News in brief: Partial halt to US arms exports to Ukraine

The US Department of Defense has suspended the delivery of certain weapons systems to Ukraine . A spokeswoman for President Donald Trump confirmed this to the news agency AFP. She said the decision was made to put America's interests first.

Media had reported internal concerns that US stockpiles were too low. According to the report, the delivery stop affects missiles for Patriot air defense systems, as well as precision artillery and grenades. Trump's predecessor , Joe Biden, had promised Ukraine the corresponding weapons, which are crucial for the country's air defense.

Trump and Musk at war again

In the US, the dispute between President Donald Trump and his former advisor Elon Musk has flared up again. The backdrop is the US government's planned tax bill. It received a razor-thin majority in the Senate but must be approved again by the House of Representatives.

Musk sharply criticized the new regulation. The tech billionaire claimed the law would bankrupt the United States. Trump threatened to withdraw all government support for Musk's company and did not rule out deporting the South African. As a result of the dispute, shares of Musk's electric car company Tesla plummeted by more than seven percent.

Non-governmental organizations criticize Israel's aid to Gaza

More than 160 human rights and aid organizations – including Oxfam and Amnesty International – have issued a joint statement on the situation in the Gaza Strip . In it, they accuse Israel of systematically destroying the humanitarian system in the Palestinian territory on the Mediterranean . The criticism focuses on the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by Israel and the US, and the Israeli import blockade on the Palestinian coastal territory.

The organizations accuse Israeli soldiers and hired security forces of regularly firing lethal shots at civilians seeking aid at distribution points in the Gaza Strip. "In less than four weeks, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 4,000 injured simply for trying to access or distribute food," the international non-governmental organizations' statement reads. The GHF rejected the allegations.

Arrests at mass protest in Istanbul

Thousands of people demonstrated this evening in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul against the arrest and dismissal of their mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, 100 days ago. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, 42 participants were arrested for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and resisting security forces.

Social Democrat Imamoglu is considered Erdogan's most promising challenger. Imamoglu was remanded in custody in March on corruption charges. He denies the accusations. On Tuesday, more than 120 people were arrested in the opposition stronghold of Izmir in connection with corruption investigations.

Cooling after record temperatures in sight

Cooler air from the Atlantic will soon ease the heat wave in Europe . Before that, however, new record temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius are expected in Germany this Wednesday. The intense heat has already disrupted rail traffic in Germany and caused isolated forest fires.

Forest fires also broke out in Turkey and Greece . Heat-related power outages occurred in Italy . Traffic was restricted in the French capital, Paris, due to high ozone levels. Before the expected cooling, some regions in Western Europe are forecast to experience severe thunderstorms this evening.

Deutsche Post issues Scorpions stamps

The legendary German hard rock band Scorpions is being honored by Deutsche Post with a stamp series to mark their 60th anniversary on stage. The limited special edition is available now. It features four different motifs, including a scorpion and the peace sign, framed by the words "Love" and "Rock 'n' Roll."

The Scorpions are among the world's most successful German musicians. The band has sold more than 120 million records since its founding in 1965.

fab/ehl/AR/jj (afp, dpa, rtr, ap, kna)

This article was created at 9:30 a.m. (CEST) and will not be updated further.