At least six Palestinians, including a child, were killed in two Israeli airstrikes on police checkpoints in Gaza on March 29, 2026. The attacks targeted Hamas-led police positions in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to local medical workers. Three police officers and three civilians were among the dead, and four others were injured. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest strikes.

Local health officials reported that since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in November, more than 680 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. The continued airstrikes have raised concerns about the durability of the truce and the ongoing humanitarian toll in the region.

The incident underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the persistent violence affecting civilians in Gaza, with no immediate indication of de-escalation from either side.

A Los Angeles jury has found Meta and Alphabet’s Google liable for $3 million in damages in a landmark social media addiction case. The verdict, delivered after more than 40 hours of deliberation, held the companies responsible for the addictive design of their platforms. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old identified as Kaley, said she became addicted to YouTube and Instagram at a young age, worsening her mental health. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified during the trial, while YouTube’s chief executive did not.

Kaley’s legal team argued that features such as notifications and autoplay were intentionally designed to hook young users. Jurors were instructed not to consider user-generated content due to Section 230 protections. Meta maintained that Kaley’s mental health issues stemmed from other causes, while Google argued YouTube is a video platform, not social media. Google said it disagreed with the verdict and planned to appeal. Snap and TikTok had previously settled with the plaintiff before the trial.

Legal experts said the decision could shape future litigation against social media companies, with additional bellwether trials and a federal case scheduled later this year.

In Kano, northern Nigeria, second-hand electronics imported from Europe, America, and Asia are flooding markets like Sabon Gari, where low-income buyers seek affordable appliances. Many of these goods, often near the end of their lifespan, arrive damaged or fail shortly after purchase, worsening the country’s growing electronic waste problem. According to the United Nations, about 60,000 tonnes of used electronics enter Nigeria annually, with at least 15,700 tonnes already defective upon arrival.

The trade, largely driven by exporters from Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, China, the United States, and Ireland, often violates the Basel Convention, which restricts hazardous waste exports to developing nations. Informal recyclers in Kano dismantle broken devices without protection, exposing themselves to toxic substances such as mercury and refrigerant gases banned in Western countries. Health experts warn of serious respiratory, neurological, and reproductive risks linked to such exposure.

Despite Nigeria’s environmental regulations and inspections, weak enforcement and loopholes allow mislabeled shipments to enter the country. Environmental advocates and traders call for stricter border checks, certification systems, and international accountability to curb the inflow of unsafe electronic waste.

A boat carrying migrants from Libya to Greece sank near the Greek island of Crete on Friday, March 27, 2026, killing at least 22 people. According to the Greek Coast Guard, 26 survivors reported that most of the victims were Bangladeshi nationals, including 12 from three upazilas of Sunamganj district. The deceased include six from Dirai, one from Dowarabazar, and five from Jagannathpur.

Relatives of the victims alleged that a human trafficker from Dirai arranged the journey for about 1.2 million taka per person, promising a large and safe vessel. Instead, the migrants were placed on a small, unsafe boat, which is believed to have caused the fatal accident. Local sources identified several of the deceased by name and expressed deep grief over the loss.

Community members in Sunamganj mourned the tragedy, calling the deaths on the perilous Libya–Europe route unbearable and urging accountability for those responsible.

Air strikes in northern Iraq on Saturday killed three members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and two Iraqi police officers, according to Iraqi security sources. The attacks targeted the PMF’s headquarters near Kirkuk Airport and another site in Mosul, wounding several others. The PMF, now part of Iraq’s regular army, blamed the United States and Israel for what it called a “treacherous Zionist-American” assault. The strikes came as the US-Israeli war on Iran continued to spill over Iraq’s eastern border.

Al Jazeera reported that Iraq is becoming an expanding battleground in the conflict that began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The PMF, originally formed in 2014 to fight ISIL, includes factions loyal to both Baghdad and Tehran, complicating Iraq’s position between the two powers. Baghdad is struggling to balance its ties with both the United States and Iran amid the escalating violence.

In the Kurdish region, two drones targeted a US-led coalition base near Erbil Airport, while another drone struck the home of Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok. Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani condemned the attack and urged Baghdad to act. French President Emmanuel Macron described the rising attacks in Iraq as a worrying development.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it launched missile and drone attacks on aluminium facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The statement, broadcast by Iran’s state media overnight on Sunday, said the targeted sites were linked to the United States military. Aluminium Bahrain reported two employees injured, while Emirates Global Aluminium in Abu Dhabi confirmed significant damage and six injuries. The IRGC described the strikes as retaliation for a US-Israeli attack on Iranian industrial infrastructure allegedly launched from Gulf bases hosting US forces.

The attacks come amid escalating regional hostilities following the outbreak of the Middle East war at the end of February. Al Jazeera reported that between 4 to 9 percent of global aluminium supply originates from the Gulf, raising concerns about potential supply disruptions. Additional drone incidents were reported across the region, including an attack at Oman’s Salalah port that injured one worker and prompted Maersk to halt operations temporarily. Oman condemned the assault and began investigating its source.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also reported intercepting multiple drones over their territories. Analysts warned that continued retaliatory strikes could further escalate tensions across the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye have gathered in Islamabad for two days of talks with their Pakistani counterpart, aiming to de-escalate the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. The discussions, held on Sunday and Monday, are led by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Ahead of the talks, Dar announced that Iran had allowed 20 additional ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for over an hour as part of the preparations.

According to Al Jazeera’s Kamal Kyder, Pakistan has been acting as a key intermediary between the United States and Iran, relaying messages as part of mediation efforts. Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s role in attempting to halt aggression against Iran. Islamabad’s longstanding ties with Tehran and Gulf states, as well as its communication channels with Washington, have positioned it as a central player in the diplomatic process.

The talks come amid rising regional tensions, including Houthi attacks on Israel and the arrival of additional US forces in the Middle East, heightening fears of a broader conflict.

Egypt has ordered all shops, restaurants, and shopping centers to close by 9 p.m. each night for one month starting Saturday. The government said the measure aims to conserve energy as fuel prices have surged due to the ongoing war in Iran. Street lighting and advertising illumination will also be reduced, and employees will be allowed to work from home one day a week during April to save energy.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated that Egypt’s petrol expenses more than doubled between January and March, reaching 2.5 billion dollars. Although Egypt is not directly involved in the conflict, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, leaving the import-dependent country vulnerable to shortages.

Hotels and tourist resorts are exempt from the restrictions, as tourism accounts for about one-tenth of Egypt’s economy. Essential services such as hospitals, schools, and factories will also remain unaffected by the work-from-home directive.

A major fire erupted at a cold storage facility in the Sagorika area of Chattogram on Sunday, March 29, 2026. The blaze spread rapidly throughout the warehouse, filling the surrounding area with thick smoke and causing panic among local residents. Eight units of the Fire Service are currently working tirelessly to bring the fire under control.

According to the Fire Service control room, multiple units were dispatched immediately after receiving the alert. As the intensity of the fire increased, additional units were deployed in phases. Rescue teams are also searching the facility to determine whether any workers or employees remain trapped inside.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and assessments are underway to estimate the extent of the damage.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to abolish the monthly rental or meter charge for electricity prepaid meters. The announcement was made by Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on Sunday afternoon while speaking to reporters. He said the decision was taken to address long-standing dissatisfaction among consumers over extra charges on prepaid meters.

According to the minister, many users have been paying a fixed amount each month as meter rent or maintenance charge during recharge, even though the actual cost of the meters had already been recovered. The Ministry of Power stated that in the past, irregularities and excessive spending in meter procurement had placed an unfair financial burden on consumers. The current government aims to ensure transparency in the power sector and reduce costs for users.

Officials said the removal of the charge is part of broader efforts to make electricity services more consumer-friendly and restore public trust in the sector.

Opposition members of Bangladesh’s Jatiya Sangsad held a meeting on Sunday morning ahead of the resumption of the adjourned parliamentary session. The meeting took place at 11 a.m. in the opposition conference room of the National Parliament Building, chaired by Opposition Leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. Opposition Chief Whip and NCP Convener Nahid Islam MP, Whip Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, and other MPs attended. Discussions focused on the opposition’s stance and strategy for the ongoing session.

The first session of the 13th National Parliament, which began on March 12, had been adjourned on March 15 due to Eid-ul-Fitr and other holidays. The session resumed at 3 p.m. on Sunday under the chairmanship of Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam stated that the third day of the session would feature discussions on the motion of thanks for the President’s address, with participation from both government and opposition members.

According to the parliamentary business advisory committee, the session will continue until April 30, with 50 hours of discussion scheduled on the President’s speech.

Iranian officials have warned that the United Arab Emirates will face extensive attacks on its state assets if the United States proceeds with a ground offensive against Iran. According to a report by Middle East Eye citing two senior Iranian officials, Tehran believes the UAE is playing an active role alongside the US and Israel in the ongoing conflict. The warning comes as US President Donald Trump reportedly plans a ground operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has kept closed since the war began.

The officials claimed that the US assault could target Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s crude oil exports, and that the operation might be launched from Gulf Arab states, including the UAE and Bahrain. They alleged that the UAE has provided air power and bases to US forces and that Iran has already conveyed a message to Abu Dhabi about potential consequences.

If the ground attack originates from Emirati territory, Iran said it will treat the UAE as a direct enemy and expand strikes beyond military and intelligence sites to include government-owned civilian infrastructure.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has ordered retired Lieutenant Generals Mamun Khaled and Masud Uddin Chowdhury to appear before the court on April 7. The order was issued around 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Mamun Khaled, a former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), has been shown arrested in a disappearance case, while Masud Uddin Chowdhury has been shown arrested in a case related to a July killing incident.

Earlier in the morning, the prosecution filed petitions to show both retired officers arrested in their respective cases. The tribunal granted the petitions and subsequently issued the order for their appearance. The proceedings were conducted under the jurisdiction of International Crimes Tribunal-2.

The next hearing is scheduled for April 7, when both accused are expected to be presented before the tribunal as per the court’s directive.

A fuel station manager was killed in Narail’s Tularampur area after being allegedly run over by a truck driver following a dispute over fuel availability. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Saturday when the driver, identified as Sujat Molya, reportedly attacked the manager, Nahid Sardar, after being told that diesel was unavailable at the Messrs Tanvir Filling and Gas Station. Nahid’s companion, Jihadul, was seriously injured in the attack.

Police and witnesses said the driver had earlier argued with the manager and threatened him before waiting near the station. When Nahid and his friend left on a motorcycle, the driver allegedly chased them and ran them over about 150 to 200 yards from the station along the Jessore-Narail highway. Nahid died on the spot, and his injured companion was first taken to Narail Sadar Hospital and later transferred to Dhaka’s Pangu Hospital.

Highway police confirmed that the accused driver fled with the truck. Efforts are underway to apprehend him, and legal action has been initiated.

A severe energy shortage triggered by the Middle East war has forced the shutdown of India’s $6.5 billion ceramic production hub in Morbi, Gujarat. The once-bustling factories now stand idle, with only a few workers loading the last shipment produced three weeks ago. The disruption stems from the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has halted gas supplies critical to ceramic manufacturing.

According to the local producers’ association, most factories in Morbi, which accounts for about 80 percent of India’s ceramic output, have been closed for nearly a month due to the gas crisis. The industry, valued at around $8.1 billion, employs roughly 400,000 workers who are now affected. Factory owners report that both propane and natural gas supplies have dwindled, forcing them to suspend operations.

Advisers to the Morbi Ceramic Manufacturers Association said about 550 factories have stopped production, with only a few operating where gas is still available. The shutdown is expected to continue until April 15, raising concerns of domestic shortages as inventories decline from April onward.