Australia condemns Israel over closure of Gaza aid worker case
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (October 31) that the United States will not restart trade negotiations with Canada, a week after he halted talks in response to an advertisement aired by the Canadian province of Ontario
Speaking to reporters, Trump said that while he maintains a good personal relationship with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the commercial in question was “false” and “misleading.” The advertisement reportedly portrayed former U.S. President Ronald Reagan as opposing tariffs — a claim Trump disputed.
“No, but I have a very good relationship. I like him a lot. But you know, what they did was wrong,” Trump said. “He was very nice. He apologized for what they did with the commercial because it was a false commercial. You know, it was the exact opposite. Ronald Reagan loved tariffs and they tried to make it look the other way. And he did apologize and I appreciate it.”
Trump added that despite Carney’s apology and their cordial personal ties, talks would not be immediately resumed. “We had a great dinner, you know, with other countries, as you know. And I think we have a very good relationship personally, I think that what they did was wrong. But he apologized,” he said.
The brief diplomatic rift has cast uncertainty over the future of trade discussions between Washington and Ottawa, as both sides continue to navigate economic and political differences over tariffs, industrial policy, and cross-border advertising regulations.
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.
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.
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.
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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