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Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare disclosed that a suspected measles outbreak has killed at least 98 children in the past three weeks, prompting an urgent escalation of vaccination efforts in Dhaka’s hardest‑hit districts.Prime Minister Tarique Rahman ordered two senior ministers to tour the nation’s 170 million residents, assess the crisis’s scale, and coordinate a rapid response.Official data released on Sunday show that 6,476 children aged six months to five years exhibited measles‑like symptoms, while 826 cases have been laboratory‑confirmed with 16 confirmed deaths. Health officials note that many cases go untested, meaning the true toll could be higher.According to Halimur Rashid, director of Communicable Disease Control, “Compared with past years, the number of affected children is higher, and the death toll is higher too.” He attributes the surge to multifactorial causes, including a shortage of vaccines.World Health Organization (WHO) records indicate the highest number of suspected measles cases in Bangladesh was 25,934 in 2005. After a long decline, this year’s figures represent a stark reversal.Measles remains one of the world’s most contagious diseases, spreading through coughs and sneezes. While it can affect any age group, children under five are most vulnerable to severe complications such as brain swelling and respiratory failure. WHO estimates up to 95,000 measles deaths globally each year, primarily among unvaccinated or under‑vaccinated children.Bangladesh has previously achieved notable progress in immunisation, yet a scheduled measles‑vaccination drive for June 2024 was postponed after a violent uprising that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Consequently, many children—some as young as six months—missed the routine nine‑month vaccine dose.Mahmudur Rahman, chief of the National Verification Committee of Measles and Rubella, acknowledged the missed target of eliminating measles deaths by December 2025, citing “poor vaccination programmes.”In response, Dhaka has identified 30 districts with the highest case numbers and launched an emergency vaccination campaign. Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul pledged that the drive will first cover the “worst affected areas” before expanding nationwide.Public‑health expert Tajul Islam A Bari, a former official of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, warned that although funds were allocated for vaccine procurement, the government failed to secure the doses, leading to the current “scary” situation.With no specific treatment for measles once contracted, the focus remains on accelerating vaccine delivery, improving surveillance, and preventing further loss of young lives.

Iranian footballer Mona Hamoudi had one ambition when she boarded the flight to Australia for the Women’s Asian Cup: to play well. However, the tournament became a test of her skills, patience, and ability to make difficult decisions under enormous pressure.Hamoudi, a 32-year-old midfielder, was part of the Iranian national squad that travelled to Australia in early March. The trip unravelled into one of the most scrutinised episodes in the history of Iranian women’s sport. The squad had remained silent during the national anthem ahead of their Asia Cup opener against South Korea on March 2, two days after the United States and Israel went to war with Iran and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Their silence was perceived by some as a protest against the Iranian government, and Iran’s state television branded the women as “traitors”. The players sang the anthem at their next two matches, but fears for their safety grew further after it was reported in the media that they were being monitored by Iranian government and football officials.Following Iran’s elimination at the group stage, five players – Hamoudi among them – claimed asylum and were granted humanitarian visas by the Australian authorities. However, after the rest of the squad left Australia on March 10, five of the seven later reversed course and said they would return to Iran – including Hamoudi.Hamoudi and teammate Zahra Sarbali describe the decision to return to Iran as inseparable from a sense of duty; to family, teammates, and “national obligation”, rather than a purely free choice made in calm and safety. They faced harassment and constant following from media and social media, and the expectations and pressure from the Iranian-Australian community.The journey back to Tehran was marked by fear and tension, with the media attention that had followed them throughout the tournament only intensifying once they were back in Iran. The football federation offered formal support, and the players appeared on national television after their return and resumed training as normal.On March 19, the team were met in Tehran with a hero’s welcome from the public, with several thousand people gathering in Valiasr Square, many holding Iranian flags. However, fears remain over the consequences for their careers and how their every future action might be interpreted.Maryam Irandoust, a former head coach of the Iranian women’s national team, said these experiences will carry a psychological weight onto the pitch, directly affecting performances in training and in matches. Adel Ferdosipour, a veteran Iranian sports journalist, warned that any punishment of the players could deter future footballers from representing Iran.

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Pam Bondi is being removed as Attorney General, ending a contentious 14‑month stint at the Justice Department. Bondi, who described her upcoming shift to the private sector as a "transition," will leave the post within the next month. In a rapid reshuffle, Trump elevated Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche—who previously served as the former president’s criminal‑defense lawyer—to acting attorney general. The president also hinted that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin could become the permanent replacement, signaling a continued preference for close allies in key legal roles. Bondi’s ouster follows a series of high‑profile controversies. Most notably, her management of the Jeffrey Epstein files drew intense scrutiny. After promising full transparency, the Justice Department released heavily redacted documents that failed to satisfy public and congressional demands for a "client list" and other evidence. Critics, including victims’ attorney Gloria Allred, called her departure "long overdue" for mishandling the files. Beyond the Epstein saga, Bondi struggled to deliver the political prosecutions Trump expected. Efforts to pursue former FBI Director James Comey and other officials linked to investigations of the president stalled or collapsed, fueling Trump’s frustration that she was not "weaponising" the department aggressively enough against his perceived enemies. Bondi, a former Florida attorney general and the state’s first female AG, built a reputation on tough‑on‑crime initiatives such as combating human trafficking and cracking down on "pill mills." However, her limited involvement in the original Epstein non‑prosecution deal and her heated exchange with a Democratic lawmaker—where she called him a "washed‑up loser"—further eroded confidence in her leadership. The White House confirmed that Bondi’s private‑sector role will be announced "in the near future," while Blanche issued a statement on X thanking Trump for the trust placed in him and pledging to "continue backing the blue, enforcing the law, and keeping America safe." Congressional oversight intensifies as the House Oversight Committee had scheduled Bondi to appear before it on April 14 to answer questions about the Epstein documents. With her exit, committee chair James Comer said Republicans would deliberate whether to pursue the subpoena, while Democrats, led by Robert Garcia, insist she "will not escape accountability." Reactions span the political spectrum: Democrats such as Senator Elizabeth Warren denounced the DOJ under Bondi as a "cesspool of corruption," whereas Republican Senator Chuck Grassley praised her responsiveness to oversight and noted a decline in violent crime during her tenure. Republican Thomas Massie urged the next AG to release all Epstein files and pursue arrests. As the administration searches for a permanent attorney general, the choice between Blanche and Zeldin will signal how closely Trump intends to align the Justice Department with his political agenda moving forward.

NASA's Artemis II mission has reached a critical phase as the four astronauts on board have successfully fired up their spacecraft's engine to break away from Earth's orbit and embark on a trajectory towards the moon. This historic moment marks the first crewed lunar flyby in over half a century. The Orion capsule's engine blasted off on Thursday, propelling the astronauts on their 10-day mission, which includes looping around the moon. The burn, lasting just under six minutes, provided enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway-driving speed in less than three seconds. The mission control team in Houston confirmed the successful burn, stating, 'Looks like a good burn, we're confirming.' The astronauts, consisting of Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen, are now on a 'free return' trajectory, utilizing the moon's gravity to slingshot around it before heading back towards Earth without propulsion. The Artemis II mission is a crucial step towards establishing a permanent human presence on the moon, with the ultimate goal of landing humans on the lunar surface by 2028. This mission also marks a series of historic firsts, including the first person of color, the first woman, and the first non-American on a lunar mission. The spacecraft's crew spent their initial hours in space performing checks and troubleshooting minor issues, including a communications problem and a malfunctioning toilet. They also began their fitness routine on the spacecraft's 'flywheel exercise device' to minimize muscle and bone loss in microgravity. NASA's Artemis program has been portrayed as a competitive effort with China, which aims to land humans on the moon by 2030. The program has faced pressure from various quarters, including former President Trump, who has pushed for an accelerated pace. The mission's commander, Reid Wiseman, described the breathtaking view of Earth from space, saying, 'You can see the entire globe from pole to pole... It was the most spectacular moment and it paused all four of us in our tracks.'

The Paris Appeals Court on Wednesday rejected Tunisia's request to extradite Halima Ben Ali, the daughter of the late former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who faces accusations of laundering assets acquired during her father's 1987‑2011 rule.The ruling was anchored in Tunisia's failure to provide guarantees of an independent and impartial trial, a prerequisite under French and international extradition standards.Halima Ben Ali was detained in September 2025 at Tunisia's behest as she prepared to board a flight from Paris to Dubai. Authorities allege she participated in the laundering of wealth amassed under her father's regime.Her lawyer, Samia Maktouf, warned that sending her back would be tantamount to “a death sentence.” After the verdict, Maktouf described the decision as “an immense relief” and affirmed that justice had been served in accordance with the law.Tunisian prosecutors say the alleged financial crimes could carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, underscoring the broader push to recover misappropriated assets and hold the Ben Ali family accountable more than a decade after the Arab Spring uprisings.The case revives debate over the legacy of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was ousted in 2011, fled to Saudi Arabia, died in exile in 2019, and was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Tunisian court.While the French decision may strain diplomatic ties, it also signals Paris' commitment to uphold procedural safeguards when handling extradition requests linked to politically sensitive cases.

New research by Cleanview and a subsequent confirmation from Google reveal that the tech giant is collaborating with Crusade Energy to develop a 933‑megawatt natural‑gas power plant in the sparsely populated Armstrong County of the Texas panhandle. The facility will serve the Goodnight AI‑focused datacenter campus, signaling a notable departure from Google’s long‑standing clean‑energy narrative.The plant, slated for off‑grid operation, is intended to power at least two buildings on the Goodnight site. Satellite imagery commissioned by Cleanview shows construction already under way, following a permit application filed in January.According to the 465‑page permit filing, the plant could emit as much as 4.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year—roughly the same amount released annually by the entire city of San Francisco. This emission level underscores the environmental stakes of the project.Cleanview founder Michael Thomas described the venture as “one of the first direct investments in fossil‑fuel infrastructure” he has seen from Google, suggesting a strategic pivot away from the company’s historic climate leadership.When queried, Google spokesperson Chrissy Moy did not deny the partnership but clarified that “we don’t have a contract in place for the plant in Texas.” She noted that negotiations are ongoing and pointed to a separate wind‑farm partnership with Serena Energy in the region. Crusoe Energy declined to comment.The Texas project is Google’s third known involvement with gas‑fuel facilities in recent months. Earlier in October, the company announced an agreement to purchase power from a gas plant in Illinois, and documents obtained in May revealed exploratory talks on a large‑scale gas project in Nebraska.Despite the shift, Google maintains that natural gas does not conflict with its climate objectives. The firm argues it is moving from a strategy of buying carbon credits to one of “building the grid” to secure carbon‑free energy for its operations.At a recent energy conference in Houston, Google’s head of advanced energy, Michael Terrell, declined to elaborate on how natural gas aligns with the company’s sustainability roadmap.From carbon‑free promises to “climate moonshots”Google has long positioned itself as a climate leader, setting a 2020 goal to achieve net‑zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2030 and investing heavily in wind, solar, geothermal and nuclear projects. However, the rapid expansion of AI workloads has strained those commitments.The 2023 sustainability report noted that Google was no longer “maintaining operational carbon neutrality,” and a 2024 update reported a 48 % rise in greenhouse‑gas emissions since 2019, driven largely by datacenter energy demand.By 2025, the company reframed its emissions targets as “climate moonshots,” acknowledging the growing complexity of meeting its 2030 ambitions amid AI‑driven uncertainties.Google is not alone in this trend. Competitors such as Meta, Amazon and Microsoft have also turned to natural‑gas‑powered facilities to meet the soaring energy needs of their AI infrastructures, highlighting a broader industry tension between rapid AI deployment and climate pledges.Thomas of Cleanview summed up the situation: “The race to build AI is creating a new tension with climate goals that these hyperscalers have long championed.”

President Donald Trump has been privately discussing the possibility of replacing Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, according to two people briefed on the conversations. This development comes after Gabbard's testimony at a Congressional hearing where she declined to condemn Joe Kent, a former deputy who argued that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States.Trump's frustration with Gabbard reportedly stems from her perceived defense of Kent and her reluctance to support the administration's position on attacking Iran. The President tends to poll his advisers when considering personnel changes, which suggests that Gabbard's position may be precarious.Despite this, Trump offered a mixed endorsement of Gabbard on Sunday, stating, "Yeah, sure... I mean, she's a little bit different in her thought process than me, but that doesn't make somebody not available to serve."The White House has defended Gabbard, with spokesperson Steven Cheung stating, "As President Trump just said in his remarks, he has confidence in Director Gabbard and the tireless work she is doing."Gabbard has faced challenges in her role, including criticism for revoking the security clearances of 37 people, including congressional aides, without consulting the White House. Her tenure has been marked by both support and controversy, particularly regarding her stance on Iran and her criticism of US involvement in foreign wars.

Three longtime FBI special agents—Michelle Ball, Jamie Garman and Blaire Toleman—have initiated a class‑action lawsuit asserting that they were dismissed without cause in October and November 2025 as part of a "retribution campaign" orchestrated by the Trump administration.The complaint, filed on Tuesday, contends that the termination letters, signed by FBI Director Kash Patel, falsely accused the agents of "weaponising" their positions and were intended to punish them for their work on a special‑counsel investigation into Donald Trump’s efforts to remain in power after the 2020 election.Each agent brings between eight and fourteen years of service to the case, underscoring their status as career, non‑partisan law‑enforcement professionals. In their statement, they emphasized that they "took an oath to uphold the Constitution" and that their removal "without due process" constitutes a "profound injustice" that threatens the apolitical nature of federal policing.The lawsuit references a 48‑page complaint that details how the agents were abruptly terminated after being assigned to support Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe, which ultimately led to Trump’s 2023 indictment for alleged illegal attempts to overturn his electoral defeat. Although that case was later dropped following Trump’s 2024 re‑election—citing a DOJ policy barring prosecution of sitting presidents—the agents argue that the subsequent firings were retaliatory.Legal analysts note that the suit could set a precedent for other former law‑enforcement officials who claim they were ousted for perceived disloyalty. A separate group of twelve ex‑FBI employees previously sued over alleged wrongful termination after kneeling during a 2020 protest, highlighting a broader pattern of disputes over political interference.By alleging that the administration’s actions "impugned the professional reputation" of the plaintiffs and the broader class of agents, the filing seeks not only reinstatement but also damages for defamation and wrongful termination.

Airport security lines across the United States are significantly shortening following President Donald Trump's emergency directive to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. This development comes after weeks of lengthy delays at security checkpoints nationwide. At major airports such as New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, wait times have dropped to under 30 minutes. Similar improvements have been observed at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Baltimore's Thurgood Marshall Airport. Despite this temporary relief, over 500 TSA officers have left the agency since the recent government shutdown, according to data shared by the TSA. This exodus highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the agency due to recurrent funding lapses. “The bigger issue is that this is the third time in six months that TSA has gone through a funding lapse,” noted Eric Chaffee, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. “Every time this happens, the agency loses experienced staff, and it becomes harder to attract new ones.” While TSA workers are set to receive their back pay, with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stating that payments would begin as early as Monday, the sector still faces instability. On Friday, 10.59% of TSA agents called out on Saturday and 12.35% on Friday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The ongoing partial US government shutdown, now in its 45th day, continues to impact negotiations in Congress. Despite House Republicans voting to fully fund DHS for 60 days, the bill was met with resistance from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who deemed it “dead on arrival.” In the financial markets, US airline stocks continue to decline, with United Airlines down 2.4%, Delta down 1.5%, American Airlines down 0.4%, and Southwest down 1.9% in midday trading.