Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 16th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Trump confirms Patriot missile shipments to Ukraine, paid by NATO members
President Donald Trump announced that Patriot missile systems are already being sent to Ukraine from Germany as part of a NATO-backed agreement. Under the deal, the U.S. will be fully reimbursed by European allies, either through NATO or directly from EU members.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. will not bear any additional financial burden. The deal was finalized during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who confirmed Europe would cover the full cost of supplying weapons to Ukraine.
2. Syria declares Latakia wildfires under control, warns of long-term damage
Syria has announced that the wildfires in Latakia province have been fully extinguished after 12 days of intense efforts. Minister Raed al-Saleh emphasized the need for stronger forest protection and an early warning system to prevent future disasters.
More than16,000 hectares of forest and 2,200 hectares of farmland were destroyed, while 45 villages were affected and 1,200 families displaced. International support from Türkiye, Jordan, Lebanon, and others was praised as vital to the response.
3. EU imposes fresh sanctions on Iran, Russia, Moldova, and Haiti over rights abuses and hybrid threats
The EU has imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities in Iran, Russia, Moldova, and Haiti over human rights abuses, disinformation, and efforts to destabilize regions.
Targets include Iranian intelligence-linked groups, Russian judges, Moldovan political actors, and Haitian gang leaders. Russian media and military units were also blacklisted for interference and GNSS jamming. All face asset freezes and travel bans.
4. U.S. and EU set end-August deadline for new Iran nuclear deal
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK have agreed on an end-of-August deadline to revive the Iran nuclear deal, according to Axios. If no agreement is reached, the European powers may trigger the 'snapback' mechanism.
Talks include calls for Iran to resume International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring and reduce its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium. Iran currently holds around 400 kilograms—well above limits set in the original deal. The U.S. exited the agreement in 2018 under President Donald Trump. Iran denies having a nuclear programme.
5. Azerbaijan and China officially end visa requirements for ordinary passport holders
The visa regime between Azerbaijan and China was abolished on 16 July, following an agreement signed during President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to China.
Citizens holding valid ordinary passports from both countries can now travel, enter, exit, and transit without a visa for up to 30 days per trip and a total of 90 days within any 180-day period. This development aims to strengthen bilateral relations and facilitate easier travel and cooperation.
The UK government has unveiled a new package of asylum reforms that will significantly tighten access to refugee status and expand enforced family rem...
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that the European Union must transform into a European defence union amid growing international securi...
Government ministers from around the world were preparing for a final few fraught days of talks at the U.N. climate summit as they bid to secure a dea...
On 18–19 November, Iran’s Gilan Province, in the city of Rasht, will bring together the leaders of the Caspian littoral regions. The two-day meeti...
An explosion that damaged a Polish railway track on a route to Ukraine was an "unprecedented act of sabotage", Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Mond...
The UK government has unveiled a new package of asylum reforms that will significantly tighten access to refugee status and expand enforced family removals. Under the new rules, successful asylum seekers will now have to wait 20 years—up from five—before applying for permanent residency.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that the European Union must transform into a European defence union amid growing international security challenges.
Government ministers from around the world were preparing for a final few fraught days of talks at the U.N. climate summit as they bid to secure a deal that demonstrates global resolve amid increasing assertiveness from developing nations.
On 18–19 November, Iran’s Gilan Province, in the city of Rasht, will bring together the leaders of the Caspian littoral regions. The two-day meeting will gather delegations from all five Caspian states – Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Ukraine is facing a sharp escalation in fighting across several fronts, with Russian forces launching large-scale offensive operations while Kyiv intensifies long-range strikes deep inside Russian territory.
Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of what it described as a broader offensive aimed at securing full control of the strategic territory.
Storm Claudia, which brought violent weather to Portugal, has resulted in the deaths of three people and left dozens injured, authorities reported on Saturday. Meanwhile, in Britain, rescue teams were organising evacuations due to heavy flooding in Wales and England.
U.S. President Donald Trump purchased at least $82 million in corporate and municipal bonds between late August and early October, including new investments in sectors benefiting from his policies, according to financial disclosures made public on Saturday.
Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of a broader offensive aimed at seizing full control of the area.
The number of newly enrolled international students at U.S. colleges and universities fell by 17% this autumn, a report shows, with policies under the Trump administration cited as a key factor.
The number of first-time asylum applicants in the European Union fell by 27% in August 2025, Eurostat data shows. A total of 51,465 people applied for international protection for the first time, down from 70,290 in August 2024 and 55,390 in July 2025.
The U.S. Southern Command announced on Sunday that a military strike in the Eastern Pacific killed three individuals suspected of narcotics smuggling. The operation was carried out by the Joint Task Force Southern Spear under the direction of Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that his country will purchase 100 Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France. The deal forms part of a broader defence cooperation agreement signed with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The UK government has unveiled a new package of asylum reforms that will significantly tighten access to refugee status and expand enforced family removals. Under the new rules, successful asylum seekers will now have to wait 20 years—up from five—before applying for permanent residency.
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