As of March 17, 2026, oil markets remain extremely volatile amid the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict disrupting the Strait of Hormuz – the vital artery for ~20% of global oil flows. WTI Crude surged to $95.80 (+2.46%), Brent hit $102.90 (+2.66%), while UAE’s flagship Murban dropped 6.68% to $106»»»

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan and exhibition company BiExpo have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. According to the ministry, the document is aimed at developing exhibition and fair activities, supporting domestic businesses, and promoting Kyrgyz products in international mar»»»

AMMAN — Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) ranked 51st in the list of the 100 most powerful companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for 2026, up from 71st place, according to the annual ranking of "Forbes Middle East" magazine.The market capitalisation of Phosphate reaches $1»»»

AMMAN — The Worker Center Association has announced on Monday the official reopening of its facility within the Al Hassan Industrial Estate (HIE) in Irbid, marking a "strategic" return to full social and recreational programming dedicated to the Kingdom’s garment sector workforce.

The center serve»»»

AMMAN — Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said on Monday that the country will begin pumping crude oil directly from the Kirkuk oil fields to Türkiye's port of Ceyhan, bypassing the Kurdistan Region.He said in a statement that Iraq previously exported around 3.4 million barrels per day through »»»

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Energy ministers from the EU's 27 nations huddled in Brussels Monday to discuss how to help families and businesses as the Iran war sends energy prices soaring.The meeting laid the groundwork for a Thursday summit of EU leaders that will seek to address the issue — though the bl»»»

A verdict is expected soon in the landmark trial against Google and Meta in Los Angeles. At the heart of the case are repeated accusations that online platforms deliberately fuel social media addiction, especially among young users. The ruling could set a legal precedent and potentially impact thou»»»

US President Donald Trump on Monday criticised US allies on Monday for a lack of enthusiasm in helping unblock the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war against Iran. US and Israeli strikes on Iran have jolted global energy markets, sending oil prices higher and raising gasoline costs for US c»»»

Donald Trump's broadcast regulator has issued a warning to top news channels in the United States, threatening to cancel the spectrum permits of broadcasters pushing what he called "hoaxes and news distortions". The criticism was echo»»»

Cuba suffered another nationwide power outage on Monday after its electrical grid collapsed, the third major blackout in four months. The shutdown underscores the island’s worsening energy crisis, with ageing infrastructure, fuel shortages and economic turmoil leaving millions of people facing prol»»»

A leading Lebanese academic has spoken of his feelings of déjà vu as Israel admits it has launched what it calls a limited ground operation in the south of Lebanon. Karim Emile Bitar is professor at Saint Joseph University of Beirut and at Sciences Po University in Paris. He says that from experien»»»

Conflict across the Middle East continues to rage, and Israel is fighting a war on several fronts all at once, but for how long? Since it attacked Iran, Israel has endured regular strikes, forcing widespread air raid al»»»

Donald Trump is putting pressure on European countries to keep Strait of Hormuz open. But as Europe refuses to get dragged into the war in the Middle East, it also doesn't want to jeopardise Ukraine, which benefits from the US in different ways. FRANCE 24's Angela Diffley looks at how the two confl»»»

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Abdullah Mohtadi, secretary-general of the Iranian Kurdish opposition Komala party, said Kurds "can play a very significant role in making a breakthrough" in Iran. He pointed to "serious signs of weakness" among security forces in Kurdish regions of Iran and said "te»»»

Israel's devastating war with Hezbollah has compounded the suffering of ordinary Lebanese who were already grappling with an economy on the brink of collapse. FRANCE 24's reporter travelled to Sidon, a coastal city south of Beirut, to visit the once-bustling alleys of the old souk&nb»»»

Hezbollah’s entry into the war against Israel on March 2, in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes on its Iranian ally, has triggered a massive displacement of civilians across Lebanon. With many shelters at capacity and rental prices skyrocketing, many now find themselves sleeping in the streets »»»

Yasmen Almashan spent years fighting to find out what happened to her brothers, who were among the more than 180,000 Syrians who went missing under the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Now, during Women’s Week at the UN, she is back – only this time she has an official public role in Syria’s transitional»»»

Day 17 of the war in the Middle East and as the missiles and the drones keep falling, the US President has done a U turn on needing help from his friends and allies. Trump is calling now for a coalition to keep open the Strait of Hormuz. The US strikes on Iran's Kharg Island on Friday 13th sent a m»»»

US President Donald Trump has demanded seven countries send ships to the Strait of Hormuz to secure toe crucial passagepoint for global oil flows. He threatened that refusal to help would mean a 'very bad' future for NATO. But US allies refuse to be dragged into the ongoing war in the Middle East. »»»

Reporting from Doha in Qatar for FRANCE 24, Hoda Abdel-Hamid explains that Iran has been able to keep striking Gulf countries, despite claims made by US President Donald Trump that its arsenal had been decimated, because most of its weapons may be underground and the country has decentralised its m»»»

NATO allies and other Western nations pushed back Monday on US President Donald Trump's demand that military alliance members help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical conduit for crude oil Iran has effectively closed. FRANCE 24's Dave Keating reports from Brussels»»»

As Israel expands its military operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr. Raz ZIMMT, Director of the Iran and Shiite Axis program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). According to Dr ZIMMT, Israel’s objectives are based on a more l»»»

In recent days, social media has been abuzz with rumours claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was killed in an Iranian missile strike. The rumour appears to have originated from a screenshot of a recent press conference, after users claimed it was a deepfake generated by art»»»

China on Monday called on all sides to halt military operations in the Strait of Hormuz to avoid further escalation. The remarks came after US President Donald Trump urged China and six other countries to send warships to secure the vital shipping route. Beijing however made no mention of military »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The death toll from Pakistan's attack on Afghanistan has reached 400, with another 250 people being injured, the Tolo News portal reported on Tuesday, citing Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman of the Afghan government. On Monday evening, the news portal reported that explosio»»»

After he was handed a statuette for best actor at the Academy Awards, Michael B Jordan received another golden prize - a cheeseburger. The actor, who won for his performance in the vampire-blues film Sinners, stopped by fast food chain In-N-Out Burger after the Hollywood ceremony. Still dressed in »»»

In France's municipal elections the far right National Rally is gaining momentum, and France Unbowed has made a breakthrough. Both parties treated the municipal elections as a test-run for the presidential race and emerged strengthened from the first round. T»»»

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy returned to court on March 16 for an appeal hearing in Paris over his conviction linked to the alleged illegal campaign financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by Libya. The case led him to spend 20 days in prison in 202»»»

As French voters head to the polls for municipal elections, would-be mayors are presenting their programmes for the next six years. Yet with multiple pressures weighing on these local representatives, many step down before the end of their terms. Resignations among mayors are currently at an all-ti»»»

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is back in court to appeal criminal charges that he sought financing for his 2007 campaign from former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi»»»

Following the first of two rounds of municipal elections on March 15, the race for many of France's bigger cities including Paris and Marseille looks set to be tight. Politicians are now moving to make cross-party alliances against they key opp»»»

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is on trial once again as he appeals his conviction in the Libyan funding case. Although a guilty verdict is unlikely to change what his base thinks of him, it would undeniably taint his legacy. The trial also sends out a clear message to the political elite »»»

The race for Paris mayor looked uncertain on March 16 as a right-wing former minister hoping to wrest control of the French capital from the left claimed she had gained key support for the second round of the mayoral polls. The French elections is l»»»

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Paul Smith, Head of Modern Languages at the University of Nottingham. In his view, one of the most significant developments is the continued use of proportional list systems across communes of all sizes, from Paris to the smallest rural municipalities. What is pol»»»

Beijing said on Monday it had “lodged representations” with Washington and urged the United States to “correct its erroneous ways” after new US trade probes launched last week. China’s commerce ministry called on Washington to meet Beijing halfway and resolve disputes through dialogue, as negotiato»»»

A tanker was struck by an “unknown projectile” while at anchor in the Gulf of Oman, prompting a fresh warning to vessels operating close to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Also Read: US 'fully prepared' to escort commercial vessels in Strait of Hormuz: White»»»

Speaking at a campaign rally in Kaposvár, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reviewed the government’s achievements since 2010 and outlined the stakes of the upcoming election. According to PM Orbán, the vote will determine whether Hungary continues building a work-based economy and defending its national»»»

Construction output volume, based on raw data was 11.4% lower than a year earlier, according to working day adjusted data decreased by 9.6% in January 2026. Among the main construction groups the construction of buildings lessened by 9.6%, that of civil engineering by 14.5%. Based on seasonally and»»»

The volume of industrial production declined by 2.5%, while based on working-day adjusted data it increased year-on-year by 0.3% in January 2026. A production setback occurred in the great majority of the manufacturing subsections. According to seasonally and working-day adjusted data industrial ou»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, March 16: French papers analyse the first round of the country's municipal elections. Next: Cubans protest amid worsening economic conditions. Also: The New York Times tells the story of a difficult recovery after an act of violence. Finally, researchers look into the delayed»»»

1/9Visitors walk through vibrant rows of tulips as the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden opens to the public for the annual Tulip Show 2026 in Srinagar.ANI2/9Millions of tulips bloom across the sprawling garden in Srinagar, turning the Kashmir Valley into a spectacular sea of colours.ANI3/9Jammu »»»

In Batken, 60 orphaned children have each been given 10,000 soms ahead of Orozo Ait holiday. The Office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in Batken region reported. A charity campaign was held, during which financial assistance was provided to children left without parental care. T»»»

Kyrgyzstan is set to launch a unified emergency response service based on the 112 system, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. According to the ministry, the new mechanism is expected to speed up the transmission of information about incidents and reduce response times for emergency servi»»»

It started quietly, with a handful of posts on tech forums and Reddit explaining why and how you should uninstall and unsubscribe from ChatGPT. Now the campaign #QuitGPT has more than 4 million participants worldwide, and the numbers are still climbing. FRANCE 24 tech journalist Charlotte Lam »»»

Sri Lanka has designated every Wednesday a public holiday to conserve fuel as the country confronts the risk of supply shortages following the outbreak of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, BBC reported. »»»

Beijing has massed up to 2,000 fishing vessels in coordinated formations near Taiwan, raising concerns over blockade rehearsals, AFP reports. Satellite tracking data showed large groups of Chinese vessels assembling in geometric patterns in the East China Sea, sometimes holding position for about 3»»»

Sri Lanka has designated every Wednesday a public holiday to conserve fuel as the country confronts the risk of supply shortages following the outbreak of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, BBC reported. »»»

As global attention fixates on the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, global energy prices and Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic calculus in East Asia has shifted in ways that are increasingly worrying to Taiwan. »»»

As global attention fixates on the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, global energy prices and Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic calculus in East Asia has shifted in ways that are increasingly worrying to Taiwan. »»»