Monday, 13 July 2026

According to Le Monde, around 500 soldiers from Germany, Australia, Canada, Romania, the United Kingdom, Poland and Ukraine took part in the parade. Macron announced joint coalition exercises in countries neighboring Ukraine and pledged to grant Kyiv a license to produce French SCALP cruise missiles itself, as well as to deliver fighter jets (Meduza, Daily Maverick). Politico Europe emphasizes the European partnership in building a missile defense of its own ("not just for Ukraine"). From a Russian perspective, Serbia's Politika mocks that in the Kremlin the Coalition of the Willing is called the "Coalition of Warmongers." Notably, Serbia's President Vucic was, as the first Serbian head of state, a guest at the parade, which Belgrade celebrates as geostrategic recognition. The sources range from Western-sympathetic to pro-Russian and dismissive.

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports fires in several Kyiv districts, including a burning warehouse; there was initially no information on casualties. The Russian Defense Ministry stated, according to Politika (state-aligned), that it had deliberately hit military factories in Kyiv. Moscow also reports that two sailors were killed in Ukrainian attacks on ships in the Sea of Azov and speaks of an "unprecedented" Ukrainian campaign against civilian vessels. Die Welt, in parallel, examines the use of increasingly autonomous Russian AI drones that identify targets on their own. The accounts of the warring parties are irreconcilable: Western and Ukrainian sources emphasize the shelling of residential areas, Russian ones the destruction of arms targets and their own civilian casualties.

Al Jazeera and the NYT report that parliament passed an amendment enabling the removal of President Sulyok, who was appointed under Orban. Head of government Peter Magyar, who had replaced Orban, defended the process as a necessary break with the old apparatus of power. Critics, including human rights groups, view the action as a problematic encroachment on the separation of powers. The sources (Gulf state-aligned and US center-left) report largely in sober, factual terms; a decidedly Orban-friendly counter-voice is missing from the selection, which makes the situation appear somewhat one-sidedly as a "clean-up."

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports that Darline Graham Nordone is taking over her deceased brother's seat for the remainder of the term. The AP uses the case for a debate about aging top politicians and a lack of health transparency. The pro-Russian Politika highlights that Trump explicitly rejected suspicions of Russian involvement in the death of the prominent opponent of Russia. Politico Europe examines the foreign policy gap that Graham, a vocal advocate of strikes on Iran and a close ally of Israel, leaves behind in Washington. The sources cover US, German and pro-Russian perspectives.

The Handelsblatt reports that the US State Department is openly examining means of pressure against the ICC and does not want to rule out any diplomatic options. The Guardian (center-left) portrays Rubio's push as an attempt to "smash" the global tribunal because it allegedly interferes in US military and law enforcement operations. The move fits into Trump's broader conflict with international institutions and his pressure on the press (NYT subpoenas). Critics see it as an attack on the rules-based order; supporters in the Trump camp regard the ICC as a threat to US sovereignty. The sources are predominantly critical of Washington.

Le Monde and the BBC report that Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian, was shot dead in his car by an ICE agent on Monday in Biddeford, Maine, apparently after a case of mistaken identity. It is the second death within a week, after a migrant was previously killed in Houston. Al Jazeera reports that Mexico's President Sheinbaum intends to formally file for criminal proceedings in US courts over the deaths of Mexican citizens in immigration operations. The conservative Welt reports soberly on the incident, while center-left sources (Le Monde, SZ) emphasize the escalation of ICE violence. The perspective of the US government remains thin in the selection.

Deutschlandfunk reports that Israel's parliament has passed a law that eases military service for the Haredim. The center-left Haaretz comments sharply: the "Torah study law spits in the soldiers' faces," and accuses the ultra-Orthodox of letting secular Tel Avivians die for the flag while they themselves remain in the yeshiva. The sources here are deliberately domestic Israeli and clearly critical of the law; a detailed defense from the religious camp is missing, so the picture comes out one-sidedly at the expense of the Haredim. The dispute hits Israel at a time when conscription is already strained by the ongoing state of war.

Der Spiegel and Die Zeit report that SPD foreign policymakers criticized Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) for his stance in the EU deliberations. The EU foreign ministers discussed sanctions against Israeli settlers and trade in goods from illegal settlements; Germany rejects such steps. The SPD politicians openly disagree and demand consequences regarding Israel's settlement policy. The sources are German and range from center-left to liberal (Spiegel, Zeit, Welt), and they mainly trace the rift within the coalition; Wadephul's official rationale features only briefly. The dispute reveals the growing tension between German solidarity with Israel and European pressure for sanctions.

The Financial Times reports that Vucic is urging the EU to admit the Western Balkan states as a bloc rather than individually; in the same newsletter, Spain's agriculture minister warns that the EU is doing too little to protect its farmers. The Serbian B92 (independent) highlights that Vucic was the first Serbian head of state to take part in the Paris military parade, which Belgrade celebrates as geostrategic recognition. The sources are thin and one-sidedly Serbian or Serbia-friendly; critical voices from the EU or from neighboring states on the Kosovo and rule-of-law question are largely absent, so EU accession here appears above all from Belgrade's perspective.

Roughly a fifth of the world's traded oil passes through the strait; the NYT calculates that the 20 percent toll could double transport costs. Trump ties the blockade to a demand that the wealthy Gulf states pay for their protection against Iranian attacks (Al Jazeera). The Berliner Zeitung and the AP stress the consequences for consumers: gasoline, gas and heating costs are likely to rise, and oil prices have already climbed by around nine percent. Critics see the levy as a legally questionable charge imposed on international waters; the AP also asks how difficult it actually is to keep the strait open militarily. The sources are broad (US, Germany, Gulf) but weigh Washington's cost-and-power perspective heavily; Iranian counterarguments are largely absent.

Al Jazeera and Reuters report Brent near 85 dollars at a monthly high because of the US-Iran fighting and the blockade announcement. The AP reports that oil prices jumped while AI-driven Asian stocks gave way. Reuters points to the upcoming US consumer prices: falling gasoline prices are likely to have dampened June inflation, but the newly reignited Iran war could undo the progress. Australian economists warn, according to the Guardian, that sustained attacks could drive oil above 100 dollars and make further interest rate hikes more likely. The sources are broad (Gulf, US, UK) and agree in their diagnosis that Hormuz is the central price driver; what remains disputed is how lasting it will be.

The state-run Global Times and Xinhua celebrate the half-year gain of 16.9 percent to over 25 trillion yuan, along with an import increase of 22 percent, as proof of China's opening and strength of demand; for the 15th Five-Year Plan, Beijing announces more imports for "balanced" trade development. The AP and the WSJ confirm the 27 percent jump in June exports, driven by AI demand. The Handelsblatt highlights that China's exports to Germany again rose strongly. At the same time, Global Times rejects German criticism: Chancellor Merz's accusation of an undervalued currency is "unilateral pressure." The sources span the arc from state-optimistic (China) to sober (US/Germany); doubts about the sustainability of the growth (weak domestic demand) remain underexposed in this selection.

Reuters and the Financial Times report that Son mocked critics of AI technology ("spitting upward") and puts the AI capital requirement from 2040 at five trillion dollars a year; he sees nuclear fusion as the key to the AI future. TSMC is likely, according to Reuters, to deliver its fifth record quarter in a row, and South Korea, according to the Handelsblatt, raised its growth forecast markedly, supported by the memory chip giants Samsung and SK Hynix. At the same time, an FT feature examines the flourishing black market through which advanced AI semiconductors reach China despite US export controls. The sources are predominantly economically liberal and share the growth euphoria; cautionary voices on the danger of a bubble appear almost only as the target of Son's mockery, which skews the picture optimistically.