Jul 31, 2026, 02:00 AM UTC

Italian President Sergio Mattarella called for political calm and warned against altering legislation for individual cases amid rising coalition friction. The Italian government faces a stalemate in the Chamber of Deputies over a recovery plan decree, risking up to €3 billion in EU rail funding due to disputes regarding passenger train tenders.

Meanwhile, internal divisions persist over defense procurement after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani proposed requesting €14.9 billion from the EU Safe fund, a move coalition partner Lega insists requires parliamentary approval. Additionally, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signaled readiness to suspend Schengen arrangements with Spain following a severe migration surge in Ceuta.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore.

Spain has deployed 60 military personnel to its North African enclave of Ceuta to assist local security forces after an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 migrants crossed the border from Morocco in a single day, mostly by swimming around coastal barriers. Local emergency and security services were reportedly overwhelmed by the influx.

The surge follows a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling interpreted as prohibiting the immediate return of individuals who reach Spanish territory by swimming. Casualty estimates vary across reports, with official accounts confirming at least nine or ten fatalities from drowning, while media outlets report that up to 18 people may have died.

In response to the developments, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned that Italy could consider extraordinary measures, including a temporary suspension of Schengen arrangements with Spain, if border pressure escalates.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, FAZ, Point, Sweden Herald, TV 2 Nyheter.

US President Donald Trump is considering temporarily withdrawing the nomination of his former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, for attorney general amid pushback from members of his own party in the Senate. Writing on Truth Social, Trump indicated that the step could be a tactical decision aimed at reshaping the conditions for a future confirmation vote.

The nomination has faced ongoing criticism within Republican ranks, complicating the approval process required by the upper house of Congress. By pausing the appointment, Trump reportedly seeks to overcome internal resistance and strategically realign support before bringing the nomination back before lawmakers.

Sources: ORF

A woman and her child have died after a leisure boat sank off the island of Tjörn, north of Marstrand in western Sweden, on Tuesday evening.

Swedish authorities launched a search and rescue operation involving local police and the Coast Guard after the vessel sank. Search teams initially recovered the body of the woman before later confirming that the missing child had also been found dead.

Police stated that next of kin have been notified of the fatalities. Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the cause of the accident or the identity of the victims.

Sources: TV 2 Nyheter.

A new report reveals that climate change and climate-related events in Norway disproportionately affect certain population groups, worsening existing social inequalities.

While poorer nations globally are widely recognized as most vulnerable to climate impacts, domestic environmental events also carry significant socioeconomic consequences within the country. According to the report published by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, climate disruptions can reinforce social disparities by impacting lower-income and vulnerable residents more severely.

Sources: TV 2 Nyheter.