World

The US and Israeli regimes are continuing their offensive operations as the conflict with Iran enters its 17th day, with Iran retaliating through missile and drone barrages targeting Israel and neighboring Gulf states. Unlike the strikes in June 2025, which US President Donald Trump allegedly claimed curbed Iran's nuclear capabilities, the current war has spread across at least a dozen countries, closed the Strait of Hormuz – a critical global oil artery – and resulted in over 2,300 fatalities in the region, highlighting the severe humanitarian and economic toll.

The war initiated by the US and Israeli regimes entered its 17th day on Monday, with Israel launching a new wave of attacks on Iran's capital, Tehran. These actions have further escalated tensions in the region, raising concerns within the international community. Official details on the exact damage and casualties from the attacks have not yet been released, but the incident could provoke a strong response from the Iranian government and its allies.

US President Donald Trump has warned that NATO could face a “very grim future” if allies do not join efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. In an interview with the Financial Times, he called on European countries to support Washington’s initiatives in the region by deploying, among other assets, mine-sweeping vessels, which he claimed Europe has more of than the US.

Madagascar's President Michel Randrianirina, who seized power in October last year, has appointed the country's anti-corruption chief as the new prime minister, barely a week after dissolving the cabinet. The presidency announced on Sunday that former senior gendarmerie officer and career civil administrator Mamitiana Rajaonarison would head the new government.

In the Gaza Strip, the hopes of Lama Abu Reida to save her infant daughter Alma were dashed by a decision from the Israeli authorities. The five-month-old baby suffers from a lung cyst and cannot breathe without an oxygen machine. Her family was preparing for a medical evacuation to Jordan on March 1, but the closure of the Rafah crossing on February 28 “for security reasons” thwarted these plans.

Partial results from Sunday's regional elections in Germany's central state of Hesse indicate that Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is set to remain the strongest political force at the local level. The CDU received 29.7% of the vote, while its national-level coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), came in second with 20.2%. These figures represent a shift from the 2021 election results, where the CDU and SPD garnered 28.5% and 24% respectively.

The government of Uzbekistan, in a decision dated February 28, has amended the key indicators of Tashkent's Master Plan up to 2045. According to the amendments, 31 investment projects will be implemented on land plots totaling 2,311.4 hectares in the capital. Among these is the area of the Beshyogoch Market in the Chilanzar district, where a project valued at $461 million is planned, involving the construction of a modern multi-apartment residential complex, household service facilities, a hotel, and social infrastructure.

Flights HY-333 and C6-351 operated by Uzbekistan Airways and Centrum Air, en route from Tashkent to Dubai, were compelled to return to their departure point due to an emergency at Dubai International Airport following a drone attack. According to Dubai Airports, the strike caused a fire in a fuel tank, which was swiftly extinguished with no casualties reported.

A corruption scheme involving a tender for the purchase of electronic boards by the preschool education department in Jizzakh city has been exposed. On March 14, the managing director of an LLC, D.Z., filed a complaint with the Department under the General Prosecutor's Office, reporting that her acquaintance O.Kh. was demanding 85 million soums to help her company secure first place in the tender.

Global oil prices are continuing to rise as markets see no imminent end to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for energy supplies. Brent crude, the key global benchmark, surged by as much as 3% on Sunday to top $106 per barrel, before easing slightly early Monday to $104.15. This latest increase followed a call by US President Donald Trump for other countries to help Washington reopen the strait, which typically handles about one-fifth of the world's oil supply, although his proposal has so far received a muted response with no public commitments.

US President Donald Trump has called on NATO allies to assist in reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively blocked by Iran, warning that the alliance could face a "very bad" future if support does not materialize. In an interview with the Financial Times, he allegedly stated that countries benefiting from the strait should help ensure its security, but so far, most allies, including the UK and France, have only deployed troops to protect regional nations without engaging in combat or escorting commercial vessels.

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett revealed on CBS's "Face the Nation" that the United States has spent $12 billion on its military campaign against Iran since launching joint strikes with Israel on February 28. He presented this as the latest figure, but when anchor Margaret Brennan noted that over $5 billion in munitions alone was expended in the first week, Hassett did not directly address the discrepancy. The disclosure comes as domestic concerns grow over the economic impacts of the Middle East conflict.