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.
A senior U.S. administration official says a ceasefire agreed with Iran in early April has effectively ended hostilities for an imminent congressio...
The legal team of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi plans to meet the detained former leader this weekend after sh...
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phas...
The final day of the Youth Forum on United Nations Global Goals 2026 in Istanbul focused on innovation, cooperation and global impact, with young p...
The federal agent injured in the attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was not hit by friendly fire, U.S. President Dona...
The legal team of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi plans to meet the detained former leader this weekend after she was transferred to house arrest in the capital by the military-backed government, a representative said on Friday.
Azerbaijan’s golden double at the 2026 European Wrestling Championship in Tirana, Albania brought “joy” to the entire country, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev told the victorious athletes at a reception on Thursday (30 April).
China has passed a new law aimed at ensuring its most vulnerable citizens are not left without support.
Tashkent hosted the INMerge Innovation Summit Roadshow, bringing together start-ups, investors and technology leaders to explore the future of Central Asia’s digital economy and regional cooperation.
A report published by Minval Politika has raised new questions over alleged efforts by Luis Moreno Ocampo to shape international pressure against Azerbaijan and influence political dynamics around Armenia.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
Shares in Meta Platforms fell sharply in extended trading on Wednesday after the tech giant raised its annual capital spending forecast by billions of dollars.
A humanoid robot called Sophia took an unusual place at the heart of a classical concert in Hong Kong on Wednesday (29 April), as she performed alongside a live orchestra for the first time.
The legal team of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi plans to meet the detained former leader this weekend after she was transferred to house arrest in the capital by the military-backed government, a representative said on Friday.
The federal agent injured in the attack at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner was not hit by friendly fire, U.S. President Donald Trump and the Secret Service Director said on Thursday (30 April).
The United States imposed sanctions on former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila on Thursday, accusing him of supporting Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and fuelling political instability in the country’s troubled east.
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla began wrapping up their four-day state visit to the U.S. with a very quick stop at the White House to bid farewell to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, having already charmed him at a formal dinner two days prior.
China has passed a new law aimed at ensuring its most vulnerable citizens are not left without support.
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