Yao Ming's career with the Houston Rockets transformed basketball into a shared cultural space linking American and Chinese audiences through “hoop diplomacy.” File Photo by Lori Shepler/UPI | License Photo March 19 (UPI) -- As millions of Americans fill out brackets for March Madness, the annual N»»»

In 2025, the market was shaped primarily by the postponement of major modernization projects and longer investment decision cycles, against a backdrop of reduced visibility and still-elevated financing costs. In this environment, the company maintained stable cash flow and recorded a moderate contr»»»

Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic has invited all political party leaders to an urgent meeting to address what he described as a deepening “political and institutional crisis,” his cabinet said on March 18. Speaking a»»»

Oil has long been dubbed "black gold", but its price has proven extraordinarily sensitive to global disruptions. Geopolitical events — such as wars, embargoes, revolutions and territorial invasions — have repeatedly triggered sharp spikes in crude oil prices They often lead to broader economic fall»»»

Slovenia, a country of 2.1mn people, is heading into highly uncertain parliamentary elections on March 22, with a tightening race between former prime minister Janez Jansa's opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and Prime Minister Robert Golob's ruling Freedom Movement. »»»

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves announced the decision to sever relations with Cuba Wednesday from the presidential palace alongside U.S. Ambassador Melinda Hildebrand. File Photo by Jeffrey Arguedas/EPA March 19 (UPI) -- Costa Rica has formally severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, marking »»»

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Hezbollah on Thursday of trying to drag its opponents, including the LF, into a civil war. "Noone will clash with them except the army and the security forces," he told MTV in an interview. Geagea said Hezbollah's battle is "domestic" and removing Israel »»»

The South Pars gas field off the southern Iranian port of Asaluyeh was among energy infrastructure targeted by in escalating attacks by both sides on Wednesday and Thursday, causing prices of oil and natural gas to jump sharply higher in international markets. Iran shares the giant Persian Gulf gas»»»

Croatia says 13 tankers carrying non-Russian oil are ready to supply Hungary, even as Budapest presses Ukraine to deliver cheaper Russian fuel in exchange for lifting its veto on a €90bn loan for Kyiv at Thursday’s (19 March) EU summit. “The total amount of oil that has been shipped is approximatel»»»

BusinessAsiaMore families in Southeast Asia sinking into debtDavid HuttAcross Southeast Asia, households are taking on debt just to cover basic needs. Analysts warn that the region's growing dependence on borrowing risks triggering wider financial stress and long term economic harm. https://p.dw.co»»»

Skopje, 13 March 2026 (MIA) - The Nordic countries offer enormous economic opportunities but penetration in their markets requires an understanding of their standards, expectations and business culture, heard an event organized by the Swedish-Macedonian Chamber of Commerce on Friday. About 30 Swedi»»»

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director of the Beirut-based Samir Kassir Foundation. The war between Iran and Israel is unfolding in Lebanese territory. While Lebanon demonstrates notable competence in distributing humanitarian aid, coordinating with international instit»»»

The United Arab Emirates’ response to regional attacks and tensions reflects an advanced model of a state capable of managing crises with high efficiency and resilience, particularly within a complex regional environment marked by rapid developments and overlapping interests. The UAE has demonstrat»»»

London: The State of Qatar has strongly condemned Iran's attacks and threats against commercial shipping and maritime infrastructure, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, as a "clear violation" of international law and the principles of freedom of navigation. The statement was delivered by Ambassa»»»

Tehran has effectively acknowledged Ukraine as a legitimate military target. Ibrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Commission, made this statement in a post on X. The next day, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky of involvement in the conflict»»»

Unabated settler violence, along with Israel’s continued settlement policy, could spell doom for the remaining Christian communities in the Holy Land, Jason Jones, founder of the Vulnerable People Project, has told RT’s America First. Israel has allegedly approved the demolition of thousands of hom»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Civil Family and Administrative Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a farm seller seeking Dh100,000 from a buyer over a cheque that the court ruled had been issued as a guarantee rather than as a payment instrument. The court said the cheque in question was a security ch»»»

POLITICS According to an analysis in mediapool.bg, which has perused relevant public documents, it is highly unlikely that Bulgaria's Constitutional Court will be able to determine explicitly whether a Judicial System Act amendment that limited the term in office of an acting prosecutor general to »»»

Kamchybek Tashiev signed a non-disclosure agreement, according to sources in law enforcement agencies. Today, after arriving in Kyrgyzstan, the former head of the State Committee for National Security was taken to the Main Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for questioning»»»

The agreement outlines the deployment of BESS in both stand-alone and co-located configurations, across multiple power classes. The agreement covers Alive Capital’s own investments, those of its affiliated group companies and the projects developed for its clients. “The energy market in Europe is e»»»

Dubai: In the UAE, where people from cultures across the world come together, Eid is no longer just a religious celebration, it’s a shared social moment. While the festival marks the end of Ramadan for Muslims, its spirit of generosity, food, and togetherness extends far beyond faith. From neighbou»»»

Addressing Bulgaria's Parliament Thursday in a declaration on behalf of MRF-New Beginning, occasioned by the end of the legislature's life, Deputy Floor Leader Jordan Tzonev said that the 51st National Assembly is ending its term at the will of less than 10% of Bulgarian voters who took part in pro»»»

Tunis: Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Tunisia H E Zayed bin Saeed Al Khayarin participated in a meeting held by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad H E Mohamed Ali Nafti with Their Excellencies the Ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) count»»»

Romania’s eCommerce market reached approximately EUR 8.1 billion in 2025 and is expected to surpass EUR 8.5 billion in 2026, although growth is entering a more competitive and less predictable phase compared to previous years. According to the MerchantPro eCommerce Insights 2026 report, inflation, »»»

Clutching a monkey plushie, Eliete Ikeda screamed "Punch!" as she caught sight of the underdog baby macaque still drawing crowds of photo-hungry visitors to a Japanese zoo weeks after he shot to stardom. Seven-month-old Punch was abandoned by his mother and became an internet sensation after clips »»»

China condemned on Thursday the killing of Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani by an Israeli air strike, calling it "unacceptable". Beijing is a close partner of Iran but has also criticized Tehran's strikes against Gulf states housing US military bases. Larijani was the highest-profile Ir»»»

Since the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, Iraqi factions aligned with Tehran have placed US interests squarely in their sights, repeatedly targeting bases hosting international forces, diplomatic missions and key oil infrastructure. Designated as terrorist organizations by Washington, thes»»»

Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church received on Wednesday, on an introductory visit at the Patriarchal Residence, the new ambassador of the United States of America in Bucharest Darryl Nirenberg. On this occasion, the Patriarch highlighted the involvement of the Romanian Orthodox Churc»»»

The European Union pitched to Türkiye last month the idea that the candidate for bloc membership could join a cost-cutting payments system to boost integration efforts and benefit those sending money abroad, the EU envoy to Ankara told Reuters. Jurgis Vilcinskas, the bloc's chargé d’affaires in Tür»»»

Syria on Wednesday launched a plan supported by Washington to rid the Middle Eastern country of legacy chemical weapons that were used against its people by forces under ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. For decades, Assad ran a large-scale program for chemical weapons, the use of which killed and inj»»»

Riyadh: Their Highnesses, and Excellencies Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom»»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

In its March 2026 Annual Threat Assessment of The US Intelligence Community report, the US Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has highlighted Pakistan a 'Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)' of Washington, as on the path to developing missile technology that can threaten the US itself. »»»

“There’s eight of us, and we’re a fun bunch,” says a cheerful Tazeen Jafri. She's excited, and for good reason. It's Eid: A time of family, love and joy. Eid can’t ever postponed, as Jafri and many others would agree. And this time, Jafri already knows exactly what’s in store: A table overflowing w»»»

Doha, Qatar: As the Iran-US war enters day 20, the agression against GCC countries has overnight seen huge escalation with energy sites across UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar being attacked on Wednesday and Thursday, March 18 and 19, 2026. Saudi Arabia stated that two of its refineries were attacked wi»»»

The Ministry of Justice will hold an expert discussion on Thursday to develop transparent criteria for nominating candidates for key positions in the judiciary, the Ministry's press service reported. Developing a standard in the justice sector is among the priorities of the current caretaker govern»»»

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Lebanese Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, t»»»

China’s share in Kyrgyzstan’s external debt is approximately 36 percent. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Kyrgyz Republic Liu Jiangping stated, responding to a 24.kg news agency correspondent’s question about the level of country’s public deb»»»

AMMAN (JT) — Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khreisat and Bulgarian Ambassador Metin Kazak on Wednesday discussed prospects of cooperation across a range of agricultural fields.The minister underscored the deep Jordanian-Bulgarian ties and stressed the need to build on these to advance cooperation in »»»

Iran suffered major blows on Wednesday with the killing of its intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, in an Israeli strike and an attack on the South Pars natural gas field, one of the world's largest gas resources and a pillar of the country's energy supplies. Tehran vowed retaliation for the attac»»»

QatarEnergy said Ras Laffan Industrial City was targeted by missile attacks, with fires breaking out and “extensive damage” reported. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes on Ras Laffan Industrial City, calling them a violation of sovereignty and warning it reserves the right to respond.Ra»»»

Obtaining a visa to China is not difficult and can be done online, Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jiangping said at a briefing. She made the statement in response to a question from a 24.kg news agency correspondent about complaints from some citizens of Kyrgyzstan who say that getting a visa»»»