An employee pumps gasoline into the motorbike of a customer at a fuel station in Phnom Penh on April 1, 2026. (Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy / AFP)
Doha, Qatar: While Australia and Malaysia are taking steps to conserve fuel, several Chinese airlines have raised fuel surcharges on domestic flights. The World Bank has also expressed concern over the impact the war will have on inflation, jobs and food security.
Stay tuned for more updates:
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3:45pm Doha Time
Austria says refused US requests for military overflights
Austria has rejected US requests for military overflights of its territory since the start of the conflict in the Middle East in line with its policy of neutrality, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP on Thursday.
"There have indeed been requests and they were refused from the outset," Colonel Michael Bauer said, adding that every time a similar request "involves a country at war, it is refused". Read more
3:30pm Doha Time
Dubai's luxury stores take hit as Mideast war drags on
Rows of luxury boutiques line an upmarket Dubai mall, yet a month into the Middle East war their sales staff sit idly, phones in hand, watching for the rare customer.
Salespeople in immaculate suits say they have been told not to speak to reporters, but one briefly described the mood.
"Of course, there are fewer customers, especially tourists," the salesperson told AFP. "Locals still come.
"Luckily, we have a strong local clientele and no one is panicking."
This glamorous playground for the world's rich has taken a hit since the start of the US-Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28. Read more
2:45pm Doha Time
Macron says military operation to 'liberate' Strait of Hormuz 'unrealistic'
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that a military operation to liberate the Strait of Hormuz is "unrealistic", expressing frustration at US President Donald Trump's alternating statements on the Iran war.
"There are those who advocate for the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz by force through a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the United States," Macron said in South Korea. Read more
2:20pm Doha Time
UAE dismisses inaccurate residency claims, affirms Iranian community's valued role
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of the United Arab Emirates issued a clarification on inaccurate media claims circulated regarding the residency status of the Iranian community. "The UAE reassures residents that its institutional approach is guided by well-established procedures and frameworks that safeguard the safety and well-being of all members of society, without exception," the Ministry stated. Read more
11:55am Doha Time
Oil jumps nearly 7% after Trump's statements on Iran
Oil prices climbed nearly 7% on Thursday, as President Donald Trump said the United States would keep up attacks on Iran without committing to a specific timeline to end the war, fanning investor fears about sustained disruptions to supply.
Brent crude futures rose $6.84, or 6.8%, to $108 per barrel.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up $6.40, or 6.4%, to $106.52 per barrel.
The gains followed an earlier fall of more than $1 in both benchmarks prior to Trump's televised speech to the nation, after having settled lower in the previous session.
11:30am Doha Time
Malaysia civil servants to work from home amid fuel crisis: PM
Malaysia will introduce a work-from-home policy for ministries, agencies, statutory bodies and government-linked companies starting April 15 to conserve energy during the Middle East war, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.
The premier's announcement late Wednesday comes as the Southeast Asian nation starts to feel the impact of the Middle East war on global fuel supplies.
"The cabinet has agreed to the work-from-home policy. It aims to reduce fuel consumption and ensure a stable energy supply," Anwar said during a special briefing. Read more
11:05am Doha Time
South Korea president says economy on 'wartime footing' over Iran war
South Korea's economy is on a "wartime footing" over the Iran war, President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday, after the government proposed a $17.2 billion supplementary budget to tackle the crisis.
Oil prices have surged amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, raising growth and inflation risks for South Korea, which is heavily reliant on Middle Eastern crude for around 70 percent of its imports.
"Our government is treating the economy as being on a wartime footing and is making all-out efforts to overcome the crisis," Lee said in a budget speech to the National Assembly.
"The current crisis is not like a passing shower that will stop, but rather like a massive storm that could last indefinitely," he added, asking lawmakers to swiftly pass the budget.
The plan allocates 4.8 trillion won ($3.1 billion) in cash handouts of 100,000 to 600,000 won per person for the bottom 70 percent of income earners, with payments scaled by income.
It also includes 2.8 trillion won in support for young people and low-income earners, and 2.6 trillion won for companies affected by the crisis in the Middle East.
"Extraordinary measures are needed in times of emergency," Lee said.
The war has already prompted Seoul to impose a fuel price cap to ease pressure on its energy supply, the first such measure since 1997.
The country's energy ministry recently issued guidelines urging the public to conserve energy, including by taking shorter showers and charging mobile phones during daytime hours.
"I earnestly appeal to the public to actively participate in energy conservation practices in daily life, such as using public transportation and saving electricity," Lee said Thursday.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition People Power Party agreed vote on the budget bill on April 10.
10am Doha Time
US embassy in Baghdad warns of attacks in city over next 24-48 hours
The US embassy in Baghdad warned Thursday that pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq may attack the city in the coming one or two days.
"Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours," the embassy said in a statement on X, again urging Americans in the country to leave immediately.
9:30am Doha Time
Chinese airlines to raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights
Several Chinese airlines, including national carrier Air China, said they will raise their fuel surcharges on domestic flights from Sunday as the war in the Middle East drives up oil prices globally.
Air China, China Southern and its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines said in statements that they will increase surcharges on flights of up to 800 kilometres (500 miles) by 60 yuan ($8.70), and 120 yuan for longer flights. Spring Airlines and Juneyao Airlines also announced fuel surcharge hikes. Read more
8am Doha Time
Trump tells Americans that Iran war ending as popularity dips
President Donald Trump on Wednesday made his case for attacking Iran in his first nationwide address more than a month into the war, insisting the United States was close to victory as his approval rating sinks.
In an evening speech from the White House, Trump broke little new ground on how the war would end and vowed two to three weeks further of "extremely hard" strikes against Iran.
"We are going to finish the job, and we're going to finish it very fast. We're getting very close," he said in remarks that largely rehashed his daily streams of social-media postings and rapid media interviews. Read more
