Aug 13, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially rejected a 15-point United States peace framework for Gaza, insisting that Israeli forces will not pull out of the enclave until Hamas is completely disarmed. Addressing his cabinet on Sunday, Netanyahu directly targeted the American proposal, which Hamas endorsed in late July, stating that "Israel rejects the 15-point document."

The refusal underscores a growing diplomatic rift between Washington and Jerusalem, coming shortly after US President Donald Trump claimed major progress toward a negotiated settlement. Despite Netanyahu's uncompromising public stance and political pressure from far-right coalition partners ahead of Israel's October national elections, military operations in the territory have largely stalled under US influence.

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

Greek firefighters, supported by military units and specialized aircraft, are continuing efforts to suppress large forest fires near Megara and the Mount Cithaeron range west of Athens.

In Malta, court proceedings continued in the 2017 murder case of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, where her son testified regarding her investigations into corruption linked to businessman Yorgen Fenech.

In Croatia, the opposition Social Democratic Party launched a no-confidence motion against the coalition government following a public controversy involving hazardous waste disposal in Gospić. Meanwhile, recent findings from the Reuters Institute revealed that 63 percent of Croatian citizens regularly avoid news consumption, marking one of the highest rates internationally alongside Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix, Poslovni dnevnik

Moritz Schularick, president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), has criticized German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius for allocating substantial resources toward traditional military equipment rather than next-generation technologies. Schularick argued that committing military procurement funds through 2030 to conventional assets like tanks and frigates undermines the necessary modernization of the Bundeswehr.

The critique coincides with broader domestic political shifts and defense scrutiny in Germany. Recent polling indicates rising support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party relative to the main opposition conservative bloc, while investigative reporting continues to highlight historical compliance and export scandals across the nation's defense sector.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau

German authorities and NATO are investigating after an explosive-laden drone bypassed defense systems at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The unmanned device was secured near a Ukrainian Antonov cargo plane, prompting a temporary suspension of flight operations between August 4 and August 5 and forcing incoming aircraft to divert.

Security personnel disarmed the device using a specialized robot. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the incident as a "new dimension of threat" and warned of a potential "hybrid attack scenario." Investigators are examining possible Russian involvement, given the site's critical role as a logistics hub for NATO and Ukrainian aid.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, Economedia, HotNews, Ziarul de Gardă.

Extreme summer temperatures continue to affect Europe, prompting health warnings and breaking historical weather records. Italian authorities issued top-level red heat alerts across 27 major cities, including Messina and Reggio Calabria, as temperatures approaching 40°C are expected to linger for at least a week. Health officials advised citizens to stay indoors during peak hours following heat-related deaths.

In Central Europe, Austria recorded a preliminary national record high of 40.8°C in Stammersdorf, a suburb of Vienna. The reading surpasses the previous record established in 2013. Meanwhile, France and the United Kingdom are preparing for elevated temperatures alongside heightened risks of prolonged drought and severe wildfires as extreme weather conditions persist across the continent.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, DR, TV 2 Nyheter, VG (Verdens Gang)