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.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military...
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a near standstill over the weekend, with five commodity vessels transiting Saturday and none on Sun...
American actress Hayden Panettiere...
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, who said the sea passage "cannot be seized by tweet."
At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, triggering small tsunami waves and dozens of aftershocks, officials say.
Russia and Ukraine traded large-scale overnight attacks targeting energy, industrial and military facilities on Saturday, with a three-month-old baby killed and 11 people injured in a Russian drone strike on a residential building in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favorable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Rescuers in eastern Indonesia will search collapsed buildings on Monday for survivors who may still be trapped under the rubble after a deadly earthquake killed at least 53 people. The country is marking its Independence Day as it reels from the latest tremors.
More than 183,000 customers across Hawaii were without power as Tropical Storm Lala weakened after bringing hurricane-force winds, heavy rain, and flooding to the islands.
Canadian measures aimed at preventing terrorist financing can obstruct legitimate humanitarian work by Muslim charities, particularly when aid is destined for countries considered high-risk, according to a new study.
Firefighters are battling Belgium’s largest wildfire on record, with a blaze in the High Fens nature reserve burning around 3,000 hectares of land and spreading towards the German border, local authorities said.
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