The coral island of “Kharg” stands with its small area of no more than 24 square kilometers as a living testament to the struggle of wills in the heart of the Gulf; it is not just an oil export terminal, but represents a geopolitical knot that encapsulates a long history of international rivalry an»»»

Dubai: Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways has announced it will begin operating daily flights between Saudi Arabia’s Qaisumah Hafar Al Batin International Airport and Al Ain International Airport in the UAE, starting Wednesday, as part of efforts to maintain regional travel connectivity during the curren»»»

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Media Office (ADMO) announced that the relevant authorities responded to a fire that broke out at a facility at the Shah field following a drone attack. Specialised teams succeeded in containing the fire and bringing it under control without any injuries reported, ADMO adde»»»

Dubai: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies are facing rising geopolitical risks as tensions with Iran disrupt regional trade and energy markets. Yet economists say the region’s energy strength — including export infrastructure, large reserves and higher oil prices — may help cushion the broade»»»

Agencies Japan began to release oil from its reserves Monday to alleviate supply concerns that have grown amid the US-Israel war with Iran and stabilize the distribution of petroleum products, taking the step ahead of a planned International Energy Agency-led move. In its first oil release since 20»»»

When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had to come up with a speech for EU ambassadors, she tried on a punk rock routine similar to the one that scored former central banker and current Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney a standing ovation at Davos. But one key difference made it »»»

In southern Lebanon's Ain Ebel, close to the border with Israel, Suad Jallad holds a poster of her son, killed by Israel last week, saying she would rather be buried next to him than leave. Ain Ebel, a village filled with red-riled roofs and surrounded by olive groves, is one of few Christian villa»»»

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) and Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi announced on Monday that their nations have agreed that Russia will stop recruiting people from Kenya to serve in its military in its war in Ukraine, which follows a report indicating that more than 1,000 people»»»

Hungary is set to sign a deal with neighboring Slovakia on building a new bilateral oil pipeline, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has announced. Budapest and Bratislava have been caught in an escalating feud with Ukraine and the EU over Russian oil deliveries being blocked by Kiev. The row centers»»»

Baghdad: A drone attempting to target a logistics center near Baghdad Airport was shot down, an Iraqi security source said Monday. Meanwhile, the Majnoon oil field in Basra Governorate was targeted Monday by two drones, with no casualties reported, according to Iraqi authorities. Authorities stated»»»

The geopolitical shock caused by the conflict in Iran and the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sharply increased uncertainty in global financial markets. In March 2026, currency volatility indicators reached their highest levels in eight months, forcing investors to reassess expectations fo»»»

Abu Dhabi authorities are responding to a fire at the Shah oil field, caused by a drone strike, according to Abu Dhabi Media Office “No injuries have been reported, and further updates will be provided in due course,” it said in a statement. “The public is advised to obtain information only from of»»»

Capitals, March 16 (SANA) – Several European countries have signaled they will not participate in military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, amid growing tensions in the region and calls by the United States to form a coalition to secure shipping through the strategic waterway. Greece announced i»»»

Abu Dhabi: Authorities in Abu Dhabi are currently responding to a fire at the Shah oil field following a drone strike, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported. Emergency teams were deployed to the site to contain the fire and assess the situation. Authorities confirmed that no injuries have been reported s»»»

Capitals, March 16 (SANA) – China’s growing demand for energy is increasingly influencing global oil and gas supply routes, as Beijing moves to diversify imports and reduce reliance on vulnerable maritime chokepoints amid rising geopolitical tensions. Security concerns in the Middle East—particular»»»

LUCANI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday Serbia had serious multi-layered airspace defence, and announced that, with the aim of strengthening the Serbian Armed Forces further, he would have important meetings about new arms acquisitions as early as on Tuesday. "It is very difficul»»»

European countries on Monday sought more details about US President Donald Trump's plans for the war on Iran and warned that NATO must not become involved it, as they weighed whether to agree to his call to send warships to help shore up security in the Gulf. The cool response to Trump’s demand ref»»»

The military confrontation involving the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other entered its 17th day, with missile strikes and air raids intensifying across the region and raising international concern over the potential impact on Gulf security and global energy supplies. Iran’s»»»

The war in the Middle East raged on multiple fronts on Monday, as the US and Israel pummeled military targets in Iran’s capital, Israel stepped up its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran retaliated with a drone strike that temporarily forced the closure of Dubai’s airport, a »»»

A World Health Organization official said on Monday that the US-Israeli war on Iran had led to the evacuation of six hospitals but that so far the system appeared to be holding up and authorities had not sought emergency relief from the WHO. "The primary healthcare and the health infrastructure of »»»

Throughout his two terms in office, Donald Trump hasn't been shy to criticise – even to attack – Washington's Nato allies. But his latest suggestion – that failing to secure the Strait of Hormuz would be "very bad for the future of Nato" – implies an understanding of the alliance's purpose that has»»»

SEVOJNO - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday all fuel tanks and storage capacities in Serbia were full and that the country had three months' worth of fuel reserves. However, Vucic noted that the crude oil price was at its peak, at around 104 dollars per barrel. "If it goes above 110»»»

The International Energy Agency announced that 32 OECD countries will release 195.6 million barrels of crude oil from strategic reserves by the end of March, along with 76.1 million barrels of fuels, mainly diesel, to increase supply and lower prices. In total, about 400 million barrels of oil and »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Federation of GCC Chambers condemned the recent Iranian attacks on the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), describing them as senseless assaults on the region's remarkable development model, founded on justice, stability, and openness. In an official statement issued a»»»

On February 28, the US and Israel struck targets in Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation against Israeli territory and US military facilities in the region. The escalating conflict later let to the halted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for Persian Gulf oil and LNG, disrupting regio»»»

BusinessGlobal issuesIran war: Why gold prices are not soaring?Dirk KaufmannGold is typically seen as a safe haven, especially in times of war and other crises. Notwithstanding the ongoing war in Iran, the price is steady. What's driving the stability? https://p.dw.com/p/5AULKGold is likely to rema»»»

China warned Monday that US President Donald Trump's latest tariff moves could harm the countries' trade relationship, at the end of high-level talks in Paris. Li Chenggang, China’s international trade representative, said the Chinese side had expressed serious concern about trade investigations in»»»

London: British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer said on Monday that the United Kingdom is working with its allies to develop a practical plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that any such operation must command broad international consensus and will not take place under the framework of NATO»»»

Iran stepped up its targeting of Gulf neighbors, attacking and setting on fire a fuel tank close to Dubai International Airport, forcing flights to be suspended, and the key Fujairah oil export hub on the UAE's east coast, on the supposed "safe" side of Strait of Hormuz. Photo by Stringer/EPA March»»»

Tunis, March 16, 2026 (TAP) – "Tunisia has achieved a historic record in olive oil exports in December, January, and February," Minister of Trade and Export Development Samir Abid said on Monday.“These results mark a major success for Tunisian...»»»

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky will never restore oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline, which serves as the key artery for delivering Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. He has rebuked the EU for its reluctance to exert sufficient pressure on Kiev to unlo»»»

US President Donald Trump is weighing the seizure of Iran’s Kharg Island offshore oil hub, Axios has reported, citing American officials familiar with the discussions. Such a move would likely require a ground operation, the outlet added. Kharg Island lies in the northern part of the Persian Gulf, »»»

Share: Israeli army soldiers in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon today. Odd Andersen / AFP – Getty Images What to know TRUMP’S HORMUZ DEMANDS: President Donald Trump has warned NATO faces a “very bad” future if allies do not send warships to help end the Iranian blockade of the crucial »»»

Italy’s energy giant, Eni, announced today that it has made two new gas discoveries in Libya totalling more than 1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) – thanks to an exploration campaign initiated in the past months. Two adjacent geological structures, Bahr Essalam South 2 (BESS 2) and Bahr Essalam South 3 (»»»

Iraq is hoping to ship up to 250,000 barrels of oil per day to a port in Türkiye via a rehabilitated pipeline, its oil minister said, after the US-Israeli war on Iran cut off its main export route. The amount would be just a fraction of the roughly 3.5 million barrels per day (bpd) that Iraq export»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump is trying to encourage European allies and partners in the Arab world to join the US in its effort to "open" the Strait of Hormuz, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday. "The president is speaking with our allies in Europe, and »»»

European countries on Monday demanded to know more about U.S. President Donald Trump's plans for the war on Iran and when the conflict might end as they weighed whether to agree to his call to send warships to help shore up security in the Persian Gulf. Trump has asked allies — including France, Ch»»»

The US-Israeli war on Iran has shut fertilizer plants throughout the Gulf and choked off shipping routes. The longer it drags on, the greater the risk of a global food crisis. For farmers in the northern hemisphere, the war has come at the worst possible time. The spring planting season has begun, »»»

Germany and the United Kingdom have pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s call for NATO to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz during the escalating war with Iran, stressing that the conflict is not a mission for the alliance. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesman said Monday that the»»»

Dubai: The deployment of US Marines to the Middle East is raising fresh questions about Washington’s next moves in the escalating conflict with Iran — and whether Tehran’s key oil export hub on Kharg Island, often described as the “crown jewel” of Iran’s energy sector, could become a target. A Mari»»»

Spain will not take part in any military mission in the Strait of Hormuz because it considers the US-Israeli war on Iran to be illegal, Madrid's defense and foreign affairs ministers said on Monday. The leftist coalition government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has criticized the offensive an»»»

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK is working with allies on a "viable, collective plan" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It comes after President Trump urged Britain and other countries to send warships to the Gulf to help protect the shipping channel, which is vital for global oil sup»»»

FRANCE 24's Gavin Lee speaks with Guy Laron, senior lecturer in international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, about the economic consequences of the ongoing war in Iran, from rising oil prices to how the strategic Strait of Hormuz can be used as an economic weapon. Produced by Théo»»»

Most people, although not everybody, want this war to end as quickly as possible. But on what terms? That is where positions diverge. President Donald Trump's war aims have been somewhat opaque, appearing to vacillate between a simple curtailment of Iran's nuclear programme, to capitulation to all »»»

U.S. President Donald Trump warned he may postpone an upcoming trip to China for a summit with President Xi Jinping if China doesn't agree to help defend the Strait of Hormuz. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo March 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to postpone an upcoming »»»

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) biggest port and oil storage facility, Fujairah, and Dubai's international airport have come under further drone attacks as Iran continues to target Gulf transport and oil infrastructure. Flights were temporarily suspended on Monday after a fire broke out near the ai»»»

Russia launched a rare daytime attack on Kyiv Monday, with AFP journalists reporting air defence batteries shooting down a barrage of projectiles. Authorities said that the attack has so far caused no casualties. Explosions rang out over the Ukrainian capital on Monday and AFP journalists witnessed»»»

Fears of a global energy crisis rose Monday as the war in the Middle East raged on, with more U.S.-Israeli strikes on the Iranian capital and Israel's bombardment of Lebanon. An Iranian drone strike temporarily shut Dubai's airport, a crucial global travel hub, underscoring the threats to the world»»»

US President Donald Trump is turning to other countries for help policing the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed by Iran for the US and its allies after the »»»

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (QCC) and the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom welcomed the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which condemned in the strongest term»»»