Aug 4, 2026, 08:30 AM UTC

Local and national authorities across Spain and Morocco remain at odds over the scale and response to the recent border crisis in Ceuta and Melilla. Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas estimated that up to 80,000 migrants attempted entry, with 3,000 to 5,000 remaining in the enclave. In contrast, Morocco acknowledged 40,000 entries into Ceuta and 1,135 into Melilla, confirming 11 deaths on its territory.

Rabat rejected accusations of relaxing border controls, attributing the influx to a Spanish legal ruling and criticizing European political rhetoric. Meanwhile, Madrid dismissed a National Security Department official after the agency published a report stating 49,000 people entered. Spanish military personnel are currently assisting border detentions amid reports of growing friction between Spain's Interior and Defense ministries over crisis management.

Sources: Canarias7, Diário de Notícias, El Día, El Mundo, La Vanguardia

U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip until Hamas fully disarms. The clarification follows formal objections raised by Jerusalem regarding the proposed postwar framework, which originally called for an immediate halt to Israeli strikes and a phased troop exit.

Israeli officials expressed serious security concerns, warning that a premature withdrawal could risk renewed violence. The objections directly contradicted earlier statements from Trump claiming Israel fully supported the deal. Meanwhile, Hamas representatives indicated that disarmament remains conditional on initial Israeli actions, leaving the timeline and implementation of the peace proposal uncertain.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, FAZ, France24, ORF, Tagesschau.

A coalition of 25 Democratic-led US states has filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration over newly implemented import tariffs affecting 60 trading partners, including the European Union.

The legal action, coordinated through Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield's office, challenges duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% introduced in late July. While federal officials justified the measures as a crackdown on forced labor in global supply chains, plaintiff states disputed the legal rationale in court documents, stating there is "no factual connection between the alleged problem of forced labor in international supply chains and the blanket global tariffs."

The lawsuit seeks a judicial declaration that the duties exceed executive authority, an immediate injunction against their enforcement, and full financial reimbursement for affected domestic importers.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Tagesschau, ORF, Der Standard, Die Presse

Maximum health alerts remain in effect for 25 of Italy's 27 monitored cities as high humidity and temperatures exceeding 40°C persist through Wednesday. Weather forecasters indicate that the intense heat wave is expected to last until at least August 9.

The severe drought is causing widespread disruption across Europe, with continental damage estimated at €3 billion. In Romania, military forces detonated submerged rock formations along the Danube to redirect river currents and maintain essential cooling water supplies to the Cernavodă nuclear facility.

Meanwhile, persistent high temperatures are driving shifts in domestic Italian travel. Alpine and high-altitude destinations recorded nearly 7.8 million summer visitors, marking a 14.4% increase as travelers seek refuge from urban heat.

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

Russian authorities have officially attributed a fatal explosion at a central Moscow restaurant to Ukraine, raising the reported death toll to five. Reports indicate the target of the August 1 attack at the Balzi Rossi restaurant was General Alexander Chaiko, who was celebrating his birthday at the venue located near the Kremlin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry categorized the blast as a terrorist act, explicitly pointing blame at Kyiv prior to the conclusion of official law enforcement investigations. Earlier reports from local emergency services had cited three fatalities and at least 21 injuries following the detonation of an explosive device allegedly carried by a female suspect.

Separately, Ukrainian drone strikes on major logistics centers belonging to Wildberries have prompted the Russian government to consider financial assistance for the major e-commerce retailer to shield lower-income consumers from supply disruption.

Sources: Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS.