Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 17th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply over the weekend following attacks on tankers and stalled U.S.-Iran talks. Only five commodity vessels transited the waterway on Saturday, with none recorded on Sunday, compared with 31 during the previous weekend. Iran said shipping could resume if Washington meets its conditions, while the U.S. said it could maintain a naval blockade indefinitely.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to advance his Gaza peace roadmap returned to the diplomatic arena as his envoys held talks with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo. Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov are seeking to turn the proposal into practical steps. However, major disagreements remain between Israel and Hamas over its implementation. Israel has objected to key elements of the plan, while Hamas has demanded guarantees that Israel will honour its commitments under the ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a significant reduction in planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said he had instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” the drills, arguing they send an inappropriate and hostile signal to Pyongyang. The decision comes ahead of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, scheduled for 17 to 27 August.
The European Union plans to significantly expand sanctions against Russia in the coming months, according to EU officials. The new measures are expected to be the bloc’s most far-reaching sanctions package. Existing EU sanctions have cost Russia more than €1 trillion ($1.16 trillion), according to the EU foreign policy chief. The proposed package would increase the number of sanctioned Russian entities by about a third.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake in eastern Indonesia has killed at least 53 people and triggered landslides, road blockages and widespread damage. Nearly 1,600 aftershocks have been recorded, including a magnitude-5.6 quake near the initial epicentre on Monday. Thousands of residents have been evacuated to safety, and many are sheltering outdoors because of fears of further tremors and building collapses. More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed.
Democratic candidate Nancy Lacore, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral and former chief of the Navy Reserve, has c...
Iran has submitted a nuclear proposal to the United States through Qatar, an Iranian official has told Reuters, but it insists that Washington...
Romanian authorities said late on Thursday that two additional planes had received bomb threats including a KLM flight to Tel Aviv that had a layov...
Democrat wins surged on Tuesday across the United States with stunning victories in the South Carolina, Texas and Ohio senate races -- traditionally Republican strongholds -- in the 3 November midterm elections.
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Iran and the United States remains far from a deal to end the conflict as tensions rise over the Strait of Hormuz. Following Republican losses in U.S. midterm elections, Tehran says Americans have rejected the war, while Qatar intensifies mediation efforts to prevent renewed escalation.
Romanian authorities said late on Thursday that two additional planes had received bomb threats including a KLM flight to Tel Aviv that had a layover in Bucharest.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has blamed the war with Iran for the Republicans' defeat in the 2026 midterm elections, arguing that voters who supported President Donald Trump in 2024 turned to the Democrats because of foreign policy and economic concerns.
Romanian authorities said late on Thursday that two additional planes had received bomb threats including a KLM flight to Tel Aviv that had a layover in Bucharest.
China has said it looks forward to a deeper and more practical relationship with North Korea, in the latest sign of warming ties between the two neighbours.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met Spain’s prime minister and king during an unannounced visit to Madrid, calling on Latin American countries to help Ukraine with the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.
Democratic candidate Nancy Lacore, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral and former chief of the Navy Reserve, has claimed victory in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, delivering another seat to Democrats as the party expanded its gains in the midterm elections.
A Jordanian police officer was killed and another injured after a stabbing attack in the capital, Amman, in an incident authorities have described as a suspected terrorist act.
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