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Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - Iranian ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali says that Iran is ready for normal talks but also rejects the current position by the United States. (TASS)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
    - Dubai International Airport suspends operations after an aerial interception near the airport during Iranian drone and missile attacks in the region. Airport operations later partially resume as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues responding to the aerial threats. (AFP via Vanguard) (AFP via The Daily Star)
  - Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian apologizes for Iran’s attacks on its Middle Eastern neighbors and states that the Interim Leadership Council had agreed not to attack them “unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries”. The military later continues the strikes. The governments of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE report attacks targeting their territories. (AP) (TRT World) (AFP via France 24) (Reuters)
  - The United States embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, is attacked with four rockets. Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani orders the security forces to pursue the perpetrators of the “terrorist act”. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Hezbollah–Israel war
  - The Lebanese health ministry reports that Israeli airstrikes on multiple locations in southern Lebanon killed eight people, including six in Kherbet Selem and two in Kfar Reman. (AFP via Middle East Eye)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
  - Kharkiv Oblast governor Oleh Syniehubov says that Russia has launched a barrage of drones and missiles on residential areas in Kharkiv, Ukraine, killing ten people, including two children and injuring ten, as well as damaging the city’s power grids. (CTV News) (BBC News)
Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- At least four people are killed, including two policemen, and more than 35 others are injured, including three seriously, in two separate bombings targeting a police patrol van and a market in Wana and Lakki Marwat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (Arab News)
Internal conflict in Peru
- At least 33 people are injured, including three minors and five others seriously, in a bombing at a nightclub in Trujillo, La Libertad Department, Peru. No group has yet claimed responsibility. (AP)
Nigerian bandit conflict
- At least 45 bandits and three military personnel are killed in a clash between Nigerian troops and armed bandits in Dan Musa, Katsina State, Nigeria. (Reuters)

Business and economy

2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announces a precautionary reduction in crude oil production and refining operations in response to Iranian attacks and threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via Al-Ahram)

Disasters and accidents

2026 Kenya floods
- Flash floods in Nairobi, Kenya, disrupt flights and result in at least 23 deaths. (Reuters)

Health and environment

Sudan’s health ministry announces that the country will launch a hepatitis B vaccine campaign for newborns in 10 states. (Sudan Tribune)

International relations

Shield of the Americas
- United States president Donald Trump meets with leaders from twelve American countries for the launching of a new multinational military cooperation initiative called Shield of the Americas, led by special envoy Kristi Noem. (Bloomberg).
United States–Venezuela relations
- At the Shield of the Americas summit, U.S. president Trump says that the United States formally recognizes the Venezuelan government of Delcy Rodríguez. (Euronews)

Law and crime

Soham murders
- Child murderer Ian Huntley dies in a hospital nine days after being attacked by a fellow inmate at HM Prison Frankland in County Durham, England, United Kingdom. (BBC News)
An improvised explosive device is detonated during a protest outside the residence of mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York City, United States. (NBC News)

Politics and elections

2026 Nepalese general election
- Partial preliminary results in Nepal indicate that the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won 60 of 165 first-past-the-post seats, while also leading in 61 other consituencies. In Jhapa 5, RSP prime ministerial candidate Balen Shah defeats former prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli. (AP) (The Himalayan Times)
Guinea dissolves 40 political parties by decree, including the three main opposition groups—the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, the Rally of the Guinean People, and the Union of Republican Forces—for failing to meet legal requirements, and orders the seizure of their assets. (AFP via France 24)

Sports

2026 Winter Paralympics
- Russia at the 2026 Winter Paralympics
  - Russia wins their first Winter Paralympics medal since 2014 after Varvara Voronchikhina and Alexey Bugaev each won a bronze medal in para alpine skiing. (The Moscow Times)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - Protests against the 2026 Iran war
    - Protests against the 2026 Iran war in the United States
      - Iranian diaspora protesters clash with anti-war protesters at a Ali Khamenei vigil at Washington Square Park in New York City, United States. (Times of Israel)
    - Demonstrators in Sanaa, Yemen, rally in solitary with Iran and Lebanon amidst the conflict. (Middle East Eye)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Qatar
    - The Qatari government announces that its military had intercepted nine Iranian drones, while one drone struck an uninhabited area. (QNA via Gulf Times)
    - The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority partially reopens the country’s airspace through designated contingency routes with limited capacity. Operations initially included evacuation flights for stranded passengers and air cargo services. (AFP via Deccan Chronicle)
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - United States president Donald Trump calls for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran, saying there will be no deal or further talks. This comes after Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian says that several countries have initiated mediation efforts to end the war. (BBC News)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Azerbaijan
    - Azerbaijan’s State Security Service affirms it has thwarted a terror attack plotted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including possible strikes against the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. (Euronews)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Bahrain
    - The Bahraini military announces that its air defence continue to intercept successive waves of Iranian attacks, with 84 missiles and 147 drones destroyed since the onset of hostilities. (Emirates News Agency)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on the Kurdistan Region
    - Drones hit a hotel in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. (Iraqi News)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia
    - An Iranian ballistic missile strikes Prince Sultan Air Base in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi defense ministry says air defenses intercepted three missiles launched to the base, as well as four drones east of the province. (The Caspian Post) (Saudi Gazette)
  - An Israeli IAI Heron UAV is shot down over Khuzestan province, Iran. (Aviation Safety Network)
  - U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters launch air-to-surface missiles at Popular Mobilization Forces positions near Mosul, Iraq. (Iraqi News) (Shafaq)
  - The Iranian Red Crescent Society reports the death toll from the Israeli and American air campaign in Iran has risen to 1,332. (Turkiye Today)
- 2026 Hezbollah–Israel war
  - At least 41 people are killed, including three soldiers, and 40 more injured in Israeli air and ground raids on Al-Nabi Shayth, Beqaa Valley. The Israeli commandos tried unsuccessfully to locate and take away the remains of missing pilot Ron Arad. (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian)
  - Three Ghanaian peacekeepers are injured in an Israeli missile strike in southern Lebanon. (France 24)
Ecuadorian conflict
- Operation Southern Spear
  - The U.S. defense department says its military has carried out airstrikes on narcoterrorists in Ecuador at the request of the Ecuadorian government, targeting a camp belonging to a faction of the FARC dissidents at the border with Colombia. (Reuters)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan war
- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports at least 100,000 civilians have now been displaced from their homes due to the fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan, while Afghan forces say they have destroyed 14 more Pakistani military outposts along the border and downed a drone. (Sky News)
Sudanese civil war
- The Sudanese military recaptures the town of Barah in North Kordofan, Sudan, following a ground assault backed by airstrikes against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), reportedly inflicting heavy losses on the RSF and destroying 32 RSF combat vehicles. (Al Jazeera)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Prisoners of war in the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war, with 300 soldiers returned to each side. (The Moscow Times)

Disasters and accidents

A wave of severe weather and a related tornado outbreak, kill at least eight people and cause widespread damage in the central United States. (CNN)

Health and environment

2020–2026 H5N1 outbreak
- The Japanese agriculture ministry confirms a H5N1 bird flu outbreak at a poultry farm in Abira, Hokkaido. (MENAFN)

Law and crime

2026 Iranian diaspora protests
- Police in Moscow, Russia, detain Iranian nationals who celebrated the killing of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei in public. (The Moscow Times)
Immigration policy of the second Trump administration
- A United States appeals court declines to allow Donald Trump’s administration to end temporary protected status for more than 350,000 Haitian nationals, leaving in place a lower court order that blocks the policy while the case proceeds. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2026 Iranian leadership crisis
- Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi, son of the late former shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, says he is ready to lead a potential transition if the Iranian government falls. (Naijan News)
2026 Kosovan presidential election, 2026 Kosovan parliamentary election
- Kosovan president Vjosa Osmani dissolves the Kuvendi, attempting to set new parliamentary elections within 45 days. The Vetëvendosje party maintains that the constitution allows parliament 60 more days to try to elect a president, seeking to challenge Osmani’s decree at the Constitutional Court. (AP) (Balkan Insight) (RKS)

Science and technology

Internet in Indonesia
- Indonesia announces that it will prohibit social media access for users under the age of 16 and begin deactivating accounts belonging to minors on several major platforms as part of a phased policy intended to address risks such as internet fraud and excessive internet use. (AFP via CNA)

Disasters and accidents

At least six people are killed, eight others are rescued, and six are trapped when a nursing home collapses in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. (Xinhua)
Four people are killed and two others are injured when a Beechcraft 1900 of the Algerian Air Force crashes at Boufarik Airport near Boufarik, Blida Province, Algeria. (ASN)
An Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jet crashes shortly after taking off from Jorhat Airport in Karbi Anglong district, Assam, India, killing both pilots. (AP) (Deccan Herald)
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reports that an explosion struck a tanker anchored in waters about 60 kilometers off the coast of Kuwait, causing an oil spill from a damaged cargo tank. (AFP via The New Zealand Herald)

International relations

Evacuations during the 2026 Iran war
- Australia and New Zealand deploy military assets, including two RNZAF aircraft, and crisis response teams to the Middle East to assist and evacuate their respective nationals. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
Iran–Lebanon relations
- The Lebanese cabinet bans activities by members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps within Lebanon and instructs authorities to detain and deport individuals linked to the group. The cabinet also introduces a visa requirement for Iranian nationals entering the country. (AFP via Al-Ahram)
France-Lebanon relations
- French president Emmanuel Macron announces that France will strengthen its cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces and provide them with armored transport vehicles as well as operational and logistical support. (The Times of Israel)
Foreign relations of Ecuador
- Ecuador declares Cuba’s ambassador to the country a persona non grata and orders him and all his diplomatic staff to leave the country within 48 hours. Shortly after the announcement, a man was filmed by the Associated Press on the roof of the Cuban embassy in Quito burning a bag of papers. (AP)
United States–Venezuela relations
- The United States and Venezuela agree to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations. (AFP via RFI)

Law and crime

Human rights in Belarus
- Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko pardons 18 political prisoners, including 15 for political charges and three who were convicted of unspecified crimes. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

2026 Kosovan presidential election
- In Kosovo, the 120 members of the Kuvendi fail to elect the president. The Kuvendi is expected to dissolve, with parliamentary elections scheduled to be set within 45 days. (DTT-NET) (RKS)
2026 Nepalese general election
- Nepalis vote to elect 275 seats of the House of Representatives nearly six months after the Gen Z protests. (AP)
Second cabinet of Donald Trump
- U.S. president Donald Trump dismisses Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security and nominates Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her. (The Independent)
2026 U.S. House of Representatives election in Texas district 23
- Brandon Herrera, a gun manufacturer and youtuber presumptively becomes the GOP’s nominee for the district, after incumbent representative Tony Gonzales drops from the race following a scandal involving a former aide. (BBC)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - Anonymous state intelligence sources tell The New York Times that the Iranian intelligence ministry have signalled to the United States Central Intelligence Agency an openness to talks on ‌bringing an end to the war. (Reuters)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Qatar
    - An Iranian ballistic missile strikes the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military base in the region. (The Wall Street Journal)
  - Sinking of IRIS Dena
    - The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena is torpedoed and sunk by U.S. Navy submarine USS Charlotte in waters off Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 of the 180 people on board, while 32 others are rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy with 61 remaining missing. (Reuters)
  - 2026 interceptions of Iranian missiles in Turkey
    - Turkey and NATO forces shoot down a suspected Iranian ballistic missile that was about to enter Turkish airspace. (Türkiye Today)
  - An Israeli Air Force F-35 shoots down an Iranian Yak-130 fighter jet over Tehran with an air-to-air missile. (The Times of Israel)
  - U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth announces that the U.S. Air Force will have uncontested air supremacy of Iranian airspace within days, and that Iran’s military capabilities are “evaporating by the hour” due to constant U.S. and Israeli strikes. (The Guardian)
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
  - 2026 Hezbollah–Israel war
    - Israeli strikes on a hotel and residential areas in the towns of Aramoun and Saadiyat, in the south of Beirut, kill eleven people and injure four others. (Al Jazeera)
    - Three people are killed and six more injured during two Israeli strikes on the road to the airport in Beirut. (Al Jazeera)
Colombian conflict
- A task force rescues two minors in an operation against FARC dissidents in Puerto Valencia, El Retorno, Guaviare Department, and arrests four militants and recovers M60 machine guns, assault rifles, explosives, and ammunition. (Agencia API in Spanish)
Mexican drug war
- Five cartel members are killed in a shootout with government forces in Rayones, Nuevo León, Mexico. (Milenio in Spanish)

Business and economy

2026 Cuban crisis
- 2024–2026 Cuba blackouts
  - A major blackout across much of western Cuba, including Havana, leaves millions without power, following a fault at the Antonio Guiteras power plant in Matanzas. Officials estimate it will last at least 72 hours. (AP)
- Air France announces the suspension of flights between France and Cuba, starting from March 29 until at least June 15 due to a jet fuel shortage in Cuba. (AFP via Jamaica Observer)
Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- Several of the United Arab Emirates stock exchanges will resume, including Nasdaq Dubai, Dubai Financial Market, and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, after being put on pause for two days due to the Iranian strikes. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Logan Township explosion
- Four people are injured after an explosion at an oil extraction plant in Logan Township, New Jersey, United States. (CBS News)
At least six people are killed and 15 others are injured when a passenger bus and a semi-trailer truck collide in Tamacine, Touggourt Province, Algeria. (Xinhua)
A nationwide blackout occurs in Iraq with the Ministry of Electricity saying the power grid has gone down entirely, and that the cause is under investigation. (Philenews)

Law and crime

Banco Master scandal
- The Supreme Court of Brazil orders the arrest of former Banco Master president and major shareholder Daniel Vorcaro in a fraud investigation of potentially up to 12 billion reals in missing funds. (AP)
Hong Kong–mainland China relations, China–United Kingdom relations, Chinese intelligence activity abroad
- The Central Criminal Court in London, United Kingdom, charge two British Chinese nationals of violating the National Security Act for spying on diasporic Hong Kongers on behalf of the China-appointed Hong Kong government. (AP)
Reactions to the 2026 Iran war
- The United States Senate rejects a War Powers Resolution that would check president Donald Trump’s power in the Iran war, making it the first vote on the conflict in U.S. Congress. (AP) (Reuters)
Scam centers in Cambodia
- Taiwanese prosecutors indict 62 people, including Chen Zhi, for their alleged links to the Prince Group, a multinational criminal network that operates scam centers in Cambodia. They also charge 13 companies with offences related to the criminal organization and money laundering. (DW)
The Tokyo High Court in Japan orders the dissolution of the Unification Church. (BBC News) (Japan Times)

Politics and elections

Protests against the 2026 Iran war
- Protests against the 2026 Iran war in the United States
  - U.S. Marine veteran Brian McGinnis interrupts a U.S. Senate hearing in protest of the Iran war and is removed by the United States Capitol Police assisted by US Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT). (Military.com)
- A anti-war protest is held in Ottawa, Canada outside a defense conference at the Château Laurier to call for an end to the war and a reduction in defense spending. (Ottawa Citizen)
2024–2026 Slovak protests
- Slovak prime minister Robert Fico announces that his government will repeal a law abolishing the country’s whistleblower protection office after the Constitutional Court suspended the measure and the European Commission opened infringement proceedings against Slovakia. (AFP via Indo Premier)

Science and technology

Japanese space program
- The KAIROS rocket developed by private spaceflight company Space One suffers its third launch failure from Spaceport Kii in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, while carrying a small government test satellite. The flight was terminated two minutes after launch. (AFPBB News) (Space.com)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
    - An Iranian drone strike damages Al Minhad Air Base, the headquarters of the Australian military’s Joint Task Force 633. Australian defence minister Richard Marles confirms that there were no casualties in the strike. (Reuters)
    - A large fire is reported at an oil terminal in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, following an Iranian Shahed drone attack. (Sky News)
    - France deploys Rafale fighter jets to the UAE in response to Iranian attacks, according to French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot. (France 24)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Akrotiri and Dhekelia
    - British prime minister Keir Starmer says he has approved the deployment of Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon to the island of Cyprus to protect the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia from further Iranian attacks. (Cyprus Mail)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Qatar
    - Qatar announces it has arrested 10 people from two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps cells for espionage and sabotage. (Gulf Times)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia
    - Explosions and fires are reported at the United States embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following a series of Iranian drone strikes. (YnetNews)
  - The Iranian Red Crescent Society says the death toll from Israeli and American airstrikes in Iran has risen to 787 with thousands more wounded. (AP)
  - The Israeli Air Force strikes the presidential administration and Supreme National Security Council buildings in Tehran, Iran, with “multiple munitions”. (BBC News)
  - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discloses that the initial U.S. attack on Iran was due to an Israeli intention to attack Iranian leadership, which would have jeopardized U.S. forces in the region. (DW) (Telegraph)
  - The International Atomic Energy Agency confirms the entrances to the underground Natanz Nuclear Facility in Iran have been bombed. However, there are no signs of any increase in radiation at the facility. (Reuters)
  - Airstrikes hit the Assembly of Experts building in Qom, Iran. The building appears to have been severely damaged in the attack. (Al Arabiya)
  - Jordan reopens their airspace to civilian aviation traffic, including for transits, arrivals, and departures, after a closure that has been in effect since Monday evening. (Ammon News)
  - U.S. forces destroy Iran’s lead Shahid Soleimani-class corvette, the IRIS Shahid Soleimani. (Naval News)
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
  - 2026 Hezbollah–Israel war
    - Following a series of drone and rocket attacks by Hezbollah, the Israeli military launch a ground offensive into Lebanon, capturing several positions along the Israel—Lebanon border. (7 Israel) (Turkiye Today)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan war
- The Taliban confirms 28 Afghan troops have been killed in recent clashes with Pakistani forces along their border. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reports at least 42 civilians have been killed. (Hasht-e-Subh Daily)
Boko Haram insurgency
- At least 14 Nigerian Army soldiers and a local imam are killed and several others are injured in two seperate attacks by suspected Islamic State – West Africa Province militants on army bases in Gwoza, Borno State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
Ecuadorian conflict
- The U.S. Southern Command announces that the U.S. military has joined the Ecuadorian Armed Forces against narcoterrorists and drug cartels in the country. (Politico)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) tanker Arctic Metagaz catches fire in the Mediterranean Sea after being struck by a Ukrainian naval drone. (Kyiv Independent) (The Moscow Times)

Disasters and accidents

2026 Rubaya mines collapses
- More than 200 people are killed, including around 70 minors, when a landslide collapses a mine at the Rubaya mines in Masisi Territory, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A different landslide collapsed mines at the same site in January, killing over 400. (Xinhua) (AA)
Two people are killed and three others are critically injured after a helicopter crashes in Pililla, Rizal, Philippines. (AFP via The Straits Times)

International relations

2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Oman Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi renews his push for diplomacy, stating that diplomatic options are still available. (Al Jazeera)

Law and crime

2026 Cuban boat incident
- Cuban prosecutors charge six Cuban nationals with “crimes of terrorism” and accuse them of entering Cuba with a US-flagged boat to cause unrest in the country, which was intercepted by the Cuban coast guard, resulting in a shootout. (DW)
Crime in Trinidad and Tobago
- Trinidad and Tobago declares a new state of emergency in response to a wave of violent crime in the country, including 63 murders since the beginning of the year and a series of gang-related mass shootings. (AP)
Purported yakuza leader Takeshi Ebisawa is convicted by a New York federal court and sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking nuclear material, drugs, and weapons. (Japan Times)

Politics and elections

Visa policy of the United Kingdom
- The United Kingdom announces that it will stop issuing student visas to nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan and suspend work visas for Afghan nationals, citing a rise in asylum applications from individuals entering through legal visa processes. (AFP via CNA)

Science and technology

March 2026 lunar eclipse
- A total lunar eclipse occurs in eastern Asia, Oceania, Pacific, and the Americas. (EclipseWise)
Astronomers announce the discovery 1,900 light-years from Earth of TIC 120362137, the tightest known quadruple star system, using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. (Space.com)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
    - Dubai International Airport resumes limited flights for stranded international passengers, with the first flights cleared to depart Dubai. (CNBC)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Cyprus
    - Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides confirms that an Iranian drone struck the British base RAF Akrotiri last night. Paphos International Airport is evacuated after a “drone threat”, while Greece deploys two frigates and F-16 fighter jets to Cyprus amid rising tensions. (BBC) (Reuters) (Ekathimerini)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
    - Two Kuwaiti navy members are killed amid Iranian attacks, according to the Kuwaiti defence ministry. (The Times of Israel)
    - Iranian drones strike the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City. (AFP via NDTV)
  - Reactions to the 2026 Iran conflict
    - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says that the United Kingdom has agreed to a United States request to use British military bases for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites. (BBC)
    - NATO secretary general Mark Rutte states that NATO has no plans to be involved in the conflict, while praising Israel and the United States for their strikes against Iran. (Reuters)
  - The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) reports three more U.S. soldiers have been killed, bringing the death toll among U.S. forces to six, since the start of the conflict with Iran. (The Times of Israel) (CBS News)
  - Iran launches a missile and drone attack on Saudi Aramco’s oil refinery in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, causing several large fires at the facility, and forcing its closure by Saudi authorities. (The Caspian Post)
  - Three U.S. Air Force F-15E fighter jets crash in Kuwait during combat operations against Iran after being mistakenly shot down by the Kuwaiti military. All crew members survive. The U.S. CENTCOM confirms the loss of the three aircraft in a friendly fire incident. (ABC4 News) (CNN) (Turkiye Today)
  - U.S. Air Force B-1 Lancer strategic bombers carry out strikes targeting above-ground ballistic missile launch sites and command and control centres in Iran. (Devdiscourse)
  - The Qatari air force says it shot down two Iranian Su-24 jets over the Persian Gulf. (AP)
  - The U.S. military says it has struck IRGC Navy drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri. (The Times of Israel)
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
  - 2026 Hezbollah–Israel war
    - As a response to Israel’s attacks against Iran and Israel’s occupation of parts of Lebanon, Hezbollah fired two projectiles targeting an Israeli military base near Haifa. Israel then responded with attacks in Beirut and across many villages in Lebanon. At least 52 people are killed and 149 more are injured. (Al Jazeera) (BBC News) (Reuters)
    - Lebanese prime minister Nawaf Salam bans Hezbollah’s military activities following an attack on Israel. (Al Jazeera)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Attacks in Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - Ukrainian drones strike an oil terminal in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai. Four residential buildings in the area are reportedly damaged in the attack. (Kyiv Independent)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan war
- The Taliban says the Afghan military has successfully repelled Pakistani warplanes with surface-to-air missiles that were attacking Bagram Airfield as explosions are reported in several cities, including Kabul. (The Guardian)

Arts and culture

2026 Iran conflict
- Iranian semi-official news agency Mehr News Agency reports that the former royal residence and UNESCO World Heritage Site Golestan Palace is damaged by an airstrike. (WANA)

Business and economy

Qatari-state owned QatarEnergy halts all LNG production at its Ras Laffan Industrial City following an Iranian drone attack. (Bloomberg News)

Disasters and accidents

A floor collapses in an under-construction building in Johannesburg, South Africa, killing nine people. (AP)

Health and environment

Sudanese civil war (2023–present)
- Save the Children announces that vaccines have arrived in the Sudanese state of South Kordofan, their first in three years since the civil war broke out. (Sudan Tribune)

Law and crime

The owner is killed and three others are critically injured in a mass shooting inside a newly launched hotel in Churu district, Rajasthan, India. Three suspects are arrested. (Hindustan Times)

International relations

Canada–India relations
- Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi agree to a deal that would strengthen their economic partnership, aimed at boosting ties after two years of strained relationship between the two countries. (AP)
France and weapons of mass destruction
- French president Emmanuel Macron announces that France will increase its stockpile of nuclear weapons for the first time in decades citing global threats such as Russia’s war on Ukraine, China’s growing military power in Asia, and changing U.S. defense priorities as reasons for the nuclear build-up. (Politico)
- Denmark and France make an agreement on strategic nuclear deterrence. However, French nuclear weapons are not to be located on Danish territory. (Reuters)
Rwanda–United States relations, Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda conflict
- The U.S. Department of State imposes sanctions on the Rwandan military for allegedly supporting the March 23 Movement and violating a peace agreement with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AFP via Barron’s)
Spain–United States relations
- U.S. military aircraft begin to leave Spain after the Spanish government denied the U.S. permission to use their airbases for military operations against Iran. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Protests against the 2026 Iran war
- Protests against the 2026 Iran war in the United States
  - A protest organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation is held in Phoenix, Arizona near the Arizona State Capitol. Additionally, counter-protests are held in support of the war and praise the Trump administration for the strikes. (Fox 10 Phoenix)
  - Anti-war protests are held in Des Moines, Iowa, against the US-Israel strikes. (USA Today)
- Left-wing parties in India organize protests in Vijayawada against the war and the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. (The Hindu)

Sports

2026 Winter Paralympics
- Belarus at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, Russia at the 2026 Winter Paralympics
  - Lithuanian broadcaster Lithuanian National Radio and Television says it will not air the opening ceremony of the upcoming Winter Paralympics, citing the participation of athletes from Belarus and Russia. (LRT)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Bahrain
    - An Iranian drone strikes the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama, Bahrain, which houses American embassy personnel. No casualties are reported. (Egypt Independent)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Oman
    - A person is injured in a drone strike on Duqm port in Oman. (AA)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
    - Multiple Iranian Shahed drones strike French naval air station Camp de la Paix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (MENA via The New Arab)
- 2026 killings of Iranian officials
  - Assassination of Ali Khamenei
    - Iran confirms the death of supreme leader Ali Khamenei in an attack yesterday in Tehran by Israel and the United States. Forty days of mourning are declared. (Al Jazeera)
    - Following Khamenei’s death, some Iranians grieve while others in the country celebrated his death. In Galleh Dar, a monument of Islamic founder Ruhollah Khomeini is toppled. Additionally, a statue in Dehloran is toppled. (Reuters)
  - Key Iranian officials Abdolrahim Mousavi, Aziz Nasirzadeh, Mohammad Pakpour and Ali Shamkhani are confirmed killed after an airstrike during a meeting yesterday in Tehran. (The Hill)
  - Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is allegedly killed along with his bodyguards in an Israeli targeted killing strike on his home in Narmak. However, contrary to reports, a close advisor to him confirmed he is alive. (The Times of Israel) (Anadolu Agency)
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Cyprus
  - Iran launches two ballistic missiles towards Cyprus, not far from the British military bases on the island. They were both intercepted before reaching Cyprus. Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides states that the country is not a target of Iran. (Cyprus Mail)
  - British Royal Air Force base RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus is hit by a drone after declaring a security threat. No casualties are reported. (Cyprus Mail)
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Israel
  - Nine people are killed and 49 others are wounded in an Iranian ballistic missile strike on a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem District, Israel. (The Times of Israel) (CNN)
- High-ranking clerics in Iran declare jihad against Israel and the U.S., issuing a fatwa against them. (The Telegraph)
- The Israeli Air Force launches a new wave of airstrikes across Tehran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij facilities with multiple explosions reported. (AA)
- A Palau-flagged tanker is struck by a missile in the Gulf of Oman, injuring four crew members. (Reuters)
- The IRGC says it has launched missiles at the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean. (BBC News)
- Three U.S. service members are killed and five others are seriously wounded in an Iranian missile strike, according to the United States Central Command. (LBC)
- Four Popular Mobilization Forces members are killed in an unidentified airstrike targeting one of their headquarters in Diyala Governorate, Iraq. (Al Arabiya)
- The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy’s lead Moudge-class frigate IRIS Jamaran is sunk by U.S forces off Chabahar Port. (Reuters)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Southern front of the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - Russian forces launch artillery strikes on Kherson, Ukraine, killing three people and wounding two others. (Ukrinform)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan war
- Anti-aircraft fire is reported over Kabul, Afghanistan, as Pakistani warplanes launch strikes against Taliban targets. (France 24)
Abiemnom massacre
- At least 169 people are killed when insurgents raid a village in Abiemnom County, Ruweng Administrative Area, South Sudan. (AP)
Myanmar civil war
- The Tatmadaw launches airstrikes against a trading junction in the central Magway Region of Myanmar, killing 25 people and injuring 20 people. (AP)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- Danish shipping firm Maersk says that it is suspending all vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice due to the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf. (AFP via Business Recorder)
- US-Bangla Airlines announces that they will resume flights to Oman and Saudi Arabia as scheduled. However, they also announce they will temporarily suspend flights to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. (Dhaka Tribune)

Disasters and accidents

At least 17 people are killed and 18 others are critically injured in an explosion at an explosives factory in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. (NDTV) (DNA)
Four people are killed and ten others are missing after a boat carrying migrants toward Europe capsizes off the coast of Tobruk, Libya, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (Arab News)
Six people are killed and seven others are injured when a coach bus collides with a truck near Kyakabuga, Kyankwanzi District, Uganda. (Monitor)
Two Canadian nationals are killed and 18 others are injured in a bus crash near Cumayasa, La Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic. (CTV)

International relations

2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi says that he has told Oman foreign minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi that Iran is open to serious efforts at de-escalation. (APA)
- US president Donald Trump claims that the Iranian leadership agreed to talks a day after Israel and the US launched strikes against Iran and stated he has agreed to do so. However, Iranian security council secretary Ali Larijani ruled out any negotiations. (CBS News) (Iran International) (WION)
Belgium–Russia relations
- Belgium’s special forces, with French Naval assistance, seize a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the North Sea. (Le Monde)
The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council issues an statement condemning the Iranian attacks targeting GCC countries, reaffirming that their territories won’t be used to launch any attacks against Iran and demanding the cessation of those attacks to restore security, peace, and stability in the region. (Gulf Cooperation Council)

Law and crime

2026 attack on the United States consulate in Karachi
- Hundreds of protestors attempted to storm the consulate of the United States in Karachi, Pakistan, leading to clashes with security forces which left at least 22 people dead and multiple others wounded. (AP)
2026 Austin bar shooting
- Three people are killed, including the perpetrator, and 14 others are injured in a mass shooting at a bar in Austin, Texas, United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the attack as potential terrorism. (KVUE)

Politics and elections

Protests against the 2026 Iran war
- Over 1,300 demonstrators, mainly affiliated with the Communist Party of Greece, protest in Athens, Greece, with people holding ‌banners and placards reading, “Hands off Iran” and “Close Souda base”. (Reuters)
- A pro-Iran demonstration by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque condemning Khamenei’s death and demanding the intervention of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. (Dhaka Tribune)
2026 Iranian Supreme Leader election
- Iran appoints Ayatollah Alireza Arafi to the Interim Leadership Council that assumed authority following the assassination of supreme leader Ali Khamenei, with the body set to govern alongside president Masoud Pezeshkian and chief justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i until the Assembly of Experts selects a new supreme leader. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado says she will return to the country in the coming weeks. (Reuters)

Science and technology

AI boom, Regulation of artificial intelligence
- Vietnam’s artificial intelligence (AI) law takes effect, mandating labeling of AI-generated content and disclosure when users interact with automated systems. The law, which applies to domestic and foreign developers, providers, and deployers operating in the country, also provides for the creation of a national AI data center. (AFP via The Straits Times)