Breaking news of Thursday, 13 August 2026
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11 checks · 13 flash
- 23:30
No update.
Last check: 23:30 — no news from the past few hours meets the threshold set by the statute.
- 20:30
Rotterdam, explosion at Gunvor refinery: one dead, six injured
An explosion that occurred at around 11:30 local time at the Gunvor Energy plant in Moezelweg, in the Europoort area of the port of Rotterdam, caused one death and six injuries: the toll was reported by the Gunvor group in an email statement picked up by Bloomberg. Local police, quoted by NL Times, said investigations into the causes were underway: “We are investigating how this happened.” The Dutch labour inspectorate is also on site. According to broadcaster NOS, picked up by NBC News, a maintenance team was working on a section of piping. Third emergency response of the day at the port: two hours earlier, a blackout had halted the ExxonMobil refinery at Botlekweg.
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- 20:30
Greece, over 300 people evacuated by sea due to wildfire in Halkidiki
The flames reached the first houses in Sivari, in Halkidiki, shortly after 4:30 pm local time. The Greek coast guard evacuated more than 300 people by sea from the beach, using patrol boats, firefighting vessels and fishing boats, according to the Reuters dispatch. The 112 system issued evacuation orders for the Sivari area, towards Kassandreia, and for the settlement of Fourka. 110 firefighters, 33 vehicles and three special EMODE teams have been deployed, with twelve Moldovan firefighters arrived as part of the European pre-positioning scheme, reports Euronews. The wildfire is unfolding at the height of the tourist season.
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- 19:00
Lakers sold for $12.5 billion, record figure in US sports
Mark Walter, who had acquired control of the Los Angeles Lakers less than a year ago with a $10 billion valuation, is reselling them to Josh Kushner (Thrive Capital) and Bob Iger (former Disney chief executive) for $12.5 billion: the highest figure ever paid for a US sports franchise. The deal, revealed by ESPN and reported by Bloomberg, must still pass approval from the NBA board of governors next month in New York. Kushner and Iger had previously sought an expansion franchise in Las Vegas before turning to the purchase of the Lakers.
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- 17:00
Yemen, overnight clashes between Houthis and government forces: fears of new front
Clashes between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Yemeni government forces continued overnight in the mountainous province of Taiz: at least one government soldier was killed and another seriously wounded. Dozens of government troops are believed to have been killed in attacks since last week, according to the Yemeni army. On Tuesday, the Houthis struck a commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, causing six deaths. The report currently stems from a single source (Yemeni military officials and tribal leaders in Marib); no independent confirmation available. Source: Associated Press via ClickOnDetroit.
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- 17:00
Ukraine strikes Russian naval base in Novorossiysk, three dead
A massive Ukrainian drone and missile attack struck the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk overnight, along with two grain export terminals. According to local authorities cited by the Bbc, three people died, including an eight-year-old child, and another 24 were injured. Ukraine’s armed forces claim that four Russian warships, including two frigates, were hit. Russia has not commented on the incident. Sources: Adnkronos, Il Post.
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- 17:00
Midwest US, new storms incoming: fifth day of flood alerts
After the derecho and the flooding described as “1,000-year” in Indiana, new storms are expected between Thursday and Friday over the Midwest and Ohio Valley, marking the fifth consecutive day of severe weather. More than 20 million people remain under alert from Iowa to West Virginia, and the region will not see a significant break until the weekend. A four-year-old child died Tuesday in Jennings County, Indiana, when a tree fell on a home during the storms. Sources: CNN, AP via KRMG.
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- 17:00
Etna, eruption continues: Catania airport closed until 2 am Friday
Etna’s eruptive activity has continued for six days, and Sac has further extended the flight suspension at Catania airport, now until 2:00 am on Friday, August 14, beyond the 6 pm deadline previously announced. Since August 8, more than 700 flights have been cancelled or diverted, affecting around 100,000 passengers; today alone, more than 50 flights were rerouted between Palermo, Trapani and Comiso. The latest Ingv bulletin confirms that effusive activity remains sustained and the ash cloud is oriented toward the airport. Sources: Adnkronos, AGI.
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- 14:00
White House press secretary Leavitt to leave post by end of August
US President Donald Trump has announced that Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary since January 2025, will leave her position by the end of August. Trump called her “one of my top outside advisors,” indicating that she will work with the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. Leavitt, 28, is the youngest press secretary in White House history and returned just weeks ago from leave following the birth of her daughter. She is the fifth woman in a senior role to leave the Trump administration in 2026. The news currently comes from a single source (Trump’s statement on Truth Social, reported by CNBC); no independent confirmation available.
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- 13:00
Midwest US, 'once-in-a-thousand-years' flood in Indiana after the derecho
The US Midwest is facing a fourth consecutive day of extreme weather: parts of Indiana recorded on Wednesday a flood described as “1 in 1,000 years,” with homes inundated with water, evacuations and impassable roads, according to CNN. The deluge comes a day after the deadly derecho that swept through the region. Seven counties in eastern Indiana were under maximum flood alert; at least four rivers are forecast to reach major flood stage until Thursday. A significant break from the storms is not expected before Friday. The news currently comes from a single source; no independent confirmation available.
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- 13:00
Colombia, earthquake death toll rises to 265
The death toll from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday has risen to 265 dead and 3,494 injured, according to the latest update from President Abelardo de la Espriella reported by ANSA. There are 496 missing, with more than 53,000 people affected. The epicenter is in San José del Palmar, in Chocó; Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, Manizales and Armenia remain on red alert. 257 structures have collapsed, with 129 stretches of road, 20 bridges and 43 aqueducts damaged. The news currently comes from a single source, the Colombian presidency; no independent confirmation is available.
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- 11:00
No update.
Last check: 11:00 — no news from the past few hours meets the threshold set by the charter.
- 10:00
No update.
Last check: 10:00 — no news from the past hours meets the threshold set out in the charter.
- 08:30
Ukraine, 13 dead in Russian attacks in the last 24 hours
According to Ukrainian sources cited by Euronews, Russian shelling over the past 24 hours has killed 13 people and wounded about 90 in Ukrainian cities, as Moscow intensifies its attacks. The Kremlin, for its part, reports five deaths on its own territory from Ukrainian drone attacks. The news currently comes from a single journalistic source citing statements from Ukrainian and Russian authorities; no independent confirmation is currently available on either death toll.
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- 08:30
Etna, Catania airport closed until at least 6pm on Thursday
The closure of Catania Fontanarossa airport due to volcanic ash from Etna has been extended from 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Thursday, August 13, according to an update from FIRSTonline. Comiso airport, meanwhile, has returned to operation. From August 8 to 11, the eruptions caused the cancellation or diversion of around 700 flights, with planes rerouted to Palermo, Trapani and Comiso, as reported by MeridioNews. The director of the INGV’s volcanoes department, Stefano Branca, stated: “It is absolutely impossible to predict the duration of Etna’s activity.”
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- 05:00
No update.
Last check: 05:00 — no news from the past few hours meets the threshold set by the charter.
- 02:00
Congo, Ebola epidemic surpasses 2,000 deaths
The death toll confirmed in the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 2,000, according to the latest data released by the Congolese government. The country’s health authorities describe this epidemic as the fastest-spreading ever recorded in Congo’s history. The news currently comes from a single source (Congolese government data, reported by CBS News); no independent confirmation available at time of publication.
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