Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for February 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Death toll from US winter storms grows to 14
The death toll from powerful winter storms in the central and eastern United States has risen to at least 14, officials said Monday, after floods, gale-force winds and bitterly cold temperatures swept the region.
The National Weather Service warned on Monday of a winter storm system carrying arctic air that would cause "record cold," with wind chill expected to hit as low as -60 degrees Fahrenheit in Montana and North Dakota.
2. Delta plane flips upside down on landing at Toronto airport, injuring 18
A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday amid windy weather following a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, officials said.
Three people on flight DL4819 from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport suffered critical injuries, among them a child, a Canadian air ambulance official said, with 15 others also immediately taken to hospitals.
3. ‘Serious concerns’ as new video emerges of Australian captured by Russia
The Australian government has said it has “serious concerns” about an Australian citizen captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine after new footage emerged of him looking emaciated and complaining of a broken arm.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told public broadcaster ABC on Tuesday that he had seen the video posted on YouTube of Oscar Jenkins.
4. Argentina’s Javier Milei faces fraud allegations over cryptocurrency post
A judge in Argentina has been tasked with leading an investigation into President Javier Milei’s relationship with the cryptocurrency $LIBRA, amid allegations of fraud.
On Monday, Federal Judge Maria Servini was randomly chosen to helm the probe, which will look into whether Milei acted illegally.
5. Mexico awaits new response from Google on dispute over Gulf of Mexico name before filing lawsuit
Mexico said Monday it’s awaiting a new response from Google to its request that the tech company fully restore the name Gulf of Mexico to its Google Maps service before filing a lawsuit.
President Claudia Sheinbaum shared a letter addressed to her government from Cris Turner, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy. It says that Google will not change the policy it outlined after U.S. President Donald Trump declared the body of water the Gulf of America.
“We will wait for Google’s response and if not, we will proceed to court,” Sheinbaum said Monday during a morning press briefing.
6. Grok 3 now available for X Premium+ users
Elon Musk's AI startup xAI launched its Grok 3 chatbot today at 9.30 am, with Musk calling it the “smartest AI on Earth.”
Grok3 represents a substantial leap forward from Grok2, not just in computational power but in its ability to engage with human-like comprehension and creativity. The demonstration included real-time solutions to complex physics problems, such as plotting an interplanetary trajectory, showcasing Grok3's capacity to think and act beyond traditional AI limitations.
7. Azerbaijan and Iran discuss crucial East Zangazur-Nakhchivan transport project
During a working visit to Tehran, Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Ali Asadov met with Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref to discuss the current state of Azerbaijan-Iran relations and prospects for cooperation in various spheres, including economy, trade, investment, transport, transit, oil and gas, energy, and humanitarian affairs.
Citing the Cabinet of Ministers' press service, that the meeting focused on the progress of joint projects aimed at establishing road and rail communications, constructing the East Zangazur-Nakhchivan transport infrastructure through Iranian territory, and developing the North-South Transport Corridor.
8. Türkiye names timeline for first Turkmen gas deliveries
Turkmenistan will begin supplying natural gas to Türkiye on March 1, 2025, under a barter arrangement facilitated through Iran, Turkish Ambassador to Turkmenistan Ahmet Demirok announced at a press conference.
The agreement marks a significant milestone in energy cooperation between the two nations. According to Ambassador Demirok, the contract between Türkiye's state-owned energy company BOTAŞ and Turkmenistan’s Turkmengaz was signed on Monday, formalizing the terms of the gas supply.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermin...
SOCAR has completed the acquisition of a 99.82% stake in Italiana Petroli (IP) from API Holding after receiving all r...
Fuel exports from Azerbaijan to Armenia are continuing, with eight rail wagons carrying 479 tonnes of diesel fuel dis...
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, day...
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing w...
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The U.S military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday (7 May). Meanwhile, Iran's Joint Military Command accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire, by striking an Iranian oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on several Iranian cities.
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Singapore has isolated and is testing two of its residents who travelled aboard a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Thursday.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Ukraine’s military said it struck a Russian Karakurt-class small missile carrier in the Caspian Sea near Russia’s Dagestan region on Thursday. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to Kyiv.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
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