International

• Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 00:43 UTC

  New fees for UK passport applications effective next 8 April

  

  The UK government will introduce new fees for passport applications on 8 April 2026. The proposals, which are subject to approval by Parliament, will include the following: 

• Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 23:10 UTC

  Brazil promulgates Mercosur-EU deal, completing domestic ratification of trade pact

  

  Brazil’s Congress on Tuesday promulgated the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, completing the final domestic step required for the treaty to take effect on the Brazilian side. The ceremony was led by Senate and Congress President Davi Alcolumbre, who framed the pact as a sign in favor of trade, stability and integration at a time of wars and commercial tensions.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 22:21 UTC

  Attack on world’s largest gas field raises tensions and jolts markets

  

  The war involving Iran, Israel and the United States escalated sharply on Wednesday with a strike on South Pars, the Iranian side of the world’s largest natural gas field, which it shares with Qatar. Reuters reported that the hit on the site marked a new phase in the conflict by targeting major Iranian energy infrastructure for the first time in this war, and was followed by Iranian threats and attacks against energy targets across the Gulf.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2026 - 00:12 UTC

  Malaysia in the March 2026 International Window: Match Preview and Result Forecast

  

  Hopping into Hanoi come March 31, Malaysia eyes first place in the race for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Coming off a perfect run through 2025, the team led by Peter Cklamovski now meets its toughest hurdle yet - Vietnam, steady and unyielding. Will the Harimau Malaya hold firm without dropping a match, even when tension spikes? An inside look at how tactics might tilt the balance follows.

• Tuesday, March 17th 2026 - 23:31 UTC

  Argentina officially withdraws from the WHO: How will this affect the country?

  

  Argentina formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization on March 17, a move announced by Javier Milei’s government a year ago and now confirmed by Secretary for International Economic Relations Pablo Quirno. In his statement, Quirno said the country would continue promoting health cooperation through bilateral and regional channels while fully safeguarding its sovereignty over public health policy.

• Tuesday, March 17th 2026 - 23:01 UTC

  Games of Chance Through the Ages: Why the Thrill of the Game Never Fades

  

  Few forms of entertainment have managed to hold public fascination for as long as casinos. From elegant gaming halls filled with card tables and roulette wheels to modern digital platforms accessible around the world, casinos continue to attract people seeking excitement, strategy and the unpredictable nature of chance. The concept may have evolved over time, but the core appeal remains the same: the anticipation that builds with every card dealt or wheel spun.

• Tuesday, March 17th 2026 - 22:31 UTC

  US counterterrorism chief resigns over Iran war

  

  Joe Kent, director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, resigned on Tuesday with immediate effect, saying he could not support Washington’s war against Iran in what became the first high-level public break inside Donald Trump’s national security apparatus since the offensive began. Kent said Tehran had posed no “imminent threat” to the United States.

• Tuesday, March 17th 2026 - 22:15 UTC

  Trump sharpens criticism of NATO after allies refuse to join Hormuz mission

  

  U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of NATO and other allies on Tuesday after most of them rejected his request to send ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway for Gulf energy exports. Speaking alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump called the refusal “a very foolish mistake” while also insisting Washington could proceed alone: “We don’t need help, actually.”

• Tuesday, March 17th 2026 - 10:00 UTC

  Saudi Arabia diverts more crude to the Red Sea to bypass Hormuz, but alternative capacity remains limited

  

  Saudi Arabia is stepping up the use of its pipeline network to the Red Sea to keep crude exports moving while the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily disrupted by the war with Iran. The key route is the Abqaiq-Yanbu system, also known as the East-West Pipeline or Petroline, which links Gulf oil fields with the Yanbu terminal on the Red Sea. That infrastructure has become the kingdom’s main escape route around Hormuz, the chokepoint that normally carries about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supply.

• Monday, March 16th 2026 - 16:14 UTC

  Germany rejects sending ships to Hormuz as the EU seeks a diplomatic and logistical way forward

  

  Germany on Monday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s request for allies to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help reopen the shipping route. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius questioned what “a handful” of European frigates could do that the U.S. Navy could not already do, and summed up Berlin’s position bluntly: “This is not our war.” Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson added that the conflict “is not NATO’s war” and that Germany had no plans to be drawn into it.