Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 16th of August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Trump holds phone calls with Zelenskyy, NATO leaders after summit with Putin
The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at length with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and later held talks with NATO leaders following his Friday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
2. Alaska talks showed Putin is not looking for peace, says Czech minister
Czech defence minister Jana Cernochova said on Saturday that the Alaska talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin made little headway on ending the conflict in Ukraine, instead revealing that Putin seeks to undermine Western unity. Writing on X, she argued the meeting confirmed the Russian leader’s interest in spreading propaganda rather than pursuing peace, stressing the need for continued Western support for Ukraine.
3. Kyrgyzstan's GDP grows 11.5 pct in first 7 months of 2025
Kyrgyzstan’s National Statistical Committee reported Friday that the service sector was the largest contributor to the economy, accounting for 51.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Commodity production sectors made up 32.8 percent, while taxes on products contributed 16.1 percent.
4. Lula welcomes foreign firms as Brazil faces U.S. tariffs
Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said foreign companies are welcome in Brazil as he opened Chinese automaker GWM’s new plant in São Paulo state on Friday. Lula criticised U.S. president Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods as “unnecessary turbulence” and vowed to raise the issue at BRICS. The new factory, with capacity for 50,000 vehicles a year and over 2,000 jobs, comes as Brazil’s auto exports are projected to rise 38% in 2025.
5. Trump says he may have to think about tariffs on Russian oil buyers 'in two or three weeks'
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he does not need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil “right now,” though he may revisit the issue in the coming weeks. Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity after his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said: “Because of what happened today, I don’t have to think about that. Maybe in two or three weeks, but not at this moment. The meeting went very well.”
6. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to visit India from Monday, China's foreign ministry says
China’s foreign ministry announced on Saturday that Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India from Monday to Wednesday.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled i...
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A rep...
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, day...
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing w...
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermin...
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Singapore has isolated and is testing two of its residents who travelled aboard a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Thursday.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Countries worldwide sought to prevent the further spread of the hantavirus on Thursday, after an outbreak on a cruise ship, by tracking those who had disembarked before the virus was detected and anyone who had close contact with them since.
China’s leading chipmakers are funnelling unprecedented sums into research and development as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on foreign technology amid intensifying U.S. export restrictions.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
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