Asia

No Comment

Iranian TV shows man rescued from South Khorasan rubble

Red Crescent teams rescue survivors in South Khorasan after reported US-Israeli strikes, as Iran counts rising civilian toll and mounting destruction.

19/03/2026

Europe Today

Europe must end diplomacy in Iran, says Israeli UN ambassador

Israel has called for an end to European diplomacy in Iran, urging a firmer hand alongside the US to force regime change in Tehran as the conflict rages on.

19/03/2026

Business

Strikes on Gulf energy hubs threaten global LNG supply for months

Strikes on key Gulf energy sites are becoming more frequent and more damaging, beginning to unsettle supply and expose vulnerabilities across the region.

19/03/2026

Iran

Iran hangs teenage champion wrestler as part of group execution

Rights groups said the trio, who included a teenager who had taken part in international wrestling competitions, were executed without a fair trial and had given confessions under torture.

19/03/2026

Culture news

What the new Centre for Islamic Civilization offers to visitors

The complex brings together manuscripts, research facilities and interactive exhibitions, offering public access to Islamic heritage through education, technology and international collaboration.

19/03/2026

No Comment

Iran: Mass funeral in Tehran for Larijani and other officials killed in strikes

Thousands gathered at Enghelab Square in Tehran on 18 March for the funeral procession of national security chief Ali Larijani, Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani and dozens of sailors killed in recent strikes.

19/03/2026

Iran

Trump says he is 'not putting troops' in Iran as war continues

His comments come after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that "we're very much on track" and that President Donald Trump would be the one to decide when to stop the war.

19/03/2026

No Comment

Pakistan: Karachi thunderstorm kills at least 16 as powerful winds wreak havoc

A thunderstorm with strong winds hit Karachi overnight on Wednesday, killing at least 16 people, according to local rescue services.

19/03/2026

No Comment

Iran missile strike hits Tel Aviv area as deaths mount across region

Iranian missile fire damaged a Tel Aviv residential block and hit multiple sites nearby, as soaring violence across the region has killed over 2,000 people.

19/03/2026

Iran

Trump threatens to 'entirely blow up' Iran's South Pars gas field

Trump has vowed to “blow up the entirety” of Iran’s South Pars gas field if Tehran moves to attack Qatari gas fields again. The warning comes after Iran, in response to an Israeli attack on its gas field, struck Qatar’s largest Ras Laffan facility, sparking global outrage.

19/03/2026

Iran

Iranians celebrate their New Year's Eve despite war and censure

On the evening of March 17, the last Wednesday of the year before Nowruz, Iranians in various cities celebrated the long-standing tradition of Chaharshanbe Suri by jumping over fires and enjoying festivities, despite the war and the painful memory of the January massacres fresh in their minds.

18/03/2026

Japan

Rattled by Trump, Japan seeks closer ties with Europe

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets US President Donald Trump this Thursday in Washington. A long-planned visit upended by the Iran war. It's a tricky moment for the Japanese leader who needs to balance Trump's unpredictability with Tokyo's security needs.

18/03/2026

Iran

Watch: Gunshots scatter crowd during Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations in Tehran

Social media footage posted March 17 shows crowds celebrating Chaharshanbe Suri in Tehran’s Chitgar district fleeing as gunshots ring out. Separate images appear to show Basij forces moving in to disperse gatherings during the fire festival.

18/03/2026

Cult

How DJs and producers connect local and global sounds in this capital

In partnership with Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan

In Baku, artists and DJs say electronic music is being developed as a platform for cultural exchange, collaboration and youth expression, connecting local performers with international acts and audiences.

18/03/2026

East-West Connect

A rising destination for medical tourism

In partnership with MDQ

Kazakhstan is positioning itself as Central Asia’s medical tourism hub. The country attracted about 80,000 foreign patients last year and aims to increase that to 300,000 annually. Among the attractions is Astana’s National Research Oncology Center, which hosts the region’s only proton therapy unit.

18/03/2026

Iran

What Iran’s Strait of Hormuz strategy reveals about its war goals

Attacks on ships in Hormuz and strikes across the region expose Tehran's strategy of gradual escalation and long war, testing US, Israeli and Gulf resolve.

18/03/2026

Iran

The handful of marine choke points holding Europe's economy hostage

From the Persian Gulf to the English Channel, a small number of narrow waterways carry the vast bulk of what Europeans eat, buy, and heat their homes with. When one of them is threatened the consequences ripple everywhere.

18/03/2026

Business

China treads carefully on energy interests in Iran war

The Iran war is disrupting global energy flows and increasing the risk of wider regional escalation, leaving major economies such as China walking a tightrope.

18/03/2026

Iran

UN maritime body starts emergency talks on Middle East shipping

At least 21 ships have been hit, targeted or reported attacks since the start of the conflict, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations, a naval monitor.

18/03/2026

No Comment

China: Beijing AI and robotics expo highlights healthcare-focused smart robots

Beijing’s International AI Application and Robotics Innovation Exhibition opened on 18 March at the China International Exhibition Center, bringing together companies, researchers and investors.

18/03/2026

The Cube

Netanyahu denies death rumours in video falsely branded AI

Since the US and Israel began their military campaign against Iran on 28 February, Iranian state media and pro-regime accounts have pushed fake news about the death of Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political figures.

18/03/2026

No Comment

Iran: Rescuers search Tehran rubble after US-Israeli strikes kill senior figures

Footage released on 18 March by the Iranian Red Crescent shows rescuers searching through rubble in the Resalat district of east Tehran after a residential building was destroyed in strikes on 17 March.

18/03/2026

Business

New Almalyk Mining copper plant reaches 60m tonne capacity

The facility is expected to raise daily copper concentrate output and expand processing capacity.

18/03/2026

Business

Tankers still cross Strait of Hormuz as Iran controls who gets through

Dozens of ships are still navigating the Strait of Hormuz as Iran keeps oil flowing, despite continued attacks aimed at one of the world’s most critical trade routes.

18/03/2026

Qatar

Iran war enters dangerous phase as regime shows resilience

Iran’s leadership is under pressure but the system is built to endure, says Middle East expert Professor Mehran Kamrava, warning the conflict could become a long and grinding war.

18/03/2026

Iran

Iran vows to retaliate as Israel continues targeting leadership

Israel killed another top Iranian official in its campaign against Iran's leadership, and reportedly attacked an Iranian offshore natural gas field Wednesday amid the war's escalating pressure on the region’s economic lifeblood: energy.

18/03/2026