Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 8th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Voters braved deep snow on Sunday in a rare February election expected to hand Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a major win, with polls placing her coalition near 300 seats. Her growing youth appeal, known as “Sanakatsu”, and a pledge to cut the consumption tax have shaped the campaign, though some older voters fear future financial strain. Severe weather halted dozens of transport services and could lower turnout, potentially boosting organised blocs such as Komeito. Polls close at 8pm with exit poll projections due shortly after.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Tehran would target U.S. bases across the Middle East if American forces launch new attacks, stressing host countries would not be the intended target. His remarks followed constructive but incomplete indirect nuclear talks in Oman, with no date yet set for the next round despite U.S. President Donald Trump signalling they could resume next week.
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed five agreements worth $5.3 billion covering aviation, telecommunications, water projects and major digital infrastructure. Signed at the People’s Palace by President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Saudi minister Khalid al-Falih, the deals launch new investment channels, including the Elaf Fund and the Silk Link digital corridor. Plans also include upgrading Aleppo airport and creating a new low-cost airline, Nas Syria.
Suspected sabotage near Bologna brought Italy’s rail network to a halt on Saturday, delaying trains by up to three hours as the Winter Olympics entered their first full day. Police reported three coordinated incidents: a track switch cabin set on fire near Pesaro, cut signalling cables in Bologna and a rudimentary explosive device found by nearby tracks. Bologna’s high-speed station was temporarily closed, with traffic only gradually recovering. No group has claimed responsibility.
Fujiyoshida has cancelled its cherry blossom festival, saying overtourism around Arakurayama Sengen Park has disrupted daily life with overcrowding, litter, trespassing and pressure on school routes. Mayor Shigeru Horiuchi said residents’ dignity was being threatened as daily visitor numbers surged past 10,000. The park will stay open, and the city will add patrols, parking and toilets to cope with expected crowds. The decision comes as Japan struggles to manage record tourism levels at major sites.
The diplomatic dispute over France's overseas territories is widening, with pro-independence leaders in the Caribbean and the Pacific rejecting claims...
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "g...
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million during a business forum in Kabul on Sunday, as officials from both ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
The Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly reshaping the Caspian region. From threats to energy infrastructure to renewed diplomatic efforts, countries across the region are adapting to the wider consequences of a conflict that continues to disrupt trade, transport and security.
A New York school district has put plans to introduce a humanoid robot into classrooms on hold after fierce criticism from teachers, Indigenous community members and state education officials over the use of artificial intelligence in schools.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
The diplomatic dispute over France's overseas territories is widening, with pro-independence leaders in the Caribbean and the Pacific rejecting claims by French lawmakers that Azerbaijan is interfering in France's internal affairs.
U.S. diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine after accusing France of making "disingenuous grandstanding" by comparing Washington with North Korea, Russia and other authoritarian states.
Meteorologists in China have used a swarm of drones to observe Typhoon Noul as it passed through Guangdong province, aiming to improve weather monitoring and forecasting during extreme storms.
Tehran has stressed that its commercial vessel hit by a Ukrainian drone in the Caspian Sea on Saturday was carrying only civilian cargo and vowed to respond appropriately while holding Kyiv responsible for the attack.
Since 1946, nine people have served as UN Secretary-General, the closest thing the world has to a chief diplomat. The role carries no army and little hard power, yet its occupants have shaped how nations respond to war, famine and global crises. Here are five who left the deepest mark.
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