Italian Base in Iraqi Kurdistan Hit by Missile, Says Defense Ministry
An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan was struck by a missile overnight though no injuries were reported, the Italian defense ministry said on Thursday. "A missile hit our base in Erbil. There are no casualties or injuries among the Italian personnel. They are all fine," the ministry sai»»»
Study: Despite Reputation, Bonobos Are Aggressive
Historically considered a more peaceful species than their chimpanzee cousins, bonobos are actually just as aggressive -- but target their ire most often at males, according to a study published Wednesday. Living in matriarchal societies, the gentle-eyed primates once dubbed "hippy apes" are far fr»»»
MRF - New Beginning to Propose Moratorium on State Property Transfers by Caretaker Cabinet
The MRF - New Beginning political formation will submit a proposal to impose a moratorium on the transfer of state-owned properties by the caretaker Government, the party’s press centre announced here on Thursday. The statement added that “Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev and municipal councillors from Co»»»
On This Day, March 12: NHL suspends season amid COVID-19 outbreak - UPI.com
On March 12, 2020, the NHL paused its season, and the NCAA canceled its men's and women's tournaments as COVID-19 spread throughout the United States. 1 of 6 | The Capitol One Arena, home to the NBA Washington Wizards and the NHL Washington Capitols, is quiet after the NHL announced March 12, 2020,»»»
UNSC Resolution Urges Iran to Stop Strikes on Gulf States as Russia Calls Document Unbalanced
Iran has repeatedly struck the Gulf states, where American military bases are located, in retaliation for US–Israeli attacks that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and continue to pummel Iranian sites. The UN Security Council resolution, passed by 13 votes with two abstentions fr»»»
‘Govt and people of Sweden stand firmly behind Qatar, other Gulf states’
Doha, Qatar: Sweden has reaffirmed its strong support for and solidarity with Qatar amid the evolving geopolitical situation in the region, with senior Swedish leaders holding high-level discussions with their Qatari counterparts, and the Swedish Embassy in Doha working around the clock to assist i»»»
Bulgaria to Host Joint Bulgarian-Greek Air Force Training Flights
Joint training flights of the Bulgarian and Greek Air Forces will take place in Bulgarian airspace, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry announced here on Thursday. According to the Ministry, a decree by caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov permits the entry and stay in Bulgaria of two Greek F-16 »»»
Red Fox Stows Away on Cargo Ship, Traveling from England to US
This stowaway truly was sly as a fox. A red fox somehow slipped onto a cargo ship that traveled from Southampton, England, to New York, where the animal is now in the Bronx Zoo’s care. The zoo said Wednesday that the 11-pound (5-kilogram) male fox appears healthy after early examinations. “He seems»»»
IPI edges up 0.62%, PPI prices fall 2.89% in Jan 2026 — DoS
AMMAN — Jordan’s industrial production rose slightly in January, increasing by 0.62 per cent compared with the same month of 2025, according to a report issued on Wednesday by the Department of Statistics (DoS).The Industrial Production Index (IPI) reached 88.55 points in January, compared with 88.»»»
Jordan monitors shipping disruptions as regional tensions test supply chains
AMMAN — Rising Mideast tension is beginning to affect shipping and transport activity in the region, with freight costs increasing and some shipping lines imposing additional fees to cover operational risks.Government officials and logistics sector representatives held meetings earlier this week to»»»
'Ring The Bell' for gender equality initiative highlights rights, justice, action — ASE
AMMAN — The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE), in collaboration with UN Women, UN Global Compact Jordan (UNGCJ), and the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE), hosted the 12th annual Ring The Bell (RTB) for Gender Equality event.Held in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, the globa»»»
Belgium National Strike Expected to Disrupt Transport, Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Warns
A nationwide strike in Belgium on Thursday is expected to cause significant disruptions to the country’s transport infrastructure, Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said on its website. Brussels Airport (Zaventem) has announced the suspension of all departing flights and part of arriving flights for the »»»
Iran, Mojtaba and the future of the Islamic Republic
Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment as Iran’s new Supreme Leader marks the most consequential political transition in the Islamic Republic in more than three decades. For the first time since the 1979 revolution, supreme authority has passed directly from father to son. The Assembly of Experts confirmed»»»
Qatar calls for global engagement in de-escalating the conflict
Doha, Qatar: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi has affirmed that Qatar has been actively engaging with its international and regional partners in recent days as part of efforts to address escalating tensions and support calls f»»»
Switzerland Closes Tehran Embassy but Maintains 'Open Line' between US, Iran
Switzerland said Wednesday it was temporarily closing its embassy in Tehran due to the Middle East war but maintaining an "open line" of communication between the United States and Iran. For decades, neutral Switzerland has played a key role in maintaining basic diplomatic contacts between Iran and»»»
Generally clear weather to persist, possible afternoon showers
Overall clear skies are forecast for Thursday in most of Greece, with unseasonably high temperatures persisting and a chance of rain in the afternoon. In the Greater Athens region the temperature will range from a morning low of 7 to a high of 18 degrees, while the wind will be barely perceptible. »»»
Dhurandhar’ heads back to cinemas worldwide before Dhurandhar The Revenge hits screen
Dubai: The spy-action film Dhurandhar is returning to theatres worldwide in a rare international re-release ahead of the upcoming sequel Dhurandhar The Revenge, which is scheduled to hit cinemas on March 19. The re-release, announced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, will see the original film screen»»»
Study examines level of digital hate among teenagers in Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
Online aggression among young people in Kyrgyzstan was discussed at the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic. According to the ministry, Taalim-Forum Public Foundation presented the results of a 2025 study on the spread of cyberbullying and digital hate among teenagers and young people. The»»»
Dubai gold slips below Dh620 after touching Dh640 earlier in March
Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai eased on Thursday morning, giving shoppers a small breather after several sessions of elevated prices earlier this month. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The 24-karat rate stood at Dh619.75 per gram at around 9.30 am on Thursday, down from D»»»
Operation ‘Epic Wrath’ and the 2026 Elections
This is a direct translation from the original article that appeared in Arabic. With the 2026 midterm elections now only eight months away, the United States is entering an exceptional and unusually fraught political moment, one in which geopolitical turmoil collides with the deep internal polarisa»»»
Chile's first far-right president since Pinochet takes office
Chile's ultraconservative José Antonio Kast takes office as president Wednesday in what will mark the Latin American nation’s most pronounced shift to the right since the&nbs»»»
The Visa Guy launches AI-powered Visa Eligibility Checker for travellers in Qatar
Doha, Qatar: Visa consultancy The Visa Guy in Qatar has launched an AI-powered Visa Eligibility Checker designed to predict travellers’ chances of obtaining a visa before starting the application process. The tool allows users to select a destination country and interact with an AI assistant throug»»»
Mannai holds Ordinary General Assembly Meeting
Doha, Qatar: Mannai Corporation convened its Ordinary General Assembly Meeting virtually via the Zoom platform yesterday, at 9:30 p.m. Doha time. The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Suhaim bin Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of the Company, who reviewed and highlighted Mannai Corporation’s fin»»»
Lebanon Says 7 Killed in Israeli Strike on Central Beirut
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut's southern subu»»»
QSL resumes as title race and top-four battle heat up
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) resumes today with Round 18 matches after a brief suspension caused by regional tensions, as teams return to action for the decisive phase of the season. The pause resulted in the postponement of two Round 17 fixtures - Qatar SC vs Al Shamal and Al Arabi vs»»»
Why regime change in Iran is unlikely
The US, it seems, is back in the ‘regime change’ business. Despite his past promises to “stop the reckless and costly policy of regime change,” Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury looks anything but. Israel’s assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khameni on the first day and Trump’s urging the »»»
UK deploys warship in the Mediterranean to protect British bases in Cyprus
A British warship is on its way to Cyprus. More than a week ago, a British Royal Air Force base was hit by an Iranian-made drone. The opposition criticizes the »»»
Israeli government is undertaking a 'power grab under cover of war'
Twelve days after the start of the US-Israeli military campaign, Israelis are spending hours a day in bomb shelters as Iranian bombs pour on the country. But since the start of the conflict, neither the Prime minister nor the Defence minister have directly addressed the Israeli population. On top o»»»
Tête à tête - 'We have been betrayed': Nagorno-Karabakh ex-minister on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal
FRANCE 24 spoke to Artak Beglaryan, former state minister and human rights ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh. The peace declaration signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan last August in Washington raised cautious hopes, but for displaced residents of Nagorno-Karabakh the situation remains difficult.&nbs»»»
IEA to release record amount of emergency oil reserves as Middle East war rattles markets
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said its 32 members would release a record 400 million barrels from strategic reserves to steady markets as the Middle East war continue to push oil prices higher and threaten global supply. The 32 member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA) decid»»»
Centre of Beirut shocked after Israeli army strikes apartment block
Over 700,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon amid intense Israeli strikes, with nearly 600 having died since the start of the war. Although the capital has mostly been spared, it has suffered two strikes in its heart. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris Trent speaks from where the latest bomb struck»»»
Trump a lot more concern about how war and oil prices will affect midterms
Since the war has started, fourteen ships have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran vows to carry out an 'oil blockade'. Although oil prices have gone down after sharply increasing, concern remains. French President Emmanuel Macron is calling on G7 leaders to work together to reestablish 'free»»»
G7 releases record amount of oil stocks to 'calm the markets down'
G7 leaders have announced the record release of 400 million barrels of oil in response to the war in the Middle East. This represents about twenty days worth of usual oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, currently through dangerous to go through due to the threat of Iranian strikes. This initi»»»
Volatile oil markets due to Middle East conflict increase jet fuel prices
Volatility on oil markets is already being felt in the travel sector, as a spike in the price of jet fuel is being passed on to air passengers. Higher fares&nb»»»
Citi, StanChart evacuate Dubai offices, HSBC closes Qatar branches as fears grow
US financial service group Citi and two other companies in Dubai's financial centre asked employees to evacuate their offices on Wednesday after Iran threatened to strike US and Israel-linked banks in the Middle East. FRANCE 24's Camille Knight has more.»»»
‘I left everything for my grandchildren’: In Beirut, displaced families exhausted by endless war
More than 700,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Lebanon since the country was dragged back into war with Israel on March 2. FRANCE 24’s reporter met with displaced families who have found refuge in Beirut’s overwhelmed emergency shelters, and others who have no choi»»»
US likely responsible for deadly Iran school strike after targeting error, report says
The New York Times on Wednesday reported that a US Tomahawk missile likely hit a school in Iran due to outdated targeting data, killing more than 150 people. This comes after US President Donald Trump suggested that Iran itself might have been responsible for the strike. The United States was respo»»»
The Debate - A world war? Iran war draws in more than regional rivals
One war can fuel another. After the United States and Israel launched an operation that began on Day One with the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Donald Trump expressed surprise at Tehran’s decision to draw in Gulf oil producers and disrupt global supplies. From the ensuing energy crisis, l»»»
Truth or Fake - US Energy Secretary deletes post that Navy escorted tanker through Strait of Hormuz
A brief social media post by the US Energy Secretary caused the Trump administration to do a major U-turn. Within 30 minutes, Secretary Chris Wright posted - and deleted - that the US Navy had successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite its short life, the claim s»»»
Israel launches new 'large-scale' wave of strikes on south Beirut
The Israeli military said Wednesday that it had launched a new wave of strikes on Hezbollah targets in the southern Beirut suburbs, vowing to act with "great force" in the area. The military said it had begun a "large-scale wave of strikes" on Hezbollah infrastructure in Dahiyeh, the Lebanese capit»»»
Iran may tap into organised crime to carry out terror attacks, expert says
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Graig Klein, Assistant Professor in Terrorism and Political Violence at Leiden University in The Hague, explains that Iran may tap into organised crime in order to carry out terror attacks in Europe in retaliation for the war waged by the US and Israel, adding t»»»
A propos - 'Two decades in the making': expert details how Mossad built its network of spies in Iran
Iran has arrested dozens including a foreign national for allegedly spying for the country's "enemies". Dr Aviva Guttmann, Lecturer in Strategy and Intelligence at the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, details how Mossad has inflirtated Iran's security apparatus over»»»
'Two decades in the making': expert details how Mossad built its network of spies in Iran
Iran has arrested dozens including a foreign national for allegedly spying for the country's "enemies". Dr Aviva Guttmann, Lecturer in Strategy and Intelligence at the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, details how Mossad has inflirtated Iran's security apparatus over»»»
Iran’s sea mines raise fears of Strait of Hormuz oil disruption
Tehran may seek to choke off oil traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, raising fears it could deploy sea mines, officials say. President Donald Trump said US forces struck 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels as concerns grow over threats to the strategic sh»»»
Banking, finance and consultancy firms evacuate staff in Gulf States
Several major international businesses closed or evacuated offices in Gulf countries after Iran threatened US- and Israel-linked economic targets and centres in the Middle East. US finance group Citi and British consultancy Deloitte evacuated offices in Dubai's financial centre, while PwC, another »»»
IMF Says it Has Made Progress in Pakistan Funding Talks
The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it has made "considerable progress" in talks with Pakistan over its funding facilities and that discussions will continue. "While considerable progress was made in the discussions, these will continue in the coming days, including to more fully a»»»
War in Ukraine spills into Hungarian election
War-torn Ukraine "will stop at nothing" to prevent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party winning the upcoming Hungarian elections, the Hungarian government claims. Physical violence against the prime minister and his family, and attacks or sabotage of key energy installations, are being »»»
Kyrgyzstan's Veterinary Service guarantees meat safety in markets - | 24.KG
The Veterinary, Livestock, Pastures, and Feed Development Service of Kyrgyzstan reminds everyone that meat sold in official markets and retail outlets across the country is safe. The agency emphasizes that the country has a well-functioning animal identification and tracking system. All cattle, pig»»»
Parliament of Kyrgyzstan approves draft law on conflict of interest - | 24.KG
Deputies reviewed and adopted the draft law «On Amendments to the Law ’On Conflicts of Interest’» in its second reading at a meeting of the Zhogorku Kenesh. The bill was initiated by the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. The document aims to clarify the conceptual framework, determine a single »»»
Eye on Africa - Fresh evidence of starvation crimes in Darfur emerges
In tonight's edition, a new report accuses Sudan's Rapid Support Forces of destroying farms around El Fasher before alleged mass killings in October 2025. Also, Congo-Brazzaville prepares to vote, but many young voters say they've lost faith in politics as veteran leader Denis Sassou Ngue»»»