Oil prices dipped and equities rose on Monday as investors focused on the crucial Strait of Hormuz and the head of the IEA said more crude could be released on the market if necessary.
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.
Draped in garlands, Bhumika Shrestha on Monday became Nepal's first transgender woman lawmaker, marking a proud milestone for the marginalised community in the Himalayan nation.
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Economy
Family, friends, and locals in the small Irish town of Killarney were bursting with pride Monday after homegirl Jessie Buckley became the first Irishwoman to win a best actress Oscar.
March 16, 2026
RECENT NEWS
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.
March 16, 2026
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.
March 16, 2026
The idea sounds simple: tap trillions of euros of EU citizens' savings to unlock capital for European companies through a more integrated financial market.
March 16, 2026
Sports
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
RECENT NEWS
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.
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.
March 16, 2026
Politics
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
RECENT NEWS
Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn on Monday said it expected the booming market for artificial intelligence servers to drive growth this year, despite volatility caused by global conflict.
Indonesian police are hunting for four people wanted for an acid attack that maimed an activist critical of the military's growing role in government, an official said Monday.
Iranian activist Farhad Sheikhi fights back tears as he recalls the crack of gunfire and his fellow protesters falling under a hail of bullets. Now, having fled to Iraq, he watches from afar as American and Israeli strikes pound his country.
Oil prices rose further above $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.
March 16, 2026
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