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...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 5th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
‘Productive’ start to Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Abu Dhabi
Ukrainian and Russian officials have concluded a "productive" first day of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi, aimed at ending the four-year conflict. It's amid a backdrop of intensified Russian missile strikes and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warning that Moscow must not use the ceasefire to rearm. Delegations, including U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, focused on substantive steps and practical solutions, with discussions set to resume on Thursday.
U.S. and Iran set for Friday talks in Oman
Amidst heightened regional tensions and a significant American military buildup, the United States and Iran have agreed to hold talks in Muscat, Oman, on Friday. However, the diplomatic effort faces immediate hurdles as disagreements persist over the agenda. Washington insists on addressing Tehran’s ballistic missile arsenal, whilst Iranian officials maintain that negotiations must remain strictly limited to their nuclear programme.
U.S. and Argentina sign critical minerals deal
The United States and Argentina have signed a strategic framework agreement to bolster cooperation on critical minerals, aiming to secure resilient supply chains for essential resources such as lithium and copper. The deal, which aligns with Washington’s broader strategy to diversify sources for electric vehicles and defence technologies, seeks to reduce reliance on dominant global suppliers whilst fostering economic growth within Argentina’s mining sector.
Ceasefire strained as strikes kill 24 in Gaza
The fragility of the four-month-old ceasefire was underscored on Wednesday as Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians in Gaza, including seven children. Whilst the Israeli military said the strikes were a response to militant fire and targeted Hamas commanders, the violence coincided with a faltering reopening of the Rafah crossing, complicating the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal intended to facilitate the flow of aid and movement of patients.
Hundreds feared dead in Nigerian village attacks
Nearly 200 people have been killed in coordinated assaults on remote villages in western and northern Nigeria, marking one of the deadliest episodes in the country’s escalating security crisis this year. Suspected jihadists and armed gangs killed scores of residents in Kwara and Katsina states, with officials describing the brutality as retaliation against recent government counter-terrorism operations supported by U.S. intelligence.
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.
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.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
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