Jul 28, 2026, 08:00 AM UTC

Tensions escalated in the occupied West Bank following deadly clashes near Nablus that prompted Israeli forces to seal the city's entrances and deploy additional troops. Former Israeli Major General Giora Eiland described the situation as "anarchy," as military commanders warned of a potential widespread uprising. Meanwhile, radical Israeli settlers raided several Palestinian villages, setting fire to two mosques and multiple vehicles.

Concurrently, Israeli authorities released 60 Palestinian detainees into the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In a separate diplomatic development, the United States confirmed upcoming talks between Israel and Lebanon scheduled for August 4–6 in Rome. According to a US State Department official, technical working groups will discuss expanding pilot security zones in southern Lebanon to advance the full implementation of a June framework agreement.

Sources: Aftenposten, Corriere della Sera, Der Standard, ORF, RTP

German special forces have fatally shot 21-year-old suspect Abdul Ballout during an operation in Berlin's Spandau district, concluding a manhunt following Saturday's attack at a city Pride event. Authorities reported that officers raided a garden shed where Ballout was hiding, whereupon he attacked them with an edged weapon, prompting police to open fire.

Investigative reports indicate the rental van driven into crowds at Tiergarten park was booked under Ballout's name. The suspect, a former juvenile detainee, had previously attempted to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State group and had repeatedly rejected post-release deradicalisation offers. Following the operation, German leaders emphasized their commitment to protecting democratic freedoms and public safety.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.

Uncontrolled wildfires continue to spread across southern Europe, triggering mass evacuations in France, Spain, and Italy. In southwestern France, blazes have burned over 42,000 hectares, advancing within 15 kilometres of Bordeaux and prompting the distribution of FFP2 masks due to smoke. French President Emmanuel Macron stated "we will make it," while political opponents accused the government of failing to adequately prepare. Firefighters also confronted rare pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which generate lightning without rain and ignite secondary fires.

In Spain, emergency services are battling the largest wildfire in the nation's history, with hundreds of thousands evacuated across both France and Spain. Meanwhile, in southern Italy, Coast Guard vessels evacuated tourists along the Gargano coastline as flames threatened resort towns. The blazes expanded northward into Molise, suspending regional rail services.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero.

Major Asian stock exchanges experienced sharp declines on Thursday, driven by heavy losses in semiconductor equities. South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index dropped by more than 10 percent during trading, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell by over 4 percent. Chinese equities also retreated to a weekly low as part of a broader regional sell-off.

The market downturn was triggered by reports indicating a potential technological breakthrough in China regarding semiconductor manufacturing machinery. The prospect of advanced domestic chipmaking capabilities in China raised concerns among investors over competitive pressures for established Asian suppliers.

Sources: Die Zeit.

A civil court in Milan has ordered Italian entrepreneur Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio to surrender his one-year-old daughter to her mother, model and influencer Sara Soldati. The ruling follows an urgent petition filed by Soldati's legal team, which claimed she had been prevented from seeing her child for 20 days.

Del Vecchio's defense strongly denied the claims, characterising them as "calumnies and falsehoods." His lawyers announced plans to file additional legal counter-complaints, alleging that Soldati had wrongfully taken high-value property.

Discrepancies emerged regarding the compliance deadline. La Stampa reported that the child must be handed over by 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, whereas Corriere della Sera reported the deadline as 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Sources: La Stampa, Corriere della Sera.