Morning Brief - 20 August 2026
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of August, covering the latest developments. ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has given Hamas until Sunday evening to accept a ceasefire deal with Israel, warning of severe consequences if the group refuses.
President Donald Trump has imposed a deadline of 6 p.m. Washington, D.C. time on Sunday for Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Mr Trump said: “An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time. Every Country has signed on! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
The White House has not yet provided further details on the nature of the agreement or which countries have backed it. It remains unclear whether Israel has formally endorsed the terms, or what actions might follow if Hamas fails to respond by the stated deadline.
The statement marks one of the strongest public warnings yet from Mr Trump since returning to office in January 2025, and follows weeks of intensified U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.
Hamas has not responded publicly to the ultimatum. Talks brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. have stalled repeatedly in recent months amid continued Israeli military operations in southern Gaza.
Further updates are expected from The White House later on Friday.
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 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.
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.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
South Korea estimates North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, its defence minister said on Thursday, citing a range significantly higher than U.S. President Donald Trump's recent assertion that Pyongyang has 57 nuclear weapons.
Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least twelve people and injured more than two dozen others, Ukrainian officials said, with fires reported across the city and Poland activating defensive air operations.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th 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.
Britain has summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires and demanded that the Israeli government withdraw a tender for construction in the controversial E1 settlement area in the West Bank.
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