Morning Brief - 13 August 2026

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13th of August, covering the latest developments.

Asian stocks rise as U.S.-Iran standoff keeps oil elevated

Asian stocks rose on Thursday after U.S. inflation data came in line with expectations, reducing expectations of a near-term Fed rate hike. South Korean shares led gains, rising 4.4 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei added 1.86 per cent. Oil prices remained elevated as the U.S. and Iran stayed deadlocked over efforts to end the Gulf war. The dollar weakened slightly against the yen as expectations grew that the Bank of Japan could raise rates as early as next month.

Russia strikes Ukraine’s Danube port as Kyiv reports battlefield gains

A Russian overnight strike damaged the area around Izmail, Ukraine’s largest Danube port, causing a fire near the Romanian border according to authorities. Romania says it scrambled two fighter jets after an aerial target entered its airspace for about 10 minutes before moving toward Ukraine. The attack came a day after Ukraine struck Novorossiysk, a major Russian grain export hub on the Black Sea.

Colombia races against time after earthquake kills 265 people

Colombia’s President Abelardo De La Espriella has pledged an emergency fund to rebuild hospitals, schools, homes and infrastructure destroyed by Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake. Rescue teams are focusing on collapsed buildings in Cali as they race against the critical 72-hour window for finding survivors. The quake killed 265 people, injured 3,770 and left nearly 500 others unaccounted for, with more than 9,550 homes destroyed. 

Russia's Putin visits Iturup in disputed Kuril islands chain 

Japan strongly protested against Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup, one of four islands in the Kuril chain, on Thursday. Both Japan and Russia claim the chain of island as theirs and have been in a disputed over it for decades. The trip marked what Russian state media described as Putin’s first in-person visit to the island chain. Putin toured a fish-processing plant and met local residents during the visit. The trip came a day after Russia held major naval drills and North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward waters off the Korean Peninsula.

Europe witnesses rare total solar eclipse as skies turn dark

Millions of people across Spain and Iceland gathered to witness Western Europe’s first total solar eclipse in 27 years. The eclipse plunged parts of both countries into darkness, with totality lasting up to two minutes and 13 seconds in western Iceland.The spectacle was also visible as a partial eclipse across the UK, Poland, Italy and Belgium. In the UK, more than 90 per cent of the Sun was covered, with skies darkening over London’s Tower Bridge as people gathered to watch the partial eclipse.

Tags

Asian stocks oil prices Ukraine War Romania Volodymyr Zelenskyy Colombia earthquake Vladimir Putin Solar eclipse Iran Strait of Hormuz U.S. Japan Kuril Islands Iturup