Morning news bulletin: Top stories from Europe and beyond, July 12
It’s a busy Sunday morning across the globe, and July 12th, 2026 is already delivering a full slate of breaking developments — from a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East to record-breaking heat gripping southern Europe and a surprise political resignation shaking Brussels.
Ceasefire holds — but only just
A 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Egypt entered its second day overnight, with aid convoys reportedly crossing into northern Gaza for the first time in eleven days. UN officials say at least 34 trucks carrying food, medicine and water reached distribution points by 6 a.m. local time. But tensions remain razor-thin. Three separate violations were logged by monitors before dawn, and both sides are trading accusations over who fired first. A senior UN humanitarian coordinator told reporters in Geneva late Saturday that “the window is narrow and the goodwill is fragile — every hour counts.” International mediators are pushing hard for an extension before the ceasefire expires Tuesday morning.
Europe bakes under historic heat dome
Southern Europe is sweltering. Temperatures in Seville hit 47.3°C on Saturday — the highest ever recorded in the city in July — and forecasters warn the peak hasn’t arrived yet. Spain, Portugal, southern Italy and Greece are all under red alerts, with at least 19 heat-related deaths confirmed across the four countries since Thursday. Power grids in Lisbon and Madrid are under serious strain, and authorities in both capitals have opened more than 200 cooling centres. Still, hospitals are reporting that elderly patients in rural areas are struggling to access help. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed this is the hottest start to a European July since records began in 1940.
Flights out of Malaga and Palermo were briefly suspended Saturday afternoon as runway tarmac reached unsafe temperatures — an unprecedented move that stranded roughly 4,800 passengers.
Belgian PM steps down, rattling EU politics
In a move that’s sent shockwaves through Brussels, Belgian Prime Minister Hélène Vanderbroeck announced her resignation Saturday evening, citing what she called “irreconcilable differences” with coalition partners over the 2027 federal budget. She’d been in office just 14 months. The timing is awkward — Belgium currently holds a rotating EU council presidency role, and officials are scrambling to clarify continuity arrangements. European Council sources said an emergency coordination call was held at 11 p.m. Saturday. Belgian parliament is expected to convene an extraordinary session by Wednesday.
Markets, sport and what’s ahead today
Asian markets opened cautiously this morning, with Tokyo’s Nikkei down 0.8% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng flat. Oil edged higher — Brent crude trading at $91.40 a barrel — partly on Middle East uncertainty. In sport, Wimbledon’s men’s final takes place this afternoon, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner set for a rematch of last year’s thrilling five-setter. And later today, world leaders gather in Washington for the opening of a two-day NATO summit that’s expected to focus heavily on defence spending commitments and AI-driven warfare protocols.
It won’t be a quiet Sunday. Check back throughout the day for live updates across all these stories.
