’s demand to exclude irregular immigrants from social assistance, reserving aid strictly for extreme emergencies under a new "national priority" budget framework. Vox leaders indicated plans to eventually propose similar legislation at the national level.

Meanwhile, in Seville, where the PP governs in a minority administration reliant on Vox’s support, the far-right group threatened to withdraw its backing if municipal authorities grant a permit for a proposed mosque in the Polígono Sur neighborhood. The local council is scheduled to consider the building license in the coming days.

Sources: El Mundo

Türkiye's Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, has defended the government's handling of the February 6, 2023 earthquakes during housing and infrastructure ceremonies in Malatya and Şanlıurfa.

Speaking at public events, Kurum targeted private relief campaigns and online commentary that emerged following the disaster, specifically mentioning the non-governmental organization Ahbap. He asserted that during the post-disaster response, certain actors attempted to "come between the state and the nation."

Kurum rejected digital criticisms of official recovery operations, asserting the central role of government institutions in disaster relief. "The state is not an empty slogan thrown from screens," Kurum stated, describing the government as an "age-old plane tree that embraces its nation in difficult times."

Sources: Anadolu Agency, TRT Haber