Iran
(Frud Bezhan – RFE/RL) Iran held an extravagant, weeklong funeral procession to mourn Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the war with the United States and Israel. The state-organized public events drew hundreds of thousands of people across the Islamic republic. But one man was conspicuous by his absence: Mojtaba Khamenei. The son and successor of Iran’s longtime leader, he was out of sight throughout the mourning ceremonies and rallies that ended on July 9. Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly wounded in the same Israeli air strike that killed his father and has not been seen in public since his succession in March. The no-show, experts say, has inflicted a further blow to Mojtaba Khamenei’s legitimacy and intensified questions about who runs the Middle Eastern country of some 90 million people. According to the authorities, he did not attend his father’s funeral because of security concerns. “His absence is politically significant because it underlines the central dilemma of the succession. Mojtaba can inherit the office, but not his father’s authority,” said Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. – What Mojtaba Khamenei’s Absence From Father’s Funeral Reveals About New Islamic Republic
Iran – US
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Iran warned that it would no longer be bound by a deal with the US aimed at ending the Middle East war if Washington’s violations of the agreement continued, state TV reported on Saturday. Referring to the deal struck with the help of Pakistani mediation, Tehran’s UN ambassador said in remarks in New York on Friday “that if the United States continues to violate its obligations under the Islamabad Understanding, Iran will no longer consider itself bound by its commitments under that understanding,” according to a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB. – Iran warns it will not be bound by deal with US if ‘violations continue‘
(Al Arabiya) Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the latest regional developments with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a phone call on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The two officials reviewed the recent regional escalation and stressed the need to support mediation efforts, resume talks between the United States and Iran, and contain tensions, according to SPA. – Saudi FM discusses US-Iran mediation in call with Pakistani counterpart
(Alex Raufoglu – RFE/RL) Senior US officials have said that Iran has privately acknowledged it made a mistake by attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and wants to resume negotiations with the Trump administration, while Washington is demanding Tehran publicly commit to keeping one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes open. But the prospects of that appeared in doubt on July 11, with Tehran issuing a statement attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowing “revenge” for the death of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the war with the United States and Israel. Meanwhile, Iranian representatives arrived in Oman for talks expected to focus both on bilateral arrangements for managing the Strait of Hormuz and on reviving US-Iranian negotiations. The US officials described the Oman meeting as a critical test of whether diplomacy can survive after this week’s confrontation in the Gulf. According to the officials, Iranian representatives told US interlocutors the attacks on commercial shipping were a mistake and said they wanted negotiations to continue. – US Demands Iran Statement That Hormuz Is Open, Tehran Vows ‘Revenge’ For Khamenei Death
Israel – Lebanon – US
(AFP/Al Al Arabiya) A US military delegation met with Lebanon’s army in Beirut to discuss the implementation of Israel’s withdrawal from a “pilot zone” in occupied territory, a Lebanese military official told AFP on Saturday. Under a framework agreement reached on June 26, Israel will gradually withdraw from areas of southern Lebanon where it has deployed troops to fight Hezbollah, the Iran-backed movement. – US delegation in Lebanon to discuss Israel ‘pilot zone’ withdrawal: Official
Russia – Ukraine
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Russia struck Ukraine with missiles, drones and guided bombs on Saturday, killing six people and wounding dozens of others, officials said. Missiles also hit the capital Kyiv, wounding 12 people including two children, according to the city’s mayor. – Russian strikes kill six in Ukraine, officials say
(Polina Moroziuk – The Kyiv Independent) The Ukrainian Nuclear Society has accused Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), of downplaying the personnel crisis at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The plant is located in Enerhodar, a town in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast. In a letter dated July 10, the group disputed Grossi’s statement that the loss of qualified specialists at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is “not a major issue” for nuclear safety. – Ukrainian industry group challenges Grossi’s assessment of staffing crisis at occupied nuclear plant
(Polina Moroziuk – The Kyiv Independent) Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 10 people and injured at least 80 others over the past day, regional authorities reported on July 11. Russia launched another overnight ballistic missile attack against Kyiv, injuring at least 11 people, including an 11-year-old boy, and damaging buildings across four districts of the capital, local officials said. – Russian attacks across Ukraine kill at least 10, injure at least 80
(Carlo Martuscelli – Politico) Ukraine’s military will organize a new force tasked with making incursions deep in Russian territory to degrade Moscow’s fighting capabilities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday night. The unit will have a “long-range, effectively global, impact on Russia,” the Ukrainian leader said in his nightly address. Ukraine’s increasingly capable drone strikes on petrochemical production facilities already are taking a toll on the Russian economy, which heavily relies on exports of fossil fuels. It’s gotten to the point that India — the biggest foreign buyer of Russian crude oil — will now export some of what it refines back to its country of origin. – Zelenskyy sets up new unit to strike deep into Russia – POLITICO
(Yevhenia Nazarova – RFE/RL) Viktor Hordiyenko recently saw two years of hard work literally going up in flames, when Russian forces attacked his fields with incendiary bombs. It was yet another huge blow to Hordiyenko, a farmer in Ukraine’s Kherson region who last year lost his father in a Russian drone strike — and this year has endured what he says is a massively upscaled Russian campaign to pound his country’s vital agricultural sector. “A hundred a day. This is not an exaggeration. A hundred drones a day. Shelling every day. They’re hunting us. They burnt 2,000 hectares of my wheat in a single night,” he told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service. – Russia Targets Ukrainian Harvest With Incendiary Bombs To Burn Crops
(Olya Ivleva, Kira Tolstyakova and Schemes – RFE/RL) RFE/RL has identified a Russian prison doctor whom dozens of Ukrainian former captives have accused of subjecting inmates to frequent physical and psychological abuse, sexual humiliation, and deprivation of medical care. The finding, which adds to growing evidence of violence and abuse against Ukrainian soldiers and civilians held by Russia during its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, is the result of a joint investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Schemes spoke to about 50 Ukrainians, mostly soldiers, who had been held at Correctional Colony No. 7 (IK-7) in Pakino, in the Vladimir region northeast of Moscow. They have returned home in prisoner exchanges conducted intermittently since Russia launched the full-scale invasion in 2022. – Investigation Reveals Identity Of Russian Prison Doctor Accused Of Abusing Ukrainian Captives
Ukraine’s Crimea
(Timofei Rozhanskiy – RFE/RL) Ukrainian drone strikes have hit nearly all the bridges to Crimea and launched a blitz on shipping in recent days, leaving the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula cut off from fuel supplies and its tourist industry devastated at the height of summer. The relentless campaign continued overnight into July 11 with a Ukrainian attack on four vessels in Taganrog Bay on the Sea of Azov, Russian authorities said. Ukraine’s drone chief, Robert Brovdi, has reported some 50 strikes in five days — figures which can’t be confirmed independently but appear to be borne out by the fuel crisis in Crimea. “Fuel has become increasingly scarce. There’s practically none left. There used to be some sold under the counter,” said Oleksandr Liev, tourism minister in the Crimean autonomous government that existed before Russia seized the region in 2014. “Sometimes something would show up at gas stations…fuel would sometimes appear at exorbitant prices. Over the past day, fuel hasn’t appeared anywhere, not even at exorbitant prices. Sales under the counter are also becoming less frequent,” he told Current Time on July 10. – No Gas, No Lights, No Comms, No Tourists: Ukraine’s Crimea Blockade Starts To Bite
West Bank
(Oren Liebermann – CNN) Four settlers were arrested after an attack on CNN and other journalists in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, according to Israeli Police. The journalists were near the village of Sinjil north of Ramallah for the one-year anniversary of the killing of Saif Musallet last July, a Palestinian-American who was beaten to death by Jewish settlers. Within minutes of arriving at the location where Musallet was killed, Israeli settlers descended on the area. As the CNN team and other journalists tried to leave, a group of four settlers blocked the road with their car and tried to keep the vehicles from moving forward. The four settlers were wielding wooden and metal rods and stones. One settler brandished a knife and tried to puncture the tires of CNN’s vehicle. The settlers then began to jump on the vehicle behind CNN’s — carrying another group of journalists — and smashed the windshield of that vehicle. Another group of settlers tried to block a separate exit route before chasing the journalists towards the town of Sinjil. When police officers and Israeli soldiers arrived at the scene, police say they arrested four suspects before locating their vehicle nearby. They seized clubs and a knife from inside the vehicle, police said. “The Israel Police and the (Israel Defense Forces) view any manifestation of violence or causing damage to property very seriously, especially when it concerns media personnel performing their work,” police said in a statement. – Four settlers arrested in attack on journalists, including CNN, in West Bank | CNN
World’s Modern Populists
(Stephen Collinson – CNN) The world’s modern populists are discovering a common trait that seems to serve them more than the voters they claim to champion. When scandal strikes, it’s just fresh evidence of their self-fulfilling prophecy that a shady cabal of “deep state” elites bent on suppressing democracy is out to get them. On both sides of the Atlantic this week, politicians seemed to ask themselves WWTD: What would Trump do? In Maine, former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner blamed the collapse of his campaign over allegations of sexual assault and dating violence, which he denies, on distant party grandees plotting to kill his progressive movement. In Britain, Brexit leader Nigel Farage quit his parliamentary seat amid questions over his personal financing that he dismissed as an “establishment” ruse. He will put the question of his conduct to “the people” in a special election that has taken on a surreal turn, since his chief opponent may be a man dressed as a trash can. And in France, far-right leader Marine Le Pen said she will run for president next year wearing an ankle monitor after her conviction was upheld in a case in which Le Pen, her National Rally party and 11 senior members were convicted of embezzling millions of euros of public funds to pay party workers in France. Echoing Trump, Le Pen brands the accusations as a “chasse aux sorcières” — a witch hunt — by state authorities. The populists’ intoxicating implication is that their own difficulties only prove their case: that they are proposing such a radical reordering of political power that nefarious official forces will stop at nothing to bring them down. In some cases, allegations of wrongdoing can even bolster a populist’s reputation as a breaker of political rules. – Analysis: Populist politicians take a page out of Trump’s playbook | CNN Politics
Defense
(Michael Marrow – Breaking Defense) An arm of US Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin and specialist firm nLIGHT Defense have been selected to lead development of high-energy lasers the US military expects can defend against drones and eventually cruise missiles, the Pentagon announced. In a press release on Thursday, the Defense Department said that the two companies’ contracts for the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) program would come with a starting value of $86 million, which could be raised to a total ceiling of $847 million. The announcement did not specify a period of performance or the timeline for developing prototypes. The release says that “initial” prototypes will carry 150 kilowatts of power for meeting unspecified “urgent operational demands” — likely the counter-drone mission. Prototypes are then planned to scale the 300-500 kW range “for robust cruise missile defense,” the release says. – Pentagon picks Lockheed, nLIGHT for laser defense project – Breaking Defense
Tech World, Security, and Surveillance
(DigWatch) African policymakers, civil society leaders, academics, and technology experts used a WSIS Forum 2026 session to argue that the continent already has the strategies needed for digital transformation but now faces a more pressing challenge: implementation. Organised by the Africa ICT Alliance (AFICTA) and Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the discussion focused on how the WSIS+20 outcome document can help translate global digital commitments into practical action across Africa. Speakers repeatedly stressed that digital transformation requires more than policy declarations. They called for coordinated investment, stronger digital infrastructure, measurable outcomes, and greater collaboration among governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society. Throughout the session, participants returned to a common message that Africa’s digital future will depend not on adopting more strategies, but on delivering tangible results. – Africa urged to turn WSIS+20 commitments into measurable digital progress | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) AI is forcing educators to rethink not only how students learn but also what skills matter most in the digital age, speakers concluded during a WSIS Forum 2026 session on the future of education. Participants from academia, international organisations, aviation, and student communities agreed that while AI can enhance learning, it cannot replace the human qualities that underpin creativity, critical thinking, and meaningful knowledge creation. Moderated by Hao Liu, the discussion explored how education systems should evolve as AI becomes increasingly integrated into classrooms and workplaces, drawing on both European and Chinese perspectives on learning. – Experts at WSIS Forum 2026 call for rethinking education in the AI era | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Canada and the Republic of Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between their respective Artificial Intelligence Safety Institutes (AISIs) to strengthen cooperation on AI safety and the governance of frontier AI systems. The agreement aims to deepen collaboration on AI risk assessment, evaluation methodologies, measurement science and the development of internationally interoperable safety standards for frontier AI. The partnership establishes a framework for exchanging information on AI technologies, emerging risks, testing methodologies, evaluation tools and governance approaches. The two institutes will also work together to advance internationally recognised methods for evaluating frontier AI models while identifying new areas for cooperation. – Canada and South Korea strengthen AI safety cooperation through new agreement | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The European Commission has launched a targeted consultation on data sovereignty, seeking feedback on challenges affecting EU organisations, cross-border data flows and strategic data dependencies. The consultation targets stakeholders across the data value chain and a range of economic sectors. It seeks input on data-related dependencies, including barriers to accessing or using data in third countries, obstacles to transferring data into the EU, and risks associated with third-country access to sensitive data. – European Commission launches consultation on data sovereignty | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for faster progress towards high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, arguing that innovation should become the primary driver of China’s modernisation. Speaking at the national science and technology conference in Beijing, Xi described the 2026–2030 period as critical to achieving China’s goal of becoming a global science and technology leader by 2035. – China calls for greater self-reliance in science and technology | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted new guidelines on anonymisation, web scraping for generative AI, and the use of blockchain technologies under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The measures aim to provide organisations with greater regulatory clarity while protecting individuals’ personal data rights. The anonymisation guidelines set out criteria for determining when data can be considered anonymous, focusing on whether individuals can be isolated, linked to other datasets or reidentified through inference. The framework is intended to help organisations assess when data can be used without identifying individuals. – EDPB adopts GDPR guidance for AI, blockchain and anonymisation | Digital Watch Observatory
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Socket’s security research team started with the investigation of a single malicious Go module: github[.]com/kaleidora/dnsub-scanning-tool, which presented itself as a DNS and subdomain scanning utility. Pulling on that thread exposed something significantly larger: a network of 222 confirmed GitHub repositories across 190 accounts, all built to make malicious or deceptive software projects look active, recently maintained, and worth running. Socket tracks the operation as Muck and Load, named after the Muck-themed infrastructure it runs on and the staged loading chain it uses to deliver malware. The confirmed payload set found across these repositories includes trojan loaders, Vidar infostealer, dropper and spyware payloads, and Monero cryptominers tied to XMRig. This wasn’t a collection of empty lure pages. Some repositories directly distributed malware. – 222 GitHub Repositories Linked to Fake Go Package Malware Operation
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) A U.S. court sentenced former ransomware negotiator Angelo Martino, 41, to 70 months in prison for conspiring with the BlackCat ransomware gang. While negotiating on behalf of five victims, he secretly shared confidential information about their strategies and willingness to pay with the attackers. Prosecutors described him as a “double agent” who helped maximize ransom payments while profiting from the criminal operation. “Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, was sentenced today to 70 months for his role in conspiring with Blackcat/ALPHV (BlackCat) actors to extort multiple victims, as well as conspiring with other former cybersecurity professionals to attack additional victims in 2023.” reads the press release published by DoJ. – Former Ransomware Negotiator Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Secretly Helping BlackCat Gang
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) In October 2025, Microsoft’s threat intelligence team identified destructive wiping activity inside compromised environments and traced it to a previously unknown piece of malware they’re now calling GigaWiper. The malicious code is written in Go, it combines a command-and-control backdoor with multiple built-in destruction capabilities, and it was assembled by taking code from at least three older malware families and merging them into one implant. Efficient, if attackers aim at destroying the target systems. “The consolidation of multiple destructive capabilities into a modular backdoor reflects a notable shift in wiper malware, which are typically designed purely to destroy rather than to extort and carry real-world consequences.” reads the report published by Microsoft. “GigaWiper exemplifies threat actors investing in operational efficiency, merging standalone tools into unified platforms that reduce their deployment footprint while expanding their destructive capabilities.” – GigaWiper Merges Three Malware Families Into One Destructive Backdoor
(DigWatch) Experts at the Accademia delle Scienze di Torino discussed how AI could strengthen crisis and emergency management while warning that its deployment raises challenges around data quality, public trust, human oversight and digital sovereignty. The discussion framed AI in crisis management as a governance challenge rather than simply a technical opportunity. Speakers examined issues including data quality, AI testing, digital sovereignty, misinformation, education and skills shortages. Participants agreed that evaluating AI during real-world emergencies remains difficult because every crisis is unique and reliable benchmarks are hard to establish. Several speakers argued that effective deployment will depend on public trust, digital literacy and clear accountability. – Turin forum explores AI for crisis management | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified geopolitical tensions and rapid technological development as two of the main forces shaping the global economy. According to its latest World Economic Outlook Update, global growth is projected to reach 3.0% in 2026 before rising to 3.4% in 2027, with investment in AI and digital technologies supporting economic activity despite continued geopolitical uncertainty. The report identifies AI as an increasingly important source of productivity growth and investment, particularly for economies integrated into technology supply chains. Countries involved in AI hardware, digital infrastructure and advanced technology exports are expected to benefit from rising demand. – IMF sees AI supporting global economic growth | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Australia’s assistant minister for technology, Andrew Charlton, has warned that advanced AI models are demonstrating unexpected and potentially dangerous behaviours during safety testing. Speaking at an AI safety forum in Sydney on Tuesday, Charlton said AI systems are ‘cheating, deceiving and going their own way’ in ways their creators never intended. Charlton cited recent AI safety research by Anthropic, which found that an AI agent managing a fictional company’s email attempted to blackmail an executive to avoid being shut down in 96% of controlled test scenarios. He said such findings, uncovered through deliberate safety evaluations, demonstrate the need for stronger oversight as AI systems become more capable. Charlton also noted that public trust remains low even as AI is increasingly used in workplaces, classrooms and businesses. – Australia warns of unexpected AI behaviour during safety testing | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Researchers at Stanford University say AI is transforming scientific discovery by helping scientists analyse complex data, generate hypotheses and design experiments more quickly than traditional methods allow. AI is increasingly being used across fields such as biology, medicine, engineering, and astrophysics to overcome limitations linked to time, resources, and data complexity. In biology and medicine, AI is helping researchers analyse genetic data, predict biological patterns and develop advanced models for studying disease. Stanford researchers also point to progress towards AI-powered virtual cell models that could accelerate drug discovery and support more personalised healthcare. – Stanford researchers explore AI’s growing role in scientific discovery | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The European Commission has published an Action Plan to address the cybersecurity risks and opportunities created by advanced AI models. Released on 7 July 2026, the initiative sets out a coordinated approach to strengthening Europe’s cyber resilience as AI capabilities continue to advance. The Action Plan brings together member states, industry and EU institutions to coordinate responses to AI-related cybersecurity challenges. Rather than introducing new legislation, it builds on the EU’s existing regulatory framework while adapting it to risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems. – EU unveils AI cybersecurity Action Plan | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) HM Treasury has published a report arguing that cyber resilience in financial services should be treated as a strategic capability rather than simply a compliance requirement or technical cost. The report, The Value of Resilience: Cyber Resilience in Financial Services, brings together evidence on the economic and operational value of resilience, focusing on the growing impact of cyber disruption across the financial sector. The report argues that cyber risk has intensified as financial institutions become more dependent on digital infrastructure, third-party providers, cloud services and shared technologies. It cites the Bank of England’s 2026 H1 Systemic Risk Survey, in which 82% of UK banks, insurers and asset managers identified cyberattacks as one of the financial system’s a top five risks. – UK Treasury highlights economic value of cyber resilience | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has launched a review of how generative AI search services use news content, examining concerns over unauthorised use of articles and compensation for publishers. The survey will gather information from around 370 domestic news organisations, including newspapers, publishers, broadcasters and news agencies. The review will also include discussions with major technology companies, including Google and LY Corp. Regulators want to understand how AI-powered search services access, display and potentially monetise news content produced by publishers. – Japan reviews AI search use of news content | Digital Watch Observatory
