Aug 11, 2026, 05:00 AM UTC

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has voiced grave concern regarding a sharp rise in capital punishment in Iran, reporting at least 56 executions since mid-March. Türk stated that Iranian authorities utilize the death penalty to "instill fear in the population and suppress dissent," with executions primarily targeting political dissidents and drug offenders.

Simultaneously, a recent investigation into 231 femicide cases in Afghanistan exposed systemic impunity for perpetrators under Taliban rule. Following the 2023 dissolution of the attorney general's office, official tracking of violence against women ceased, allowing state institutions to mask the true scale of gender-based homicides.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

Russian drone and ballistic missile strikes against Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 17 people and injured over 40, according to Ukrainian officials. Fires and structural damage were reported across multiple locations following the overnight attack.

Concurrently, Ukrainian military intelligence reported that a North Korean missile unit equipped with up to six launchers and 120 ballistic missiles has begun deploying in Russia's Voronezh region. Ukrainian forces also recorded 233 combat engagements within 24 hours, with heavy clashes persisting around Pokrovsk and Kupiansk.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced upcoming leadership personnel reshuffles within the country's armed forces and defense ministry.

Sources: Mediazona, Point, Радіо Свобода, The Insider, Українська правда.

Rescue operations are ongoing across western Colombia following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake centered near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. The tremor struck at a depth between 82 and 107 kilometers, causing severe structural damage and triggering evacuations in major cities, including Bogotá and Medellín.

In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder reported that at least 20 buildings collapsed, leaving residents trapped under debris. Reported casualty figures continue to fluctuate as search and rescue teams clear affected sites; death toll estimates range from at least 47 to more than 80 people, with dozens of others injured. Authorities continue to assess the full extent of the destruction across urban centers.

Sources: Avaz, CDM, HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix

Ukrainian drone strikes across several Russian regions have caused multiple casualties and fires at commercial facilities. Officials reported seven deaths, including three children, when a drone crashed on a beach in Krasnodar Krai's Arkhipo-Osipovka, leaving approximately 40 people injured. In Moscow Oblast, drone strikes killed five people and injured at least ten others. Furthermore, intercepted drones over Leningrad Oblast set fire to a Wildberries logistics facility in Krasny Bor for a second consecutive night, injuring one person.

Concurrently, Russian aerial attacks hit Kyiv, resulting in nine deaths and 33 injuries. On the front lines, Russian troops achieved a tactical advance near Artelne in Kharkiv Oblast, while Ukrainian forces continued advancing toward Uspenivka in Donetsk Oblast. Additionally, Belarusian authorities are reportedly forming a new air assault brigade along the border with Ukraine.

Sources: France24, Mediazona, Point, The Insider, Радіо Свобода