Jul 29, 2026, 03:30 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump has agreed to grant licenses allowing Ukraine to produce Patriot air-defense interceptor missiles domestically, following a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy also attended a US Senate procedural vote, where lawmakers voted 86–12 to advance a comprehensive sanctions package targeting Russia's energy sector.

Concurrently, Ukrainian long-range strikes have targeted Russian infrastructure. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that air defenses downed over 390 drones, though media reports indicate an industrial steel mill near the capital sustained damage. Recent attacks on logistics hubs for online retailer Wildberries have reportedly caused up to $1.3 billion in economic losses.

Additionally, Zelenskyy cautioned that Moscow plans to deploy 30,000 North Korean military personnel to the Voronezh region while acquiring additional ballistic missile launchers from Pyongyang.

Sources: DW, Hartpunkt, ORF, Sweden Herald.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a surprise ballistic missile attack targeting American military positions in the Middle East, ending days of calm. United States Central Command stated that all incoming missiles were intercepted. Jordanian forces confirmed intercepting five Iranian missiles aimed at a US base in Jordan.

In response, American and Saudi forces executed joint precision strikes in Iraq, targeting Iran-backed militants associated with the attack. The military escalation coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington.

Commenting on the situation, US President Donald Trump stated that American forces maintain ammunition reserves "well beyond our needs." Despite the uptick in hostilities, crude oil prices dropped over five percent in Asian trading amid ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, El Mundo, ORF, TVP info

German police have shot and killed the suspect involved in a fatal vehicle attack during Berlin's Christopher Street Day parade. Authorities identified the suspect as Abdul Ballout, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese heritage. He was killed in the western district of Spandau after confronting officers with a knife during a citywide manhunt.

The incident occurred near Tiergarten park on Saturday evening when a white van drove into a crowd, killing one woman and injuring 16 others. Federal and local law enforcement agencies launched an intensive search immediately following the ramming.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that evidence indicates an "Islamist attack." Federal investigators continue to examine potential extremist motives and search for possible accomplices.

Sources: BBC News, Die Zeit, Koha, Tagesschau.

European football officials and German club executives have strongly criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino over reported plans to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to a private marketing firm. UEFA labeled the proposed initiative a breach of established norms, while German Football Association Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke described the move as an "attack on football." German club representatives, including Bayern Munich sports director Max Eberl, expressed deep outrage over private investor involvement. Critics warn that transferring marketing rights to third-party investors, which reports suggest could involve figures linked to Donald Trump's inner circle, threatens the integrity and traditional governance of global football. FIFA's announcement has heightened tensions with European governing bodies, raising concerns over the further commercialisation of international tournaments.

Sources: FAZ

Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research has selected Biblis in Hesse as the site for a new national center for laser fusion research, partnering with Darmstadt-based startup Focused Energy to build the facility.

Meanwhile, state officials confirmed that the FAIR particle accelerator project at the GSI Helmholtz Centre in Darmstadt remains scheduled to begin operations by late 2027. The project recently suffered a major fire that caused an estimated €145 million in damage, with some repairs expected to take several years. Hesse's Research and Science Minister Timon Gremmels expressed confidence that researchers will still achieve their primary goals on schedule. Together, the two developments reinforce the German state's role as a major regional center for advanced physics research.

Sources: FAZ