Oil Jumps 7% as Iran Escalates Attacks on Gulf Shipping
Oil prices rose sharply on Thursday as Iran stepped up attacks on oil and transport facilities across the Middle East, fuelling concerns of a prolonged conflict and potential disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent futures climbed $6.41, or 7%, to $98.45 a barrel by 1235 GMT, h»»»
16,000 Bulgarians Abroad Have So Far Applied to Vote in April 19 Elections
By noon on March 12, Bulgarians abroad submitted nearly 16,000 applications to vote in the Bulgarian early parliamentary elections on April 19, Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy Chair and Spokesperson Rositsa Mateva said at a briefing. Mateva said applications for voting abroad can be submit»»»
TSA to miss first paychecks as Senate stuck in debate for DHS funding - UPI.com
Passengers wait to go through TSA while traveling during the holiday season at Ronald Reagan National Airport in December. TSA agents will miss their first paychecks Saturday if Congress doesn't pass a resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License P»»»
Runners earn Guinness World Record for deepest marathon - UPI.com
Runners strap headlamps on to tackle deepest marathon over 3,000 ft undergroundhttps://t.co/bfxoFBJEsa— Guinness World Records (@GWR) March 11, 2026 March 11 (UPI) -- A group of runners held a certified event over 3,000 feet underground, earning them a Guinness World Record for the deepest marathon»»»
Mali: Serbia 2030 aimed at building modern, strong country, EXPO to be pinnacle
BELGRADE - Serbian First Deputy PM and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said on Thursday the Serbia 2030 strategy was a programme aimed at building a modern, strong and successful Serbia for the decades and generations to come, and noted that 2027 would be one of the more important years in Serbia's ec»»»
Temporary Shutdown of Unit 6 at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant Has Led to 200,000 MWh of Lost Electricity, Energy Minister Says
Speaking from the parliamentary rostrum on Thursday during a hearing on the escalating costs of annual planned maintenance programs for Units 5 and 6 of the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, caretaker Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said that, according to preliminary estimates, some 200,000 megawatt-h»»»
Boosting E-Commerce with Kie.ai’s Nano Banana 2 API: High-Quality Visuals Made Easy
Creating compelling visuals for e-commerce can often be a complex, time-consuming task. From adjusting images for different screen sizes to ensuring they load quickly across platforms, it’s crucial to deliver high-quality visuals that don’t sacrifice performance. E-commerce businesses are under con»»»
Overhaul of medical examiner services still pending as backlog grows
More than 1,000 cases are pending at Greece’s coroner services, some of them dating from as far back as 2023, a Justice Ministry official told state broadcaster ERT on Thursday, pointing to persistent delays. Justice Ministry Secretary General Vicky Yavi told ERT the country’s medical examiner serv»»»
43 migrants found in western Greece
Police in western Greece have arrested a group of 43 migrants for illegal entry and residence in the country and a Greek man for allegedly facilitating them, officials said Thursday. A police statement said the 38 men and five women were taken into custody late Wednesday in the village of Katochi, »»»
Watch: Massive fire at Bahrain fuel facility after attack
Dubai: A massive blaze erupted at fuel storage tanks in Bahrain following an attack that authorities blamed on Iran, according to a statement from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior. The fire broke out at a facility in the Muharraq Governorate, sending thick smoke and flames into the sky as emergen»»»
Why did Rashmika Mandanna threaten legal action and give ultimatum?
Dubai: Actress Rashmika Mandanna has threatened legal action after an alleged audio clip involving her mother began circulating widely on social media, reviving discussion around her past relationship with Rakshit Shetty. According to reports, the audio surfaced just weeks after Rashmika married Vi»»»
B2B Vendor Reputation Management: How to Protect Your Business Relationships and Win More Contracts
Learn how to manage your company’s B2B reputation so that procurement teams find the right story about your business — and your sales pipeline stays strong even when competitors target your credibility. B2B procurement has become a digital-first process. Before a purchasing manager at a potential c»»»
'What if we're left with ruins?': Doubts creep in for Iranians who supported war
"We thought they'd kill all the senior figures and the regime would collapse in days, but we are in the second week now, and every night I wake to explosions," a Tehran resident told the BBC. She initially supported the war, but her frustration is growing. For some Iranians who oppose their country»»»
Verstappen jokes new F1 cars 'more like Mario Kart'
Shanghai: Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said Thursday he was not having much fun driving the new era of Formula One cars, joking he was "practising with Mario Kart" because it was more realistic than his simulator. The Red Bull driver crashed in qualifying in the season-opener in Australi»»»
Amir receives telephone call from German President
Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a telephone call today from HE Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the friendly Federal Republic of Germany. At the beginning of the call, the German President inquired about the situation in the State of Qatar in light of the »»»
Parliament Rejects Request to Lift MP Belinda Balluku’s Immunity
Albania’s Parliament has rejected a request from the Special Prosecution against Corruption (SPAK) to lift the parliamentary immunity of lawmaker Belinda Balluku, blocking a move that could have allowed her arrest. The request from of SPAK, was voted down after lawmakers from the ruling majority op»»»
IFC selects Egypt as a module for its investments in the MENA region
A ministerial meeting was held between Mr. Philippe Le Houérou Executive Vice President and CEO of IFC and the Ministers of International Cooperation Dr. Sahar Nasr, Energy and Renewable Energy Dr. Mohamed Shaker, Petroleum and Mineral Wealth Eng. Tarek Elmola, Trade and Industry Eng. Tarek Kabil a»»»
FBI warns of ‘Iranian drone threat’ to California
The FBI has warned the authorities in California that Iran has planned drone raids launched from an unidentified vessel off the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by US media outlets. Local officials, however, have cast doubt on the warning, saying it is unverified. According to ABC News, t»»»
Is the Iran war the Biblical end times?
The war between Israel, the US and Iran is raging. Throughout these days I’m woken to the sounds of emergency alerts on my phone, air raid sirens ringing, or the boom-boom in the skies above me as missiles are being intercepted. I have this song by the band REM looping in my head. You know the one.»»»
Bulgaria's Defence Minister: Iran's Unprovoked Attacks on Cyprus and Turkiye Cause Serious Concern
Bulgaria's Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told reporters that Iran's unprovoked attacks on Cyprus and Turkiye are causing serious concern. Zapryanov and Greece's National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias made a joint statement after their meeting here on Thursday. Dendias is on a one-day visit to »»»
Environmentalist Calls for Better Knowledge of Black Sea and Institutional Coordination to Tackle Its Vulnerabilities
The Black Sea is extremely vulnerable to both natural phenomena and human activity, which is why better coordination between institutions and increased knowledge about it are important, ecologist Dimitar Popov from the Green Balkans organization stressed in an interview for BTA on Thursday. On Marc»»»
Israel warns Lebanon to stop Hezbollah rockets or 'we will take territory'
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that he had ordered the military to prepare for expanding operations in Lebanon. "The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to prepare for expanding IDF operations in Lebanon and for restoring quiet and security to the northern communities,"»»»
New US ambassador to South Africa summoned over 'undiplomatic remarks'
The South African government has summoned the new US ambassador after he made what they called "undiplomatic" comments about an anti-apartheid chant. Leo Brent Bozell III, who started in the role last month, caused offence by disagreeing with a legal ruling about the chant Kill The Boer. Some say t»»»
Questions mount for Hegseth over possible US involvement in strike on Iranian school
Democrats in the US Senate have written to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers about the strike on a primary school in Iran that Iranian officials say killed 168 people, including about 110 children. US media have reported that US military investigators believe American forces were lik»»»
Bulgaria Prepares 9,354 Machine-Equipped Polling Stations for April 19 Early Vote
Bulgaria has announced that a total of 11,836 polling stations will be open for the April elections, with 9,354 of them equipped with voting machines for the early voting scheduled on April 19. Mobile polling stations and those located in social care facilities, nursing homes, hospitals, detention »»»
Egyptian Stocks Rebound as Benchmark EGX30 Rises 2.3% at Week’s Close
Cairo — Egypt’s stock market closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark EGX30 index rebounding strongly after earlier volatility during the week. The EGX30 climbed 2.29% to close at 47,516.44 points, while broader market indices also recorded gains, reflecting improved investor sentiment in the »»»
Hezbollah targets Israel, Tel Aviv suburbs with advanced missiles and attack drones
Hezbollah said it launched missiles at an Israeli military intelligence base in the suburbs of Tel Aviv early on Thursday, the Iran-backed group's latest claim in a major operation against Israel it announced hours earlier. Hezbollah fighters "targeted the Glilot base (the headquarters of the 8200 »»»
8 killed, 30 wounded in Israeli strike on Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut
An Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed eight people early on Thursday, Lebanon's health ministry said, another attack in the heart of the capital, as Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut's southern subur»»»
Qlayaa village wants army protection after Israeli shelling killed priest
After narrowly escaping death in her border village, Myriam Nohra is among the people in south Lebanon imploring the army for protection from the war between Israel and Hezbollah. In Christian-majority Qlayaa, which overlooks a vast green plain separating Lebanon and Israel, hundreds of people buri»»»
Hezbollah fires biggest barrage of war, Israel threatens to take territory, and latest strikes
Israeli strikes targeted Thursday several towns in south Lebanon including Haris, Kafra, Alma al-Shaab-Naqoura, Deir Ntar, Barish, Yater, Qantara, Qaaqaiyyet al-Jesser, Teffahta, Qana, al-Sultanieh, Taybeh, Qabrikha and Kfardounin. In east Lebanon, Israeli strikes targeted Qsarnaba and Douris after»»»
NBS keeps key policy rate at 5.75 pct
BELGRADE - The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) Executive Board decided on Thursday to keep the key policy rate at 5.75 pct, and also kept the deposit facility and lending facility rates unchanged at 4.5 pct and 7 pct, respectively, the NBS said. "The Board made the decision primarily in view of actua»»»
UAE’s Lulu Group flies 82 tonnes of fresh food from India as US-Israel-Iran conflict reaches 13th day
Dubai: Lulu Group International said Thursday has arranged special flights to transport fresh food products from India to Kuwait, including fruits, vegetables and meat supplies for its retail operations. Two special flights operated by Kuwait Airways departed from Kochi and Delhi on March 12, carry»»»
In a call with Amir, New Zealand PM praises success of Qatar in managing the crisis
DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call from Prime Minister of New Zealand HE Christopher Luxon. At the beginning of the call, the prime minister inquired about the situation in the State of Qatar in light of the continued brutal I»»»
Russian court convicts 19 people over deadly Moscow concert attack
Nineteen people have been jailed over an attack which killed more than 100 people at a concert hall near Moscow, the deadliest mass shooting in Russia in two decades. A Russian military court handed life sentences to four gunmen and 11 accomplices. Four other defendants were given between 19 and 22»»»
Defence Minister Dendias Says Greece Had Duty to Respond to Bulgaria's Request for Support Against Risks Stemming From War in Iran
Greece's National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias Thursday said that for his country, it was a duty to respond to Bulgaria's request for support against risks arising from the war in Iran. He spoke to reporters at a joint statement with his Bulgarian counterpart Atanas Zarpyanov. Dendias is on a one»»»
Oil price hike threatens Germany's economy
BusinessGermanyOil price hike threatens Germany's economySabine KinkartzHow high will the Iran war drive up the prices of oil, gasoline, and diesel? There is great concern that the price shock could dash hopes for economic recovery in Germany. https://p.dw.com/p/5AH3aGermany holds 143 million barre»»»
Middle East war triggers largest oil supply disruption on record, IEA says
Paris, March 12 (SANA) The International Energy Agency (IEA) said Thursday that the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East has caused the largest disruption to global oil supplies since records began. In a report cited by AFP, the agency said oil production in Gulf states has fallen sharply»»»
Bodies of Chinese tourists missing in Australia found in submerged car - UPI.com
Two Chinese backpackers working their way around Australia have been found dead inside their vehicle after it was swept away in severe flooding in Queensland's Gympie region. Image by Simaah from Pixabay March 12 (UPI) -- Police divers in Australia's Greater Sunshine Coast region on Thursday recove»»»
Prime Ministry: draft decree on Omdas submitted to Ministry of Interior services
Tunis, March 12 (TAP) - The Prime Ministry indicated that, following review, the draft decree on the status of the Omda (sector chief) had been submitted to the relevant services at the Ministry of Interior.These clarifications are a response from...»»»
Interior minister receives messages of solidarity from counterparts around the world
DOHA: Minister of Interior and Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has received a number of messages and telegrams from ministers of interior and security officials of brotherly and friendly countries, following the Iranian attack on »»»
South Korea imposes fuel price cap to curb Mideast conflict shock
Seoul: South Korea said Thursday a fuel price cap would take effect from midnight to mitigate pressure on the country's energy supply during the Mideast conflict. The country is heavily reliant on energy imports, including shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, and has said it will try to find alt»»»
Parliament Backs Bill to Integrate Public Transport and Introduce National ‘Single Ticket’ System
Bulgaria’s Parliament approved at first reading amendments to the Public Transport Act aimed at integrating passenger transport services across all modes of transport in the country. The draft legislation provides for the creation of a National System for a Unified Transport Document, which will fo»»»
NIS requests new special operating licence from US's OFAC
BELGRADE - The Serbian oil company NIS has submitted a request to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury for a new special licence that would enable it to continue to operate without obstructions after March 20, when the current operating licence - issued o»»»
Amir receives telephone call from Prime Minister of New Zealand
Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call today from HE Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand. At the beginning of the call, the Prime Minister inquired about the situation in the State of Qatar in light of the ongoing Iranian aggression, expressi»»»
Date changes, refunds available for Qatar Airways tickets until March 22
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways announced that passengers with confirmed tickets until March 22 are now eligible for date changes or a refund, as the airline continues to support passengers affected by recent operational disruptions in the region. The airline stated that passengers holding confirmed boo»»»
Bridge expansion work continues on Lebedinovka–GES-5 road in Bishkek - | 24.KG
Work to expand a bridge on Lebedinovka—GES-5 road, which leads to the northern bypass road of Bishkek, is actively ongoing, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic reported. According to the ministry, old metal railings and the worn asphalt layer have been completely dis»»»
RAK Ruler: UAE advancing with confidence under President’s leadership
Ras Al Khaimah: His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, affirmed that the UAE continues its path of development and prosperity with determination and confidence under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan»»»
Bulgaria's Zapryanov and Greece's Dendias Highlight Patriot Missile Support and Joint Defense Projects
Bulgaria and Greece see significant potential to deepen cooperation in defense innovation, according to Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, following talks with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias in Sofia. Zapryanov highlighted that recent unprovoked Iranian attacks on Cyprus and multiple»»»
51 Crew Rescued, 1 Dead after Attack on Tankers Off Iraq
More than 50 crew members were rescued after an attack on two oil tankers in Iraq's territorial waters, Farhan al-Fartousi of the port authorities told AFP. Fartousi, from Iraq's General Company for Ports, said "all crew members of the two tankers were rescued," adding that the 51 workers were in g»»»
Israeli airstrike on Ramlet al-Baida seafront in Beirut killed 8 people, wounded dozens others – Ya Libnan
Share: A man inspects a damaged car hit in an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah operatives at the Ramlet al-Baida public beach, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) An Israeli airstrike on the Ramlet al-Baida seafront in central Beirut killed at least eight people and wo»»»