Deutsche Welle

Aliko Dangote selected Lamu Island, Kenya, for a new refinery with projected capacity of 700,000 barrels per day after competition between Kenya and Tanzania. The project, potentially costing up to $17 billion, has drawn local support for job creation while raising questions about financing and execution. Deutsche Welle and AllAfrica provided the primary reporting.

US military strikes on Iran continued for a third successive period, with operations reported to last five hours and targets including port cities. Iran responded with ballistic missiles toward Jordan and Bahrain plus strikes on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump stated the US would control the Strait and impose passage fees while oil prices reached four-week highs.

US troops are scheduled to withdraw fully from Iraq by September 30 following a meeting between Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and President Donald Trump. The withdrawal coincides with plans for US companies to enter Iraq's oil, gas, and power sectors. Several statements on militia disarmament and exact meeting details lack independent verification across sources.

US Central Command initiated airstrikes against Iran on July 15, 2026, at 6 a.m. ET, targeting capabilities used to attack shipping. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded with threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and additional routes, while President Trump warned of further strikes on infrastructure if talks do not resume. Casualty reports and the status of a prior ceasefire remain supported by lower-quality sourcing.

A three-deck pontoon boat capsized Tuesday afternoon off Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, resulting in one confirmed death, three people missing, and 16 rescued along with the death of a dog. Responders from multiple agencies searched after an initial report of a fire that fire officials later said showed no evidence. The vessel's motor continued running and leaked fuel during the incident.

The annual Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées featured 6,500 soldiers, over 300 vehicles, and 500 troops from the Coalition of the Willing, including 25 Ukrainian soldiers and German units. The event began at 10:00 a.m. local time and was attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is in its fifth year.

U.S. Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian targets after Iran announced closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with fighting extending into a third weekend. Iran reported one death at an agricultural water pumping station and stated it remains in contact with mediators. Oil prices rose more than 4 percent at market open Monday.

Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi targeting Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As of July 14, 2026, he had reached the 17th day of the strike and lost more than 8 kg. The Cockroach Janta Party expressed concern over his health that evening.

The Trump administration installed new interpretive panels at the President's House site in Philadelphia's Independence National Historical Park on Wednesday morning under a 2025 executive order. The panels replaced 2010 exhibits that described the lives of nine enslaved people who resided there with George and Martha Washington during the 1790s when Philadelphia served as the U.S. capital. Sources confirm the changes but differ on certain details including prior court involvement.

Bastille Day on July 14 commemorates the 1789 storming of the Bastille, a key event in the French Revolution. The 2025 military parade in Paris featured attendance by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, with reported emphasis on support for Ukraine and participation by coalition troops. Coverage derives exclusively from left-center sources.

Ukraine's parliament accepted Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko's resignation on July 14 following her July 2025 appointment. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered a cabinet reshuffle and offered Svyrydenko a new diplomatic role. Ukrainian media identified Sergiy Koretsky as a possible successor.

Deutsche Welle and AllAfrica report violent disruptions at opposition-linked gatherings in Kisumu and Nyahururu, plus a June forum at Nairobi's All Saints Cathedral. Amnesty International Kenya stated that perpetrators confessed to acting on orders from government officials. IEBC Commissioner Moses Atulala warned in a Wednesday NTV interview that repeated criticism of the commission could undermine the August 2027 general election.

US forces carried out a third night of strikes on Iranian targets, with President Trump directing operations through CENTCOM and reinstating a blockade of Iranian shipping. Multiple claims regarding the timeline of hostilities, a prior ceasefire, and Iranian missile incidents rest on lower-quality sourcing. Coverage of the events derives exclusively from left-center outlets.

The World Health Organization reported that the Ebola outbreak centered in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is substantially larger than the official tally of nearly 2,000 cases and over 700 deaths. Official figures indicate the WHO received less than half of the requested $115 million in the first six months, while 20 cases were confirmed in Uganda. A majority of new infections are linked to unknown transmission chains.

Friedrich Merz stated during a Wednesday press conference that the US should not interfere in upcoming German state elections. The US State Department has launched a grant program offering up to $3 million to European groups addressing national sovereignty, migration, censorship, and lawfare. Merz's coalition holds approval ratings between 13% and 20%, with journalists focusing questions on the AfD.

US Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian air defense, radar, missile, and naval sites, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards stated they targeted facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan. Jordan and Kuwait reported intercepting missiles and aerial targets. The exchanges follow a February start to hostilities and a June memorandum between the US and Iran.

Ukraine reached agreement with Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom to form an anti-ballistic missile coalition. Russia summoned the German ambassador in Moscow on the same day the deal was announced. The ambassador had been scheduled to depart for a new posting in Israel.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing at the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris with over 20 European leaders, followed by separate talks and a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Parallel EU discussions addressed a 21st sanctions package against Russia, while France prepared measures over an alleged FSB-linked cyber campaign. Reports also covered Ukrainian drone strikes near Moscow, border developments with Belarus, and the absence of agreement on new sanctions.

A wildfire ignited Sunday in the Fontainebleau forest 60 km southeast of Paris, with four Canadair aircraft deployed to combat the blaze. Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle report conflicting figures on burned area and evacuations while agreeing on the use of aerial resources and the arrest of two suspects.

Verified reports confirm at least three deaths and strikes on the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions during a fifth consecutive day of Russian drone and missile activity. Injury counts remain disputed across outlets, while Ukrainian claims of naval strikes and Russian port targeting lack independent confirmation. Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv amid the reported escalation.