AnewZ Morning Brief - 17 March, 2026

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.

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of killing 400 in Kabul hospital airstrike

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of killing at least 400 people and injuring 250 others following a devastating airstrike on a 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. Afghan officials report that large sections of the facility were destroyed in the Monday night bombardment, while Islamabad's Information Ministry categorically denied targeting the hospital, claiming instead that it had "precisely targeted" terrorist infrastructure and ammunition depots used by militant groups. The catastrophic strike marks a severe escalation in the fierce cross-border conflict that erupted in late February, severely undermining ongoing international efforts, including those by China, to broker a ceasefire between the South Asian neighbours.

Children's author Kouri Richins found guilty of killing husband

Kouri Richins, a Utah mother who notably authored a children's book on bereavement following the death of her husband, has been found guilty of his murder. Following a trial featuring over 40 witnesses, a jury took just three hours to conclude that the 35-year-old, who was deeply in debt and having an affair, fatally poisoned Eric Richins by lacing his vodka with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl. Richins, who published "Are You With Me?" just two months before her arrest, was also convicted of insurance fraud and attempted murder relating to previous, unsuccessful attempts to poison her spouse.

U.S. Embassy in Baghdad targeted by drones and rockets

As the Middle East conflict enters its eighteenth day, the U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad has come under fire from a barrage of rockets and drones. The early morning attack on Tuesday highlights the rapidly deteriorating security situation and the expanding geographical scope of retaliatory strikes targeting American diplomatic and military outposts across the region. 

U.S. and China hold low-key trade talks in Paris to ease tensions

Senior officials from the United States and China convened in Paris for a new round of pragmatic trade negotiations aimed at managing the intense economic rivalry between the world's two largest economies. Led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, the discussions are focusing on specific, tangible issues, such as expanding American agricultural exports, securing access to critical minerals, and establishing new dialogue mechanisms, rather than attempting to forge a sweeping new trade pact. While expectations for an immediate breakthrough remain modest, the meetings are viewed as a crucial step in maintaining open communication and laying the groundwork for a potential future summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.

Pakistani national killed by intercepted missile shrapnel in Abu Dhabi

A Pakistani national has been killed in the United Arab Emirates after being struck by falling shrapnel during the mid-air interception of a ballistic missile over Abu Dhabi. The emirate's media office confirmed the fatality occurred in the Bani Yas area on the western outskirts of the city, underscoring the growing, deadly risk to civilians across the Gulf as the intense regional missile and drone conflict continues unabated.

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