live Russia signals openness to new Ukraine peace ideas
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russia...
President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will soon speak with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, amid speculation that the U.S. could launch an attack on the Latin American nation.
“I will speak with him in a not too distant future,” Trump told Fox Radio on Friday. He declined to provide details of the planned discussion, adding: “I just don’t do that. I can’t tell you what I’m going to tell him, but I have something very specific to say.” The U.S. president also reiterated a list of alleged grievances against Maduro, including accusations of drug trafficking.
The U.S. administration has faced increased scrutiny over its recent military actions in the Caribbean, which Caracas claims are aimed at regime change.
Earlier this week, Maduro warned that any U.S. military intervention would represent a “political end” for Trump. He accused advisers close to the president of encouraging confrontation and suggested political rivals were seeking to exploit Venezuela to undermine U.S. leadership. “They want President Trump to make the most serious mistake of his entire life and set himself militarily against Venezuela,” Maduro said.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, Trump emphasised that Venezuela had expressed willingness for direct talks, adding that diplomacy and finding common ground remain central to U.S. policy.
The announcement comes amid a series of U.S. operations targeting drug shipments linked to Venezuela, which have included air and maritime strikes. Observers warn the situation could further destabilise the region if not addressed through dialogue.
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.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of August, covering the latest developments.
Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least sixteen people and injured more than forty others, Ukrainian officials said, with fires reported across the city and Poland activating defensive air operations.
Russia is open to listening to new proposals on how to reach a settlement on the Ukraine conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, but any proposals should reflect the "realities on the ground".
South African human rights and environmental groups have urged the government to block Israeli-linked Navitas Petroleum from acquiring a stake in a major offshore oil block, citing concerns over the war in Gaza and environmental risks.
Israel and Colombia will waive advance visa requirements for travellers from 1 September as the two countries move to restore diplomatic and economic relations following years of tensions over the war in Gaza.
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.
The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Hezbollah on Thursday, redesignating the Lebanese group over what Washington described as its actions on behalf of the Iranian government and targeting 10 people accused of moving cash for the group.
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