International

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2026 - 13:10 UTC

  Trump hits out at Starmer over Iran strikes, says the US-UK “special relationship” has weakened

  

  Donald Trump criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for refusing to take part in strikes against Iran and said the long-standing US-UK “special relationship” is “not what it was,” in remarks carried by Britain’s The Sun and reported by Reuters.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2026 - 13:06 UTC

  Uruguay activates Mercosur–Singapore FTA on a bilateral basis, opening preferential access to Southeast Asia

  

  The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Mercosur and Singapore entered into force on a bilateral basis between Uruguay and the city-state on 1 March 2026, after both sides completed domestic procedures and deposited their instruments of ratification, according to a joint statement.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2026 - 12:45 UTC

  France and Greece dispatch warships to Cyprus after Iranian attack on UK base

  

  France will deploy anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus and send a frigate after drones struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri air base on the island, citing Cyprus’ state-run CNA news agency and a Cypriot government source. The move comes amid a fast-moving regional escalation tied to fighting involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2026 - 02:42 UTC

  Haddad says Iran conflict should not immediately hit Brazil’s economy

  

  Brazil’s Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Monday that U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran should not have an immediate impact on Brazil’s macroeconomic indicators, while cautioning that the conflict’s trajectory remains hard to predict and is being monitored “carefully” by his ministry.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2026 - 01:53 UTC

  France to boost nuclear arsenal and extend “advanced deterrence” to European partners

  

  President Emmanuel Macron said France will increase the size of its nuclear arsenal and roll out a new “advanced deterrence” doctrine that would involve a group of European partners more directly in exercises, deployments and supporting capabilities—moves Paris framed as a response to a more unstable strategic environment.

• Monday, March 2nd 2026 - 21:16 UTC

  Revolutionary Guard say Strait of Hormuz is “closed”

  

  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Monday the Strait of Hormuz is now “closed” and threatened to attack any vessel attempting to transit, in the most explicit warning yet against the Gulf’s main maritime chokepoint. A Guards commander said they would set any ship “ablaze” if it tried to pass, according to remarks carried by Reuters.

• Monday, March 2nd 2026 - 12:38 UTC

  Oil jumps and shares fall as Iran warnings chill Strait of Hormuz traffic and shipping reroutes spread

  

  Global oil prices rose sharply on Monday and European equities fell as the regional conflict intensified, following attacks on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian warnings to shipping in a chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade moves.

• Monday, March 2nd 2026 - 12:27 UTC

  Iran hits UK’s RAF Akrotiri base in EU-member Cyprus after Starmer announces support for US

  

  An Iranian-made drone struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus overnight, causing no casualties and only limited damage, in an incident that brought the Middle East conflict directly onto European Union territory. British authorities raised force-protection measures and ordered non-essential personnel to leave and disperse, while the base continued operating, according to official information reported by Reuters.

• Monday, March 2nd 2026 - 04:46 UTC

  Israel launches new wave of strikes “in the heart of Tehran” as Iran replies with missiles and drones

  

  Israel announced early Monday a new wave of airstrikes on targets in Tehran, as part of a U.S.-Israeli campaign that began on Saturday and has triggered a wider regional escalation involving cross-border attacks and strikes on U.S. forces and partners across the Gulf.

• Monday, March 2nd 2026 - 02:12 UTC

  Hezbollah fires first cross-border projectiles since 2024 ceasefire as Israel strikes Lebanon

  

  Hezbollah launched three projectiles toward northern Israel early Monday, describing the attack as retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Israeli airstrikes on multiple locations across Lebanon, including the Beirut area, according to official statements and news reports.