Amnesty International has warned that the upcoming FIFA World Cup, to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, faces a serious risk of becoming a platform for repression. In a report titled “Human Must Win,” the London-based rights organization urged the host nations to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of fans, players, and local communities. The 48-team tournament is set to be the largest in World Cup history.

Amnesty said the current human rights situation in the United States contradicts FIFA’s promise of a safe and inclusive event. The report described the U.S. as facing a “human rights emergency,” citing mass deportations, arbitrary arrests, and the militarized operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Plans to include ICE in World Cup security have drawn criticism, especially after recent protests in Minneapolis turned deadly. Amnesty also noted that U.S. travel bans on several countries and safety concerns among LGBTQ+ supporters have deepened the unease.

FIFA has confirmed that the tournament will proceed as scheduled, though tensions in the Middle East have raised uncertainty over Iran’s participation.

Iran has declared the residences of US and Israeli officials in the Middle East as legitimate targets. The announcement was made by Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zulfaqari, who said the move was a response to attacks on residential areas in several Iranian cities.

In a message posted on social media platform X, Zulfaqari stated that Iran would strike the homes of US and Israeli officials in retaliation for assaults on civilian and residential sites within Iran. In a separate video message, he described the planned response as an answer to what he called terrorist acts by the United States and Israel.

According to Iranian claims, recent conflicts have targeted residential buildings in major Iranian cities. As a result, the country’s armed forces now consider the residences of military and political figures from opposing sides as potential targets.

Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy has received unanimous backing from Arab foreign ministers to become the next Secretary-General of the Arab League. The decision came during the 165th ministerial meeting of the League, where all member states expressed support for Fahmy’s nomination. His appointment is expected to be finalized at the upcoming Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia, with his five-year term beginning on July 1, 2026.

Egypt’s current Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the consensus reflects continued Arab confidence in Egypt’s role in joint regional efforts. Fahmy thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for nominating him and expressed gratitude to member states for their support. He noted that the position carries great responsibility at a time when the Arab world faces major challenges and widespread violations of international law.

Fahmy pledged to work closely with member countries to strengthen security, stability, and development across the Arab region once his term begins.

Investigative journalist Julkar Nain Sayer has questioned former interim government chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus about the appointment of Nurjahan Begum, former acting managing director of Grameen Bank, as health adviser. In a verified Facebook post on Monday, Sayer asked what qualifications led to her selection for the position and urged Yunus’s supporters to also consider holding him accountable.

Sayer claimed that during the 2025 interim government period, the Health Ministry canceled the HPNSP and OP systems without adequate preparation, which he said caused vaccine shortages for measles and several other diseases. He noted that 41 children reportedly died from measles, an event he described as unprecedented in recent history.

He further demanded that the Health Ministry disclose detailed information about Nurjahan Begum’s activities as health adviser, emphasizing public interest in understanding her role and performance under Yunus’s leadership.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s civilian energy infrastructure, including power plants, oil fields, and the strategic Kharg Island. According to Al Jazeera, Trump issued the warning in a social media post on March 30, 2026, stating that if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz quickly and reach an agreement, the United States will take tougher measures.

In his message, Trump claimed that significant progress had been made but warned that if a deal was not finalized soon and the Strait of Hormuz was not immediately opened for business, the U.S. would destroy Iran’s power generation centers, oil wells, and Kharg Island completely. The post reflects escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran over control of the vital maritime route.

The report did not include any official response from Iran or other international actors, leaving the potential diplomatic and security consequences of Trump’s threat uncertain.

Journalist Shawkat Mahmud has been shown arrested in an anti-terrorism case filed at Shahbagh Police Station in connection with the launch of the organization 'Manch 71'. The order was issued on Monday, March 30, 2026, by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana following a police petition. State lawyer Shamsuddoha Suman confirmed the court’s decision. Before the order, Mahmud was produced before the court, and the investigating officer, Inspector Md Akhtar Morshed, requested that he be shown arrested as an accused identified during the investigation.

According to the case statement, 'Manch 71' was formed on August 5 of the previous year to prevent distortion of Bangladesh’s Liberation War history. As part of its activities, a roundtable discussion was held on August 28 at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. During the event, a group of individuals entered the venue, created chaos, and confined some participants, including Abdul Latif Siddique and Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman. Police later detained 16 people and a case was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act by Sub-Inspector Amirul Islam.

The case petition stated that showing Mahmud arrested was necessary for proper investigation and justice.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan has directed mosquito control workers to perform their duties with maximum sincerity and commitment to strengthen mosquito control activities in the city. Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day training on Integrated Vector Management (IVM) and basic pest control strategies at Gulshan Nagar Bhaban on Monday, he emphasized that citizens should not have grounds to blame the authorities when walking on the streets.

He highlighted the importance of practical knowledge over theoretical understanding and said that strong commitment and continuous effort could bring the city closer to its mosquito control goals. The administrator noted that effective mosquito control depends largely on field-level workers and is closely linked to waste management, which DNCC is also intensifying. He announced that workers showing good performance would be rewarded by the corporation.

The event was chaired by DNCC Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, who said the training would enhance participants’ practical skills. Entomologist Dr. Kabirul Bashar added that commitment, collaboration, and cooperation are key to effective mosquito control.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen expressed optimism about strengthening mutual cooperation between China and Bangladesh in the social protection sector. During a courtesy meeting on Monday at the Secretariat with Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain and State Minister Farzana Sharmin, Yao Wen said China aims to support Bangladesh’s local communities through initiatives in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation to promote sustainable self-reliance.

The ambassador praised Bangladesh’s Family Card program, noting its popularity among low-income citizens, and said China is interested in deepening friendship and collaboration in social protection alongside infrastructure development. Minister Zahid Hossain described China as a long-standing friend and highlighted its technological advancement, especially in smart card systems. He explained that the Family Card is a database-based digital social protection platform designed to ensure family-centered welfare.

Both sides expressed hope for further strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation. The minister emphasized that China’s experience could help make Bangladesh’s Family Card program more transparent and technology-driven, supporting education, health, nutrition, and women’s empowerment.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanom Rita said the government aims to transform Biman Bangladesh Airlines into a profitable and passenger-friendly organization through collective efforts. She made the remarks on Monday at a views-exchange meeting with the airline’s officials and employees at Balaka in Kurmitola, where State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat was also present.

Addressing the staff, the minister emphasized that their salaries come from passengers’ payments, urging them to treat passengers with due respect. She mentioned plans to link promotions with performance monitoring, fill vacant posts quickly, and improve salary and benefits to satisfactory levels. The state minister added that the current government is people-oriented and democratic, aiming to make Biman a model institution.

The meeting discussed short- and long-term plans for the airline’s development, including adding new aircraft, increasing wheelchairs for elderly and special-needs passengers, and strengthening connections between domestic and international flights. After the meeting, the ministers inspected the Biman Flight Catering Centre to check cleanliness standards.

Iran has sharply criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for what it described as an indifferent stance toward recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities. According to Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the assaults should be considered crimes and accused the IAEA of failing to respond appropriately.

Baghaei told Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi had taken a very wrong position. He claimed that instead of condemning the attackers, Grossi used language in interviews that further complicated the issue. Baghaei also questioned Grossi’s neutrality, saying the IAEA chief lacked firmness and impartiality.

The criticism reflects Tehran’s growing frustration with international institutions over what it perceives as bias in handling incidents involving its nuclear program.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy call on Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain and State Minister Farzana Sharmin at the minister’s office in Dhaka on March 30, 2026. The meeting was attended by the ministry’s secretary, Dr. Mohammad Abu Yusuf, and a three-member Chinese delegation. Both sides discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in social welfare and digital technology.

Minister Zahid Hossain described China as a long-standing friend of Bangladesh and highlighted the government’s Family Card initiative, a database-based digital social protection platform aimed at improving education, health, nutrition, poverty reduction, and women’s empowerment. He noted that China’s experience in smart card technology could be valuable in making the program more transparent and technology-driven.

Ambassador Yao Wen praised the Family Card program’s popularity among low-income groups and expressed China’s willingness to deepen cooperation in social protection, education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation. Both parties expressed optimism about further strengthening Bangladesh-China bilateral relations through mutual collaboration.

RAB-12 members arrested two individuals in Sirajganj’s Salonga area with counterfeit currency worth 1,269,700 taka. The detainees were identified as Robiul Islam, 20, and Abul Hasan, 29, both residents of Berabajua village in Raiganj upazila. The arrests were announced by RAB-12 Commander Additional DIG Md. Atikur Rahman Mia during a press briefing at the Sirajganj headquarters on Monday afternoon.

According to RAB-12, the operation was conducted on Sunday afternoon near the New Mayer Anchol Hotel in Hatikumrul following a tip-off about illegal trading of fake notes. The suspects were initially caught with 5,000 taka in counterfeit bills and two mobile phones. Based on their information, RAB later recovered an additional 1,264,700 taka in fake notes from a rented house in Dhopakandi area.

During preliminary questioning, the detainees reportedly admitted to running a counterfeit currency business across Sirajganj and nearby areas for an extended period. A case has been filed against them at Salonga Police Station.

Former Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Monday evening from his residence in the capital’s Sabujbagh area. According to DB sources, he was wanted in a case related to the 2013 violence and casualties at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, for which an arrest warrant had been issued earlier. The arrest was carried out based on that warrant.

DB Chief Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam confirmed the arrest, stating that Mandal was accused in a case filed with the International Crimes Tribunal over the Shapla Chattar incident. He added that the former police official would be produced before the court. Police sources said the investigation into the case had recently gained momentum, leading to renewed legal actions against those involved.

Abdul Jalil Mandal served as CMP Commissioner from 2014 to 2016 and previously held senior positions in the CMP, Rapid Action Battalion, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States has carried out attacks on nearly 13,000 targets in Iran, with several thousand more still remaining. He made the remarks in an interview with the British daily Financial Times, according to a report published on March 30, 2026.

During the interview, Trump reiterated his threat to seize Iran’s oil production centers but also said that indirect discussions between the United States and Iran, mediated by Pakistani envoys, were progressing positively. When asked whether a ceasefire agreement might soon be reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump declined to provide specific details.

He added that about 3,000 targets were still left and suggested that a deal could be reached fairly quickly. The report cited Al Jazeera as its source.

Qwen3.5-Omni has been introduced as the next generation of the Qwen model, designed for native understanding of text, image, audio, and video. The system features major improvements in intelligence and real-time interaction. A key highlight is its 'Audio-Visual Vibe Coding' capability, which allows users to describe a vision to the camera and have Qwen3.5-Omni-Plus instantly create a functional website or game. The model family includes Plus, Flash, and Light variants.

Offline, Qwen3.5-Omni offers script-level captioning that generates detailed video scripts with timestamps, scene cuts, and speaker mapping. It reportedly surpasses Gemini-3.1 Pro in audio performance and matches its audio-visual understanding. The model can handle up to 10 hours of audio or 400 seconds of 720p video and has been trained on more than 100 million hours of data. It recognizes 113 spoken languages and can speak 36.

Real-time features include fine-grained voice control for emotion and pace, built-in web search, complex function calling, and voice cloning from short samples. The system also supports human-like conversation with smart turn-taking that filters background noise.