Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 14th of August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. North Korea says South Korea's peace overtures a 'pipedream'
The North Korean leader's powerful sister said on Thursday that the country has never taken down propaganda loudspeakers and will not do so, calling South Korea's belief that Pyongyang was responding to its peace overtures a "pipedream."
Kim Yo Jong, who is a senior official in the North's ruling Workers' Party, also said adjustments made to the plan for annual joint military drills by South Korea and the U.S. were a "futile" move that did not change the allies' hostile intent.
2. Spain calls on European allies for help amid worsening wildfires
Spain is seeking help from its European partners to tackle wildfires raging across the country, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Wednesday.
In particular, it requested two Canadair planes, he said in an interview with local media Cadena SER.
3. Türkiye, Syria sign military cooperation, training deal
The defence ministers of Türkiye and Syria signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on military training and consultancy after talks in Ankara on Wednesday, Daily Sabah reported citing the Defense Ministry.
The neighbours had been negotiating a comprehensive military cooperation agreement for months, after the ousting of Bashar Assad in December.
The new Syrian government has been working to reestablish order nationwide since taking power.
4. Bitcoin climbs to record $123,000 as investors eye U.S. policy boost
Bitcoin vaulted past $120,000 for the first time on Monday, the latest milestone for the world's largest cryptocurrency as investors bet on long-sought policy wins for the industry this week, which has been dubbed "crypto week" by U.S. Republicans.
Bitcoin rose more than 3% to register a record high of $123,153.22 before easing, and was last up 0.5% at $119,750.86. The cryptocurrency is now up more than 27% on the year.
5. Trump threatens 'severe consequences' if Putin blocks Ukraine peace
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened "severe consequences" if Russia's Vladimir Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine but also said on Wednesday that a meeting between them could swiftly be followed by a second that would include the leader of Ukraine.
Trump did not specify what the consequences could be, but he has warned of economic sanctions if his meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday proves fruitless.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has provided a €500 million loan (almost $590 million) to the national gas company Nafto...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday, a day before U.S. President Donald Trump ...
A major forest fire in northern Morocco is now largely under control, though efforts to fully extinguish it are still underway, the national water and...
Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein may be sentenced in New York on 30 September, depending on whether prosecutors move ahead with a retrial ov...
Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and firecrackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday evening,...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday, a day before U.S. President Donald Trump holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
A major forest fire in northern Morocco is now largely under control, though efforts to fully extinguish it are still underway, the national water and forests agency (ANEF) said on Wednesday.
Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein may be sentenced in New York on 30 September, depending on whether prosecutors move ahead with a retrial over an unresolved rape allegation.
Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and firecrackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday evening, according to Reuters, prompting police to intervene to end the standoff, a major escalation of nine-month-long protests in Serbia.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
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.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday, a day before U.S. President Donald Trump holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
A major forest fire in northern Morocco is now largely under control, though efforts to fully extinguish it are still underway, the national water and forests agency (ANEF) said on Wednesday.
Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and firecrackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday evening, according to Reuters, prompting police to intervene to end the standoff, a major escalation of nine-month-long protests in Serbia.
WhatsApp said Russia was trying to block its services because the social media messaging app owned by Meta Platforms META.O offered people's right to secure communication, and vowed to continue trying to make encrypted services available in Russia.
Pakistan will create a new force in the military to supervise missile combat capabilities in a conventional conflict, apparently a move to match the neighbouring arch-rival India.
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