Iran is ready to let Japanese-related vessels pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies, Kyodo news reported, citing Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Tehran has started talks with Tokyo, including with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, about possibly opening»»»

Prime Minister Orbán resumed his nationwide tour with a stop in Szentendre, where he delivered a sharp message on energy security, the war in Ukraine, and Hungary’s position within the European Union. Speaking to supporters, the prime minister framed the current geopolitical situation as a decisive»»»

Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs H E Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim among worshippers gathered for Eid Al Fitr prayers at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque yesterday. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil/The Peninsula»»»

Following a tense and protracted EU summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary has both the legal and political grounds to block the €90 billion loan package intended for Ukraine. The prime minister described the negotiations as “combative” and underscored that Hungary succ»»»

An Israeli strike on a health center in southern Lebanon instantly killed 12 medical workers, seriously wounded one and left four missing under the rubble for hours. The March 13 strike in the village of Burj Qalaouiyah, one of the single deadliest strikes in Lebanon since the latest Israel-Hezboll»»»

In a week where assassinations have continued within the top ranks of Iran’s regime, the minister of intelligence, the commander of the Bases paramilitary and the powerful security chief Ali Larijani included, but a weakened government seems to have had little bearing on Tehran’s retaliation across»»»

Doha, Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, H E Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani held a phone call yesterday H E Federal Minister of Defense of Germany H E Boris Pistorius. The two sides reviewed the latest regional security developments and discusse»»»

European powers and Japan have changed their posture on the ongoing Middle East war, by prioritising energy security and avoiding being dragged by the US into the on-going war with Iran. Recent developments show the allies are preparing to act even without full US leadership. Some countries, such a»»»

Greece marked World Forest Day with a mix of praise and pointed criticism over the state of the country’s forestry service. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, addressing a ceremony at the Goulandris Foundation on Friday, highlighted recent hiring efforts – 278 new employees recruited, with 330 mor»»»

Doha, Qatar: Eid celebrations across Qatar are unfolding in a spirit of resilience and unity, as citizens and residents come together to observe the festive occasion despite the backdrop of ongoing regional tensions. Eid prayers, held indoors yesterday at designated venues such as the Education Cit»»»

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. Iran will not agree to a ceasefire with the United States and Is»»»

LAGOS — Far from the Middle East war, fallout from oil disruptions is reverberating across the world, unsettling lives from Lagos to Manila as people adjust to fuel price hikes and gas shortages.Benchmark oil prices are hovering around $100, a surge of around 40 to 50 per cent since the war against»»»

For decades, American support for Israel was one of the most durable constants in US foreign policy, to such an extent that successive administrations, whether Democratic or Republican, hardly needed to debate it. That truism no longer holds. A Gallup poll conducted between 2-16 February confirmed »»»

Three weeks after the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran, the world has entered an exceptionally dangerous phase. The confrontation has expanded far beyond the bounds of a conventional military conflict. It has developed into a multi-layered war in which military fronts converge with immense ec»»»

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday said Iran had struck a “dizzying blow” in its war with Israel and the United States in a written message marking Nowruz, the Persian New Year, even as blasts rocked the capital Tehran. Israel accused the Islamic republic of targeting Jerusalem’s holiest sit»»»

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has described recent Serbian army exercises near the border with Kosovo as “extremely worrying,” accusing Belgrade of using its military to exert pressure and destabilise the Western Balkans, Koha.net reported on March 19. »»»

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has described recent Serbian army exercises near the border with Kosovo as “extremely worrying,” accusing Belgrade of using its military to exert pressure and destabilise the Western Balkans, Koha.net reported on March 19. »»»

EU leaders had a heavy agenda at a summit in Brussels on March 19. They had to deal with a mushrooming energy crisis, a Ukraine funding fiasco and the stalled passage of twentieth sanctions on Russia. Little progress was made on solving any of these issues. »»»

EU leaders had a heavy agenda at a summit in Brussels on March 19. They had to deal with a mushrooming energy crisis, a Ukraine funding fiasco and the stalled passage of twentieth sanctions on Russia. Little progress was made on solving any of these issues. »»»

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is putting the lives of his compatriots at risk by allowing British bases to be used for aggression against Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. The UK government on Friday approved the US use of UK bases for strikes against Iran's missile sites. "Vast »»»

Ukraine faces a growing risk of losing critical international support in 2026-2027 as reform delays at home coincide with mounting political divisions within the EU over future financing for Kyiv, reported Ukraine Business News. »»»

Mayors for France's major towns and cities will be chosen on Sunday, in the last vote before next year's presidential elections. Excitement is especially high in Paris and Nice. The capital could shift to the right after 25 years under a Socialist-led coalition, if Rachida Dati comes from behind in»»»

In a political earthquake that has stunned South Asia, 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah — popularly known as “Balen” — has led the insurgent Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to an overwhelming parliamentary victory in Nepal. The election followed months of political turmoil and youth-»»»

Doha: Minister of State for Energy Affairs HE Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi revealed that the State of Qatar had warned the United States of the consequences that could affect other countries if Iranian oil and gas facilities were targeted, emphasizing that Washington was urged to exercise restraint in»»»

Doha: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Thani held a telephone conversation on Friday with HE German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. During the call, they discussed the latest security developments in the region and areas»»»

A bitter dispute pitting Hungary and Slovakia against Ukraine is holding up a crucial €90bn (£77.95bn) EU loan to Ukraine. No oil has flowed through the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia across Ukraine, since the major oil hub at Brody, in western Ukraine, was damag»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is gradually scaling back his sweeping ambition to end the war with Iran by toppling its regime, bringing his rhetoric closer to that of US President Donald Trump. Netanyahu now speaks of “achieving tremendous gains” through three objectives: curbing Iran’s»»»

Since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, the confrontation in the Middle East has not been limited to missiles and drones, but has expanded to a parallel front no less dangerous: the architects of narratives and psychological warfare. Military spokesmen and media figures emerged, some masked, some officers,»»»

Analysts say these investments in planned Chilean copper mines respond to sustained growth in global demand, driven by electrification, power grids and the energy transition File Phot by Pedro Tapia/EPA SANTIAGO, Chile, March 20 (UPI) -- Mining companies BHP and U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan submitte»»»

The UK has approved allowing the United States to use British bases to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously only allowed US forces to use the bases for defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles that put British interes»»»

Magnus Haakon, the crown prince of Norway, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway attend the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize presentation ceremony at Oslo City Hall. Mette-Marit gave her first interview about her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. File Photo by Paul Treadway/UPI | License Photo March 20 (UP»»»

Doha: According to Al Jazeera, Qatar's Energy Minister and QatarEnergy CEO HE Eng. Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi told Reuters that the company’s planned North Field expansion project could be delayed by over a year due to Iran’s attack on its Ras Laffan plant. Irans's attack did not result in deaths or»»»

Share: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on a visit to Israel that Iran must make major concessions as part of any long-term political solution following the Middle East war. “Whatever the outcome of the ongoing military operations, it must be complemented by a political solution that p»»»

Manama: HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Indian Prime Minister HE Narendra Modi discussed by phone on Friday the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance and develop them across various fields, in addition to the latest regional developments. D»»»

Italy is talking to several countries, including the United States, Azerbaijan and Algeria, to secure gas supplies now that Iranian strikes on Qatar appear to have halted its exports for an extended period, Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said. Iranian attacks have knocked out 17% of Qatar»»»

Meeting with representatives of employer organizations, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said government measures in response to rising fuel prices are highly targeted and do not affect the principles of the market economy. "Our priority is to provide help where it is needed, carefully, and in»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye. Sheikh Mohamed and the Turkish Foreign Minister exchanged Eid Al Fitr greetings, conveying their best wishes for continued wellbeing and prosp»»»

The exact amount of money given for vote buying is difficult to establish, as it varies in different parts of the country, commented caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev on Friday, before a meeting with the management of the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry in Burgas. He was accompa»»»

Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, warned in a phone call today of the catastrophic and dangerous repercussions of the continued cycle of violence and escalating conflict in the region, which threatens regional and international peace and secur»»»

Abu Dhabi: The President of the UAE, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Foreign Minister of Turkiye, HE Hakan Fidan met in Abu Dhabi on Friday to discuss the developments in the region. During the meeting, HE the Turkish foreign minister reiterated his country's condemnation of the Irani»»»

GERB leader Boyko Borisov visited the new building of the state hospital under construction in the southeastern town of Yambol on Friday, the first day of the election campaign. "What we committed to back in 2018 is now 98 percent complete. In a few months, everything will be ready, and people will»»»

Israel says it has carried out air strikes on Syrian government infrastructure in the south of the country, in response to what it described as attacks on Druze civilians in Suweida province. In a statement, the Israeli military said it hit a command centre and weapons stored at army compounds over»»»

Bulgaria fully applies Schengen legislation and has achieved substantial progress across key areas of cooperation, including external borders, return, internal security, visas and data protection, according to an assessment by the European Commission (EC), presented in Sofia by Olivier Onidi, Deput»»»

When discussing water pricing and the structural problems in the water supply sector, there are also social dimensions to consider, caretaker Labour and Social Policy Minister Hasan Ademov said during a plenary session of the Economic and Social Council (ESC), the Ministry’s press centre reported. »»»

Warsaw: Poland announced Friday the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on the X platform, "Given the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East region, and after analysing the operationa»»»

BELGRADE - The energy sector is the most important element of Serbia-Russia cooperation and talks are underway with the Russian side to ensure Serbia continues to have the best natural gas price in Europe, Serbian Minister without portfolio Nenad Popovic, who co-chairs a Serbia-Russia commission on»»»

Kuwait: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah received a phone call today from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry stated in a press release that the call addressed developments in the region amid escalating military tensions. The statement indic»»»

Britain's Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper warned her Iranian counterpart in a phone call "against targeting UK bases, territory or interests directly", a foreign office statement said Friday, AFP reported. The statement was response to one issued by Iran's foreign ministry in which it said Foreign M»»»

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received messages of congratulations on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr from Kings, Presidents, and Emirs of Arab and Islamic states. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE»»»

Ideally, policy debates should serve to bring together the fullest information, the brightest minds, and the sharpest arguments in order to find solutions. That is, the optimum combination between what is best and what is feasible. In the real world, shaped by ordinary human fallibility and the ext»»»