WASHINGTON, United States, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States has sent to Iran a 15-point plan to end the war that would include strict limits on its nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, reports said Tuesday. The New York Times, quoting two anonymous officials, said that the proposal was sent to Iran via Pakistan, which has offered to mediate. Israel's Channel 12 said that the United States and Iran would declare a month-long ceasefire during which they would negotiate on the basis of the proposal. Iran in turn would see an end to all sanctions, the Israeli report said. There was no talk in the apparent plan of forcing governmental change in Iran, whose cleric-run state weeks earlier ruthlessly put down mass protests, killing thousands.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump has continued his makeover of the White House, adding a statue of Christopher Colombus and laying new black granite paving stones on the famed West Wing colonnade. It appeared without fanfare on Sunday in a courtyard in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a part of the White House campus in Washington. Separately, Trump said he was replacing the decades-old sandstone paving stones in the colonnade, the pillared walkway that leads from the main White House mansion to the Oval Office. The white, with the black," Trump told reporters as he showed them the ongoing work after a ceremony to swear in new the Homeland Security secretary, Markwayne Mullin. Asked who was paying for the new walkway, Trump replied: "Me."

TOKYO, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu on Tuesday pulled out of Japan's squad for friendlies against Scotland and England because of injury, putting his World Cup hopes at further risk. The 27-year-old was last week called up for the first time in almost two years, but he will now have no chance to play for his country before coach Hajime Moriyasu names his World Cup squad. Japan play Scotland in Glasgow on Saturday before taking on England at Wembley three days later. They have been drawn in Group F with the Netherlands, Tunisia and a European qualifier at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico which begins on June 11. He has 42 caps for Japan and played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Bloomberg estimated the value of oil contracts that changed hands between 1049 and 1050 GMT was $650 million. At 1105 GMT, Trump stepped back from a threat to attack Iranian energy sites, citing "very good" talks to end the war in a social media post. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the US regulator of financial derivatives, did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. - 'Mind-blowing corruption' -Similarly, S&P 500 stock index futures showed an unusual burst of trading activity early Monday, about 15 minutes before Trump's social media post, CNBC reported. He added that the activity could have been driven by a large producer hedging against a potential price drop, given that oil futures had surged 40 percent since the start of the war.

Trump said that Iran's surviving leadership had offered the United States a "prize" -- a cryptic comment that he said gave him faith in diplomacy. Pakistan's prime minister has offered to host US-Iran talks, which Trump said involved top officials including Vice President JD Vance. The Trump administration similarly offered a 15-point plan before a shorter Israeli and US bombing campaign against Iran in June. Iran's powerful parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, denied any negotiations with the United States, accusing Trump of seeking "to manipulate the financial and oil markets". Lebanon's health ministry said at least eight people were killed in the latest Israeli strikes, including a three-year-old girl.

LONDON, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran has said "non-hostile vessels" can transit the Strait of Hormuz if they meet safety and security regulations in coordination with the relevant authorities, according to a statement released to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). "Non-hostile vessels... may -- provided that they neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran -- and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations -- benefit from safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the competent authorities," the statement said. The IMO said Tuesday that the communique, dated Sunday, was issued by Iran's foreign ministry with the request that it be circulated by the IMO. The statement stressed that "vessels equipment and any assets belonging to the aggressor parties -- namely the United States and the Israeli regime -- as well as other participants in the aggression do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage". Iran has virtually closed the vital strait since the US-Israeli strikes that started the war on February 28, causing global oil and gas prices to soar.

HANOI, Vietnam, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The price of diesel in Vietnam has more than doubled since the start of the war in the Middle East, according to figures released by the trade ministry on Wednesday. Diesel prices have skyrocketed about 105 percent from February 26, two days before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The government raised the price to 39,660 dong ($1.50) per litre Wednesday, up from 19,270 dong last month, trade ministry figures showed. The price of 95-octane petrol also jumped nearly 68 percent over the same period, from 20,150 dong to 33,840 dong.

Iraq has been pulled into the war sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, and which has since engulfed much of the region. The region accused Iran of conducting the first such deadly attack on Kurdish security forces since the war began. The overnight strike targeted a base in the western Anbar province bordering Syria, long the scene of operations against the Islamic State group. Last week, the Pentagon acknowledged that combat helicopters had carried out strikes against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the current conflict. Although close with Washington, Iraq's Kurds have sought to maintain neutrality in the Iran war, after relations with the Islamic republic had warmed in recent years.

UNITED NATIONS, United States, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Gaza envoy for US President Donald Trump's new "Board of Peace" initiative urged UN Security Council members to pressure the militant group Hamas to disarm, as part of a ceasefire to end over two years of war. Trump's administration, along with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war in Gaza. But despite the reduced violence, Israeli strikes have at times continued, resulting in hundreds of deaths since the ceasefire, and Hamas has refused to disarm under conditions it says are imposed by Israel. Trump's Board of Peace has promised a wave of reconstruction and investment aid for Gaza in case of a lasting truce. Violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank risks "further displacing Palestinian communities," he said.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Colombia plans to lead the formation of a global coalition of nations at an international meeting in April that want to end the use of fossil fuels, the country's Environment Minister Irene Velez said Tuesday. Velez said 45 countries had confirmed their attendance at the meeting in the city of Santa Marta on April 28 and 29. She said attendees would include major hydrocarbon producers from Europe and North America, but did not give further details. Meanwhile, the Brazilian presidency of COP30 has been developing an international roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels since late 2025. It is due to be presented next November at the next international climate conference, which will be hosted by Turkey.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave his "complete and total endorsement" to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, urging voters to re-elect him in an April contest where he is facing an unprecedented challenge to his 16-year rule. "I was proud to ENDORSE Viktor for Re-Election in 2022, and am honored to do so again. Hungary: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR VIKTOR ORBAN," Trump wrote. Independent opinion polls suggest Orban, a supporter of Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is waging a war against Hungary's neighbor Ukraine, is in a weak position ahead of the ballot. Orban faces criticism from Brussels for silencing critical voices in the judiciary, academia, the media and civil society, as well as enacting policies that target minorities.

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Brazil laboured their way through South American World Cup qualifying with six defeats in 18 games as they finished fifth -- now they are hoping the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as coach will give them a genuine chance of winning a record-extending sixth World Cup, and first since 2002. After this match they will head to Orlando, Florida, for a friendly on March 31 against Croatia, the team who ousted them from the 2022 World Cup in the quarter-finals. There had been mounting fears in France that the 27-year-old's fitness could become a real issue but he said missing the World Cup or the end of the club season was never a concern. The last competitive meeting of the teams came at the 2006 World Cup, when France beat Brazil 1-0 in the quarter-finals, thanks to a Thierry Henry goal and a masterful performance by Zidane. If both win their groups at the upcoming World Cup as expected, then they would not be able to meet each other until the final.

MILAN, Italy, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Italy are hoping to end a 12-year absence from the World Cup as one of the planet's most important footballing nations heads to the qualifying play-offs in the midst of another identity crisis. Northern Ireland come to Bergamo for what promises to be a tense semi-final on Thursday as Italy desperately try to not miss a third consecutive World Cup. Gennaro Gattuso led Italy to second in qualifying Group I and has obtained some stability for the Azzurri following the sacking of the volatile Luciano Spalletti. But two heavy defeats dished out by group winners Norway were a stark reminder of how far the national team has fallen since last winning the World Cup 20 years ago -- with Gattuso in midfield. That leaves Gattuso hoping for a drama-free night on Thursday and his players all being ready for a date with destiny in the final.

KUWAIT CITY, March 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Drones hit a fuel tank and sparked a fire at Kuwait International Airport, the Gulf state's civil aviation authority said on Wednesday, reporting no casualties. Citing preliminary information, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement posted online that the attack had caused only "limited" damage. The Kuwait airport has come under attack several times since the regional war began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran. On March 14, the civil aviation authority said an attack with "several drones" targeted the airport and "struck its radar system". Drones hit fuel tanks at the airport on March 8, and an earlier attack on a passenger terminal left several people mildly wounded and caused some damage.