The real power of the Strait of Hormuz
The real power of the Strait of Hormuz lies not in closing it, but in the threat of closure.
The real power of the Strait of Hormuz lies not in closing it, but in the threat of closure.
The European Union has removed Georgia’s Kulevi oil terminal from its sanctions list after receiving assurances from both the Georgian government and Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR that the facility will no longer be used in ways that could bypass sanctions on Russian oil.
More than 400 people were killed and around 250 injured in an air strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul late on Monday, Afghan officials said, while Pakistan rejected the claim, calling it “false and misleading.”
Kazakhstan’Kazakhstan’s lower house has approved plans for a green energy corridor with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Once implemented, the project would see renewable electricity generated in the two Central Asian countries transmitted to Europe via Azerbaijan.
Iran has confirmed the death of its top security Chief, Ali Larijani after Israel claimed responsibility for his death. They also confirmed the killing of Basij commander Soleimani.
Chile’s newly inaugurated president, José Antonio Kast, has taken his first major step on immigration, launching plans for a fortified barrier along the country’s northern border just days after entering office.
When the current confrontation around Iran eventually fades into history, the real story for the South Caucasus may not be about missiles or military balances. It is likely to be about ports, railways and trade routes.
The European Union will send a team to Armenia to counter democratic threats ahead of its parliamentary elections in June.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 17 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Kouri Richins, a U.S. woman who penned a children’s book about bereavement after the death of her husband has been found guilty of killing him.
A court in Baku has sentenced a French national, Martin Ryan, to 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of espionage, according to reporting by Reuters and other outlets citing the Russian state news agency RIA.
A survivor of the air strike on a Kabul drug rehabilitation centre described scenes of devastation, saying patients were engulfed in flames moments after explosions tore through the facility late Monday (16 March).
President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
Senior officials from the United States and China met in Paris this week for a new round of trade talks, as the world’s two largest economies attempt to manage their economic rivalry and avoid further tensions.
Court documents released on Monday (16 March) revealed that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has asked a U.S. judge to dismiss President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation suit over a 2024 documentary, arguing his re-election proves the edited 2021 speech did not harm his reputation.
Governments around the world are responding cautiously to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for countries to send naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect commercial shipping and help restore the flow of global oil supplies.
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Friday (13 March), according to Poland’s Operational Command.
Kyrgyzstan lawmaker Shairbek Tashiev has resigned from parliament after being questioned by investigators. The Central Election Commission confirmed it has formally terminated his parliamentary mandate.
China’s special envoy for Afghanistan has begun visits to Kabul and Islamabad to mediate between the two countries, as cross-border clashes continue following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan in February.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
The war in the Middle East is beginning to disrupt the flow of critical medicines to Gulf countries, raising concerns about the supply of cancer treatments and other temperature-sensitive drugs, according to pharmaceutical industry executives.
Israel is set to approve the mobilisation of up to 450,000 reserve troops at the request of the military, as Israeli forces begin further ground attacks in southern Lebanon against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
Russia has imposed a fine of 35 million roubles (around $432,366) on the messaging platform Telegram for failing to remove content deemed illegal by the authorities, according to the Interfax news agency.
Türkiye’s leading drone manufacturer has unveiled its newest long-range kamikaze drone, capable of operating alongside other drones without human intervention. The K2 Kamikaze UAV, developed by Baykar, can carry out missions up to 2,000km from its launch point.
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