The closure of airspace over the southern half of Azerbaijan is putting additional pressure on airlines scrambling to respond to disruptions caused by the conflict in the Gulf. This region typically serves as a significant hub for the global airline industry, but flight traffic has been severely disrupted in recent times.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has evolved into a high-tech conflict, marked by swarms of spy and killer drones buzzing in the skies and uncrewed boats crippling the Russian navy in the Black Sea. Now, Ukraine has embarked on a massive program to deploy armed robots on the ground, signaling a new phase in modern warfare.
The United States and Venezuela have agreed to re-establish formal diplomatic and consular relations, with both sides pledging joint efforts to promote stability, support economic recovery, and advance political reconciliation. This agreement comes against the backdrop of improving ties since US military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a surprise raid in January, a move that has drawn international scrutiny and raised questions about sovereignty and intervention.
Armed men attacked the remote village of Ngoshe in Nigeria's Borno state on Wednesday, resulting in “massive” civilian casualties, though the precise death toll remains unconfirmed. Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume told the BBC that based on information from local government officials and residents, the number of people killed is “very massive,” highlighting the severity of the assault in this predominantly Muslim community.
According to the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global economic growth in 2024 is expected to slow compared to 2023. Estimates suggest growth may decline from 3.2% to 3.1%, indicating a weakening of the world economy.
The Cuban government has announced a fifth fatality resulting from a fatal shootout last month involving a Florida-flagged speedboat off the island's north coast. In a statement released late Thursday, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that Roberto Alvarez Avila died on March 4 due to injuries sustained in the incident, bringing the total death toll to five.
The military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran poses a severe threat to the global economy, primarily through the risk of a sharp spike in energy prices. The Iranian government's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on key energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia have paralyzed a substantial portion of the world's energy supply. The global economy, already rattled by US President Donald Trump's tariff policies and what many see as his unravelling of the post-World War II order, now heavily depends on the duration of these disruptions.
The Cuban government has closed its embassy in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito after being given a 48-hour deadline to withdraw its diplomatic personnel. In a communique published on Friday, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) criticized the ultimatum as unfair and denounced the expulsion decision, stating it "undermines the spirit of respect and cooperation that has historically characterized bilateral relations between the two countries."
The La Liga match between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona is set for Saturday, March 7, at 9:00 PM local time (20:00 GMT) at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has expressed confidence that his team will not be derailed by injuries as they aim to secure a victory over Athletic Bilbao to restore their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the league table. Their fierce rivals closed the gap with a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo, thanks to a late goal by Federico Valverde, making this match a critical opportunity for Barcelona to maintain their advantage in the title race.
The Israeli military announced it has begun a "broad-scale wave of strikes" on Iran's capital, Tehran. These attacks came after Iran fired missiles at Israel. Iranian state media subsequently reported an explosion in western Tehran following the Israeli announcement, as the conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran enters its second week.
Early returns from Nepal's general elections indicate a potential landslide victory for the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), signaling a dramatic shift in the Himalayan nation's political landscape. According to the Election Commission, RSP has secured three of parliament's 165 open seats and is decisively leading in races for 110 more. If this trend holds, the party could capture a nearly two-thirds majority in Nepal's 275-member parliament, marking a significant departure from establishment politics.
Qatar has partially reopened its airspace after Iranian missile and drone strikes forced the country to ground all flights. This move marks a cautious first step towards restoring air links to one of the Gulf's most important aviation hubs, but it falls well short of a return to normality, with scheduled commercial flights to and from Doha remaining suspended until further notice.