Aug 12, 2026, 08:00 AM UTC

Former Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte defended his government's handling of the pandemic during a testimony lasting over three hours before a parliamentary inquiry commission in Rome.

Conte rejected allegations of wrongdoing regarding emergency measures, mask procurement, and lockdowns, insisting his administration acted lawfully throughout the crisis. During his statement, the Five Star Movement leader revealed he had submitted an anonymous document to Rome prosecutors concerning a 100-million-euro mask transaction involving JC Electronics, urging authorities to investigate potential counterfeiting.

Conte accused the governing coalition of using the panel as a political instrument against opponents. The hearing faced a four-hour delay due to parliamentary scheduling conflicts before Conte presented his detailed defense.

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

Efforts to restore maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remain uncertain as conflicting statements emerge from Washington and Tehran. US officials expressed optimism that an agreement to reopen the strategic waterway could be finalized within days, citing ongoing Qatari mediation. However, Iranian officials denied holding any direct talks with Washington.

Diplomatic progress faces further challenges after US President Donald Trump announced plans to demand financial compensation from Tehran for past overseas attacks and domestic crackdowns.

Concurrently, Iranian diplomatic spokesperson Esmaïl Baghaï stated that Iran and Oman approved technical coordinates for a new shipping route in the strait. Baghaï noted that "the geographical coordinates of the route planned by both parties have been approved," subject to no interference from third parties.

Sources: La Tribune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Libération, RTBF Info.

Overnight Russian strikes across Ukraine killed over 20 people and injured dozens, targeting the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions with missiles and nearly 180 drones. In the Kyiv region, coordinated bombardments killed at least 17 people and ignited widespread fires across the capital and its suburbs.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, shelling and drone attacks left five people dead, including three killed during a strike on a service station near Kryvyi Rih.

Concurrently, Russia's defense ministry claimed its forces captured the Donetsk settlements of Toretsk and Vasyutinske. Ukrainian authorities acknowledged fierce combat across the region without confirming any loss of territory.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă

Ukrainian officials have promised to investigate the crash of an explosive-laden drone near a strategic gas pipeline in northeastern Bulgaria, close to the Romanian border. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgii Tykhyi confirmed Kyiv is communicating with Bulgarian authorities, maintaining that Ukraine did not target its neighbor "deliberately."

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence stated that while the aircraft matches a model "largely used by Ukrainian armed forces," current evidence does not indicate an intentional strike on Bulgarian soil.

The incident occurred alongside an escalation in cross-border military action between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Recent reciprocal strikes across the conflict zone resulted in at least 14 fatalities, causing damage to energy infrastructure and populated regions.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération.