Latest News and Breaking Stories

U.S.-Iran standoff continues as Hormuz shipping and diplomacy remain uncertain

19:16

Middle East conflict

live U.S.-Iran standoff continues as Hormuz shipping and diplomacy remain uncertain

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.

Russian missile strike on Kyiv kills 16, Poland activates air defences

15:29

Russia-Ukraine-Poland

Russian missile strike on Kyiv kills 16, Poland activates air defences

Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least sixteen people and injured more than forty others, Ukrainian officials said, with fires reported across the city and Poland activating defensive air operations.

Moscow fuel queues add to pressure on Russia’s rouble

15:34

Russia's fuel

Moscow fuel queues add to pressure on Russia’s rouble

Fuel restrictions have returned to parts of Moscow and the surrounding region, adding another strain to Russia’s economy as refinery outages and rising imports weigh on the rouble.

11:32

Nuclear warheads

South Korea says North Korea may have up to 120 nuclear warheads

South Korea estimates North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, its defence minister said on Thursday, citing a range significantly higher than U.S. President Donald Trump's recent assertion that Pyongyang has 57 nuclear weapons.

Afghanistan, Belarus agree to deepen industrial cooperation

22:29 CET

View from Afghanistan

Afghanistan, Belarus agree to deepen industrial cooperation

Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul s...

Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan target $1 billion in trade by 2030

22:10 CET

View from Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan target $1 billion in trade by 2030

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deep...

Australia condemns Israel over closure of Gaza aid worker case

19:20 CET

Australia- Gaza

Australia condemns Israel over closure of Gaza aid worker case

Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...

22:29 CET

View from Afghanistan

Afghanistan, Belarus agree to deepen industrial cooperation

Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul s...

22:10 CET

View from Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan target $1 billion in trade by 2030

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deep...

19:20 CET

Australia- Gaza

Australia condemns Israel over closure of Gaza aid worker case

Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...

Region

South Caucasus Central Asia Middle East

Syria says it assured Israel there were no plans for Turkish base

16:47

View from Türkiye

Syria says it assured Israel there were no plans for Turkish base

Syria says it assured Israel that Türkiye had no plans to establish a military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase before Israeli forces struck the site on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan’s support for Ukraine could set regional example, aid group director says

12:35

Ukraine-Russia war

Azerbaijan’s support for Ukraine could set regional example, aid group director says

Azerbaijan’s support for Ukraine could provide a model for neighbouring countries seeking to strengthen their sovereignty, the director of development at an organisation supporting Ukraine’s armed forces has told AnewZ.

10:27

Georgia

Georgia’s new Patriarch Shio III to visit Istanbul as Orthodox churches strengthen ties

Georgia’s newly elected Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III is set to visit Istanbul, with the upcoming trip discussed during a meeting with Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, a representative of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

Azerbaijan is setting the rules in a changing South Caucasus, expert says

18:06

Context

Azerbaijan is setting the rules in a changing South Caucasus, expert says

Azerbaijan’s strategic rise is turning it from a transit state into a regional rule-setter, with the Middle Corridor giving Baku growing influence far beyond its size, analyst Ahmad Alili says.

Azerbaijan summons Russian ambassador over media threats

15:24

Azerbaijan Russia

Azerbaijan summons Russian ambassador over media threats

Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Baku over recent Russian media comments it described as insulting, provocative and threatening towards the country, its people and leadership.

Uzbekistan faces $1.5 billion hit if Middle East tensions disrupt Iran trade route

18:29

View from Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan faces $1.5 billion hit if Middle East tensions disrupt Iran trade route

Uzbekistan could lose up to $1.5 billion if escalating Middle East tensions disrupt vital trade and logistics routes through Iran, putting pressure on supply chains and the wider economy.

World

World News

Iran rejects UAE missile claims as regional tensions escalate

00:09

View from Iran

Iran rejects UAE missile claims as regional tensions escalate

Iran has rejected UAE allegations that it fired two ballistic missiles towards the Gulf state, as tensions rise over military activity, trade and the Strait of Hormuz.

Palestinian girl's grandmother rejects Israeli probe into her killing

05:07

Hind Rajab

Palestinian girl's grandmother rejects Israeli probe into her killing

The grandmother of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab has rejected an Israeli military investigation into her killing, saying the family does not trust the Israeli judiciary and calling instead for an independent international probe.

Lebanon extradites former Syrian general to Damascus over murder, torture charges

04:46

Syria Lebanon

Lebanon extradites former Syrian general to Damascus over murder, torture charges

Lebanon has handed over former Syrian Major General Adel Issa to authorities in Damascus, where he faces charges including premeditated murder and torture resulting in death, Syria’s Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.

06:37

Colombia earthquake

Colombia earthquake death toll rises to 314, with 262 still missing

The death toll from last week’s powerful earthquake in Colombia has risen to at least 314, while 262 people remain missing, President Abelardo De La Espriella said on Wednesday.

UK summons Israeli diplomat over E1 settlement tender

07:02

UK Israel

UK summons Israeli diplomat over E1 settlement tender

Britain has summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires and demanded that the Israeli government withdraw a tender for construction in the controversial E1 settlement area in the West Bank.

15:55

Sanctions

U.S. imposed sanctions against two ICC court officials

The U.S. imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and a senior trial lawyer at the court Abdoulaye Seye on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

AnewZ Originals

21:03

Buried Stories

Buried Stories: The Last Train East

A journey into one of the darkest chapters of the Baltic states' history.

11:15

Albania

AnewZ Explainer: Albania's resort-turned-government protests

What began as a fight against a resort project in Albania has turned into a rallying cry against the government.

Forgotten Spanish pilots trained in Ganja before two wars changed their lives

19:23

Documentary

Forgotten Spanish pilots trained in Ganja before two wars changed their lives

The Aviators of Ganja explores how young Spanish volunteers travelled to Soviet-era Azerbaijan to train as military pilots before being drawn into the defining conflicts of the 20th century.

19:23

Film

Documentary helps filmmaker explore his Nordic identity through Azerbaijan

Documentary filmmaker Mikael Silkeberg has said that making a film exploring connections between Scandinavia and Azerbaijan helped him better understand his own mixed Nordic identity.

22:29

View from Afghanistan

Afghanistan, Belarus agree to deepen industrial cooperation

Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul seeks Belarusian machinery and support to develop domestic manufacturing.

22:10

View from Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan target $1 billion in trade by 2030

Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deepen economic and industrial ties.

AI & Next

Artificial Intelligence Innovations & Technology Science News

08:49

AI store manager recommends firing its first human employee in San Francisco

An artificial intelligence agent running an experimental store in San Francisco has recommended dismissing a human employee after the worker repeatedly arrived late for shifts.

The $500 billion bet on AI: Nvidia and investors join forces

05:20

Nvidia AI Investors

The $500 billion bet on AI: Nvidia and investors join forces

Nvidia is teaming up with some of the biggest names in global finance in a move that underscores how artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming one of the world's most sought-after investment themes.

When daylight disappears: Inside 12 August's rare solar eclipse

16:11

Explainer

When daylight disappears: Inside 12 August's rare solar eclipse

Parts of Europe and the Arctic will briefly fall into darkness on Wednesday, 12 August, as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun in a total solar eclipse.

Meta AI internet breach raises fears over cybersecurity risks

14:54

AI security

Meta AI internet breach raises fears over cybersecurity risks

Meta said one of its AI models hacked another company's systems during cybersecurity testing, intensifying concerns about how developers can contain increasingly capable AI systems following similar incidents involving Anthropic and OpenAI.

Health

Health news Healthcare

12:13

Ebola

Ebola outbreak in Congo exceeds 5,000

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases, with the death toll reaching 2,378, according to the latest government data.

11:51

Bird Flu

H5N1 bird flu kills dozens of seabirds as Australia warns of wider wildlife spread

Australia warned on Monday (3 August) of a wider spread of H5N1 bird flu after its first confirmed mass mortality event among seabirds killed about 50 greater crested terns off the coast of South Australia, south of Adelaide.

Power cuts and medicine shortages threaten cancer care in Sudan

10:38

Sudan's healthcare

Power cuts and medicine shortages threaten cancer care in Sudan

Cancer patients in Sudan are struggling to access life-saving treatment as soaring medication costs, power shortages and damaged hospital infrastructure deepen the country's healthcare crisis after more than three years of war.

Global HIV funding drops to $7.3bn, raising fears of epidemic resurgence

05:44

Health News

Global HIV funding drops to $7.3bn, raising fears of epidemic resurgence

The world risks a resurgence of the HIV epidemic after international funding fell by nearly a fifth last year, according to a new report from UNAIDS, which warned that decades of progress against the disease could be reversed without renewed global support.

Business

Economy Markets

Middle Corridor trade offers Georgia path to higher-value growth, ADB says

12:31

ADB

Middle Corridor trade offers Georgia path to higher-value growth, ADB says

Rising trade across the Caspian Sea is strengthening Georgia’s role as a logistics hub and could help the country develop higher-value industries, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

11:13

Hynix Shares

SK Hynix shares tumble 10 per cent despite record profit as AI-fuelled results miss forecasts

SK Hynix reported record quarterly profit on Wednesday, but its shares slumped 10 per cent after the South Korean chipmaker fell short of investor expectations built around the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

Ford raises 2026 outlook after stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings

15:13

Automotive industry

Ford raises 2026 outlook after stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings

Ford raised its full-year earnings forecast after reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter adjusted profit, as resilient demand for its vehicles and operational improvements helped offset tariff-related costs.

China says it's monitoring UK's nationalisation of British Steel

10:20

Industry

China says it's monitoring UK's nationalisation of British Steel

China's Foreign Ministry has said it is closely monitoring the United Kingdom's nationalisation ‌of British Steel. Prior to the British government fully taking over the loss-making company on Thursday, it was previously owned by Chinese private steelmaker Jingye.

Apple closes in on Nvidia as world's most valuable company

17:31

Big Tech

Apple closes in on Nvidia as world's most valuable company

Apple is closing in on Nvidia's position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company, as investors increasingly bet the iPhone maker can turn artificial intelligence into sustained earnings growth.

Culture

Culture News Lifestyle Art Music Cinema

American actress Hayden Panettiere, in ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ shows, dies at 36

09:26

Cinema

American actress Hayden Panettiere, in ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ shows, dies at 36

American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in TV shows such as Nashville and Heroes, has died at the age of 36, ABC News reported on Sunday, citing her representative.

Four Antonello da Messina works stolen in Renaissance painter's hometown

16:34

Art theft

Four Antonello da Messina works stolen in Renaissance painter's hometown

Four artworks by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina have been stolen overnight from the Museo Regionale di Messina, Italy's culture minister said on Sunday, expressing confidence in the police inquiry.

17:23

Eurovision

Eurovision changes hosting rules over security risks

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has changed Eurovision Song Contest rules to allow a winning country to be blocked from hosting if security risks, armed conflict or geopolitical tensions make it unsafe to stage the event.

Where the world meets through culture: Inside the Gabala International Music Festival

04:48

Gabala Fest 2026

Where the world meets through culture: Inside the Gabala International Music Festival

Each summer, Gabala becomes a gathering point for artists, musicians and audiences from across Azerbaijan and beyond.

The Mecca Pact: A New Security Order for the Middle East?

The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.

Trump announces ‘most crushing economic operation’ against Iran

03:59

Middle East conflict

Trump announces ‘most crushing economic operation’ against Iran

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.

19:16

Middle East conflict

live U.S.-Iran standoff continues as Hormuz shipping and diplomacy remain uncertain

Iran says Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until U.S. meets deal terms

03:04

Middle East conflict

Iran says Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until U.S. meets deal terms

Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.

08:41

Morning Brief

Morning Brief - 19 August 2026

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.

Travel

Travel News Destinations

Mount Etna ash suspends flights at Catania airport until Friday

14:06

Flight disruptions

Mount Etna ash suspends flights at Catania airport until Friday

Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.

17:23

Visa

U.S. makes visa bond programme permanent for visitors from 50 countries

The U.S. has made its visa bond programme permanent for citizens of 50 countries, requiring some business and tourist visa applicants to pay refundable deposits of up to $20,000. Several Central Asian countries remain on the list, but Uzbekistan is not.

Afghanistan and Türkiye explore tourism partnership to boost heritage travel

20:11

View from Afghanistan

Afghanistan and Türkiye explore tourism partnership to boost heritage travel

Afghanistan and Türkiye are considering a tourism agreement to promote historic and religious sites, ease travel and train tourism workers, Afghan authorities said after talks in Kabul on Monday.

15:53

Ryanair

EU court dismisses Ryanair's appeals against Italy's COVID airline aid scheme

The European Union's General Court has dismissed Ryanair's appeals against an Italian state aid scheme approved by the European Commission in 2020 to support airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan's tourism boom drives wider use of accommodation taxes

12:06

Japan tourism

Japan's tourism boom drives wider use of accommodation taxes

Japan’s tourism boom is adding pressure on local authorities to expand accommodation taxes as cities and prefectures seek to manage rising visitor numbers and fund services amid record international arrivals.

Investigations

18:49

Inside Shusha prison

Inside Shusha prison: A journalist’s account of alleged torture

A new AnewZ documentary, 'Inside Shusha prison', highlights what is considered one of the most dreadful prisons during both the Russian Empire and the Soviet era.

23:00

AnewZ premiere

AnewZ premieres 'Macron Paradox', an investigation into France’s shrinking influence

The latest AnewZ investigative documentary examines how Emmanuel Macron’s promise to break with France’s old political habits collided with diplomatic setbacks in Africa and legal fallout surrounding figures once close to the Élysée.

TARGET: Yerevan - A former ICC prosecutor, a shadow network and an alleged plot to interfere in Armenian elections

12:06

AnewZ documentary

TARGET: Yerevan - A former ICC prosecutor, a shadow network and an alleged plot to interfere in Armenian elections

The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.

18:45

Illegal Migration

AnewZ releases Halfway Across, an investigation into illegal migration networks

AnewZ has released its upcoming original documentary, Halfway Across, an investigation into the systems behind illegal migration.

20:39

AnewZ Investigations

What is Shadow Trade?

Shadow Trade is an AnewZ investigative documentary that explains how Russia’s war in Ukraine continues despite one of the most extensive sanctions regimes ever imposed.

23:38

Shadow Of The Cross

AnewZ premieres investigative documentary Shadow of the Cross

AnewZ has premiered its new investigative documentary, Shadow of the Cross, examining the power, history and contested role of one of the world’s most recognised humanitarian symbols.

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