Moscow and Washington held 12-hour talks in Saudi Arabia on Ukraine, with Russian negotiator Grigory Karasin calling them "useful." He stressed that discussions would continue, involving the UN and other nations. While acknowledging disagreements, Karasin emphasized the importance of dialogue. US officials also met Ukrainian negotiators in Riyadh, with further talks expected. President Donald Trump seeks a swift resolution to the three-year war. A joint statement on the discussions is expected soon. The negotiations signal a potential shift in efforts to end the conflict. (PC: AFP)

Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian filmmaker who won an Oscar for No Other Land, was attacked by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Susya, activists say. His house was surrounded, and he was beaten before being taken by Israeli soldiers while in an ambulance, co-director Yuval Abraham said. The Israeli military denied detaining anyone from an ambulance but confirmed arresting three Palestinians and an Israeli for allegedly throwing rocks. Activists who witnessed the attack said settlers smashed car windows and assaulted people. The incident highlights rising settler violence in the West Bank since the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. (PC: Getty Images)

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed more than 65 people in the past day, including women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The death toll from the 17-month war has now surpassed 50,000. Meanwhile, Egypt has proposed a new ceasefire plan. Under the deal, Hamas would release five hostages in exchange for humanitarian aid and a temporary pause in fighting. Israel would also free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israel admitted to mistakenly firing on a Red Cross office, saying soldiers misidentified a threat. The Red Cross confirmed the building was damaged, but no staff were hurt.

The Israeli military has intensified its offensive in Gaza, issuing new evacuation orders for northern regions and conducting airstrikes that have killed over 20 Palestinians overnight, bringing the total death toll to 730 since hostilities resumed last Tuesday. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a plan to establish an administration within his department to facilitate the voluntary departure of Palestinians from Gaza, a move condemned by several countries as a violation of international humanitarian law. Amid escalating violence, Israel also targeted sites in Syria's Homs province, alleging they housed military capabilities. The situation has drawn international criticism and heightened calls for resolution. (PC: Shutterstock)

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called the ongoing protests "evil," accusing opposition parties of provoking unrest. Demonstrations erupted in Istanbul after the arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges, which he calls politically motivated.   Thousands gathered Monday night as riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons. CHP leader Özgür Özel called the protests “an act of defiance against fascism.” Imamoglu remains the CHP's 2028 presidential candidate despite his detention. Over 1,100 people have been arrested. The protests, the largest since 2013, continue across Turkey. (PC: BBC)

In a significant security lapse, senior Trump administration officials inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat discussing classified military operations against Yemen's Houthi rebels. The chat, involving Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, detailed sensitive information such as targets, weapon deployments, and attack sequences. This breach has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, with Senator Pat Ryan labeling it "FUBAR" and others calling for investigations into the mishandling of national defense information. The National Security Council has confirmed the authenticity of the messages and is probing how Goldberg was mistakenly included. (PC: Reuters)

On March 24, 2025, around 8 p.m., UK residents observed a mysterious spiral light in the sky, described as a "whirlpool of lights." Experts attribute this phenomenon to frozen fuel expelled from a SpaceX rocket's second stage, launched earlier from the U.S. Similar events have been documented globally; in 2009, a Russian missile test created a spiral over Norway, and in 2022, a SpaceX launch produced a blue spiral over New Zealand. These occurrences, though startling, are typically linked to human-made space activities. (PC: Dawn Rourke)

A Russian missile struck a hospital and residential areas in Sumy, Ukraine, injuring at least 65 people, including children, local officials said. Explosions rocked the city center, damaging homes and children's facilities. The attack comes as US and Russian officials meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for truce talks, with discussions focusing on a Black Sea deal. Meanwhile, Ukraine's defense minister described separate talks with Washington as "productive." As negotiations continue, Kyiv has demanded stronger international action against Russia’s ongoing aggression. The attack further escalates tensions as efforts to broker peace continue. (PC: BBC)

Indian scholar Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow, was arrested in Virginia on March 17 over alleged ties to Hamas through his Palestinian father-in-law. Suri, who entered the U.S. legally, had traveled to Gaza in 2010 with a humanitarian convoy, where he met his future wife, Mapheze Saleh. His father denies any links to Hamas, calling the allegations baseless. Suri’s arrest follows Donald Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists. A U.S. court has temporarily blocked his deportation, while his supporters in India describe him as a scholar unfairly targeted. (PC: BBC)

Boeing has laid off up to 180 employees at its India Engineering Technology Center in Bengaluru during the December 2024 quarter as part of a global workforce reduction. The US aircraft maker, which employs around 7,000 people in India, had announced a 10% global job cut last year. A source stated that the layoffs were strategic, ensuring no adverse impact on customers or government operations. Boeing has also created new positions while maintaining safety and quality standards. The company’s India operations remain significant, with annual sourcing of $1.25 billion from over 300 suppliers.