live China says three ships safely pass Strait of Hormuz - Middle East conflict on 31 March
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fa...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 31 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
As the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran enters its second month, the White House is reportedly considering an early end to its military campaign, even as the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Washington is actively pursuing a diplomatic resolution ahead of a 6 April deadline. While the Pentagon continues to deploy thousands of troops to the Middle East to expand military options, domestic pressure is mounting on the Trump administration as global supply disruptions push U.S. petrol prices above $4 a gallon ahead of the crucial November midterm elections.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to "completely obliterate" Iran's energy plants and oil wells. At the same time, Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded Kuwaiti crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday. Crude oil prices briefly spiked sending global crude prices soaring past $101 a barrel, pushing U.S. petrol prices to a three-year high and creating a significant political headache for the Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections.
Three Indonesian UN peacekeepers killed in southern Lebanon
Three United Nations peacekeepers from Indonesia have been killed and several others critically injured in two separate explosions in southern Lebanon, marking the first time United Nations staff have been fatally targeted since the conflict erupted between Israel and Hezbollah. The deaths occurred near Bani Hayyan and Adchit al-Qusayr, and sparked international outrage; Indonesia has forcefully condemned the "heinous" attacks and demanded an emergency UN Security Council meeting, whilst UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that targeting peacekeeping personnel constitutes a grave violation of international law and a potential war crime.
Israeli parliament has passed new legislation making the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly terrorist attacks. Championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as a "day of deterrence", the law uniquely denies Palestinians the avenues for appeal or clemency that remain available to Israeli citizens convicted of similar offences. The move has drawn fierce condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, human rights organisations, and the European Union, with the UK government warning that the "de facto discriminatory character" of the bill risks severely undermining Israel’s democratic commitments.
At least 70 people have been killed and nearly 6,000 displaced following a brutal gang massacre in Haiti’s Artibonite region, according to local rights organisations. Heavily armed members of the Gran Grif gang reportedly dug trenches to slow the response of Kenyan-led security forces before setting fire to more than 50 homes in the towns of Jean Denis and Pont Sondé.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
A senior Iranian military officer warned that American troops will become ‘food for sharks’ on Sunday if the U.S. launches a ground offensive in Iran. The threat came as contingents of U.S. Marines began to arrive in the Middle East, with thousands expected to be deployed in the region.
The Israeli military said on Monday that Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, and an attack had also been launched from Yemen for the second time since the U.S.-Israeli war began on Tehran. It said two drones from Yemen were intercepted early 30 March but gave no further details.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and several EU foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Bucha massacre and to voice their support for Ukraine, amid tensions within the bloc over blocked EU aid.
The Australian government has threatened to go to court in a bid to sue social media giants for allegedly flouting a ban on under-16s, as its internet regulator disclosed it is investigating some of the biggest platforms for suspected non-compliance with the world-first measure.
At least 70 people have been killed and more than 30 wounded in a gang attack in Haiti’s Artibonite region, according to two rights organisations, as thousands of residents fled the violence in the towns of Jean Denis and Pont Sondé.
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of economic espionage in a move that further strains already tense relations between Moscow and London. The United Kingdom described the action as intimidation and rejected the allegations outright, Reuters reports.
Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico arrived safely in Havana on Saturday, the Mexican Navy said, concluding a journey in which the vessels were delayed by bad weather and briefly reported missing.
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