Morning Brief - 12 August 2026

Morning Brief - 12 August 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he boards Marine One as he departs SPIRE Academy, en route to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, in Geneva, Ohio, U.S., 11 August 2026.
Reuters

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of August, covering the latest developments.

Trump says U.S. has 'total control' of Hormuz

The U.S. has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump told reporters in the American state of Maryland on Tuesday, adding that he had no trust in the Iranian leadership. Iran has yet to respond to the U.S. President. Earlier, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that the waterway “would not” reopen while Washington persisted with its naval blockade.

Azerbaijan's Aliyev outlines broader vision for Zangezur Corridor 

The Zangezur Corridor is not only a transport route, but also a future platform for energy, telecommunications and wider regional integration, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has said in an interview with Azerbaijan State Television. The Zangezur Corridor would connect mainland Azerbaijan with its landlocked exclave of  Nakhchivan via highways and railways, as well as electricity lines, fibre-optic cable and energy pipelines. 

Drone strikes cut power to Libya's fourth largest city

A fifth consecutive day of attacks on energy infrastructure in the western Libyan city of Zawiya has left large parts of the south of the city without power. Repeated attacks on the Zawiya power station had caused severe damage to the facility, Libya’s General Electricity Company said. Strikes on the country’s largest oil refinery, located in the city, in recent days have caused huge fires. 

Lebanon abolishes death penalty in Middle East first 

Lebanon has abolished the death penalty, in an historical first for the Middle East. The country’s Parliament voted to replace death sentences with life imprisonment. Lebanon has not carried out an execution since 2004, but courts have continued to hand down death sentences. International human rights organisations and the European Union praised the decision. 

Taiwan criticises Chinese-Indonesian naval drill

Taiwan has accused China of trying to assert control over areas surrounding the island, after Beijing announced plans to hold joint military drills with Indonesia near Taiwan’s eastern waters later in August. China has said the drills are routine maritime exercises, but Taiwanese officials view them as a move aimed at strengthening Beijing's claim over nearby waters. 

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