Iran executed three men on Thursday who were accused of killing police officers during protests in January, with activists warning of the risk of a new surge in hangings as war rages with Israel and the United States. They were the first hangings Iran has carried out related to the nationwide demonstrations that were met with a brutal crackdown by the authorities. Rights groups said the trio, who included a teenager who had taken part in international wrestling competitions, were executed without a fair trial and had given confessions under torture, reported AFP. Teenage wrestling champion among three hanged in Iran for Moharebeh According to AFP, Mehdi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi and Saeed Davoudi were hanged in the city of Qom south of Tehran after being convicted of the capital crime of waging war against God, known as moharebeh under Iran's sharia, the judiciary's Mizan news agency said. They had been found guilty of involvement in the killing of two police officers and carrying out "operational actions" in favour of Israel and the United States. There had been particular concern over the fate of Saleh Mohammadi, a teenage wrestling champion who had taken part in international competitions, who according to Amnesty International was denied "adequate defence and forced to make 'confessions'... in fast-tracked proceedings that bore no resemblance to a meaningful trial". Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said after the executions the three "had been sentenced to death following an unfair trial, based on confessions obtained under torture". It said Mohammadi had only turned 19 last week. Iranian legal affairs monitor Dadban added that they were "deprived of effective access to independent counsel and the right to defence" and under such circumstances the use of the death penalty resembles an "extrajudicial killing", as per AFP. Risk of mass executions According to AFP, Iranian authorities had the day earlier executed Kouroush Keyvani, a dual Iranian-Swedish national, on charges of spying for Israel, in a hanging strongly condemned by Stockholm and the EU. That was the first public announcement of such an execution since Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering the war that has spread across the Middle East. "We are deeply concerned about the risk of mass executions of protesters and political prisoners in the shadow of war," said Iran Human Rights (IHR). "These executions are carried out to spread fear in the society, as the Islamic Republic knows that the main threat to its survival comes from the Iranian people demanding fundamental change," it added reported AFP. The hangings of the three men were the first officially announced executions related to the protests which broke out in Iran late December against the rising cost of living before morphing into nationwide anti-government demonstrations that peaked on January 8 and 9. Iran accused of killing thousands in protest crackdown, toll could be far higher Rights groups accuse security forces of killing thousands in their crackdown on the protests, which authorities blamed on the US and Israel. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has recorded more than 7,000 killings, with the vast majority protesters, while warning the toll could be far higher, reported AFP. Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the unrest, including members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, and attributed the violence to "terrorist acts". Iran's hardline judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei has warned there will be "no leniency" against those convicted of violent acts during the protests. IHR has said hundreds of people are facing charges linked to the protests that could see them sentenced to death. US President Donald Trump has initially warned the US would attack Iran if it executed protesters but subsequently focused on its nuclear programme. Iran is the world's most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups. Last year it hanged at least 1,500 people, according to figures from IHR. The Islamic republic executed 13 people on charges related to the 2025 June war with Israel and 12 people on charges related to 2022-2023 nationwide protests, according to rights groups, reported AFP. (Inputs from AFP)
21 March,2026 11:35 PM IST | Paris | mid-day online correspondentIran’s key nuclear enrichment site at Natanz was struck in an airstrike on Saturday, according to Iranian state media, marking a significant escalation as the ongoing West Asia conflict enters its fourth week, reported news agency Associated Press. Authorities said there was no radiation leakage from the facility, easing immediate fears of a nuclear hazard. Key nuclear site targeted again Natanz, located about 220 km southeast of Tehran, is Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility and has previously been targeted in earlier phases of the conflict. Satellite imagery from earlier strikes had shown damage to multiple structures at the site, though international monitors had indicated no radiological consequences, reported Associated Press. War enters fourth week with no signs of slowdown The latest strike comes amid continued missile, drone and air attacks across the region, with no clear indication of de-escalation. Iran has continued launching attacks, while Israel has intensified operations, including strikes in Beirut targeting Hezbollah-linked areas. US signals mixed strategy US President Donald Trump indicated that military objectives in the region may be nearing completion, even as the United States deploys additional forces, including amphibious assault ships and thousands of Marines, reported Associated Press. The US military presence in the region has now crossed 50,000 personnel, underscoring the scale of the ongoing conflict. Iran issues global threat warning Iran has warned that it may target recreational and tourist locations globally if attacks continue, raising concerns about a wider security threat beyond the Middle East. The warning has heightened fears of potential spillover effects and international security risks. Rising human and economic toll The conflict has already resulted in significant casualties across multiple countries, including Iran, Israel and Lebanon, with thousands killed or injured, reported Associated Press. Global oil prices have surged sharply, with Brent crude crossing USD 100 per barrel, contributing to rising fuel and food costs worldwide. No clear end in sight Despite ongoing diplomatic signals, the conflict continues to intensify, with both sides expanding military operations. Analysts warn that continued strikes on strategic infrastructure, including nuclear and energy facilities, could further destabilise the region and impact global markets. The situation remains fluid, with international calls for restraint and diplomatic resolution growing louder as tensions escalate. (With inputs from Associated Press)
21 March,2026 06:04 PM IST | Dubai | mid-day online correspondentIran's Natanz nuclear enrichment facility was hit in an airstrike on Saturday, the official Iranian news agency Mizan reported. There was no radiation leakage, it said, as the war in the Middle East entered its fourth week. Natanz, Iran's main enrichment site, was hit in the first week of the war and several buildings appeared damaged, according to satellite images. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog had said that "no radiological consequence" was expected from that earlier strike. The nuclear facility, located nearly 220 kilometres (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, had been targeted by Israeli airstrikes in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025, and by the United States. The strike comes a day after US President Donald Trump said he was considering "winding down" military operations in the Middle East even as the US is sending three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the region. Trump's post Friday on social media followed an Iranian threat to attack recreational and tourist sites worldwide and another day of the airstrikes and drone and missile attacks that have engulfed the region. The mixed messages from the United States (US) came after another climb in oil prices plunged the country's stock market, and was followed by a Trump administration announcement it was lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded on ships, a move aimed at wrangling soaring fuel prices. The three-week-old war has shown no signs of abating, with Israel saying Iran continued to fire missiles at it early Saturday, while Saudi Arabia said it downed 20 drones in just a couple of hours in the country's eastern region, which is home to major oil installations. The attacks came a day after Israeli airstrikes hit in Tehran as Iranians celebrated the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that has been muted by the war.Trump says US near completion of its goals The US and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran's leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programmes. There have been no public signs of any such uprising and no end to the war in sight. On social media, Trump said, "We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East." That seemed at odds with his administration's move to bolster its firepower in the region and request another USD 200 billion from Congress to fund the war. The United States is deploying three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East, an official told The Associated Press. Two other US officials confirmed that ships were deploying, without saying where they were headed. All three spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations. Days earlier, the US redirected another group of amphibious assault ships carrying another 2,500 Marines from the Pacific to the Middle East. The Marines will join more than 50,000 US troops already in the region. Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but also has asserted that he retains all options.Iran threatens attacks beyond the Middle East Iran's top military spokesperson, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, warned Friday that "parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations" worldwide will not be safe for the country's enemies. The threat renewed concerns that Tehran may revert to using militant attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei praised Iranians' steadfastness in the face of war in a written statement read on Iranian television to mark Nowruz. Khamenei has not been seen in public since he became supreme leader following Israeli strikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and reportedly wounded him. With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained in the punishing US and Israeli strikes, which began February 28 -- or even who was truly in charge of the country. But Iran's attacks are still choking off oil supplies and raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.Israel continues wave of strikes against Hezbollah militants The Israeli military said early Saturday that it began a wave of strikes targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Beirut's southern suburbs. Smoke was seen rising, fires broke out and loud explosions were heard across parts of central Beirut, hours after the Israeli army renewed evacuation warnings for seven neighbourhoods. Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced more than 1 million, according to the Lebanese government. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran during the war. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missiles and four others have died in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 US military members have been killed. US pauses sanctions on Iranian oil Brent crude oil, the international standard, has soared during the fighting and was around USD 106 per barrel, up from roughly USD 70 before the war. The newly announced US pause in sanctions applies to Iranian oil loaded on ships as of Friday and is set to end April 19. The new move does not increase the flow of production, a central factor in the surging prices. Iran has managed to evade US sanctions for years, suggesting that much of what it exports already reaches buyers. Looking for ways to boost global oil supplies during the Iran war, the Trump administration has previously paused sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments for 30 days, which critics said rewarded Moscow while having only a modest effect on markets. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
21 March,2026 04:33 PM IST | Dubai | APPresident Donald Trump on Friday said he was considering "winding down" military operations against Iran, as the United States (US) temporarily eased sanctions on Iranian oil shipments to ease a global supply crisis, news agency AFP reported. The announcement came as Iran launched a fresh wave of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and Israel, following claims by supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei that Tehran had dealt a "dizzying blow" to its enemies. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the US was "getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East". Analysts noted this as the clearest sign yet that the US may be preparing to end hostilities that began on February 28, AFP reported. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a post on X shortly after Trump’s message, said, "The President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 4–6 weeks to achieve this mission. Tomorrow marks week 3 — and the US Armed Forces are doing an exceptional job. Day by day, the Iranian Regime is being crippled, and their ability to threaten the United States and our allies is being significantly weakened." Since Day One of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump clearly outlined the U.S. Military’s objectives to end the threat of the Iranian terrorist regime. The President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 4-6 weeks to achieve this mission. Tomorrow marks week… pic.twitter.com/A5F8UTxpPZ — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) March 20, 2026 Amid mounting global concern over oil prices, the US Treasury announced a temporary lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded onto vessels. The authorisation, valid through April 19, permits the delivery and sale of Iranian crude and petroleum products loaded before March 20, AFP reported. "By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets, expanding worldwide energy availability and helping relieve temporary supply pressures caused by Iran," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. West Asia conflict: Trump insists on winning, not truce Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas normally flows, and repeated attacks on regional energy infrastructure have pushed crude prices higher. Brent crude rose 3.26 per cent on Friday to USD 112.19 a barrel. Global stock markets also fell sharply amid fears of prolonged supply disruptions affecting the economy. Meanwhile, fresh explosions hit Tehran, while Israel accused Iran of striking holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Old City near Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting over 20 Iranian drones early Saturday, while Israel said a new wave of missiles was fired from Iran. Iranian strikes continued against energy infrastructure in the Gulf. Drone attacks hit Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery on Friday, causing a fire that was quickly controlled, a day after a direct hit on Qatar’s Ras Laffan natural gas facility. In response, Israeli forces launched strikes on Beirut early Saturday targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, urging residents of some areas to evacuate. Turkey condemned Israeli attacks on Syrian army positions in southern Syria, calling them a "dangerous escalation." Syria has largely avoided direct involvement in the regional conflict. Trump told reporters at the White House that he was not seeking a truce with Iran. US President warns other nations to secure Strait of Hormuz "I think we have won. I don’t want to do a ceasefire. You know you don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side," he said. After criticising North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies as "cowards," Trump added that other nations would need to secure the Strait of Hormuz. "The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other nations who use it — the United States does not! If asked, we will help these countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated," he stated. Trump said Washington sought dialogue with Iran but found "nobody to talk to" after the killing of Iran’s former supreme leader and other top officials. Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, has not appeared in public since succeeding his father Ali Khamenei. In a Nowruz statement, Khamenei claimed Iranians had "dealt him (the enemy) a dizzying blow so that he now starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense," adding, "At the moment, due to the particular unity that has been created between you our compatriots… the enemy has been defeated." While Trump has ruled out deploying ground troops, The Wall Street Journal reported that 2,200–2,500 additional US Marines are being sent to the region. The president did not confirm Axios reports that he might consider occupying or blockading Iran’s Kharg Island oil hub. US strikes have "totally obliterated" military targets on the island, according to Trump, without targeting oil infrastructure. (With AFP inputs)
21 March,2026 03:53 PM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentGautam Hari Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director of Raymond Group, was injured, and two Indian nationals remain missing after a speedboat overturned near Felidhoo Island in the Maldives, local media reported. There were seven people on board the vessel near Vaavu Atoll early Friday morning, including two women, a British national and a Russian national, and five Indian men, as per PTI. Police said five people fell into the sea when the vessel overturned, including the Russian woman and four Indian men. Singhania, 60, who was among the tourists, has been rescued. Citing police, news portal Adhadhu reported that he sustained minor injuries in the accident and was discharged from the hospital after treatment. “The two missing persons are Indian nationals,” police said, adding that search operations are ongoing, reported PTI. “The speedboat belongs to his yacht, TT Ashena. The Maldivian Coast Guard is still searching for the two people who went missing in the accident,” Adhadhu reported. PTI sources said the vessel involved was a Cigarette racing boat, designed to be driven at high speeds. The Maldives National Defence Force’s Male Area Command Coast Guard Second Squadron is conducting the search for the missing individuals. The incident occurred about two nautical miles southwest of Keyodhoo, MNDF said. Boat suffers damage amid rough sea conditions near Mumbai, 130 passengers evacuated to safety In a similar incident last year, a major mishap was averted when a tourist boat carrying 130 passengers from the Gateway of India, Mumbai, to Mandwa in Raigad district suffered damage owing to rough sea conditions. Around 5.30 pm, the fibre boat, operated by Ajanta Company, departed Gateway of India with 130 passengers on board. When the boat was approximately 1 to 1.5 km away from Mandwa Jetty, strong sea winds caused a wave to hit the fibre boat, creating a hole and allowing water to enter in it. Upon noticing the situation, the passengers on board immediately called Mandwa Jetty for help. Speedboats were promptly dispatched to the location, and all 130 passengers were safely brought to shore at Mandwa Jetty. The Ajanta Company’s passenger boat was also safely towed and brought ashore at Mandwa Jetty. (With PTI inputs)
21 March,2026 01:19 PM IST | Male | mid-day online correspondentAt least 20 people were killed and 57 others injured in Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon over the past 24 hours, according to official figures released on Friday, reported news agency IANS. The latest casualties have pushed the overall death toll to 1,021, with 2,641 people injured since the escalation of hostilities began earlier this month. Death toll rises amid continued strikes Authorities said the fresh wave of airstrikes has intensified the humanitarian crisis, with civilian casualties continuing to mount across multiple regions, reported IANS. The ongoing conflict has seen repeated aerial and ground attacks, further worsening conditions on the ground. Displacement crisis deepens The situation has also triggered large-scale displacement, with over 134,000 people forced to flee their homes. Officials said 134,616 displaced persons are currently being housed in 644 shelters across the country, placing immense strain on relief infrastructure, reported IANS. Escalation since early March The latest escalation began on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel, marking its entry into the conflict after a previous ceasefire. In response, Israel intensified its military operations, targeting multiple locations across Lebanon. UN expresses concern over worsening situation The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed “deep concern” over the heavy exchange of fire and increased military activity, reported IANS. The UN peacekeeping force warned that the escalation represents a serious deterioration in the situation along the Blue Line, the demarcation between Lebanon and Israel. Call for ceasefire and restraint UNIFIL has urged all parties to recommit to UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and push for an immediate cessation of hostilities, calling it the only viable path to long-term stability, reported IANS. It also raised concerns over renewed evacuation warnings issued by both sides, which are impacting civilians. Humanitarian challenges intensify Peacekeeping forces remain deployed in southern Lebanon, continuing to monitor violations, maintain communication channels and facilitate humanitarian assistance where possible, reported IANS. However, officials warned that continued hostilities could further aggravate the humanitarian crisis and destabilise the region. US deploys more troops to Mideast as Trump considers 'winding down' military operations Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said his administration was considering "winding down" military operations in the Middle East even as the United States announced it was sending more warships and Marines to the region and Iran threatened to attack tourist sites worldwide. The mixed US messages came after another climb in oil prices plunged the US stock market, and was followed by a Trump administration announcement that it will lift sanctions on Iranian oil loaded on ships, a move aimed at wrangling soaring fuel prices. (With inputs from IANS)
21 March,2026 01:05 PM IST | Beirut | mid-day online correspondentThe Cuban government has refused a request by the US Embassy in Havana to allow it to import diesel for its generators while the Trump administration continues to impose a fuel blockade on the island, according to two US officials familiar with the matter. The Cuban government turned down the request as the US State Department has been weighing a reduction in staffing at the embassy in Havana because of the lack of diesel. Such a move would likely lead to a US demand for a similar reduction in staffing at the Cuban Embassy in Washington, say the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The Cuban government rejection was first reported by The Washington Post. Cuba has struggled with dwindling oil since the US removed Venezuela's leader, halting critical petroleum shipments from the nation. President Donald Trump then threatened tariffs on any country selling or supplying Cuba with oil. The island is relying on its own natural gas, solar power and its own oil to run thermoelectric plants, but that hasn't been enough to meet demand. The standoff on diesel comes as Trump has been pressing for dramatic change in government led by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. Trump has suggested that top Cuban leaders would be smart to avoid the fate of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted and arrested in a US military operation in January. Venezuela had been Cuba's closest ally and provided it with heavily subsidized oil. Any potential staffing reduction at the embassy is not expected to come immediately because the US believes it has enough diesel in reserve to last for another month, according to one official. Diaz-Canel said last week that Cuba has held talks with the US government. It marked the first time the Caribbean country had confirmed widespread speculation about discussions with the Trump administration in the midst of the Republican administration's pressure campaign. Humanitarian organisations began delivering aid to Cuba by air Friday, including solar panels, food and medicine. Cuba has been preparing to receive a shipment of Russian oil later this month, which would be its first shipment in the past three months. Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said they see the island nation as the next country where the US can expand its influence. The Trump administration is looking for Diaz-Canel to leave as the US continues negotiating with the Cuban government, The Associated Press previously reported. No detail has been offered about who the administration might like to see come to power. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 March,2026 10:00 AM IST | Washington | AP | PTIThe United States has announced the temporary lifting of sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea in an effort to cool down soaring global crude prices. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the temporary measure will make available 140 million barrels of Iranian oil to global markets. "This temporary, short-term authorisation is strictly limited to oil that is already in transit and does not allow new purchases or production," Bessent said in a long post on X. The price of Brent crude has witnessed sharp swings from roughly USD 70 per barrel before the war began to as high as USD 119.50 this week. "Today, the Department of the Treasury is issuing a narrowly tailored, short-term authorisation permitting the sale of Iranian oil currently stranded at sea," Bessent said. The US official claimed that at present, sanctioned Iranian oil is being hoarded by China on the cheap. By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets, expanding the amount of worldwide energy and helping to relieve the temporary pressures on supply caused by Iran, he said. Iran is the head of the snake for global terrorism, and through President Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, we are winning this critical fight at an even faster pace than anticipated. In response to Iran’s terrorist attacks against global energy infrastructure, the Trump… — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) March 20, 2026 "In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against Tehran to keep the price down as we continue Operation Epic Fury," Bessent said. The pause on sanctions on Iranian oil loaded on vessels begins Friday and is set to end on April 19. Petrol prices have increased from USD 3 a gallon in the US before the war began to USD 3.99 on Saturday. "This temporary, short-term authorisation is strictly limited to oil that is already in transit and does not allow new purchases or production," Bessent said. Further, Iran will have difficulty accessing any revenue generated, and the United States will continue to maintain maximum pressure on Iran and its ability to access the international financial system, he said. So far, the Trump Administration has been working to bring around 440 million additional barrels of oil to the global market, undercutting Iran's ability to leverage its disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the US official said. Earlier Friday, US President Donald Trump said that the United States was considering "winding down" military operations against Iran but was not seeking a ceasefire with the Islamic Republic. "We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with the terrorist regime of Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social, giving the strongest indication that he may be prepared to soon end hostilities. At the White House on Friday, Trump said he was not looking at a ceasefire with Iran. "Well, look, we can have dialogue, but I don't want to do a ceasefire. You know, you don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side. We're not looking to do that," the US President said before leaving for Florida. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 March,2026 09:59 AM IST | Washington | PTIChemical giant BASF has started up what it calls the world’s first industrial-scale production plant for 3D-printed catalysts, marking a shift in how chemical processes can be optimised at scale. Additive manufacturing allows engineers to design internal structures not possible with conventional methods. These structures are aimed at improving how gases and liquids flow through reactors. Catalysts play a central role in chemical manufacturing, accelerating reactions used to produce fuels, fertilisers, and industrial chemicals. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 March,2026 09:45 AM IST | Berlin | AgenciesChina controlled a humanoid robot via space-based computing. In regions where terrestrial networks (5G, fiber) fail, space-based computing is brought in. In the trial, a ground operator issued commands beamed to satellites orbiting in the silent vacuum of space. There, using dedicated in-orbit computing power, the AI performs “inference”— it thinks, processes language, and decides exactly how a robot should move. Those digital instructions then come back to Earth, where the OpenClaw (an open-source AI agent) translates them into physical action. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 March,2026 09:42 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesIran has threatened to expand its retaliatory attacks to include recreational and tourist sites worldwide, Al Jazeera reported. As per Al Jazeera, Iran's top military spokesman, General Abolfazl Shekarchi, warned that "parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations" worldwide won't be safe for the country's enemies. The threat renewed concerns that Iran may revert to using asymmetric attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic, as reported by Al Jazeera. Iran has stepped up its attacks on energy sites in Gulf Arab states after Israel bombed Iran's massive South Pars offshore natural gas field earlier in the week, Al Jazeera reported. As per Al Jazeera, two waves of Iranian drones attacked a Kuwaiti oil refinery early Friday, sparking a fire. The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, which can process some 730,000 barrels of oil per day, is one of the largest in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Iran has said it has no surplus crude oil available for international markets, responding to remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggesting Washington could ease restrictions on Iranian oil at sea, Al Jazeera reported. According to Al Jazeera, in a post on social media, Oil Ministry spokesperson Saman Ghoddoosi said, "Currently, Iran basically has no surplus crude oil left on the water or for supply in other international markets, and the US Treasury secretary's statement is solely aimed at giving hope to buyers." Earlier, Iran threatened to broaden its retaliatory strikes, saying recreational and tourist locations worldwide could be at risk, Al Jazeera reported. General Abolfazl Shekarchi, the country's top military spokesman, warned that "parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations" worldwide would not be safe for Iran's enemies, as reported by Al Jazeera. The warning has reignited fears that Tehran may turn to asymmetric attacks beyond the Middle East to increase pressure on its adversaries, according to Al Jazeera. Iran has recently escalated attacks on energy infrastructure in Gulf Arab states after Israel bombed the South Pars offshore natural gas field earlier this week. In one such attack, two waves of Iranian drones struck a Kuwaiti oil refinery early Friday, causing a fire. The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, which can process around 730,000 barrels of oil per day, is among the largest in the Middle East, as reported by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, Iran has also issued a stern warning to the United Arab Emirates, saying it would target Ras al-Khaimah if Iranian Gulf islands were attacked again from UAE territory, Al Jazeera reported. "We warn the United Arab Emirates, in case of repeated encroachment from the source of that country to the Iranian islands ... in the Persian Gulf, the powerful Iranian armed forces will put Ras al-Khaimah ... under their crushing blows," the spokesperson said in a statement carried by Iran's Tasnim news agency, Al Jazeera reported. According to Al Jazeera, the islands are strategically located near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas flows. Earlier this month, the UAE said it had successfully intercepted a drone, with debris falling in the al-Hamra village area of Ras al-Khaimah, as reported by Al Jazeera. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 March,2026 09:23 AM IST | Tehran | ANIADVERTISEMENT
-1773922622388_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Iran hanged three men who were accused of killing police officers during protests in January. Pic/Pixabay")
