live Iran, U.S. make competing claims over control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
The UK and Germany have signed a landmark treaty that includes plans for a direct rail connection between London and Berlin, aimed at boosting travel and trade between the two countries.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited London for the first time in his official role to sign the Kensington Treaty with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Alongside the train link, the agreement covers opening e-gates for frequent travellers next month and expanding school exchange programs.
A joint taskforce of transport experts from both countries will now work to establish the necessary border and security arrangements for the long-distance rail service, which Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said could be running within the next decade.
“This new rail connection will offer a faster, greener alternative to flying, linking passengers directly to iconic sights like the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall,” Alexander said.
The treaty also strengthens defence and security cooperation, including a new agreement on joint exports of military equipment such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets. This deal is expected to generate billions in defence exports over coming years.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of August, covering the latest developments.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used Pacific Fleet drills to criticise Japan, NATO and possible Western moves against Russian commercial ships. He made the comments during his first visit to Iturup, a Japan-claimed island at the end of the Kuril chain near the island of Hokkaido.
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