March 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices have soared while share markets have skidded on fears that the escalating U.S.-Israeli war on Iran will squeeze energy supplies and hamstring industries around the world.
Following are actions that governments are taking or plan to take to reduce the impact of the war on their economies.
SOUTH KOREA PLANS FUEL CAP
March 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine sent interceptor drones and a team of drone experts to protect U.S. military bases in Jordan, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview with The New York Times published on Monday.
The U.S. made the request for help on Thursday, and the Ukrainian team left the next day, Zelenskiy said adding that it was expected to arrive in the Middle East soon, according to the report.
(Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
DHAKA, March 9 (Reuters) - Bangladesh will close all universities from Monday, bringing forward the Eid al-Fitr holidays as part of emergency measures to conserve electricity and fuel amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
Authorities said the decision applies to all public and private universities across the country, a move that officials said will not only reduce electricity consumption but also ease traffic congestion, which leads to fuel wastage.
France will host a video meeting of G7 finance ministers on the Middle East crisis on Monday, as the war fuels fears for the global economy.
The French finance ministry said in a statement the meeting at 1:30 pm (1230 GMT) would "review the situation in the Gulf from an economic point of view" and "events of recent days".
French finance minister Roland Lescure earlier told Franceinfo radio he had agreed with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other G7 finance ministers to hold the meeting over a week after the start of the US-Israel war against Iran.
WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that when to end the war with Iran will be a "mutual" decision made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Speaking by phone with The Times of Israel, Trump said Netanyahu will have input on resolving the conflict.
"I think it’s mutual ... a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account," said Trump.
(Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
The satellite image posted by an Iranian news outlet looked real: a devastated US base in Qatar. But it was an AI-generated fake, underscoring the accelerating threat of tech-enabled disinformation during wartime.
The rise of generative AI has turbocharged the ability of state actors and propagandists to fabricate convincing satellite imagery during major conflicts, a trend that researchers warn carries real-world security implications.
At least five players from Iran's visiting women's football team claimed asylum in Australia on Tuesday, seeking protection after they were branded "traitors" at home for refusing to sing the national anthem.
Iranian players fell silent as the anthem played ahead of a tournament match in Australia last week, an act seen as a symbol of defiance against the Islamic republic.
US President Donald Trump was among those urging Australia to offer the players asylum, citing grave fears for their safety if they were forced to board a plane home.
SYDNEY, March 9 (Reuters) - Australia has asked the family members and dependants of diplomatic officials in the United Arab Emirates to leave the country, following an escalation in the conflict in the Middle East as several Gulf cities came under Iranian bombardment.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he was not seeking negotiations to end the U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran, which have driven up global energy prices, disrupted business and snarled air travel.
Hezbollah said on Monday it was fighting Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon by helicopter across the Syrian border, the second such operation since the outbreak of the latest conflict with Israel.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during US-Israeli strikes.
STOCKHOLM, March 9 (Reuters) - Europe became the world's biggest arms importer over the last five years as governments reacted to Russia's threat and waning confidence in U.S. security commitments, data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showed on Monday.
European countries more than trebled their arms imports in 2021-25 versus 2016-2020 to supply Ukraine in its defence against Russian invasion and to rebuild their own militaries after decades of under-investment.
