live Iran accuses U.S. and Israel-linked actors of manipulating energy markets
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused U.S. government and Israel-aligned actors of manipulating energy markets to promote the war with Ir...
Elon Musk's push to reform U.S. government spending reached new heights on Friday as he held an unprecedented meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, where discussions centered on innovation, efficiencies, and streamlining Pentagon operations.
Billionaire Elon Musk took his campaign to reform U.S. federal government spending to new heights on Friday, holding an unprecedented meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. This top-level discussion focused on cutting government expenses, although the exact details of the talks remain unclear. Musk also called for the prosecution of any Pentagon officials responsible for leaking false information about the meeting.
In his first visit to the Pentagon, Musk met with Hegseth for an 80-minute discussion, where the agenda was said to center on innovation, efficiency, and smarter production within the Department of Defense. Reports from The New York Times that Musk would be briefed on confidential war plans concerning China were swiftly denied by both Musk and President Donald Trump, with Musk labeling the claims as "pure propaganda" and vowing legal action against the leakers.
Musk’s presence at the Pentagon is part of his broader efforts to streamline federal spending, having already become an influential adviser on government efficiency under Trump. However, his dual role as CEO of Tesla and SpaceX—both of which have significant contracts with the Pentagon—has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
As the meeting concluded, Musk expressed his willingness to support the Pentagon’s efforts, noting, "If there's anything I can do to be helpful, I would like us to have a good outcome here."
The meeting comes amid growing scrutiny over leaks within the intelligence community, with investigations already underway into the sources of confidential information, and calls for accountability intensifying.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has dismissed media reports that CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow earlier this week to warn Russia against attacking NATO, dismissing them as "scare stories," which had nothing to do with reality.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for greater economic cooperation among Muslim countries, saying their combined economic weight remains disproportionately small compared with their population, strategic location and resources.
Iran is setting conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including an end to the war, the lifting of the U.S. blockade and sanctions. At the same time, Washington is stepping up economic pressure on Tehran through what the White House calls “Operation Economic Outcast.”
Mail sorting centres used by Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest private postal company, were destroyed in Russian strikes overnight, the firm said. Elsewhere, four people were injured after drones struck an apartment building in Sevastopol, Crimea, according to the Moscow-installed governor.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused U.S. government and Israel-aligned actors of manipulating energy markets to promote the war with Iran.
Russian strikes on the Kyiv region overnight killed 37 people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Zelenskyy added that the Ukrainian capital was under "virtually nonstop attack" from drones.
The U.S. is to take control of a fifth of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, President Donald Trump announced on Friday. He said that Washington had secured control of more than 65 billion barrels of the South American country’s reserves through a partnership with private business.
Walmart has reached a settlement with the U.S. government over allegations that its pharmacies unlawfully dispensed opioid prescriptions, helping fuel the country's opioid epidemic.
Greenland’s opposition parties have called for Denmark to be held accountable before the International Court of Justice over a decades-long campaign in which women and girls were fitted with contraceptive devices, often without their consent.
Icelanders will vote on Saturday, 29 August, on whether to resume negotiations with the European Union, in a referendum that could reopen the country’s long-debated membership question.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment