Aug 3, 2026, 03:00 AM UTC

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that fresh diplomatic negotiations with Tehran are scheduled to begin on Monday afternoon. The decision comes after Trump halted planned military strikes against Iran, citing requests from Middle Eastern allies including Saudi Arabia.

Trump asserted that Iran is "almost defeated" while warning that military operations could quickly resume if negotiations fail to produce a swift agreement. The diplomatic push follows recent escalations in which American forces intercepted several Iranian ballistic missiles targeting U.S. troops in the region. Amid hopes for a peaceful resolution, Asian crude oil prices dropped by over five percent, while Saudi Arabia announced a new maritime security initiative in the Red Sea.

Sources: Bloomberg, Corriere della Sera, El Mundo, FAZ, Tagesschau.

European Union interior ministers will hold emergency talks on Tuesday to address the recent surge of migrants entering the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. Between 50,000 and 60,000 individuals crossed into the territory, prompting 22 EU member states to petition for stronger external border controls.

Casualty figures remain inconsistent across reports. Municipal officials initially recorded 34 to over 40 deaths, while Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska later confirmed 67 fatalities from drowning.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the crossings as a violation of territorial integrity and pledged to return arrivals to Morocco. He rejected calls to suspend Schengen open-border rules, condemning opposing proposals as "selfish, polarising and unlawful". European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen characterized the situation as "unacceptable".

Sources: BBC News, Corriere della Sera, FAZ, Respect

Israel has officially conveyed "serious security concerns" to the United States regarding a proposed Gaza peace agreement announced by US President Donald Trump. Although Trump stated that Hamas had agreed to disarm, Israeli officials maintain that military forces will not withdraw from the enclave without verified, complete disarmament. Conversely, Hamas demands a full Israeli military pullout prior to surrendering its weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly endorse the plan.

Meanwhile, military operations continue across Gaza. Palestinian officials reported at least 15 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Sunday, following overnight strikes that left eight dead in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir el-Balah. The Israel Defense Forces stated the operations targeted military operatives, including two Hamas militants.

Sources: BBC News, FAZ, France24, Tagesschau.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been officially nominated by his Workers' Party to seek re-election in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October.

At a party convention in São Paulo attended by around 3,000 supporters, the 80-year-old head of state formally accepted the candidacy for what would be his fourth non-consecutive term in office. Addressing lingering questions regarding his age, Lula reassured delegates about his health, stating he remains in excellent condition to lead the Latin American nation.

Sources: Die Zeit, Tagesschau

Japan has conducted a joint foreign exchange market intervention with the United States for the first time in decades to stabilize the declining yen.

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama confirmed the coordinated currency purchases, explaining that the intervention aimed to curb "excessive volatility and disorderly movements" in the exchange rate. Japanese authorities stated they remain in close consultation with Washington and are prepared to take further market measures if required. The joint action follows sustained downward pressure on the yen, which had fallen sharply against major global currencies in recent trading sessions.

Sources: ORF.