An Australian court sentenced BJP leader Balesh Dhankar to 40 years in prison for sexually assaulting five South Korean women. Dhankar, 43, lured victims with fake job ads, drugged them, and recorded the assaults. He meticulously documented victims’ details in an Excel sheet. Convicted of 39 crimes, including 13 sexual assaults, his actions have sparked outrage. His past involvement with BJP and the Hindu Council of Australia raises concerns about leadership ethics. The case questions BJP’s and Modi government’s commitment to women’s safety.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in New York for allegedly shooting and killing a detective. The incident occurred last Friday night during an exchange of gunfire between police officers and a group of suspects. The deceased officer, 26-year-old Joseph Azcona, had served as a detective in the police department for five years. Authorities confirmed that four additional individuals connected to the incident are now in custody. The teen suspect faces charges of attempted murder and illegal firearm possession.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has once again urged the United States to withdraw from NATO. In a recent post on X, Musk, who was a key figure in the Trump administration’s Department of Energy, reiterated his stance. Earlier, on March 2, he also posted that it was time for the U.S. to exit both the United Nations and NATO. His remarks have fueled debates over the future of the 32-member military alliance. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump discussed NATO membership with allied nations on March 6, warning that he would not fund the defense of NATO members who fail to meet their financial commitments.

Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s envoy for Middle East affairs, will visit Doha on March 11 to engage in talks regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, as reported by Axios citing two U.S. officials. Witkoff aims to mediate a new hostage-release and ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Prior to his visit, Israeli and Hamas negotiators, along with representatives from Qatar and Egypt, are expected to convene in Doha on March 10 for preliminary discussions.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to create a cryptocurrency reserve using government-owned digital assets. This move aligns with his campaign promise to make the United States the global capital of cryptocurrency.

Trump, the first U.S. president to accept campaign donations in cryptocurrency, has even launched his own digital currency. According to David Sacks, the federal crypto reserve will be funded through fines collected from criminal activities and assets seized in civil lawsuits, which will be converted into Bitcoin by the government.

The United States is set to close several consulates across Europe as part of a plan to reduce its workforce, according to multiple foreign officials cited by The Guardian on Thursday. The closures are expected to take place within the coming months. Initial reports suggest that consulates in several smaller cities, including Leipzig, Hamburg, and Düsseldorf in Germany, Bordeaux and Strasbourg in France, and Florence in Italy, could be shut down. However, the US government has not yet made an official decision. The Trump administration has stated that the closures are part of a broader strategy to reduce global staff levels.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s Permanent Representative in Vienna, stated that Israel has no right to comment on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. When a BBC Persian journalist expressed doubts about Iran’s nuclear activities, Ulyanov firmly emphasized that Iran is a key neighbor and ally of Russia. He further clarified that even if Iran’s uranium enrichment program reaches 90%, it remains entirely peaceful.

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.

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 recent Gallup poll reveals that fewer than half of Americans express sympathy for Israel, while 33% sympathize with Palestinians—the highest recorded support for them so far. Among Democrats, 59% show more sympathy toward Palestinians, whereas only 21% favor Israelis. Though traditionally, Americans have leaned more toward Israel in Middle Eastern affairs, this marks the lowest level of support for Israel in Gallup’s 25-year annual tracking survey on world affairs.

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.

The death toll in Gaza has risen to 48,450 after 30 more bodies were recovered from the rubble. According to reports, four more Palestinians were killed in Israeli shelling in the past 48 hours, while another wounded victim succumbed to injuries. The ongoing ceasefire agreement has halted the mass killings that lasted over 15 months, but search and rescue operations continue to recover bodies from destroyed areas.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a final warning to Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all Israeli hostages held in Gaza. In a statement, he urged Hamas leaders to free the captives and leave Gaza, emphasizing that the people of Gaza have a chance at a better future. “A bright future awaits you, but if you keep the hostages, that won’t happen. If you take such actions, you are dead!” Trump wrote. Meanwhile, for the first time since 1997, his administration has engaged in direct talks with Hamas. On the other hand, Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, causing severe shortages of food and humanitarian aid.

The Trump administration has directly engaged in negotiations with Hamas, bypassing Israel, to secure the release of American hostages held in Gaza and to establish a broader ceasefire agreement. On Wednesday, Trump’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Adam Boehler, held talks in Doha. Sources told Axios that while discussions are ongoing, no formal agreement has been reached yet. Additionally, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, had planned a visit to Qatar on Tuesday but canceled it due to a lack of progress in Israel’s ceasefire deal.