AnewZ Morning Brief - 27 August, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27 August, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Italy’s government gave final approval on Wednesday for the construction of a long-planned suspension bridge linking Sicily to the mainland, a project touted as the world’s longest single-span bridge despite decades of environmental, financial and logistical concerns.
The 3.7-km Strait of Messina bridge has been under discussion since the late 1960s as part of efforts to boost economic development in Italy’s underdeveloped south.
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made the project a priority, allocating €13.5 billion ($15.63 billion) over the next ten years for construction and surrounding infrastructure.
The Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS) approved the plan at a meeting in Rome, the League party of Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said.
According to the Messina Strait Company overseeing the project, the bridge is expected to be completed by 2032.
The project has long faced strong opposition from environmentalists, economists, and some local communities who argue that building such a massive structure in a seismically active area poses significant risks.
Concerns have also been raised about potential cost overruns, environmental degradation, and the risk of mafia infiltration in the construction process.
Some citizens' groups argue the bridge is unnecessary, while environmental organisations this week filed a complaint with the European Union citing serious environmental risks.
Supporters, however, say the bridge will deliver critical infrastructure to Sicily and improve connectivity between the island and the mainland, replacing the existing ferry system with faster road and rail transport. Advocates see the project as key to revitalising the economy in southern Italy.
The contract for the bridge was awarded to the Eurolink consortium following an international tender. The group is led by Italy’s largest construction firm, Webuild, and includes Spanish firm Sacyr and Japan’s IHI.
The Messina Strait Company said Wednesday’s approval clears the way for preliminary works to begin, including archaeological and geological surveys. Land expropriations will also be authorised.
Last week, Salvini told reporters that a review by the national audit court would still be required before the CIPESS decision can take effect. A source familiar with the matter said the process may take several weeks.
Webuild, which has ongoing projects around the world including in Saudi Arabia’s NEOM mega-development, has estimated the bridge construction could create more than 100,000 jobs. Sacyr previously participated in the Panama Canal expansion, and IHI has contributed to major suspension bridges in Japan and Türkiye’s.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27 August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook will file a lawsuit to prevent President Donald Trump from removing her from office, a lawyer for the central bank official said on Tuesday, potentially setting up a prolonged legal battle over the White House’s attempt to influence U.S. monetary policy.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully deployed its first batch of mock Starlink satellites and tested new heat shield tiles during its tenth test flight on Tuesday, marking key development milestones after a streak of earlier failures.
The U.S. has doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, heightening trade tensions with one of its closest strategic partners and threatening thousands of exporters and jobs in India.
Russian forces have captured two villages in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, as Kyiv struggles to repel advances during stalled peace negotiations, Ukrainian open-source researchers said on Tuesday.
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