live U.S.-Iran standoff continues as Hormuz shipping and diplomacy remain uncertain
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
Russian forces launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight, resulting in at least four fatalities and more than 70 injuries according to authorities.
The capital, Kyiv, bore the brunt of the assault, with civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, a medical facility, and a kindergarten among the targets officials said.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting the majority of the 595 drones and 48 missiles launched during the assault. Despite these efforts, significant damage was inflicted on various regions, including Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, describing them as a continuation of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
However, there have been no signals from Kyiv about a possible resumption of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Russia's RIA state news agency in remarks published on Monday.
"No, so far there are basically no signals from Kyiv at all," Peskov said when asked whether there were any indications about talks resuming between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, according to the RIA report.
Meanwhile, Poland has closed its airspace in parts of its southeast and scrambled jets after it says drones violated its airspace last week.
The United States is reportedly considering supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, capable of reaching Moscow, as part of increased military support. This development comes shortly after Zelenskyy's announcement of a $90 billion weapons and drone procurement deal with the U.S., signalling a deepening of Western support amid ongoing conflict.
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
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