World

The United States Commission of Fine Arts, a federal agency, has approved plans for a commemorative gold coin featuring a portrait of former President Donald Trump. The commission, composed largely of Trump appointees, voted unanimously in favor of minting the coin on Thursday. However, federal law prohibits the depiction of living presidents on U.S. currency. Commission members argued that the coin, as a commemorative item, may sidestep this rule, but critics have denounced it as unlawful and inappropriate for a sitting leader, highlighting ongoing legal and ethical debates.

Mexican authorities have announced that 11 people were killed during a raid that resulted in the capture of Omar Oswaldo Torres, known as 'El Patas', the leader of the Los Mayos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The operation took place in Culiacan, part of the northern state of Sinaloa.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel “acted alone” in striking Iran’s South Pars gas field, part of the world’s largest natural gas reservoir. This declaration comes amid escalating tensions over attacks on energy infrastructure across the Middle East, highlighting fractures in the supposed unity between Israel and its Western allies.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeals board ruled that Senegal forfeited the Africa Cup of Nations final held in January by leaving the field without the referee's authorization, awarding Morocco a default 3-0 win. This decision, made two months after Senegal's 1-0 extra-time victory, stunned football fans and sparked diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

Israel's ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, now in its third year, has resulted in further casualties with at least three Palestinians killed in Israeli drone strikes. The attacks targeted the Zeitoun neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, where two individuals lost their lives.

A coalition of 23 US states, led by California and New York, has filed a legal petition challenging the decision by the administration of former President Donald Trump to revoke a scientific determination that climate change poses a threat to human health and the environment. The petition was submitted to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Thursday.

A United States F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at an airbase in the Middle East after conducting a combat mission over Iran, according to US military officials. The aircraft landed safely on Thursday, and the pilot is in stable condition, stated Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for the US Central Command (CENTCOM). Hawkins said in a statement: “We are aware of reports that a US F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional US airbase after flying a combat mission over Iran. The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation.”

The US State Department has approved a $16.5 billion arms sale deal to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan, as tensions with Iran continue to intensify. According to a statement from the department, $8.4 billion is allocated to the UAE for drones, missiles, radar systems, and F-16 aircraft.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a speech on March 19, 2026, declared that Iran is being 'decimated' and allegedly lost its capacity to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles. He praised US President Donald Trump and denied speculation that Israel dragged the US into the war, stating, "Does anyone really think someone can tell President Trump what to do?"

Following the assassination of Ali Larijani, the powerful secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, questions have emerged over who will lead the country. Larijani was one of the government’s most prominent figures, who stepped into the spotlight after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top military and political officials by Israel and the US, which began attacking Iran on February 28.

The US decision to go to war with Iran without consulting regional allies, followed by Iran's retaliatory strikes, is raising profound doubts among Gulf states. A critical question emerges: does hosting US military bases enhance their security, or does it instead make them targets? An emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh on Thursday underscored Iran as the focal point, highlighting the escalating tensions in the region.

United States President Donald Trump told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that he expects her country to "step up" in securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the US- and Israeli-led war against Iran. During a news conference in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump, when pressed about why the US did not warn allies like Japan in advance about attack plans, quipped about Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. "We wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan, OK? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor?" Trump asked Takaichi, who appeared visibly uncomfortable, adding, "You believe in surprise, I think, much more so than us."