Latest news for 20 March 2026

JAPAN

Awkward visit.

During Prime Minister Takaichi’s first White House visit, President Trump has declared Japan is “stepping up to the plate” to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. (Japan Times)

Comment: Having successfully avoided contradicting the US president without officially pledging concrete military aid, Takaichi can probably draw a sigh of relief, even if headlines focus more on the US president’s ‘Pearl Harbour’ quip about whether allies like Japan might’ve been surprised by the US hits on Iran.

DENMARK

Desperate measures.

A newly revealed military order dated 13 January suggests Danish soldiers flew in bags of blood plus explosives to blow up airport runways amid fears of a possible US invasion of the autonomous Danish territory. (EuroNews)

TURKMENISTAN

Palace intrigue!

Turkmenistan has abruptly dismissed its long-serving ambassadors to both the US and the UN, reportedly for failing to secure an invite to Trump’s Board of Peace. (The Diplomat)

Comment: Turkmenistan’s ‘permanent neutrality’ pledge means it often skips forums, though the fact several rival authoritarian neighbours joined Trump in the BoP limelight, and Turkmenistan’s own senior statesman was even in the US at the time, might’ve made this particular absence sting a little more.

TURKEY

Eurozone.

The European Union has proposed Turkey join its Single Euro Payments Area to cut cross-border transfer costs and deepen economic ties. (Reuters)

Comment: While Turkish banks could lose lucrative transfer fees, it’s a sweetener so long as Turkey’s EU membership talks remain comatose, particularly given Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has otherwise bolstered Erdogan’s leverage (eg, Sweden’s NATO membership, energy, Black Sea access).

MACAU

Tighter grip.

Beijing-ruled Macau has unanimously passed a new law allowing closed-door trials for national security cases, with only government-approved defence lawyers involved. (The Straits Times)

Comment: It all mirrors Beijing’s 2020 move on Hong Kong, but there’s virtually zero pushback in Macau, which Beijing has always seen as less of a ‘problem child’.

COSTA RICA

Out of sight, not mind.

Costa Rica has closed its embassy in Havana and ousted Cuban diplomats from San Jose, citing human rights violations and a lack of regime legitimacy. (CBS)

Comment: Ecuador made a similar move earlier this month, as the region’s more conservative democracies step back from traditional solidarity with Cuba — they’re framing it as siding with Cuba’s people, who haven’t had a vote since ~1958.

CHAD

Watch out.

Chad has warned it’ll retaliate against Sudan after a cross-border drone strike on a funeral left at least 17 dead, raising fears Chad gets further embroiled in Sudan's civil war. (BBC)

Comment: The difficulty for Chad (and everyone) is attribution: Sudan’s notorious RSF paramilitary controls the area, but is blaming its Sudanese military foes.