EU summit to focus on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine

19/03/2026 10:28 France 24

European Union leaders are holding a summit in Brussels on Thursday for talks on the Iran war, energy prices, migration and an enormous loan for war-ravaged Ukraine being held up by Hungary. Many of those leaders have deflected entreaties by US President Donald Trump to send military assets to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the global flow of oil, gas and fertilizer. FRANCE 24's Dave Keating reports from Brussels.

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Iran: Saudi Arabia warns of 'military action' over repeated attacks

Saudi Arabia warned that it had 'reserved the right to take 'military actions' over #Iran's repeated attacks on the kingdom, as fresh trikes hit Riyadh during a summit of regional foreign ministers. The comment marks a turn in the #Gulf's reaction to Iran's strikes on its neighbours since the start...

19/03/2026 11:18 France 24

Iran women's football team return after asylum tussle

The Iranian women's football team, whose plight has become embroiled in the Middle East war, returned back to Iran on Wednesday where they were promised a welcome ceremony in Tehran. Seven members of the delegation had sought asylum in Australia last week after their decision not to sing the nation...

19/03/2026 11:01 France 24

Central banks confront spectre of inflation as Iran war escalates

Strikes on the natural gas production facilities of Iran and Qatar have sent energy prices soaring, with central bankers around the world struggling to set monetary policy amid a highly uncertain inflationary outlook. We take a closer look. Also in this edition: the French shipbuilding industry wel...

19/03/2026 10:45 France 24

EU leaders pile pressure on Hungary's Orban to lift block on Ukraine loan

European Union leaders piled pressure on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday to lift his blockade on a vital 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) EU loan to Ukraine to keep ‌up its fight against Russia's invasion. EU leaders agreed to the loan in December but Orban, who has ⁠cordial...

19/03/2026 10:35 France 24

Iraq caught in crossfire of Middle East war

Iraq has been drawn into the Middle East war triggered by the US-Israel attack on its neighbour Iran on February 28. Strikes have targeted Iran-backed groups, which in turn have claimed near daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region....

19/03/2026 10:32 France 24

Dozens arrested in Dubai for allegedly filming the war

According to France Televisions sources, at least three French nationals are among dozens of people to have been arrested in Dubai for allegedly filming the war. The charges are part of the United Arab Emirate's cyber crimes laws the country says are to enforce public security....

19/03/2026 10:31 France 24

French top diplomat to visit Beirut: Paris vows solidarity with Lebanon

France's foreign minister will visit Lebanon on Thursday after the EU called on Israel to stop its military strikes on the country. The visit by Jean-Noel Barrot "underlines France's support and solidarity with the Lebanese people, dragged into a war they didn't choose," the foreign ministry said....

19/03/2026 10:29 France 24

War in Ukraine: Kharkiv opera defies Russian bombardment

Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, is just 30 kilometres from Russia and suffers almost daily bombardment from across the border. But as the years of war have gone by, the city’s cultural institutions have adapted in order to keep working despite the dangers. The huge national opera and ba...

19/03/2026 10:27 France 24

Iran causes 'extensive' damage to Qatar gas hub, sparks Trump warning

Qatar reported "extensive" damage on Thursday to the site of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility following Iranian strikes, sparking fears for global energy supplies and fresh threats from Donald Trump against Iran. Tehran carried out attacks on Qatar's huge Ras Laffan LNG faci...

19/03/2026 10:26 France 24

Will the Jalisco cartel's new US-born leader complicate Trump's war on drugs?

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, March 19: We look at why Russian oil is the big winner from the US and Israel's war in Iran. Also, the New York Times reveals sexual assault and rape allegations against the late US civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. In Mexico, the new leader of the Jalisco New Generation...

19/03/2026 09:51 France 24

Greek animal airlift evacuates pets and owners from Middle East war

A flight carrying dozens of cats, dogs and their owners landed in Athens on Wednesday as part of a successful government effort to evacuate pets from the war in the Middle East. Greece's interior and foreign ministry worked together for days to coordinate the operation to repatriate Greek nationals...

19/03/2026 09:32 France 24

Ayman Mhanna: 'Lebanon has become the theatre for a war between Israel and Iran'

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director of the Beirut-based Samir Kassir Foundation. The war between Iran and Israel is unfolding in Lebanese territory. While Lebanon demonstrates notable competence in distributing humanitarian aid, coordinating with international instit...

19/03/2026 07:04 France 24

France's FM to visit Lebanon in show of 'support and solidarity' amid Middle East war

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot will visit Lebanon on Thursday in a show of "support and solidarity with the Lebanese people, dragged into a war they didn't choose", his ministry said. The visit comes as Israel continues strikes on its northern neighbour amid a spiralling war in the Mid...

19/03/2026 06:23 France 24

EU leaders seek breakthrough on €90 billion Ukraine loan blocked by Hungary's Orban

Leaders from the European Union will gather in Brussels on Thursday aiming to unlock a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, with the funding stalled by a dispute between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over damage to a key Russian oil pipeline....

19/03/2026 04:09 France 24

Middle East War live: Oil and gas prices soar as Iran intensifies strikes on Gulf energy plants

Oil and gas prices surged on Thursday after Iran intensified its attacks on the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbours, raising further concerns over supply. Both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reported drone strikes on oil refineries as Qatar said firefighters had put out a blaze at a major ga...

19/03/2026 02:33 France 24

Are US soldiers really 'refusing orders' to fight in Iran war?

More than two weeks after the US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, a rumour has sprung up that American soldiers are refusing, en masse, to fight. There is no evidence for this. However, the number of conscientious objectors in the US military is on the rise, according to the NGO Cente...

18/03/2026 21:56 France 24

Why Hungary's Viktor Orban is vilifying Ukraine before crucial elections

Weeks before crucial parliamentary elections, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s campaign has characterised his main rival as a stooge of Kyiv and Brussels. With his party trailing in the polls, the nationalist leader has sought to escalate tensions between Hungary and Ukraine, alleging that...

18/03/2026 21:37 France 24

US seeks to curb soaring petrol prices

The Trump administration is taking steps to curb rising energy costs, as it continues to wage war in the Middle East. The US is easing sanctions on Venezuela, and suspending a century-old shipping law, in an effort to get more oil supplies into the global market. Oil prices continues to rise, with...

18/03/2026 20:57 France 24

'Acute risk' that Iraq could become once again victim of internal conflict as Iran war progresses

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade, Zaid Al-Ali, Visiting Fellow at Princeton University and Former UN Advisor in Iraq, explains that until the war in Iran broke out, Iraq had been able to "straddle between US-aligned interests and Iranian-aligned interests" but there's an "acute risk" that it...

18/03/2026 20:47 France 24

Iran did not try to rebuild enrichment after June 2025 attack, US intel chief says

Iran made no effort to rebuild uranium enrichment after its capabilities were destroyed in a June 2025 US-Israeli attack, US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard testified Wednesday, contradicting President Donald Trump's justifications for his ongoing war. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports from Washi...

18/03/2026 20:45 France 24

Kharkiv's opera and ballet theatre performances continue despite war

Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, is just 30km from Russia and suffers almost daily bombardment from across the border. But as the years of war have gone by, the city’s cultural institutions have adapted in order to keep working despite the dangers. The national opera and ballet theatre i...

18/03/2026 19:41 France 24

Both sides in Iran war ratchet up attacks on energy facilities, as oil prices surge

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles that were launched toward Riyadh on Wednesday, the Defence Ministry said, just ahead of a meeting of regional and Islamic foreign ministers in the Saudi capital. FRANCE 24's Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from Doha....

18/03/2026 19:31 France 24

Trump's dire strait: No strategy, no endgame, no allied support?

On Day 19 of the war in the Middle East, there have been extensive air strikes, drone attacks and missiles launched. Fallout is spreading far beyond the so-called theatre of war. What's the plan in Iran? Donald Trump finds himself increasingly between a rock and a hard place. But at least he can co...

18/03/2026 19:12 France 24

Next French aircraft carrier will be called "Free France"

#France's next aircraft carrier will be called the "France Libre" (Free France). It is set to replace the current Charles #deGaulle warship and is being named after the French Resistance movement that de Gaulle led against the #Nazi occupation of France during World War II....

18/03/2026 16:52 France 24

Soler i Lecha: Foreign policy of Pedro Sánchez 'widely supported by the Spanish population'

As Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with European leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Eduard Soler i Lecha, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Senior Research Associate at IBE...

18/03/2026 16:43 France 24

Tyre emptied as Israel orders evacuation across southern Lebanon

At war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, Israel on Wednesday has called on everyone living south of the Zahrani River to evacuate immediately. It is an area comprising 14 percent of Lebanon's territory, and is highlighted in red in the maps posted by the Israeli military. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin repo...

18/03/2026 16:12 France 24

South Lebanon residents flee death and destruction

Residents of Lebanon southern areas bombarded in the Israel-Hezbollah war poured into the ancient city of Sidon in search of safety. At war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, Israel has called on everyone living south of the Zahrani River to evacuate immediately. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin reports from S...

18/03/2026 15:45 France 24

Trump pressures media on Iran war with claims of 'treason'

US President Donald Trump and his allies are attacking news organisations for their coverage of the war on Iran, a conflict the administration says is going well for the United States but is unpopular with the public and has plunged the Middle East into chaos. Trump accused unspecified “fake news...

18/03/2026 15:42 France 24

Tens of millions more in acute hunger if Mideast war drags on, UN warns

An extra 45 million people could face acute hunger if the Mideast war carried on through June, swelling the number worldwide to a "terrible" high, the United Nations warned Tuesday. The war, now in its third week, has killed hundreds and seen Iran launch retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf...

18/03/2026 15:41 France 24

Zelensky on European tour to urge allies not to forget Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday was making his visit to Spain after a stop in London on Tuesday seen as part of an effort by Kyiv to keep the war against Russia a priority for European capitals, even as they grapple with fall-out from the US-Israeli war against Iran that is cons...

18/03/2026 15:36 France 24

BREAKING NEWS

19/03 13:06 - A Crucial Loan for Ukraine Becomes Election Leverage for Orban 19/03 12:59 - Bank of England expected to raise UK interest rates twice this year to fight inflation shock from Middle East crisis – business live 19/03 12:57 - Middle East crisis live: Hegseth addresses media after Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ entire South Pars gasfield 19/03 12:56 - BoE delivers message Britons don’t want to hear as inflation – and rates – look set to rise 19/03 12:38 - The US–Israel war with Iran will not end with a clear victor 19/03 12:38 - The US–Israel war with Iran will not end with a clear victor 19/03 12:34 - Iran’s dilemma in war and peace 19/03 12:34 - Iran’s dilemma in war and peace 19/03 12:33 - Hungary’s Orbán says he won’t back down and allow EU’s €90bn loan to Ukraine – Europe live 19/03 12:27 - Bank of England holds interest rates at 3.75% and signals rise is possible within months 19/03 12:27 - Democrats move to impeach Pam Bondi after ‘fake’ Jeffrey Epstein briefing – US politics live 19/03 12:13 - How Ukraine became an enemy of Iran 19/03 12:05 - Former counter-terrorism head investigated by FBI over alleged leaks 19/03 12:04 - PwC partners who fail to embrace AI have no future at firm, US CEO warns 19/03 11:50 - Could Iran war trigger the next global food shock? 19/03 11:50 - Could Iran war trigger the next global food shock? 19/03 11:44 - Conflict shifts to ‘energy war’ as Iran targets Gulf oil and gas 19/03 11:44 - Conflict shifts to ‘energy war’ as Iran targets Gulf oil and gas 19/03 11:23 - First Thing: Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar 19/03 11:19 - Pentagon wants $200 billion Iran war chest – WaPo 19/03 11:18 - Iran: Saudi Arabia warns of 'military action' over repeated attacks 19/03 11:01 - Iran women's football team return after asylum tussle 19/03 11:00 - Analysis from West Point warns that strait of Hormuz blockade will strangle US defense industry 19/03 10:58 - EU leaders slam Hungary’s Orban for blocking Ukraine aid package 19/03 10:58 - EU leaders slam Hungary’s Orban for blocking Ukraine aid package 19/03 10:45 - Central banks confront spectre of inflation as Iran war escalates 19/03 10:40 - Tropical Cyclone Narelle to make landfall in far north Qld on Friday as category 5 storm, bringing 315km/h wind gusts 19/03 10:35 - EU leaders pile pressure on Hungary's Orban to lift block on Ukraine loan 19/03 10:32 - Iraq caught in crossfire of Middle East war 19/03 10:31 - Dozens arrested in Dubai for allegedly filming the war 19/03 10:29 - French top diplomat to visit Beirut: Paris vows solidarity with Lebanon 19/03 10:28 - EU summit to focus on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine 19/03 10:27 - War in Ukraine: Kharkiv opera defies Russian bombardment 19/03 10:26 - Iran causes 'extensive' damage to Qatar gas hub, sparks Trump warning 19/03 10:12 - Interest rates expected to be held due to Iran war 19/03 10:00 - Gas spirals after Israeli strikes trigger retaliation, Moscow warns of ‘tipping point’ (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) 19/03 10:00 - Efforts to shut down pro-Palestinian speech face series of setbacks in court 19/03 10:00 - The war on Iran cost the US $12.7bn by day six. Here’s how it’s been spent – in charts 19/03 09:51 - Will the Jalisco cartel's new US-born leader complicate Trump's war on drugs? 19/03 09:33 - Strikes kill two PMF fighters in northern Iraq amid wider war, group says 19/03 09:33 - Strikes kill two PMF fighters in northern Iraq amid wider war, group says 19/03 09:32 - Greek animal airlift evacuates pets and owners from Middle East war 19/03 09:29 - How the war may affect money and bills 19/03 09:23 - Oil and gas prices jump after Iran and Israel attack gasfields 19/03 09:22 - The Soldier Who Came Back From the Dead 19/03 09:09 - Economic fallout from U.S.-led war is hitting the rest of the world harder 19/03 08:39 - Trump denies knowledge of Israeli gas field attack 19/03 08:39 - Trump denies knowledge of Israeli gas field attack 19/03 08:24 - Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ world’s largest gas field 19/03 08:19 - Iran war: What’s the Jones Act, and why has Trump suspended it for 60 days? 19/03 08:19 - Iran war: What’s the Jones Act, and why has Trump suspended it for 60 days? 19/03 08:09 - US weighs sending thousands of troops to region as Iran war rages: Report 19/03 08:09 - US weighs sending thousands of troops to region as Iran war rages: Report 19/03 07:59 - News24 | ‘Not our war’: European leaders reject Trump pressure to join Iran fight 19/03 07:57 - War enters new phase as Israel attack on Iran gasfield sparks Gulf response 19/03 07:57 - War enters new phase as Israel attack on Iran gasfield sparks Gulf response 19/03 07:04 - Ayman Mhanna: 'Lebanon has become the theatre for a war between Israel and Iran' 19/03 07:00 - UK to cut climate aid to developing countries by 14% to £2bn a year in ‘refocus’ 19/03 07:00 - Leo Varadkar: LGBTQ+ rights in Europe face ‘chill wind’ from east and west 19/03 06:48 - Iran war: What is happening on day 20 of US-Israel attacks? 19/03 06:48 - Iran war: What is happening on day 20 of US-Israel attacks? 19/03 06:44 - Thursday briefing: The largest cluster of cases in a generation – what’s behind the meningitis B outbreak? 19/03 06:33 - Warm settled weather set to continue into the weekend 19/03 06:29 - Visa changes will keep workers away and cause harm to sheep, shearers warn 19/03 06:25 - Australia news live: Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to hit far north Queensland three hours earlier than expected; ASX plunges amid Iran war 19/03 06:23 - France's FM to visit Lebanon in show of 'support and solidarity' amid Middle East war 19/03 06:06 - The Iran War’s Economic Threat to Europe and Asia 19/03 06:01 - News24 | Trump administration mulls large troop deployment to Middle East in new phase of Iran war 19/03 06:00 - Stopping gas dictating UK energy price could cut bills by £200, thinktank says 19/03 05:59 - How the Iran war has left Europe facing yet another energy crisis 19/03 05:53 - Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar 19/03 05:00 - Hungary’s Orbán to face pressure over Ukraine loan veto at EU summit 19/03 04:17 - All doctors in England warned to watch for meningitis symptoms after Kent outbreak 19/03 04:09 - EU leaders seek breakthrough on €90 billion Ukraine loan blocked by Hungary's Orban 19/03 03:45 - FBI probing US counter-terrorism chief who resigned over Iran war, reports say 19/03 03:43 - Cathay Pacific suspends flights to and from Dubai until end of April – as it happened 19/03 03:32 - News24 | US intelligence contradicts Trump’s Iran war justification, finds no nuclear rebuilding 19/03 02:57 - ‘Does America have a plan? Israel has a plan. Does America know?’ 19/03 02:57 - ‘Does America have a plan? Israel has a plan. Does America know?’ 19/03 02:43 - EU state’s leader urges return to ‘harmony’ in ties with Russia 19/03 02:33 - Middle East War live: Oil and gas prices soar as Iran intensifies strikes on Gulf energy plants 19/03 02:19 - Three women killed in occupied West Bank missile attack 19/03 02:19 - Three women killed in occupied West Bank missile attack 19/03 02:11 - Saudi FM warns Iran that patience in Gulf not ‘unlimited’ amid attacks 19/03 02:11 - Saudi FM warns Iran that patience in Gulf not ‘unlimited’ amid attacks 19/03 02:11 - Reader callout: are you feeling the petrol pinch in Australia, and how is it affecting you? 19/03 02:09 - Senate Republicans vote down Democrats’ war powers resolution to check Trump on Iran – as it happened 19/03 01:54 - U.S. Intelligence Saw No Change in Iran’s Missile Capabilities Before War 19/03 01:53 - 'Designer' dog owners report more problem behaviours, vets warn 19/03 01:35 - Oil crosses $110 a barrel after gas field strike 19/03 00:49 - Australia’s major fuel suppliers being investigated over alleged price-gouging amid Iran war 19/03 00:44 - US aircraft carrier to sail to Crete for repairs after fire on board 19/03 00:37 - Senate votes down measure aiming to limit Trump’s war powers by 53-47 vote 19/03 00:30 - Iran war live: Gulf energy sites targeted after Israeli attack on gasfield 19/03 00:30 - Iran war live: Gulf energy sites targeted after Israeli attack on gasfield 19/03 00:01 - UK to double steel tariffs to 50% to save plants from collapse 19/03 00:01 - Ban corporate donations to UK political parties to protect elections, says thinktank 18/03 23:59 - Seoul raises terror alert as it prepares to host BTS comeback concert 18/03 23:47 - Fed Holds Rates Steady as War in Iran Upends the Economic Outlook 18/03 23:31 - The Iran war is causing a global energy crisis - can China withstand it?