The edition of
Monday 23 March 2026
18 stories, section by section, the most important first.
International
U.S. president Donald Trump says he is postponing his 48-hour ultimatum for five days before attacking the Iranian power plants as Iran and the U.S. have held "very good and productive conversations" on ending the war. Trump also claims that a "major points of agreement" focused on Iran's renunciation of the nuclear weapon are being talked. Iran denies any dialogue took place.
A person is killed and another is injured in a strike on a transmission site of the Persian Gulf Radio and Television Centre in southern Iran.
At least one person is killed in an Israeli strike on Hazmieh, Greater Beirut, Lebanon. The Israeli military states that the attack targeted a member of Iran's Quds Force in the area.
At least 15 people are killed and 23 others are injured in strikes on Lagawa District, West Kordofan, Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces attribute the attack to the Sudanese army.
Kata'ib Hezbollah says that it will extend its pause on strikes on the United States embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, for five more days.
A Sudanese rebel faction led by Yasir Arman calls for the United Nations Security Council to end the use of drones on Sudanese citizens.
Politics
Following the February 22 elections to the National Assembly of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith is reelected as President of Laos and Sonexay Siphandone as Prime Minister.
In Italy, the constitutional amendment that proposed to select members of the High Council of the Judiciary through sortition is rejected by a 46% to 54% vote.
Business
Brent crude futures fall 11%, trading just below US$100 a barrel for the first time in days, following the announcement by U.S. president Donald Trump about talks with Iran to end the war.
The Law
A U.S. civic court finds entertainer Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 1972. The woman is awarded $59.25 million.
The Federal Court of Justice of Germany dismisses a lawsuit by Environmental Action Germany to ban BMW and Mercedes Benz from selling new combustion engine vehicles after 2030.
Puerto Rican police seize $12 million worth of cocaine found on a drug smuggling boat off the island's northern coast. Three suspects are arrested.
As a reaction to the 2026 Hatzola arson attack, Belgium deploys (ISTAR) Jagers te Paard Battalion, to guard Jewish "sites" and communities.
Science
In its annual State of the Global Climate report, the World Meteorological Organization states that Earth's energy imbalance and ocean heat content reached record levels in 2025, driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment
At least 66 people are killed when a military Lockheed C-130, carrying 125 people, crashes in Puerto Leguízamo, Colombia.
At least one person is killed and several others are injured in an explosion in Kwara State, Nigeria.
Sport
In American football, the Seattle Seahawks signs a four-year deal worth $168 million with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, with at least $120 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.
Stories adapted from Wikipedia’s Current events portal for 23 March 2026, by Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.