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...
German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche arrived in Kyiv on Friday to discuss urgent aid for Ukraine’s war-damaged energy infrastructure and to expand defence cooperation between the two countries.
Reiche said Russia’s intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid had left millions vulnerable ahead of winter. “Ukraine is facing its fourth winter at war, and right now Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine's energy supply, massively endangering electricity and heat provision in the winter,” she told reporters in Kyiv, where she was accompanied by a business delegation.
Her visit comes as Ukraine struggles with prolonged power outages, including at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Reiche said Germany would explore “more concrete and better support” for Ukraine’s reconstruction and energy security during the trip.
Beyond energy, Reiche said she aimed to deepen industrial cooperation in defence production. “Security policy is always also economic policy,” she noted, adding that Berlin sought to connect German and Ukrainian defence companies.
The visit coincides with a London summit of Ukraine’s allies in the “Coalition of the Willing,” where participants are expected to outline new military aid packages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attending and has renewed calls for long-range weapons after receiving no firm commitments from U.S. President Donald Trump.
In Brussels on Thursday, European Union leaders agreed in principle to finance Ukraine for the next two years and discussed using frozen Russian assets to back a €140 billion (about $163 billion) loan. Zelenskyy urged swift approval, saying the funds were vital to “strengthen Ukraine’s defence and save lives.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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