Trump may waive 106-year-old maritime law to ease gas prices - UPI.com
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering waivers to the 106-year-old Jones Act, which requires cargo on all shipping vessels to be owned and operated by 75% U.S. citizens, with the vessels registered in the United States, in order to ease rapidly rising gas and fuel prices. Photo by Bonnie »»»
Oil prices decline slightly as Mideast war enters Day 14 amid Iran's Hormuz threats: Diplomacy to show a way out?
Oil prices experienced slight declines on Friday (March 13, 2026) following extreme volatility that saw crude rates to skyrockets. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), a key US crude oil benchmark, was a trading at around $95.11 per barrel (down -0.62 or -0.65%) and Brent crude at approximately $100.1 pe»»»
AI in warfare: When machines begin to shape the battlefield
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at an extraordinary pace, penetrating multiple fields with machines capable of simulating human abilities, from collecting and analysing information to drawing conclusions and making decisions. This rapid progress is reshaping both civilian and military con»»»
Hormuz Strait tensions: How navies detect and clear marine mines
With the US racing to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and stabilise soaring oil prices, a report emerged that Iran has sown an "estimated 10 mines" in the vital chokepoint, where 20% of global oil exports pass through. The Wall Street Journal reported the deployment of marine mines, citing "intelligen»»»
French vote tests polarised electorate with right hoping to win control of Paris
France is preparing to vote in town council elections, whose results will be closely analysed for trends ahead of next year's presidential votes. A strong showing for Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) would be a boost for the nationalist right - even as she awaits a judicial decision on whether s»»»
Senate passes bipartisan housing bill, sends it to the House - UPI.com
The effort is expected to meet some opposition from the House GOP. A housing affordability bill sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., easily passed the Senate on an 89 to 10 vote, but it may face a tough time in the House of Representatives. File Photo by Jemal Count»»»
Winners, Sinners and record breakers: 17 fun facts about this year's Oscars
When Sinners director Ryan Coogler went to the movies as a child, he would smuggle in some snacks - and get particularly creative with the cinema's drinks machine. "I'm not a big soda person, but when they started to let you mix and match the drinks, I got involved with that," he told Amy Poehler's»»»
Americans on Iran strikes: 'What if this turns into a forever war?'
It has been nearly two weeks since Americans woke to the news that the US had carried out strikes against Iran. Donald Trump has said "we're achieving major strides", but the US president and his administration have offered conflicting statements about what they hope to ultimately achieve. The oper»»»
One dead and two injured in Virginia university shooting
One person has died and two others were injured at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, in a shooting that the FBI is investigating as an act of terrorism. The suspect was also killed in the incident on Thursday. The FBI identified the alleged gunman as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Virg»»»
Syria, Jordan to develop logistic cooperation, facilitate flow of goods
Damascus, Mar. 13 (SANA) Head of General Authority for Ports and Customs, Qutaiba Badawi, discussed Thursday with Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Yarub Qudah, several economic and trade issues of mutual interest for the two brotherly countries. The meeting comes on the sidelines o»»»
Trade Minister participates in prep meeting of Arab Trade Ministers for 14th WTO Conference
Tunis, March 12 (TAP) - Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, took part on Thursday, via videoconference, in the preparatory meeting of Arab trade ministers for the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).In...»»»
Americans cutting back on all expenses to pay for healthcare - UPI.com
More than one-third of Americans make trade-offs on spending money for daily needs in order to afford access to healthcare and medication, a Gallup survey found. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo March 12 (UPI) -- People in the United States are roiling budgets, skipping meals, stret»»»
Regional tensions fail to dampen Ramadan spirit in Qatar
Khaled Al Hameidi Doha Ramadan has long been one of the most cherished periods of the year in Qatar, defined by spirituality, hospitality, and deep-rooted social traditions. This year, however, the holy month has unfolded against an unusual and tense backdrop. The ongoing regional conflict and the »»»
Interior minister gets solidarity messagesfrom counterparts
QNA Doha Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani has received a number of messages from interior ministers and senior security officials from allied and friendly countries expressing solidarity with Qatar following the Irania»»»
Qatar Press Center welcomes UNSC resolution condemning Iranian attacks
Tribune News Network Doha The Qatar Press Center (QPC) has welcomed the adoption by the UN Security Council of Resolution 2817, which condemns Iranian attacks on several countries in the region. The resolution clearly affirms the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states a»»»
PM, Canadian, Spanish ministers call for regional tension de-escalation
QNA Doha Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received phone calls from Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Anita Anand and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain Jose Manuel Alvarez. Discussions during»»»
143 South Africans depart Doha on evacuation flight
Tribune News Network Doha The South African Embassy in the State of Qatar has confirmed the successful departure of a voluntary evacuation flight from Doha to South Africa. The flight, carrying 143 South African nationals, departed Hamad International Airport at 11:55am local time and is scheduled »»»
QA repurposed 30 planes to deliver vital goods
To facilitate this effort, Qatar Airways has repurposed part of its fleet of 30 Boeing 777 Freighter aircraft to ensure the efficient delivery of vital commodities despite the current operational challenges. The airline stressed that the safe and rapid transport of essential goods remains a priorit»»»
QATAR ATTENDS JOINT GCC-UK MINISTERIAL MEETING
Qatar participated in the joint ministerial meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the United Kingdom, held via videoconferencing on Thursday. Qatar was represented at the meeting by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi. »»»
Shura speaker meets ambassador of UK, condemns Iranian attacks
QNA Doha Shura Council Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim on Thursday met with Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Qatar HE Neerav Patel to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed relations between Qatar and the United Kingdom, particu»»»
MOI says air quality in Qatar reaches 100% with no indicators of pollution
Doha: The Ministry of Interior (MOI) confirmed that environmental monitoring indicators reported that air quality in Qatar has reached 100 percent, noting that environmental monitoring stations across various regions of the country operate around the clock to ensure accurate and continuous monitori»»»
Ben Ayed reaffirms Tunisia’s rejection of any violation affecting stability of Arab countries
Tunis, March 12 (TAP) - Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mohamed Ben Ayed, met on Thursday Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Tunisia, Abdulaziz Mohammed Abdullah Al Eid.During the meeting,...»»»
EU ‘held hostage’ by Trump over Iran war – Spanish deputy PM
Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz has accused EU leaders of weakness over the US-Israeli war on Iran, warning that Brussels’ “servile” attitude toward US President Donald Trump risks fueling Euroskeptic sentiment. In an interview with Politico published on Thursday, Diaz described the EU a»»»
What crude oil the world produces — why some barrels are more valuable
Dubai: Crude oil is often discussed as a single commodity. In reality, the oil traded in global markets exists in dozens of different grades, each with distinct physical characteristics that determine how easily it can be refined and what fuels it ultimately produces. Sign up for our daily business»»»
Italy’s Meloni breaks with Trump over Iran war
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has criticized the US-Israeli war on Iran, branding it part of a dangerous trend “outside international law.” She also condemned a deadly strike on an Iranian school widely attributed to the US. Meloni delivered the r»»»
Report: US to inform Haykal of its dissatisfaction with his performance
U.S. officials believe that Lebanon is currently required to take steps to curb Hezbollah's influence and the U.S. administration will inform Lebanese Army chief Rodolphe Haykal tomorrow of its dissatisfaction with his performance, a U.S. source told Al-Arabiya on Thursday night. "The U.S. administ»»»
'Follow the smoke': BBC spends day with emergency teams as Israel strikes south Lebanon
The war between Israel and Hezbollah is continuing to escalate, with hundreds of people killed in Lebanon and hundreds of thousands more forced from their homes since the beginning of the month. Much of Israel's air and ground operations have focused on the south of Lebanon. The BBC spent Wednesday»»»
Iran's new supreme leader vows to block Strait of Hormuz in first statement
Iran will continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping channel, according to a statement attributed to Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. His message was broadcast on Iranian state TV, but Khamenei did not appear in person. His message was instead read out by a »»»
President al-Sharaa receives a Jordanian high-ranking delegation in Damascus
Damascus, March 12, (SANA) President Ahmad al-Sharaa received on Thursday a Jordanian high-ranking delegation, headed by Deputy Prime Minister- Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman al-Safadi, in the presence of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Major General Yousef al-Huneiti, and Director of Gen»»»
King expresses 'concern' over Alberta separatists in meeting with First Nations chiefs
King Charles has "expressed his concern" over the Alberta separatist movement in a meeting with Indigenous leaders at Buckingham Palace, according to a delegation of First Nations chiefs that travelled to London. Grand Chief Joey Pete of the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations said he and other l»»»
Hezbollah, Israel Trade Evacuation Warnings as Ground Campaign Remains Unclear
Hezbollah and the Israeli military have entered a new phase of the conflict in southern Lebanon, marked by a sharp escalation in missile fire that began late Wednesday. Israel responded by widening evacuation warnings in southern Lebanon to areas north of the Litani River and south of the Zahrani R»»»
Iran, Hezbollah ‘Parallel Missile War’: Tactic to Confuse Israel or War of Attrition?
The war in the region is showing a striking military shift, with Iran and Hezbollah launching missiles simultaneously toward Israel, signaling a move from sporadic attacks to coordinated fire across two fronts. The step reflects an effort to impose new military equations and generate simultaneous p»»»
Albanian President Decrees Two New Diplomats
The President of the Republic of Albania, Bajram Begaj, has signed two presidential decrees appointing new ambassadors to key diplomatic posts. Under Decree No. 138, dated March 12, 2026, Begaj appointed Jeta Kreka as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Albania to the Qatar, serving as »»»
Tunisia reaffirms commitment to preventing all forms of violence against women
Tunis, March 12 (TAP) - Tunisia has reaffirmed its strong commitment to preventing and combating all forms of violence against women and girls, including violence through digital technologies, during its participation in a high-level meeting at the...»»»
Qatar participates in joint ministerial meeting of foreign ministers of the GCC countries with United Kingdom
Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar participated in the joint ministerial meeting of Their Highnesses, Excellencies, and the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with the United Kingdom, which was held today via video conferencing technology. State of Qatar was represented by the»»»
Active shooter reported at Michigan synagogue; no confirmed injuries - UPI.com
An active shooter was reported at a synagogue in suburban Detroit Thursday. No injuries have been reported yet. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo March 12 (UPI) -- Law enforcement responded Thursday to a suspected active shooter at a synagogue in a Detroit suburb, the FBI said. FBI Dire»»»
Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs participates in extraordinary meeting of GCC Consular Sectors
Omar Obaid Alhesan Alshamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in an extraordinary meeting of the consular sectors of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, held via videoconference. The meeting was convened in line with the directives of the GCC Ministers of Fo»»»
Oman announces downing of drone in country's north, no casualties reported
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman announced Thursday evening the downing of a drone in the north of the country, with no casualties or material damage reported. The Oman News Agency quoted a security source confirming the downing of a drone in the airspace of Khasab Governorate, stressing that the rele»»»
TotalEnergies halts production in Qatar, Iraq, and UAE amid intensifying regional war
Paris, March 12 (SANA) French energy giant TotalEnergies announced on Thursday that it has suspended, or is preparing to suspend, a significant portion of its production operations in Qatar, Iraq, and several offshore facilities in the United Arab Emirates. The company cited the escalating military»»»
Northern Fleet launches cruise missile from submerged submarine amid NATO Arctic drill
An Oniks anti-ship cruise missile was launched from the multi-role nuclear-powered submarine Kazan in the Barents Sea, striking a sea target 300 km away. Ahead of the launch, Russia issued a warning to aviation and shipping that a missile would be fired sometime between 11 and 13 March. The restric»»»
Tracking the wave of ship attacks that has choked off Strait of Hormuz
Six ships have been attacked in the Gulf in less than 48 hours, bringing the total of vessels attacked since the start of the war to 18, according to reports by UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the maritime intelligence company Vanguard. It comes as Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamene»»»
Bulgarian MiG-29, Greek F-16 Fighter Aircraft Conduct Joint Training Flights
MiG-29 aircraft crews from the Bulgarian Air Force (BAF) and F-16 aircraft from the Greek Air Force conducted joint training flights, the Bulgarian Air Force said on Thursday. The main objectives training flights were related to achieving better coordination and interoperability in conducting cross»»»
Central Election Commission, International Observers Discuss Legal Framework, Challenges
Bulgaria's Central Election Commission (CEC) conferred with the core team of the election observation mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), CEC said in a press release on Thursday. That was th»»»
Customer sues Costco for tariff refunds
A Costco customer in the US has taken the retailer to court, demanding that the company use potential tariff refunds to return money to shoppers who paid more due to the levies. In a proposed class action lawsuit, customer Matthew Sockov argues that Costco is in the position to potentially recoup i»»»
UN: Over 200 Civilians Reported Killed in Sudan Drone Strikes Since March 4
UN rights chief Volker Turk said Thursday he was "appalled" at reports that more than 200 civilians had been killed by drone attacks in Sudan since March 4. "It is deeply troubling that despite multiple reminders, warnings and appeals, parties to the conflict in Sudan continue to use increasingly p»»»
France's ghost car scandal that allowed one million illegal vehicles onto the roads
A million illegally-registered cars are being driven in France in a fraud scandal that has cost hundreds of millions of euros in lost taxes and fines, according to the state auditor. The fraud – in which fake dealerships manipulate the records of the state vehicle licensing agency (SIV) – is also e»»»
Qatar participates in coordinating meeting of Arab trade ministers
Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar participated Thursday in a coordination meeting of Arab trade ministers, held via virtually, as part of efforts to align Arab positions ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) scheduled to take place in Yaounde, Cameroon. Qatar »»»
Rep. Jim Clyburn, 85, to seek re-election - UPI.com
1 of 5 | Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Clyburn, 85, announced Thursday that he will run for re-election. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo March 12 (UPI) -- Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., announced Thursday that he will run for »»»
Death toll of Israeli strike on Ramlet al-Baida in Beirut rises to 12 – Ya Libnan
Share: People inspect a damaged car in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in Ramlet al-Baida at Corniche Beirut, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Claudia Greco TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY The death t»»»
FBI opens permanent office in Ecuador as U.S. boosts security ties - UPI.com
Ecuador formalized the opening of the first permanent FBI office in Quito, a step that strengthens cooperation with the United States. File Photo courtesy U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation March 12 (UPI) -- Ecuador formalized the opening of the first permanent FBI office in Quito, a step that st»»»