Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 3rd August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Iran fully reopens airspace after conflict with Israel ends
Iran has lifted all remaining airspace restrictions following its 12-day conflict with Israel. The Civil Aviation Organization confirmed that all domestic and international flights have resumed normal operations. Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran is now running 24/7. Airspace restrictions were gradually eased, with full flight capacity now restored across the country.
2. Portugal declares state of alert as deadly heatwave claims hundreds
Portugal has reported 264 deaths in just one week due to an intense heatwave, mostly among the elderly and chronically ill. The government has declared a nationwide 'state of alert' from 3–7 August amid rising wildfire risks. New restrictions include bans on forest access, fires, fireworks, and rural machinery use. Temperatures are expected to exceed 40°C across much of the country.
3. Powerful earthquake strikes Russia’s Kuril Islands
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit Russia’s Kuril Islands on Sunday, according to the German Research Center for Geosciences. The U.S. Geological Survey and Pacific Tsunami Warning System both recorded it at magnitude 7.0. Despite the strength of the quake, no tsunami warning was issued. The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. No immediate reports of damage or casualties have been confirmed.
4. Ukrainian drone strike ignites oil depot fire in Russia’s Sochi
A massive fire broke out at an oil depot in Sochi after a Ukrainian drone strike, with more than 120 firefighters battling the blaze. Russia’s defense ministry reported shooting down 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 60 over the Black Sea. Flights at Sochi airport were briefly halted but later resumed. Meanwhile, drone attacks also injured four people in Russia’s Voronezh region.
5. Pope Leo celebrates mass with 500,000 youths in largest event of papacy
Pope Leo leads a mass on the outskirts of Rome with an expected crowd of 500,000 young people, in the largest event yet of his three-month papacy. The youths, coming from some 146 countries, are in Rome for a week of events as part of the ongoing Catholic holy year.
U.S. and Pakistani leaders forecast a Sunday signing of a long-elusive framework agreement to end fighting between the United States and Iran, as Reut...
Senior officials from Azerbaijan and Armenia held a working meeting in Dilijan, Armenia, on 14 June to discuss issues related to the peace agenda betw...
Tajikistan has strengthened its position as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and D...
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to close out the series 4-1 and claim their first NBA championship since 1973, sparking celeb...
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconfer...
Senior officials from Azerbaijan and Armenia held a working meeting in Dilijan, Armenia, on 14 June to discuss issues related to the peace agenda between the two countries.
Tajikistan has strengthened its position as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the trend is supported by investment activity, industrial expansion and large-scale infrastructure projects.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Georgia to implement reforms to tackle youth unemployment. Nearly 30 per cent of people aged 15-24 are without a job in the country, according to World Bank data.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to publish the UK government's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan ahead of next month's NATO summit in Ankara, following growing pressure over the UK's military spending commitments.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
Armenia has every right to choose Europe. But Europe’s support for Armenia’s direction should not become automatic approval of its political process.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Japan’s birth rate and fertility levels have fallen to their lowest levels on record, highlighting the country’s worsening demographic crisis as fewer people marry and have children.
The global race to develop quantum computing is accelerating, with governments and technology firms investing heavily in what is expected to become a major new computing era.
The New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to close out the series 4-1 and claim their first NBA championship since 1973, sparking celebrations across New York City.
In the runup to the G7 summit, hosted by France in Évian-les-Bains on Monday, 15 June, China has addressed global economic balances in a videoconference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. It is a rarity for Beijing to engage directly with the group.
Switzerland on Sunday rejected a referendum proposal to cap its population at 10 million, a projection showed, as voters prioritised economic stability and the country's ties with the European Union over immigration concerns.
Romania's centrist President Nicușor Dan on Sunday designated Adrian Veștea, a member of the liberal party, as prime minister, after independent candidate Eugen Tomac withdrew.
North Korea said on Sunday, 14 June, that denuclearisation is a matter that is irreversibly terminated, in a condemnation of recent nuclear deterrence talks between the U.S. and South Korea.
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