Aug 11, 2026, 07:30 PM UTC

Rescue operations across western Colombia are continuing following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake centered near San José del Palmar. Military personnel and emergency teams have intensified efforts to locate survivors beneath collapsed structures, as casualty estimates continue to adjust.

While initial reports cited 20 fatalities, subsequent updates from regional reporting increased the death toll to between 132 and 164 people, with hundreds more injured. A national state of emergency remains in effect to accelerate aid distribution and provide temporary shelter. The deep seismic shock was also felt in neighboring Ecuador.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.

With three months remaining until the November 3 midterm elections, US politics is entering a critical period that could reshape the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. Voters will decide control of all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governorships, serving as a major test of Trump's standing ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle. Simultaneously, former Vice President Kamala Harris is planning a political return while offering sharp criticism of former President Joe Biden's previous bipartisan strategy.

On the diplomatic front, the Trump administration announced plans to close five overseas posts, including missions in Grenada, Japan, Indonesia, Canada, and Cameroon, as part of a State Department overhaul. Additionally, internal guidelines indicate that foreign media representatives seeking US visas must now submit public social media profiles for official background screening.

Sources: Avaz, CDM (Cafe del Montenegro), HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix.

Emergency services in Greece deployed aircraft and hundreds of personnel overnight to contain a major wildfire near Megara and Mount Cithaeron, west of Athens.

In Malta, trial proceedings continued against businessman Yorgen Fenech, who is charged with masterminding the 2017 car bomb assassination of investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia. Her son testified as court evidence highlighted her inquiries into corruption linking Fenech with government officials.

Meanwhile, political friction mounted in Croatia as the opposition Social Democratic Party initiated a vote of no confidence against the governing coalition. The move follows a high-profile hazardous waste scandal in Gospić. Simultaneously, data from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 revealed that 63 percent of Croatians regularly avoid news media.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix, Poslovni dnevnik

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has concluded a two-day visit to Belgrade for talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Discussions focused on mutual respect for territorial integrity, adherence to UN principles, and shared ambitions for European Union integration. Both leaders pledged not to obstruct each other's EU accession goals.

Vučić publicly confirmed that military cooperation was not discussed, expressing hope for an end to the fighting. Regional media noted significant political nuances surrounding the visit. Commentators highlighted domestic divisions within Serbia between pro-European and right-wing groups, alongside pressure from Western officials. Meanwhile, Russian media interpreted the talks as an effort by Vučić to secure Western approval prior to upcoming domestic elections.

Sources: Beta, Danas, HRT Vijesti, Klix, N1.

Ukrainian law enforcement and judicial authorities have announced developments in several war crime and treason cases.

In a landmark case, Ukrainian prosecutors have brought Russian soldier Serhiy Karpilovych to trial for allegedly raping a civilian woman over two months in the Donetsk region. Karpilovych, who was captured by Ukrainian forces in December, denies the charges, claiming the interactions were consensual.

Separately, Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation issued a notice of suspicion in absentia to a former border guard who deserted the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol in 2022 and subsequently joined Russian-aligned forces as a mortar commander.

Additionally, a court sentenced a 36-year-old resident of Lyman to 15 years in prison for high treason after finding him guilty of transmitting Ukrainian military positions to Russian forces.

Sources: Liga net, NV, Radio Svoboda, Slidstvo.Info, Ukrainska Pravda