Jul 29, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC

US forces intercepted Iranian missiles targeting military sites in the Middle East following a brief lull in direct strikes, according to US Central Command. The incident occurred as President Donald Trump indicated that negotiations with Tehran are taking place, while cautioning that military operations could quickly resume if discussions collapse.

Concurrently, maritime security risks intensified after a tanker struck a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz while navigating without Iranian authorization. Yemeni authorities cautioned that Iran-aligned Houthi forces are seeking to establish a similar blockade across the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha rejected Iranian retaliation threats after Kyiv targeted an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea, describing Tehran's warnings as "unjustified and groundless."

Sources: BBC News, Sweden Herald.

A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday, causing severe structural damage and human casualties across Kumamoto Prefecture.

Emergency responders focused heavily on the Aeon Mall in Kashima, where a second-floor collapse following a suspected explosion trapped numerous individuals. Broadcasters reported that between 20 and 30 employees remain missing, with local police fearing multiple deaths. Regional authorities confirmed that at least 50 people have been hospitalized and 12 homes collapsed. Infrastructure damage left approximately 40,000 households without power, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi noted extensive destruction to roads and bridges.

Authorities instructed over 150,000 residents to evacuate to emergency centers. An initial tsunami warning was canceled shortly after the quake.

Sources: Die Zeit, ORF, TV 2 Nyheter.

US President Donald Trump held separate discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Tuesday. The brief closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy coincided with reports from Reuters indicating that the Pentagon has been delaying the distribution of approved US military aid to Kyiv. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces conducted a widespread drone strike against Moscow.

Ahead of his encounter with Netanyahu, Trump expressed frustration over alleged leaks concerning prior talks on Iran. Separately, Finnish President Alexander Stubb recalled in an interview with Fox News that Senator Lindsey Graham was instrumental in persuading Trump to support Finland's accession to NATO in 2023.

Sources: Iltalehti

United States senators have reached a bipartisan agreement regarding new sanctions aimed at Russia and Iran, according to discussions on Bloomberg's Balance of Power program.

During the broadcast, Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute, highlighted the role played by key lawmakers in maintaining support for Ukraine and other front-line democracies. The agreement underscores continued congressional alignment on key foreign policy measures targeting foreign adversaries.

Additionally, economic policy discussions featured former Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jared Bernstein, who weighed in on the potential for the Federal Reserve to adjust benchmark interest rates.

Sources: Bloomberg.

Russian motorists are increasingly converting their vehicles to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel shortages and rising prices affect parts of the country. According to reports, the surge in demand follows Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, which have disrupted gasoline and diesel supplies and created long queues at service stations.

Specialist auto repair workshops in Moscow are struggling to keep up with the influx of requests. One conversion firm reported receiving up to 276 calls per day while being able to fulfill only a small portion of the inquiries. As conventional fuel costs escalate, driver interest in alternative fuel adaptations continues to outpace available workshop capacity.

Sources: Iltalehti