Jul 25, 2026, 01:30 AM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian forces are preparing a massive missile barrage expected within two days, citing reports from intelligence agencies and international partners. The warning follows a surge in Russian aerial bombardments across multiple regions.

In Zaporizhzhia, guided aerial bomb strikes injured at least 30 people, including seven children. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Air Force officials reported intercepting one of three ballistic missiles fired toward the Kyiv region, as well as two Onyx missiles targeting southern Ukraine, and neutralizing 81 attack drones. In Kharkiv's Saltivka district, a drone hit near a high-rise residential building, shattering windows and injuring at least one person. Emergency services continue recovery operations as air alerts remain active nationwide.

Sources: Ukrinform

Member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have voted to permanently dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan following an internal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.

During a closed-door meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, 82 of the court's 125 member nations voted in favor of his removal via secret ballot. The decision follows Khan's suspension after the court's governing assembly determined he had committed a "serious breach of duty and serious misconduct" regarding a female colleague.

The 56-year-old British prosecutor, who assumed office in 2021, previously stepped aside temporarily after the allegations first surfaced in 2024. Khan has consistently denied all accusations against him.

Sources: BBC News, ORF, Rzeczpospolita, Sweden Herald.

A Saudi-flagged tanker, the NCC Masa, sustained minor hull damage following an attack in the Red Sea, according to Saudi Arabian authorities. The vessel was able to continue its journey safely to its destination port.

The incident follows growing security risks across regional maritime corridors. In response to recent strikes, the European Union's Aspides naval mission officially raised its threat level to high for the Bab al-Mandab strait and the southern Red Sea.

Meanwhile, security concerns in nearby waters persist as Somali pirates hold a merchant vessel captured in the Gulf of Aden with eight German nationals aboard. Citing the volatile security environment, Germany's Ministry of Defence announced the redeployment of two naval ships, including the minehunter Fulda, from Djibouti to the eastern Mediterranean.

Sources: Handelsblatt, ORF, Tagesschau

The scale of evacuations in southwestern France has escalated rapidly as severe wildfires continue to rage across Southern Europe. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the number of displaced residents in the Gironde department rose sharply on Friday, reaching 141,000 by late evening as government officials held crisis consultations.

Meanwhile, emergency operations continue in neighboring Spain, where around 60,000 people have been evacuated following a state of emergency declaration surrounding the capital of Madrid and the neighboring province of Ávila.

To combat the blazes, European Union member states are mobilizing international aerial firefighting support. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that water bombers and heavy helicopters dispatched from Croatia, Portugal, Czechia, and Slovakia are arriving to reinforce local emergency crews working near Bordeaux.

Sources: NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting), NRC.

Venezuela has announced its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing what Foreign Minister Plasencia described as "political attacks on the Venezuelan people and the Venezuelan state." The court in The Hague has been investigating members of the Caracas government since 2020 over alleged crimes against humanity.

The announcement coincides with leadership changes at the tribunal, where ICC member states decided on Friday to dismiss Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of sexual misconduct. The allegations against Khan, who took office in June 2021, had generated internal friction for two years prior to the decision.

Sources: NOS, NRC