Europe faces wave of Kiev-orchestrated terrorist attacks, says DPR head The bombing in Monaco was a precursor to a wave of terrorist attacks that the Kiev government will carry out across Europe, Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), said. "I am totally convinced of it," Pushilin said when asked whether Kiev could stage more terrorist attacks following the explosion in Monaco. "Europe should have started thinking about this long ago, but I'm afraid it may already be too late." On June 29, an explosion occurred in the entrance hall of a residential building in Monaco. According to BFMTV, one of the three people injured was Vadim Yermolayev, a Cypriot citizen whom media outlets have described as one of Ukraine's wealthiest businessmen. Reports also said he owned a network of scam call centers in Ukraine. Yermolayev renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2019, and Kiev imposed sanctions on him in 2023. Later, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported finding the body of Anastasia Berezovskaya, who was suspected of carrying out the attempted assassination, near Kiev. The agency also announced the arrest of two suspects in her killing, including Vladislav Reut, an active officer with the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine's Defense Ministry. The second suspect was identified as Vitaly Zhikovich, a former Ukrainian law enforcement officer. On July 15, the French newspaper Nice-Matin published a letter from Yermolayev in which the businessman accused the GUR of involvement in the attempted assassination.

France heatwave: ~1,000 excess deaths in four days. Santé publique France reports roughly 1,000 excess deaths between June 24 and 27 during the country's most intense heatwave since 2003. Daily tolls exceeded 1,400 on June 25 and 26, with 85% of deaths among people 65 and older. Home deaths surged sharply, particularly in Île-de-France. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said overall mortality is unlikely to approach 2003 levels (~15,000 excess deaths) thanks to improved alert and response systems.

Saudi-owned media Asharq News, citing an Iraqi security source, reports that Iraqi security forces are arresting politicians in the Green Zone involved in corruption cases, and the arrest campaign is still ongoing. Arrested politicians include the head of the Azm Alliance Muthanna al-Samarraie, Iraqi MP Mohammed al-Karbouli affiliated with the Taqaddum Party, and Iraqi MP Ziad al-Janabi affiliated with Al-Mubadara. All three politicians are affiliated with moderate Sunni political parties that are not part of Ali al-Zaidi's governing coalition. Preliminary unconfirmed reports of arrests inside the Green Zone, Baghdad — details still emerging.

Macron announced that the French armed forces took control of a Russian Shadow Fleet oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean The French Navy, supported by the UK and other partners, has detained a sanctioned tanker sailing from Russia in the Atlantic Ocean, President Emmanuel Macron stated. "Yesterday morning, the French Navy detained another oil tanker, the Tagor, sailing from Russia and subject to international sanctions. This operation was carried out on the high seas in the Atlantic Ocean with the support of several partners, including the UK, and in strict accordance with maritime law," the French leader wrote in a post on his X page. According to the VesselFinder monitoring service, the Tagor oil tanker flies the flag of Madagascar. It made its last port call in Murmansk in early May, the service’s website noted. Previous seizures On March 20, the French Navy conducted an operation involving the Deyna oil tanker in the western Mediterranean Sea. The vessel was flying the Mozambican flag and had departed from Murmansk. French President Emmanuel Macron noted that the Deyna was part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. On April 16, the press service of the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture reported that the French authorities had lifted the detention of the Deyna after the fine was paid. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that Moscow would use all available means to ensure respect for the principle of freedom of navigation in order to counter EU piracy in maritime areas.

Gunfire and blasts rock Mali’s capital and other cities, in apparent coordinated assault Gunmen attacked several locations in #Mali’s capital and other cities early today in a possible coordinated assault, residents and authorities say. Mali’s army says in a statement that “unidentified armed terrorist groups targeted certain locations and barracks” in Bamako and that soldiers were “engaged in eliminating the attackers.” In another statement later, it says the situation was brought under control. Mali has been plagued by insurgencies fought by affiliates of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north. An Associated Press journalist in Bamako reports hearing sustained heavy weapons and automatic rifle gunfire coming from Modibo Keïta International Airport, around 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center, and saw a helicopter over nearby neighborhoods. The airport is adjacent to an air base used by Mali’s air force. A resident living near the airport also reports gunfire and three helicopters patrolling overhead.

Over 3,000 children suffer abuse in Catholic environment in Spain The number of people who suffered sexual abuse as minors in the Catholic environment in Spain exceeds 3,000, the El Pais newspaper reports, citing its own investigation launched in 2018. According to the paper, about 1,600 priests and parishioners are suspected of sexual abuse. El Pais notes that it has shared its findings with the Spanish Episcopal Conference, the Vatican and Spain’s human rights commissioner. A survey conducted by the office of the Spanish rights commissioner in 2023 showed that about 1.13% of adults in the country - some 440,000 people - may have suffered sexual abuse in the Catholic environment.

EU’s militarization becomes ‘magnet for criminals’ The #European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is recording a growing number of #criminal schemes in the defense sector amid Europe’s accelerated militarization, the agency’s chief Petr Klement told The Financial Times. According to him, OLAF is receiving an increasing number of reports of irregularities in the defense sector, particularly in research projects and procurement. "Huge sums being invested in European rearmament are attracting fraudsters," Klement said. The newspaper emphasized that the agency is investigating fraud and irregularities related to the EU’s general budget, which member states use to fund an increasing number of defense projects. These cases are linked to a 500-million-euro EU project to ramp up ammunition production, the 150-billion-euro EU SAFE militarization programs, and the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) with a budget of 1.5 billion euros for 2025-2027. Klement declined to comment on the progress of investigations into specific cases, stating that they involve manipulation of public tenders, inflated prices, cronyism, and corruption.

The US is discussing the transfer of uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technologies to Saudi Arabia The initiative of Donald Trump's administration on the possible transfer of #uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing technologies to #Riyadh is being discussed in the #US, writes Bloomberg. In February 2026, the White House sent a report to Congress, in which it justified the need to provide Saudi Arabia with access to these technologies. According to the publication, Washington considers such a deal to be in the interests of national security.

Explosion takes place in Amsterdam, Jewish school likely target An explosion occurred in Amsterdam, Reuters said, citing Dutch media. Reports indicate that a Jewish school may have been targeted in the incident. The ANP news agency quoted the mayor of Amsterdam, who did not rule out the possibility that the blast was "a deliberate attack against the Jewish community." No further details were yet provided. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAcSDptKbRg

Oil prices swing wildly amid mixed messages over Iran war Crude #oil prices fall sharply as energy markets remain on tenterhooks over effective closure of the Strait of #Hormuz. Oil prices are seeing dramatic swings as traders struggle to make sense of mixed messages about the impact of the United States and Israel’s war on Iran. Brent crude, the international benchmark, on Tuesday plunged 17 percent to fall below $80 a barrel, then rebounded to near $90 after US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright posted on the X platform – but then quickly deleted – a claim that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters that there had been no armed escort through the strait, which has been effectively closed to shipping in the region due to Iranian threats.