Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Iran has officially pulled out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali declaring that the national team will not compete in a tournament co-hosted by a "corrupt" U.S. regime. Citing the recent assassination of the Supreme Leader and the deaths of over 1,300 Iranian civilians during the ongoing allied bombardment, Tehran stated that basic conditions for participation and safety "do not exist". The unprecedented withdrawal disrupts Group G, where Iran was scheduled to face Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, and comes despite earlier assurances from FIFA President Gianni Infantino that the squad would be welcome to compete in the United States.
The Middle East conflict has escalated further on its twelfth day, with Iranian forces setting two oil tankers ablaze in Iraqi waters and drone strikes injuring two people in a residential building in southern Kuwait. Tehran has also reportedly denied passage to Indian-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, aggressively defying U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claims of an imminent military victory. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes have hit an apartment building in central Beirut for the second time in recent days, as Iran's UN Ambassador accuses the U.S. and Israel of destroying nearly 10,000 civilian sites since the campaign began.
In an extraordinary bid to stabilise volatile energy markets, all 32 members of the International Energy Agency have agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of emergency crude reserves. The coordinated intervention comes as global oil prices hover around $100 a barrel, prompting severe knock-on effects worldwide, including the two-week closure of schools and the implementation of a four-day working week for government departments in Pakistan. Despite the emergency release, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that prices could still skyrocket to $200 a barrel, vowing to target any U.S. or allied shipping attempting to navigate the highly contested Strait of Hormuz.
French President Emmanuel Macron has firmly ruled out lifting international sanctions against Russia as a mechanism to alleviate the mounting global energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict. Describing the Strait of Hormuz as an active "theatre of war", Mr Macron stressed that the conditions for Russian sanctions relief remain unmet. Instead, he called for a coordinated international effort to escort commercial shipping through the strategic waterway and maintain a robust naval presence across the eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
The United Nations children’s agency has issued a stark warning regarding the severe humanitarian toll of the escalating Middle East conflict, reporting that more than 1,100 children have been killed or injured since hostilities erupted on 28 February. Describing the rapidly deteriorating situation as "catastrophic for millions of children across the region", UNICEF’s urgent appeal highlights the devastating, disproportionate civilian cost of the continuous missile and drone exchanges currently ravaging the Middle East.
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, in Islamabad to di...
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while d...
International organisations, investors, environmental experts and business representatives gathered in Samarkand for the opening of Eco Expo Central A...
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international eff...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said Yerevan remains committed to normalising relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye, expressing confidenc...
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, in Islamabad to discuss the China-facilitated Urumqi Process and regional security concerns.
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while dying from stab wounds after his attacker falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist assault.
International organisations, investors, environmental experts and business representatives gathered in Samarkand for the opening of Eco Expo Central Asia 2026, one of the region's largest environmental events focused on green growth, climate resilience and sustainable development.
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international effort to contain the disease before it spreads further.
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
Competing narratives continue to shape perceptions of the war in Ukraine, with Russian leadership suggesting a possible end phase while Ukrainian officials warn of renewed large-scale attacks and ongoing escalation risks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Lebanese President and Israeli Prime Minister on efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Lebanon. According to a U.S. official, Washington has proposed a plan aimed at achieving a gradual de-escalation of hostilities.
When Armenians vote on 7 June, they will be voting in an election shaped by months of political change and a rapidly deepening relationship with the European Union. The result may not only determine who governs Armenia but also the future direction of the country's geopolitical alignment.
Dutch police have launched an investigation into the use of force against a pregnant woman at an asylum seekers' centre in Zeist after videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while dying from stab wounds after his attacker falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist assault.
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international effort to contain the disease before it spreads further.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they struck a cargo ship owned by the “American-Zionist enemy” with a cruise missile after an Iranian freighter was attacked in the Sea of Oman.
Dutch police have launched an investigation into the use of force against a pregnant woman at an asylum seekers' centre in Zeist after videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Monday that his government would begin legal proceedings to remove President Tamás Sulyok if he continues to reject calls to resign.
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