Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 19th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United Nations Security Council has expressed deep concern regarding Israel’s "de facto annexation" of the West Bank, warning that recent expansionist moves threaten the viability of a future two-state solution. While Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the criticism, backed by a joint statement from 85 nations, as an "anti-Israeli obsession", the UK says it remains committed to a multilateral approach, planning a separate peace-building conference in March rather than joining the U.S.-led initiative.
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to convene the first leaders’ meeting of his controversial "Board of Peace" in Washington today, aiming to secure more than $5 billion for Gaza’s reconstruction. Whilst the initiative has secured participation from Israel and several regional powers, key Western allies including the UK and France have declined full membership, citing concerns over the Board’s governance structure, with Trump as chair for life, and concerns it could undermine the United Nations.
The top U.S. military commander for Latin America has made an unannounced visit to Caracas for security talks with Venezuela's interim government. General Francis Donovan’s arrival marks the first such high-level engagement since the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro, signalling Washington’s intent to align the country with U.S. interests and oversee its vast oil sector. The delegation met with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and senior ministers, who both currently face U.S. indictments, to discuss cooperation on counter-narcotics and regional stability as part of President Donald Trump’s wider three-phase stabilisation strategy.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has faced intense scrutiny in a Los Angeles courtroom, denying allegations that Instagram deliberately targets children despite internal documents suggesting strategies to recruit "tweens". In a landmark trial concerning youth social media addiction, the tech mogul was pressed on inconsistent age enforcement and engagement tactics, a case that could set a significant legal precedent for widespread litigation against major tech platforms.
Escalating an energy dispute, Hungary and Slovakia have suspended diesel fuel exports to Ukraine with immediate effect, declaring that shipments will not resume until Russian crude oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline is restored. The Slovak government has declared a state of emergency regarding oil supplies and threatened to cut electricity to Kyiv, whilst Hungary insists it cannot jeopardise its own energy security to aid a neighbour.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are m...
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday...
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Three students were killed in a school shooting in the southern Philippines on Friday, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman who turned the gun on himself, provincial officials said.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
A small container of lunar soil travelled more than 380,000 kilometres from the far side of the Moon to Earth two years ago. It recently made one more journey - from Beijing to Vienna, where China officially handed it over to the United Nations.
Russian authorities have reported attacks on voting systems and communication lines as the country’s parliamentary election entered its second day on Saturday (19 September).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has launched a new eight-nation grouping aimed at boosting trade, energy and security cooperation across central and eastern Europe. Here's what you need to know.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
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