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.

Iran maintains that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. meets specific conditions, including ending military campaigns and releasing frozen assets, despite reports of advanced Oman-Iran talks

President Trump claims the U.S. has ‘total control’ over the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran insists the waterway remains blocked until U.S. sanctions are lifted and its conditions for a ceasefire are met.

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.

The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is spreading at record speeds, with over 2,000 deaths reported. The WHO warns it could surpass the 2014-2016 West African crisis if transmission is not controlled.

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.

A massive oil spill from the sanctioned Russian tanker Caroline Bezengi has reached the Omani coast, covering over 2,000 sq km and threatening vital marine reserves amid salvage delays and funding disputes.

A major cyberattack on medical software provider MyDr has leaked the sensitive personal and medical data of nearly 19 million Poles, affecting 12,000 facilities and prompting urgent government warnings.

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.

The US-led military conflict with Iran has escalated after a ceasefire collapsed, causing regional instability, oil trade disruptions, and massive US munitions expenditures exceeding eleven billion dollars.

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.

Turkey's Parliament passed a framework law to disband the PKK, establishing a process for militant disarmament and reintegration, potentially beginning implementation in October.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026, establishing a collective defense pact that treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.

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.

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake and Puracé volcanic activity have caused widespread devastation in Colombia, leaving hundreds dead, thousands missing, and triggering regional emergency alerts.

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 Trump is pivoting toward economic warfare against Iran, citing 300% inflation and financial collapse. He also intends to demand war reparations during future peace negotiations.

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.

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.

President Zelenskyy warns of up to 50,000 North Korean troops joining Russia and urges the US to provide Patriot missiles to counter escalating ballistic attacks and prepare for winter.

Polish authorities thwarted a Russian-ordered plot to assassinate a dual US-Ukrainian citizen in Warsaw. The suspect was arrested on August 7 in an operation involving US intelligence services.

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.

Iran maintains its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, demanding US withdrawal and asset release, while proposing environmental transit fees that Washington has rejected.

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

Lionel Messi has cast doubt on his professional future following the death of his father, Jorge Messi. The Argentine star expressed deep uncertainty about continuing football in a heartfelt social media tribute

Josh Kushner and Bob Iger have agreed to buy the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $12.5 billion, acquiring Mark Walter’s majority stake in a second ownership change for the team in under a year.

Donald Trump confirmed he used a catering truck and a decoy aircraft to secretly flee Turkey in July following an Iranian assassination threat involving potential shoulder-fired missiles.

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.

Mount Etna's eruption has paralyzed air travel at Catania Airport, causing hundreds of flight disruptions and an estimated 12-24 million euro loss for Sicily's tourism sector.

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.

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

Ukraine conducted a massive drone and missile strike on the Novorossiysk naval base, damaging four Russian warships and major grain terminals while causing civilian casualties.

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

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.

Low Danube water levels have forced the shutdown of Romania's Cernavodă nuclear plant and prompted Hungary to build a riverbed sill to protect the Paks Nuclear Power Plant from running out of cooling water.

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.

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

The Brazilian Congress approved PLP 114/2026, a package reducing fuel taxes and providing incentives for ethanol, fertilizers, and critical minerals to offset rising energy costs.

President Vladimir Putin's first personal visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, specifically Iturup, has sparked a strong diplomatic protest from Japan, which claims the territory as its own.