<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; line-height: 2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; scroll-behavior: auto !important;" id="isPasted">JERUSALEM: Israel targeted Iran&#39;s powerful national security chief Ali Larijani in an overnight strike, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; line-height: 2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; scroll-behavior: auto !important;">Public broadcaster Kan said that Larijani was the &quot;target of an assassination attempt&quot;, while television station N12 reported the results of the strike were &quot;still being reviewed&quot;.<p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-size-adjust: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 1em 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; line-height: 2; letter-spacing: normal; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; scroll-behavior: auto !important;">There was no official confirmation from Israeli officials. Israel&#39;s military chief Eyal Zamir said &quot;significant preventive achievements were recorded overnight&quot; in a statement released by the military.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area in the southern Lebanese border village of Khiam on March 17, 2026.

Middle East

Israeli media says an overnight Israeli strike targeted Iran’s Ali Larijani in a possible assassination attempt, though the outcome and official confirmation remain unclear.

Israel targeted Iran national security chief Larijani in strike: Israeli media

TEHRAN: The United States said it pounded Iranian missile sites near the key Strait of Hormuz as the Islamic Republic fired missiles Wednesday around the region, vowing to avenge the killing of its powerful security chief. Two people died from the missile barrage inside Israel, whose defences have helped it avoid mass casualties since it launched the war alongside the United States. With Iran mostly closing off the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway for one-fifth of the world&#39;s oil, the US military said it brought out some of the heaviest bombs in its arsenal to penetrate adjacent missile sites. The United States dropped several 5,000-pound (2,250 kg) bombs -- estimated to cost $288,000 each -- on &quot;hardened Iranian missile sites&quot; near the coast that posed a threat to international shipping, Central Command said. Iran has sought to extract a heavy toll on the global economy in retaliation for the US-Israeli attack, including by driving up the cost of oil. US President Donald Trump earlier Tuesday fumed that American allies, which have largely distanced themselves from his war, were not lining up behind the United States to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. But Trump earlier Tuesday boasted that the US military did not need its allies, writing on his Truth Social platform: &quot;WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!&quot; &#39;National awakening&#39;&nbsp;Israel announced Tuesday that it killed security chief Ali Larijani, a key force leading Iran since the death of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the first strikes of the war on February 28. Iran&#39;s elite Revolutionary Guards in a statement said that the &quot;pure blood of this great martyr, like other dear martyrs, will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance and international Zionism&quot;. Iran will hold funerals Wednesday for Larijani and another powerful figure killed Tuesday by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, the Fars and Tasnim agencies reported. Israel vowed also to target Iran&#39;s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the ruling clerics chose him to succeed his father. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again called for the end of the Islamic republic, although he and Trump have stopped short of saying that is their goal. The overthrow of Iran&#39;s authorities by the people &quot;will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands,&quot; Netanyahu said in a televised statement. In contrast to Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani, 68, had walked openly with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. &quot;He has effectively been the figure in charge of the regime&#39;s survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy,&quot; David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP.

US President Donald Trump speaks during a Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

Americas

The United States said it pounded Iranian missile sites near the key Strait of Hormuz as the Islamic Republic fired missiles Wednesday around the region, vowing to avenge the killing of its powerful security chief. 

US pounds near key strait as Iran vows to avenge death

Web Desk

Europe

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirms the deaths of its chief, Ali Larijani, and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, after Israel said they were killed in airstrikes.

Iran confirms Larijani, Soleimani killed in air strike

TEHRAN: Iran confirmed Tuesday the death of its powerful national security chief, after Israel said he was killed in an airstrike and vowed to hunt down and &quot;neutralize&quot; Iran&#39;s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The death of Ali Larijani represents a major blow to Iran, whose long-serving leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed less than three weeks ago in US-Israeli strikes that ignited the war in the Middle East. The assassination came as Iran&#39;s parliament speaker vowed that shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its pre-war norm, and US President Donald Trump blasted allies for rebuffing his call to help escort oil tankers through the blockaded waterway. Larijani, who was close to the late ayatollah, had helped lead Iran&#39;s retaliatory campaign in the war. &quot;After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he ultimately attained his long-held aspiration, answered the divine call, and honourably achieved the sweet grace of martyrdom in the trench of service,&quot; Iran&#39;s Supreme National Security Council announced. Israel&#39;s military vowed it would also eliminate Iran&#39;s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late ayatollah who took power after his father&#39;s death on Feb 28. &quot;We don&#39;t know about Mojtaba Khamenei, we don&#39;t hear him, we don&#39;t see him, but I can tell you one thing: we will track him down, find him, and neutralise him,&quot; military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters. &#39;Right-hand man&#39;&nbsp;In a televised statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Larijani as &quot;the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran&quot;. He said the overthrow of Iran&#39;s authorities by the people &quot;will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands.&quot; While Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was appointed, Larijani, 68, walked with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran. &quot;He has effectively been the figure in charge of the regime&#39;s survival, its regional policy and its defence strategy,&quot; David Khalfa, co-founder of the Atlantic Middle East Forum, told AFP. &quot;It&#39;s the supreme leader who gives the order, but he is the one who carries it out. He is the right-hand man.&quot; Shortly after Israel said it had killed him, Larijani&#39;s official social media profiles posted a handwritten note by him paying tribute to Iranian sailors killed in a US submarine attack this month. Images on Iranian state television showed large crowds rallying from the early evening in Tehran and other cities, many waving the nation&#39;s flag, on a night usually marked by festive celebrations ahead of the Persian new year, Nowruz. AFP journalists reported muted Nowruz celebrations in Tehran, with some fireworks and crackers heard between shots from air defence systems. Larijani&#39;s funeral, as well as that of Gholamreza Soleimani, who headed the Basij paramilitary force and was also killed by Israel on Tuesday, will be held on Wednesday morning in central Tehran, the Fars and Tasnim agencies reported. Israel&#39;s military said it was striking positions of Iran&#39;s Basij paramilitary force around Tehran on Tuesday, after announcing it had killed the group&#39;s top commander, Soleimani. Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards confirmed Soleimani&#39;s death in a statement Tuesday evening. Israel earlier said it had also targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran. Since the October 7, 2023, cross-border attacks by Hamas into Israel from Gaza, Israel has pursued what analysts have described as a policy of decapitation, targeting the leaders of its enemies. Turkey&#39;s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday called these assassinations &quot;truly illegal&quot;.

The assassination came as Iran's parliament speaker vowed that shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its pre-war norm, and US President Donald Trump blasted allies for rebuffing his call to help escort oil tankers through the blockaded waterway.

Iran confirms security chief dead as Israel vows to target leader

ISTANBUL: The Iranian women&#39;s national football team landed at Istanbul Airport on Tuesday after several members of the delegation withdrew their asylum bids in Australia and decided to return home. Footage from Turkish news agency DHA showed the players, wearing Iranian national team tracksuits, walking through the arrivals area at Istanbul Airport. The players arrived in Turkey via Oman and Kuala Lumpur, having left Australia, where they were competing in the Asian Cup. &quot;I am missing my family,&quot; one of them told AFP on Monday at Kuala Lumpur Airport. According to DHA, the players left Istanbul Airport under police escort and headed to a hotel in the city. They will return to Iran on Wednesday, the Turkish private news agency reported. Seven members of the delegation had sought sanctuary in Australia last week after they were branded &quot;traitors&quot; at home for refusing to sing the national anthem at their opening Women&#39;s Asian Cup game. Only two remain in Australia after the others changed their minds. Rights groups have accused Tehran of pressuring athletes abroad by threatening relatives with the seizure of property if they defect or make statements against the Islamic Republic. Iranian authorities had, in turn, accused Australia of pressuring the players to stay.

Members of Iran's women's football team arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on March 16, 2026, after staying in a hotel in the Malaysian capital while awaiting the next leg of their journey home. (AFP)

Football

Iranian players traveled via Malaysia to Turkey under escort after Asian Cup exit; some sought asylum in Australia amid pressure claims, most returning home Wednesday.

Iran women's football team arrive in Turkey on way home

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan announced Tuesday that the March 23 military parade and related ceremonies will not be held this year in light of ongoing economic constraints linked to the Gulf oil crisis. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, the decision comes as part of broader <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-announces-austerity-measures-as-oil-supply-disrupted-by-middle-east-clashes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">austerity measures</a> introduced by the government to manage financial pressures. &ldquo;In light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the austerity measures announced by the government, it has been decided that the Pakistan Day parade scheduled for March 23 and all associated ceremonies will not be held,&rdquo; the PMO&#39;s statement read. However, the statement clarified that Pakistan Day, observed annually on March 23, will still be commemorated with dignity. A simple flag-hoisting ceremony will be held at appropriate levels to mark the occasion. The government has directed all ministries, divisions, and departments to observe the day in a solemn and respectful manner, ensuring that the significance of Pakistan Day is preserved despite scaled-down celebrations. What is Pakistan Day?Pakistan Day marks the adoption of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, a historic milestone in the country&rsquo;s journey toward independence. On this day, leaders of the All-India Muslim League formally called for independent states for Muslims in the subcontinent. The resolution, passed in Lahore, laid the political foundation for a separate homeland, articulating the demand that Muslim-majority regions in northwestern and eastern India be constituted into independent units. The vision outlined in the Lahore Resolution galvanized the Muslim political movement under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, eventually leading to the creation of Pakistan in 1947. Today, the day is commemorated as a symbol of unity, political struggle, and the realization of a separate national identity.

Economy

PM's Office says the decision comes as part of broader austerity measures introduced by the government to manage financial pressures.

Pakistan cancels March 23 parade amid austerity measures

MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that her country was prepared to host Iran&#39;s first-round matches at the 2026 World Cup if needed due to the conflict in the Middle East. Iran&#39;s football federation is reportedly in negotiations with FIFA to relocate its matches from the United States, though the global governing body has so far maintained that the tournament&#39;s schedule remains unchanged. Iranian soccer authorities &quot;are currently discussing with FIFA whether it is feasible -- since they were originally scheduled to go to the United States -- to see if they can&quot; move Iran&#39;s games to Mexico, Sheinbaum said at a press conference. &quot;The matter is under review, and we will provide an update in due course.&quot; Asked directly if Mexico was open to hosting the matches, and if the decision would purely come down to FIFA logistics, Sheinbaum said &quot;Yes.&quot; &quot;Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with every country in the world; therefore we will wait to see what FIFA decides,&quot; she added. Iran&#39;s participation at this summer&#39;s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico has been thrown into doubt since the war began late last month. &quot;When (US President Donald) Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,&quot; Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj said on Monday in remarks posted on the X account of Iran&#39;s embassy in Mexico. &quot;We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran&#39;s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.&quot; But when contacted earlier by AFP on the matter, FIFA said it was &quot;looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on 6 December 2025&quot;. Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle. The team&#39;s base camp for the tournament is currently slated to be located in Tucson, Arizona.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico could host Iran World Cup matches if needed due to the conflict in the Middle East, while FIFA expects teams to follow the scheduled plan.

Mexican president says prepared to host Iran World Cup games

ISLAMABAD: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called on the United States and Israel to end their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/senior-us-counterterrorism-official-resigns-to-protest-iran-war" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">war with Iran</a>, saying the bloc is working with Middle Eastern countries to find a diplomatic way out of the conflict, international media reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;Kallas said the EU was consulting regional governments, including Gulf states, Jordan and Egypt, to explore proposals that could help de-escalate tensions and bring all sides to the negotiating table, US News reported, citing Reuters.&nbsp;&ldquo;It would be in the interest of everybody if this war stops,&rdquo; she said, warning that conflicts are easier to start than to end and can quickly spiral out of control.&nbsp;The EU&rsquo;s top diplomat said Europe was open to playing a role in ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that any involvement would likely be diplomatic rather than military.&nbsp;Kallas also acknowledged growing unease in Europe over Washington&rsquo;s approach, saying the EU did not fully understand some US actions or objectives in Iran, but had adapted to what she described as increasing unpredictability.&nbsp;The conflict has further strained transatlantic ties, with Kallas noting that European countries were not consulted before the war began and had, in fact, urged restraint.&nbsp;However, she noted that any agreement would depend on the willingness of regional stakeholders, particularly Iran, to engage in such arrangements. Her remarks come as several European nations have rejected calls by Donald Trump to join a US-led mission to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-18" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">reopen the vital shipping route</a>, which remains largely disrupted due to Iran&rsquo;s control. European leaders have expressed reluctance to deploy forces in a conflict they say they did not initiate. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, President Trump said&nbsp;NATO was making a &quot;foolish mistake&quot; on Iran, after the military alliance&#39;s members largely rebuffed his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic. &quot;I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake,&quot; Trump told reporters as he hosted Ireland&#39;s prime minister in the Oval Office. &quot;When they say it (Iran) was a threat, but we&#39;re not going to help, I think they&#39;re very foolish.&quot; Earlier, Turkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that if&nbsp;the Middle East war spread, it could create a &quot;permanent&quot; refugee crisis, Turkey&#39;s top diplomat warned Tuesday as Lebanon said Israel&#39;s bombardment had displaced over a million people. &quot;If the war... spreads, there is a possibility this will turn into a permanent refugee crisis with refugees seeking shelter outside the borders of their countries,&quot; Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a news conference. &quot;This needs to stop as soon as possible.&quot;

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calls for de-escalation as tensions rise between the United States, Israel, and Iran, urging diplomatic solutions to avoid a wider global crisis. (Photo: (Screengrab/X @kajakallas)

The EU’s top diplomat says Europe was open to playing a role in ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that any involvement would likely be diplomatic rather than military.

EU's Kallas urges US, Israel to end Iran war amid energy crisis

WASHINGTON: A senior US counterterrorism official resigned on Tuesday to protest the US-Israeli war against Iran and said the Islamic Republic posed no imminent threat to the United States. &quot;I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,&quot; Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said in his resignation letter to President Donald Trump. Kent&mdash;a former member of the Green Beret special forces who served multiple combat tours&mdash;said, &quot;Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.&quot; Kent is the first senior US official to resign from the Trump administration to protest the war against Iran. &quot;Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation,&quot; Kent said in his letter to Trump. &quot;Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran,&quot; he said. &quot;This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory,&quot; he said. &quot;This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women,&quot; Kent said. &quot;I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives,&quot; he added.

A senior US counterterrorism official resigns to protest the US-Israeli war against Iran and said the Islamic Republic posed no imminent threat to the United States

Senior US counterterrorism official resigns to protest Iran war

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in India&rsquo;s Assam state have demolished hundreds of houses, mostly belonging to Muslim families, over encroachment claims, according to Indian media.&nbsp;The demolition drive, carried out in the Azara area of Kamrup district on Saturday, affected nearly 500 houses spread across approximately 737 bighas (around 245 acres).&nbsp;According to authorities, the land is legally reserved for tribal communities, and only those belonging to these groups, or residents who settled there before the area received tribal belt status, are permitted to occupy it.&nbsp;On the other hand, those displaced, primarily Bengali-speaking Muslims, said they had lived in the area for nearly two decades after being forced to relocate due to floods and river erosion. The residents said they had received government assistance during the period, which they argue shows their presence was known to officials.&nbsp;Videos circulating online showed bulldozers tearing down bamboo-thatched homes while women and children stood nearby, as police personnel monitored the operation.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033273705615258042&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=223f008a9cdf5ce3b31a13291bd478e4a65cb5b1&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/assam-cm-declares-war-on-illegal-immigrants-024m-names-removed-from-voter-rolls" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Assam government claims</a> that the initiative is aimed at protecting tribal lands, forests, and wildlife areas from illegal occupation. However, the operation has drawn strong criticism.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 825px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033690366474641603&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=223f008a9cdf5ce3b31a13291bd478e4a65cb5b1&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" spellcheck="false"></iframe></div></div>Human rights advocates and opposition voices have labeled the demolitions as &ldquo;bulldozer politics,&rdquo; arguing that they disproportionately impact vulnerable Muslim communities, many of whom were already displaced and lack alternative housing options.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033563064503529674&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=223f008a9cdf5ce3b31a13291bd478e4a65cb5b1&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" spellcheck="false"></iframe></div></div>The issue has also been intensified by recent remarks from Himanta Biswa Sarma. Speaking at an election rally in Khanapara, Kamrup, he praised ongoing eviction efforts and vowed to reclaim land allegedly occupied by what he described as &ldquo;illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators&rdquo; if re-elected in the upcoming assembly elections.&nbsp;His speech included aggressive rhetoric, with warnings directed at those opposing the government&rsquo;s actions and assertions that no &ldquo;Bangladeshi&rdquo; would be allowed to occupy land in the state.

Families watch as bulldozers demolish homes during eviction drive in Azara, Assam, leaving hundreds displaced.

India

Authorities say the land is legally reserved for tribal communities, and only those belonging to these groups, or residents who settled there before the area received tribal belt status, are permitted to occupy it.

Hundreds of Muslim homes razed in India’s Assam state

GENEVA: An extra 45 million people could face acute hunger if the Mideast war carried on through June, swelling the number worldwide to a &quot;terrible&quot; high, the United Nations warned Tuesday.&nbsp;The war, now in its third week, has killed hundreds and seen Iran launch retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf nations, as well as a front opening in Lebanon with Israel battling Hezbollah.&nbsp;&quot;If the Middle East conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger by price rises,&quot; Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of the UN&#39;s World Food Programme, told a press conference in Geneva.&nbsp;&quot;This would take global hunger levels to an all-time record, and it&#39;s a terrible, terrible prospect,&quot; he said, with 319 million people, already at a historic high, currently acutely food insecure.&nbsp;&quot;Really, it is again taking this to a whole other level.&quot;&nbsp;Skau said the WFP was already facing a &quot;perfect storm&quot; before the war erupted on February 28.&nbsp;&quot;Hunger has never been as severe as now,&quot; he said, driven by extreme weather events, conflict, and pockets of famine being declared.&nbsp;&quot;At the same time, the resources fell sharply from 2023 and 2024 levels.&quot;&nbsp;Having had to cut staff and streamline operations, &quot;we are basically stretched to the limit,&quot; said Skau.&nbsp;He said the Middle East war was making WFP&#39;s operations &quot;much, much more expensive.&quot;&nbsp;Skau said the agency was trying to deal with supply chain disruptions, but its operating costs had shot up, notably through soaring fuel prices and longer routes.

The UN warns the ongoing Middle East war could push 45 million more into acute hunger by June, raising the total to record levels, amid rising prices, supply disruptions, funding cuts, and already severe global food insecurity.

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