Oil prices sank Wednesday after Iraq said it had resumed exports through Türkiye, avoiding the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz, while equities rose following another tech-led advance on Wall Street. The drop in crude, which saw WTI sink more than four percent, came even as the United States hit»»»

Iran will hold a funeral Wednesday for its security chief Ali Larijani as it vowed revenge, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel after it killed the powerful figure in an air strike. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, while Gulf nations interce»»»

Paris: President of the France-Qatar Friendship Group in the French National Assembly (Parliament) Laurent Mazaury (pictured) affirmed his rejection of Iran’s attacks against the Qatar and the Gulf region, adding that any action that aims to drag the countries of the region into the conflict is a v»»»

Doha: Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council H E Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti has stressed the role of parliamentary diplomacy in resolving conflicts and promoting global security and stability. Speaking at an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU),»»»

Colombo: Sri Lanka has urged electric vehicle owners to stop charging their cars at night, saying the surge in demand is forcing the country to burn more coal and diesel to keep the power grid running. In an address to the nation, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said electric cars were adding an»»»

Gulf News Edufair is back for its 10th edition, bringing together leading universities, education institutions, and career experts. The three-day event will take place from May 8-10 at The H Dubai Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, giving students, parents, and professionals a practical platform to explor»»»

Hamas Holds Consultations in Cairo to Revive Gaza Agreement With Israel preoccupied with the war on Iran, Hamas has kicked off consultations in Cairo to overcome obstacles in implementing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The second phase was supposed to start in mid-January, but ha»»»

National Assembly Chair Raya Nazaryan discussed the main areas and results of the Bulgaria-US strategic partnership with chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Sofia H. Martin McDowell, the National Assembly press service said here on Wednesday. The meeting, requested by the US side, also looked at»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Commerce and Industry H E Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani has delivered strong reassurances regarding the availability of goods, stability of markets, and the resilience of Qatar’s food security system amid ongoing regional developments. In an interview aired on»»»

Seoul: South Korea's army said it suspended some trainings nationwide after a bullet hit a child in the neck, prompting a probe. The incident occurred at playground in the southern city of Daegu on Monday when the child, whose identity was withheld, was injured by a suspected stray bullet from a ne»»»

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (R) and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton (L) participate in the 52nd Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday, June 25, 2023. Stratton won the Democratic Party's nomination Tuesday night. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo March 18 (UPI) -- Il»»»

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, has offered condolences on the passing of Palestinian national Alaa Nader Awni Mushtaha, who passed away following blatant Iranian aggressions on the UAE. »»»

A Chinese university is urging students to "enjoy the flowers, fall in love" during their mid-term break, an unusual directive in a nation obsessed with getting good grades, as authorities seek new ways to spur marriages and domestic consumption. "See the flowers and enjoy romance" is the theme for»»»

A large-scale police operation is underway in the Bulgarian village of Goren Chiflik, part of a broader effort across the Varna region targeting election-related violations. According to information from Bulgarian media, the increased presence of law enforcement is focused on preventing crimes that»»»

Chinese scientists claim to have created the long theorized hexagonal diamond, stronger than the real thing, and only found until now at sites of meteorite impacts. The commonly found cubic diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth and is used widely as jewellery, precision cutting tools, and high-pe»»»

A Thai man broke into the zoo enclosure of Moo Deng, an endangered baby pygmy hippo and internet sensation, police said Wednesday, as the zoo filed a trespassing complaint. Moo Deng -- whose name translates as "bouncy pork" -- has gained global attention thanks to social media videos showing her ad»»»

At a campaign rally in Eger, Prime Minister Orbán set out a clear message ahead of the election: Hungary’s future depends on preserving peace, supporting families, and maintaining economic stability in a time of growing external pressure. Reflecting on the past four years, the prime minister said t»»»

On March 18, 2014, the U.S. State Department ordered Syria to close its embassy in Washington, D.C., and consulates in Michigan and Texas. 1 of 3 | On March 18, 2014, the U.S. State Department ordered Syria to close its embassy in Washington, D.C., and consulates in Michigan and Texas. UPI File Pho»»»

Iran's Supreme National Security Council late on Tuesday confirmed Israeli claims that the country's security chief Ali Larijani had been killed. Israel had previously announced that the top Iranian official was killed in an overnight air strike. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfold»»»

Iran will on Wednesday hold a funeral for former security chief Ali Larijani, who died in an Israeli strike on Tuesday, while the Revolutionary Guards said they had launched missiles at central Israel as retaliation for his killing. Two people were killed by Iranian missiles near Isr»»»

Amid Israel's further military escalation and Hezbollah's "illegal armed activities", Lebanon is confronted with an acute humanitarian and political crisis. To better understand the impact the conflict is having all across Lebanese society, FRANCE 24's Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Ghassan Salamé»»»

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, March 17: Donald Trump has called on US allies to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz as the energy crisis intensifies. But after those allies refused to help, Trump promptly threatened NATO. In the midst of the EU's energy crisis, Belgium's prime minister has sugge»»»

Iran's Supreme National Security Council late on Tuesday confirmed Israeli claims that the country's security chief Ali Larijani had been killed. Larijani, a long-time regime insider, rose to prominence after Ayatollah Ali Khamanei’s death, becoming one of the country’s key figures in the war again»»»

As yet another war rages in the Middle East, we take a closer look at the United States' military presence across the region. It's a presence that stretches back decades, but took on heightened visibility during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, when both those nations began targeting oil tankers and»»»

Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Guy Poran, former Israeli Air Force Pilot, human rights activist and volunteer for Israeli peace activist group Mistaclim. According to Poran, the situation in the West Bank has entered a dangerous phase, following wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. He says the Israeli»»»

In the predominantly Druze city of Aley, located on Mount Lebanon, authorities scrupulously check the identity documents of the many displaced who seek refuge there. They hope the measures will reassure a population fearful of inciting Israeli strikes over the potential presence of Hezbollah milita»»»

As Israel announces it has killed Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, Annette Young is joined by Negah Angha, Visiting Fellow at King's College London. In assessing the reported killing of senior Iranian leadership figures, Ms. Angha argues that such developments represent a serious shoc»»»

Reporting from Doha for FRANCE 24, Hoda Abdel-Hamid explains that Iranian security chief Ali Larijani "was key to Iran's reach to the Gulf region" adding that "the GCC and Iran were two parties deeply suspicious of each other, it took decades for them to get close to each other and Larijani played »»»

Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war. Kent, a former Green Beret and political cand»»»

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis, Robert Corn-Revere, Chief Counsel for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, explains that the FCC pressure on news organisations "is simply a threat being wielded by a powerful regulator to try to condition the behaviour of broadcast stations"»»»

Iran is continuing its retaliatory strikes against Israel, with some damage to homes in central Israel this Tuesday. Israel says Tehran is using cluster munitions, which explode mid-air and indiscriminately scatter bomblets across a wide area. FRANCE 24's Carys Garland reports.»»»

Iran has confirmed the deaths of two senior security officials, considered among the most powerful figures in the country, in overnight strikes: Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and General Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force. It's»»»

Dubai: The first teaser trailer for Dune: Part Three has finally landed, and if you are a fan of the franchise, it is very much worth a watch. Director Denis Villeneuve's concluding chapter in the trilogy is shaping up to be everything fans have been waiting for, and the opening shots alone are eno»»»

Dozens of people were killed and injured on Wednesday when Israel carried out several strikes on apartments in Beirut. After issuing an evacuation warning, an Israeli airstrike struck an apartment building in Bashoura, central Beirut, completely flattening it as day broke. Two earlier strikes on re»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has received a series of new charitable contributions amounting to QR392,650 in support of the “Relief of Distress” endowment fund. The donations, made by a number of benefactors, will be managed under t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Higher Education President and Education Advisor at Qatar Foundation (QF) Francisco Marmolejo affirmed that the Education City universities have adopted a range of innovative mechanisms and solutions to ensure the continued student engagement in virtual learning environments, commendin»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Foundation partner universities adopted distance learning systems to maintain academic continuity during the ongoing regional crisis, following directives from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Academic staff, students, and parents say the transition to remote learn»»»

Doha, Qatar: Fifty-six first-year pre-medical students at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) in February presented posters from their biology laboratory research. Their findings focused on the antimicrobial effects of natural substances obtained from plants, particularly specific plant parts. The»»»

Dubai: The UAE has announced Eid Al Fitr prayer timings across the seven emirates, with prayers set to take place early in the morning on the first day of the holiday. According to official guidance, prayer timings will be 6:20am in Abu Dhabi, 6:18am in Dubai, 6:16am in Sharjah and Ajman, 6:12am in»»»

A Nvidia-backed US startup and a Korean conglomerate announced plans on Tuesday to build an artificial intelligence data center that will reportedly be the largest in South Korea. The Trump administration hailed the deal as a win for its AI export program as it races against China for dominance in »»»

As experiential tourism gains momentum worldwide, regions that offer authentic cultural landscapes and meaningful engagement with local communities are increasingly capturing the attention of international travelers. Colinele Transilvaniei / the Transylvanian Highlands have emerged as one of Romani»»»

The Spanish string quartet Casals will perform at the Dohodno Zdanie in Ruse as part of the 65th edition of the international March Music Days festival, festival director Iva Chavdarova said on Wednesday. Chavdarova said that Casals is one of the world’s most prestigious chamber ensembles. The Span»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to110.60 points in February 2026, marking an increase of 0.64% compared to January 2026 and a year-on-year rise of 2.51% compared with February 2025. The index, which measures inflation, comprises 12 main groups covering 737 goods and services. I»»»

Doha, Qatar: The evolving geopolitical developments in the region have reinforced the deep cooperation between Qatar and the United Kingdom, strengthening the partnership further, British Ambassador to Qatar H E Neerav Patel said. In an exclusive interview with The Peninsula, reaffirming London’s l»»»

Authorities in Dubai have confirmed that all air interception operations carried out earlier om Wednesday were successful, neutralising potential threats without causing any injuries. Dubai Media Office on social media said residents across the emirate reported hearing loud sounds, which officials »»»

In tonight's edition: Russia says it will stop recruiting Kenyan nationals to fight in Ukraine. Also, Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine says he has left the country because he fears for his life following January's election. And when Ramadan and Lent overlap in Senegal, this holy period high»»»

Congo-Brazzaville’s incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected for a fifth term in a landslide win, provisional results showed Tuesday. Sassou Nguesso, 82, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, and has been at the helm for a total of 42 years. The main opposition boycotted t»»»

Chinese state oil majors looking to head off supply shortages caused by the war in the Middle East have resumed seeking Russian crude cargoes after a four-month hiatus, taking advantage of a US sanctions waiver, five trade sources told Reuters. Trading arms under state-run Sinopec and PetroChina ha»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) index surged around 60 points or 0.58 percent to close at 10,393.29 points yesterday helped by interest from investors. The index concluded Monday’s trading at 10,333.32 points. During yesterday’s session the volume of shares traded stood at 241,249,200 f»»»

France’s first round of mayoral elections has exposed a deeply fragmented political landscape, with strong performances from both the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) and the far-right National Rally (RN) complicating traditional alliances. As candidates gear up for next Sunday’s runoffs, negoti»»»