Tehran: President Donald Trump urged NATO partners and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical conduit for crude that Iran has effectively closed, as major economic players began releasing oil reserves on Monday to ward off supply disruptions. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to »»»

Dubai: Majid Al Futtaim delivered its strongest financial performance to date in 2025, reporting record profit growth and a stronger balance sheet as the company marked three decades of operations across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & »»»

The Dae Jo Yeong, a 4,400-ton South Korean destroyer, departs a naval base for the Gulf of Aden; in Busan, South Korea. File. Photo YONHAP / EPA March 15 (Asia Today) -- South Korean experts said Sunday that any response to U.S. President Donald Trump's call for allied naval deployments to the Stra»»»

Fujairah: A fire broke out at a petroleum industries site in the Emirate of Fujairah following a drone attack, according to an official statement issued by the Fujairah Government Media Office. Specialised emergency teams confirmed that the incident resulted in a limited fire at the facility, with »»»

Hopes for imminent negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have been tempered after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that no talks are expected in the coming days, despite reports suggesting discussions could begin this week on a French-backed plan to end the conflict. France’s Fore»»»

The US-Israeli war on Iran opened with massive strikes on urban centers, the assassination of the country’s supreme leader and his family, and the brutal slaying of more than 160 children at a girls’ elementary school in Minab. As more information about the bombing has come to light, discussion has»»»

Countries that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz “must take care” of securing it, US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social late on Saturday, adding that Washington “will help – A LOT!” The US and Israel began coordinated strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February, trigg»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center organised a lecture for English speakers titled “Ramadan: The Month of Mercy and Forgiveness.” The lecture was held on February 27, 2026, and was attended by more than 160 participants from non-Arab communities. The lecture»»»

Doha: The outreach programmes organised by the Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center continued at several locations across the country, with hundreds of attendees from different communities of non-Arabic-speaking Muslims participating in the lectures. Key programmes Al Wakra Ho»»»

The natural population increase remained negative in January 2026, with the number of deaths being twice as high as the number of live births, according to data published National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Friday.In January 2026, birth certificates were registered for 12,461 children, up by »»»

The average net monthly salary stood at 5,518 lei in January 2026, decreasing by 396 lei (-6.7%) compared with December 2025, while the average gross monthly salary reached 9,220 lei, 648 lei (-6.6%) lower than the level recorded in December 2025, according to data published on Friday by the Nation»»»

Industrial production decreased by 3.9% in the first month of this year compared with January 2025, in unadjusted terms, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).According to the official data, in January 2026 declines were recorded in manufacturing (-6.4%»»»

Vital sectors of the Romanian economy such as construction, manufacturing and the hospitality industry are being directly hit by the massive air traffic disruption caused by the escalation of the conflict in the Gulf area, representatives of the Employers' Association of Labour Importers (PIFM) sai»»»

The annual inflation rate fell slightly to 9.31% in February, from 9.62% in January, as service prices increased by 11.37%, non-food goods by 9.41%, and food products by 7.89%, according to data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).'The consumer price index was 100.59% »»»

Romania has taken almost no real measures against the crisis generated by rising fuel prices, although it has the highest diesel fuel prices and the second highest gasoline prices in relation to the local purchasing power, according to chairman of the Smart Energy Association (AEI) Dumitru Chisalit»»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Friday, during a visit to Bihor county, that the Government will monitor the development of fuel prices in order to "mitigate, in a certain way, their impact," but stressed that price increases cannot be cancelled.The Prime Minister added that, due to the conflic»»»

Some thousand of people took part, on Sunday, to the events organized in Targu Secuiesc , Covasna county , on the occasion of the Day of Hungarians Everywhere, event whose guest of honour was the president of Hungary, Sulyok Tamas.In front of the people gathered in the central park, president Sulyo»»»

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure encourages the growth of US investments in Romania and in the Central and Eastern Europe region, in a favourable context marked by administrative reforms, the accelerated development of infrastructure and progress towards accession to the Organisation fo»»»

Romania is a "firm" promoter of the Strategic Partnership with the United States of America and of the consolidation of the transatlantic relationship, the Minister of National Defense, Radu Miruta said on Friday during the meeting he had with the new U.S. ambassador in Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg.»»»

Romania's Custodian of the Crown, Her Majesty Margareta, met on Friday with the new US Ambassador to Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg, with whom she discussed Romanian-American cooperation in the areas of defence, economy, education, science and arts.The meeting, which took place at the Elisabeta Palace»»»

Through the 2026 budget we are taking the first decisive step towards exiting the excessive deficit procedure, and by the end of the year we will be on the trajectory agreed with the European Commission, of 6.2% of GDP, the Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare, informed on Thursday evening.'At the»»»

The Social-democrat (PSD) leader, Sorin Grindeanu, announced on Sunday in an open letter addressed to premier Ilie Bolojan that the Social-Democrats will vote the state budget law for 2026 but they will lodge amendments which they consider compulsory so that the budget contains their vision as ...»»»

The Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, will be in Bucharest on Monday, during which he will meet President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.According to the schedule announced by the Government's Press Office, the OECD»»»

The 2026 draft budget will be submitted for a final vote in the joint plenary sitting of Parliament next Thursday.The joint Standing Bureaus of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate approved on Friday the schedule for the debate and adoption of the draft laws on the state budget and social securit»»»

Romania and Ukraine commit, through their bilateral strategic partnership, to enhance cooperation to ensure "the highest level of protection" of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities in both countries, with full guarantees of linguistic rights and the "full exercise of rights relat»»»

The National Defence Ministry (MApN) announced on Friday that new drones were detected in the immediate vicinity of Romanian airspace, with a second RO-ALERT message sent to residents in the Danube Delta area.According to a MApN release, on Friday, at around 11:55, two Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft »»»

The Middle East remains on edge as the conflict triggered by the February 28 US–Israeli strikes on Iran enters its 17th day. The attacks, which targeted multiple Iranian sites and killed senior Iranian officials, sparked a major regional escalation and a wave of retaliatory missile and drone operat»»»

Flights were temporarily suspended at Dubai's airport on Monday after a "drone-related incident" sparked a fire nearby, city authorities said. The Emirati defence ministry later said its air defence systems were intercepting a wave of Iranian drones and missiles, without specifying where. Follow ou»»»

Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate edged down to 1.7 percent in February, the lowest level since January 2025, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The consumer price index eased from 1.8 percent in January to 1.7 percent, GASTAT said Sunday. The data further show»»»

Doha, Qatar: The activities of the last ten nights Itikaf during Ramadan commenced at the Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center, with the participation of more than 120 non-Arabic speaking Muslims representing eight different communities. The Itikaf aims to educate and raise aw»»»

Beirut: Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Lebanon H E Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has participated in the launch of an international appeal aimed at mobilising funding to address the country’s growing humanitarian needs. The appeal was held at the Grand Serail of Beirut (Government Palac»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has confirmed that competent security agencies continue to perform their field duties around the clock within a fully integrated operational framework. These efforts are carried out in continuous coordination with all relevant entities, ensuring the highe»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has announced the receipt of a new investment cash endowment valued at QR400,000, donated by a generous benefactor under the supervision of the Directorate. The initiative reflects the deep-rooted cultur»»»

Doha, Qatar: University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) has announced the launch of its Early Acceptance initiative for the Fall 2026 semester, offering outstanding high school students the opportunity to secure a place at the University before completing their final examinations. Prospec»»»

Damascus, March 16 (SANA) Turkey will temporarily close all border crossings with Syria to passenger and commercial traffic during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, a Syrian border authority official said Sunday. Mazen Alloush, director of relations at Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports, said »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has called on the public to maintain psychological balance and deal calmly with current developments, emphasising the importance of following supportive mental health practices to navigate such circumstances with reassurance and stability. In a video mess»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) issues practical guidance to help the public manage anxiety and stress and protect mental health during challenging times. PHCC in a post on X said feelings of fear and stress are natural human responses, noting that while people cannot contro»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services continues its charitable initiative, “Iftar for the Fasting”, distributing food baskets and nutritious meals at multiple locations across Qatar. The project targets low-income workers as well as needy families, benefiting tens»»»

Doha, Qatar: With deep sorrow and grief, the Qatar Press Centre (QPC) mourns the prominent journalist Jamal Rayyan, who passed away yesterday at the age of 73, after a distinguished media career spanning more than five decades, during which he left a lasting mark on the history of Arab television j»»»

Beirut: The aid, provided by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) through its partners Qatar Charity and the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) was sent to displaced families in Lebanon. The urgent relief aid to 40,500 displaced families in Lebanon has been sent, following the conditions they are e»»»

Doha, Qatar: Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB) on X announced that government entities operating through Qatar’s government service centres has completed 38,260 transactions in February 2026, highlighting continued efforts to improve service delivery and operational efficiency. »»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has issued a clear and urgent appeal to all motorists, reminding them not to stop or park vehicles in front of electricity transmission and distribution stations across the country. In an official advisory posted on its soc»»»

The weather will begin to break up Monday, with cloud cover gradually building up and scattered rain mostly in the west, while winds will pick up and temperatures will remain warm for the time of year. In the Greater Athens region, the temperature will range from 5 to 17 degrees Celsius, and from 4»»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai slipped to their lowest level this month on Monday morning, giving buyers a brief window of relief after several weeks of elevated prices driven by global market turmoil. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, »»»

Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, said on March 16 that the government is considering measures within its legal constraints to ensure the safety of Japanese-linked vessels and their crews in the Middle East amid the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, Kyodo News reports. »»»

A senior figure in Japan’s ruling party has called for caution over any decision to deploy the Japan Self-Defense Forces to the conflict-hit Middle East to escort vessels and ensure safe passage, according to Kyodo News. T»»»

The cinema might feel like a relic to some – a moment from before films were available at the press of a button at home – but those interested in cinemas never turn their back on an afternoon spent sitting in complete darkness with total strangers in front of a booming big screen. According to METR»»»

Gaza: Israeli occupation authorities announced yesterday the reopening of the Rafah land crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt in both directions, starting next Wednesday, for limited movement of people. The crossing will operate according to the mechanism in place before its closure. Traveller»»»