Hamas meets Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for first time – Reuters
Hamas has held its first talks with the newly established US‑led Board of Peace, as the postwar Gaza reconstruction plan comes under strain from the Iran war and continued Israeli strikes on the enclave, Reuters has reported. The Board of Peace – an international body formally established in mid‑Ja»»»
Iran school strike responsibility not ‘important issue’ – ex-CENTCOM commander (VIDEO)
Questions over who bears responsibility for the killing of over 160 schoolgirls in an airstrike in Iran are irrelevant, former CENTCOM commander Admiral William Fallon has suggested in a heated exchange with Afshin Rattansi on Going Underground. The February 28 strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh eleme»»»
LIVE UPDATES: Attacks across Gulf continue on day 18 of US-Iran war
Doha, Qatar: Missile and drone attacks continue to target the Gulf region with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait reporting interceptions. Stay tuned for live updates: 11:30am Doha Time Sending unverified content to official accounts is a violation, warns MOI The Ministry of Interior warned that s»»»
BR Analysis | Romania’s startup ecosystem gauging future of EU-US investment ties
Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a widening capital gap, EU leadership has unveiled a multi-pronged offensive to reclaim technological and financial independence, which could impact the future of startup investments in Romania. By Ovidiu Posirca The urgency is underscored by a stark fundin»»»
Iraq in talks with Iran to move oil after steep output cut
Dubai: Iraq said it’s in contact with Iran to allow some oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after the OPEC nation was forced to reduce oil output to a quarter. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.“There is ongoing communication with Iran regarding allowi»»»
Rep. Jasmine Crockett confirms man killed by Dallas police was security guard - UPI.com
The office of Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who is seen here outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2026, confirmed Monday that a member of her security team was shot dead by police last week. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo March 17 (UPI) -- The 39-year-old man killed in a »»»
Defense chief says received no official U.S. request on sending warships to Middle East - UPI.com
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back attends a plenary session of the parliamentary defense committee in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo by Yonhap The defense ministry has not received any official request from the United States to deploy warships to the Middle East, Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Tuesday following U»»»
Al-Manar correspondent in south Lebanon: Five Lebanese soldiers wounded as Israeli drone targets their vehicle while returning from duty in Qaqaiyat Al-Jisr - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar correspondent in south Lebanon: Five Lebanese soldiers wounded as Israeli drone targets their vehicle while returning from duty in»»»
Al-Manar reporter: Two missile salvos hit IOF in South Lebanon and Metula settlement - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Al-Manar reporter: Two missile salvos hit IOF in South Lebanon and Metula settlement 17-03-2026 01:50 AM Latest News Urgent News Oil loadin»»»
Israeli strikes target south, Dahieh, Aramoun
Israeli airstrikes rained down on three neighborhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs early Tuesday, Lebanese state media reported, as Lebanon said more than one million people had been displaced in two weeks of fighting. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Tehran-backed Hezboll»»»
China Says Takes Note of US ‘Clarifications’ on Possible Trump Visit Delay
China said on Tuesday it had "noted" clarifications from the United States about the reasons for a possible delay to a planned visit to Beijing by President Donald Trump. Trump had planned to visit at the end of March, according to the White House, but said on Monday he had asked China to delay his»»»
Iran Parliament Speaker Says Mideast Post-war Order Will Exclude US
Iran's influential parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that the United States would not create the Middle East's post-war order. "The order here will change, but it will not be an order in which the will of the United States prevails," Ghalibaf said in a recorded video inter»»»
Zelensky to visit Starmer to sign new Ukraine-UK defence pact
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in the UK on Tuesday to agree a new defence partnership aimed at tackling cheap attack drones. Downing Street said the deal would bring together "Ukrainian expertise and the UK's industrial base" to manufacture a»»»
UAE extends distance learning: Varying timelines for several schools announced
Dubai: As the UAE extends its distance learning period, one of the country's largest school operators has laid out a detailed, curriculum-specific roadmap to help families plan ahead, with some students heading online as early as Monday, March 23, and others returning to classrooms on April 6. GEMS»»»
Easter holidaymakers switching from Dubai to Spain as flights fill up
British holidaymakers are rebooking Easter trips away from Dubai due to the war in neighbouring Iran, causing a spike in demand for "reassuring" destinations, travel firms have told the BBC. There is mass disruption to passenger flights across the Middle East and warnings not to travel to large par»»»
TheBlock. revolutionises global asset tokenisation with $14.7B issuance pipeline
Dubai: TheBlock., the capital of virtual assets, today announced a major milestone driven by the continued expansion of its ecosystem: the ability to support turnkey real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation, including crowd lending and co-ownership structures, for global distribution. Traditionally, man»»»
Watch: Lava flows reach ocean on Réunion Island after 19 years
Dubai: Lava from the Piton de la Fournaise volcano on France’s Réunion Island has reached the Indian Ocean for the first time in nearly two decades, marking a dramatic phase in the ongoing eruption. The volcano began erupting on February 13, and over the past month, molten rock has steadily advance»»»
Choice startup raises $7.1 million to develop restaurant digitalization platform, plans to open operational hub in Bucharest
Restaurant technology startup Choice has secured $7.1 million in new funding and is accelerating its expansion across Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania, where it entered the market in 2025. Since its local launch, Choice has already attracted its first paying restaurants, confirming int»»»
Nowruz to Be Celebrated in Damascus for First Time in Syria’s Modern History
Syria’s capital is witnessing an unprecedented cultural development as preparations got underway for official and popular celebrations of Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year, marking the arrival of spring on March 21. For the first time in modern Syrian history, festivities will take place openly in Damas»»»
‘Unprecedented’ 36,000 Palestinians Displaced in West Bank in One Year, Says UN
The UN on Tuesday urged Israel to immediately halt its dramatic settlement expansion in the West Bank, raising concerns of "ethnic cleansing" with over 36,000 Palestinians displaced in a single year. A fresh report from the United Nations rights office, looking at the 12 months up to October 31, 20»»»
Construction of dwellings down 3.14% in 2025
The construction of dwellings fell by 3.14 percent in 2025, with 59,062 homes completed last year, 1,916 fewer than in 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS) data.The situation by area of residence in 2025 compared with 2024 highlights an increase in the share of homes comple»»»
Eal Estate: Analysis : Office market awaiting new projects after stagnation in deliveries in 2025
2025 brought an unfortunate first on the Bucharest office market: it was the first year in the last two decades with no deliveries of new office space. Against this backdrop, total leasing demand fell by around 25% year-on-year, to approximately 250,000 square metres, while take-up of new space tot»»»
Telecom.IT: Romania's exports of IT services are worth over EUR 10 billion a year
Romania exports over EUR 10 billion euros in the IT services area every year, and the area's contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product is 8%, Chairman of the Romanian Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (ARICE), Daniel Constantin, said on Tuesday at the Digital Innovation Summit Buch»»»
Retail turnover falls by 9.1% in January 2026
The retail turnover volume (excluding the trade with motor vehicles and motorcycles), in January 2026 compared with January 2025, decreased both as gross series by 9.1% and as adjusted series according to the number of working days and seasonality by 6.5%, according to the National Institute of Sta»»»
Agriculture: Beekeepers demand urgent measures, warning about Mercosur honey imports
Romanian beekeepers are asking for urgent measures to support bee families and reduce production costs amid the economic difficulties of recent years, warning that honey imports from Mercosur states will put additional pressure.Chairman of the Association of Romania's Beekeepers (ACA), Razvan Coman»»»
China Says to Provide Humanitarian Assistance to Iran, Mideast Nations
China said on Tuesday it will provide humanitarian assistance to Middle Eastern countries, including Iran and Lebanon, targeted in US and Israeli strikes in the now three-week conflict. "China has decided to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. It is hoped th»»»
Israel says 'limited' ground operations under way in Lebanon
Israel's military says its troops have begun "limited and targeted ground operations" against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The military said operations had targeted "key Hezbollah strongholds" in recent days with the aim of strengthening the defence of Israeli border c»»»
Iranian footballer says 'everything will be fine' as she trains with Australian team
Two members of Iran's national women's football team who sought asylum in Australia have been pictured training at the grounds of the A-league football team Brisbane Roar. "Everything will be fine," one of them, Fatemeh Pasandideh, posted on Instagram. She and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were among seven »»»
Trump's confidence is undimmed - but every Iran option comes with risk
In the third week of the joint US-Israeli war against Iran, Donald Trump faces decisions that could define the rest of his presidency. But if the American commander-in-chief is grappling with a war of choice that seems in danger of spiralling in ways he can't control, those concerns are not playing»»»
'Many dead': Wounded survivor escaped Kabul clinic strike
Kabul: Azmat Ali Momand had just finished his rounds, checking patients at the "Camp Omid" drug rehabilitation centre in the Afghan capital, Kabul, when the explosion erupted. "The room collapsed on me," the 30-year-old doctor, who has worked at the centre for two years, told AFP on Tuesday. "I got»»»
The 'fog of war': UAE experts on why you can’t focus and how to protect your brain
The other day, an acquaintance repeatedly got my name wrong in a phone call. I didn’t register it, the first few times. I just hmmed as we continued to discussing a pitch. It only dawned after she suddenly apologised, “Have I been calling you by a different name all this time?” “I think so. But it’»»»
Shigeaki Mori, Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survivor Embraced by Obama, Dies at 88
Shigeaki Mori, the survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing whom former US President Barack Obama embraced during a historic visit to the city in 2016, has died at 88, Jiji Press reported on Tuesday. The image of Obama's arms wrapped around a tearful Mori at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park beca»»»
Russian Attack Damages Energy, Port Infrastructure in Ukraine’s South, Governor Says
A Russian attack damaged industrial, port and energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine's Odesa region on the Black Sea overnight, causing disruption to power supplies in separate settlements in the southern part of the region, a local official said on Tuesday. Regional Governor Oleh Kiper s»»»
Gulf Federation of Journalists slams attacks
Doha, Qatar: The Gulf Federation of Journalists has renewed its strong condemnation of the ongoing Iranian attacks targeting the interests of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, warning of the dangerous repercussions of the military escalation on regional and global stability. In a second st»»»
Philippines: Massive cut in airport fees, faster fuel 'surcharge' reviews to slash airfare costs — what to know
Manila: In a bold move to shield Filipino travelers from soaring jet fuel prices triggered by ongoing Middle East tensions, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has directed key government agencies to slash aviation-related charges and speed up airfare adjustments. On Tuesday, the Philippine C»»»
SIGNAL IDUNA takes the first step towards expanding into Romania’s MTPL segment
In recent years, SIGNAL IDUNA has strengthened its presence on the local market through the integration of the former ERGO companies and, subsequently, through the acquisition of a majority stake in Garanta Asigurări, further consolidating its position in the general insurance segment. Entering the»»»
Working-age population (15-64 years) employment rate falls to 62.6% in 2025 Q4
The employment rate of Romania's working-age population (15-64 years) fell to 62.6% in the last quarter of 2025 compared with the previous quarter, a decline of 0.8 percentage points, according to data the National Institute of Statistics (INS) published on Monday.According to the quoted source, in»»»
MAE: Romanian-Canadian bilateral consultations
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) hosted on Monday a round of Romanian-Canadian consultations between delegations led by Ana Tinca, Secretary of State for Strategic and Global Affairs, and Isabelle Poupart, Director General for European Affairs within Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs, Tra»»»
Iran warns Romania not to allow the U.S. to use its bases for military operations
Iran warned Romania on Monday that they could answer politically and legally after allowing the US to use bases on its territory for operations against Iran, says Iran International.Teheran urges all countries not to get involved in the war, stated the spokesperson of the Iranian Minister for forei»»»
Philippines Rejects Beijing’s Claim to Sovereignty Over Entire South China Sea
The Philippines said on Monday it rejected Beijing's assertion of sovereignty over the entire South China Sea, disputing a claim by China's embassy that a Filipino diplomat had once conceded the disputed Scarborough Shoal was not part of Philippine territory. "China must be reminded that maritime a»»»
War Disrupts Education in Lebanon, Deepening Inequality Among Students
Lebanon’s education system is struggling to survive an unprecedented crisis as war forces hundreds of thousands from their homes. Many schools have been converted into shelters for displaced families, with classrooms transformed into sleeping quarters, while others attempt to continue teaching amid»»»
People with Diabetes Have a Higher Dementia Risk
A US study has shown that people with type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop dementia than the general population, highlighting the importance of following up on brain health as we age. Researchers from Boston University highlighted a potential way to thwart the disease in adults with diabetes.»»»
Gold Firms as Investors Assess Middle East Fallout ahead of Policy Decisions
Gold prices edged higher on Tuesday, buoyed by easing fears of prolonged disruptions to oil shipments, while investors assessed the economic impact of the Middle East conflict ahead of a slew of central bank policy decisions this week. Spot gold was up 0.2% at $5,013.71 per ounce as of 0644 GMT. US»»»
Thani Humanitarian Foundation raises more than QR1.1m for debt relief initiative
Doha, Qatar: The Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services has achieved notable progress in supporting a number of indebted individuals through its “Gharimin” (debt relief) initiative, raising more than QR1.1m within just a few days following the announcement of several cases earlier »»»
Awqaf reaffirms vital role of Healthcare Endowment Fund
Doha, Qatar: In a significant move to bolster the national healthcare landscape, the General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has reaffirmed the vital role of the Healthcare Endowment Fund. By integrating traditional Islamic philanthropic values with modern med»»»
Nigeria suicide attacks kill 23, wound more than 100
Multiple explosions staged by suspected suicide bombers rocked the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others, police said Tuesday. The three blasts, which struck on Monday evening, came after an attack on a military post overnight Sunday t»»»
Who Is Leading Iran? Western Sources Map the Inner Circle of the New Supreme Leader
Western diplomatic sources have outlined to Asharq Al-Awsat the tight inner circle surrounding Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, shedding light on the key figures shaping decision-making at a critical moment for the country. According to these sources, any serious discussion of a compreh»»»
Police in Nigeria Say Suspected Suicide Bombings Killed at Least 23 People
At least 23 people were killed and more than 100 injured following suspected suicide bombings Monday night that targeted Maiduguri city in northeastern Nigeria, police said Tuesday, one of the deadliest attacks in the conflict-battered city in recent history. Residents and emergency services earlie»»»
On This Day, March 17: British evacuate Boston amid American Revolution - UPI.com
On March 17, 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. 1 of 8 | On March 17, 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. The historic moment was depicted in the 1911 painting The Evacuation»»»
Bulgaria Not Dependent on Hormuz Supplies, Says Foreign Minister Neynsky
A significant share of Bulgaria’s energy supplies does not pass through the Strait of Hormuz but instead reaches the country via the Black Sea, placing it in a comparatively stable position despite tensions in the Middle East. Acting Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky pointed out that long-term agre»»»