Tehran, following a strike on its South Pars field, said it would respond forcefully to any further attacks on its energy sector. "If it is repeated again, further attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until it is completely destroyed." Saudi Arabia also said it intercepted drones targeting energy infrastructure in the east, while debris from a ballistic missile landed near a refinery south of Riyadh. - 'Cowardly assassination' -French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken to his US counterpart Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar, and called for a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure. Strikes also hit multiple sites overnight, while Iranian media reported fresh bombardment across several regions, including Tehran.

DUBAI, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Abu Dhabi has shut down operations at a gas facility due to falling debris from missile interceptions, the Emirati capital's media office said on Thursday. "Abu Dhabi authorities are responding to incidents at the Habshan gas facilities and at the Bab (oil) field caused by falling debris from the successful interception of missiles," Abu Dhabi's media office posted on X. "The gas facilities have been shut down," it said, adding no injuries had been reported. The United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry expressed "strong condemnation" of the attack, which it blamed on Iran. "These attacks constitute a serious escalation and a violation of the principles of international law," the ministry said in a statement posted on X.Iran warned on Wednesday that it would destroy Gulf nations' oil and gas industries, which it considers American interests, if its own energy sector is harmed again following a strike on its South Pars field, the world's largest gas reserve.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to destroy Iran's key South Pars gas field if there were further attacks against Qatar's main gas plant. Trump confirmed on his Truth Social platform that Israel had struck the South Pars field but said the United States "knew nothing" of the attack, which spurred Iran to launch an attack on Qatar's Ras Laffan facility. "NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar - In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before," the US president wrote.

We came from a community known for strong schools, but Hoover City Schools have truly exceeded our expectations. Today, I serve as the Alabama director for Digital Promise, a global nonprofit focused on expanding access to high-quality learning experiences. While high school students are learning to become independent, they are still children, and most don’t yet have a clear vision for their future — or know which questions to ask to help shape it. Schools work hard to communicate through newsletters and other channels, and many do an excellent job. When families and schools work together to share knowledge and start conversations early, we open doors for students and help them make informed choices about their futures.

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A second round of loud explosions rang out over Riyadh on Wednesday, AFP journalists reported, after authorities previously said they intercepted four ballistic missiles headed towards the Saudi capital. The Gulf kingdom has been regularly targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks since the Middle East war began, including some aimed at its massive energy installations and the capital's diplomatic quarter. Iran had threatened earlier on Wednesday to target regional energy facilities.

DHAKA, MARCH 18, 2026 (BSS) – Bangladesh Railway collects fares at fixed rates, and there is no scope for travelling ticket examiners (TTEs) or ticket counters to charge excess fares during rail journeys. If any passenger is found travelling without a ticket, the railway authority can charge the actual fare along with a fine equal to the fare, according to railway rules, said a PID handout issued today. The railway authority realised Tk 820, including the regular fare of Tk 410 for the Dhaka-Sylhet route. The railway authority has instructed officials to stop selling short-distance tickets during Eid so that no passenger can travel long distances using a short-distance ticket. If there are any allegations of additional fare collection by railway employees, legal action will be taken against those responsible.

BAGHDAD, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iraq's gas imports from Iran were completely halted on Wednesday, authorities said, the latest blow to the country's battered economy reeling from the impact of the Middle East war. The country has been unwillingly drawn into the conflict triggered by the US-Israel attack on its neighbour Iran on February 28. News of the gas stoppage came after Tehran denounced a US-Israeli strike on Iranian facilities exploiting the vast South Pars/North Dome gas field. Despite its abundant oil and gas reserves, Iraq's power plants are highly dependent on gas imported from Iran, which supplies about a third of the country's needs. A strike near Iraq's western border with Syria on Wednesday killed three fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, the alliance said.

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Saudi Arabia announced that the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan will begin on Friday, according to a statement published by state media. "The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Thursday, is the completion of the 30th day of the month of Ramadan, and that Friday is the day of the Blessed Eid al-Fitr," the Saudi Press Agency reported. The timing of the holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, in accordance with the Muslim lunar calendar. Fasting is widely practised in Saudi Arabia, home of the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Across the Muslim world, Ramadan festivities this year were overshadowed by the ongoing war in the Middle East, triggered by the US and Israel's attack on Iran.

Reading time: about 4 minutesAs we approach the third week of war with Iran, many of us are probably wondering how we got here. Here are four films offering a wide array of perspectives on the complex history of the Middle East. Lawrence of ArabiaOne cannot discuss the formation of the modern Middle East without acknowledging David Lean’s 1962 epic, Lawrence of Arabia. The film chronicles the life of Thomas Edward Lawrence, an eccentric British officer tasked with monitoring the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Luke Dolan Luke Dolan is a member of the Class of 2027 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

JERUSALEM, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An international media association on Wednesday criticised an "unprovoked assault" by Israeli police on journalists in Jerusalem, which it said left a CNN producer with a fractured wrist. The Foreign Press Association (FPA) said police officers on Tuesday night "unnecessarily and aggressively repelled a group of journalists who were doing their jobs, documenting individuals who were praying outside the walls of the Old City". "During the assault, one Israeli officer fractured the wrist of a CNN producer," the FPA said in a statement. "None of this is acceptable," added the association, which represents hundreds of journalists in Israel and the Palestinian territories. A foreign journalist told AFP that police "beat the CNN producer and some other journalists with batons," adding that "at least one Palestinian was detained".

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Saudi Arabia said its air defences were countering ballistic missiles on Wednesday after AFP journalists heard loud explosions echoing over the capital Riyadh as Iran's Gulf campaign ground on. Residents also received a phone alert warning that "the area is under hostile aerial threat". "Air defences are dealing with a ballistic threat in Riyadh," the Saudi defence ministry said, quoting a spokesperson in a statement on X. Later, the civil defence reported on X that "the danger has passed in Riyadh". The Gulf kingdom has been regularly targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks, including some aimed at its massive energy installations and the capital's diplomatic quarter.

Tehran's retaliation brought commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a virtual halt, snarling energy supply chains. This strains American household budgets further -- with consumers already facing high costs of living -- piling pressure on the Trump administration as key midterm elections approach. "This license will benefit both the United States and Venezuela, while supporting the global energy market by increasing the supply of available oil," said a Treasury spokesperson. Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council told AFP that the shipping law waiver "is unlikely to have a significant impact on global energy markets and gas prices." S&P Global analysts estimate that Jones Act deliveries can cost billions of dollars more than employing a foreign vessel.

File PhotoDHAKA, March 18, 2026 (BSS) - At least five Dhaka-bound flights, including two international services, were diverted to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram today due to adverse weather conditions, according to airport authorities. Of the diverted flights, three were operated by US-Bangla Airlines—from Cox’s Bazar, Singapore and Malé (Maldives). A Novoair flight from Saidpur to Dhaka was also diverted to Chattogram. In addition, an Air Astra flight on the Chattogram–Dhaka route returned to Chattogram due to inclement weather. Airport authorities said the flights would resume their journeys to their respective destinations once weather conditions improve.