Aug 13, 2026, 07:30 AM UTC

Emergency responders and military personnel in western Colombia continue search and rescue efforts following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake. The tremor, centered near San José del Palmar at a depth of roughly 107 kilometers, caused widespread structural damage and was felt in neighbouring Ecuador. A national state of emergency remains in effect to facilitate relief efforts and provide shelter for displaced residents.

Casualty reports vary across outlets as recovery work continues. Moldova1 reported at least 164 deaths, while Digi24 and Ziarul de Gardă recorded 132 dead and over 500 injured. HotNews cited dozens of fatalities, and Adevărul initially reported at least 20 dead.

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

Greek emergency crews backed by military forces and aircraft continue fighting major wildfires west of Athens near the Mount Cithaeron region and Megara. Meanwhile, judicial proceedings in Malta progressed in the 2017 assassination of investigative reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia, as her son testified before a jury about her corruption probes involving businessman Yorgen Fenech. In Croatia, the opposition Social Democratic Party initiated a no-confidence vote against the ruling coalition over a hazardous waste controversy in Gospić. This political tension comes as new findings from the Reuters Institute show that 63 percent of Croatians routinely avoid news updates, placing the nation alongside Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey among the highest globally.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix, Poslovni dnevnik

A joint deal between the United States and Ukraine to co-produce Patriot air defense interceptors will not be finalized before this winter, according to US Envoy to NATO Matthew Whitaker. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Whitaker explained that while long-term missile manufacturing faces delays, Washington continues working with Kyiv and European partners to produce alternative air defense equipment.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes targeted logistics facilities across several Russian regions overnight, focusing on warehouses owned by Wildberries, Russia's major online retailer. Moscow Regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov confirmed that an attack near the capital left at least five people dead and ten others injured. Local authorities reported additional drone strikes against commercial storage sites in the Saint Petersburg and Tver regions, while Russia's Defense Ministry stated that multiple incoming drones were intercepted during the overnight barrage.

Sources: MIA (Media Information Agency), SDK, Sloboden Pečat

The U.S. Secret Service executed a covert security operation to evacuate former U.S. President Donald Trump from Turkey following a July NATO summit in Ankara, according to media reports citing officials and intelligence documents.

Prompted by intelligence pointing to a potential Iranian shoulder-fired missile threat against Air Force One, security personnel arranged a last-minute diversion. Reports indicate Trump was secretly moved—potentially using a catering cart for concealment—and transferred to an alternative military aircraft. Meanwhile, press members and White House staff boarded the official presidential aircraft to maintain the appearance of a routine departure.

Separately, Iranian diplomatic officials stated Tehran would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until Washington satisfies specific demands, responding to Trump's earlier comments comparing bilateral negotiations to a chess match.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, Flux24, HotNews, Moldova1

Three months remain until the November 3 midterm elections in the United States, presenting a major political test for President Donald Trump amid low approval ratings. Voters will decide all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governorships, shaping congressional control for the final two years of Trump's term.

Concurrently, former Vice President Kamala Harris is preparing a political comeback, publicly arguing that former President Joe Biden acted too leniently toward congressional Republicans.

In policy moves, the US State Department is shuttering five overseas outposts—including the embassy in Grenada alongside diplomatic posts in Japan, Indonesia, Canada, and Cameroon—to streamline operations. Furthermore, newly issued guidelines require foreign journalists seeking US media visas to make their social media profiles publicly accessible for official background screening.

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