World

In addition to attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Russia has been intensifying strikes on the country's rail lines. On Sunday, a Russian drone hit a civilian train carrying 200 passengers from Kyiv to Sumy. No one was injured, but the locomotive was damaged and had to be replaced before travelers could continue their journey. Ukraine's public railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, has reported increased Russian fire on engine wagons, freight cars, and railway maintenance equipment since early March, alongside more frequent attacks on bridges and railyards.

As the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran enters its second week, the deadliest incident of the conflict so far occurred on February 28 with a missile strike on a girls' school in southern Iran, killing more than 170 people, most of them schoolgirls. The Shajareh Tayyebeh school is located in the city of Minab, near a base of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The attack took place during peak classroom hours, destroying the two-story building and causing the roof to collapse on students and teachers inside.

Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have strongly condemned Israel's continued closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the 12th consecutive day during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the eight Arab and Islamic countries asserted that Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship constitute a "flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, the historical and legal status quo, and the principle of unrestricted access to places of worship".

A sophisticated cyberattack has disrupted the global networks of Stryker, one of the world's largest medical device manufacturers, knocking out Windows-based devices including laptops and mobile phones connected to the company's systems. The Iran-linked hacking group Handala, with documented ties to Tehran, claimed responsibility for the attack, warning it marks "the beginning of a new chapter in cyber warfare".

The attack on an elementary school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on February 28 killed more than 170 people, mostly children, prompting anger and calls for an investigation in the United States. Iranian authorities emphasized that this assault has become emblematic of the civilian toll in the US-Israeli war against Iran, reporting that the death toll has exceeded 1,300 people.

A drone strike targeted a secondary school and a health care centre in the village of Shukeiri in White Nile province, killing at least 17 people, most of them schoolgirls. The attack is blamed on Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to Dr Musa al-Majeri, director of Douiem Hospital, the nearest major medical facility to the village, at least 10 others were wounded, including three girls who suffered serious injuries; two underwent surgeries at the hospital while the third was evacuated to the capital, Khartoum.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is planning to visit Uzbekistan in the second half of 2026 to conduct an in-depth review of the construction process for the country's first nuclear power plant (NPP). This was announced by the press service of the agency "Uzatom". The cooperation between the parties was discussed in a meeting between "Uzatom" Director Azim Akhmedkhadjayev and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi during the II International Summit on Nuclear Energy in Paris.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has outlined conditions to end the war, including reparations and guarantees against future aggression. He wrote on X that he had spoken with the leaders of Russia and Pakistan and "reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peace in the region." Pezeshkian stated: "The only way to end this war — ignited by the Zionist regime and the US — is recognizing Iran's legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm [international] guarantees against future aggression."

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off in three months, but what was anticipated to be one of the most straightforward editions to organize in the tournament's history is becoming increasingly complicated daily. The war launched by the Israeli-U.S. regime against Iran has created massive global uncertainty, and FIFA's flagship event is already feeling the ramifications, alongside pre-existing political and policy issues in the Americas.

British prosecutors have failed in an appeal to reinstate a "terrorism" charge against Liam O'Hanna, a member of the Irish rap group Kneecap, who was accused of waving a Hezbollah flag during a concert in London. London's High Court on Wednesday rejected the prosecutors' attempt to challenge a lower court's decision to dismiss the case in September due to a technical error, meaning the proceedings will not continue.

US President Donald Trump stated in an interview with Axios that the war with Iran could end "soon" because there is "practically nothing left" for the US military to bomb. Trump allegedly asserted his unilateral authority to halt the conflict, saying, "Any time I want it to end, it will end." However, the Washington regime has not provided a clear timeline for concluding the military offensive, raising doubts about the feasibility of such claims. The statement coincided with comments from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who suggested an open-ended timeline, saying the operation will continue "without any time limit, as long as required."

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast's official portrait features a coat of arms not seen since the era of dictator Augusto Pinochet, a symbol critics say reflects his professed affinity for the former hardline leader. Kast unveiled the portrait on February 24, two weeks before his inauguration, showing the presidential sash with the crest in the middle, a first since 1990.