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»»»

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Florin Barbu, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing on Tuesday on agricultural cooperation between Romania and China, a document that opens up new opportunities for the development of Romania's agri-food sector and the expansion of export»»»

Romania's President Nicusor Dan will have a meeting on Thursday with Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters in Brussels.The two officials will also hold a joint news conference.According to the Presidential Administration, featuring on the»»»

President Nicusor Dan will participate on Thursday and Friday, in Brussels, in the European Council meeting and the Euro Summit in an expanded format.According to the Presidential Administration, the agenda of the meetings includes major topics for the European Union, largely interconnected and ref»»»

Dubai: Public parking fees under the “Mawaqif” system will be free from Thursday, March 19, until Sunday, March 22. Paid parking resumes on Monday, March 23. Truck parking fees at Musaffah M-18 will also be waived during the official holiday. Toll systemThe Q Mobility announced that Darb toll gate »»»

“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. »»»

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),»»»

Colombo: Sri Lanka has urged electric vehicle owners to stop charging their cars at night, saying the surge in demand is forcing the country to burn more coal and diesel to keep the power grid running. In an address to the nation, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said electric cars were adding an»»»

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»»»

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»»»

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, has offered condolences on the passing of Palestinian national Alaa Nader Awni Mushtaha, who passed away following blatant Iranian aggressions on the UAE. »»»

A Chinese university is urging students to "enjoy the flowers, fall in love" during their mid-term break, an unusual directive in a nation obsessed with getting good grades, as authorities seek new ways to spur marriages and domestic consumption. "See the flowers and enjoy romance" is the theme for»»»

Chinese scientists claim to have created the long theorized hexagonal diamond, stronger than the real thing, and only found until now at sites of meteorite impacts. The commonly found cubic diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth and is used widely as jewellery, precision cutting tools, and high-pe»»»

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»»»

US President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday at "foolish" NATO over Iran, saying the United States needs no help after allies rebuffed his calls to join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. FRANCE 24's international affairs editor Kethevane Gorjestani explains.»»»

In the predominantly Druze city of Aley, located on Mount Lebanon, authorities scrupulously check the identity documents of the many displaced who seek refuge there. They hope the measures will reassure a population fearful of inciting Israeli strikes over the potential presence of Hezbollah milita»»»

Dozens of people were killed and injured on Wednesday when Israel carried out several strikes on apartments in Beirut. After issuing an evacuation warning, an Israeli airstrike struck an apartment building in Bashoura, central Beirut, completely flattening it as day broke. Two earlier strikes on re»»»

Doha, Qatar: The General Directorate of Endowments at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has received a series of new charitable contributions amounting to QR392,650 in support of the “Relief of Distress” endowment fund. The donations, made by a number of benefactors, will be managed under t»»»

Doha, Qatar: Higher Education President and Education Advisor at Qatar Foundation (QF) Francisco Marmolejo affirmed that the Education City universities have adopted a range of innovative mechanisms and solutions to ensure the continued student engagement in virtual learning environments, commendin»»»

A Nvidia-backed US startup and a Korean conglomerate announced plans on Tuesday to build an artificial intelligence data center that will reportedly be the largest in South Korea. The Trump administration hailed the deal as a win for its AI export program as it races against China for dominance in »»»

As experiential tourism gains momentum worldwide, regions that offer authentic cultural landscapes and meaningful engagement with local communities are increasingly capturing the attention of international travelers. Colinele Transilvaniei / the Transylvanian Highlands have emerged as one of Romani»»»

Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to110.60 points in February 2026, marking an increase of 0.64% compared to January 2026 and a year-on-year rise of 2.51% compared with February 2025. The index, which measures inflation, comprises 12 main groups covering 737 goods and services. I»»»

Congo-Brazzaville’s incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected for a fifth term in a landslide win, provisional results showed Tuesday. Sassou Nguesso, 82, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, and has been at the helm for a total of 42 years. The main opposition boycotted t»»»

France’s first round of mayoral elections has exposed a deeply fragmented political landscape, with strong performances from both the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) and the far-right National Rally (RN) complicating traditional alliances. As candidates gear up for next Sunday’s runoffs, negoti»»»

The Taliban government in Afghanistan on Monday accused Pakistan’s military of targeting a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul in airstrikes that they say killed 200 people and wounded several others. Pakistan rejected the accusation, saying it had targeted "military installations". The»»»

Abu Ali al-Askari, whose death was recently announced by Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah, may not have been a single man, but a full diplomatic apparatus representing Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in Baghdad. Most likely, Askari, a covert account on X, functioned as a banner for a group rotating the role of »»»

The caretaker government will discuss draft decisions on appointing chairs of several consultative bodies to the Council of Ministers, the government press service said on Wednesday. The bodies include the Council for Economic Analyses, the National Council for Prevention and Protection from Domest»»»

Caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov will open the Nature, Hunting, Fishing international exhibition and the Colourful Spring specialized exhibition at International Fair Plovdiv, organizers said on Wednesday. A press conference held ahead of the official opening will also feat»»»

Israel’s Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Tuesday that Palestinian figures linked to Iran had been killed “inside a safe house they had taken refuge in,” while Israeli military correspondents, citing sources, said the targets were two senior leaders in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The sources id»»»

Oil price benchmarks pulled back sharply on profit-taking and short-term supply optimism, yet prices remain structurally elevated — Brent above $100, Murban holding a premium near $111, and WTI still in the low $90s. As of Wednesday (5.28am GMT, March 18, 2026): WTI crude surged to $93.09 (down $3.»»»

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 »»»

A leading name in the Taiwanese solar sector, TSEC has seen its valuation on the Taiwanese exchange skyrocket in recent months. As such, Newsbase’s AsiaElec sat down with Assistant Vice President in the Global Sales Department – Keiji Yasukawa – earlier in the month, at the firm’s Taipei HQ to ask »»»

A leading name in the Taiwanese solar sector, TSEC has seen its valuation on the Taiwanese exchange skyrocket in recent months. As such, Newsbase’s AsiaElec sat down with Assistant Vice President in the Global Sales Department – Keiji Yasukawa – earlier in the month, at the firm’s Taipei HQ to ask »»»

India's government has denied reports claiming that Iran has asked for the release of three tankers seized by Indian authorities in February 2026 in exchange for guaranteeing safe passage to Indian flagged vessels through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by All India Rad»»»

A leading name in the Taiwanese solar sector, TSEC has seen its valuation on the Taiwanese exchange skyrocket in recent months. As such, Newsbase’s AsiaElec sat down with Assistant Vice President in the Global Sales Department – Keiji Yasukawa – earlier in the month, at the firm’s Taipei HQ to ask »»»

Thousands of Chinese companies have supplied goods to Russian firms linked to the country’s defence sector, highlighting Beijing’s central role in sustaining Moscow’s war effort despite its claims of neutrality, reported Newsweek. »»»

Colombia and Ecuador were plunged into a fresh diplomatic crisis after President Gustavo Petro accused Quito of conducting aerial bombings on Colombian soil, claiming security forces discovered the charred remains of 27 people near the border, an allegation flatly rejected by Ecuadorean President D»»»

Colombia and Ecuador were plunged into a fresh diplomatic crisis after President Gustavo Petro accused Quito of conducting aerial bombings on Colombian soil, claiming security forces discovered the charred remains of 27 people near the border, an allegation flatly rejected by Ecuadorean President D»»»

Colombia and Ecuador were plunged into a fresh diplomatic crisis after President Gustavo Petro accused Quito of conducting aerial bombings on Colombian soil, claiming security forces discovered the charred remains of 27 people near the border, an allegation flatly rejected by Ecuadorean President D»»»