The best possible investment a government can make: health
What is the best possible investment a government can make? Is it a high speed train network, or are 5G telecom Nets? Perhaps it is space based solar power generation capacity. The answer is much more mundane: studies by both the IMF and the World Bank have found the best possible investments that »»»
Seoul leads rebound across Asian stocks, oil extends gains
HONG KONG — Asian equities jumped Thursday after a three-day rout sparked by the Middle East war, but concerns about an extended conflict helped oil extend gains, while analysts warned of more volatility ahead.Seoul was again the standout, with the Kospi soaring 12 per cent at one point as traders »»»
China prioritises energy and diplomacy
BEIJING (AFP( — China has expressed its anger over Israeli-US strikes on Iran but, despite hits to its oil imports, will not risk its interests by confronting Washington and helping its long-standing partner, analysts say.The war in the Middle East has sparked global fears of an energy supply crunc»»»
ASE records positive performance this week
AMMAN — Despite the current regional conditions and the state of war in the region, the performance of the ASE remains positive.The general benchmark index during the current week increased from 3559 points at the beginning of the week to reach 3630 points at the end of the week's trading, an incre»»»
Deputy prime minister visits Air Defense Operations Center
DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani visited the Air Defense Operations Center, where he was received by Maj Gen Mohammed Mubarak Al Shahwani, Commander of Qatar Amiri Air Defense Forces. During the visit, the depu»»»
Brazil's Senate ratifies Mercosur free trade deal with European Union
Brazil has formally ratified a landmark free trade deal with the European Union, joining Argentina and Uruguay in creating one of the world’s largest trade blocs. The agreement, decades in the making, removes most tariffs, boosts exports on both sides, and has sparked opposition from European farme»»»
Cuba hit by massive blackout, leaving millions without power in Havana and western provinces
Western Cuba was plunged into darkness Thursday as a massive blackout left millions without power. Between crumbling infrastructure and the halt of Venezuelan oil shipments under US pressure, the island’s energy grid is on the brink of collapse, with recovery expected to take days. A blackout left »»»
Spotlight - Forbidden Stories reports on FindFace in Iran: Facial recognition 'an issue' for Western democracies
François Picard welcomes Alexander Abdelilah, an investigative journalist for Forbidden Stories who has just published a report on how the Iranian regime secretly acquired FindFace in 2019, a powerful facial recognition system developed by Russian company NTechLab. Abdelilah explores how this syste»»»
Press Review - Trouble in MAGA paradise over war with Iran
PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, March 5: The mass exodus from southern Lebanon makes front pages. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is lambasted for a lack of clarity on its war with Iran, including from the US president's own supporters. Plus, we get some bad news on sea levels globally,»»»
Israel's Lebanon offensive 'may ultimately legitimise Hezbollah, reinforce narrative of resistance'
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Dr Filippo Dionigi, Senior Lecturer in Politics & International Relations at the University of Bristol. The fragile process aimed at disarming Hezbollah hangs in the balance. A negotiated political sett»»»
Tête à tête - Iran conflict is 'not a justified war': Former US special envoy for Iran Robert Malley
Robert Malley, former US special envoy for Iran under Joe Biden and a key negotiator of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, told FRANCE 24 that the US-Israeli war against Iran is "not a justified war, not a necessary war and not a lawful war". For Malley, the "cacophony" over the conflict's rationale "refl»»»
Could Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former supreme leader, take power in Iran?
The death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an Israeli strike on Saturday sparked the search for a successor that has seen the former leader’s son, Mojtaba, emerge as the front runner. Although a secretive figure in the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei is considered one of the re»»»
Tête à tête - 'We will dismantle the stronghold of Hezbollah': Israel's permanent representative to UN
Danny Danon, Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, told FRANCE 24 that Israel "will not allow Hezbollah to attack our civilians" and "will dismantle the stronghold of Hezbollah", following an unprecedented warning to residents to evacuate all of Beirut's southern suburbs. He»»»
US reaches out to Iran’s Kurds, but will they also be ‘hung out to dry’?
The US has made an outreach to Iranian Kurdish dissident groups as "Operation Epic Fury" rattles the pieces of the Middle East geostrategic chess game. The Kurds in other countries have a history of being pawns in Washington’s games and have at times used their leverage to their advantage. But unde»»»
‘Panic and fear’: Iran’s political prisoners face increasing danger amid US-Israel war
Rights groups warned this week that prisoners in Iran – thousands of whom were detained during recent anti-government protests – are being refused shelter during US and Israeli strikes and face increased risk of forced disappearance and execution due to a nationwide internet blackout. In the Irania»»»
The Debate - How vulnerable is the Gulf? Iran war escalation undermines energy security
Who’s paying for this war? First and foremost, the people of the Middle East directly in harm’s way. But who pays the financial cost if Iran continues to target the lifeline for the region's oil and gas? Maritime employers out of London officially designating the Straits of Hormuz, the Gulf o»»»
US claims Iran's missile capabilities 'severely degraded'
Washington claims it has severely degraded Iran's missile capabilities, but as the war continues and Iran retaliates, it seems that the country's military capabilities are far from being extinguished. FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago reports.»»»
Israel strikes Beirut’s southern suburbs after issuing a blanket evacuation order
Israel launched a series of strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut Thursday after ordering all residents of the densely populated area to evacuate. Traffic was gridlocked in Lebanon 's capital on Thursday as panicked residents tried to flee after Israel's military issued an evacuation notice tel»»»
Israeli army announces start of airstrikes on southern Beirut suburb
An Israeli strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut late Thursday, according to Lebanese state media, following an Israeli evacuation warning. Israel's military chief said Thursday he had ordered troops to expand the area under Israeli control in southern Lebanon, as the country's ongoing ope»»»
Focus - High amounts of sugar found in Nestlé baby cereal sold in Africa
Swiss food giant Nestlé is facing criticism over the sugar content of Cerelac, its infant cereal brand sold in Africa. An investigation by the NGO Public Eye found that while the product is sold without added sugar in Europe, African versions can contain up to 15 percent sugar. According to the Wor»»»
Azerbaijan's President Aliyev vows retaliation after 'terrorist' drone strike blamed on Iran
Baku has vowed to retaliate against what it described as "a terrorist act" allegedly carried out by Tehran after two drones hit an airport and narrowly missed a school building in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave on the border with Iran. The Islamic Republic has denied carrying out the attack. »»»
Working session to monitor progress of bridge and road projects implementation for 2026
Tunis, March 5 (TAP) - A working session held, Wednesday, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Slah Zouari, was devoted to monitoring the progress of infrastructure projects scheduled for 2026.It also addressed the...»»»
NATO shoots down Iranian missile en route towards Turkish airspace
A ballistic missile fired from Iran and en route towards Turkish airspace was intercepted and destroyed by NATO air defence systems, Turkish officials said Wednesday, in an incident that underscored fears of a widening regional war. A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish»»»
Trump cuts his losses on Noem after controversial tenure at homeland security
Sooner or later, advisers in President Donald Trump's orbit all come to learn the same unwritten rule: no one can outshine the boss. Kristi Noem, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, became the latest reminder of that on Thursday when Trump announced he was removing her from her po»»»
Over 23,000 flights cancelled in GCC: UAE airlines, travellers can expect this next
Dubai: With aviation across the Middle Eastheavily disrupted after attacks by Israel and the US on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the region, airlines were forced to cancel flights, reroute aircraft and suspend services. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances. Air»»»
60 Retail outlets open 24 hours in Qatar to meet demand: MoCI official
Doha, Qatar: Sixty retail outlets across Qatar are currently operating 24 hours a day to help stabilize markets and ensure smooth supply chains, a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) said. Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs at the Ministry, Hassan Sultan Al-Gh»»»
United States announces suspension of Embassy operations in Kuwait
Washington: The US Department of State announced the suspension of operations at its embassy in Kuwait, while confirming that no injuries have been reported among its staff. The Kuwait News Agency reported today, citing a statement by the US State Department, that although no injuries have been rec»»»
IMF warns prolonged conflict in M-E could impact global growth, energy markets
QNA & Agencies Bangkok Global economic resilience is once again being tested as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pose potential risks to energy markets, investor confidence, and global growth, according to the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Speaking at the Asia in 205»»»
PM deplores Iranian attacks at emergency GCC-EU meet
QNA Doha Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani participated on Thursday in an emergency Gulf-European ministerial virtual meeting bringing together the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the European Uni»»»
France flays Iran attacks on Qatar, reaffirms unwavering solidarity
Ashraf Siddiqui Doha France has condemned the Iranian attacks on Qatar in the “strongest possible terms” and expressed its solidarity with the country. “France condemns unreservedly, and in the strongest possible terms, the Iranian attacks on Qatar,” the Embassy of Republic of France in Doha said i»»»
Education a strategic national priority that will never be compromised: MoEHE official
QNA Doha Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), Maha Zayed Al Qaqaa Al Ruwaili said on Thursday that the implementation of distance learning system in public schools is an institutional model that reflects a high level of prepared»»»
AMIR VISITS MoI NATIONAL COMMAND CENTRE
The Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited the National Command Centre (NCC) of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Thursday. At the outset of the visit, HH the Amir listened to a briefing on the crisis and emergency management system, and the mechanisms for immediate action in res»»»
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes increased nutrition education for doctors - UPI.com
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday announced an initiative to increase the number of nutrition-related credit hours that doctors are required to have in medical school, along with 53 schools that have already agreed to participate. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI»»»
Food Safety Agency, Veterinary Union Agree to Hold Regular Meetings for Coordination on Key Issues
The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) and the Bulgarian Veterinary Union (BVU) have agreed to hold regular monthly coordination meetings on key issues in the sector as announced by the agency on Thursday. This was discussed at a meeting between the Executive Director of the BFSA, Dr. Angel Mavrov»»»
Following Security Council Meeting, Cabinet Says Bulgaria Not Directly Threatened by Middle East Conflict
The Security Council with the Council of Ministers held a meeting here on Thursday to discuss the situation in the Middle East. The meeting, the second since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, was attended by representatives of the political forces in Parliament. Speaking at a news briefin»»»
Hamad International Airport urges passengers 'not to proceed to airport'
Doha, Qatar: Hamad International Airport on Friday urged passengers not to travel to the airport as flight operations remain temporarily suspended following the closure of Qatari airspace. In a statement, the airport said operations will resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the »»»
GOP advances End Sanctuary Policies Act; Dems warn it’s unconstitutional - UPI.com
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., late last month introduced the “End Sanctuary Policies Act,” which would restrict federal funding for jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo WASHINGTON, March 5 (UPI) -- The House Judiciary Co»»»
Macron talks to US, Israel and Lebanon in bid to reach 'plan' to end war
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday "everything" must be done to prevent Lebanon "from once again being drawn into war", urging both Israel and Hezbollah to halt military operations. "It is to halt the war and prevent the worst that, following my exchanges with (U.S.) President (Donald) »»»
Zelensky issues military threat to Orban (VIDEO)
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has issued an apparent military threat to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the ongoing refusal by Budapest to lift a veto on billions in loans underwritten by EU members for Kiev. Orban last month blocked a planned €90 billion ($106 billion) emergency loan rais»»»
Second Deputy HoR Speaker Duma denies having chaired an HoR session during which the new tax law was passed
The Second Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Misbah Duma, has refuted the by the Speaker of the HoR, Ageela Saleh, that he had chaired an HoR session during which the new controversial tax law was enacted. Duma stated: “What was mentioned in Speaker Aguila Saleh’s statement rega»»»
Hezbollah, Iran simultaneously fire missiles at the North: Israeli media - Al-Manar TV Lebanon
Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah, Iran simultaneously fire missiles at the North: Israeli media 05-03-2026 20:56 PM Latest News Urgent News Hezbollah, Iran simult»»»
An anti-Iran war protester was injured during a scuffle with police in the US Senate
A former US Marine protesting the war with Iran was injured during a scuffle with police and a senator on Wednesday after interrupting a Senate hearing on Washington's Capitol Hill and shouting, “No one wants to fight for Israel.” The protester, Brian McGinnis, a Marine veteran and Green Party cand»»»
Iran crisis escalates: Oil prices jump as attacks paralyze Strait of Hormuz shipping
Oil prices held near multi-month highs on Thursday as attacks on tankers and the escalating conflict in the Middle East disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. The US–Israeli war with Iran entered its sixth day, with Washington and its a»»»
Analysis: Hezbollah’s new reckless war endangers Lebanon - UPI.com
Israeli military vehicles maneuver in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, as seen from the border in Upper Galilee, northern Israel, on Thursday. The Israeli military is conducting strikes across Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and personnel. Photo by Atef Safadi/EPA BEIRUT, Leba»»»
Criminal Group for Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation is Dismantled in Bulgaria
The Directorate General Combating Organized Crime (DGCOC) has dismantled a criminal group involved in human trafficking and sexual exploitation, the Interior Ministry announced on Facebook. Eight people were arrested, six of whom were charged with participating in an organized crime group. One has »»»
Qatar sends fourth identical letter to UN, Security Council regarding latest developments of Iranian attack on its territories
New York: The State of Qatar has sent a fourth identical letter to Secretary-General of the United Nations HE Antonio Guterres, and Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of March HE Michael Waltz, regarding»»»
Albanian PM Edi Rama Presents New Book Inspired by Ramadan Iftar Speeches
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday promoted his new book, 'Në Sofrën e Hënës', a collection of speeches delivered during Ramadan iftar dinners he has hosted over the years. Speaking at the presentation, Rama said the idea for the book came partly from Muslim friends and from his own exper»»»
Romantasy author Sarah J Maas announces two new novels in bestselling series
Best-selling romantasy author Sarah J Maas, who has sold more than 75 million books worldwide, has announced two new novels in her A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series. The 40-year-old American author announced the publishing of her two new books on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast on We»»»