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.
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.
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.
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.
Galle, Sri Lanka (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - A second Iranian warship was heading towards Sri Lanka's territorial waters Thursday, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 84 sailors, a minister told parliament.
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.
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.
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.
Beijing (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - China announced a seven percent boost to its defence budget for 2026 on Thursday as it steadily increases spending to counter the United States and enforce its claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
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.
Tokyo (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - A Japanese startup's third attempt to put a satellite in orbit failed on Thursday after its rocket spiralled back to Earth shortly after take-off.
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 - 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.
London (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - Britain's defence minister John Healey arrived in Cyprus Thursday, following a drone strike on a UK air base on the Mediterranean island.
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.
Geneva (AFP) Mar 5, 2026 - The Swiss are expected to snub a call to create a multi-billion-dollar climate fund, aimed at combating global warming and addressing its consequences, with polls indicating voters deem the ambitious project too costly.
