Iran has announced Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The decision was made by the 88-member Assembly of Experts, which elects the country’s highest religious authority. The announcement was broadcast on Iran’s state media on Monday night, Bangladesh time, with the assembly urging citizens to support the new leader.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989, was killed on February 28 in a joint US-Israeli airstrike that also claimed the lives of his wife, daughter, and several senior military officials. Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly survived because he was not in Tehran during the attack, though his exact location remains unknown. Reuters cited two Iranian sources confirming his survival.

Mojtaba Khamenei, known for his close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has long held influence in Iran’s religious and political circles. His appointment signals continuity in Iran’s leadership amid heightened regional tensions.

At least 13 people were killed and 1,929 injured in Iranian attacks on Israel amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to Israel’s Ministry of Health. The ministry reported that in the past 24 hours alone, another 157 people were injured. Among the wounded, 112 remain hospitalized, with nine in critical condition.

The ministry urged Israeli citizens to move carefully to bomb shelters, noting that many injuries have occurred while people rushed to safety. The Israeli Defense Forces stated on their Telegram channel that missile launches from Iran are continuing and that defense systems are actively intercepting threats.

The situation reflects a sharp escalation in regional hostilities, with both sides maintaining high alert as the conflict continues to unfold.

Motorcycle influencer Karla Thaynnara Nogueira, 25, died after being thrown from her bike and run over by a truck on a highway in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, around 8 a.m. Tuesday. Police said the truck driver tried to avoid her but was unable to. Nogueira, a mother of a seven-year-old daughter, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her father, Jose Carlos Andrade Nogueira, a former police officer, came upon the crash site and discovered his daughter’s body. Overcome with grief, he died by suicide shortly afterward, according to police. Tributes in Portuguese have since appeared on Karla’s Instagram account, where she had nearly 60,000 followers and frequently posted fitness and motorcycle-related content.

Authorities are investigating the crash. The influencer and her father are scheduled to be buried today. Karla’s final social media post, a workout video, was uploaded two weeks before her death.

Renowned Bangladeshi photographer and human rights activist Shahidul Alam has joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian-led maritime mission carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Alam, the only Bangladeshi participant, was seen holding the national flag and wearing a kurta featuring Abu Saeed’s image, symbolizing resistance. The flotilla, consisting of over 40 vessels and more than 500 participants from multiple countries, including lawmakers, lawyers, human rights defenders, and climate activist Greta Thunberg, is currently about 118 miles from Gaza’s coast.

Alam has been sharing updates from the voyage through his verified Facebook page, describing tense conditions as the fleet entered waters declared “danger zones” by Israel. Despite spotting a Turkish ship earlier, he reported no immediate threat. The mission faces serious warnings from Israel, which has threatened to sink the flotilla if it attempts to breach the Gaza blockade.

International human rights groups and political leaders have urged Israel to ensure the flotilla’s safety. Italy and Greece jointly called on Israel to respect the rights and security of those aboard, including consular protection.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fakir announced that individuals attempting to exploit the July Revolution will be identified and listed. He made the statement on Monday at a press conference held at the police headquarters’ media cell on Gani Road in Dhaka. The IGP also said diplomatic efforts have begun to bring back suspects arrested in India in connection with the murder of Osman Hadi.

Fakir emphasized the need to develop a magistracy system within police stations to ensure faster resolution of cases. He stated that placing judicial magistrates in every police station could help meet public demand for swift justice. The IGP further expressed his intention to establish “zero-complaint” police stations and reduce the gap between police and citizens. He added that lists are also being prepared to identify those involved in mob violence.

Senior police officials, including several additional IGPs from various departments, were present at the press conference, according to the report.

In Faridpur, a notable political gesture took place when BNP Member of Parliament Shahidul Islam Khan welcomed Awami League leader M. M. Siddiq Mia with a floral garland at the district jail gate. The event occurred on Sunday afternoon following Siddiq Mia’s release on bail. Siddiq Mia, who serves as the Science and Technology Affairs Secretary of the Awami League’s Bhanga Upazila Committee, had been under restrictions on political activities prior to his release.

Shahidul Islam Khan, representing Faridpur-4 constituency and serving as the General Secretary of the BNP’s central Krishak Dal, was accompanied by several BNP and affiliated organization leaders during the reception. The scene at the jail gate included mutual exchange of garlands and celebratory flower scattering among supporters.

Following his release, Siddiq Mia, also the chairman of Algi Union Parishad in Bhanga, expressed gratitude to the newly elected MP Shahidul Islam Khan for his support during his imprisonment.

The Israeli military announced that it carried out a series of airstrikes on Iran’s central region targeting what it described as the country’s ‘regime infrastructure’. The attacks took place on Monday and mark the first such Israeli operation since Iran appointed a new supreme leader, according to a report by AFP.

In a brief statement, the Israeli army confirmed that it had initiated fresh air operations inside Iran while simultaneously conducting strikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The military did not provide further details about the scale or specific targets of the attacks.

The report did not include information on casualties or damage, and no immediate response from Iranian authorities was mentioned.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the decision on when to end the ongoing war with Iran will be made jointly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He made the remarks in a telephone interview with the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel on Sunday.

Trump stated that discussions between him and Netanyahu are continuing and that a decision will be taken at an appropriate time. When asked whether Israel might continue the war against Iran alone if the United States decided to halt its attacks, Trump declined to discuss the possibility in detail.

He added that he does not believe such a situation will arise, suggesting confidence in coordinated decision-making between the two allies.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has revealed that Israel pressured then-President Barack Obama to launch a military strike on Iran. According to Blinken, Israeli leaders warned that if the United States refused to act, they would carry out the attack themselves. However, Obama rejected the proposal, arguing that imposing tough sanctions was the best way to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. He preferred to resolve the issue through diplomatic means rather than military confrontation.

Blinken also stated that after the October 7, 2023 attack, the United States nearly entered another regional war when Israeli officials provided false information suggesting that Hezbollah was preparing to attack from Lebanon. The remarks highlight the tense dynamics between Washington and Tel Aviv over military decisions and intelligence sharing in the Middle East.

The disclosure, reported by Middle East Eye, underscores the recurring friction between U.S. diplomatic caution and Israel’s more aggressive security posture toward Iran and its allies.

Four people were killed when Indonesia’s largest landfill collapsed on Sunday afternoon, burying a truck and a food stall near Bantar Gebang, about 25 kilometers from Jakarta. At least five others remain missing as rescue teams continue searching the debris using heavy machinery and tracking dogs, according to the national search and rescue agency.

Local media reported that several hours of heavy rain preceded the collapse. The Bantar Gebang landfill, covering more than 110 hectares, holds an estimated 55 million tons of waste from the greater Jakarta area, home to around 42 million people producing roughly 14,000 tons of garbage daily. Environment Minister Hanif Faisal Nurofik blamed local authorities for allowing waste accumulation despite a 2008 ban on open dumping.

President Prabowo Subianto recently stated that most Indonesian landfills are being phased out but warned they will exceed capacity by 2028. The government plans to invest $3.5 billion in 34 waste-to-energy plants within two years to address the growing waste crisis.

On Monday morning, March 9, 2026, a severe shortage of doctors was observed at Burichang Upazila Health Complex in Cumilla. At 8:30 a.m., only three of the 26 doctors were present, while 23 were absent. According to the Upazila Health Officer, four doctors were officially on leave. The officer stated that he was attending a coordination meeting at the Cumilla Civil Surgeon’s office and would look into why most doctors had not reported for duty.

Patients arriving at the hospital faced significant difficulties. One patient reported waiting half an hour as the ticket counter remained closed, and several rooms were locked. Another patient, injured in an accident, had to be referred to Cumilla for advanced treatment due to the absence of senior doctors, which her family said was financially burdensome.

Cumilla Civil Surgeon Ali Nur Mohammad Bashir confirmed that government doctors are required to report by 8 a.m. and said an investigation is underway to determine why only three doctors were present at the facility.

Iran carried out missile and drone attacks on several Gulf countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, early Sunday local time. In Qatar, multiple explosions were heard around 3 a.m. in Doha, though the missiles were reportedly intercepted. Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Doha reported hearing more than a dozen blasts across the city.

Bahrain’s state media said a drone strike in the Sitra area injured 32 people. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that several drone attacks targeting the Shaybah oil fields were intercepted, and two drones were shot down north of Riyadh. The United Arab Emirates was also targeted by Iranian strikes, though details were not specified.

The attacks mark a significant escalation in regional tensions, with multiple Gulf states reporting direct strikes or attempted strikes within hours of each other.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of unlawfully using white phosphorus munitions in a residential area of southern Lebanon. In a report released on March 9, 2026, the New York-based organization said Israeli forces fired white phosphorus shells from artillery into the town of Yohmor on March 3, 2026. HRW verified seven images showing white phosphorus bursting over civilian homes, igniting at least two houses and a vehicle as civil defense workers attempted to extinguish the fires.

The report explained that white phosphorus ignites upon contact with oxygen and is typically used to create smoke screens or illuminate battlefields. However, it can also serve as an incendiary weapon, causing severe burns, respiratory damage, organ failure, and death. Despite a 2024 ceasefire, Israel has continued operations targeting Hezbollah, including multiple strikes and troop deployments near the border.

Lebanese authorities reported at least 394 deaths and over 500,000 displaced due to Israeli attacks. HRW urged Israel to halt such actions and called on arms-supplying countries to suspend military aid and pressure Israel to stop using these weapons in civilian areas.

Three people were killed and two others injured in a collision between a CNG-run autorickshaw and a locally made van in Bagha upazila of Rajshahi on Monday morning. The accident occurred around 7 a.m., leaving the autorickshaw driver Shariful Islam, passenger Bidhan Das, and passenger Rokeya Begum dead. The injured, Shahajan Ali and Seema Begum, were first taken to the upazila health complex and later transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where doctors said their condition was critical.

A witness, Alomgir Hossain, said heavy fog in the morning reduced visibility, causing the vehicles to collide head-on. Two people died on the spot, and another died on the way to the hospital. Police from Bagha station recovered the bodies and brought them to the station for further procedures.

According to police, the autorickshaw was traveling from Lalpur toward Bagha with five passengers when the collision occurred. Authorities are investigating the incident.

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader. According to Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, Trump told him he was “not happy” about Mojtaba’s appointment. However, Trump has not yet made any public statement on the matter.

Earlier, in an interview with ABC News, Trump said that Iran’s new Supreme Leader would not last long without his approval. He stated that the leader “must get approval from us,” otherwise he would not remain in power for long.

Before Mojtaba Khamenei’s name was announced, Ayatollah Mohsen Heydari Alekasir, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, said that the country’s top leader should be someone “whom enemies hate, not praise.”