March 13 (UPI) -- A Netherlands engineer built a car for his pet goldfish, Blub, who drove the vehicle a distance of 40 feet in one minute to break a world record. Thomas de Wolf constructed a four-wheeled vehicle with a water tank for a driver's seat. The vehicle is steered by analyzing the moveme»»»

The United Nations launched a $308 million flash appeal on Friday to help Lebanon cope with the fallout of a war that has forced more than a seventh of its population from their homes. "Solidarity in words must be matched by solidarity in action," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said as he an»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah Attacks Israeli Settlements, Soldiers on Al-Quds Day 13-03-2026 19:56 PM Rockets fired by Hezbollah fighters towards the occupied»»»

Doha, Qatar: Indian airline IndiGo has announced the introduction of a fuel charge on both domestic and international routes, effective from March 14, 2026, citing a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices. The airline said the move comes in response to a significant surge in fuel prices following ongoi»»»

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is wounded and likely disfigured, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday, questioning Khamenei's ability to govern after nearly two weeks of US and Israeli attacks on Iran. No images have been released of Khamenei since an Israeli strike at the s»»»

The United Nations launched a $325 million flash appeal on Friday to help Lebanon cope with the fallout of a war that has forced more than a seventh of its population from their homes. "Solidarity in words must be matched by solidarity in action," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said as he an»»»

The Israeli defense minister vowed on Friday that Lebanon would pay an "increasing price" in damage to infrastructure in the war with Hezbollah, while the UN urged Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when the Tehran-backed militant grou»»»

The decision by the US to ease some sanctions on Russian oil sales has provoked a chorus of criticism from European leaders. President Emmanuel Macron of France said there was "no justification" for it. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany said the decision was "wrong". EU Council President Antonio»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has confirmed the gradual and strategic resumption of flight operations across the country’s airports, supported by high operational readiness and efficient air traffic management systems. In a statement, the authority said the progressiv»»»

BusinessUS eases oil sanctions, boosting RussiaArthur SullivanThe US has further eased sanctions on Russian oil in an attempt to bring soaring energy prices down. The news is a huge boost to the Kremlin, just when it needed one. https://p.dw.com/p/5AM3iA tanker carrying Russian oil, pictured on Jan»»»

The UAE Cybersecurity Council has warned of the rising risks linked to destructive cyber threats known as “wiper malware,” urging individuals and organisations to strengthen their digital safety practices. In a recent statement, the council said such attacks are designed to delete or damage data an»»»

Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced on Friday that they had launched missiles and drones at Israel in coordination with Lebanese Hezbollah. The Guards said in a statement that the operation was part of its annual Quds Day, which is intended to show support for the Palestinian cause.»»»

"I don't even think it was his message," an Iranian woman in her 40s told the BBC after her country's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei gave his first official address in the form of a statement read out on state TV. Having not seen him since he was named leader, some are now casting doubts on wh»»»

There is a new and concerted effort from Israel's military and political leaders to frame the achievements of the Iran war as having changed the Middle East, even without the regime change in Tehran that Israel's prime minister has focused on. Benjamin Netanyahu has spent decades preparing for this»»»

Dubai: Dubai Police have issued a stern warning to motorists against disruptive driving behaviours, including excessive vehicle noise and unauthorised modifications. Authorities say such actions disturb residents, compromise public safety, and tarnish the city’s image. Since the start of Ramadan, p»»»

London: Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior hailed Reece James as the "best player in world football in his position" after the captain signed a new six-year deal at Stamford Bridge. The England defender, 26, who first trained with the club 20 years ago, said he wanted to remain at the club for his "peak ye»»»

Bulgaria Evacuates over 2,600 Citizens from Middle East, Government Prepares for Further Risks Bulgaria has evacuated more than 2,600 of its citizens from the conflict zone in the Middle East in a large-scale operation carried out under difficult conditions, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov sa»»»

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is likely to sign a voter ID law passed by the state's legislature that could disenfranchise thousands in the state. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo March 13 (UPI) -- Florida's legislature has passed a voter registration law similar to the Safeguard American V»»»

Israeli planes dropping propaganda leaflets over Beirut on Friday caused a number of loud booms in the sky, terrifying residents of the Lebanese capital. AFP correspondents heard four successive booms at short intervals, before clouds of paper leaflets appeared high in the air. State media said the»»»

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth downplayed the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz during a press briefing Friday and claimed 15,000 Iranian targets have been struck. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI | License Photo March 13 (UPI) -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth downplayed the shutdown of the Strait »»»

Dubai: India’s largest airline by market size, IndiGo, will introduce a fuel charge on domestic and international routes starting March 14. The airline has cited the additional charge due to a sharp rise in jet fuel prices linked to geopolitical issues in the Middle East. Stay updated: Get the late»»»

Share: Iran has been badly weakened, its ambitions exposed, and its proxies further discredited. Prolonging the conflict now risks turning a limited campaign into another costly Middle East quagmire. President Trump should declare victory now and bring this war to an end. By: Ya Libnan Editorial Bo»»»

The Trump administration's decision to ease sanctions on countries buying Russian oil has been welcomed by the Kremlin and has sparked deep concern among pro-Ukraine campaigners. The US waiver, active for one month, will let countries buy up Russian oil which, under current sanctions, has been floa»»»

The United States is relocating parts of its advanced Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) missile defence system from South Korea to the Middle East, according to officials cited by The Washington Post and South Korean media. The reported move comes nearly two weeks into the escalating US-I»»»

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the 2026 budget for the Office of the Trade Representative in December. His department just announced investigations into 60 economies for allowing trade from countries with forced labor. File Photo »»»

The ongoing war in the Middle East is beginning to cast a shadow over Bulgaria’s tourism sector, with early signs already visible in reservations for the upcoming summer season, BGNES reported. According to representatives of the industry on the Southern Black Sea coast, the first effects are being»»»

Libya’s oversight entity, the Administrative Control Authority (ACA), reported yesterday that the Tripoli Court of Appeal issued its judgment on 16 February 2026, finding former Director General of Libya’s Executive Authority for Special Flights (which refers to itself in English as the EACS for sh»»»

Bulgaria and Turkiye are exploring opportunities to strengthen defence cooperation against the backdrop of the wars in Ukraine and Iran. The issue was discussed during a meeting between Bulgarian caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and Turkiye’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Mehmet Sait Uyanik at the Co»»»

PoliticsUkraineZelenskyy meets Macron as Iran war overshadows UkraineRana Taha with AFP, ReutersThe Ukrainian president is in Paris for talks with one of Kyiv's staunchest allies. The meeting comes as the US-Israeli war on Iran has removed pressure on Moscow, and derailed Ukraine peace talks. https»»»

WizzAir will open flight routes from Varna, on the Black Sea, to Barcelona, Athens, Paris Beauvais, Debrecen and Gdansk from June 15, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management said on Friday. Thus, the number of destinations WizzAir will operate from Varna Airport in the summer will increase to 23, note»»»

Doha, Qatar: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said its air defence systems intercepted seven ballistic missiles and 27 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran on Friday, March 13, 2026 as regional tensions continue to escalate. According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, since the onset of w»»»

A sacred drum looted by French forces during its colonial rule in Ivory Coast has been returned to the country, more than a century after it was taken. ‎It was seized by colonial authorities in 1916 before being taken to France in 1929, where it was put on display at the Trocadéro Museum and later »»»

Dubai: Dubai has introduced new regulations requiring tenancy contracts for shared accommodation to be officially registered in a dedicated government registry, a move aimed at strengthening tenant protection and improving transparency in the housing sector. The legislation, issued on February 27, »»»

Bulgaria is set to purchase 12 MARS 3 multiple rocket launcher systems as part of a broader European procurement initiative. The acquisition falls under a German-Israeli deal, which plans to produce a total of 500 rocket launchers for the German Bundeswehr, with half of these systems designated for»»»

Top Iranian officials including the president and top security official defied the Israeli aggression on Tehran and made public appearance during a rally marking International Al-Quds Day. Iranians were seen taking photos with President Masoud Pezeshkian as he joined Al-Quds Day rally in Tehran, wh»»»

UAE authorities have introduced several measures to ensure public safety amid regional unrest. Dubai and Sharjah have issued detailed guides. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi has stressed the importance of responding immediately to emergency alerts. In a move to bolster security, Ras Al Khaimah has implemented»»»

Baghdad: The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced Friday the extension of the closure of Iraqi airspace to civilian air traffic for an additional three days, as part of precautionary measures related to the security situation in the region. The Civil Aviation Authority stated in a press release»»»

BusinessGlobal issuesWho holds the biggest strategic oil reserves?Nik MartinIran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed dozens of countries to tap their emergency oil stockpiles. But what exactly are strategic reserves and who holds the world's biggest crisis-ready supplies? https:»»»

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s air defence systems intercepted seven ballistic missiles and 27 drones on 13 March 2026, all of which were launched from Iran, according to the Ministry of Defence. The ministry said that since the start of the Iranian attacks, UAE air defences have dealt with a total of 285 ba»»»

Washington: The US military announced Friday that four of the six crew members aboard a military aircraft that crashed in western Iraq have been confirmed dead, while search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate the two missing personnel. In a statement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the»»»

Ankara: Turkey’s defence ministry on Friday said a ballistic missile from Iran had been shot down in Turkish airspace by NATO forces in the third such incident of the Middle East war. “A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralised by NATO air and missile defe»»»

Fujairah: UAE energy supplies remain stable, and the country’s national energy system is operating normally, Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei said after visiting the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) on Friday. Stay updated: Get the latest faster by downloading the Gulf»»»

Dubai: A building in Dubai's financial district was hit by debris from an intercepted attack Friday, witnesses and an AFP journalist saw. On Wednesday, US banking giant Citi, consultancies Deloitte and PwC, as well as other firms closed their offices or told employees to leave, mainly in the Dubai »»»

Beirut: Israel expanded its strikes in Lebanon on Friday, targeting multiple areas including a bridge over the Litani river that it said Hezbollah had been using as a passageway for its fighters. The raids came after Israel threatened to also carry out a ground operation to disarm Hezbollah if the »»»

Eight people were killed Friday and nine wounded in a strike on Sidon's al-Fawwar, as Israel targeted motorbikes and a Hezbollah-affiliated health center in Safad al-Battikh, kfartebnit and Aiteet. The Israeli army warned of a strike on a building in Abbasiyyeh-Tyre, and struck and shelled Teffahta»»»

Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to commend the staff of the Crisis Headquarters for their role in the recent evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from conflict zones in the Middle East and Iran. The operation, described as unprecedented in both scale and complexity,»»»

A row of U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft lined up at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport on February 27, the day before Israel and United States launched their airborne offensive against Iran. Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI | License Photo March 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. military »»»

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday evening Serbia had long-range air-to-ground missiles and would continue to acquire them. In an interview for the RTS, Vucic said Serbia also had other military capabilities that had still not been revealed. He said Serbian military engi»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian forces launched one massive and six group strikes targeting Ukraine's military-industrial enterprises, fuel and energy infrastructure, transport hubs, and airfields, in retaliation for Ukraine's attacks on Russian civilian sites, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Frida»»»

Israel expanded its strikes in Lebanon on Friday, targeting multiple areas including a bridge over the Litani river that it said Hezbollah had been using as a passageway for its fighters. The raids came after Israel threatened to also carry out a ground operation to disarm Hezbollah if the Lebanese»»»