Your Tuesday briefing across ten beats: world affairs, artificial intelligence, gaming, faith, consumer protection, a practical tech tip, science, space, business, and the latest in consumer technology.
1. Current Affairs: Powerful earthquake strikes western Colombia, dozens killed
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, and authorities reported that at least 111 people were killed as rescue crews continued searching collapsed structures on Tuesday. The quake damaged hundreds of buildings across cities including Cali, Pereira, and Manizales, and prompted the national government to declare a state of emergency. Officials warned that the death toll could rise as assessments reach outlying areas. Several countries, including the United States, offered humanitarian assistance and search-and-rescue support. Colombian emergency services said hospitals in the affected region were treating large numbers of injured residents, while power and communications outages complicated relief efforts. The disaster ranks among the strongest to hit the country in recent years, and geologists cautioned that aftershocks remained a risk. Recovery operations are expected to continue for days as the scale of the damage becomes clearer. Democracy Now
2. AI: EU orders Google to open Android to rival AI assistants
European regulators have directed Google to open the Android platform to competing artificial intelligence assistants, including Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's ChatGPT, by August 2027, citing obligations under the Digital Markets Act. The ruling would require Google to allow users to select alternative AI assistants rather than defaulting to the company's own Gemini system. The decision arrived alongside news that Anthropic announced a new data center joint venture, part of a broader race among AI developers to secure computing capacity. Separately, Google reported that its Gemini application has surpassed one billion monthly active users, underscoring how quickly consumer adoption of AI tools has accelerated. The regulatory move signals continued European scrutiny of how dominant platforms distribute AI services, and it could reshape how assistants reach mobile users across the continent. Industry observers said the outcome may influence similar debates in other markets. AI Tools Recap
3. Gaming: Oblivion Remastered arrives on Nintendo Switch 2
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered launched on the Nintendo Switch 2 on Tuesday, bringing Bethesda's overhauled version of the classic role-playing game to the new handheld and hybrid console. The remaster features substantially upgraded visuals and modernized systems, allowing players to explore the province of Cyrodiil in far greater graphical detail than the 2006 original. The release is part of a busy August lineup for the platform, which also anticipates the arrival of Elden Ring later in the month. Elsewhere in gaming, the retro-styled first-person shooter Agent 64: Spies Never Die debuted on PC, and three new titles rotated into Xbox Game Pass across its various tiers. Analysts described August as a steady stretch of releases rather than a single blockbuster launch, offering variety for players ahead of a crowded autumn calendar. DLCompare
4. Faith: President Oaks to dedicate Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple
President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is scheduled to dedicate the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple on Sunday, August 16, marking another milestone in the faith's expanding presence in Brazil. The announcement follows a period of leadership and organizational activity for the church, including general leadership changes that took effect August 1 and a recent groundbreaking for the Naga Philippines Temple. The church also released a series of instructional videos supporting upcoming Sunday meeting schedule changes. In other religious news, the Vatican published the program for Pope Leo XIV's fifth apostolic journey, while diplomatic tension between the Holy See and the United States continued over differing positions on foreign policy. Church officials said temple dedications remain central to the faith's global growth, with congregations across South America among the fastest expanding. Church Newsroom
5. Scam Alert: IRS warns of fake cryptocurrency compliance letters
The Internal Revenue Service is warning cryptocurrency holders about fraudulent letters that direct recipients to a nonexistent "Digital Asset Compliance Portal." The letters include QR codes that link to fake websites designed to harvest personal and financial information. Officials emphasized that the agency does not operate such a portal and urged taxpayers to avoid scanning unfamiliar QR codes or entering credentials on sites reached through unsolicited mail. The warning comes amid a broader surge in imposter schemes, which the Federal Trade Commission reported remained the most common category of fraud for a ninth consecutive year, with losses climbing sharply. Consumer advocates also flagged renewed tech-support pop-up scams and phishing pages that mimic trusted login screens. Authorities advised verifying any government notice directly through official channels and never acting on urgent payment demands delivered by letter, text, or phone. FTC Consumer Advice
6. Tech Tip: Move your most sensitive accounts to passkeys
Security specialists recommend switching high-value accounts, particularly personal email and banking, to passkeys as soon as the option becomes available. Passkeys replace typed passwords with a credential stored on your device and unlocked by a fingerprint, face scan, or PIN, which closes off phishing because there is no password to steal or enter on a fake site. To get started, look for a passkey or passwordless sign-in option in your account security settings, then follow the prompts to register your device. Experts note that the realistic weak point is not the underlying cryptography but account recovery, so users should also review and strengthen their recovery methods, such as backup contacts and secondary verification. For those managing workplace systems, pairing passkeys with a hardware security key provides an additional layer of protection. The shift reduces reliance on reused or weak passwords that attackers target first. Microsoft Security Blog
7. Science: Study finds language and reasoning use separate brain systems
Neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported new evidence that language and logical reasoning are powered by distinct systems in the human brain. The findings suggest that the networks responsible for producing and understanding language operate separately from those engaged during complex problem solving, challenging the longstanding assumption that language is essential to thought itself. Researchers observed that regions active during reading and speaking remained relatively quiet when subjects worked through logic and mathematical puzzles. The work adds to a growing body of research mapping how specialized brain circuits divide cognitive labor. Scientists said the results could inform how researchers understand conditions that affect language while sparing reasoning, and vice versa. The study is part of a wider wave of neuroscience research this week, including findings on how dogs may perceive human emotions more deeply than previously understood. ScienceDaily
8. Space: Total solar eclipse to cross parts of the globe Wednesday
A total solar eclipse is set to occur on Wednesday, August 12, and NASA plans to study it using high-altitude balloons and a research jet to observe the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona. Scientists traveling to observation points, including locations in Spain and Iceland, hope the event will help answer longstanding questions about the corona's structure and behavior. Eclipses offer rare opportunities to view the faint corona, which is normally obscured by the sun's brightness. The observation campaign reflects continued scientific interest in solar physics, which affects space weather and can influence satellites and power systems on Earth. In other developments, SpaceX launched another batch of 29 Starlink satellites from Florida on Tuesday, and NASA continued laying groundwork for a future lunar base through a series of planned robotic missions and commercial landers. Space.com
9. Business and Finance: Markets hold near records as investors await inflation data
United States stocks traded cautiously on Tuesday as investors awaited the release of July Consumer Price Index data, scheduled for Wednesday morning. Markets hovered near recent record highs, with narrow moves and thin summer trading volume. The session followed a modestly lower close on Monday, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped about 0.1 percent, the S&P 500 eased 0.1 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.3 percent, pressured by higher oil prices and renewed concern over inflation. Energy shares outperformed as crude prices climbed, while rate-sensitive sectors such as real estate and utilities lagged. The inflation report is expected to shape expectations for the Federal Reserve's next moves on interest rates. Several companies reported quarterly earnings, and analysts said investors were largely positioning defensively ahead of the data rather than making significant new bets. Zacks
10. Consumer Tech: Google set to unveil Pixel 11 lineup at Made by Google event
Google is preparing to introduce its Pixel 11 smartphone series on Wednesday, August 12, at its annual Made by Google event, with pre-orders reported to begin the same day. The company is expected to reveal a four-device lineup consisting of the standard Pixel 11, the Pixel 11 Pro, the Pixel 11 Pro XL, and a foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Reports point to a new-generation Tensor processor, expanded artificial intelligence features, and upgraded cameras, along with a new indicator light on the rear of the devices. The launch anchors a busy month for consumer hardware that also includes Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and a range of midrange handsets. Separately, Google quietly released a new standalone smart speaker, its first in roughly six years, signaling renewed attention to its home audio lineup. Digit
Written by Lonnon Jensen. Read more about the author.