Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for February 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Netanyahu vows to "open the gates of hell" if all hostages in Gaza not returned
Benjamin Netanyahu, in a joint statement with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the United States and Israel have a "common strategy" when it comes to Gaza.
2. DeepSeek AI app temporarily removed from South Korean app stores for privacy review
The Chinese AI app DeepSeek has been removed from South Korean app stores pending a review of its data privacy practices, authorities announced on Monday
3. At least 10 dead in Southeast as extreme weather sweeps nation
At least 10 people have died this weekend after a powerful storm battered the much of the Southeast, bring strong winds, heavy rains and devastating flooding.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed that nine people were killed after floodwaters started sweeping across the state. Emergency responders also conducted more than 1,000 rescues, Beshear said.
4. US plane with 3rd batch of illegal Indian immigrants lands in India's Amritsar
A plane with 112 Indians, who were deported from the United States for illegally residing in the country, landed in India's Amritsar on February 16 night, the third such arrival in a span of 10 days as part of the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on such immigrants
The flight C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force landed at the Amritsar International Airport at around 10.03 pm, according to sources.
5. Meta Unveils 50,000 Km Waterworth Subsea Cable Project to Boost AI and Global Connectivity
Meta has announced Project Waterworth, which the American company calls its most ambitious subsea cable endeavour.
Once completed, the cable, using the highest-capacity technology available, is set to become the world's longest, spanning over 50,000 kmlonger than the Earth's circumference.
6. Europe to be excluded from Russia-Ukraine peace talks, US envoy confirms
Europe will be excluded from talks aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, the United States lead Ukraine envoy said.
General Keith Kellogg made the announcement on Saturday after the US sent a questionnaire to European capitals to ask what they could contribute to security guarantees for Kyiv.
7. US, Russian envoys on Ukraine to meet in Saudi Arabia on February 18
A meeting of the US and Russian delegations on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis will be held in Saudi Arabia on February 18.
According to the news outlet, high-ranking representatives of the US and Russia will also discuss preparations for the meeting between the presidents of the two countries, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
8. Türkiye begins renovation of Damascus International Airport
Türkiye has sent a 25-member technical team to Syria to begin work on restoring Damascus International Airport, which was severely damaged during the country’s 13-year civil war, the country’s transportation and infrastructure minister said on Sunday.
In a written statement, Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the Turkish team, made up of personnel from the State Airports Directorate, is working to make the airport operational again.
9. Caspian Sea turns red: Test results announced
The water samples taken from the Caspian Sea contain no dangerous substances.
The specialists of the regional ecology department took water samples on February 12, 2025, to check for the presence of chemicals and petroleum products following the red discoloration of the Caspian Sea.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir ...
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslide...
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes milita...
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 met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
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 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.
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.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent which it won in 2021.
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 21 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in sports.
Baku is preparing to host its 10th Formula 1 race, with the city’s streets once again set to transform into one of the most demanding circuits on the F1 calendar.
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