Syria and Saudi Arabia expand cooperation with talks in Damascus and Riyadh
Syrian and Saudi officials held parallel meetings in Damascus and Riyadh on Sunday, signalling deeper cooperation across humanitarian, agricultural an...
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.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
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.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
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.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Syrian and Saudi officials held parallel meetings in Damascus and Riyadh on Sunday, signalling deeper cooperation across humanitarian, agricultural and investment sectors.
U.S. President Donald Trump has delivered his “last warning” to Hamas, urging the group to accept a deal to release hostages from Gaza.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Sunday that the 2026 election would determine whether Hungary pursues greater alignment with the European Union or maintains an independent policy path.
President Donald Trump indicated he is prepared to escalate sanctions on Russia as the conflict in Ukraine continues.
Thousands of tributes are pouring in on social media for late Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a Charlotte light rail in the United States two weeks ago.
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