live Israel insists on troops in southern Lebanon as Rubio promotes peace deal
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as...
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.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 1,000, with health officials warning that the outbreak is spreading rapidly through displacement camps and across borders.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said he will “most likely” hold bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during next month’s NATO summit in Ankara, where the American leader is expected to attend.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
The European Union and Taliban officials held talks in Brussels on Tuesday on consular services and the situation of Afghans whose asylum applications have been rejected in Europe.
China’s anti-corruption authorities have launched an investigation into Bian Zhigang, a senior defence and space official, over suspected serious violations of discipline and law, officials said on Wednesday.
Alibaba, one of the world's largest technology and e-commerce companies, has sued the U.S. Pentagon after being added to a blacklist of firms it claims support China's military, escalating a dispute with potentially significant consequences for the company.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment