A gunman opened fire at a bar in the southern U.S. city of Austin early Sunday, killing two people and wounding 14 others, with the shooter killed by police, reported Xinhua, quoting multiple U.S. media outlets. The shooting occurred at a popular beer garden and nightlife destination in the Sixth Street entertainment district of Austin. Officials said the shooting occurred shortly before 2 a.m. local time (0800 GMT). The suspect was shot and killed by police officers, The New York Times reported. The shooting occurred in an area where the police and medical personnel patrol regularly on weekends, allowing them to respond quickly, Lisa Davis, Austin's police chief, said in an early morning news conference. Three people, including the shooter, were pronounced dead at the scene. Fourteen others were taken to the hospital, with three in critical condition. There is no information about the shooter's identity or motive. Local officials said federal law enforcement is aiding the investigation.

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Six people were killed and at least 23 were injured in Israel on Sunday when an Iranian missile struck a residential area in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service spokesperson Zaki Heller said, reported Xinhua. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it attacked the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf after the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by US and Israeli air strikes, reported ANI, quoting Al Jazeera. "The US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was struck by four ballistic missiles," the Guard said in a statement carried by local media, warning "the land and sea will increasingly become the graveyard of the terrorist aggressors," Al Jazeera. The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Arabian Sea since the end of January. Meanwhile, the US Central Command said that they struck an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette during the start of Operation Epic Fury. In a post on X, it said, "An Iranian Jamaran-class corvette was struck by U.S. forces during the start of Operation Epic Fury. The ship is currently sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman at a Chah Bahar pier. As the President said, members of Iran's armed forces, IRGC and police "must lay down your weapons." Abandon ship." "CENTCOM Update. TAMPA, Fla. - As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury. Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions -- and are in the process of being returned to duty. Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing. The situation is fluid, so out of respect for the families, we will withhold additional information, including the identities of our fallen warriors, until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified," CENTCOM updated. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran has "always been open to diplomacy, unlike American, which attacked us for the second time during negotiations". Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the Israeli Air Force detected missiles launched from Iran. In a post on X, it said, "The IDF identified that a short time ago, missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defense systems are operating to intercept the threat. In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command issued a preliminary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas. The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the guidelines - they save lives. One must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert and remain in them until a new announcement. Exit from the protected space will be permitted only after receiving an explicit directive; continue to act in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines."

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced Sunday the closure of its embassy in Tehran, and the withdrawal of its ambassador and all members of its diplomatic mission from Iran, reported Xinhua. The UAE's foreign ministry said in a statement that the decision was made in the wake of Iranian missile attacks targeting its territory, which it said have affected civilian areas. Amid the ongoing military conflict in the region, the UAE's Capital Market Authority said Sunday that stock markets in the country, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and the Dubai Financial Market, will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday, adding that further measures will be taken if necessary. Meanwhile, as airlines in the UAE are adjusting flight schedules in response to regional airspace closures, authorities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi said Sunday that they have directed hotels to extend the stays of guests affected by flight disruptions. At least three people were killed and 58 others injured in the United Arab Emirates during Iranian airstrikes, the UAE Ministry of Defense said on Sunday. The three fatalities were Pakistani, Nepali, and Bangladeshi nationals, and the 58 injured included both Emiratis and foreign residents, the ministry said. Since the beginning of the attack, 165 ballistic missiles launched toward the United Arab Emirates have been detected, with 152 destroyed and 13 falling into the sea, according to the ministry. Of the 541 drones tracked, 506 were intercepted and destroyed, while 35 landed inside the country, causing material damage, it said. The ministry affirmed that UAE armed forces are fully prepared to address any threat and emphasized that the safety of citizens, residents and visitors is a top priority. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it destroyed a U.S. missile defense radar in the United Arab Emirates and struck a U.S. naval vessel in the Indian Ocean, state-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported Monday. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a precision missile destroyed a radar of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in Al-Ruwais, Tasnim reported, citing the IRGC. In a separate strike, a U.S. carrier group refueling ship was hit by drone and missile fire 700 km off Iran's southeastern city of Chabahar, leaving it "non-operational," the report said. Tasnim said IRGC anti-submarine missile units are tracking the U.S. naval fleet in the region. It provided no further details. The strikes are part of what Iran calls "Operation True Promise 4," retaliatory attacks following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Saturday that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, several other high-ranking officials, and more than 100 civilians. The IRGC has announced multiple waves of strikes targeting U.S. and Israeli assets across the region, including bases in Kuwait, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. U.S. Central Command has not confirmed the Iranian claims. The United States and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Saturday, prompting retaliatory strikes by Iran against Israeli and U.S. targets across the Middle East. 3

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Iran on Sunday night announced the end of search operations for victims of a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on a girls' elementary school in southern Iran, reporting 165 deaths, reported CCTV. The Shajareh Tayyebeh School is located in Minab, home to a military base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It was struck on Saturday amid a large-scale offensive jointly conducted by Washington and Tel Aviv. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the residents of Minab. He condemned the airstrikes in a statement, calling them "inhumane" and a barbaric act that "adds another dark page to the chronicle of countless crimes committed by aggressors" against Iran. Pezeshkian urged all relief and medical centers and relevant officials in the region to prioritize the "immediate and uninterrupted care" of the injured and their families by mobilizing all resources.

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday afternoon that U.S. combat operations "continue at this time in full force," predicting there would be more U.S. casualties in the coming days, reported Xinhua. "Combat operations continue at this time, in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have very strong objectives," Trump said in a six-minute video message on Truth Social, without specifying what the objectives are. "Sadly there will likely be more before it ends," he said of the possibility of more U.S. casualties, saying that "that's the way it is." Trump repeated his call on members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to "lay down their arms" for "full immunity." Iranian FM says Iran has right to defend itself, vowing to continue fighting Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told ABC News on Sunday that no country's leader has the right to tell Iran not to respond to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli massive airstrikes on Iran, saying his country has every right to defend itself and will continue fighting, reported Xinhua. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post early Sunday morning that Iran should not retaliate. "Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. In response, Araghchi told ABC News: "I don't think any leader of a country has the right to say so. No." "We are defending ourselves, and we have every right, every legitimate right, to defend ourselves," said Araghchi. "What we are doing is the act of self-defense. There are huge differences between these two," he said. "We are defending ourselves; whatever it takes; and we see no limit for ourselves to defend our people, to protect our people," he added. When asked if a negotiated settlement with the United States was still possible, Araghchi suggested that he was doubtful, saying that the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in recent years had become "a very bitter experience" for Iran. Araghchi said Iran was attacked both on Saturday and last June amid diplomatic talks with the United States that Iran believed were making progress, adding that Israel and some of Trump's advisers "dragged" Trump into a war even though a peace deal appeared possible after talks in Geneva on Thursday. Asked how much damage the attacks have done on the Iranian military infrastructure, Araghchi said: "Well, we have lost some commanders, that is a fact, and the names are already announced. But another fact is that nothing has changed in our military capability." The Iranian official said Iran was able to start retaliating even faster than it could during its 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States in June 2025. "So our military is in place. They are capable enough to defend our country," Araghchi said. "Even more, they are more prepared and capable than (the) previous war .... they are in a better position. And you have seen how they acted so far." The massive U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, which has killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, entered the second day on Sunday. Trump said 48 senior Iranian officials were killed in the operation and the U.S. forces have sunk nine Iranian warships and largely destroyed Iran's navy headquarters. The U.S. Central Command said on social media on Sunday that three U.S. service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded during the U.S. military operation against Iran. Earlier on Sunday, Trump told Fox News that 48 senior Iranian officials have been

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The European Union (EU) is following developments in Iran and the broader Middle East "with utmost concern" and has called on all sides to exercise maximum restraint, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday in a statement issued on behalf of the bloc, reported Xinhua. The statement called for maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and full respect for international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law, warning that the Middle East "stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war." The EU said it would continue contributing to diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and seek a lasting solution to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. It stressed the importance of Iran's full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and compliance with its legal obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. Warning against wider spillover, the statement said events unfolding in Iran must not trigger an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond, with unpredictable consequences, including in the economic sphere. The statement added that disruption of critical waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz must be avoided. Kallas chaired an emergency video conference of EU foreign ministers on Sunday to address Iran and rapidly unfolding developments across the Middle East.

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Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and her Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita on Sunday met in Rabat and discussed various biliteral and contemporary global issues, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release. The meeting of the Foreign Ministers focused on strengthening of trade relations between Finland and Morocco and addressed topical foreign and security policy issues. They discussed topical issues related to current global affairs, such as the situation in the Middle East, Russias ongoing war in Ukraine and developments in the Sahel and Sudan. The Ministers in a joint statement agreed that the relations between Finland and Morocco are excellent and beneficial for both the countries. As a follow-up to Bouritas visit to Finland in August 2024, the two ministers noted that bilateral relations have since then developed even further and present many opportunities, especially in the field of trade and investments. They vowed reaffirmed their strong resolve to continue to strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries. “Several key sectors, such as digitalization and the deployment of secure, resilient and trustworthy 5G networks and ICT infrastructure from trusted vendors, as well as water related technologies and renewable energy were mentioned as cooperation sectors carrying special relevance for both countries,” said the joint statement. They reiterated the significance of the longstanding, close, multidimensional, and privileged partnership between Morocco and the EU. In this respect, they welcomed with satisfaction the results of the fifteenth session of the EU–Morocco Association Council, held in Brussels on 29 January 2026. Finland expressed its full support for this renewed dynamic affirming Moroccos position as a key partner of the European Union and with a view of further strengthening partnership of strategic importance. “Finland further underlined Moroccos political stability, as well as the comprehensive and ambitious reform agenda pursued under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which has consolidated Moroccos position as a reliable and essential partner for the EU,” said the statement. On Western Sahara, the ministers welcomed the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), which has also been welcomed by the European Union. They reiterated their full support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate negotiations aimed at achieving a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, in accordance with the United Nations Charter. “In this context, Finland reiterated its support for the autonomy plan presented by Morocco in 2007, considering it a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process and a good basis to achieve a definitive and mutually acceptable political solution that ensures the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara,” said the joint statement, adding that in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), Finland considers that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution. Finland welcomed Moroccos engagement in good faith with all parties concerned, in order to clarify the arrangements under the Moroccan autonomy plan and explain what shape autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty would take, said the statement. Finland also encouraged the parties to share their ideas in support of a definitive and mutually acceptable solution, the statement added.

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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday it struck three oil tankers belonging to the United States and Britain in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz with missiles, setting the vessels on fire, reported Xinhua. In a statement on its official outlet Sepah News, the IRGC said it also targeted U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. It said strikes on Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait rendered it completely out of service, destroyed three naval infrastructure structures at the Mohammed Al-Ahmad naval base, and hit a U.S. naval command and backup center in Bahrain. Another U.S. base in Bahrain was reportedly hit by two ballistic missiles. The IRGC claimed the attacks caused 560 U.S. casualties, though the U.S. has not confirmed the report. Following the announcement, International Maritime Organization Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez urged shipping companies to exercise "maximum caution" and, where possible, avoid the affected region. He stressed that freedom of navigation is a "fundamental principle of international maritime law." The strikes came a day after U.S. and Israeli forces launched large-scale attacks on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, prompting retaliatory attacks by Iran on U.S. and Israeli targets across the Middle East.

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Following the killing of the nation's top leadershipAyatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday issued a formal address and said that the event is a moment of profound religious and historical consequence, reported ANI. In a post on X, the Foreign Ministry shared Araghchi's reflections, which opened with a scriptural tribute, "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with God. Some of them have fulfilled their vow (by sacrificing their lives), and some are still waiting, and they have never changed in the least." The ministry also warned those responsible for the strike, stating that "He will remain a living nightmare for his killers forever." Expressing the emotional weight of the loss, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated, "With a heart overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, I extend my deepest condolences on the martyrdom--reminiscent of Imam Ali--of our wise Leader and perceptive guide, His Eminence Ayatollah #Imam_Khamenei (may his soul be sanctified), to His Holiness the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance), the noble nation of Iran, and the Islamic Ummah." Describing the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a moment of immense gravity, he noted that the "sagacious leader, resolute in decision, profound in wisdom, and steadfast on the path of truth, has left behind an enduring legacy of dignity, prudence, and perseverance for history." Addressing the impact of the strikes, Araghchi acknowledged that the "martyrdom of such a towering figure is undoubtedly a tremendous loss and a heartbreaking sorrow, yet his luminous school of thought and steadfast path shall remain alive, dynamic, and inspiring." He further emphasised that the nation is now at a critical juncture, remarking, "Now, at this decisive juncture, safeguarding this precious legacy and continuing the radiant path of that righteous servant of God constitute a historic mission and a grave responsibility upon us all." Regarding the future direction of the nation's ideology, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi characterised it as "the path of faith, resistance, and hope--a path irrigated by the pure blood of martyrs and sustained by the unwavering resolve of its followers." The statement asserted that despite the killing of the leadership, the political vision would persist, noting that "the banner he raised shall not fall to the ground, faithful and steadfast hands will carry it to ever loftier summits." Echoing these sentiments, the Iranian Foreign Ministry also issued a separate statement following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing his death as a transformative moment for the nation and the wider Islamic world. In a post on X, the ministry reflected on his decades of leadership, stating that "The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali #Khamenei, lived a pious life, loved #Iran, secured Iran's independence, opposed foreign domination, and worked tirelessly for our country's resilience and fortitude." The statement further addressed the timing and nature of the killing, noting, "His last phase of life--an honorable and dignified death as a martyr on the 10th day of Ramadan at the hands of the most corrupt and criminal individuals on earth--turns him into an inspiring legend in the history of Iran and Islam." As official statements were issued in Tehran, large-scale mourning gatherings and protests erupted across several countries following the reported death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Shia communities taking to the streets in grief and anger, according to Press TV. In Tehran and other Iranian cities, millions were reported to have mourned the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Crowds filled streets in Isfahan and Zanjan, while chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" echoed at the Hazrat Masoumeh

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The German Council of Economic Experts expressed "surprise and the greatest regret" on Sunday at the decision by the government not to extend the mandate of one of its five members, reported dpa. According to a report this week in the Handelsblatt business daily, there is opposition within Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition government to the reappointment of Ulrike Malmendier, a professor at the University of California in Berkeley and an expert on capital markets, corporate finance and behavioural economics. Malmendier left the five-member council on Saturday after three and a half years. She expressed "great regret" at the decision and said it had been a great honour to serve on the council. The other council members said in a statement: "With her, the council is losing a highly regarded member who has few equals in international academic reputation in the organ's long history." They said they would particularly miss her view from the United States on Europe and Germany. Malmendier said she remained available for political consultancy in Germany and Europe.

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Police in Germany arrested the suspected head of an international multimillion euro drug smuggling operation following a three-year investigation, authorities said on Sunday, reported dpa. The 34-year-old German man is now in custody after being arrested at his home in western Germany, a Dusseldorf police spokesman confirmed. Investigators believe the gang imported at least 12 tons of cocaine with a suspected value of around €100 million from South America over several years. The Sunday edition of the Bild tabloid reported that 16 properties were searched during the operation, and luxury goods worth almost €800,000 were seized in the villa of the accused smuggler. In addition, properties worth almost €15 million were confiscated from close relatives of the man. The suspect was arrested last Tuesday morning by a special police task force after a three-year investigation. Four previously uncaught accomplices had also been operating in Serbia, Canada and Montenegro. "Asset seizures in the millions are no coincidence, but the result of hard, meticulous investigative work," the Interior Minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul told the newspaper. "We hit the big fish where it hurts - their money, their property, their freedom."

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Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Sunday termed the death of Iran´s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as opening of a window for long-awaited change in the Middle East. “Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been confirmed dead. This opens a window for long-awaited change in the Middle East. Irans dictatorship has long been a shackle on its own citizens and an obstacle to regional peace,” Valtonen wrote in a post on her social media platform X. She wrote that the Iranian regimes actions have been destabilising also beyond the Middle East. “Iran has provided Russia with drones and missiles used in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Its non-compliance with nuclear non-proliferation agreements has been a constant threat to world peace,” the Foreign Minister added. She pointed out that earlier this year, Finland, together with EU Member States, designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. “The Iranian people deserve the right to freedom. There must be an orderly path for the citizens to regain control of their lives and their country—control that has been denied to them for far too long,” said Valtonen. She also said that the risk of a spiral of violence in the Middle East remains a concern. “We need diplomacy and good-faith negotiations. Civilians must be protected at all times,” she added. Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran on February 28, 2026.

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