AnewZ Morning Brief - 14 March, 2026
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, coveri...
China’s Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun is under investigation for alleged corruption, the third consecutive PLA minister to face such claims. The probe, part of Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign, underscores tensions within the military and strained US-China relations.
China’s Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun is under investigation in the recent corruption scandal involving the top ranks of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), according to Financial Times.
Dong, who was appointed in December 2023 after the dismissal of his predecessor General Li Shangfu for corruption, is the third consecutive defence minister to face such allegations.
US officials indicate the investigation is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign led by President Xi Jinping, targeting the PLA. The probe follows similar actions against General Li and former defence minister Wei Fenghe, both also implicated in corruption.
The investigation into Dong coincides with strained US-China relations. Last week, Dong declined a meeting with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin at a defence summit in Laos, which China attributed to recent US arms sales to Taiwan. This tension follows a year of restored military communication between the two nations after channels were severed in 2022.
Xi’s anti-corruption drive has also resulted in the removal of senior PLA Rocket Forces officers and appears to reflect concerns about the military's readiness, including its capability to meet the 2027 target for a potential Taiwan invasion.
China’s foreign ministry has dismissed the investigation reports as baseless speculation.
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes on Friday (13 March), as the U.S. and French militaries reported deaths in Iraq, and the U.N. launched a $325 million appeal to help Lebanon, where a seventh of the population have left their homes since fighting began.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued veiled threats to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Hezbollah on Thursday (12 March), during his first press conference since the conflict with Iran began.
The U.S. should shut down its military bases in the Middle East, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday (12 March). His words were read out by a broadcaster on state Iranian television.
At least 64 people have been killed in southern Ethiopia following recent landslides and floods, the regional government’s communications office said on Thursday (12 March), citing local police
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
NATO air defence systems intercepted a third Iranian ballistic missile over Türkiye early on Friday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 03:30 local time over the southern province of Adana.
The European Commission will instruct governments to be flexible in enforcing EU rules on gas imports, diplomats told Reuters on Thursday (12 March), a move likely to benefit imports from Azerbaijan.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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