AnewZ Morning Brief - April 21st, 2025

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 21st, covering the latest developments you need to know.

First wheat shipment arrives in Syria since Assad’s ouster

A vessel carrying 6,600 tonnes of wheat has docked at Syria’s Latakia port, marking the first significant delivery of its kind since former President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebel forces in December, the new government announced.

According to officials from the Islamist-led administration, although essential goods like wheat are not restricted by U.S. or U.N. sanctions, financing challenges have deterred many international suppliers from engaging in trade with Syria.

The government did not disclose the ship’s origin or nationality, but a regional commodity trader indicated it likely came from Russia.

Traders noted that Syria has relied primarily on overland imports from neighboring countries this year. Under the Assad regime, Russia and Iran were the main suppliers of wheat and oil, but those shipments ceased following Assad’s removal and his reported relocation to Moscow.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government has identified economic stabilization and recovery as key priorities in the wake of 14 years of conflict.

At least 12 killed in U.S. strike on Yemen marketplace

A U.S. air strike on a market in Yemen’s capital has killed at least 12 and wounded dozens, amid escalating attacks targeting Houthi-controlled areas.

At least 12 people have been killed and 30 others injured after a U.S. air strike hit a marketplace in a residential neighborhood of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, according to the Houthi Health Ministry.

Additional air raids were reported late Sunday in the central province of Marib, the western city of Hodeidah, and the northern Houthi stronghold of Saada.

The U.S. military has been conducting near-daily strikes over the past month, claiming it is targeting “Iran-backed Houthi terrorists” to prevent attacks on international shipping in the Gulf.

The latest strikes follow a barrage of 13 U.S. attacks on Hodeidah’s port and airport just a day earlier, and come three days after the deadliest strike so far, which hit Ras Isa port in Hodeidah, killing at least 80 people and injuring more than 150.

U.S. backs extending Russia's Easter ceasefire

The U.S. has expressed support for prolonging Russia’s one-day Easter ceasefire, even as Moscow ruled out an extension and both sides traded blame for violating the truce.

The U.S. State Department has said it would welcome an extension of the one-day Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the Kremlin stating earlier that no such extension had been ordered.

Both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which was set to expire at midnight Moscow time on Sunday.

The statement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to warn of the war’s escalation risks and reiterates his desire to bring the conflict to an end.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington would walk away from peace negotiations unless clear progress is made soon.

Piastri wins Saudi GP to take F1 lead

Oscar Piastri claimed victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, becoming the first Australian since 2010 to lead the Formula One championship.

Oscar Piastri has won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, taking the lead in the Formula One world championship from McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen finished second, 2.8 seconds behind the Australian, after starting from pole position at Jeddah’s Corniche circuit. Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty for a first-corner clash with Piastri.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came third, securing the team’s first podium of the season.

Piastri's win makes him the first Australian to lead the championship since his manager, Mark Webber, in 2010, and the first driver to claim back-to-back victories this season.

He now leads Norris by 10 points — 99 to 89 — after starting the night three points behind. Verstappen sits in third with 87 points.

Geneva hosts high-level session themed "From Baku to Belém: COP29 and COP30"

The COP29 Presidency, in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), held a high-level session in Geneva titled "From Baku to Belém: COP29 and COP30," marking a key milestone in the global drive toward sustainable digital transformation.

The event centered on the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action (GDA), which has now been endorsed by nearly 2,000 stakeholders, including representatives from 83 countries. Originally presented during Digitalization Day at COP29 in Baku, the declaration outlines a shared commitment to integrating digital technologies into climate strategies.

Prominent speakers included Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29 (Azerbaijan), Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota, Brazil’s Permanent Representative to the WTO, ITU Deputy Secretary-General Tomas Lamanauskas, ITU’s Strategy and Planning Head Catalin Marinescu, Elmar Mammadov, Co-Chair of the COP29 Action Agenda Group, Lala Hikmat from the COP29 delegation, and Pedro Ivo Ferraz da Silva from Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Key topics of discussion included progress in implementing the Green Digital Action declaration, integration of digital and low-emission technologies, cross-sectoral collaboration, alignment with the COP29 Declaration on Multi-Sectoral Pathways (MAP) for sustainable cities, and the promotion of digital inclusion and innovation.

The session underscored the need to align digital transformation with global climate goals and emphasized the continuity and synergy between the COP29 and upcoming COP30 presidencies in advancing Green Digital Action. This initiative was officially launched at COP29’s first high-level roundtable on the topic.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, fostering open dialogue and reinforcing global support for sustainable digitalization ahead of COP30.

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