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 11th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ten people have died following a shooting at a secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, in one of Canada’s deadliest mass casualty events. Police confirmed that the female assailant was found deceased at the scene and that there is no ongoing threat to the public. In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Mark Carney has suspended his planned trip to the Munich Security Conference, expressing his devastation at the "horrific acts of violence" in the tight-knit community.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington may deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East should nuclear negotiations with Iran collapse. Whilst Tehran has signalled a willingness to continue diplomatic engagement following recent talks mediated by Oman, President Trump emphasised that the U.S. is prepared to take "tougher action" if a deal remains elusive.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has signed a Strategic Partnership Charter with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, on Tuesday marking a significant deepening of ties between Washington and Azerbaijan. The agreement focuses on security, energy cooperation, and the new Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) corridor, intended to link mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan enclave. Mr Aliyev heralded the visit as the start of a "new phase" in bilateral relations, whilst Mr Vance highlighted the potential for economic prosperity in the South Caucasus.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer has joined survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse to introduce 'Virginia’s Law', legislation aimed at eliminating the statute of limitations for sex trafficking offences. Named in honour of the late Virginia Giuffre, the bill seeks to allow survivors to pursue legal action against perpetrators and enabling institutions regardless of when the abuse occurred. The move comes amidst continued scrutiny of the Epstein network and calls for greater accountability for those linked to the disgraced financier.
The United States has solidified its position as the central mediator in the South Caucasus, shifting its approach from passive facilitation to driving the implementation of the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Following the breakthrough accord in August 2025, Washington is prioritising the TRIPP connectivity project to link the region economically whilst respecting sovereignty. This strategic pivot sees the U.S. deepening energy and security ties with Baku whilst simultaneously supporting Yerevan’s diplomatic diversification away from Moscow.
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.
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.
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 sixteen people and injured more than forty others, Ukrainian officials said, with fires reported across the city and Poland activating defensive air operations.
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