Skip to main content

G7 energy ministers to discuss soaring prices amid Iran war

G7 energy ministers will discuss soaring energy prices due to the war in Iran on a call on Tuesday while a group of European Union leaders will do so later in the day, officials said. Oil prices surged to their highest levels since mid‑2022 on Monday propelled by fears of Gulf output cuts and disrupted tanker traffic. G7 finance ministers said on Monday they were prepared to implement "necessary measures" in response to the price surge but stopped short of committing to coordinated emergency releases of reserves. Even before the Iran crisis, European energy prices typically sat higher than those in the US and China. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has promised to propose measures to tackle the issue at an EU summit next week. Read: Iran says oil blockade will continue until attacks end, Trump threatens to hit harder Tuesday's G7 call is scheduled for 1245 GMT. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, whose country holds the G7 presidency this year, said ther...

Airstrikes in Isfahan damage historic Safavid-Era landmarks

It was reported on Monday that an Israeli airstrike targeted the Isfahan Governor’s Office, causing significant damage to the city’s historic and valuable heritage, particularly within the Safavid-era government complex. Iranian media footage showed the Chehel Palace Museum, where the large windows of the 17th-century pavilion were shattered and parts of the interior structure were damaged by nearby explosions. The Israeli military said it carried out a “wide-scale wave of strikes” across Isfahan, targeting military infrastructure and command centers. The Iranian media shared the images below, as per a tweet by a user on X: Another historic site damaged in Israel/US attacks on Iran. This time the Chehel Setoon Palace in Isfahan, a 17th century architectural marvel built during the Safavid Era. This isn’t a war against the Islamic Republic. This is a war against everything that is truly Iranian. pic.twitter.com/c00D1ngj1S — kev joon (@never_oppressed) March 9, 2026   Syed Ruhollah Seyedalaskari, Deputy Director of the Isfahan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization, told Iranian media that other prominent historic buildings within the Safavid government complex were also damaged, including Timuri Hall Jabe-Khaneh Building (Modern Arts Museum) Rakib-Khaneh Building (Isfahan Museum of Decorative Arts) Ashraf Hall Chehel Sotonoun Palace Museum UNESCO Heritage in Iran Iran has nine gardens listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, as of 2011, including the notable Chehel Souton Garden. The airstrikes raise concerns over the preservation of these recognized cultural sites. Chel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan is a historic structure built in the mid-17th century, during the reign of Shah Abbas II. The palace is famous for its name, which means ‘Forty Columns’, referring to the twenty slender wooden columns at its entrance that appear as forty when reflected in the pool in front of the palace. The attacks in Isfahan serve as a stark reminder of how conflict can endanger cultural heritage, highlighting the need for urgent measures to protect and preserve these irreplaceable treasures for future generations.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/RLH2pjF

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...

US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

Some 16,000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported. WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 US troops, making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies conducted in decades, local English daily Manila Times reported citing the military. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. Read also: China urges US to stop using Philippines as a pawn to destabilise South China Sea France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine E...

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...