At least 111 people dead after a powerful earthquake strikes Colombia; The Great Barrier Reef showing signs of recovery after a mass-bleaching event; Three football federations accuse FIFA's president of deception and call for new leadership.
Listen to Australian and world news and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
- At least 111 people dead after a powerful earthquake strikes Colombia
- The Great Barrier Reef showing signs of recovery after a mass-bleaching event
- Three football federations accuse FIFA's president of deception and call for new leadership.
At least 111 people have been killed in a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Western Colombia.
The country's geological service says the quake occurred in the Choco region about 400 kilometers west of the capital, Bogota, and was felt in major cities nationwide as well as in Panama to Ecuador and Venezuela.
President Abelardo De La Espriella has declared a national emergency, and says his government has deployed all capabilities to search for survivors, assist impacted communities and deliver aid.
Deputy Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General Farhan Haq says the UN is monitoring the situation closely, and is ready to assist.
“Connectivity in rural areas has become limited. We’ve received reports of structural damage, including collapsed houses across several towns. The government has initiated precautionary evacuations and is leading efforts to assess damage and casualties. Our thoughts go out to all who have suffered as a result of this earthquake, and we stand ready to help as needed."
.
US President Donald Trump says he plans to seek conflict compensation from Iran, after Tehran insisted on payment of war reparations as a precondition of any deal to end hostilities.
In a post on social media, Mr Trump says Iran should also compensate families of protesters killed by authorities in Iran over the past half-century.
Negotiations on ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz have stalled, and the new demands make the likelihood of a resolution a more remote possibility.
.
Vietnam’s General Secretary and State President, To Lam, has begun his first visit to Australia with a speaking event in Sydney.
It’s the communist leader’s first trip to the country since his appointment in April.
Fuel, trade and China are expected to feature prominently when he meets Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra today ((Tue 11 Aug)).
Mr Lam has called for greater collaboration between the two countries.
Vietnamese* then translated to English): "I am confident that, with the determination of both governments and the support of the business community, universities, research institutions and scientists, we will achieve new breakthroughs, helping to make the Vietnam-Australia relationship a model for cooperation in science, technology, innovation and human resource development, both in the region and globally."
.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is showing signs of recovery from a mass-bleaching event, with coral cover increasing in one out of every four reefs surveyed.
This follows on from steep declines recorded following the 2024 mass bleaching event.
But scientists studying the reef warn it remains under intense environmental pressure, with less time to recover between threatening events.
The report from the Australian Institute of Marine Science surveyed the health of coral and marine life in 192 areas.
It comes one month after the UNESCO World Heritage Committee stopped short of listing the reef off Queensland's coast as "in danger" due to efforts to protect the landmark.
.
Advocates are warning that proposed cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme could push tens of thousands of women into crisis.
The government's reforms will come before parliament in the coming weeks and include changes to eligibility and cuts to community participation spending.
Women With Disabilities Australia head Sophie Cusworth says social programs provide a safeguard for women with disability experiencing violence.
She has told the National Press Club that the bill will allow the agency to suspend supports if a person is not contactable, failing to consider the safety implications.
"But a woman experiencing violence might be unreachable because she's changed phones, or fled her home, or entered safe accommodation as part of a safety plan. Cutting off her supports could remove what she needs to stay safe. Let's consider the power to cut support for social and community participation by 50 per cent. The government says this won't affect participants' health and safety, but for women with disability, that simply isn't true. More than half have experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15."
.
To sport, in football,
Three regional football governing bodies representing more than half of FIFA's membership have issued a open letter attacking FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his conduct connected to a now abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, which runs football in the Caribbean, North and Central America said Mr Infantino had broken trust "through deception" and had "placed himself above the collective".
The three confederations called for a fully independent review of what happened - and for "leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it".
In a statement over the weekend, FIFA warned against what it called a "concerted and ongoing effort" to undermine President Gianni Infantino, saying attempts to challenge his leadership must follow the governing body's statutes and democratic procedures.
.
