Iran launched attacks targeting several Israeli cities in response to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli rescue teams reported that three people were injured in the incidents, with one in critical condition. The attacks occurred on March 8, 2026, though the exact locations and circumstances were not disclosed.

Rescue officials stated that a 40-year-old man was critically wounded, a 25-year-old sustained moderate injuries, and a 56-year-old suffered minor wounds. All three were reportedly hurt by shrapnel from explosions caused by bombs, shells, mines, or grenades. No further details about the sites or the broader situation were available.

The report highlights the continuing cycle of retaliatory strikes between Iran and Israel, with civilian injuries underscoring the growing risks in the region.

The United Arab Emirates has activated its air defense systems to intercept missiles and drones launched from Iran, according to a statement from the UAE Ministry of Defense cited by Al Jazeera. The ministry said in a post on social media platform X that the explosions recently heard were the result of the defense systems intercepting incoming threats.

The report noted that Iran has been launching missiles and drones toward several Gulf countries as regional tensions continue to escalate. In response, these countries, including the UAE, have activated their air defense systems to counter potential attacks.

The situation underscores growing instability in the Gulf region, with multiple states taking precautionary defense measures as cross-border hostilities intensify.

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has caused severe disruption to international air travel, leaving thousands of Muslim pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia. Many flights have been canceled due to unsafe airspace, creating uncertainty and distress among travelers trying to return home. Some have been forced to cancel their planned Umrah trips altogether.

Indonesian and Malaysian citizens are among the hardest hit. Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Hajj and Umrah Affairs, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, said about 58,860 Indonesian pilgrims remain stranded, facing high accommodation and transport costs. The Indonesian government is negotiating with Saudi authorities and airlines to reduce hotel and ticket expenses and has asked around 60,000 more citizens to postpone their Umrah trips until April. Malaysia’s Consul General in Jeddah, Mohamad Zuraif Raja Abdul Kadir, reported that 1,600 Malaysians are stranded, with a 24-hour operations room set up to assist them.

The crisis has become both a humanitarian and logistical challenge, with pilgrims expressing financial and emotional strain. The war’s impact on the region’s air routes has also disrupted global connectivity and raised concerns over upcoming Hajj travel.

Italy has evacuated 20,000 of its citizens from the Middle East following the outbreak of war in the region, according to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, as reported by Al Jazeera. The minister stated that the Gulf Task Force, comprising 200 officers, worked continuously to assist Italian nationals stranded in the Gulf area.

Tajani credited the coordinated efforts of the task force for enabling the safe return of Italians from various parts of the Middle East. The evacuation operation was part of Italy’s broader response to ensure the safety of its citizens amid escalating conflict conditions.

Evacuation efforts for foreign nationals from several Middle Eastern countries remain ongoing due to the continuing war situation, the report added.

Mohammad Selim Uddin, the Dhaka North city chief of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has called for immediate action to make Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mosquito-free within three days. Speaking as the chief guest at a human chain organized by the Citizens Development Forum in Uttara West, he urged the city administration to transfer authority to elected representatives and take urgent steps to ensure a clean and healthy city during the holy month of Ramadan.

Selim Uddin criticized the DNCC administration for negligence and irregularities that have turned the city into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. He said the lack of effective monitoring and action has caused unbearable stench and suffering for residents, particularly fasting Muslims. He urged the new DNCC administrator to take personal initiative, mobilize funds from party workers and citizens, and launch a citywide mosquito eradication campaign.

He emphasized that cleanliness is a part of faith and that the current state of the city is disrupting religious observances during Ramadan. He assured that Jamaat members would cooperate with the city administration in this effort.

Khalid Al-Jaber, Executive Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Doha, told Al Jazeera that Iranian officials have sent several conflicting messages to countries in the region. Referring to the attack on Bahrain’s water purification facility, he said it remains unclear which statements are true and expressed doubt that Iran would refrain from targeting Gulf infrastructure during wartime.

Al-Jaber noted that since the attack on Ayatollah Khamenei, there appears to be no clear institution or leadership in Iran with whom regional actors can communicate, making it difficult to understand Tehran’s current stance. He added that Iran’s recent actions have not benefited the country or the region, instead fueling frustration and damaging the economy.

He further stated that the current tension involves not only the United States and Israel but also parts of Europe, as all parties seek to protect their interests. While China and Russia appear to be signaling a desire to de-escalate, Al-Jaber said no one knows how to bring the situation under control.

Over the past one and a half years, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has imposed fines totaling around Tk 1,500 crore on various individuals and institutions for irregularities and manipulation in the capital market. However, only Tk 5 crore has been collected so far. BSEC Chairman Khondkar Rashed Maksud stated that despite the low recovery, the full amount will eventually be deposited into the government treasury. He made the remarks on Sunday at a seminar titled “Challenges and Future Path of the Capital Market under the New Government,” held at a hotel in Dhaka.

The event was organized by the Capital Market Journalists Forum (CMJF) and attended by Prime Minister’s Economic Adviser Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir as chief guest, along with NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan and other market leaders. Maksud highlighted that numerous laws and regulations have been enacted in a short period, countering claims of stagnation within the commission.

He also announced that a new law is being prepared to identify Public Interest Entities based on sales, market share, assets, workforce, and debt, aiming to bring more quality companies into the stock market despite potential resistance from vested interests.

Bangladesh has initiated the process to bring back two key suspects in the murder of Inquilab Manch convener Sharif Osman Hadi. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Rahul, aged 37, and Alamgir Hossain, aged 34, were arrested in India’s Bangaon area of West Bengal. The arrests were made based on intelligence provided by Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).

According to sources, DGFI Director General Major General Mohammad Kayser Rashid Chowdhury recently visited India, after which Indian authorities took stricter measures against fugitives from Bangladesh. Faisal and Alamgir reportedly entered India through the Meghalaya border and were attempting to return to Bangladesh when they were detained. Following their arrest on Saturday night, they were presented before the Bidhannagar court on Sunday and placed under 14-day police custody for interrogation.

Officials stated that after completion of legal procedures in India, the two suspects will be repatriated to Bangladesh. Hadi was attacked in Dhaka’s Paltan area on December 12 last year and later died on December 18 while undergoing treatment in Singapore.

Police in Jhenaidah have arrested three individuals in connection with the killing of Nirab, an anti-discrimination leader, who died after being beaten by fuel station employees. The incident occurred on Saturday night at the Taj Filling Station near the central bus terminal. Nirab’s father filed a case at the Sadar Police Station naming four people and several unidentified suspects. The three detainees were formally shown arrested in the case.

According to local sources, Nirab went to the filling station with two friends to refuel his motorcycle. When the staff refused to provide fuel but served another customer in a bottle, Nirab protested, leading to an argument. The employees then attacked him with bamboo sticks. Locals rescued the severely injured Nirab and took him to Jhenaidah General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Nirab was known as a fast-food businessman in Jhenaidah town and an active member of a student movement against discrimination.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to deploy mobile courts across the country to prevent illegal hoarding and overpricing of fuel. The decision follows reports of artificial fuel shortages and public unrest, including long queues and incidents of vandalism at petrol pumps. The directive was issued by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Md Enamul Haque. It has already been sent to all district commissioners.

According to the directive, some unscrupulous traders have been stockpiling fuel illegally to create an artificial crisis amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The government has already set limits on fuel sales per vehicle to manage the situation. Reports have also surfaced of fuel being sold above government-fixed prices, hoarded for extra profit, or diverted to the open market and smuggling routes.

The ministry has instructed district administrations to strengthen field-level monitoring through mobile courts to stop illegal storage, overpricing, open-market sales, and potential smuggling of fuel. Copies of the directive were also sent to the Home Ministry, the Cabinet Division, and relevant energy officials.

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has expressed concern that the ongoing war in the Middle East could negatively impact Bangladesh’s remittance inflow. Speaking to journalists on Sunday after a law and order committee meeting at the Sylhet Deputy Commissioner’s office, he said some impact is inevitable but the government has taken several initiatives to support expatriate workers, which will soon become visible.

The minister said the government’s first priority is ensuring the safety of Bangladeshi expatriates in the Middle East by providing logistical and health support, and considering repatriation if the situation worsens. A joint monitoring cell comprising the foreign, civil aviation, and expatriates’ welfare ministries has been formed to track developments daily. So far, three Bangladeshi deaths have been reported, and efforts are underway to bring their bodies home.

Chowdhury added that efforts to reopen closed overseas labor markets are ongoing but have slowed due to the war and Ramadan. He also instructed local law enforcement in Sylhet to strengthen surveillance against snatching and youth gang activities ahead of Eid.

Across the United States and Canada, companies are increasingly deploying AI agents—systems capable of planning, reasoning, and executing multistep tasks—to handle work once done by humans. At Snowflake, engineers now rely on AI agents to review product designs, assist during outages, and complete coding projects, freeing staff for higher-level decision-making. Similar tools from firms like Anthropic and Convictional are being used to assign tasks, manage workflows, and even evaluate employee performance, signaling a shift in how organizations operate.

This transformation coincides with widespread layoffs in white-collar sectors, as major employers including Amazon, UPS, and General Motors cite AI-driven efficiency as a factor in job cuts. Analysts estimate that 6–7 percent of U.S. workers could be displaced by AI adoption, with middle management facing the greatest disruption. Yet surveys show that most executives have not yet realized financial benefits from AI, and many job reductions reflect anticipation of future gains rather than current capabilities.

Experts warn that trust and psychological acceptance remain major barriers to successful AI integration. Some companies, such as Convictional, are experimenting with new work models to share productivity gains and maintain employee confidence, while others are setting limits to preserve human connection and oversight.

A new research paper presents a framework for measuring how artificial intelligence is affecting employment, introducing a metric called 'observed exposure.' This measure combines theoretical large language model (LLM) capabilities with real-world usage data, emphasizing automated and work-related applications. The study finds that AI’s actual use remains far below its theoretical potential, with only a fraction of feasible tasks currently automated. Occupations with higher observed exposure are projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow more slowly through 2034.

The analysis shows that workers in highly exposed professions tend to be older, female, more educated, and higher-paid. Despite these exposure levels, researchers find no systematic increase in unemployment among these workers since late 2022. However, there is some evidence that hiring of younger workers has slowed in occupations with higher AI exposure.

The authors emphasize that while AI’s labor market effects remain limited so far, their framework provides a foundation for tracking economic changes as AI adoption expands and capabilities advance.

The Government of Bangladesh has recalled its ambassadors and high commissioner from five countries who were appointed on a contractual basis during the interim government period. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday, March 8, 2026, that the envoys have been reassigned to the ministry’s headquarters in Dhaka.

According to the ministry, the recalled diplomats include Dr. M. Mahfuzul Haque from Portugal, Md. Moynul Islam from Poland, M. Mushfiqur Fazal (Ansari) from Mexico, and Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam from the Maldives. Additionally, Abida Islam, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, has also been recalled. All five officials have been instructed to report to the Foreign Ministry’s Dhaka office immediately.

The announcement marks a significant reshuffle in Bangladesh’s diplomatic representation abroad, focusing on officials appointed under the interim administration.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has made significant progress toward selecting a successor to the country’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to member Ayatollah Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri. He told Mehr News Agency that a broad consensus has been reached among members, though some obstacles remain before a final decision can be announced. A senior cleric earlier said the assembly may meet within a day to finalize the choice.

Iranian media reported minor disagreements among members over whether the decision must be made in person or could be declared without a formal session. Another member, Ayatollah Mohsen Heydari Alekasir, said in a video published by Noor News that in-person voting has become difficult under current conditions. He added that one candidate has already been selected following advice from the late leader, who said the next Supreme Leader should be someone “hated by enemies.”

Alekasir hinted that the chosen candidate has been mentioned by the “Great Satan,” a term used for the United States. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump described Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as an “unacceptable” option.