World News

Published: 2 March 2026The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online Global oil prices climbed sharply this week after a series of attacks on ships near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and growing fears that the ongoing Middle East conflict could disrupt energy supplies. The narrow shipping corridor, through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil is transported, has seen tanker traffic grind to a halt and...

Published: 02 March 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The Middle East airspace crisis has left hundreds of thousands of travellers stranded worldwide. Ongoing military strikes involving United States, Israel and Iran have triggered widespread closures. Airports across the region halted operations as tensions escalated rapidly over the weekend. Flights were grounded or diverted after multiple governments shut their skies without warning. The disruption spread quickly beyond...

Published: 2 March 2026The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online Across major American cities, Iranian Americans and other members of the diaspora have taken to the streets this week, expressing a mix of hope, relief, anxiety and fear in response to the dramatic developments in Iran after the reported toppling and death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes. Demonstrations have reflected the deep divisions within...

Published: 2 March 2026The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online British forces are responding to a suspected drone strike on a Royal Air Force base in Cyprus, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed, as regional tensions continue to escalate amid the wider Middle East conflict. The incident occurred at RAF Akrotiri, one of the United Kingdom’s key overseas military installations on the Mediterranean island, and is being treated...

Published: 2 March 2026The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online As the conflict in the Middle East rapidly expands following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, several Gulf Arab states closely associated with the United States are experiencing the direct impact of Iran’s retaliatory attacks, analysts and officials say. Iran’s campaign — which has included waves of ballistic missiles and drones — has struck sovereign territory and military infrastructure...

Published: 2 March 2026The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online Despite the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sustained military pressure from a U.S.-Israeli campaign, Iran’s political system remains intact for the moment — but observers say the coming days will be critical in determining whether it can withstand internal and external stresses without fracturing. Senior clerical figures and existing constitutional structures continue to maintain state authority, even amid severe...

Published: 2 March 2026The English Chronicle DeskThe English Chronicle Online The long-smouldering tension along the Israel–Lebanon border erupted into fresh violence this week as Israel and the Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah exchanged fire, opening a new and dangerous front in the rapidly expanding Middle East conflict triggered by recent attacks on Iran. Over the weekend, Hezbollah launched missiles and drones into northern Israel, including toward the Haifa region, in what...

Published: 02 March 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK has agreed to permit the United States to use British military facilities for defensive operations against Iranian missile sites, marking a significant shift in Britain’s involvement in escalating regional tensions. The decision places the UK at the centre of growing international concern over Iran tensions, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the move in a recorded...

Published: 01 March 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. At least nine people have been killed outside the United States consulate in Pakistan’s largest city after protests erupted over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The violence in Karachi marks one of the deadliest international flashpoints linked to the escalating confrontation between Iran, the United States and Israel. According to hospital officials, the fatalities occurred...

Published: 01 March 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Iran has formally begun a 40-day period of national mourning following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in coordinated strikes carried out by the United States and Israel, according to state media. The announcement marks a pivotal and deeply emotional moment for the Islamic Republic, as the country confronts the loss of its most powerful political and...