Jul 29, 2026, 07:30 PM UTC

Italy's ruling coalition faces internal friction following Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's announcement that Rome intends to request €14.9 billion from the European Union's Safe defense fund. Coalition partners in Lega and Brothers of Italy quickly asserted that parliamentary approval remains necessary prior to any procurement decisions.

Concurrently, the government is drawing public criticism over a decree addressing fuel price surges caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure. The policy delivers unequal relief to drivers, offering lower subsidies to diesel motorists. To alleviate maritime disruptions estimated at up to $90 billion in damages, Gulf nations are considering financial contributions via Omani mediation to persuade Iran to unblock the passage.

Separately, Milan judicial documents revealed Russian intelligence services have recruited ordinary Italian citizens for compensation to collect sensitive military and NATO data.

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

Search operations continue in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that killed 13 people and displaced over 9,000 residents. Rescue crews are working to free individuals trapped after an explosion caused a floor collapse at the Aeon Mall in Kashima, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirming widespread structural damage.

Meanwhile, severe wildfires are escalating across southern Europe. Greek authorities conducted preventive evacuations in nine villages on the island of Paros due to a blaze near Kampi. In France and Spain, uncontrolled fires near Bordeaux and Madrid have forced over 260,000 people to flee. French officials distributed 1.5 million FFP2 masks to protect residents from smoke, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized that "the priority is saving lives."

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero.

Extremely high temperatures across Southern Europe have triggered widespread wildfires, forcing hundreds of thousands of evacuations across Spain, France, and Greece. In Spain, an unprecedented blaze in the Madrid region contributed to broad evacuations affecting more than 300,000 people across the affected countries. On the Greek island of Lesbos, around 90 Norwegian tourists were briefly evacuated from the Plomari area before local authorities deemed it safe for them to return to their hotels.

As severe heatwaves persist across the continent, environmental critics in Southern Europe have drawn comparisons between Norway's petroleum exports and the tobacco industry, arguing that major oil-producing nations bear financial responsibility for climate-driven disasters. Emergency services in affected regions continue to combat active blazes amid ongoing drought conditions.

Sources: TV 2 Nyheter.

The Moldovan government has approved the concept and regulations for the Information System for Monitoring Medicine Stocks (SIMSM), a new digital platform designed to oversee national pharmaceutical supplies. The system will enable health authorities to monitor drug inventories daily across medical facilities and pharmacies nationwide.

By tracking stock levels in real time, officials aim to identify emerging shortages early and mitigate potential supply disruptions before they impact patient care. The initiative is part of broader efforts by the Ministry of Health to modernize healthcare management and guarantee continuous access to essential treatments.

Sources: Ziarul de Gardă

Czech publication Respect has published a discussion examining Donald Trump's policies regarding women's rights and their broader global impact. Journalists Silvie Lauder and Dominika Perlínová discussed how decisions made during Trump's presidency affected women both in the United States and internationally.

The analysis highlighted how policy shifts, particularly restrictions on foreign aid tied to reproductive healthcare, created consequences for women's health services worldwide. The discussion also addressed domestic political debates surrounding voting rights, reproductive access, and the long-term societal effects of executive decisions made during Trump's tenure.

Sources: Respect