The day was dominated by the World Cup semifinal between Spain and France, which consumed editorial attention from late afternoon onward. Spain's early penalty and 2-0 lead were covered extensively in live blogs, with outlets noting the match spoiled France's Bastille Day. Spain's victory and final berth became the top story by evening.
Earlier, the US-Iran conflict continued to generate headlines, with Trump reversing his Strait of Hormuz levy plan after one day and proposing an alternative. The Ahrtal flood anniversary prompted widespread reflection on reconstruction and trauma, while domestic stories included a police raid in Kiel, a knife attack in Schongau with extremist motives, and AfD internal chaos in NRW. The BKA warned of a 'Generation Z-Mafia,' and a failed Mossad operation in Iran was reported.