تازہ ترین

A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, leaving at least 26 people dead and causing widespread damage across several cities. The United States Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at magnitude 7.4. It struck at around 7:34am local time, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region at a depth of about 107 kilometres. The tremor was felt across much of Colombia and in neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. Authorities warned residents to remain alert as aftershocks were recorded following the main earthquake. Local officials reported deaths in several parts of the country. Three children were among those killed in Calima El Darién after a wall collapsed. Other fatalities were reported in Zarzal, Buenaventura, Manizales and Pereira. Pereira officials reported 18 deaths, while authorities in Manizales confirmed additional fatalities. Rescue teams continued assessing the situation as reports of casualties and damage were updated. Cali was among the worst-affected cities. Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings had collapsed, with people reportedly trapped under the rubble. He requested additional rescue personnel from Bogotá and Medellín to assist emergency teams. Residents were urged to leave buildings if they noticed major cracks or believed the structures were unsafe. Serious damage was also reported in Quibdó, the capital of Chocó. Regional authorities said several people were injured and buildings were damaged. Rescue workers were deployed to assess affected areas and search for people who may be trapped. Manizales also suffered significant structural damage. Images and videos showed part of the Cathedral Basilica’s clocktower leaning dangerously. A five-storey building was also seen collapsing as people evacuated nearby areas. The earthquake caused panic in Bogotá, where residents rushed out of homes and workplaces. Emergency sirens sounded across parts of the capital. People gathered in streets as buildings and traffic lights shook during the tremor. Bogotá authorities initially reported cracks in some structures but said there was no immediate indication of major infrastructure damage. The earthquake also disrupted air travel. Colombia’s civil aviation authority suspended operations at several airports after damage was reported at facilities in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura. Operations at Popayán airport were also suspended because of volcanic ash. Officials said the Colombian Geological Service recorded two aftershocks, measuring 2.8 and 4.8. The stronger aftershock was widely felt. Colombian authorities described the earthquake as the strongest recorded in the country in roughly a decade. Emergency agencies continued damage assessments while rescue operations remained underway. President Abelardo De La Espriella said he had taken direct charge of the emergency response. He ordered the creation of a unified command centre to coordinate rescue and relief efforts and said he would travel to Pereira to monitor the situation. The disaster comes less than two months after powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24. Those quakes killed more than 6,100 people and caused extensive destruction.

At least 13 people, including a child, were killed after Ukrainian drones struck the Russian republic of Tatarstan, according to local officials. The overnight attack targeted areas around Nizhnekamsk, located more than 1,100 kilometres from Ukraine. Authorities said another 75 people were injured in the strikes. Ukraine’s Armed Forces said a major oil facility in the city was hit. The attack reportedly continued for several hours, with explosions, fires and thick smoke reported in the area. Images circulating online showed large columns of smoke rising over Nizhnekamsk as emergency sirens sounded. The authenticity of all footage and details could not be independently verified. The Uzbek consulate in Tatarstan said seven of those killed were Uzbek citizens. Russian media reported that many of the victims were staying at a hostel when the attack occurred. Russia’s Investigative Committee said civilians were present in the area where the drones struck. Russian officials condemned the attack and warned that those responsible would face severe punishment. Tatarstan leader Rustam Minnikhanov expressed condolences to the families of those killed. Nizhnekamsk Mayor Radmir Belayev described the loss of life as a major tragedy for the city. Ukraine has increasingly carried out long-range drone attacks against Russian energy and industrial facilities. Kyiv says such sites contribute to Russia’s military operations by supporting its economy, logistics and weapons production. Ukrainian officials said the facilities targeted in Nizhnekamsk are connected to Russia’s war effort. They argued that striking such infrastructure is intended to reduce Moscow’s ability to sustain its military campaign. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air-defence forces intercepted or destroyed more than 450 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions. Authorities also reported fires at an industrial facility in the Siberian Tyumen region after several drones were reportedly brought down nearby. The Nizhnekamsk facility had previously been targeted in a drone attack in June, highlighting the growing reach of Ukraine’s campaign against Russian energy infrastructure. The latest strike is among the deadliest reported attacks inside Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine has intensified its use of long-range drones in recent months, frequently targeting oil refineries, warehouses and other facilities it considers strategically important. Russia has continued its own large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. The escalation has increased concerns over civilian casualties on both sides. Last week, a combined Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv reportedly killed 21 people.

SEOUL: A North Korean-linked hacking group has reportedly expanded its use of artificial intelligence to strengthen cyberattacks, automate operations and analyse stolen data. The group, identified as Kimsuky, has developed and collected a range of AI-related tools that could help its operators conduct attacks more efficiently, according to a South Korean cybersecurity company. The company said it discovered infrastructure linked to Kimsuky containing several programs designed to run and manage artificial intelligence models locally. These included Ollama, GPT4All and Msty. The hackers also appeared to be using retrieval-augmented generation technology. The system can help AI models search and process large collections of documents. Researchers said the use of locally operated AI models could allow the group to analyse sensitive information without sending data to external AI services. This could give hackers greater control over stolen material and reduce their reliance on third-party platforms. The investigation also uncovered AI agent development frameworks, speech-to-text software and an AI-assisted coding tool called Cursor. According to the cybersecurity firm, the findings indicate that Kimsuky may be moving beyond the simple use of generative AI for creating phishing messages. The group could now be seeking to integrate existing AI models into different stages of its cyber operations. These may include malware development, stolen-data analysis and attack automation. Researchers also identified documents related to finance and cryptocurrency on the infrastructure. Some of the files appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence. The documents were designed to look like legitimate investment reports and other professional workplace material. Such files could potentially be used as decoys or to make malicious campaigns appear more credible. The findings have not been independently verified. However, cybersecurity researchers and government agencies have repeatedly linked North Korean state-backed groups to international cyber operations. North Korean cyber units have been accused of conducting espionage campaigns, stealing money and targeting cryptocurrency-related assets. Authorities in the United States and South Korea have previously warned about the activities of such groups. Kimsuky has long been associated with cyber-espionage operations targeting governments, organisations and individuals. The group has also been accused of gathering intelligence to support North Korea’s strategic interests. The latest findings point to a growing role for artificial intelligence in cyber operations. Security researchers have warned that AI tools can make phishing campaigns more convincing and help attackers process information and develop malicious software more quickly.