Aug 18, 2026, 09:00 AM UTC

German security agencies are examining over 100 instances of suspected foreign state-backed sabotage and espionage, according to investigative inquiries across federal states. Incidents include drone incursions near military sites, suspicious activity around logistics and transport hubs, and disruptions to rail infrastructure.

Concurrently, authorities report intensified online disinformation operations ahead of upcoming regional elections. Covert networks are deploying manipulated videos and deceptive websites to discredit candidates and mainstream parties—including the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Greens, and Free Democratic Party (FDP)—while leaving the Alternative for Germany (AfD) largely untouched. Security officials warn that these combined hybrid methods aim to polarize public discourse and erode trust in democratic institutions.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, FAZ, Handelsblatt

Emergency rescue teams and military personnel in Colombia are continuing search operations following a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the country's western Pacific region.

Casualty figures have risen as responders access damaged areas, with media reports indicating between 132 and 164 fatalities and more than 500 people injured. The tremor, centred near San José del Palmar at an estimated depth of 107 kilometres, brought down dozens of buildings and was felt across the border in neighbouring Ecuador.

Colombian authorities have declared a national state of emergency while emergency crews race to locate survivors believed to be trapped beneath debris. Officials caution that the casualty count may increase further as search operations continue and emergency shelters are established for displaced residents.

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

Ukrainian forces have revealed significant territorial advances along the Oleksandrivka axis following months of operational silence, marking their largest recorded gains since late 2022. Long-range Ukrainian strikes also targeted the Russian naval port of Novorossiysk, hitting two missile frigates.

Concurrently, newly appointed commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapatyj has initiated wide-ranging reforms to restructure the military's command hierarchy and dismantle entrenched patronage networks. The internal reorganisation coincides with remarks from former commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who stated Ukraine will not join NATO due to the alliance's outdated operational doctrines.

On the domestic front, the Security Service of Ukraine reported disrupting dozens of assassination plots orchestrated by Russian intelligence operatives, who allegedly deployed fraudulent online dating profiles to lure and target Ukrainian soldiers.

Sources: Deník N, Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, Respect, Seznam Zprávy