News Wrap: Earthquake death toll in Colombia tops 260
In our news wrap Thursday, Colombia's president says more than 260 are confirmed dead after this week's devastating earthquake, nearly 20 million across the Midwest were under flood alerts as severe storms refuse to let up and Defense Secretary Hegseth disputed reports that poor conditions aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln have led to low morale and suicide attempts.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed that more than 260 people have died in this week's 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with the death toll expected to rise as survivors become scarce. Nearly 20 million people across the U.S. Midwest are under flood alerts as severe storms persist. Meanwhile, in the U.K., temperatures soared to a record-high 100 degrees Fahrenheit in West London, exacerbating drought conditions and fueling wildfires.
In the U.S., nearly 250,000 homes and businesses remain without power due to recent storms and tornadoes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied reports of low morale and suicide attempts aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, dismissing them as "completely misrepresented." The Kennedy Center has approved President Trump's plan to renovate the building for two years, with a proposed inscription honoring his name.
The renovated facade will be subject to approval from a federal judge. Lastly, major stock indices saw positive gains, with the Dow Jones industrial average up 70 points, the Nasdaq growing 0.8 percent, and the S&P 500 reaching a new all-time record high.
Written by urgent.news from PBS NewsHour's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
