live U.S. weighs early end to Iran war despite Hormuz closure - 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...
International financial leaders will discuss ways to restore aid to Syria during next week’s IMF and World Bank meetings.
Efforts to restore international financial support for Syria will be on the agenda at next week’s spring meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), though ongoing sanctions remain a major hurdle, a U.N. official said.
A roundtable focused on Syria, hosted by the Saudi government and the World Bank, is expected to take place on the sidelines of the annual financial gatherings in Washington.
As part of the initiative, Saudi Arabia plans to pay off approximately $15 million in Syria’s arrears to the World Bank, a move that could unlock millions in potential reconstruction grants and economic aid through the Bank’s International Development Association, which supports low-income countries.
Since the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last year following nearly 14 years of civil war, Syria’s new leadership has urged the international community to lift sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule.
However, most sanctions remain in place, with the U.S. and other Western nations insisting the new government must first demonstrate a commitment to inclusive and peaceful governance.
Syria also holds $563 million in Special Drawing Rights at the IMF, but accessing those funds requires approval from member countries holding 85% of the total vote share — giving the U.S., with 16.5%, the power to block any disbursement.
Syria’s finance minister, central bank governor, and foreign minister are all expected to attend the meetings next week.
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.
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March).
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.
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.
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.
China imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya on Monday, who is a close aide of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, due to his "collusion with Taiwan independence" forces, in its latest move in a diplomatic row over Taiwan.
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