President Joseph Aoun called Wednesday for unity and solidarity and the rejection of division and sectarian provocation, hours after Israel flattened an apartment building in central Beirut and killed ten people in other neighborhoods of the city. Israel's military claimed the building in Bashoura »»»

Lebanon said Israel struck central Beirut early Wednesday without warning, killing at least ten people, as the Israeli military announced it was targeting the country's south. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said two strikes in the early hours of Wednesday hit an apartment in the cent»»»

Iran and Russia both allege a projectile struck the grounds of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the country, raising the specter of a radiological incident as Tehran's war with Israel and the United States rages. Neither Iran nor Russia say there was any release of nuclear material in the inciden»»»

European Council President Antonio Costa has rebuked Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky over a recent threat directed at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Zelensky suggested earlier this month that he could dispatch the Ukrainian military to “speak” with a “certain person” in the EU – widely understo»»»

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced in the early hours of this morning that production at the Sharara oilfield is continuing despite the pipeline fire that broke yesterday. It refutes some media speculation that production at Sharara has been completely shut down. The NOC explained that th»»»

Dubai: Dubai’s real estate services sector is seeing sustained growth, with new data indicating rising activity in permits, valuations, and customer transactions, reinforcing the market’s operational depth and transparency. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The number of»»»

This photo, taken Wednesday, shows the trading room of Hana Bank in central Seoul as South Korean stocks surged more than 5 percent on a semiconductor rally. Photo by Yonhap South Korean stocks surged more than 5 percent Wednesday, on a semiconductor rally boosted by the ongoing U.S. chip giant Nvi»»»

About 90 ships including oil tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the outset of the war with Iran and it is still exporting millions of barrels of oil at a time when the waterway has been effectively closed, according to maritime and trade data platforms. Many of the vessels that passed »»»

Caretaker Electronic Governance Minister George Sharkov and his political cabinet held a meeting with representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission regarding the early parliamentary elections on April 19, 2026, the Ministry of Electronic Governance said in a press release on Wednes»»»

Dubai: Dubai Municipality has designated several public beaches as family-only zones for the Eid Al Fitr holiday. The designated beaches are: Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2 (including the night beach), Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1 (including the night beach), and Umm Suqeim 2 beaches. As part of the Season of »»»

Taiwan said Wednesday it changed South Korea's name in its immigration systems in response to being identified as part of China. In this 2023 photo, a Taiwanese flag flies over Liberty Square Arch in Taipei. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo Taiwan said Wednesday it has changed South»»»

Dubai: As Eid Al Fitr fast approaches, residents and expatriates in the UAE have started their Eid shopping ahead, balancing great anticipation with practical planning to avoid last-minute crowds. From malls to neighbourhood markets, the spirit of the season remains visible amid ongoing development»»»

Israel's military on Wednesday acknowledged that its tank fire hit a UN position in southern Lebanon on March 6, wounding Ghanaian peacekeepers, an incident that underscores the growing risks as Israeli operations expand. Initial findings by an internal UN inquiry had suggested Israel was behind th»»»

Iran's stance against the development of nuclear weapons will not significantly change, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera in remarks relayed by Iranian media on Wednesday, cautioning that the new supreme leader is yet to publicly express his view on the matter. Former Supreme Leader Al»»»

Dubai: Overseas Filipinos (OFs) have continued to contribute greatly to the Philippine economy, with cash remittances rising to $3.02 billion in January this year, a 3.5 percent increase from $2.92 billion recorded in the same month last year. The growth has highlighted the resilience of Filipinos »»»

French President Emmanuel Macron risks losing his position, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, commenting on yesterday’s statement by US President Donald Trump. “I have another question—will the Venezuelan scenario or the Iranian scenario be applied to Macron? In fact, that »»»

Lebanon said Israel struck central Beirut early Wednesday without warning, killing at least six people, as the Israeli military announced it was targeting the country's south. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said two strikes in the early hours of Wednesday hit an apartment in the cent»»»

The UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday that Iranian authorities had reported projectile impact at the country's only operational nuclear power plant that caused no damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) "has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP »»»

Dubai: Plans to bring Disneyland to Abu Dhabi are moving forward, with Miral Group’s chief reaffirming commitment to the project in a public message that signals continued momentum on one of the region’s most closely watched developments. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balance»»»

Over 2,000 jobs in Bulgaria’s coal sector have been lost amid the ongoing shift toward a low-carbon economy, CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov reported at a labor market forum focused on the energy transition. He noted that roughly 1,000 jobs disappeared in the Maritsa Basin alone, while other region»»»

Cuba's leader on Tuesday said the US would face "unbreakable resistance" if it tries to take over the impoverished island nation, as communist authorities scrambled to fix a nationwide electricity blackout. Cuba's government is under increasingly crushing pressure, with Washington enforcing an oil »»»

An Israeli strike has destroyed a building in central Beirut, as missiles continue to hit areas far from where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group has its strongest presence. A BBC team was jolted awake around 05:00 (03:00 GMT) by the sound of the blast. The Israeli military had issued a warning at »»»

The US has emerged as the world's biggest oil supplier months before the war with Iran started. The United States has officially become one of the planet’s top oil exporters, shipping a staggering 3.9 billion barrels of crude and petroleum products in 2025 alone, according to fresh US Energy Inform»»»

Caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said citizen participation is the strongest safeguard of democracy, speaking before the start of the Council of Ministers’ meeting on Wednesday. He urged Bulgarian citizens to vote in the upcoming elections. “That is why my appeal to all Bulgarians is: ‘Vote!’,»»»

Dubai: A residential building collapsed in central Beirut early Wednesday after an Israeli airstrike struck the densely populated Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, Lebanese officials said. The attack reportedly killed at least six people and caused significant damage in an area located near government o»»»

The United Arab Emirates welcomes the blessed occasion of Eid Al-Fitr with a festive atmosphere filled with artistic shows, cultural festivals, and family-oriented activities across public spaces, shopping malls, and entertainment destinations. These venues have been beautifully adorned with lights»»»

An explosion was heard in Baghdad early Wednesday, an AFP journalist said, as Iraqi officials reported a drone and rocket attack targeting the US embassy. The latest explosion came hours after multiple blasts were heard across the Iraqi capital, where a witness told AFP he saw detonations likely ca»»»

The economy is out of breath and there is no more room for tax increases this year or in the predictible future because the shock will go further and the economy will go into recession, said Iulian Lolea, a macroeconomist at Concordia Patrons Confederation on Tuesday. “Some of their recommendations»»»

Romania's economy is panting and there is no room for tax increases this year or in the foreseeable future because the shock will be passed on and the economy will enter a recession, Iulian Lolea, macroeconomist at the Concordia Employers' Confederation, said on Tuesday at a specialist event."A ser»»»

Romania has defensive capabilities against a potential ballistic offensive from Iran, Defence Minister Radu Miruta said on Tuesday, adding that the recent statements from Iran do not concern the military situation."The explicit statements mentioned yesterday referred to the political and legal situ»»»

“No oil. No money.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues to take a hard line on dropping his veto on the disbursement of the €90bn EU loan agreed in December, as Brussels comes up with a face saving solution to end the impasse. »»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tehran does not strike civilian targets in neighboring countries, it responds to the United States by attacking its bases in the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday. "I can say with confidence that we have not attacked civilian targets in neighb»»»

European NATO members and other US allies do not want to get involved in the war against Iran, Professor Mehran Kamrava from Georgetown University in Qatar tells Sputnik. "America's treatment of NATO has undermined America's standing not just globally, but particularly among America's traditional a»»»

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),»»»

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»»»

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»»»

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 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»»»

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»»»