“Russia has released an American military veteran who spent more than four years in prison, President Trump said Tuesday, days after a group advocating for his freedom said he was gravely ill. Mr. Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to release Robert Gilman on a ‘humanitarian basis’ and that ‘Russia asked for no one in return.’ … Gilman, a 32-year-old teacher from Lowell, Massachusetts, had been detained since 2022. He was initially handed a 3 1/2-year sentence in 2022 when he was convicted of beating a police officer after being taken off a train for causing a disturbance.” (08/11/26)
“Firefighters in western Libya fought Tuesday to extinguish the remnants of a massive fire caused by a drone strike on an oil facility, and a car bomb killed a senior military officer in the country’s east, in the latest attacks in the chaos-stricken North African nation. The drone hit a gasoline tank at the Zawiya oil refinery in the Mediterranean town of Zawiya on Monday, about 47 kilometers (about 30 miles) west of capital Tripoli, the state-run National Oil Corporation said. … Monday’s strikes were the latest in a series of drone attacks on oil infrastructure in Zawiya, which houses critical energy infrastructure including the country’s largest oil refinery, an export terminal and a power plant. … The attacks come as tensions are rising between the government of western Libya and a warlord who controls the city of Zawiya.” (08/11/26)
“Rescue workers in Colombia are working against the clock to free survivors trapped in buildings and under rubble following Monday’s powerful earthquake. More than 180 people have been confirmed dead – most in the cities of Cali and Pereira. The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia – with fresh aftershocks still being felt on Tuesday. While the official death toll remains 181, an aggregated figure gathered from local officials puts it higher – potentially at more than 240. A state of emergency has been declared by President Abelardo de la Espriella.” (08/11/26)
“A federal judge has approved the Trump administration’s request to dismiss criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani while chastising the Justice Department for its reasoning and methods for abandoning the high-profile case. … The Justice Department charged Gautam Adani and the seven other defendants, all current or former executives of Adani Group or its subsidiary Adani Green Energy, in November 2024, alleging various defendants participated in schemes to pay $265 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure lucrative solar energy contracts, lied to U.S. and international investors to raise billions of dollars in financing and impede the investigations of three U.S. government entities.” (08/11/26)
“Little League Baseball is on fire even before the big days in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Little League on Monday ruled that Tulsa National Little League’s 12U team had an ineligible player on the roster and booted it from the Southwest Region Tournament, the final stop before the Little League World Series. However, a Texas judge reinstated the team just hours later through a temporary restraining order, despite Little League saying its decision was ‘final and binding.’ … Little League initially ruled that Boerne Little League’s Monday game against Louisiana (Ascension Parish Little League) would be for the Southwest championship — Boerne won 4-1 and celebrated on the field, thinking it had just earned a trip to every child’s dream. However, it now must play one more game against a team with an ineligible player. Little League did not immediately respond to a request for comment.” (08/11/26)
“The armed forces of Yemen’s [Saudi puppet regime] have accused the Houthis of launching another round of ballistic missile attacks on the Red Sea port city of al-Makha and on residential areas in the central city of Marib. Yemeni forces did not state whether the attacks on Monday caused any casualties. The attacks came a day after Houthi missiles killed at least seven people and wounded 30 others in al-Makha, which is also known as Mocha. The strikes caused extensive damage at the city’s port area. Elsewhere in Yemen on Monday, a Houthi drone strike killed two Yemeni [puppet regime] soldiers and wounded seven others in the south-central province of Shabwa, according to local media reports.” (08/11/26)
“A wildfire that erupted along some of California’s most iconic coastline has spread overnight, reaching 2,000 acres as of 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning. The Timber wildfire ignited on Sunday morning, according to Cal Fire, and spread quickly throughout the day on Monday, leading to evacuation orders that affected several iconic businesses, including the luxury Alila Ventana Big Sur resort, the Esalen Institute and the Nepenthe restaurant. Currently, at least 500 firefighting personnel are responding to the fire, which is 5% contained. At least 259 structures are threatened by the blaze, but no damage has been reported. … The U.S. has been dealing with a particularly difficult wildfire season, with 104 large fires currently burning in 15 states.” (08/11/26)
“A man was shot and killed by a homeowner after deputies said he showed up unannounced at a Lake County home where his ex-girlfriend was visiting and tried to force his way inside. According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, a physical altercation broke out between the man and the homeowner near the entrance to the residence. ‘The male subject attempted to force his way into the residence during the altercation,’ a sheriff’s office spokesperson said. Deputies said the homeowner then pulled out a gun and fatally shot the man.” (08/10/26)
“The Russian Supreme Court has barred the country’s last remaining anti-war party from running in parliamentary elections next month amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent over Russia’s increasingly unpopular war against Ukraine. … Yabloko, which hasn’t managed to clear the 5 percent threshold to win seats in the Duma since 2003, was seen until recently as a fringe party. But as Russians become increasingly dismayed by the expanding reach of Ukraine’s drones and the growing impact of the war on the economy, the party appeared to be gaining support. Recent polls suggested it could win 9 percent of the vote next month, the Moscow newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported. … Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court on Monday and chanted ‘Russia Without Putin!’ After the ruling, security forces attempted to disperse them.” [editor’s note: Russia’s Libertarian Party got suppressed in July, thus the “last” modifier for Yabloko- TLK] (08/10/26)
“President Donald Trump on Monday responded to Iran’s demand that the U.S. pay for war damages by calling on Tehran to compensate Americans and others harmed or killed by the country over the last 50 years. ‘I see that Representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran are asking for compensation for the damage done to them during the last five month Military Conflict … even though it was never mentioned in any of our negotiations or meetings!’ Trump wrote on social media. Trump said he is now ‘likewise demanding compensation from Iran’ for Americans killed or wounded in conflicts involving Iran and Iranian-backed groups. He said the demand should be included in any future negotiations with Tehran.” [editor’s note: Apparently he still hasn’t received the “loser doesn’t set the terms” memo from his staff yet – TLK](08/10/26)
