Iran will "boycott the United States" but "not the World Cup", Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj said in a video released by the Iranian press agency Fars.
Tokyo's meteorologists declared the start of the much-loved cherry blossom season in the Japanese capital on Thursday, as residents prepare to host outdoor picnics under dazzling floral displays.
Energy prices soared Thursday and stocks sank as Iran attacked several Gulf energy facilities and warned of more in retaliation for a strike on one of its key gas fields.
- Iran causes 'extensive' damage to Qatar gas hub, sparks Trump warning
- Baby monkey Punch acclimatising, making new friends at Japan zoo
Economy
China's snaggle-toothed Labubu dolls will soon come alive on the big screen after flying off the toy shelves, with maker Pop Mart announcing a collaboration with Sony Pictures.
March 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Thailand's new parliament elects Anutin as PM
Politics
March 19, 2026
A wild possum joined stuffed furry friends in an Australian airport gift shop this week, surprising travellers in an adorable case of hide and squeak.
March 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Iranian missile attacks have killed three Palestinian women in the occupied West Bank and a foreign worker in central Israel, medics said Thursday.
March 19, 2026
Athletes at the Asian Games in Japan will have "a unique experience" staying on a cruise ship and in wooden containers, an organising official told AFP six months out from the event, but acknowledged there were concerns about the plan.
March 19, 2026
Qatar's main gas facility has suffered extensive damage after several rounds of Iranian strikes, causing new energy supply fears as the Middle East war grinds on.
March 19, 2026
Politics
Leaders of Samoa and Tonga appealed for help this week as the import-reliant Pacific nations raised fears over possible fuel shortages and escalating costs caused by war in the Middle East.
March 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Armand Duplantis and Keely Hodgkinson headline the world indoor athletics championships that kick off in Torun, Poland, on Friday.
Oil surged more than five percent Thursday and stocks sank as Iran carried out a series of attacks on Gulf energy facilities and warned of more following a strike on one of its key gas fields, while warnings of higher US inflation also soured the mood.
EU leaders converge on Brussels Thursday hoping to unlock a massive loan for Kyiv, with the much-needed funding ensnared in a standoff between Hungary's Viktor Orban and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.
The energy shock unleashed by the Middle East war will top the agenda at Thursday's European Central Bank meeting, as fears grow of a major hit to the eurozone economy.
March 19, 2026
Sports
Clark Laidlaw extended his coaching contract with New Zealand's Wellington Hurricanes into a fourth year Thursday with the Scot saying, "there's loads to develop".
March 19, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi bagged the 900th goal of his glittering career on Wednesday but could not prevent Inter Miami from crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on away goals after a 1-1 draw with Nashville.
Japan coach Nils Nielsen insists hosts Australia will be "massive favourites" in Saturday's Women's Asian Cup final, but his team's near-flawless progress to the title match suggests otherwise.
Iran targeted energy facilities across the Gulf and threatened further destructive attacks after a key gas field was hit, raising fears Thursday of a wider assault on fuel supplies that could jolt already rattled global markets.
The late American film star Val Kilmer could soon be "acting" on the big screen again after allowing a director to use AI tools to produce his likeness for an upcoming film, media reports said Wednesday.
March 19, 2026
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- Messi scores 900th career goal in Inter Miami cup clash
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