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.
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani wa...
Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have surged after the Taliban government accused Islamabad of carrying out an attack that killed m...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 March) announced that he is postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi...
Joseph Kent, head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday (17 March), becoming the most senior official in President Dona...
A series of severe storms, blizzards and tornadoes on Monday disrupted life across much of the U.S., leaving more than 12,500 flights delayed or ca...
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani was killed in Israeli strikes.
Tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have surged after the Taliban government accused Islamabad of carrying out an attack that killed more than 400 people, an allegation Pakistan denies. Here is how the two sides compare in military strength, from troop numbers to nuclear capability.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 March) announced that he is postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing the war with Iran as the main disruption to efforts to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Joseph Kent, head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday (17 March), becoming the most senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration to step down over the war in Iran. Kent cited his opposition to the conflict, stating that Tehran posed no imminent threat.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani was killed in Israeli strikes.
Kazakhstan has adopted a new constitution that could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to stay in power beyond 2029. The Central Election Commission confirmed that 87.15% of voters backed the constitution in a referendum held on Sunday (17 March).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released $2m in emergency funding to support health responses in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as escalating regional conflict strains hospitals, raises displacement and increases pressure on already fragile health systems.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 March) announced that he is postponing a highly anticipated trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing the war with Iran as the main disruption to efforts to ease tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
A series of severe storms, blizzards and tornadoes on Monday disrupted life across much of the U.S., leaving more than 12,500 flights delayed or cancelled and forcing schools, federal offices and communities to take emergency precautions.
China’s international trade representative has said Beijing and Washington have reached a “preliminary consensus” on some key issues following their latest round of talks in Paris, offering a cautious sign of progress in a relationship long marked by tension and uncertainty.
Chile’s newly inaugurated president, José Antonio Kast, has taken his first major step on immigration, launching plans for a fortified barrier along the country’s northern border just days after entering office.
A Russian drone attack damaged industrial, port, and energy infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Odesa region overnight. The strikes disrupted power supplies in several settlements, prompting local authorities to switch critical facilities to backup power generators.
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