Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 2nd July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. Senate approves divisive Trump spending Bill
The Republican-led U.S. Senate approved President Donald Trump’s mammoth domestic policy Bill on 1 July by the narrowest of margins, despite misgivings over delivering deep welfare cuts and another U.S. $3 trillion in national debt.
Republican leaders had struggled to corral support during a record 24-hour 'vote-a-rama' amendment session on the Senate floor, as Democrats offered dozens of challenges to the most divisive aspects of the package.
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune was able to turn around wavering moderates to deliver a 50-50 vote, with Vice-President JD Vance breaking the tie.
Macron urges Ukraine ceasefire in first talks with Putin since 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin on 1 July spoke by telephone for the first time in over two-and-a-half years, with the French president urging a ceasefire in Ukraine but the Russian leader hitting back that the West was to blame for the conflict.
Trump says Israel has agreed to conditions to finalize 60-day Gaza ceasefire
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Israel had agreed "to the necessary conditions to finalize" a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza during which efforts will be made to end the U.S. ally's war in Gaza.
"Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War," Trump said on social media.
Europe launches next-generation weather satellite MTG-S1
The Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1), a state-of-the-art weather satellite of the new generation, was successfully deployed from Cape Canaveral. Developed through a collaborative effort involving thirty countries, including Türkiye, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, MTG-S1 is designed to enhance real-time weather prediction capabilities, early warning systems, and preparedness for climate-related emergencies.
Utilizing hyperspectral infrared technology, the satellite will monitor convective storms by detecting atmospheric instability before cloud formations occur. MTG-S1 represents the second satellite within the Meteosat Third Generation program and will be operated by EUMETSAT. The program aims to deploy a total of six satellites over a period of twenty years.
Russian nationals held over Iran drug transit remanded for 4 months
A court in Baku has ordered four months of pre-trial detention for eight Russian citizens accused of involvement in an international drug trafficking scheme, according to Azerbaijani authorities.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs said the group is suspected of transporting narcotics from Iran into Azerbaijan, distributing them via online platforms, and committing cyber-related crimes linked to the illegal drug trade.
Conservative Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who submitted the motion, believes the vote is likely to fail but says it sends a powerful symbolic messag...
G7 foreign ministers urged Iran to urgently resume nuclear talks and full cooperation with the IAEA, condemning calls to arrest its director. The stat...
US President Donald Trump signalled scepticism about reaching a trade agreement with Japan, stating on Tuesday that he doubted a deal would be finalis...
The first African leaders’ summit of US President Donald Trump’s second term is set to take place next week in Washington, with heads of state fro...
The US decision to halt shipments of critical military supplies to Ukraine has been met with concern in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials warn that the move w...
Conservative Romanian MEP Gheorghe Piperea, who submitted the motion, believes the vote is likely to fail but says it sends a powerful symbolic message within the European Union.
G7 foreign ministers urged Iran to urgently resume nuclear talks and full cooperation with the IAEA, condemning calls to arrest its director. The statement reaffirmed the commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and highlighted the need for regional stability.
US President Donald Trump signalled scepticism about reaching a trade agreement with Japan, stating on Tuesday that he doubted a deal would be finalised, describing Japanese negotiators as "very tough" despite ongoing talks.
The first African leaders’ summit of US President Donald Trump’s second term is set to take place next week in Washington, with heads of state from Western and Central African countries expected to attend, according to media reports.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
The European Commission is set to propose allowing carbon credits from other countries to count towards the EU’s 2040 climate target, according to a leaked internal document.
The Pentagon says U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites have degraded Tehran’s programme by as much as two years, following attacks last month that used heavy bunker-buster bombs.
A CIA review has identified procedural flaws in a 2016 assessment that Russia sought to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency, but it did not challenge the core conclusion that President Vladimir Putin directed the influence campaign.
Scientists have sequenced the full genome of a man buried in pharaonic Egypt over 4,500 years ago, revealing that about 20% of his ancestry came from Mesopotamia, in a rare discovery linking the two early civilisations.
A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s controversial asylum ban at the US-Mexico border, ruling that the move oversteps his executive powers. The decision marks a major legal setback for Trump’s immigration policies and upholds protections for migrants seeking refuge.
Vietnam is set to confirm the purchase of 50 Boeing planes worth $8 billion, alongside agreements to import $2.9 billion in US agricultural products, as part of a wider trade deal. The announcement follows high-level talks between US and Vietnamese officials, signalling strengthened economic ties be
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