Aug 12, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC

Hungary's opposition Tisza Party parliamentary faction convened on Saturday to select its nominee for the upcoming presidential election. Faction leader Andrea Bujdosó stated that lawmakers aim to choose a candidate from a shortlist of three individuals ahead of the official submission deadline at 10:00 AM on Monday.

The parliamentary vote for the presidency is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11. The position has been vacant since July 20, when former President Tamás Sulyok's term concluded following recent constitutional amendments. The party has not publicly disclosed the names of the prospective candidates under consideration.

Sources: 444, HVG, Telex

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected the 15-point Gaza peace framework proposed by US President Donald Trump, declaring that military forces will not pull back until Hamas is completely disarmed.

Addressing his cabinet, Netanyahu stated that "Israel rejects the 15-point document" previously accepted by Hamas, stressing that operations against security threats would continue. The announcement follows a recent slowdown in Israeli airstrikes under American diplomatic pressure.

Ahead of Israel's upcoming general election on October 27, Netanyahu faces growing political friction, balancing pressure from far-right coalition partners opposing concessions against Washington's push for a diplomatic resolution.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

Ukraine's military is undergoing internal restructuring following the appointment of Mychajlo Drapatyj as chief of the armed forces, aimed at resolving long-standing management bottlenecks. Meanwhile, former commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi remarked that Ukraine "will never join" NATO, arguing the alliance relies on outdated strategies unsuited for 21st-century warfare. On the intelligence front, the Security Service of Ukraine reported disrupting dozens of Russian assassination plots targeting service members recruited through fake social and dating profiles. Concurrently, defense analysts warn of severe operational pressures ahead of winter, citing Russia's increased production of ballistic missiles and the expanded deployment of jet-powered Geran-4 drones against Ukrainian positions.

Sources: Deník N, Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, Respect, Seznam Zprávy

Escalating military action in Middle Eastern waterways has heightened economic uncertainty as diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain stalled. Houthi rebels launched missile strikes against commercial vessels near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, causing fatalities aboard a Liberian-flagged cargo ship. The attack follows US military action in the Gulf of Oman targeting a container vessel accused of breaching naval restrictions.

Diplomatic discussions regarding the June memorandum have stalled. Iranian hardliners are using transit restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz to demand sanctions relief and unfrozen assets. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump asserted that American forces maintain control over the passage, stating, "I don't trust Tehran." The ongoing disruptions have triggered a fresh surge in global crude oil prices.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica, Shipping Italy

A surge in long-range aerial strikes between Russian and Ukrainian forces has resulted in dozens of civilian casualties and widespread damage across multiple regions.

Russian ballistic missiles and drones hit targets across Ukraine overnight, including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv. Local officials reported at least 17 fatalities and 44 injuries in the Kyiv region alone, alongside five deaths in Zaporizhzhia and two in Kharkiv.

Concurrently, Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes into Russian territory. The attacks targeted facilities belonging to e-commerce firm Wildberries, setting fire to a warehouse in Saint Petersburg and causing at least five deaths at a site in Moscow. A separate strike in Belgorod killed three people.

Along the frontline, soldiers described an unpredictable grey zone dominated by constant drone surveillance, where exposure frequently results in lethal attack.

Sources: 8 Sidor, Dagens Industri, Dagens Nyheter, SVT, Svenska Dagbladet