The commander of the foreign operations branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guards issued a rare message on Monday hailing Iranian proxy groups for helping create a "new regional order". Esmail Qaani became head of the Guards' Quds Force after the killing of Qassem Soleimani in a US strike in Iraq in 20»»»

Oil prices sank and most stocks rose Tuesday, following a report that indicated Donald Trump was willing to end the Iran war even if the key Strait of Hormuz remained closed. But investors remain wary as the Wall Street Journal story came on the same day the US president threatened to destroy Iran'»»»

President Donald Trump said he wanted to take Iran’s oil and suggested US troops could seize the country’s Kharg Island export hub, even as he added in comments published on March 30 that a deal with Tehran to end the war “could be made fairly quickly.” The buildup has since been confirmed by the N»»»

As Iran’s Houthi allies enter the conflict, Iran has threatened to disrupt shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait – a strategic waterway linking the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal – with the help of its Houthi allies in Yemen. While disruptions in the Strait o»»»

What could possibly go wrong? As Donald Trump repeats threats of a Venezuela-style seizing of Tehran’s oil exports, as US assault troops get in position, the price of oil blowing past 110 dollars a barrel, and as markets take it at face value that the Pentagon's planning to make a grab for Kharg Is»»»

The UN said on Monday that two members of its peacekeeping force were killed in an explosion in south Lebanon, with a third being killed in a separate blast the previous day. Here's what to know about how the Blue Helmets are involved in the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. United Nat»»»

Israel's parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted on terror charges of carrying out deadly attacks on Israelis. The law, which also allows the courts to impose the death penalty on Israeli citizens, has been harshly criticised by Israeli and Palestini»»»

For Spotlight, François Picard is pleased to welcome Sir Peter Westmacott, distinguished ambassadorial fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center and former British Ambassador to Turkey, France and the US. As a senior British diplomat, he approaches the current crisis with both concern and an»»»

For Spotlight, François Picard is pleased to welcome Sir Peter Westmacott, distinguished ambassadorial fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center and former British Ambassador to Turkey, France and the United States. As a senior British diplomat with decades of experience across key tran»»»

American military reinforcements continue to arrive in the Middle East, as uncertainty persists over the possibility of US boots on the ground in Iran. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could “obliterate” Kharg Island, a critical hub through which Iran processes around 90% of its oi»»»

US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to destroy Iran’s key oil export hub at Kharg Island and other critical infrastructure unless Tehran swiftly agrees to a deal to end the US-Israeli war, sharply escalating tensions in an already volatile region. The warning has rattled global energy ma»»»

A Russian oil tanker was set to deliver the first crude shipment to Cuba since January on Tuesday after Washington gave the crisis-hit island a reprieve from an effective fuel blockade. The Anatoly Kolodkin, a tanker under US sanctions, was on its way to the port of Matanzas, east of Havana, with 7»»»

The Israeli military said on Tuesday four soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon where its forces are clashing with Iran-backed Hezbollah. A military statement named three soldiers from the same battalion who "fell during combat" and a separate statement said another soldier, who ha»»»

Israel’s parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, a measure that has been harshly condemned by the international community and rights groups as discriminatory and inhumane. The passage of the bill marked the culmination of a yea»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Municipality and Chairman of Committee for Follow-up on the Implementation of Food Security Policies H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, has affirmed that Qatar’s food security remains “highly stable and excellent,” underscoring the country’s preparedness»»»

In tonight's edition: Egypt orders shops, restaurants and shopping malls to shut their doors from 9:00pm on Saturday as it hopes to cushion the blow of energy prices that have more than doubled because of the Iran war. Also, rising jihadist violence in the Sahel is hitting tourism in Benin. Plus So»»»

A Paris court on Monday began hearings in a major trial involving 22 suspects accused of murder and other serious crimes on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux. The accused include police officers, former French intelligence agents and businessm»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a test of a high-thrust, solid-fuel engine for weapons and hailed it as a development to boost the country’s strategic military capability, state media reported Sunday. Analysts said the test signalled efforts to place multiple warheads on a single missile ca»»»

Cherry blossom trees across Japan reached full bloom this week, marking the start of the sakura season, when spring sees a burst of the tiny white and pink flowers. In the ancient capital of Kyoto, officials on Monday declared full bloom after examining a sample tree within the grounds of Nijo»»»

Almost surreal images showing bright red and orange skies are coming out of Australia. This meteorological phenomenon is caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast. It is a rare sight, but known to happen during major sandstorms or dust storms. This red Australian sky»»»

The war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises, the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday. In a blog published by the global lender's top eco»»»

Iran fired missiles across the Middle East on Tuesday as its capital was hit by fresh explosions, after US President Donald Trump threatened the country's key oil export hub, power stations and desalination plants. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's partner in attacking Iran, said m»»»

Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev wrote in a Facebook post on Monday that with the 10-year security agreement with Ukraine the caretaker Government is continuing the tradition of “assemblages” (a term used with a negative connotation to refer to the formation of governments by politically inc»»»

Doha, Qatar: Weather inshore, until 6pm on Tuesday, will be partly cloudy to cloudy with scattered rain, thundery at times, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report, warning of thundery rain associated with strong wind. Offshore, it will be partly cloudy to cloudy with scatter»»»

The criminal cases panel of the Issyk-Kul Regional Court has upheld the verdict of the court of first instance against Erkin Mambetaliev. Photo Detention of Erkin Mambetaliev In the summer of last year, he was found guilty of large-scale legalization (laundering) of criminal proceeds, participation»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved requirements for insurance based on Islamic principles. The resolution «On Approval of Requirements for Insurance Based on Islamic Principles (Takaful), Mandatory Insurance, and Annuity Insurance» was signed by Adylbek Kasymaliev, the Financial Ma»»»

Since 2013, house purchase and rental prices have soared across Europe. With rents skyrocketing, rental supply shrinking and properties being diverted towards short-term holiday lets, the European Union has just adopted an affordable housing plan and appointed a housing commissioner to address the »»»

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that he and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa agreed the vast majority of Syrian immigrants living in Germany should return to their homeland over the next three years. Al-Sharaa met Merz in Berlin – making his first presidential visit to Germa»»»

Kuwait has accused Iran of carrying out a “heinous attack” on one of its combined power and desalination plants on Sunday. Like much of the Middle East, the nation depends heavily on industrial production to meet its freshwater needs. What happened?The purported Iranian strike killed one worker – a»»»

Oil surged over $115 a barrel this Monday as the war in Iran entered its fifth week. Houthi strikes on Israel have raised concerns that shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait could be disrupted, adding to the supply pressure already created by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Also »»»

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai moved higher early Tuesday, extending a modest recovery after a sharp correction earlier in March. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and India.) Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balance»»»

Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Krum Zarkov described the signing of a security agreement with Ukraine as an act of political irresponsibility, the party’s press centre said on Monday. Earlier on Monday, the Government Information Service reported that Prime Minister Andrey Gurov and Ukraine's Pre»»»

The Kyrgyzstan’s U23 national football team played a friendly match during a training camp in Turkey, the Kyrgyz Football Union (KFU) reported. The match against Serbia ended 2-0 in favor of the European team. The first match against Serbia ended in a 2-2 draw. The goals were scored by Sultan Bokol»»»

Pete Hegseth's Morgan Stanley broker contacted BlackRock in February about a multimillion-dollar investment in a defense ETF — shortly before the US launched strikes on Iran, the Financial Times reported. Pete Hegseth's broker contacted BlackRock about a multimillion-dollar investment in a defense »»»

Indonesia urged warring parties in the Middle East "to respect international humanitarian law" after three of its peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon. "The safety of peacekeeping troops must be the top priority. All parties to the conflict are urged to respect international humanitarian law and ens»»»

The Turkish government has built a house for Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the militant-politico Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), imprisoned for life after he was abducted by intelligence agents in Nairobi, Kenya 27 years ago. »»»

A joint plan by the US and Israel to support a Kurdish ground incursion into Iran has collapsed following leaks and regional opposition, according to The Times of India, which reported on March 28 that the proposal had been under development for several years. »»»

Air cargo rates from India to the United States have risen between 200% and 350% since the outbreak of the third Gulf war on February 28, as capacity constraints rather than demand drive pricing, according to industry estimates. »»»

The National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore is commissioning three comprehensive studies focused on nuclear safety and environmental protection. The city-state is making a shift, from passive observation to active preparation with research and policy exploration. As reported by World Nuclear»»»

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which accounts for roughly 70% of global cobalt supply and holds vast copper reserves, has signed a mining cooperation agreement with China, as competition for critical minerals between global powers has intensified. »»»

China’s leading international broadcaster, CGTN, aired an interview on March 24 with Turkmenistan’s paramount leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, touting how “mutual trust and centuries-old exchanges” shape present-day bilateral relations. But such messaging struck a discordant note during the »»»

China’s emergence as a dominant force in industrial metals is increasingly being driven not only by its access to raw materials, but by the scale and structure of its electricity system as it emerges as the world’s leading “electrostate”. »»»

The United States has allowed a Russian government-owned oil tanker to break its own blockade of Cuba, delivering the fuel-starved island its first significant energy shipment in three months, as President Donald Trump said the cargo would do little to alter Havana's fate. »»»

The United States has formally resumed operations at its embassy in Caracas, reopening a diplomatic mission shuttered since 2019 in a move that signals a marked shift in Washington's engagement with Venezuela. In a stateme»»»

A US appeals court has overturned a $16.1bn judgment against Argentina over the 2012 nationalisation of energy firm YPF, offering a significant legal respite for the South American country and prompting a strong political response from President Javier Milei. »»»

Israel has occupied more of Lebanon’s territory after three weeks of fighting than Russia controls of Ukraine after four years of war. In the initial attack, Israeli forces quickly occupied the strip of land in southern Le»»»

Iran has doubled its oil exports since the start of Operation Epic Fury, sustaining flows of between 2.4mn and 2.8mn barrels per day (b/d), including 1.5mn to 1.8mn b/d of crude. It has also doubled the amount of money it’s earning, The Economist reports. »»»

A joint plan by the US and Israel to support a Kurdish ground incursion into Iran has collapsed following leaks and regional opposition, according to The Times of India, which reported on March 28 that the proposal had been under development for several years. »»»

Iran has doubled its oil exports since the start of Operation Epic Fury, sustaining flows of between 2.4mn and 2.8mn barrels per day (b/d), including 1.5mn to 1.8mn b/d of crude. It has also doubled the amount of money it’s earning, The Economist reports. »»»

Israel has occupied more of Lebanon’s territory after three weeks of fighting than Russia controls of Ukraine after four years of war. In the initial attack, Israeli forces quickly occupied the strip of land in southern Le»»»