US strikes Iran for tenth straight night as Tehran hits Kuwait base; American death toll reaches 17Iranian missile hit US troop housing at Jordan base; Aqaba airport and port evacuatedHouthis declare Saudi naval blockade as fresh tanker attacks hit the Strait of HormuzBrent crude back above $90 as Gulf war rattles stocks, currencies and rate-settersTrump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods under untested 1930 trade lawMerz signals cabinet reshuffle after Spahn quits as parliamentary leader over surrogacy rowBurnham takes office as UK prime minister, names Healey chancellor and calls TrumpRussia hits Kyiv with one of the war's largest ballistic barragesUkrainian drones and sea drones strike Russian oil terminals, power grid and Black Sea shipsFerry with about 133 aboard capsizes off Guyana; dozens missingAt least 50 Malian soldiers killed in jihadist–separatist ambush near AnefisChina uses WAIC to press its claim to lead 'global AI governance'Heatwave fuels major wildfires in Spain and Greece; nearly 50,000 hectares burnedUS strikes Iran for tenth straight night as Tehran hits Kuwait base; American death toll reaches 17Iranian missile hit US troop housing at Jordan base; Aqaba airport and port evacuatedHouthis declare Saudi naval blockade as fresh tanker attacks hit the Strait of HormuzBrent crude back above $90 as Gulf war rattles stocks, currencies and rate-settersTrump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods under untested 1930 trade lawMerz signals cabinet reshuffle after Spahn quits as parliamentary leader over surrogacy rowBurnham takes office as UK prime minister, names Healey chancellor and calls TrumpRussia hits Kyiv with one of the war's largest ballistic barragesUkrainian drones and sea drones strike Russian oil terminals, power grid and Black Sea shipsFerry with about 133 aboard capsizes off Guyana; dozens missingAt least 50 Malian soldiers killed in jihadist–separatist ambush near AnefisChina uses WAIC to press its claim to lead 'global AI governance'Heatwave fuels major wildfires in Spain and Greece; nearly 50,000 hectares burned
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Venezuela earthquake

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On June 24, 2026, two severe earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck northern and central Venezuela within less than a minute; the epicenters lay in the municipality of Veroes in the state of Yaracuy, and they were the strongest quakes since 1900. The state of La Guaira was hit particularly hard, with around 80 percent of buildings collapsing, as were Caracas and the states of Carabobo, Aragua, Miranda and Falcón. Over the following weeks, the death toll rose from an initial few hundred to more than 900 by the end of June and then further to several thousand, while tens of thousands were reported missing and rescue efforts continued under difficult conditions. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared the area a disaster zone, imposed a state of emergency and announced a relief fund, as hospitals were overwhelmed and tens of thousands were left homeless. International rescue teams from numerous countries, including from Latin America and Europe, arrived to support the overstretched local forces.

2026 Venezuela earthquakes (Wikipedia)UN News: Venezuela earthquake death toll passes 1,700Al Jazeera: Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 188 people

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Saturday, 18 July 2026Geopolitics

Venezuela earthquake: death toll rises above 5,000 as IMF releases $346 million

Three weeks after the severe earthquakes in Venezuela, the death toll has risen to more than 5,000, with over 16,700 injured. Tens of thousands are housed in emergency camps, and supplies are running low in some areas. The IMF has made $346 million available for reconstruction.

The two quakes at the end of June are among the most severe in the country's history; the consequences are, according to the authorities, devastating, with countless buildings destroyed. Serbia's B92, citing Venezuelan officials, gives a figure of 5,069 dead and more than 20,000 people in makeshift camps, while the FAZ and Deutschlandfunk confirm the mark of more than 5,000 dead and 16,700 injured. AFP describes, from a village on the edge of the quake zone, how supplies are running out. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said the IMF funds were meant to help affected families with housing, infrastructure and public services. Because the reporting relies heavily on official Venezuelan figures and independent verification is difficult, the exact numbers should be treated with caution.

Le MondeFAZB92Deutschlandfunk