World News: Colombia earthquake toll rises; Trump, Iran, Hormuz, H-1B latest

Since the Strait of Hormuz is virtually closed by Iran, a renewed focus is being seen on the shipping traffic through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait at Yemen’s southern tip.

jalveer, oman, iran war,Earlier this week, MT Jalveer, a vessel with Indian crew onbard, was attacked near Oman. (Representational Photo: X/FSUI)

Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed at least four people in the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb strait after attacking a vessel on Tuesday, Yemeni authorities said.

According to Yemen’s internationally recognised government’s Transportation Ministry, the four deceased people include three from Pakistan and an Indonesian. The ministry added that Houthi rebels fired three ballistic missiles on the Yemeni commercial vessel.

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Here are the recent global developments:

Earlier, Earthquake recovery in Colombia entered a second day on Tuesday, with the death toll rising to at least 164 as rescue crews kept digging through collapsed buildings in Pereira, Cali and Manizales. The 7.4 magnitude quake, the strongest to hit the country in decades, struck early Monday in the coffee-growing region of western Colombia, flattening homes and toppling multi-storey buildings. In Cali, home to about 2.2 million people, President Abelardo de la Espriella said 188 people remained missing, while 1,000 security personnel were being sent to the city following reports of looting.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump secretly left Turkey on a different aircraft than the one the White House publicly said he was using, the Washington Post reported Monday, in a move triggered by a threat from Iran. Trump had flown to Ankara for the NATO summit aboard the newly renovated Air Force One, a jet donated by Qatar, but switched to an older plane when leaving the country, raising fresh questions about the new aircraft’s security. Read more

In the US, a court has permanently dismissed the criminal fraud and bribery case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, ending nearly two years of proceedings. Adani said he welcomed the decision “with humility and deep respect for the judicial process.”

Follow The Indian Express Global Desk for live coverage of the day’s top world news.

Live Updates
Aug 11, 2026 08:05 PM IST
Iran-backed Houthis kill 4 in attack on vessel in Bab el-Mandeb strait
  • Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed at least four people in the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb strait after attacking a vessel on Tuesday, Yemeni authorities said.

  • According to Yemen's internationally recognised government's Transportation Ministry, the four deceased people include three from Pakistan and an Indonesian. The ministry added that Houthi rebels fired three ballistic missiles on the Yemeni commercial vessel.

  • The deadly vessel attack on Tuesday came after the Iran-backed group attacked the government-held port city of Mokha on the Red Sea and other areas of the country.

  • Since the Strait of Hormuz is virtually closed by Iran, a renewed focus is being seen on the shipping traffic through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait at Yemen’s southern tip.
    • Aug 11, 2026 06:54 PM IST
    H-1B 60-day grace period may end: Can workers, including Indians, in US switch visas after losing their job?

  • The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed scrapping the 60-day grace period that lets H-1B workers stay in the country after their job ends while they look for a new sponsor. Experts say the move could cause potential harm to thousands of skilled workers, most of them from India, according to PTI.
  • The grace period currently gives H-1B workers and some other visa holders two months to find a new sponsor, change their visa status, or make arrangements to leave the US after their job ends. Indian nationals make up the largest share of H-1B visa holders, accounting for 71 per cent of all successful applications in the 2024 financial year.
  • Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a former White House advisor, said removing the grace period completely would be a serious step backwards that would harm legal immigrants who have added real value to America’s economy and technology sector. He said, “Eliminating the 60-day grace period is inhumane and unworkable,” PTI reported.
  • Bhutoria said 60 days is already a short window for someone who loses their job suddenly, and taking that protection away entirely would leave many people with no time to sort out their affairs.
  • He has asked South Asian community groups, business leaders and advocacy organisations in the US to prepare public comments once the rule is formally published in the Federal Register, so the government hears the full impact of the plan.
    • Aug 11, 2026 05:50 PM IST
    NASA wants ISRO to join its Moon Base programme

  • NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme as India and the United States seek to strengthen space exploration, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said in a post on X.

  • Gor further wrote, "The news came as the US State Department and NASA co-chaired the 9th Civil Space Joint Working Group in Bengaluru, advancing the US-India trust initiative."

  • In a post on X, the US Embassy in India wrote, Mankind's next giant leap is underway! NASA is building a Moon Base: humanity's first outpost on the Moon. The base will drive lunar scientific breakthroughs and prepare for crewed missions to Mars. Check out the trailer and stay tuned as a big announcement drops soon."
    • Aug 11, 2026 05:04 PM IST
    Oman oil spill: Slick from stricken tanker spreads across 400 sq km near protected marine reserve

    Written by Ajay Hanje

  • Oman is racing to contain a major oil spill off its southern coast after a damaged tanker carrying nearly one million barrels of Russian crude leaked oil into waters near the protected Hallaniyat Islands.
  • The Oman Environment Authority said on Monday that the oil slick covered about 390 square kilometres (150 square miles) and had spread to within an estimated seven kilometres of the coast. The spill is centred near the Hallaniyat archipelago, an environmentally sensitive area that was designated as a marine reserve last year.
  • Authorities said there was no immediate threat to desalination plants or tourist facilities in the area. However, environmental groups and experts have warned that the spill could become a serious ecological disaster if the oil reaches shallow waters or the coastline.

    • Tanker stranded for more than two months

  • The vessel involved is the 274-metre-long Caroline Bezengi, which was carrying close to one million barrels of Russian crude destined for Asia.
  • The tanker first reported difficulties on June 8 off the coast of Yemen and later became stranded near Oman. Maritime security sources said initial assessments indicated that a blast may have occurred aboard the vessel, although no group has claimed responsibility and Omani authorities have not established the cause of the incident.
  • An AFP investigation found that the tanker had been stranded near Oman’s al-Qibliyyah Island after an explosion reportedly caused water to enter several sections of the vessel.
  • The tanker loaded its cargo at Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in April and passed through the Suez Canal at the end of May, according to shipping data.

    • Concern grows over impact on marine life

  • The Hallaniyat Islands are home to a range of marine wildlife and sensitive ecosystems, including coral reefs, sea turtle nesting areas and other coastal habitats. The region is also known for Arabian Sea humpback whales and Socotra cormorants.
  • Oman's Environment Authority said urgent measures were needed to protect the biodiversity of the area. Authorities have begun aerial surveillance and deployed divers as part of efforts to assess the situation.
  • An official quoted by Oman News Agency said authorities were in the early stages of developing a plan to transfer the tanker’s remaining oil cargo. The operation is intended to reduce the risk posed by the damaged vessel, maintain navigational safety and limit further environmental damage.
  • Satellite analysis by Greenpeace, however, put the size of the slick at around 600 square kilometres, considerably larger than the figure provided by Omani authorities.

    • Experts warn of long-term damage

  • Tony Gutierrez, a professor of environmental microbiology and biotechnology at Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University, said a spill of this scale would require a major response involving oil-collecting booms, equipment and potentially aircraft spraying dispersants.
  • He warned that keeping the oil offshore would significantly reduce its impact compared with allowing it to reach shallow waters and the coastline.
  • "If this oil is kept offshore, the impact will be much less than if the oil reaches shallower waters and the actual coastline," Gutierrez said, noting that oil contamination can persist in marine ecosystems for years.
  • John Amos, CEO of environmental organisation SkyTruth, also raised concerns over the apparent lack of visible activity aimed at stabilising the tanker and removing its remaining cargo.

    • Sanctioned vessel linked to Russia's 'shadow fleet'

  • The Caroline Bezengi is believed to be part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet, a network of older tankers used to transport Russian oil while circumventing Western sanctions. Such vessels have faced criticism over their age, ownership structures, insurance arrangements and safety standards.
  • The tanker was listed as sailing under the Cameroon flag but was among dozens of vessels removed from the country's ship registry in June. It is also subject to sanctions imposed by the European Union, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland.
  • The ship's registered owner is listed as Rentoor Shipmanagement Ltd, while Villar Shipmanagement Ltd is identified as its manager. Reuters said it was unable to immediately reach the companies for comment.
  • With the tanker still stranded and the oil slick continuing to spread, Omani authorities face growing pressure to prevent the spill from reaching the protected coastline and causing potentially lasting damage to one of the region's most sensitive marine environments.
    • Aug 11, 2026 02:41 PM IST
    Former Syrian President Bashar Assad sentenced to death in absentia for 'crimes against humanity'

    Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and his younger brother have been sentenced to death for "crimes against humanity and war crimes" by a Syrian court. The court found them guilty for the crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict during which half a million people were killed. The two were sentenced to death in absentia.

    Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib was also awarded death penalty.

    Aug 11, 2026 12:04 PM IST
    Catering truck, secret jet: How Trump foiled an Iranian threat to fly out of Turkey

    United States President Donald Trump secretly left Turkey on a hidden military flight last month, even though the White House told the public he had departed aboard Air Force One, according to a detailed report from the Washington Post.

    The operation, described by a US official as a "deception operation," was triggered by a credible threat to Trump involving Iran. To carry it out, the Post reports, Trump was quietly moved from the plane he had boarded in front of television cameras and shuttled across the tarmac in an airport catering truck, the kind normally used to load meals and supplies before a flight, before being placed on a separate, unmarked aircraft.

    Read the full story here.

    Aug 11, 2026 10:47 AM IST
    Gulf shipping traffic via Strait of Hormuz falls to six vessels

    Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped sharply on Monday, falling to just six vessels compared with a 10-day average of around 11, according to data from Kpler, as hopes of a peace deal between the US and Iran begin to fade. Four commodity vessels, including two empty oil product tankers, entered the waterway, while two vessels a small tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas and another carrying residual fuels left.

    Before the war, the strait typically saw between 130 and 140 ships pass through each day. Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait on the Red Sea stayed largely steady, with 25 vessels transiting on Monday against a 10-day average of nearly 24.

    The drop in Hormuz traffic comes as President Donald Trump responded to Iran's peace terms on Monday by setting his own demand: that Iran pay compensation for people killed in wars, attacks and protests.

    This followed Tehran's own demands for compensation and an end to sanctions, largely in line with a preliminary peace deal reached in June that has since collapsed. Since the war began in February, Trump has repeatedly shifted between threatening further escalation and claiming a peace deal is close.

    Aug 11, 2026 09:20 AM IST
    Columbia Earthquake: What help is coming from other countries?

    Support has come in from across the world:

  • The United States is sending $15.5 million for shelter, food, and emergency needs, the State Department said on X. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is “closely monitoring” the situation and stands “ready to support.”
  • The European Union is using its Copernicus satellite system to help with rescue efforts, according to EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
  • El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, offered rescue personnel and equipment.
  • Colombian singer Karol G said her foundation, Con Cora, is working to help affected families. Fellow artist Shakira also shared a message of support.
  • The US Geological Survey says deep earthquakes like Monday’s tend to be less destructive than quakes that break closer to the surface, though they can still damage buildings and produce strong aftershocks. An estimated 1.5 million people felt shaking close to magnitude seven.

    • Aug 11, 2026 09:00 AM IST
    US judge dismisses criminal case against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani

    The US District Court for the Eastern District of New York has permanently dismissed the criminal case against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and former Adani Green CEO Vneet Jaain, ending nearly two years of fraud and bribery proceedings, according to Reuters.

    Judge Nicholas Garaufis granted the Justice Department's request to drop the charges after seeking sworn statements from the defendants confirming no deal had been made in exchange, and after finding that claims about the company's anti-bribery policies were too vague for investors to have relied on. The dismissal is with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be refiled, though the court made no finding on whether the original allegations were true. Adani said he welcomed the decision "with humility and deep respect for the judicial process."

    Read the full story here.

    Aug 11, 2026 07:48 AM IST
    Trump took secret flight out of Turkey due to Iran threat, the Washington Post reports

    US President Donald Trump secretly left Turkey on a different aircraft than the one the White House publicly said he was using, the Washington Post reported Monday, in a move triggered by a threat from Iran. Trump had flown to Ankara for the NATO summit aboard the newly renovated Air Force One, a jet donated by Qatar, marking the plane's first international trip. But when he left Turkey, he switched to an older Air Force One instead, a decision that has raised fresh questions about how secure the new aircraft actually is.

    The switch came at a tense moment. Hostilities with Iran, which borders Turkey, were escalating at the time, and the threat reportedly centered on a possible assassination attempt against Trump. Before leaving Ankara, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would fly the older, "baby blue" Air Force One "for old time's sake" to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, while the newer plane made a separate stop at the same base so US service members could tour it.

    Aug 11, 2026 06:21 AM IST
    US committing $15.5 million for earthquake response in Colombia

    The United States is committing $15.5 million in funding to Colombia for shelter, food, protection and earthquake assessments after a magnitude 7.4 quake struck the country today, the states department announced on X.

    “We are united in prayer with the Colombian people and stand ready to support President (Abelardo de la Espriella) and his government as they assess the needs on the ground,” the State Department said in a statement.

    Aug 11, 2026 05:57 AM IST
    What help is coming from other countries?

    Support has come in from across the world:

  • The United States is sending $15.5 million for shelter, food, and emergency needs, the State Department said on X. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is "closely monitoring" the situation and stands "ready to support."
  • The European Union is using its Copernicus satellite system to help with rescue efforts, according to EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
  • El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, offered rescue personnel and equipment.
  • Colombian singer Karol G said her foundation, Con Cora, is working to help affected families. Fellow artist Shakira also shared a message of support.

    • Aug 11, 2026 05:05 AM IST
    Colombia earthquake death toll passes 111 as rescuers search collapsed buildings

    A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake tore through western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 111 people and injuring 87 in the country's strongest quake this century. The disaster flattened dozens of buildings across multiple regions, prompting President Abelardo de la Espriella to declare a state of national disaster as rescue teams race to pull survivors from the rubble.

    Key points:

  • Death toll and destruction: At least 111 people have died and 87 were injured after the quake struck western Colombia on Monday morning. Roughly 1,600 buildings were damaged, including 61 that collapsed entirely.
  • National emergency declared: President de la Espriella declared a state of disaster and emergency funding for recovery efforts, saying his government had deployed all its capabilities to protect lives and deliver aid. He plans to visit the disaster zone.
  • Epicenter and reach: The quake struck near San Jose Del Palmar in the remote Chocó region around 7:30am local time, with tremors felt as far as Bogotá, 250 miles away, and across Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama. Two aftershocks, magnitude 2.8 and 4.8, followed.
  • Regional casualties: Pereira was the hardest-hit city, with 40 deaths reported by the mayor. Chocó reported 12 deaths, while Valle del Cauca reported 27, including three children and 15 in Cali.
  • International response: The US, France, Mexico, Brazil and Ecuador offered support. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is closely monitoring the situation, noting the disaster follows two earthquakes in Venezuela less than two months ago that killed more than 6,100 people.

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