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.
- Record breaker Duplantis ready for return to 'special' Torun
- Italian bank UniCredit makes bid for Germany's Commerzbank
Politics
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.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
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.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Netflix's smash hit "KPop Demon Hunters" -- a tale of good and evil incorporating traditional Korean mythology and set to a thumping soundtrack -- on Sunday won the Oscar for best animated feature.
March 16, 2026
Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another" -- a wild tale of leftist revolutionaries, white supremacists and immigrant detention centers -- felt to many filmgoers like it offered a window on modern America.
March 16, 2026
South Korean fans and media basked in the success of "KPop Demon Hunters" on Monday after the film clinched two Oscars and added to the country's growing pantheon of cultural hits.
March 16, 2026
Economy
"One Battle After Another" triumphed at the Oscars on Sunday, winning six awards, including the coveted best picture statuette, besting "Sinners" in a thrilling finale to one of the most competitive awards seasons in recent years.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
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.
Andy Farrell will "not be happy" that Ireland finished runners-up in the Six Nations, but he will be satisfied at the depth he has built with the Rugby World Cup looming next year, former Irish prop Mike Ross told AFP.
As a Six Nations tournament widely lauded as the greatest ever came to a close on Saturday, the teams were left to reflect not only on the entertainment, but also on the issues they need to fix with the Rugby World Cup less than 18 months away.
Ryan Coogler launched his career with an indie look at police brutality in America. He moved on to transform the Marvel universe culture with his blockbuster "Black Panther" films.
March 16, 2026
Sports
Kings of the league phase, England's six Champions League sides were made to look like paupers in the first legs of the last 16 as they failed to muster a win between them.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Irish actress Jessie Buckley capped her spectacular rise to Hollywood stardom on Sunday, winning a best actress Oscar for her searing portrait of motherhood and love undone by loss in "Hamnet"
Director Paul Thomas Anderson has often been on the outside looking in during an eclectic career of boundary-pushing filmmaking, but he received the ultimate insider's accolade Sunday -- the Oscar for best director of his acclaimed "One Battle After Another."
Michael B. Jordan on Sunday won the best actor Oscar for playing twins confronted with pure evil in vampire race fable "Sinners" -- tortured fighters typical of the roles director Ryan Coogler has repeatedly created for him.
Twenty Thai crew members of a cargo ship that was attacked in the crucial Strait of Hormuz arrived in Thailand on Monday, with three of their colleagues still stranded on the vessel in the Gulf.
March 16, 2026
- Norway's Oscar winner 'Sentimental Value': a failing father seeks redemption
- Races off, Mercedes dominance, McLaren woe: China GP talking points
- Indonesia firms in palm oil fraud probe supplied fuel majors
- Sean Penn: Hollywood's rebel with a cause wins third Oscar
- Trump pressures NATO, China over Iran's closure of key waterway
- It's 'Sinners' vs 'One Battle' as the Oscars begin
- Sinner tops Medvedev to win first Indian Wells title
- 'KPop Demon Hunters' wins Oscar for best animated feature