Following the U.S. suspension of military aid to Ukraine, European Union leaders are planning an $860 billion increase in defense spending, a move welcomed by Ukraine. On March 3, European heads of state and government convened in Brussels to discuss strategies for supporting Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also attended the meeting. The discussions focused on how the EU could compensate for the halted U.S. assistance. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would not relinquish any of its controlled territories, insisting that victory must lead to a “peace that suits us.” On the other hand, Trump urged Zelensky to strike a mineral resources deal.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Hamas leaders to leave Gaza immediately or face intensified destruction. He also demanded the release of all hostages held by Hamas. In a direct message to the people of Gaza, Trump stated, “A beautiful future awaits, but if you hold onto the hostages, you are dead!” Earlier, Trump had reaffirmed his strong support for Israel and approved billions of dollars in arms supplies following the ceasefire agreement.

Renowned Bangladeshi pop and band music pioneer Azam Khan is set to receive the prestigious Independence Award posthumously, 14 years after his passing. Known for hits like Ore Saleka, Ore Maleka, Rail Liner Oi Bostite, and Alal O Dulal, Khan, whose real name was Mohammad Mahbubul Haque Khan, was also a freedom fighter. Born on February 28, 1950, he passed away on June 5, 2011. Some of his other notable songs include Ami Jare Chaire, Anamika, Obhimani, Papri, and Je Meye Chokhe Dekhena.

In Srimangal, Moulvibazar, a shocking act of revenge resulted in the poisoning of nine cows belonging to a local farmer. The accused, Ramzan Mia (55) and his son Monir (30), allegedly committed the act on Wednesday night after their goat was confined by neighbor Suleman Ahmed (25) for eating crops from his field. According to the complaint, Suleman, who owns a farm with 20 cows, detained Ramzan’s goat in a pen. This enraged Ramzan and his son, leading them to poison the cattle in retaliation.

During Hizb ut-Tahrir’s “March for Khilafah,” a banned organization, a rickshaw puller was seen being beaten by one of its members in front of the police. Later, security forces detained the rickshaw puller from the scene. This incident sparked outrage on Facebook, with citizens demanding his release. In response to the growing pressure, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan intervened and secured the rickshaw puller’s release from the DB office. He was then taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for medical treatment.

Malaysia’s Immigration Department conducted a raid at an entertainment center in Selangor on Wednesday night, detaining 80 undocumented migrants, including Bangladeshis. Selangor’s Immigration Director Khairul Aminus Kamaruddin reported that among those arrested were 75 women and five men, aged between 17 and 45, from Bangladesh, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. The operation was launched at 10:30 PM following two weeks of intelligence gathering based on public complaints regarding illegal migrants in the area.

The Trump administration has temporarily halted the 25% tariffs imposed on most Canadian and Mexican goods on Thursday. In response, Canada has also delayed its retaliatory tariffs. However, this suspension is set to expire on April 2, after which Trump has threatened to impose counter-tariffs on all global trade partners. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated, “On April 2, reciprocal tariffs will be implemented. We hope Mexico and Canada take sufficient measures to curb fentanyl shipments into the U.S.” Earlier this week, Trump had imposed the 25% tariff on both nations.

A devastating fire erupted at a textile warehouse in Pabanartek, Jamgara, Ashulia, on Friday afternoon. According to Fire Service officials, the blaze broke out in a tin-shed storage facility owned by Md. Sharif. Two firefighting units from DEPZ Fire Service initially responded, followed by two more units from Zirabo Modern Fire Service. The fire was brought under control after an hour-long effort. No casualties have been reported so far.

The US State Department announced plans to use AI-powered monitoring to revoke visas of foreign students identified as Hamas sympathizers. The initiative, termed “Catch and Revoke,” will analyze social media accounts of thousands of student visa holders to detect potential affiliations with the Palestinian resistance group. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that individuals supporting Hamas or similar organizations pose a national security threat. Axios reported that the review will focus on accounts active since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack.

The Nobel Committee has received 338 nominations for this year’s Peace Prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organizations. While the full list remains classified for 50 years as per Nobel regulations, US politicians have hinted that former President Donald Trump is a strong contender. Congressman Darrell Issa confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that he would be nominating Trump, asserting that “no one is more deserving” of the prestigious honor.

Filmmaker and advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki took to Facebook on Thursday to express his firm stance against misogyny. In his post, he questioned whether anyone had cared about the gender, attire, or political affiliation of their fellow protestors when fighting against Hasina’s oppressive regime in July. He pointed out that Bangladesh had opposed the stigmatization of beards, caps, and burqas in the past and should do the same now. His message was clear: “A straight ‘NO’ to all forms of misogyny—never before, not now, not in the future.” He ended his post with a thought-provoking question about who truly benefits from the political manipulation of power.

Despite prior warnings from Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir organized a “March for Khilafah” procession after Friday prayers at Baitul Mukarram. The march proceeded toward Bijoynagar but was intercepted by police after about 15 minutes. Law enforcement used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the protesters, causing them to scatter. However, the group regrouped and attempted to continue the demonstration, leading to another round of police action. Protesters retaliated by hurling stones and bricks at security forces. Several individuals were detained during the clashes.

After an arduous nine-hour effort, forest officials and local villagers successfully rescued a wild elephant that had been trapped in the mud for 22 hours in Chattogram’s Banshkhali Upazila on Thursday afternoon. Anisuzzaman, a ranger at the Jaldi Forest Range, reported that the 40-year-old female elephant was already suffering from malnutrition and had become further weakened due to prolonged immobility. “We first sprayed water on the elephant to remove the mud from its body and soften the ground,” he explained. “With the help of at least 35 villagers, we were finally able to pull the elephant to safety.” The animal has been given saline-infused water, and further medical attention is being arranged.

On Wednesday, officials and employees of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) staged protests demanding the resignation of Chairman Khandaker Rashed Maksud and his leadership team. They continued their demonstrations with a strike on Thursday. Addressing the situation, Finance Advisor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed remarked, “This is beyond my jurisdiction. The BSEC Chairman is in charge, and he has been given full responsibility to handle the matter.” He further stated that the government had instructed Maksud to continue his work with even greater rigor. Meanwhile, Maksud affirmed that discussions with the government had taken place, emphasizing that their mandate remains firm: “We must stay on course and strengthen our efforts—there is no room for backing down.”

Dhaka University has reaffirmed its rule requiring students to keep their ears and faces visible during tutorial presentations and examinations. However, some female students have expressed unwillingness to comply. In response, the university’s public relations office issued a statement announcing that female students wearing niqabs or hijabs will be identified by female teachers, officers, or staff to maintain both personal privacy and institutional security. The administration also stated that female assistant proctors may be involved in the identification process when necessary. Additionally, authorities are exploring the feasibility of implementing fingerprint or biometric identification systems in the future.