live U.S. Embassy in Baghdad targeted by rockets and drones: Middle East conflict on 17 March
The U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad came under fire from rockets and drones early on Tuesday (17 March), as the the Middle East conf...
Heathrow Airport sets record with 84M passengers in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Investments in modern facilities drive growth as 2025 aims for 84.2M passengers.
London’s Heathrow Airport closed 2024 with a record-breaking number of passengers, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
With nearly 84 million passengers passing through the West London airport’s doors in 2024, the airport set a new annual record and surpassing the previous peak of 2019 by three million.
According to the airport’s press-release, December 2024 marked the busiest month in its history, with over 7 million passengers. “On what is normally one of the quietest days for travel, Christmas Day also saw a record 160,000 passengers, a 13% increase on the previous record from 2023,” explained a spokesperson for the airport.
New York remained Heathrow’s most popular destination in 2024, while Los Angeles, Dublin, and Madrid all proved incredibly popular. Europe led in passenger volume with 28.1 million, followed by North America with 20.6 million and Asia-Pacific with 10.7 million.
The airport also reported significant growth in cargo, celebrating 10% of increase over 2023 and transporting over 1.5 million tonnes during the year. The holiday season alone accounted for 138,000 tonnes of cargo. In the cargo segment, North America was the largest contributor, with over 624,000 tonnes transported during the year.
In 2025, “our journey towards better value for our customers will continue by investing in the kind of facilities our passengers and airlines are looking for,” explained Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye. The airport estimates that during 2024, 92% of passengers passed through security in less than five minutes, thanks to infrastructure investments such as modernized security lanes and the refurbishment of the southern runway.
Heathrow expects to handle even more passengers in 2025 and is estimating a total of 84.2 million passengers this year.
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.
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues to launch wide‑scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure in the west. This live report tracks the latest developments.
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.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
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.
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Friday (13 March), according to Poland’s Operational Command.
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.
Madagascar's president, Michael Randrianirina announced the appointment of anti-corruption chief Mamitiana Rajaonarison as prime minister, six days after dismissing the previous premier along with the entire cabinet.
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