An Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, claimed the life of Salah al-Bardaweel, a prominent political leader within Hamas, as reported by both Hamas and Palestinian media outlets in the early hours of Sunday, March 23.

Sources aligned with Hamas further disclosed that the attack not only killed Bardaweel, a key figure in the group’s political office, but also his wife, marking a significant blow to the organization’s leadership structure.

Israel ramped up its military campaign in Gaza earlier that week, resuming large-scale strikes on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The Israeli government pointed to Hamas as the reason for the renewed offensive, accusing the group of violating a ceasefire agreement that had held since January 19.

That truce, which lasted nearly two months, had offered a rare period of calm in the volatile region. The collapse of this agreement has reignited tensions, with both sides trading blame for the breakdown.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been vocal about the overarching goal of the war, emphasizing that Israel seeks to completely dismantle Hamas as both a military force and a governing body in Gaza. In this latest wave of attacks, Netanyahu underscored that a key objective is to compel Hamas to release hostages still held captive, a lingering issue from previous escalations. The intensified strikes reflect Israel’s determination to weaken the group’s operational capacity.

The casualties from Tuesday’s bombardment included high-ranking Hamas officials, such as Essam Addalees, who served as the de facto head of the group’s administrative government, and Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the chief of internal security.

Several other mid-level officials were also killed, further disrupting Hamas’ organizational framework. Palestinian health authorities reported a devastating toll, stating that at least 400 individuals perished in the strikes on Tuesday alone. More than half of those killed were women and children, highlighting the heavy civilian cost of the operation.

US President Donald Trump has expressed surprise upon learning that NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who endured an extended nine-month stint aboard the International Space Station (ISS), hadn’t received overtime pay.

Addressing reporters at a White House briefing, Trump even floated the idea of covering the costs himself, after the reporter highlighted that the duo were owed $1,430—$5 daily for 286 days.

“Nobody told me about this. If it comes to it, I’ll pay it from my own pocket, alright? I’ll sort it for them,” Trump declared, visibly taken aback. “Is that it? That’s peanuts for what they’ve been through,” he added, marvelling at the modest sum given their ordeal.

The astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, alongside Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth on Wednesday via SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, splashing down off Tallahassee, Florida.

Trump showered praise on SpaceX chief Elon Musk for the rescue. “Thank heavens for Elon. Without him, who knows how long they’d have been stuck up there?” he remarked, crediting Musk’s ingenuity for their safe return.

For Williams and Wilmore, seasoned test pilots for Boeing’s Starliner capsule, what began as an eight-day mission ballooned into over nine months due to technical snags—helium leaks and thruster glitches—that rendered their craft unfit for the journey back.

The Starliner returned empty in September 2024, leaving them reliant on SpaceX. Trump underscored the physical toll of prolonged space stays. “After nine or ten months, the body starts breaking down—bones, blood, the works. It gets grim beyond 14 months. Without Elon, they’d be in a fix,” he said.

In a tangent, Trump drew parallels between Musk’s challenges and his own, claiming Tesla faced vandalism akin to the 6 January 2021 riots. “Elon’s had his share of trouble too,” he noted, blending admiration with a touch of defiance.

A major fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, located in the Hillingdon borough of London, triggered widespread chaos on Friday, resulting in the shutdown of Heathrow airport, one of the busiest in the world. The incident has led to the cancellation or diversion of at least 1,351 flights, including multiple Air India services.

Among the affected Air India flights were AI129 from Mumbai and AI161 from Delhi. While the former was ordered to return mid-air, the latter was diverted to Frankfurt, Germany. The airline also confirmed the cancellation of all remaining flights to and from Heathrow for March 21, including AI111 from Delhi. However, it clarified that flights operating through Gatwick airport will continue as scheduled.

The power outage, caused by the blaze at the substation, left more than 16,000 homes in the UK capital without electricity. The Scottish and Southern Electricity Network, which provides power to over 3.8 million households, confirmed the disruption.

At the time of the shutdown, around 120 flights were airborne over Heathrow, either en route to land or having just departed. The airport, which is central to London’s air traffic network, warned of ongoing “significant disruptions” in the coming days due to the extent of the damage.

Other global carriers were also hit by the incident. British Airways issued an advisory asking passengers to avoid travelling to Heathrow until further notice. Cathay Pacific cancelled all six of its scheduled flights between Hong Kong and London, including CX257 which was recalled after departure. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport reported that half of its 30 scheduled flights to and from Heathrow had also been cancelled.

Emergency response teams, including 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines from the London Fire Brigade, were deployed to contain the fire. Dramatic visuals of the incident showing thick smoke and bright flames lighting up the night sky were widely circulated on social media.

The timeline for restoration of services at Heathrow remains unclear, as authorities continue to assess the damage and work on restoring power.