The Munich Security Conference concludes on Sunday (15 February) with discussions centred on Europe’s role in an increasingly unstable global landscape, including security coordination, economic competitiveness and the protection of democratic values.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 15th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Australia will spend A$3.9bn to build a new shipyard for AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced, marking a major step in the trilateral defence pact with the U.S. and Britain.
Portugal's parliament approved a bill on Thursday (12 February), on its first reading, requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16-years old to access social media, in one of the first concrete legislative moves in Europe to impose such restrictions.
A bipartisan group of 37 U.S. lawmakers have written to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about parliament stalling proposed defence spending, saying that the threat posed by China has never been greater.
The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) won a decisive two-thirds majority in Friday’s (13 February) general election, a result expected to bring stability after months of turmoil following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-led uprising in 2024.
Russia has outlined potential areas for economic cooperation with the Trump administration, including a possible return to using the U.S. dollar in bilateral dealings, Bloomberg News reported, citing an internal Kremlin memo.
The Ukrainian capital came under a “massive” Russian missile attack early Thursday (12 February), with explosions heard across the capital according to authorities. The assault unfolded as uncertainty lingers over upcoming U.S.-brokered peace talks.
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly backed a measure on Wednesday (11 February) disapproving President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, a rare rebuke of the president and leaders of his party in the Republican-majority House.
Russia has fully blocked WhatsApp for failing to comply with local legislation, the Kremlin said on Thursday, marking a sharp escalation in Moscow’s campaign to tighten control over foreign technology platforms.
Israel has joined U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' initiative, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday (11 February) during his visit to Washington where he met Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Azerbaijan and the United States signalled closer economic ties on Monday (9 February) as President Ilham Aliyev hosted a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the country’s investment appeal and growing interest from American companies.
Representatives of Azerbaijan’s civil society have sent an open letter to U.S. Vice President JD Vance, urging support for the right of return of Western Azerbaijanis displaced from Armenia, ahead of his visit to Azerbaijan on 10 February.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
Australian leaders urged calm and called for protests to remain peaceful after clashes between police and demonstrators opposing Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia erupted in Sydney on Monday (9 February).
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates led regional states on Monday (9 February) in condemning Israel's move to ease settlement expansion and widen its powers in the occupied West Bank.
Japan’s snap election has delivered a landslide victory for Sanae Takaichi, giving her a strong mandate to advance fiscal expansion and defence reforms. But, analysts warn that inflation risks and funding challenges could complicate her agenda.
Hong Kong’s most prominent media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday (9 February) to a total of 20 years in prison on national security charges. The verdict covers two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count related to publishing seditious materials.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Sunday (8 February) he was in favour of banning the use of social media by children under 15 of age, as a growing number of European countries consider similar restrictions.
Thailand faced a realignment of conservative politics on Monday (9 February) after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's Bhumjaithai Party won a stronger-than-expected general election victory.
Iranian activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was sentenced to a new prison term of 7-1/2 years, a group supporting her said on Sunday (8 February).
A senior Russian military intelligence officer is recovering in hospital after being shot several times in Moscow, as investigators prepare to interrogate two suspects in what appears to be the latest assassination attempt targeting Russia’s top military ranks since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Iran and the United States opened nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, with Tehran calling the meeting a good start and both sides agreeing to continue discussions after returning to their capitals for consultations.
The U.S. military said it has carried out a strike Thursday (5 February) on a vessel allegedly engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, according to the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), killing two people.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
