Top news clusters today

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, centered in Chocó. The disaster has caused hundreds of deaths and injuries, widespread building collapses, and prompted a national state of emergency.

Diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz have reached an advanced stage, but Iran maintains that reopening the waterway depends on U.S. concessions, including ending regional wars.

A Syrian court has sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Former security official Atef Najib was also sentenced to die

Iran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without the lifting of sanctions and war reparations, prompting President Trump to demand compensation for decades of Iranian-linked damages and casualties.

Turkey's Parliament has passed a landmark law aimed at achieving a 'Terror-free Turkey' by allowing potential sentence suspensions for certain PKK members if the group disarms and dissolves.

Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace plan, insisting that the Israeli military will not withdraw until Hamas is genuinely and completely disarmed.

President Trump signed an executive order reducing recommended childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 and calling for the separation of the MMR shot into three doses, drawing sharp criticism from the WHO and medical<

Donald Trump claims total U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran refuses to reopen the waterway until the U.S. lifts its blockade, unfreezes assets, and ends regional hostilities.

Copernicus reports record-breaking July 2026 temperatures, with extra-polar ocean temperatures hitting 20.96°C and Western Europe experiencing its warmest June-July period ever.

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026, establishing a mutual defense pact where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

President Zelenskyy warns that Russia is relying on North Korean troops and ballistic missiles to escalate the war, while also preparing for a mass mobilization following its September elections.

The Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo is spreading at record speed, with over 2,000 deaths and 4,400 cases reported. The WHO aims to reverse the trend within three months despite the lack of approved vaccines.

Oil prices are rising amid maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and a diplomatic impasse between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. strategic petroleum reserves have hit their lowest level since 1983.

Pakistan reports that the US and Iran have agreed in principle to extend their 60-day ceasefire beyond August 17, though Iranian officials have denied that any such negotiations are occurring.

A major cyberattack on medical software provider MyDr has leaked the sensitive data of nearly 19 million Poles, including medical records and PESEL numbers, in one of the largest breaches in Poland's history.

Turkey's Parliament passed a landmark law to facilitate the disbandment of the PKK, establishing a framework for disarmament and the reintegration of militants as part of a national peace process.

Iran has set six major conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including lifting U.S. sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and paying war reparations, complicating ongoing talks with Oman.

July 2026 was the second warmest July globally and the hottest on record for the contiguous US, marked by extreme heat, record ocean temperatures, and widespread drought across the Northern Hemisphere.

President Zelenskyy warns that 30,000–50,000 North Korean troops are being deployed to Russia, while also reporting North Korean missile use in Ukraine and a successful $12.2 billion Ukrainian logistics strike.

President Trump has proposed two paths for the Iran conflict: continued economic pressure to exploit Iran's 300% inflation or a major military offensive. He also intends to demand war compensation.

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Colombia has caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of missing persons, while the Puracé volcano remains under orange alert following recent ash and gas emissions.

The DRC is battling a record-breaking Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, with over 2,000 deaths. The WHO warns the virus began in February, outpacing response efforts amid regional conflict.

Iran released a video of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to counter reports that he is in critical condition following injuries sustained in February military strikes.

The Pentagon has ordered defense contractors to accelerate weapons production following severe depletion of Patriot and THAAD missile stockpiles during the conflict with Iran.

Former Guerrero Governor Ángel Aguirre Rivero has been formally charged with forced disappearance in the Ayotzinapa case, accused of ordering the destruction of security footage from 2014.

The death toll from Venezuela's June 24 earthquakes has reached 6,301. Authorities are assessing thousands of homes, while engineers call for updated seismic building codes to aid reconstruction.

New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $567 M for child‑safety harms, adds $420 M for treatment and mandates extensive youth‑protection measures; Meta will appeal.

The UN reports systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners and over 16,000 civilians held by Russia, with detainees reporting sexual violence, beatings, and electric shocks during an informal Security Council's.

Russia launched massive missile strikes on Ukraine, using North Korean and Zircon missiles to hit Zaporizhzhia and Kyiv. Ukraine seeks domestic Patriot missile production to counter increasing Russian missile's

A rare total solar eclipse crossed Greenland, Iceland, and Spain on August 12, 2026, drawing millions of viewers and prompting major security and fire prevention measures in the Iberian Peninsula.

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia's Chocó region has killed at least 254 people and left thousands missing. A state of emergency and national mourning have been declared as rescue efforts continue.

Spider‑Man: Brand New Day set a new domestic $500 M record in 7 days, earned $1.155 B worldwide in its first week, and hit Rs 336 cr net in India, aided by a BMW partnership and multiple premium formats.

Former Guerrero governor Ángel Aguirre Rivero has been arrested for allegedly ordering the destruction of evidence related to the 2014 disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa students.

Donald Trump confirmed he secretly swapped planes in Turkey using a catering truck to evade a credible Iranian assassination threat, using Air Force One as a decoy to hide his movements.

A drone carrying Semtex explosives targeted a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. US officials suspect Russian involvement, prompting Germany to expand its Federal Police anti-drone units.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a trilateral pact featuring a mutual defense clause similar to NATO's Article 5 to enhance regional deterrence.

A deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has surpassed 4,000 cases and 1,800 deaths, with a lethality rate of approximately 45% mirroring the fastest-foc

In August 1961, East Germany began constructing the Berlin Wall to stop the mass exodus of citizens to the West, creating a physical and political divide between East and West Berlin.

Iran and the U.S. face a diplomatic deadlock over a stalled interim peace deal, leaving the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route heavily disrupted and global energy security at risk.

Iran has rejected negotiations with the Trump administration, vowing to wait until 2029. The standoff involves massive compensation disputes and threatens the Strait of Hormuz, impacting global oil prices.

Houthi rebels have escalated attacks in Yemen, killing three Pakistani citizens in a Red Sea freighter strike and threatening the 2022 truce as regional tensions involving Iran and the U.S. rise.

Josh Kushner and Bob Iger have agreed to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $12.5 billion, marking the franchise’s second ownership change in just over a year.

Operation Mondragón, a joint Spain‑Ecuador‑Europol raid, seized 21 tonnes of cocaine, €1 million cash and arrested eight suspects, exposing a network that moved drugs via legitimate firms and Albanian financing

Vladimir Putin has threatened to seize European ships in retaliation for EU plans to sell cargo seized from Russia’s “shadow fleet,” calling the sanctions “piracy and robbery.”

The EU is implementing the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), introducing PFAS restrictions in food packaging and mandatory recycling and waste reduction targets through 2040.

Spider‑Man: Brand New Day posted a $360 M domestic opening, the biggest ever, and reached $1 B worldwide in six days, becoming the second‑fastest film to do so while setting records in dozens of markets.

Nvidia is partnering with six major Wall Street firms to launch financing platforms aiming to mobilize $500 billion for AI infrastructure, treating computing power as a new investable asset class.

President Zelenskyy warns that up to 50,000 North Korean troops may join Russia, while accusing Putin of planning a massive military mobilization following September's Russian elections.

Speculation mounts over the health of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei following reports of critical injuries. Iran released an undated video of him to counter claims of his incapacitation.