Long queues formed at petrol stations across the Laotian capital Vientiane on Monday as fuel shortages deepened, with the ripples of the Middle East conflict reverberating across landlocked Laos.
France warned Monday it could block the disbursement of climate funds to India under a recent trade deal with the EU if New Delhi does not up its game in fighting global warming.
With assault rifles, daggers and posters of Iran's late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waving in the air as tens of thousands chant "death to America, death to Israel", there's little mistaking where the loyalties of Yemen's Houthis lie.
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Politics
The surge of drone use in conflicts worldwide, seen most vividly in the Ukraine and Middle East wars, will accelerate the race to develop high-power laser systems that could down the devices far more cheaply than traditional defensive weapons.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Italian bank UniCredit on Monday made a 35-billion-euro ($40 billion) takeover offer for Commerzbank, sparking fury from Berlin and a defiant vow from the German lender to defend its independence.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Oil prices eased on Monday as investors balanced hopes for the crucial Strait of Hormuz reopening with concerns over further attacks on energy infrastructure.
March 16, 2026
The race for Paris mayor looked uncertain Monday as a right-wing former minister hoping to wrest control of the French capital from the left claimed she had gained key support for a second-round run-off.
March 16, 2026
Danes are accustomed to seeing their politicians hand out biscuits or flowers on the campaign trail, but ahead of elections next week, some candidates are stripping down to stump in saunas.
March 16, 2026
Politics
Drone debris crashed onto the historic Maidan square in central Kyiv early Monday as explosions echoed out during a rare daytime Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital, AFP journalists reported.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Iran said it was ready to take the Middle East war "as far as necessary" as it launched strikes across the region Monday, while Donald Trump piled pressure on world powers to help reopen a shipping lane choked off by the Islamic republic.
Azerbaijan on Monday sentenced a Frenchman to 10 years in prison in an espionage case launched during a period of diplomatic tensions between Paris and Baku that have now eased.
The idea sounds simple: tap trillions of euros of EU citizens' savings to unlock capital for European companies through a more integrated financial market.
Pole vault king Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis says he is raring to return to the site of his first world record this week, just days after raising the bar to a whopping 6.31 metres.
March 16, 2026
Economy
Italian bank UniCredit on Monday made a 35-billion-euro ($40 billion) takeover offer for Commerzbank, a move likely to provoke fierce resistance from the German lender and the government in Berlin.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Beijing said on Monday it is in talks with Washington over an expected visit by US President Donald Trump, who has pressured NATO allies including China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices jumped further above $100 Monday and Asian stocks mostly fell 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.
Explosions rang out over the Ukrainian capital on Monday and AFP journalists witnessed air defence batteries fending off a barrage of Russian projectiles during a rare daytime attack on Kyiv.
Israel said Monday it had launched ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon while US President Donald Trump piled pressure on world powers to help reopen the vital shipping lane choked off by Iranian attacks.
March 16, 2026
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