Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Danish troops flown to Greenland in January were ready to blow up airport runways in the event of a potential U.S. attack, Denmark’s public broadcaster DR reported on Thursday (19 March), citing soruces within the country and among European allies.
Iranian attacks have wiped out 17% of Qatar’s liquified natural gas export capacity (LNG), equivalent to $20 billion in lost annual revenue, the CEO of Qatar’s state-owned energy company, Saad al-Kaabi said on Thursday (19 March).
The ongoing conflict involving Iran is set to disrupt global travel on a massive scale, with nearly 28 million outbound trips from the Middle East at risk this year, according to Oxford Economics.
Transport groups across the Philippines launched a nationwide strike on Thursday in protest against rising oil prices. The action affected 15 to 20 protest centres in Metro Manila, with similar demonstrations taking place across several major provinces.
Türkiye’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ahmet Yildiz, has called for Syria to be shielded from the effects of the ongoing regional war, warning that instability could threaten the country’s recovery.
European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels on 19–20 March for a high-stakes summit shaped largely by external geopolitical shocks, with surging energy prices and a stalled €90 billion loan to Ukraine emerging as the dominant issues.
As Afghans celebrate Eid, there is at least some relief, with Afghanistan and Pakistan pausing military operations following mediation by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye after weeks of tension.
Late Hollywood actor Val Kilmer will appear posthumously in the upcoming film "As Deep as the Grave" through the use of generative artificial intelligence, in what producers describe as a first-of-its-kind performance.
Iran has executed three men convicted of killing two police officers during anti-government protests in January, according to state media. The men were executed in Qom, central Iran, on Thursday (19 March) after their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the European Union and neighbouring states to blame Israel and the U.S. over how the hostilities are impacting global markets and American assets in the region.
Tehran’s Cultural Heritage Minister, Reza Salehi Amiri, has emphasised Iran’s and Azerbaijan’s shared cultural and civilisational heritage in an exclusive interview with AnewZ ahead of Novruz. The chat is being published with some delay, after an internet blackout in Iran delayed its transmission.
Iranian Foreign Affairs Spokesman Esmail Baghaei has warned neighbours to take care not to be drawn into the Middle East conflict in an interview with AnewZ's Touraj Shiralilou. The exclusive chat was carried out ahead of a multiday internet blackout in Iran, which delayed its publication.
Festive events across Azerbaijan are bringing the spirit of Novruz to life, with the Gala State Historical and Ethnographic Reserve hosting its annual “Spring Fortress” celebration. Visitors are immersed in a historic setting, surrounded by colourful decorations and live performances.
One person has died after a cable car cabin at the Titlis ski resort in central Switzerland plunged down a snow-covered mountainside on Wednesday (18 March) amid strong winds.
Georgia is in national mourning following the death of Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, who has died at the age of 93. His passing marks the end of a nearly 50-year era during which he became one of the most influential spiritual and public figures in the country’s modern history.
South Korean pop sensation BTS, one of the world’s biggest music acts known for their record-breaking albums, global tours and devoted fanbase ARMY, will return to the spotlight in a new documentary, BTS: THE RETURN, premiering globally on Netflix on 27 March.
Britain is considering introducing labels for AI-generated content to protect consumers from disinformation and deepfakes, the government said on Wednesday (18 March), as it sets out the next phase of its approach to regulating artificial intelligence.
The Colosseum in Rome has reopened its southern corridors as a public square following a four-year restoration, giving visitors free access to a long-lost part of the ancient monument. The newly restored area was unveiled on Tuesday (17 March).
Israel’s assassination of Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, is unlikely to pose a significant challenge to Tehran, Iranian foreign policy analyst Mohammad Khatibi told AnewZ’s Context on Tuesday (17 March).
When a NATO-led coalition helped to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi’s dictatorship in Libya in 2011, it looked like the sun had risen on a new era. But within years, the nation was gripped by a second civil war, declining living standards and collapsing institutions. Could Iran follow suit?
China has announced it will provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, as a widening conflict in the Middle East drives increasing civilian suffering and displacement across the region.
Azerbaijan has dispatched a fresh shipment of humanitarian aid to neighbouring Iran, in what officials describe as a continued effort to support a “friendly nation” during a period of need.
Former head of the State Committee for National Security Kamchybek Tashiev has returned to Kyrgyzstan and is currently being questioned at the Interior Ministry’s main investigative department, according to local media reports.
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