A Paris court on Monday began hearings in a major trial involving 22 suspects accused of murder and other serious crimes on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux. The accused include police officers, former French intelligence agents and businessm»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a test of a high-thrust, solid-fuel engine for weapons and hailed it as a development to boost the country’s strategic military capability, state media reported Sunday. Analysts said the test signalled efforts to place multiple warheads on a single missile ca»»»

Cherry blossom trees across Japan reached full bloom this week, marking the start of the sakura season, when spring sees a burst of the tiny white and pink flowers. In the ancient capital of Kyoto, officials on Monday declared full bloom after examining a sample tree within the grounds of Nijo»»»

Almost surreal images showing bright red and orange skies are coming out of Australia. This meteorological phenomenon is caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast. It is a rare sight, but known to happen during major sandstorms or dust storms. This red Australian sky»»»

The President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Kyrgyzstan Umbetaly Kydyraliev resigned. He announced this at a meeting of the NOC Executive Committee held yesterday, sources reported. According to these sources, the election of a new head of the organization will take place during the Gen»»»

The war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises, the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday. In a blog published by the global lender's top eco»»»

Iran fired missiles across the Middle East on Tuesday as its capital was hit by fresh explosions, after US President Donald Trump threatened the country's key oil export hub, power stations and desalination plants. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's partner in attacking Iran, said m»»»

Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev wrote in a Facebook post on Monday that with the 10-year security agreement with Ukraine the caretaker Government is continuing the tradition of “assemblages” (a term used with a negative connotation to refer to the formation of governments by politically inc»»»

Doha, Qatar: Weather inshore, until 6pm on Tuesday, will be partly cloudy to cloudy with scattered rain, thundery at times, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report, warning of thundery rain associated with strong wind. Offshore, it will be partly cloudy to cloudy with scatter»»»

The criminal cases panel of the Issyk-Kul Regional Court has upheld the verdict of the court of first instance against Erkin Mambetaliev. Photo Detention of Erkin Mambetaliev In the summer of last year, he was found guilty of large-scale legalization (laundering) of criminal proceeds, participation»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved requirements for insurance based on Islamic principles. The resolution «On Approval of Requirements for Insurance Based on Islamic Principles (Takaful), Mandatory Insurance, and Annuity Insurance» was signed by Adylbek Kasymaliev, the Financial Ma»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was in Jordan on Sunday as part of a regional tour focused on security cooperation, after Kyiv deployed anti-drone experts and struck defence agreements with several Gulf states amid rising tensions linked to Iran. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensk»»»

Since 2013, house purchase and rental prices have soared across Europe. With rents skyrocketing, rental supply shrinking and properties being diverted towards short-term holiday lets, the European Union has just adopted an affordable housing plan and appointed a housing commissioner to address the »»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said he signed "historic" agreements with countries in the Middle East last week, including sharing Ukrainian expertise on downing drones as Iranian strikes continue to target Gulf countries. Ukraine has previously proposed an exchange of its drone i»»»

The Ukrainian president has hailed "historic" defence agreements with several Middle Eastern countries after his visit to the region last week. Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking to capitalise on his military's drone-fighting prowess as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia cont»»»

A French court on Monday sentenced in absentia the captain of a suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker to one year in jail for failing to comply with orders to stop his ship. The vessel, which the French navy boarded in September before releasing the vessel, was thought to be transporting Russian oi»»»

French police on Monday arrested two more people over an apparent bid to set off a homemade explosive device outside a Bank of America branch in Paris, bringing the total in custody to five, prosecutors said. The arrests follow an incident early Saturday morning when police arrested a first suspect»»»

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that he and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa agreed the vast majority of Syrian immigrants living in Germany should return to their homeland over the next three years. Al-Sharaa met Merz in Berlin – making his first presidential visit to Germa»»»

Golden Pass LNG, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil, has produced its first liquefied natural gas at its new facility in Texas, the company said on Monday, a major step toward bringing one of the largest US export projects online. The plant is expected to export its first cargo in »»»

Kuwait has accused Iran of carrying out a “heinous attack” on one of its combined power and desalination plants on Sunday. Like much of the Middle East, the nation depends heavily on industrial production to meet its freshwater needs. What happened?The purported Iranian strike killed one worker – a»»»

The law is finally catching up with social media. This week, a California jury found Meta and Google liable for addicting a child to their platforms. On Tuesday, the French Senate will vote to ban under-15s from social media, with other countries making similar plans. Is humanity saved? Or are thin»»»

Oil surged over $115 a barrel this Monday as the war in Iran entered its fifth week. Houthi strikes on Israel have raised concerns that shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait could be disrupted, adding to the supply pressure already created by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Also »»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai moved higher early Tuesday, extending a modest recovery after a sharp correction earlier in March. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and India.) Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balance»»»

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has praised the Kingdom’s announcement on rehabilitating one million hectares of land as part of the Saudi Green Initiative targets. FAO highlighted on Monday the Kingdom’s efforts in combating land degradation and restoring ecosystems, affirming the»»»

Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Krum Zarkov described the signing of a security agreement with Ukraine as an act of political irresponsibility, the party’s press centre said on Monday. Earlier on Monday, the Government Information Service reported that Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and Ukraine's Pre»»»

The Kyrgyzstan’s U23 national football team played a friendly match during a training camp in Turkey, the Kyrgyz Football Union (KFU) reported. The match against Serbia ended 2-0 in favor of the European team. The first match against Serbia ended in a 2-2 draw. The goals were scored by Sultan Bokol»»»

Indonesia urged warring parties in the Middle East "to respect international humanitarian law" after three of its peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon. "The safety of peacekeeping troops must be the top priority. All parties to the conflict are urged to respect international humanitarian law and ens»»»

The Turkish government has built a house for Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the militant-politico Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), imprisoned for life after he was abducted by intelligence agents in Nairobi, Kenya 27 years ago. »»»

A joint plan by the US and Israel to support a Kurdish ground incursion into Iran has collapsed following leaks and regional opposition, according to The Times of India, which reported on March 28 that the proposal had been under development for several years. »»»

Air cargo rates from India to the United States have risen between 200% and 350% since the outbreak of the third Gulf war on February 28, as capacity constraints rather than demand drive pricing, according to industry estimates. »»»

The National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore is commissioning three comprehensive studies focused on nuclear safety and environmental protection. The city-state is making a shift, from passive observation to active preparation with research and policy exploration. As reported by World Nuclear»»»

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which accounts for roughly 70% of global cobalt supply and holds vast copper reserves, has signed a mining cooperation agreement with China, as competition for critical minerals between global powers has intensified. »»»

China’s leading international broadcaster, CGTN, aired an interview on March 24 with Turkmenistan’s paramount leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, touting how “mutual trust and centuries-old exchanges” shape present-day bilateral relations. But such messaging struck a discordant note during the »»»

China’s emergence as a dominant force in industrial metals is increasingly being driven not only by its access to raw materials, but by the scale and structure of its electricity system as it emerges as the world’s leading “electrostate”. »»»

The United States has allowed a Russian government-owned oil tanker to break its own blockade of Cuba, delivering the fuel-starved island its first significant energy shipment in three months, as President Donald Trump said the cargo would do little to alter Havana's fate. »»»

The United States has formally resumed operations at its embassy in Caracas, reopening a diplomatic mission shuttered since 2019 in a move that signals a marked shift in Washington's engagement with Venezuela. In a stateme»»»

A US appeals court has overturned a $16.1bn judgment against Argentina over the 2012 nationalisation of energy firm YPF, offering a significant legal respite for the South American country and prompting a strong political response from President Javier Milei. »»»

Israel has occupied more of Lebanon’s territory after three weeks of fighting than Russia controls of Ukraine after four years of war. In the initial attack, Israeli forces quickly occupied the strip of land in southern Le»»»

Iran has doubled its oil exports since the start of Operation Epic Fury, sustaining flows of between 2.4mn and 2.8mn barrels per day (b/d), including 1.5mn to 1.8mn b/d of crude. It has also doubled the amount of money it’s earning, The Economist reports. »»»

A joint plan by the US and Israel to support a Kurdish ground incursion into Iran has collapsed following leaks and regional opposition, according to The Times of India, which reported on March 28 that the proposal had been under development for several years. »»»

Iran has doubled its oil exports since the start of Operation Epic Fury, sustaining flows of between 2.4mn and 2.8mn barrels per day (b/d), including 1.5mn to 1.8mn b/d of crude. It has also doubled the amount of money it’s earning, The Economist reports. »»»

Israel has occupied more of Lebanon’s territory after three weeks of fighting than Russia controls of Ukraine after four years of war. In the initial attack, Israeli forces quickly occupied the strip of land in southern Le»»»

A joint plan by the US and Israel to support a Kurdish ground incursion into Iran has collapsed following leaks and regional opposition, according to The Times of India, which reported on March 28 that the proposal had been under development for several years. »»»

Satellite imagery appears to show fires at two pumping stations along the UAE’s Habshan-Fujairah oil pipeline, a key export route designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, according to conflict monitoring outlet The Clash Report, which cited analysis from Soar Atlas. »»»

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Berlin for his first official visit to Germany at the invitation of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations, SANA reported on March 30. »»»

The Turkish government has built a house for Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the militant-politico Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), imprisoned for life after he was abducted by intelligence agents in Nairobi, Kenya 27 years ago. »»»

Saudi Arabia's Transport General Authority has launched a new autonomous vehicle passenger route in Riyadh, SPA reported on March 30. The trial programme will go from Hayat Mall and Riyadh Gallery, as the kingdom expands i»»»

Israel has occupied more of Lebanon’s territory after three weeks of fighting than Russia controls of Ukraine after four years of war. In the initial attack, Israeli forces quickly occupied the strip of land in southern Le»»»

Iran has doubled its oil exports since the start of Operation Epic Fury, sustaining flows of between 2.4mn and 2.8mn barrels per day (b/d), including 1.5mn to 1.8mn b/d of crude. It has also doubled the amount of money it’s earning, The Economist reports. »»»

A joint plan by the US and Israel to support a Kurdish ground incursion into Iran has collapsed following leaks and regional opposition, according to The Times of India, which reported on March 28 that the proposal had been under development for several years. »»»