Beirut, Lebanon (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Israeli strikes killed eight people in Lebanon on Thursday as Israel renewed its evacuation call for vast areas of the country's south, long a stronghold of Hezbollah.
Paris, France (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Iran's internet is still 'around 1 percent of ordinary levels', monitor Netblocks said on Thursday, leaving most Iranians struggling to access independent news or communicate with the outside world.
Beijing (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - China has told its largest oil refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing unidentified sources, as the war in the Middle East risks an energy supply crunch.
Tehran (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Israel on Thursday launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, which stepped up its attacks on Gulf nations Qatar and Bahrain, as the Middle East war spread throughout the region and beyond.
Beijing (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - China has expressed its anger over Israeli-US strikes on Iran but, despite hits to its oil imports, will not risk its interests by confronting Washington and helping its long-standing partner, analysts say.
Baku (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Azerbaijan said it was preparing to retaliate after two people were wounded on Thursday in Iranian drone hits on an airport and near a school.
Taipei (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Taiwan's main opposition party said Thursday it will back more than $11 billion in special funding for US weapons purchases and left the door open to more acquisitions, but insisted it will not write a 'blank cheque' for the government.
Washington, United States (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - When the United States fought the 1991 Gulf War, president George H.W. Bush boasted of building a broad coalition unseen in decades. When his son attacked Iraq in 2003, he faced wide criticism but secured several steadfast US allies.
Athens (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Greek ships were confined to port on Thursday, the coastguard confirmed, as workers staged a 24-hour strike in support of crews stranded in the Gulf by the Middle East war.
Abu Dhabi (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Debris from a drone injured six people in an industrial zone of the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi on Thursday, while Dubai, Doha and Manama were subjected to missile attacks as Iran pressed on with a retaliation campaign.
Zurich (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - The European Union and Switzerland agreed Thursday to strengthen their cooperation on foreign policy, security and defence, at a time of soaring geopolitical tensions.
Brussels, Belgium (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday the bloc was looking to help Gulf nations fend off Iranian drone strikes, but warned supplies of relevant kit might be limited.
Tehran (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Fresh blasts were reported in Iran's capital on Thursday as Tehran said it had targeted Kurdish groups in Iraq and warned 'separatist groups' against action in the widening war.
Rome (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Italy will send air-defence assistance to Gulf countries hit by Iranian strikes launched in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Thursday.
Brussels, Belgium (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - A group representing Chinese companies slammed an EU plan to bolster the bloc's industries against fierce competition from China on Thursday, labelling it a shift towards protectionism that could affect trade cooperation between the two giants.
Istanbul (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by NATO air defence systems, Turkish officials said Wednesday.
