Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 29th June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Over 1 million Afghan refugees return home amid UN warnings
More than 1 million Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan since January, with around 600,000 coming from Iran and nearly 282,000 from Pakistan. The Afghan interim government is urging returnees to help rebuild the war-damaged country, but the UN warns of urgent humanitarian needs for food, shelter, and employment.
2. Uzbekistan’s gold exports surge by 54.8 percent
Uzbekistan’s gold exports rose by 54.8 percent in the first five months of 2025, reaching 6.49 billion U.S. dollars. The precious metal now accounts for 43.8 percent of the country’s total exports. Officials say the growth reflects strong international demand, even as Uzbekistan works to diversify its export portfolio.
3. Pakistan operation kills 14 militants following deadly convoy blast
A suicide bombing targeting a military convoy in Pakistan’s North Waziristan killed 13 soldiers and injured three civilians. Following the attack, security forces launched an operation that killed 14 militants. The military said sanitisation operations are ongoing to eliminate remaining threats in the region.
4. UK Business Secretary to hold talks with Lotus over factory future
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will meet with Lotus after concerns emerged about the future of its Hethel plant in Norfolk. Lotus, owned by China’s Geely, denied plans to close the factory, calling the UK its largest European market. The company said it is exploring options to enhance efficiency and global competitiveness.
5. Russia-North Korea cultural ties reach "unprecedented heights"
Russia’s Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova arrived in North Korea on Saturday with a 125-member delegation, declaring cultural ties between Moscow and Pyongyang stronger than ever. The visit includes concerts and lectures, and comes amid deepening political and military cooperation between the two countries.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases...
Russia views NATO’s growing military activity in the Arctic as a direct threat to its national security, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said....
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the introduction of the death penalty for people convicted ...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused U.S. government and Israel-aligned actors of manipulating energy markets to promote the war with Iran.
Iran has reached an understanding with Oman on transit arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, but the waterway will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils its commitments, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Saturday.
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.
At least 37 people were killed after a Russian drone strike hit an ammunition depot in the Kyiv region, triggering powerful secondary explosions President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, vowing to punish suspected negligence in the second such incident in two months.
The death toll from last week's catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet rose to 750 on Sunday, with 3,044 people still missing, as fresh rainfall pushed up river levels and forced rescuers to move to higher ground.
Russia views NATO’s growing military activity in the Arctic as a direct threat to its national security, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the introduction of the death penalty for people convicted of deliberately setting forest fires, following wildfires that recently killed 12 people across the country.
Yemeni government-aligned forces said they had intercepted a shipment of drone components allegedly being transported to the Houthi movement, in what officials described as an effort to disrupt supply routes across the Red Sea.
As leaders from across Eurasia gather in Kyrgyzstan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the meeting is bringing together countries with very different interests, from China and Russia to India, Iran and Azerbaijan.
The death toll from last week's catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet rose to 750 on Sunday, with 3,044 people still missing, as fresh rainfall pushed up river levels and forced rescuers to move to higher ground.
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