World

Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 13 Palestinians, including two boys, a pregnant woman, and nine police officers, in the latest escalation of violence in the war-torn enclave. The strikes occurred on Sunday, with one attack hitting a house in the Nuseirat urban refugee camp in central Gaza, killing four people—a couple in their 30s, their 10-year-old son, and a 15-year-old neighbor. The Al-Aqsa Hospital reported that the woman was pregnant with twins, and the neighbor was taken to al-Awda hospital.

Four more people have died in Kenya due to widespread flooding caused by heavy rainfall over the past week, police reported, bringing the total death toll to at least 66. The capital, Nairobi, experienced further heavy rain overnight, though no new fatalities were recorded.

Ugandan opposition leader and former pop star Bobi Wine (real name Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu) has told the BBC that he fled the country after January's disputed election because he feared for his life. Speaking from an undisclosed location after two months in hiding, he stated: "It was clear that the regime wanted to eliminate me."

A Swedish court has ordered the detention of the Russian captain of the tanker 'Sea Owl One', suspected of sailing under a false flag as part of Moscow's shadow fleet. The unnamed man appeared in court in Ystad after being arrested on Friday by the Swedish Prosecution Authority on suspicion of using forged documents.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused European allies of attempting to "blackmail" Kyiv into reopening a pipeline that transports Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. Zelensky stated that restoring the flow of Russian crude oil through Ukraine into the European Union (EU) would be equivalent to lifting economic sanctions on Moscow. He emphasized his principled opposition to allowing Russian oil transit through Ukraine while the EU regime sanctions its sale elsewhere, questioning the consistency of the bloc's policies.

Iran's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, has denied that Tehran is responsible for recent attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil infrastructure, stating that if Iran were behind the strikes, it would have publicly announced them. Enayati did not suggest who carried out the attacks but added that Iran is only targeting United States and Israeli military assets and interests during the ongoing conflict, as reported by Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Sunday that his country has dispatched three teams of specialists to the Middle East. These groups are conducting expert assessments and demonstrating drone defense systems in a region where states hosting U.S. military bases continue to be targeted by Iran. Zelenskyy emphasized that this is not involvement in combat operations, stating, "We are not at war with Iran," but rather an exchange of expertise gained from years of conflict.

Hungary's long-standing Prime Minister Viktor Orban is confronting his first serious political challenge in years from opposition figure Peter Magyar, as both held major rallies on the country's national day, presenting starkly contrasting visions for Hungary's future. The events come ahead of hotly contested elections scheduled for April 12, with ruling and opposition parties racing to consolidate support amid growing societal divisions.

Iranians are enduring constant stress and trauma due to attacks by the Israeli and US regimes, internal political oppression, and economic hardships. The government's strict rules, including mandatory dress codes for women and sanctions, exacerbate daily life challenges. In this environment, mental health is severely impacted, with experts highlighting rising rates of psychological disorders.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been embroiled in a political controversy following reports about his wife's past illustration work connected to Palestinian author Susan Abulhawa. Last week, several right-wing media outlets highlighted an illustration by First Lady Rama Duwaji for an Abulhawa-associated piece and drew attention to Abulhawa's past incendiary comments. Mamdani denounced Abulhawa's statements as "abhorrent," but this move sparked backlash from some of his own supporters, who argued it risks reinforcing harmful narratives that conflate support for Palestinians with anti-Jewish sentiment.

Kosovo, Europe's youngest country with a population of 1.7 million, has been grappling with political and institutional instability for over a year. Following two parliamentary elections in 2025, which Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his left-leaning Self-Determination party, Vetevendosje, won decisively, the presidential election has now ignited a fresh crisis. Current President Vjosa Osmani's term ends on April 4, 2026, but opposition parties in parliament are refusing to cooperate, fearing that Kurti, who already leads the government and appoints the Speaker of Parliament, might also secure a head of state from his own party.

Jamal Rayyan, the presenter who was the first face ever seen on Al Jazeera Arabic when it launched nearly three decades ago, has died at the age of 73. Rayyan passed away on Sunday after a broadcasting career spanning more than five decades, during which he covered major global and regional events for the channel – from the United States wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Arab Spring, highlighting the network's role in shaping news narratives in the Middle East.