The government has appointed Advocate Aminul Islam as the new Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), replacing Tajul Islam. The appointment was confirmed through a government notification signed by Solicitor Manjurul Hossain on Monday. According to the notification, the Chief Prosecutor will hold the same rank, salary, and privileges as the Attorney General. Tajul Islam had been appointed in September 2024 by the interim government with the rank of Attorney General. Under his leadership, the prosecution submitted 24 formal charges related to crimes against humanity committed during July–August 2024. Trials for these cases are ongoing in Tribunal-1 and Tribunal-2, with verdicts already delivered in three cases. Among the 26 convicted are former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and senior police officials. Two more verdicts, including one on the killing of Abu Sayeed during the July uprising, are pending, while another verdict is scheduled for March 4. Trials are also underway for enforced disappearances and torture cases from the Awami League government era, involving several former ministers, MPs, and retired military officers.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman worked for the first time at the Armed Forces Division office located in Dhaka Cantonment on Monday morning. He arrived at the office at 9 a.m., where he was received by the chiefs of the three armed services. The prime minister exchanged greetings with them and, as part of the day’s schedule, conferred rank badges on Lieutenant General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman and Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury. The event was attended by the prime minister’s defense adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M. Shamsul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hasan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmud Khan, Defense Secretary Md. Ashraf Uddin, Press Secretary Saleh Shibli, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumman, and Private Secretary-2 Md. Mehedul Islam. This marks the first occasion a sitting prime minister has conducted official duties from the Armed Forces Division office within the Dhaka Cantonment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already started World War III. In an interview with the BBC, Zelensky said that only intense military and economic pressure can stop Putin. He rejected any notion of Ukraine being on the path to defeat, asserting that the war would end with Ukraine’s victory. Zelensky emphasized that accepting a ceasefire under Russia’s conditions would mean surrendering strategically important territories that Russia failed to capture despite heavy losses. He argued that Russia seeks to impose a different way of life on the world, replacing the choices people have made for themselves. According to him, the key question now is how far Putin can go and how the world will stop him. The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Russia must be confronted through sustained military and economic measures, not by conceding territory or making strategic compromises under the guise of peace.

A nationwide survey has found that most Americans are dissatisfied with President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court striking down his tariff plan, Trump has imposed a 15 percent tariff citing a different law. The ABC News and Washington Post Ipsos Knowledge Panel survey indicates that public discontent with Trump’s trade measures has grown amid rising international disagreements over U.S. tariffs. According to the survey, a large portion of Americans are unhappy with Trump’s policies on trade, foreign relations, immigration, and the overall economy. About 65 percent oppose his inflation-control measures, 64 percent reject high import tariffs, and 62 percent consider his foreign policy misguided. Additionally, 58 percent disapprove of his immigration policy, while 57 percent believe his actions are harming the national economy. Although frustration with Trump is widespread, the survey also shows limited trust in Democrats. Only 33 percent of respondents expressed confidence in Trump, 31 percent in Democrats, and another 31 percent said they trust neither side.

Five suspected militants were killed in a counterterrorism operation in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, according to an official statement released on Monday. The operation took place in Pishin district based on intelligence information, where a suspected suicide bomber and four associates were killed near the old Surkhab refugee camp. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) spokesperson said that intense gunfire erupted during the raid on the militants’ hideout. The statement added that the group had planned attacks on the police lines and Cadet College Pishin. Security forces are continuing their investigation into the incident. The CTD also reported that, in separate operations last week in Quetta and Barkhan districts, a total of 14 suspected militants were killed. Authorities have not released further details about the identities of those killed or the specific militant group involved, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Kashmiri traders working across northern India are facing increasing hostility and violence, forcing many to change their routines for safety. In Hisar, Haryana, 28-year-old Ayaz Ahmad, who sells shawls and handicrafts door to door, now uses a WhatsApp group to warn fellow Kashmiri vendors about areas to avoid. He told Al Jazeera that harassment has become a daily concern, making personal safety a higher priority than business. The shift follows a violent incident in Uttarakhand’s Vikasnagar, where an 18-year-old Kashmiri shawl seller, Tabish Ahmad Gani, was beaten with an iron rod by a Hindu shopkeeper who declared that Kashmiris could not work in the village. The attack left Tabish seriously injured, requiring stitches and leaving him unable to walk. He said he was targeted solely for being a Kashmiri Muslim. According to the report, such assaults are not isolated but reflect a broader pattern of hate against Kashmiri traders and migrant workers across India, fueled by political rhetoric portraying Kashmiris as traitors and security threats.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Sunday that 614 people have been killed and 1,643 injured in Gaza during the four months since a ceasefire was declared on October 10 of last year. The ceasefire followed two years of intense Israeli military operations and was announced after intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued to carry out attacks targeting Gaza residents. According to the ministry, two people were killed and three injured in the past 24 hours due to Israeli strikes. It also stated that 726 bodies have been recovered from the rubble during this period, while many victims remain trapped beneath collapsed structures. Reports from Al Jazeera and the Palestinian news agency Wafa detailed recent attacks in Jabalia refugee camp, Khan Younis, and Beit Lahia, where several civilians, including a woman, were killed. Since October 2023, a total of 72,072 people have been killed and 171,741 injured in Gaza as a result of Israeli military actions, according to the ministry’s data.

Mexico’s government announced that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho’ and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed during a security operation in Jalisco’s Tapalpa region. The 59-year-old former police officer was fatally wounded in a gunfight with soldiers while being transported to Mexico City. Four CJNG members were also killed and three soldiers injured in the raid, which was supported by U.S. intelligence. Authorities seized armored vehicles, rocket launchers, and other weapons during the operation. Following his death, CJNG members launched violent attacks across eight Mexican states, setting vehicles on fire, blocking roads, and targeting security forces. The U.S. State Department issued travel warnings for several regions, including Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm, saying most areas remained stable. Airlines including United, American, and Air Canada canceled flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara amid unrest. Former U.S. ambassador Christopher Landau described El Mencho as one of the most brutal drug lords, warning that cartel retaliation could complicate Mexico’s security situation.

A butcher named Mohammad Mujib, aged 45, was allegedly beaten to death after being called from his home in Kakara Union of Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar. The incident occurred near Shah Omar Mazar on Saturday evening. Locals found Mujib’s body around 11:30 p.m. with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape. He was taken to Chakaria Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Police later detained a 28-year-old man named Mohammad Arif from the same area in connection with the killing. According to police, Arif tried to portray the incident as a robbery but was detained after inconsistencies in his statements. Mujib’s family claimed that Arif had a long-standing land dispute with them, which had led to multiple clashes and ongoing court cases. Local residents described Arif and his father as known drug dealers who had been arrested several times before. Following the incident, tension spread in the area, prompting police to deploy additional forces. Chakaria Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Monir Hossain said the body was sent to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy. He added that there were no visible injuries and suspected that Mujib was suffocated to death.

NASA has postponed its Artemis-2 lunar mission after engineers detected a mechanical fault in the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket during final preparations. The mission, originally scheduled for early March, was intended to send four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and return them to Earth after ten days. It would have been humanity’s longest-distance space journey in over fifty years. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the issue was found in the helium flow system, which is essential for pressurizing the rocket’s fuel tanks and cooling systems. The problem emerged after a 50-hour test that had shown no faults, leading the team to believe the launch could proceed by March 6. NASA described the helium insufficiency as a serious technical problem requiring further maintenance. On February 19, the rocket had been fueled with about 730,000 gallons of propellant, marking a major milestone in launch preparation. NASA hopes that resolving the issue will allow the Artemis-2 mission to proceed successfully, paving the way for Artemis-3, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time since 1972.

Iran and the United States are set to resume discussions in Geneva on Thursday, confirmed Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi. He announced the meeting in a social media post on Sunday, stating that the talks aim to achieve positive progress toward finalizing an agreement. The announcement was reported by Al Jazeera. The development comes as the United States continues to expand its military presence in the Middle East, a move that has heightened fears of a full-scale conflict with Iran. Just hours before Oman’s confirmation, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is ready to implement a comprehensive monitoring system to ensure its nuclear program remains peaceful, which could help ease tensions. Speaking on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Araghchi emphasized that despite military risks, Iran intends to enrich uranium domestically rather than purchasing it abroad, citing national pride and the value of its scientists’ achievements.

Greenland has rejected a proposal by US President Donald Trump to send a floating hospital to the autonomous Danish territory. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen said the island does not need such a facility, noting that its citizens already receive free medical care under the existing public health system. He urged Trump to engage in direct dialogue rather than making announcements on social media. The plan was announced by Trump on his Truth Social account on Saturday, where he said he was working with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to send a large hospital ship to Greenland to treat people lacking adequate medical services. The ship, according to Trump, had already departed. The move comes amid growing tension between NATO allies Denmark and the United States. Their traditionally strong bilateral relationship has been under pressure in recent months, as Trump has expressed interest in gaining control over the mineral-rich and strategically important Arctic island.

Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP), questioned whether those responsible for casualties during the July 2024 uprising would face justice and why banned Awami League offices were reopening across Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Monday morning in a verified Facebook post, tagging newly elected Comilla-4 MP and NCP organizer Hasnat Abdullah. In his post, Patwari wrote that the Awami League had started reopening offices despite its activities being banned, adding that elections were over and now reforms and justice should follow. The comments come amid political shifts following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024, after a student–public uprising. An interim government took charge on August 8, and the BNP-led alliance later won a majority in the February 12, 2026, national election. Hasnat Abdullah won from Comilla-4, while Patwari contested but lost in Dhaka-8. The issue of reopening Awami League offices has raised questions about accountability and the direction of political reforms under the new government.

A powerful winter storm has begun striking the northeastern United States, placing about 59 million people under weather alerts. New York City has issued a full travel ban from Sunday night to Monday noon, with Mayor Zohraan Mamdani announcing the closure of all roads, highways, bridges, and schools. Several states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, have declared states of emergency as thousands of flights were canceled due to the blizzard. The U.S. National Weather Service forecasted that this could be the strongest nor’easter in nearly a decade, bringing heavy snowfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding. New York City is expecting 18 to 24 inches of snow, with temperatures dropping to around minus six degrees Celsius. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide emergency and deployed about 100 National Guard members, warning that Long Island and New York City lie directly in the storm’s path. Governors across the region have taken precautionary measures, including shutting down public transport in New Jersey and restricting commercial traffic in Connecticut, as the storm continues to intensify through Monday.

Amid ongoing discussions with the United States over its nuclear program, Iran has witnessed a resurgence of youth-led protests. On Sunday, for the second consecutive day, citizens gathered in Tehran for rallies and demonstrations. According to AFP, the protests began on Saturday as young anti-government demonstrators demanded justice for those killed by security forces during incidents in December and January. In response, pro-government groups called for counter-rallies involving young supporters. Iran’s Fars News reported that the protests have spread across three universities in Tehran, with Sharif University emerging as the focal point of the movement. Videos circulating on social media showed students at Sharif University marching with flags from the era of former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and chanting anti-government slogans. The renewed protests highlight growing generational dissent in Iran even as the government continues sensitive diplomatic negotiations with Washington over its nuclear activities.