South African athlete Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 800 meters, has criticized the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) new decision to reintroduce gender verification tests for female athletes. The policy, approved under new IOC president Kirsty Coventry, will take effect from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Semenya described the decision as disrespectful, saying it is particularly painful for African women who are disproportionately affected.

The IOC’s move marks a return to a controversial practice last used between 1968 and 1996, when female athletes were required to undergo chromosome testing to confirm their gender. The organization had previously abandoned the policy following widespread criticism and pressure from various groups.

Semenya, who has faced challenges due to naturally high testosterone levels, said women should not have to prove their eligibility to compete. Her comments highlight ongoing tensions between sports authorities and athletes over gender verification and fairness in women’s sports.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for destroying a US Boeing E-3 Sentry surveillance aircraft worth $700 million using a Shahed-136 drone costing about $20,000. The attack reportedly took place last Friday at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base, where Iran launched a coordinated missile and drone strike. According to the IRGC, at least 12 US soldiers were injured in the incident.

In a statement released Sunday, the IRGC said its Aerospace Force carried out the joint operation in response to what it called hostile actions by US forces. The group asserted that the E-3 Sentry, part of the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS), was completely destroyed, and nearby aircraft were also damaged. Images circulating on social media appeared to show wreckage of the aircraft at the US-operated base in Saudi Arabia, which had been deployed from Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City.

The IRGC added that the drone struck the aircraft near its tail section, hitting the sensitive AN/APY-2 radar area. The report was sourced from Press TV.

Global oil prices climbed sharply on Monday, surpassing $116 per barrel as renewed conflict in the Middle East intensified concerns over energy supply. The benchmark Brent crude rose more than 3 percent in early trading, crossing the $116 mark amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Before February 28, oil traded at about $72 per barrel. On March 19, it reached a peak of $118 before easing slightly to just under $112 by Friday afternoon. The current surge marks a significant increase compared to pre-war levels, reflecting market anxiety over potential disruptions in the region.

The price spike coincided with Iran’s announcement that it is prepared for a possible U.S. ground attack. Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned that any American troops entering the country would face severe retaliation, and regional allies would also be punished, according to the report.

Dismissed Bangladesh Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Md. Afzal Naser, aged 61, was arrested by the Detective Branch police early Sunday night in the Mirpur DOHS area of Dhaka. According to law enforcement sources, the arrest took place around 3 a.m. following a raid based on secret information. Authorities have not yet released official details about the specific reason for his detention or the case under which he was arrested.

Afzal Naser was dismissed from the army on November 5, 2009. He had joined the military on July 4, 1984, and served in several key positions during his career. Notably, he worked in the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) from March 2006 to March 2008, a period associated with the 1/11 caretaker government. He hails from Mujir Khil village in Senbag upazila of Noakhali.

Sources indicated that more information regarding the arrest may be released soon.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued another message, though he has yet to appear in public. According to a BBC report on Sunday, the message expressed gratitude to Iraq’s religious leaders and people for taking a clear stance against aggression toward Iran. Iranian media said the message was delivered to an Iraqi official following a meeting between the speaker of Iraq’s Supreme Islamic Assembly and Iran’s ambassador in Baghdad.

Since assuming the position of Supreme Leader earlier in March, several written messages have been released in Mojtaba Khamenei’s name, but he has not been seen publicly or on state television. His appointment followed the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, the first day of a major attack.

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei is either dead or in very poor condition, citing his absence from public view. However, Iran’s ambassador in Geneva stated that security reasons are preventing the new leader from appearing publicly.

Pope Leo XIV warned that God does not respond to the prayers of warmongers during his Palm Sunday sermon on Sunday, amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He stated that God is against war and does not accept the prayers of those who promote it. The Pope also expressed concern for Christians affected by the conflict, noting that they are unable to fully observe their religious practices.

Earlier in the week, Pope Leo XIV had called for a ceasefire in the Middle East, saying that more than one million people had already been displaced. He urged all parties involved in the conflict to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences. The Pope, the first American to hold the position, has consistently condemned war and advocated for peaceful negotiation.

Despite his repeated appeals for peace, the 70-year-old pontiff has refrained from naming or blaming any specific side in the conflict, maintaining a cautious stance on the Iran war issue.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that his country will work to bring the United States and Iran to the negotiation table. The statement came on Sunday following discussions among the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt. Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to playing a constructive role in resolving ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and said efforts would focus on encouraging dialogue between Washington and Tehran.

According to the statement, Sharif held meetings with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt to discuss the escalating regional crisis. He highlighted the urgent need for joint initiatives to end conflicts that have caused loss of life, economic damage, and destruction of resources in several Muslim countries, including Iran.

The announcement reflects Pakistan’s intent to act as a mediator in regional disputes, seeking to promote stability through diplomatic engagement among key Middle Eastern and global actors.

Israel carried out an attack on a United Nations peacekeeping base in southern Lebanon’s Marjayoun district, according to UNIFIL. The strike targeted the headquarters of a UN peacekeeping contingent in the Adshit al-Qusayr area, resulting in the death of one peacekeeper and leaving another critically injured. Indonesian peacekeepers stationed at the site were reported to have been affected by the attack.

Lebanon’s state news agency confirmed the incident and reported that the wounded were airlifted to hospitals for treatment. The private broadcaster Al-Jadeed said casualties were feared following the strike. UNIFIL confirmed the death of one peacekeeper and the critical condition of another.

Separately, Lebanon’s state news agency reported that an Israeli airstrike on the southern city of Shakra killed five people. The incidents underscore escalating violence in southern Lebanon amid ongoing regional tensions.

Nepal’s new Prime Minister and Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Balendra (Balen) Shah has announced major changes to the country’s education system during his first cabinet meeting. The government has introduced a 100-point reform program, with a large portion focused on education. As part of this initiative, all politically affiliated student organizations in schools and universities have been banned, and campuses have been instructed to remove them within a set timeframe. In their place, non-political student councils will be formed within 90 days to represent students’ genuine interests.

According to official documents, the government also aims to depoliticize the administration by prohibiting civil servants and teachers from joining political parties and dissolving party-based trade unions. To reduce exam pressure, all traditional internal exams up to grade five have been abolished, replaced by alternative and psychological assessment methods. Schools with foreign names have been ordered to adopt Nepali names by the end of the year to promote national identity.

The reforms also include removing the citizenship certificate requirement for undergraduate admissions and decentralizing teachers’ pension and record management to provincial education ministries from the next fiscal year.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that the United States and Israel carried out an airstrike on a university in Isfahan. The attack targeted the Isfahan University of Technology around midday on Saturday. The report described the strike as “severe,” but no information was provided about casualties or damage.

The incident followed an earlier attack the same day on the Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran, which was also attributed to US and Israeli forces. The sequence of strikes marks a continuation of military actions targeting Iranian academic institutions, according to the reports cited.

No official statements or details on the extent of the damage were available at the time of reporting, and the broader implications of the attacks remain unclear.

The upazila administration has officially ended the rescue operation following the bus sinking in the Padma River at Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari. The announcement was made on Sunday night by Goaland Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sathi Das, who confirmed that no one remains missing. The incident occurred on March 25 when a bus from Kushtia to Dhaka lost control while boarding a ferry and plunged into the river, resulting in 26 deaths.

Among the deceased, 18 were residents of Rajbari district. Each of their families has received a one-time government assistance of 25,000 taka under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Injured passengers are being provided 15,000 taka for medical treatment. All 26 bodies were handed over to their families without autopsy.

Officials stated that the rescue operation could resume if new information emerges, but for now, the search has been concluded as no further missing persons have been reported.

Motorcyclists blocked a major highway near Dhaka’s airport on Sunday night after failing to get octane fuel from a nearby filling station. The protest began around 10:30 p.m. in front of the Masud Hasan Filling Station, opposite the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. The blockade caused severe traffic congestion before law enforcement officials persuaded the bikers to clear the road about half an hour later.

According to the protesters, they had been waiting in line for fuel since evening, but the station stopped service around 7:30 p.m. and closed. One biker said they were forced to take to the streets because they had no other way to continue their journeys without fuel. The station operator, Mizanur Rahman, stated that the fuel had run out earlier in the evening and staff left to avoid potential trouble.

Police confirmed that the bikers blocked the highway due to the fuel shortage and were later removed peacefully with assistance from traffic and intelligence personnel.

Lahore Qalandars, featuring Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman, lost to Karachi Kings by four wickets in a low-scoring match. The game took place on March 30, 2026, where Karachi chased down Lahore’s 128 for 9 to finish at 131 for 6. Mustafizur bowled four overs, conceding only 20 runs and taking one wicket. Batting at number four, Bangladesh’s Parvez Hossain Emon scored 12 runs off 12 balls.

Mustafizur began his spell in the eighth over, giving away just one run and dismissing Saad Baig through a catch by the wicketkeeper. He returned in the 11th over, conceding five runs, and again in the 17th over, giving another five. His most expensive over came in the 19th, where he allowed nine runs. Abdullah Shafique top-scored for Lahore with 33 runs off 24 balls.

The result marked a narrow defeat for Lahore Qalandars despite disciplined bowling from Mustafizur, as Karachi Kings managed to chase the target with four wickets in hand.

Youth and Sports State Minister Aminul Haque has renewed allegations of irregularities and corruption within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) during a parliamentary session on March 29, 2026. He stated that a probe committee has already been formed to investigate alleged misconduct in the BCB election process. Haque claimed that in previous years, BCB funds and manpower were misused to benefit a specific group and to manipulate voting rights.

The minister further alleged that several influential BCB officials had seen an unusual increase in their personal wealth. He urged the Anti-Corruption Commission to share any existing information or investigations related to these officials, promising to make such records public. Haque also criticized the previous government, accusing it of politicizing and damaging the entire sports sector, including the cricket board, since 2008.

He emphasized that his ministry’s main goal is to restore integrity in sports through a reform and purification campaign aimed at eliminating corruption and returning the sector to a fair and transparent path.

A devastating fire broke out at Hawkers Market in the Traffic Point area of Sunamganj Sadar upazila late Sunday night, causing an estimated loss of 50 to 70 million taka, according to local traders. The blaze started around 11:30 p.m. and is believed to have originated from a short circuit in a shoe store. Because the shop contained large quantities of shoes, the flames spread rapidly, burning all stored goods and extending to about eight to ten nearby shops.

Fire Service, police, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) units worked together for two hours to bring the fire under control. Sunamganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ratan Sheikh said the fire likely began from an electrical short circuit, though the Fire Service would confirm the exact cause. Station Officer Jalal Ahmed of Sunamganj Fire Service confirmed that the fire was now under control.

Authorities have not yet provided an official estimate of total damages, and investigations into the cause are ongoing.