Politics & World Affairs — August 12, 2026

Colombia earthquake kills more than 180. A 7.4-magnitude earthquake, Colombia's largest in a decade, collapsed buildings in Cali and Pereira; the death toll has passed 180 as rescuers search through aftershocks.

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Russia frees jailed U.S. veteran. Russia released a former U.S. Marine after four years of detention his family and U.S. officials called wrongful; he has returned to the United States.

Beyond the wrongful-detention claim, the veteran's family and U.S. officials also allege he was subjected to abusive treatment during his roughly four years in Russian custody, according to NPR. The charges against him were disputed throughout his incarceration. NPR did not detail the terms under which Moscow agreed to the release, and it is unclear whether the move was part of a broader exchange or negotiation.

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Houthi attack kills six mariners. A Houthi strike killed six mariners in the first Red Sea fatalities in more than a year; U.S. forces disabled a third ship attempting to break the Iran blockade.

The deaths mark an escalation in a conflict that CNBC reports is taking a growing toll on critical shipping lanes tied to the Iran war. The vessel U.S. forces disabled was the third to attempt breaking the blockade of Iran, and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to a one-week low, signaling commercial shippers are pulling back as the maritime confrontation widens.

CNBC Top News · Read more →