AnewZ Morning Brief - 18th August, 2025

Reuters

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 18th of August, covering the latest developments you need to know.

1. European leaders to join Zelenskyy in face-off with Trump over Ukraine

European leaders will join Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet Donald Trump in Washington, they said on Sunday, seeking to shore up Zelenskyy's position as the U.S. president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace deal to end Europe's deadliest war in 80 years.

Trump is leaning on Zelenskyy to strike an agreement after he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska and emerged more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first.

2. Spain battles 20 major wildfires amid scorching heat, deploys more troops

Scorching heat hampered efforts to contain 20 major wildfires across Spain on Sunday, prompting the government to deploy an additional 500 troops from the military emergency unit to support firefighting operations.

In the northwestern region of Galicia, several fires have converged to form a large blaze, forcing the closure of highways and rail services to the region.

3. Category 4 Hurricane Erin buffets northern Caribbean islands but not forecast to hit land

Hurricane Erin exploded in strength and became a major storm in Atlantic waters just north of the Caribbean on Saturday, rapidly powering up from a tropical storm in a single day and bringing heavy rains and high winds to islands in the region.

The first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, Erin reached Category 5 status before weakening somewhat and becoming a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 220 kph (140 mph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

4. Astana to host 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in september

The global interfaith forum is expected to gather more than a 100 delegations from around 60 countries, including prominent spiritual leaders from Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and Shinto, as well as representatives of international organizations, scholars and public figures.

The program will open on 16  September with the 23rd session of the secretariat, chaired by Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev, and a United Nations Alliance of Civilizations special session on safeguarding religious sites.

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