Aug 3, 2026, 08:30 PM UTC

The United States and Iran are scheduled to initiate another round of negotiations following a recent escalation involving intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the talks after calling off a planned large-scale military strike, claiming that Tehran and regional allies had requested a delay. Iranian state media disputed this assertion, describing Trump's account of an Iranian request as a "lie."

Meanwhile, Trump stated that Iran is "almost defeated" while emphasizing U.S. military readiness. Despite the rhetoric, diplomatic efforts persist alongside regional developments, including Oman-mediated discussions regarding the Strait of Hormuz and a Saudi-led naval coalition. Asian oil prices dropped over 5% on hopes of diplomatic progress.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, El Mundo, FAZ, Respect

Following the arrival of around 60,000 migrants in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta, European Union interior ministers will hold emergency talks on Tuesday. The death toll from the sea crossings has risen to 67, prompting Spanish authorities to establish temporary morgue facilities.

The incident has ignited significant political friction across Europe. Twenty-two EU member states issued a joint demand to strengthen external borders, drawing sharp criticism from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who condemned "selfish, polarising and unlawful" reactions. Domestically, the crisis has exposed divisions within Madrid's coalition government between the defense and interior ministries over diplomatic relations with Morocco.

Meanwhile, EU officials warned that Russian digital networks and foreign online actors are actively amplifying narratives around the crisis to aggravate political polarization within member states.

Sources: BBC News, Corriere della Sera, El Mundo, FAZ

Israeli officials have formally communicated "serious security concerns" to Washington regarding a U.S.-brokered peace initiative for Gaza, despite announcements by U.S. President Donald Trump that Hamas agreed to disarm. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly endorsed the plan.

Sequencing remains a primary obstacle to implementation. Israeli leadership maintains that military withdrawal will not occur without verified disarmament, while Hamas demands a complete Israeli pullback before laying down weapons.

Concurrently, military action continues across the enclave. Palestinian officials reported that recent Israeli strikes in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir el-Balah killed multiple people, including children. The Israel Defense Forces stated that its strikes targeted military operatives.

Sources: BBC News, FAZ, France24, Le Monde, Tagesschau.

Japan and the United States have executed a rare joint currency intervention to curb the severe depreciation of the Japanese yen, which recently fell to a 40-year low of almost 164 yen per US dollar. Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama confirmed the coordinated operation involving the purchase of yen and sale of dollars, stating the action aimed to address "excessive volatility and disorderly movements."

The sustained weakness of the currency has raised import costs for energy and foodstuffs in Japan, intensifying inflationary pressures on households. Analysts attribute the decline primarily to the widening interest rate differential between Washington and Tokyo, alongside elevated global oil prices.

Although the joint market action prompted an immediate rebound in the yen's value, financial observers caution that its long-term efficacy remains uncertain without broader adjustments to underlying monetary policies.

Sources: Expresso das Ilhas, FAZ, NOS, ORF, Seznam Zprávy.