HEADLINES Monday’s print media highlight rising living costs, political developments and economic trends. 24 Chasa leads with a report that food prices are expected to increase ahead of Easter, warning of a more expensive traditional holiday salad followed by broader price pressures in food and tra»»»

Cairo — Egypt is preparing to establish the Middle East’s first sodium cyanide production facility, a project valued at around $200 million, as part of efforts to deepen local industrial manufacturing and support the country’s growing mining and petrochemical sectors. According to a report by Econo»»»

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump's calls for Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal confirm that it is the Ukrainian side that is mainly stalling the conflict settlement process, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday. On Sunday, Financial Times reported, citing officials, that the peace»»»

France's government is bolstering the country's military presence in the Middle East, dispatching its aircraft carrier and other warships, while President Emmanuel Macron engages with key players in the conflict, including Iran, in a bid to position Paris for future diplomatic talks. Macron said th»»»

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Brussels of dragging the EU into a direct war with Russia through potential troop deployments to Ukraine. Speaking at the ‘Peace March’ in Budapest on Sunday, which drew tens of thousands of supporters, Orban said Brussels had taken “the war upon it»»»

Norway will not host nuclear weapons on its territory, as it bases its security on NATO strategic deterrence, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has said. Sweden’s and Denmark’s top defense officials have said their nations would be open to such a deployment, however. During a press conference alongsi»»»

The EUR 20 fuel aid for the poorest people should be transferred to the accounts of those entitled to it by the end of the month, caretaker Labour and Social Policy Minister Hasan Ademov said on bTV's morning show on Monday. Ademov explained that all individuals with an average monthly income of up»»»

At least 10 critically ill patients died after a fire broke out in the trauma care intensive care unit of a government-run hospital in eastern India early Monday, officials said. The blaze erupted on the first floor of the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, in Odisha state, where patients»»»

A survey by the polling agency Sova Harris, published on Monday, shows that six parties and coalitions would enter Bulgaria's Parliament if elections were held on this day. These are Progressive Bulgaria, GERB-UDF, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms – Ne»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a short video on Sunday making light of rumors on social media that he was dead. "I'm dead for coffee," he said sarcastically on his official X account as he received a steaming cup at a cafe outside Jerusalem, employing a colloquial Hebrew expres»»»

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday she had discussed with the United Nations the idea of freeing up transport of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz by replicating a deal that gets grain out of Ukraine during wartime. Arriving at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, K»»»

Tokyo: Japan said Monday it was not currently thinking about ordering maritime security operations, after US President Donald Trump called for other countries to send warships to help protect the Strait of Hormuz. "In the current Iran situation, we are not at the moment considering issuing a mariti»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran will continue to resist attack by the US armed forces until US President Donald Trump realizes that the conflict he initiated was a mistake and must never be repeated, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday. "Iran has neither sought a truce nor talks. Such cl»»»

The Sofia Municipality is opening part of the geographic data for Sofia for public use, Mayor Vassil Terziev said in a Facebook post on Monday. The data include orthophoto maps, addresses, green areas, zones for commercial sites and other spatial information. "The more data are brought into the ope»»»

A new campus for the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University (KRSU) is planned for construction on a site of approximately 30 hectares in Baytik aiyl aimak of Alamedin district, Chui region. The Committee of Parliament on Science, Education, Innovative Development, Information Technology, Culture, Sports,»»»

Israel launched fresh strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs late Sunday as Israel's military said it was striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the city following earlier raids mainly in the country's south. A midnight strike, heard in the capital, came after a morning Israel army evacuation warning f»»»

Iraq’s Ministry of Justice warned Sunday that repeated drone attacks near Baghdad International Airport pose a danger to a nearby prison holding high-risk al-Qaeda inmates. In a statement, the ministry said areas around the airport and Airport Prison - also known as Karkh Central Prison near Abu Gh»»»

CAIRO, March 12 (MENA) – Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the State attaches great importance to economic and social development projects, foremost among them the presidential initiative “Hayah Karima” (Decent Life) projects as well as health and educational projects as government investment pl»»»

Direct talks with Iran have proven the most effective way to restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Indian official said, even as calls grow for a multinational naval effort to secure the critical waterway amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The comments came after Donald »»»

Tehran: President Donald Trump urged NATO partners and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical conduit for crude that Iran has effectively closed, as major economic players began releasing oil reserves on Monday to ward off supply disruptions. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to »»»

Hopes for imminent negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have been tempered after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that no talks are expected in the coming days, despite reports suggesting discussions could begin this week on a French-backed plan to end the conflict. France’s Fore»»»

The US-Israeli war on Iran opened with massive strikes on urban centers, the assassination of the country’s supreme leader and his family, and the brutal slaying of more than 160 children at a girls’ elementary school in Minab. As more information about the bombing has come to light, discussion has»»»

Countries that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz “must take care” of securing it, US President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social late on Saturday, adding that Washington “will help – A LOT!” The US and Israel began coordinated strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February, trigg»»»

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Friday, during a visit to Bihor county, that the Government will monitor the development of fuel prices in order to "mitigate, in a certain way, their impact," but stressed that price increases cannot be cancelled.The Prime Minister added that, due to the conflic»»»

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure encourages the growth of US investments in Romania and in the Central and Eastern Europe region, in a favourable context marked by administrative reforms, the accelerated development of infrastructure and progress towards accession to the Organisation fo»»»

Romania is a "firm" promoter of the Strategic Partnership with the United States of America and of the consolidation of the transatlantic relationship, the Minister of National Defense, Radu Miruta said on Friday during the meeting he had with the new U.S. ambassador in Bucharest, Darryl Nirenberg.»»»

Through the 2026 budget we are taking the first decisive step towards exiting the excessive deficit procedure, and by the end of the year we will be on the trajectory agreed with the European Commission, of 6.2% of GDP, the Minister of Finance, Alexandru Nazare, informed on Thursday evening.'At the»»»

The Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, will be in Bucharest on Monday, during which he will meet President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.According to the schedule announced by the Government's Press Office, the OECD»»»

Beirut: Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Lebanon H E Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has participated in the launch of an international appeal aimed at mobilising funding to address the country’s growing humanitarian needs. The appeal was held at the Grand Serail of Beirut (Government Palac»»»

Doha, Qatar: With deep sorrow and grief, the Qatar Press Centre (QPC) mourns the prominent journalist Jamal Rayyan, who passed away yesterday at the age of 73, after a distinguished media career spanning more than five decades, during which he left a lasting mark on the history of Arab television j»»»

Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, said on March 16 that the government is considering measures within its legal constraints to ensure the safety of Japanese-linked vessels and their crews in the Middle East amid the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, Kyodo News reports. »»»

A senior figure in Japan’s ruling party has called for caution over any decision to deploy the Japan Self-Defense Forces to the conflict-hit Middle East to escort vessels and ensure safe passage, according to Kyodo News. T»»»

On March 16, 1802, the U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. 1 of 5 | President George W. Bush watches the graduates throw up their hats at Michie Stadium for the 2006 Graduation Ceremony of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., on May »»»

DOHA: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani held a telephone call with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud. Discussion during the call focused on the developments »»»

Oil prices hovered around $100 a barrel Monday and stocks fluctuated as the Iran war moved into a third week with both sides showing no sign of backing down and diplomats trying to ensure safe passage for tankers through the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Crude shot up in the opening minutes after the U»»»

Hungary’s two leading political blocs, Fidesz and the Tisza Party, held mass rallies on March 15 in a prominent display of power, widely seen as a measure of their capacity to rally voters ahead of the April 12 elections. Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowed to keep Hungary "an island of security and »»»

At Hungary’s March 15 national commemoration, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a speech centered on the country’s security, sovereignty, and the coming election. According to the prime minister, Europe is entering a dangerous period as Brussels prepares for deeper involvement in the war in Ukr»»»

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) - New Beginning parliamentary group will table an amendment that would require the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) to cover the cost of electricity meter accuracy tests amid complaints about high electricity bills since the start of the year,»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar has maintained a robust stockpile of essential food and consumer goods to ensure market stability. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has affirmed that sufficient stock is available in the country to ensure the availability of goods and prevent monopolistic practices. T»»»

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan Erlist Akunbekov visited two dairy enterprises — Belaya Reka and Umut & Co — in Issyk-Ata district of Chui region. The working visit was carried out as part of an assignmen»»»

France's government is bolstering the country's military presence in the Middle East, dispatching its aircraft carrier and other warships, while President Emmanuel Macron engages with key players in the conflict, including Iran, in a bid to position Paris for future diplomatic talks. Macron said th»»»

U.S. President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn after landing in Marine One on Sunday, in Washington, D.C. The President is returning to the White House after spending the weekend at his private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Fla. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo March 16 (UPI) -»»»

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi demands that Israel be "punished for its war crimes" against the Islamic Republic. The bombings of fuel depots in Tehran by Israeli authorities “violate international law and constitute ecocide,” he posted on X. Araghchi warned the attacks could leave lasting»»»

President Donald Trump urged NATO partners and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical conduit for crude that Iran has effectively closed, as major economic players began releasing oil reserves on Monday to ward off supply disruptions. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 perce»»»

Iran is taking steps to prevent anti-establishment protests, with checkpoints appearing across the streets of the capital, internet access restricted, and mass text warnings sent to residents. In Tehran, people have been telling the BBC about new security checkpoints around the city, where they say»»»

US President Donald Trump's call to world powers to send their warships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint received tepid responses on Sunday as Gulf Arab states reported new missile and drone attacks. Iran's foreign minister denied Trump's claim that Tehran wan»»»

As the conflict in the Middle East continues to take a significant toll on the world's oil supply, Nigeria's foreign minister has invited the Gulf countries and oil producers to look at Nigeria as a partner in supplying the global market. Story by Clémence Waller and Gabrielle Nadler.»»»

Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire surged ahead of former culture minister Rachida Dati in the first round of voting for Paris mayor on Sunday as the left bids to extend its 25 years at the helm. But in the capital as in other cities across France, a strong showing by Jean-Luc Mélenchon's F»»»

France holds municipal elections on Sunday – including for the mayor of Paris – less than a year before the 2027 presidential vote, with some candidates looking to use the polls as a springboard for higher office. The votes will be held in two rounds on consecutive Sundays, with the secon»»»

French voters cast ballots in municipal elections marred by low turnout on Sunday, in the last major test of the public mood ahead of next year’s all-important presidential election. The run-up to the vote was largely overshadowed by the Iran war and its fallout, notably th»»»