World News

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.

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.

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.

20:59

Grain Exports

Black Sea attacks choke grain exports and drive up global prices

Escalating attacks on Black Sea ports, cargo vessels and export infrastructure have crippled a vital global grain trade route, threatening supplies to food-importing nations and driving prices higher.

17:04

View from Türkiye

Türkiye rejects Israel’s justification for Syria airbase strike

Türkiye on Wednesday rejected Israel’s justification for striking a Syrian airbase near its border, calling the claims “untenable” as tensions between the two countries rise over Syria.

16:52

View from Georgia

Uzbekistan plans Georgia logistics hub as Middle Corridor ties deepen

Uzbekistan plans to open a logistics centre at Georgia’s port of Poti by 2027, with capacity to handle up to 500,000 tonnes of cargo a year, as Tashkent strengthens transport links through the South Caucasus.

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.

15:43

Ukraine

Former Ukraine defence minister calls for wartime elections

Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for elections despite the war with Russia, mounting what is widely seen as the biggest domestic political challenge to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.

15:43

Ukraine Politics

Ukraine parliament confirms Yevhenii Khmara as Defence Minister

Ukraine's parliament has approved Yevhenii Khmara as the country's new defence minister, cementing a key leadership change as Kyiv navigates wartime priorities and a broader government reorganisation.

15:20

School security

Thai schools hold shooting response drills after deadly school attack

Thai schools conducted active shooter drills on Wednesday (19 August), as authorities moved to strengthen security measures two weeks after a 14-year-old opened fire at a school and killed at least eight people.

13:16

Apple

Apple changes fees for alternative app stores in EU

Apple has announced a major overhaul of its business terms for apps distributed in the European Union, introducing a five per cent commission on digital transactions outside its App Store and simplifying its fee structure as it seeks to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).

13:01

Humanitarian aid workers

World Humanitarian Day: 907 aid workers attacked in 2025 as violence reached a new high

A record number of humanitarian workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025, with the growing use of armed drones contributing to mounting risks in conflict zones, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

11:23

Hotel fire

At least nine killed in hotel fire in India’s Kolkata

At least nine people were killed, including a child, in a fire at a hotel in India's eastern city of Kolkata on Wednesday, local police said. 

11:09

France-Iran

France to expel two Iranian diplomats after Tehran embassy dispute

France is set to expel two Iranian diplomats in response to what Paris has described as a “deliberate assault” on two French embassy staff in Tehran last month, escalating tensions between the two countries.

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.

08:41

U.S.-South Korea

U.S. and South Korea cut military drills to five days after Trump orders reduction

South Korea and the United States are scaling back their annual joint military exercises following an order from U.S. President Donald Trump to substantially reduce American participation.