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Ukraine: Russia launches largest ballistic missile attack since start of war

Ukraine has reported Russia's largest ballistic missile attack since the beginning of the conflict, according to Handelsblatt. Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces struck Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea. These strikes prompted a pipeline consortium designated as CPC in available sources to halt its oil-loading operations in the region. The full name and exact nature of this consortium could not be independently verified from available sources.

19 July 2026 at 10:08

World

Bangkok bar fire kills 34 from toxic smoke inhalation

A fire at a bar in Bangkok killed 34 people, according to the death toll announced on July 19, 2026. Autopsies of the victims determined that the majority died from inhaling toxic smoke. Following the fire, Thai authorities launched a comprehensive safety inspection campaign across Bangkok venues. The exact date of the fire and its cause have not been specified in available reports.

19 July 2026 at 09:03

World

Germany: Two dead and four seriously injured in head-on collision on A45

In the night of July 18-19, 2026, a head-on collision on the A45 highway near Florstadt, north of Frankfurt in the German state of Hesse, left two people dead and four seriously injured. A 34-year-old woman driving the wrong way collided with a 70-year-old man's vehicle. The man died at the scene; the woman died from her injuries at the hospital. Her 39-year-old husband and three children, aged 10-15, were all severely injured; the three children are in critical condition.

19 July 2026 at 09:03

World

Ferrari's 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell' Examines Migrant Exploitation in Abu Dhabi

Jérôme Ferrari has published 'A Very Brief Theory of Hell,' the second installment of his trilogy 'Tales of the Native and the Traveler,' which explores otherness. The novel is set in Abu Dhabi and contrasts the condition of expatriates—air-conditioned luxury overlooking mangroves—with that of migrant workers subjected to unnamed servitude. The narrator, a young French teacher from Corsica, flees boredom and self-disgust. An attack in Algiers forces him to leave Algeria with his partner Nardjess and their daughter Afsaneh to move to the Emirates.

18 July 2026 at 22:06

World

Gaza: Thousands rally in London demanding arms embargo from incoming PM Andy Burnham

Thousands of people marched in London on 18 July 2026 to demand that incoming British Prime Minister Andy Burnham impose an arms embargo on weapons supplied to Israel. Burnham, leader of the Labour Party, is scheduled to take office on 20 July 2026. Palestinian Ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot led the march. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also participated. Over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Al Jazeera.

18 July 2026 at 21:48

World

Grand Mosque of Paris: 100 Years, From Colonial Tool to Emancipation Tool

The Grand Mosque of Paris celebrates its centenary in 2026. Inaugurated in 1926 to honour Muslim soldiers who died for France during World War I, it has evolved into a key diplomatic instrument in Franco-Algerian relations over the decades. Historian Naïma Huber-Yahi, a contributor to a book about the institution, describes it as a 'colonial tool' destined to become 'an emancipation tool'. She shared these insights on France 24 on July 18, 2026.

18 July 2026 at 21:40

World

Ukraine: Protesters Target General Syrskyi After Defense Minister's Ouster

In Ukraine, protesters supporting the ousted defense minister have begun targeting General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, as of July 18, 2026. The protesters blame the general for conflicts he had with the dismissed minister during the latter's tenure. The defense minister's dismissal has thus reignited tensions surrounding Ukraine's military command. The identity of the defense minister in question has not been specified in available sources at this stage.

18 July 2026 at 21:27

World

Middle East: Two US soldiers killed in Jordan during Iranian strikes

Two American military personnel were killed on July 18, 2026 during Iranian strikes in Jordan, according to the Financial Times. On the same day, Iran reportedly struck Saudi Arabia for the first time in several months as part of escalating tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The incident underscores intensifying conflict over this critical waterway. Both reports stem from a single source and have not been independently verified by other media outlets or official statements from US, Jordanian, Saudi, or Iranian authorities.

18 July 2026 at 20:55

World

Deutsche Bahn Security Officer Ejected from Moving Train in Germany, Suspect Released

A 26-year-old Deutsche Bahn security officer was ejected from a moving regional train on the Offenburg–Karlsruhe line on July 17, 2026, during an altercation with a passenger refusing a ticket check. Found severely injured in the railroad area approximately 2 km further along, he was in critical condition at publication time. The 36-year-old suspect, already convicted of violence offenses and on conditional release, was arrested but released on July 18 after an Amtsgericht—a lower court in Germany—rejected the arrest warrant. Unions and Deutsche Bahn have condemned what they describe as an escalating wave of violence on trains.

18 July 2026 at 19:56

World

Israel: New Law Permits Nile Crocodiles for Prison Security; Ben Gvir Plans Deployment

An Israeli regulation that took effect Wednesday permits security entities to breed Nile crocodiles, potentially for use as prison security devices. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has proposed surrounding prisons housing Palestinian detainees with crocodiles, particularly at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel. The measure, signed by Environment Minister Idit Silman, transfers supervision of the animals from Israel's Nature and Parks Authority to security services—including the prison service that Ben Gvir directly oversees. The Authority opposes the plan.

18 July 2026 at 19:40

World

Deutsche Bahn Security Guard Pushed From Train: Arrest Warrant Sought

On the evening of July 17, 2026, a 26-year-old Deutsche Bahn security guard fell from a regional train traveling at approximately 120 km/h between Offenburg and Karlsruhe, Germany. A 36-year-old passenger involved in an altercation during ticket inspection was arrested that same evening. Found critically injured approximately 2 km from where the train stopped, the guard was hospitalized in critical condition. The prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant on charges of attempted manslaughter or grievous bodily harm. German railway unions are condemning what they describe as a deadly escalation in violence against railway staff.

18 July 2026 at 18:42

World

Black Bee of Ouessant: Breton Volunteers Protect an Endangered Species

Ouessant, the westernmost island in Brittany, shelters one of the last preserved populations of the black bee, a species once widespread throughout France and now classified as endangered. Volunteer beekeepers there monitor dozens of hives shielded from pesticides and intensive agriculture. The species displays increased resilience to climate variations compared to other bee species. A report by Floriane Zaslavsky for Le Temps, published July 18, 2026, documents this race against time.

18 July 2026 at 18:20

World

Cyclospora Outbreak in the US: Nearly 7,000 Cases in 34 States, a Historic Record

The United States is experiencing its largest Cyclospora cayetanensis outbreak—an intestinal parasite—ever recorded in the country, according to Nature magazine. Nearly 7,000 cases have been confirmed in 34 states, with approximately 200 people hospitalized. No deaths have been reported to date. Health officials have traced the contamination to pre-cut iceberg lettuce supplied by a Mexican producer and served at Taco Bell restaurants. Experts are raising alarms about the risks posed by weakening US health authorities.

18 July 2026 at 18:06

World

Hegseth Orders Annual Testosterone Screening for U.S. Military Personnel Aged 30 and Over

Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, ordered this week an annual testosterone screening for all active-duty military personnel and reservists aged 30 and over. The stated objective is to improve combat readiness, resilience, and soldier longevity. Any resulting treatment will remain voluntary, accompanied by medical counseling. Five of six male health experts interviewed by Reuters express concern, fearing unnecessary or harmful treatments. Four of them assert that no solid scientific evidence justifies such systematic screening to optimize combat performance.

18 July 2026 at 17:28

World

Britain's CPAC: London hosts a more restrained conservative summit than its American counterpart

On July 18, 2026, London hosted a British version of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). According to the New York Times, the event was notably more restrained and sober compared to its American counterpart. The British edition distinguished itself by the absence of flashy costumes and very limited references to Donald Trump. In contrast, the American CPAC is known for its exuberant celebrations of MAGA-affiliated causes and political movements.

18 July 2026 at 17:27

World

Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 Completes India's First Private Orbital Launch

On July 18, 2026, Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket successfully completed its first orbital test flight, placing its payloads into orbit at approximately 450 kilometers altitude. This marks the first time an orbital launch vehicle developed entirely by India's private sector has reached orbit. The solid-propellant light launcher represents a major milestone for India's commercial space industry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Skyroot Aerospace on the achievement, while the company announced the successful launch on the X platform.

18 July 2026 at 17:02

World

Iran strikes civil infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan

Iran has conducted strikes on civilian infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, according to France 24 and Le Monde. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's paramilitary force, claimed responsibility for the attacks as a response to U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure. The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which brings together six Arab monarchies including Kuwait and Bahrain, condemned the strikes as war crimes and a grave violation of international law. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi publicly embraced the retaliation logic on July 18, 2026.

18 July 2026 at 15:57

World

Jens Spahn Resigns as CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group Leader After Surrogacy Controversy

Jens Spahn, parliamentary group leader for the CDU/CSU at the German Bundestag, resigned on July 18, 2026, following explicit pressure from Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The crisis erupted on July 15, 2026, when Spahn and his husband Daniel Funke announced the birth of their son Georg, carried by a surrogate mother in the United States — a practice that is illegal in Germany and opposed by the CDU, a position Spahn himself had previously defended. Merz described the resignation as 'just and unavoidable.' Alexander Hoffmann (CSU) is serving as interim head of the group.

18 July 2026 at 15:57

World

Jens Spahn Steps Down as Head of CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group at Bundestag

Jens Spahn announced on July 18, 2026 his withdrawal from the leadership of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group at the Bundestag, the lower chamber of the German federal parliament, according to Zeit Online. Lower Saxony's CDU regional organization welcomed the departure in a statement, calling it 'consequent and necessary.' The party argues that a 'personal decision' by Spahn now prevents him from embodying the political credibility expected of such a position. The nature of this personal decision has not been specified in available sources.

18 July 2026 at 15:12

World

Kaiserslautern: Police halt nighttime driving lesson, two people under investigation

Police in Kaiserslautern, Germany, opened an investigation on the night of July 18, 2026, after halting a private nighttime driving lesson in the city's industrial zone. A 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man are the subjects of the inquiry. A witness alerted authorities after observing a vehicle making repeated back-and-forth movements in the area at night. Officers responded to the scene and ended the lesson.

18 July 2026 at 15:03

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