Qatar Airways announced on Monday that it will operate a limited number of flights to and from Doha starting Wednesday through March 28. The airline said the restricted schedule covers dozens of destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North and South America, and the Asia Pacific. The carrier explained that its regular operations remain suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace and that full services will resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority declares the airspace safe for reopening.

The decision comes as air travel across the Middle East faces severe disruption following the US and Israel’s military assault on Iran on February 28. The attacks triggered retaliatory Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region, affecting several Gulf countries that serve as major aviation hubs. Many travelers remain stranded as airspace restrictions persist.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported that flights at Dubai International Airport were gradually resuming after a drone-related incident caused a nearby fuel tank fire. Officials confirmed the fire was contained and no injuries occurred.

RAB-5 recovered a large cache of crude bombs and local weapons during a late-night operation in Rajshahi’s Chandrima police station area. Acting on a tip-off, the RAB-5 team from the Rajshahi Sadar Company conducted the raid around 12:20 a.m. on March 16 at a lemon orchard near the northern side of the Railway Field. Two abandoned plastic sacks were found at the site.

The RAB bomb disposal unit was called in after suspicions that the sacks contained explosives. The team discovered 21 crude bomb-like objects and several local weapons, including a sickle, large and small knives, and a dagger. The bomb disposal unit confirmed the items as crude bombs. Local residents could not provide any information about ownership of the explosives or weapons.

RAB suspects the materials were stockpiled by miscreants possibly intending sabotage ahead of the upcoming Eid. The recovered items have been handed over to Chandrima Police Station, and legal proceedings are underway.

Multiple explosions struck Baghdad on Monday, killing at least four people in an air raid on a building used by the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in the Jadriyah district. The attack followed drone strikes targeting the United States Embassy in the city’s fortified Green Zone, where air defences intercepted several drones and one reportedly struck inside the compound. A separate drone hit the Al Rasheed Hotel near the embassy, causing a minor fire but no casualties, according to Iraq’s Ministry of Interior.

The PMF, an umbrella group of mostly Shia paramilitary factions aligned with Iran, was formally integrated into Iraq’s security forces. The Iraqi army condemned the earlier suspected US strike on a PMF checkpoint in Al-Qaim, which killed at least eight troops, calling it a “treacherous and cowardly attack.” Security forces have since blocked roads to the Green Zone with armoured vehicles.

The violence coincided with reports of drone attacks on Iraq’s Majnoon oilfield in Basra province and the death of a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander. Iraq’s oil minister said a key pipeline to Turkiye would reopen within a week to resume disrupted exports.

Nvidia Corp. launched the Groq 3 language processing unit (LPU) at its GTC 2026 developer conference in San Jose, introducing a dedicated inference chip designed for multi-agent AI workloads. The chip follows Nvidia’s $20 billion licensing deal with Groq Inc. in December, which included hiring Groq’s founder Jonathan Ross and President Sunny Madra. Groq 3 focuses on AI inference rather than training, offering faster memory performance to support low-latency and large-context agentic systems that automate human tasks.

The Groq 3 LPU is deployed in Groq 3 LPX server racks containing 256 LPUs, 128 gigabytes of solid-state random access memory, and 40 petabytes per second of bandwidth. It is engineered to work alongside Nvidia’s new Vera Rubin NVL72 rack, which integrates Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs to handle trillion-parameter models and million-token contexts. Nvidia said the combined systems deliver 35 times higher throughput per megawatt and 10 times greater revenue potential.

The Groq 3 LPX and Vera Rubin NVL72 are part of five new server racks unveiled by Nvidia, including the Bluefield-4 STX storage and Spectrum-6 SPX networking systems, aimed at expanding Nvidia’s data center presence amid surging demand for AI compute power.

Manus has introduced 'My Computer,' a new capability within the Manus Desktop application that extends its AI agent from the cloud to users’ local computers. The feature allows Manus to interact directly with local files, tools, and applications through command line instructions, enabling it to read, edit, and organize files or control software on macOS and Windows systems. This marks a major shift from Manus’s previous cloud-only operation, bridging the gap between online intelligence and local computing environments.

The new functionality enables users to automate repetitive tasks such as sorting photos or renaming files, and even to build complex desktop applications using local development tools like Python, Node.js, or Swift. Manus can also leverage local GPUs for machine learning tasks, turning idle devices into active AI assistants capable of remote operation. The system maintains user control by requiring explicit approval for each command, with options for one-time or always-on permissions.

According to the announcement, 'My Computer' is available immediately for macOS and Windows users, offering a new way to integrate cloud-based AI with personal computing power.

United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that “numerous countries” had told him they were “on their way” to join an international naval coalition aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. Trump did not identify any of the countries but said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make an official announcement. He had earlier urged China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, as well as NATO members, to participate in the coalition, though no country has yet confirmed involvement.

Several nations have publicly declined to send military ships, including Australia, Japan, Poland, Sweden, and Spain. Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius ruled out military participation but expressed support for diplomatic efforts. The UK and South Korea said they were reviewing options, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggesting possible deployment of mine-hunting drones while avoiding deeper engagement. France has shown more openness to assisting. Trump criticized countries that refused to join, noting that some were long-time US allies under American protection.

The conflict has sharply affected global oil markets, with prices rising 40–50 percent amid Iranian attacks on shipping. The UN reports 3.2 million people displaced in Iran, while Amnesty International accused the US of a deadly strike on a girls’ school in Minab.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated that wars are determined on the battlefield rather than on social media. His remarks came in response to comments made by US President Donald Trump. Zolfaghari also mocked the name of the US campaign “Epic Fury,” suggesting it would be more accurately called “Epic Fear.”

The statement reflects Iran’s dismissal of US messaging efforts and its emphasis on traditional military strength over online narratives. The exchange underscores ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington, with both sides using public statements to assert their positions.

The comments highlight Iran’s attempt to project confidence in its military capabilities while downplaying the influence of social media in shaping wartime outcomes.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has implemented 28 initiatives within his first 28 days in office, described by his adviser Mahdi Amin as an unprecedented governance effort. Amin shared the details in a Facebook post on March 17, noting that the BNP government, elected a month earlier, has been working relentlessly to fulfill its electoral pledges. The initiatives span social protection, economy, administration, education, health, and national values.

According to the post, the measures include family cards for 37,567 families, stipends for religious service providers, debt relief for small farmers, canal excavation across 54 districts, and reforms in administrative discipline and public service. Other actions cover foreign investment facilitation, industrial revival, education reform, e-health cards, dengue prevention, and women’s safety programs. Infrastructure and digital connectivity projects, such as free Wi-Fi at airports and the third terminal of Dhaka airport, were also highlighted.

Mahdi Amin said these steps reflect the prime minister’s strong leadership and accountability to the people, aiming to align national governance with citizens’ aspirations and prepare the new generation for the country’s future.

Most of the world wants the ongoing war involving Iran to end quickly, but the countries engaged hold sharply different objectives. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has wavered between limiting Iran’s nuclear program, forcing regime change, and securing regional compliance. Despite 16 days of intense bombing that weakened Iran’s military, Tehran has neither surrendered nor collapsed. Earlier indirect talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, had shown progress on nuclear issues, but Iran refused to discuss its missile program or regional proxies.

Iran seeks an end to the war but not at the cost of accepting all U.S. demands. It insists on guarantees against future attacks and compensation for damages from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Israel, meanwhile, wants to destroy as much of Iran’s missile and military infrastructure as possible, viewing Tehran’s weapons programs as existential threats. Gulf Arab states, though initially neutral, are now angered by Iranian drone and missile strikes on their territories.

Rising oil prices, partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and growing domestic unease in the U.S. are increasing pressure on Washington to find a way out of the conflict.

At its GTC event, NVIDIA announced new accelerated computing platforms designed to extend artificial intelligence capabilities into space. The company introduced the NVIDIA Space-1 Vera Rubin Module, which delivers up to 25 times more AI compute than the H100 GPU for space-based inferencing. Alongside it, NVIDIA’s IGX Thor and Jetson Orin platforms provide energy-efficient, high-performance AI inference and data processing for orbital environments, while the RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPU supports rapid ground-based geospatial intelligence analysis.

NVIDIA said these technologies bring data-center-class performance to size-, weight-, and power-constrained environments, enabling AI applications to operate seamlessly from ground to orbit. Industry partners including Aetherflux, Axiom Space, Kepler Communications, Planet, Sophia Space, and Starcloud are adopting these platforms to power next-generation missions, from autonomous satellite operations to real-time geospatial analytics.

According to NVIDIA, the Space-1 Vera Rubin Module and related platforms will enable orbital data centers, autonomous spacecraft, and advanced sensing systems to process data locally, reducing latency and bandwidth demands while supporting increasingly complex mission profiles.

An opinion piece by Ali Osman Shefayet, published on March 17, 2026, argues that the world is facing a dual crisis of Zionist imperialism and regional dominance, accompanied by a deep moral decline in corporate media. The author claims that certain global and Bangladeshi media outlets prioritize power and propaganda over truth, contributing to the spread of Islamophobia and undermining journalistic integrity.

The article describes Zionism as a dominant political ideology backed by Western powers, particularly the United States, and accuses it of controlling global politics, economics, and information. It also alleges that India’s regional dominance threatens Bangladesh’s sovereignty through political interference, resource control, and cultural influence. The author criticizes Bangladeshi media for serving ruling interests, suppressing dissent, and promoting anti-Islamic narratives.

As a remedy, the piece calls for strengthening patriotic and ethical journalism, raising awareness against imperialism, and protecting Islamic values. It urges citizens to boycott media that serve power rather than truth and to defend national sovereignty through intellectual resistance and truthful reporting.

Amnesty International has concluded that the United States is responsible for a February 28 missile strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, that killed at least 170 people, most of them children. The rights group said on Monday that a US-manufactured Tomahawk missile was likely used in the attack, which also hit structures in an adjacent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound. Amnesty’s investigation, based on satellite imagery, video analysis, and expert interviews, found that the school was directly struck, indicating a failure by US forces to take feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm.

The organization said the attack represents a serious breach of international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime. Amnesty’s senior director Erika Guevara-Rosas stated that if the US failed to identify the building as a school, it would show gross negligence and a major intelligence failure. Alternatively, if the US knew the school’s location and still proceeded, it would constitute a reckless and indiscriminate attack. The United Nations and US lawmakers have called for accountability, while Washington has said it is investigating the incident.

The Minab strike has intensified scrutiny of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which legal experts say violates international law, and raised concerns about US officials’ dismissive remarks regarding rules of engagement.

Bangladesh has begun a seven-day public holiday from Tuesday, March 17, 2026, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Monday was the last working day before the break, after which large numbers of people started leaving cities for their hometowns. Depending on the sighting of the moon, Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival for Muslims in the country, is expected to be celebrated on Saturday, March 21.

The Ministry of Public Administration had earlier fixed a five-day holiday from March 19 to 23, including the main Eid day on March 21. To ease travel for holidaymakers, the government later added March 18 as an additional holiday through an executive order, combining it with the Shab-e-Qadr holiday on March 17 to make a continuous seven-day break for government employees.

Essential services such as electricity, water, gas, fire service, port operations, sanitation, telecommunications, postal services, and emergency medical facilities will remain operational during the holiday period, ensuring uninterrupted public service.

Andreas Krieg, an Associate Professor at King’s College London, stated that attempts to open the Strait of Hormuz by force would be 'almost suicidal.' He commented on US plans to deploy 2,500 marines to the Gulf, saying the move would make no difference in reopening the strategic waterway.

Krieg’s remarks highlight skepticism about the effectiveness of military measures in addressing tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route for global energy shipments. His assessment suggests that a forceful approach could carry severe risks without achieving the intended outcome.

The statement underscores concerns about escalating military involvement in the Gulf region and the potential consequences of using force to secure maritime access.

Pro-Israel groups are pouring millions of dollars into Illinois primary elections, marking an early test of their influence as US and Israeli forces wage war on Iran. In the Chicago-area Democratic contests, organizations linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) have become major spenders, despite Israel’s declining popularity among US voters. According to Chicago’s WBEZ, AIPAC and its donors have spent $13.7 million, often through shadow political action committees that conceal their funders until after the vote.

Progressive groups accuse AIPAC of using covert tactics to disguise its involvement, citing the lobby’s rebranding under generic names like the United Democracy Project. Justice Democrats spokesperson Usamah Andrabi described AIPAC as a “toxic” force within the Democratic Party, arguing that voters increasingly reject candidates tied to the lobby. Several key races, including those involving Kat Abughazaleh, Daniel Biss, and Laura Fine, have become flashpoints for the debate over Israel and US foreign policy.

Polls suggest AIPAC’s influence is waning, with only 17 percent of Democratic voters expressing more sympathy for Israelis than Palestinians. Tuesday’s primaries are also seen as a measure of Democratic opposition to the ongoing war on Iran and its domestic repercussions.