US President Donald Trump has announced a five-day suspension of all planned military strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure. He made the announcement on his social media platform Truth Social, just hours before the deadline of a previous ultimatum to Iran expired. Trump said the decision followed two days of significant discussions between the United States and Iran aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East, describing the talks as positive and productive.

According to the report, Trump instructed the Defense Department to temporarily halt the attacks, noting that future actions would depend on the success of ongoing negotiations. The move comes after heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil and LNG supply passes. Following a US strike on Iran on February 28, the strait was partially closed, causing a sharp rise in global oil prices.

Trump’s administration has been working to restore normal maritime traffic in the area. Earlier, he had given Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the strait or face strikes on its power facilities, prompting Tehran to threaten countermeasures if attacked.

On Monday, oil prices in Asia rose sharply while major stock markets suffered steep declines, driven by escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Brent crude climbed more than one percent to exceed 113.40 dollars per barrel. Japan’s Nikkei index fell 3.5 percent, and South Korea’s Kospi dropped 6.5 percent, reflecting investor anxiety over regional instability.

The turmoil followed warnings from Donald Trump on Saturday that he would destroy Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened. Iran responded that any such attack would trigger retaliatory strikes on key regional infrastructure. Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie’s chairman and chief analyst Simon Flowers told the BBC that markets were watching closely to see whether these threats would be carried out.

Flowers added that a US strike on Iranian infrastructure would intensify the war further, prompting possible Iranian counterattacks similar to those seen in recent weeks. The heightened uncertainty has left energy and financial markets on edge across Asia.

Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah claimed on Sunday, March 22, that it carried out 63 attacks against Israeli forces in a single day. The group announced the operations early Monday through its Telegram channel, stating that rockets, drones, and artillery shells were used to target Israeli troops inside Israel and in southern Lebanon. According to Al Jazeera, the scale of the attacks was described as unprecedented.

In response to continued threats from Hezbollah, Israel has launched a ground operation in southern Lebanon. Since March 2, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have reportedly killed 1,029 people and injured 2,786 others. The ongoing hostilities have displaced over one million people, worsening humanitarian conditions across the region.

The intensifying cross-border violence has pushed regional security into a severe crisis, raising concerns about further escalation if the current pattern of attacks and counterattacks continues.

China’s Foreign Ministry has called on all parties involved in the ongoing conflict—specifically the United States, Israel, and Iran—to return to the negotiating table and end what it described as a vicious cycle of violence. The appeal came after a question regarding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Ministry spokesperson Lian Jian warned that further escalation could spread chaos across the entire region and emphasized that the war should never have started.

According to the report, the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has created dramatic instability across the Gulf region and globally. Thousands of people in the Middle East have been displaced, and the conflict has disrupted oil prices and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, raising costs for consumers and businesses worldwide.

Although China has not yet experienced major direct impacts from the Iran war, the country is expected to feel pressure due to its energy dependence. Data from the Center for Global Energy Policy indicate that only 12 percent of China’s oil imports come from Iran.

Former French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin has died at the age of 88, his family announced on Monday. The news was reported by AFP from Paris, stating that Jospin passed away on Sunday. He served as France’s prime minister from 1997 to 2002 and was a prominent leader of the Socialist Party.

According to his family, Jospin underwent a serious surgical operation in January, though no further details were provided about his health condition or the cause of death. His tenure as prime minister was marked by his leadership within France’s socialist movement and his role in national politics during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Further information about funeral arrangements or official tributes has not yet been released.

Indian authorities have arrested Sumit Kumar, a 36-year-old employee of the Indian Air Force, on charges of spying for Pakistan. The arrest took place at an Air Force base in Assam following a joint operation by Rajasthan intelligence and Air Force intelligence units. Officials said Kumar admitted to passing sensitive and classified information to Pakistan, including details about aircraft, missile systems, and personnel.

According to Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Praful Kumar, the investigation began in January when another suspect was detained in Jaisalmer. Evidence from that case led to Kumar, who worked as a multi-tasking staff member at the Chabua Air Force Station in Dibrugarh, Assam. Police allege that Kumar had been in contact with Pakistani intelligence agents since 2023 and shared information in exchange for money.

Authorities are continuing to question Kumar to determine the full extent of the data breach and identify any additional individuals involved in the espionage network.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denounced the United States’ threat to destroy Iran’s power plants as a sign of Washington’s reckless attitude. He stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all nations except those attacking Iran. His remarks came after the US president warned that if Iran did not fully reopen the waterway within 48 hours, American forces would strike and annihilate Iranian power facilities, starting with the largest one.

In response, Tehran warned that any attack on its power infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy installations in Gulf countries linked to the United States. The speaker of Iran’s parliament also cautioned that assaults by the US or Israel on Iranian power plants would bring “irreparable destruction” to critical infrastructure across the Gulf region.

The escalating exchange highlights rising tensions over navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for global energy shipments, with both sides issuing severe warnings of potential military action.

An investigation into the death of an Israeli citizen near Misgav Am in northern Israel has revealed that the fatal incident was caused by Israeli army fire, not by an attack from Lebanon. The preliminary findings indicate that artillery shells fired from an Israeli battery toward Lebanon went off target and landed inside the kibbutz area, killing 60-year-old Ofer Moskovitz on Sunday, March 22.

Initially, the Israeli military stated that casualties and damage had resulted from rockets launched from Lebanon. However, as the situation developed, the army revised its position and announced a comprehensive investigation involving all relevant authorities to determine the full circumstances of the event.

The army’s acknowledgment that its own artillery fire caused the civilian death has drawn attention to internal flaws within Israel’s defense system and highlighted the dangers of ongoing border conflicts.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation on Sunday evening, according to a Downing Street spokesperson. The two leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, focusing on the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping. They agreed that reopening the strait is essential to ensure stability in the global energy market. The call lasted 20 minutes and was described as constructive.

The discussion came shortly after Trump shared a satirical video clip about the British Prime Minister. Following the call, Starmer convened a 'Cobra' meeting with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, and others to assess the economic impact of the ongoing conflict. On Saturday night, Trump had given Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the strait, warning that the United States would destroy Iranian power plants if it failed to comply.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces announced preparations to continue fighting Iran and Hezbollah for several more weeks and approved plans to expand operations in Lebanon, raising fears of a full-scale ground offensive.

Iran has warned that it will deploy naval mines across the Persian Gulf if the United States or Israel launches any attack on its coastal areas or islands. The Iranian Defense Council issued the threat on Monday, March 23, 2026, declaring that it would not tolerate any form of aggression against its territory.

In a statement, the council said that peaceful nations or those not involved in the conflict could only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating with Iran. It added that any hostile attempt against Iranian coasts or islands would lead to the mining of all entry and communication routes in the Persian Gulf, effectively blocking the region. The council emphasized that the responsibility for such consequences would rest on the countries issuing threats.

The warning came as the deadline approached for a 48-hour ultimatum issued by US President Donald Trump, who had demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, announced that the country’s fuel supply remains normal. Speaking at a press conference at his residence on Monday, March 23, 2026, the minister said fuel imports have increased by 25 percent compared to last year. He urged citizens not to panic and to purchase fuel as needed, assuring that everyone will have access to supplies.

Tuku explained that temporary supply pressure occurred because distribution was halted for two days during the Eid holidays. He added that the government continues importing fuel with subsidies to maintain stability. Meanwhile, State Minister for Road Transport and Railways, Habibur Rashid Habib, stated that security will be provided at fuel stations if necessary and that the government successfully prevented attempts to raise prices amid the perceived shortage.

Officials said the earlier concerns about fuel scarcity before Eid have been resolved, and the situation is now under control.

A deadline set by former U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without threats is set to expire at midnight local time on Monday. The ultimatum, announced 48 hours earlier, warned that if Iran failed to ensure free passage for ships, the United States would destroy Iran’s power plants. The situation has heightened fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East as the deadline approaches.

In response, Tehran warned that any U.S. or Israeli attack on its power facilities would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries allied with Washington. Iran’s parliament speaker cautioned that such retaliation would cause irreversible destruction to critical installations in the region.

The standoff has drawn international concern, with observers noting that the expiration of the deadline could further destabilize the Gulf and intensify regional hostilities if neither side steps back from its threats.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced allegations of concealing information after the government delayed confirming an Iranian missile attack on the Diego Garcia military base for more than 30 hours. The acknowledgment came only after US officials verified the incident. The attack occurred between Thursday night and early Friday, when Iran launched two ballistic missiles toward the joint US-UK base in the Chagos Islands. Neither missile hit its target; one was intercepted by a US warship, and the other fell into the sea.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Labour government of maintaining a “culture of cover-up” and urged an explanation for the delay in informing the public. She argued that while genuine national security matters should remain confidential, significant events must be disclosed to Parliament and citizens. Badenoch, who succeeded Rishi Sunak as party leader in November 2024, made her remarks in an article for the Daily Mail.

A government source dismissed the criticism as a desperate move by the opposition leader, claiming she had repeatedly mishandled the crisis. The government confirmed the attack attempt on Saturday morning, more than 30 hours after it occurred.

At least 81 people have died in Kenya this March following continuous heavy rains that triggered flash floods across large parts of the country, authorities said on Sunday. The worst-hit areas include the capital Nairobi, where 37 deaths were reported. Thousands of families have been displaced, and extensive damage to infrastructure and property has been recorded. In Kisumu County, entire villages were submerged, destroying about 1,200 hectares of farmland. In Nyakach, over 3,000 families lost their homes, and residents sought refuge in eight overcrowded shelters.

Local reports described residents wading through knee-deep water and using boats to evacuate. Rising water levels near the Nairobi Dam prompted evacuation warnings amid fears of a possible breach, though the dam remained intact. Police confirmed that 2,690 families were displaced nationwide. Landslides in western Kenya also caused fatalities and buried several homes. Critics have called for Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s resignation, citing unfulfilled promises to improve drainage and road infrastructure.

Meteorological forecasts predict continued rainfall until Tuesday, and authorities have urged extreme caution. Scientists cited in the report link the intensifying weather patterns to human-induced climate change, which has increased both heavy rainfall and droughts in East Africa over the past two decades.

Four Bangladeshi cricketers left Dhaka on Monday morning to participate in the upcoming eleventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which begins on March 26. The departing players are Mustafizur Rahman, Shariful Islam, Parvez Hossain Emon, and Nahid Rana. Two others, Rishad Hossain and Tanzid Tamim, are scheduled to join later.

According to the report, six Bangladeshi players have secured contracts in this year’s franchise-based tournament. Mustafizur Rahman, known as the “Cutter Master,” drew particular attention after signing directly with Lahore Qalandars for 64.4 million Pakistani rupees. Parvez Hossain Emon will also play for Lahore Qalandars, while leg-spinner Rishad Hossain joined the new franchise Rawalpindi Pindis for 30 million rupees. Nahid Rana and Parvez were later picked up by their respective teams at a base price of 6 million rupees each.

The participation of multiple Bangladeshi players highlights the growing presence of the country’s cricketers in international franchise leagues.