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.
Israel launched fresh strikes on Tehran on Friday, 20 March, with explosions reported and air defences activated, according to local media. The attacks came shortly after Donald Trump urged Israel not to target Iran’s gas infrastructure, while the Israeli Defence Forces said it was hitting “infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime.” The escalation follows a 28 February U.S.-Israel strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Iranian retaliation across the Gulf and raising global oil prices.
The CEO of Qatar’s state-owned energy company, Saad al-Kaabi said on Thursday, that attacks by Iran have wiped out 17% of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity, equivalent to $20 billion in lost annual revenue. Kaabi also said that repairs to the damaged infrastructure will result in a deficit of 12.8 tons of LNG in production for the next three to five years. The losses threaten supplies to Europe and Asia, forcing QatarEnergy to declare force majeure, freeing it from obligations under long-term contracts for up to five years for LNG bound for Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China.
Viktor Orbán has refused to back a €90bn EU loan for Ukraine after talks in Brussels on Thursday (19 March), drawing criticism from leaders including Friedrich Merz. Orbán cited a dispute over a damaged Druzhba oil pipeline to justify his opposition to implementing the loan, which was agreed in principle in 2025. While EU officials warn Kyiv could run out of funds within weeks without the aid, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Orban, who maintains cordial ties with Russia and is running for re-election next month, of an act of "gross disloyalty" that damaged the EU's reputation.
FIFA has mandated that every team in a FIFA women's competition will now have at least one female head or assistant coach. This new regulation is aimed at boosting the number of women coaching at the highest levels in football tournaments. The new regulations stipulate that each team must have two female staff on the bench and will cover all FIFA women's tournaments, from youth to senior level.
Philippine transport groups have launched a nationwide strike on Thursday (19 March) to protest rising oil prices. The protesters are calling for an immediate rollback in fuel prices, the removal of excise and value-added taxes on petroleum products, expanded subsidies for affected sectors, and the introduction of a living wage for workers. The country has seen a sharp rise in fuel prices amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted global energy markets.
Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (17 April) following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, ra...
Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday (18 April) launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) dea...
Global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of partial recovery after Iran announced it was open to commercial vessels during a li...
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Su...
Leaders from across Europe and beyond gathered in Paris on Friday for a summit aimed at managing the global impact of the Middle East conflict....
Leaders from across Europe and beyond gathered in Paris on Friday for a summit aimed at managing the global impact of the Middle East conflict.
An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
A remarkable discovery at the ancient ruins of Sanxingdui offers a glimpse into what appears to be otherworldly craftsmanship - an axe believed to have been made using material from a meteorite.
China is seeking to strengthen and upgrade its cooperation with Turkmenistan, focusing on what officials describe as “high-quality development” across a range of sectors.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Netflix shares fell sharply on Friday after the streaming group issued a weaker-than-expected outlook and said chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings will step down from the board.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that includes Hezbollah, raising cautious hopes of a pause in hostilities after weeks of escalating tensions.
Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday (18 April) launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) deal to supply Australia with warships, Tokyo's most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014.
Leaders from across Europe and beyond gathered in Paris on Friday for a summit aimed at managing the global impact of the Middle East conflict.
European leaders have set out plans for a coordinated defensive mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, once security conditions allow, following talks involving more than 40 countries.
NeaNearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea off Myanmar in 2025, making it the deadliest year on record, the United Nations Refugee Agency said on Friday.
Tens of thousands of people filled a stadium in Douala on Friday, hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope Leo during what is expected to be the largest event of his African tour.
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