Sep 7, 2026, 05:30 PM UTC

US and Iranian forces continue trading strikes around the Strait of Hormuz following recent American raids on Larak Island. U.S. President Donald Trump insisted the strategic waterway remains open and described Iran as facing severe difficulties, but state media in Tehran claimed attacks against six vessels and missile launches targeting an American aircraft carrier. An Iranian military source also dismissed U.S. assertions of thwarting mine-laying operations as "pure fantasy".

Meanwhile, reports indicate Iranian hardliners intend to leverage maritime pressure to enforce the full terms of a June memorandum, demanding an end to sanctions and the release of frozen assets. U.S. intelligence officials warned that Revolutionary Guard forces could escalate hostilities further.

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

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have heightened after the United States conducted its largest crude oil transport operation through the strategic corridor since the conflict began. Utilizing naval, aerial, and space assets, US forces successfully escorted the shipment while launching strikes against Iranian installations on Larak Island. Iranian forces responded by deploying rocket-launched sea mines to fortify their blockade.

Tehran announced that the waterway will remain closed until Washington meets specific conditions. Iranian demands include unfreezing blocked financial assets, lifting port blockades and oil export sanctions, and ceasing all military operations and threats across all fronts.

Prior to the conflict, approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil navigated the strait daily.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, RTP

Russian missile and drone strikes hit infrastructure across Kyiv, Odesa, and Chernihiv, while a strike on a Kryvyi Rih shopping center killed 15 people and injured over 130. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said the attack "shows the depravity of Russia," while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the United Nations to intervene. In response, Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian Lukoil refinery, as Moscow reported ongoing talks on prisoner exchanges.

Diplomatically, the United Kingdom authorized joint French-Ukrainian production of SCALP cruise missiles, prompting Kremlin warnings. Italy reaffirmed its stance against deploying troops to Ukraine and declined to join upcoming coalition exercises this autumn.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

Portuguese authorities are preparing to expand capacity at the nation's temporary migrant installation center in Porto, increasing total available spaces to 171 by September. Although this expansion enhances holding infrastructure, officials noted the total falls short of an earlier 300-bed objective. Meanwhile, International Organization for Migration data revealed a 78 percent drop in arrivals along the West African Atlantic route between January and April 2026, with 2,276 people reaching Spain, largely due to heightened maritime enforcement between Senegal and Mauritania.

In domestic affairs, law enforcement recorded more than 14,000 domestic violence incidents, averaging approximately 82 complaints per day across the country. Separately, a group of eight Afghan female refugees marked one year in Portugal after escaping Taliban restrictions on education, employment, and public life.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

Czech child welfare authorities recorded over 10,000 cases of abuse, neglect, or exploitation over the past year, marking a 20-year high. Annual removals of children from families reached 3,616. Experts from Centrum Locika noted that expanded preventive social services could prevent many family separations, while the Ombudsman's office highlighted a lack of clear intervention guidelines for social workers.

Simultaneously, state education reforms are drawing scrutiny. A seven-billion-crown initiative funded by the National Recovery Plan created more than 300 preschool groups, though critics warn that quality oversight remains insufficient. Additionally, the Ministry of Education is tightening rules on primary school deferrals, which previously affected one in four children. Ministry official Jan Černý stated that "half of them were unnecessary," as stricter medical criteria are set to take effect next year.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy.