World

Following their elimination from the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Gold Coast, Australia, five Iranian football players and two support staff members have sought asylum, refusing to return to Iran amid fears of reprisals. This development comes after state TV in Iran labeled them “traitors” for not singing the national anthem in their first match, sparking concerns over their safety and highlighting the political pressures faced by athletes under the Iranian government.

The special election to replace former Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is projected to head to a runoff after none of the candidates secured a majority of votes on Tuesday night. According to a projection by the BBC's US partner CBS, Republican Clay Fuller, who received former President Donald Trump's endorsement, will face Democrat Shawn Harris in the runoff to represent Georgia's 14th congressional district. The election serves as an early test of Trump's purported power to shape the upcoming midterm elections in November.

Passenger train services between China and North Korea resumed on Thursday, reviving a transport link that had been suspended for six years due to the pandemic, according to an announcement by China's rail operator. The resumption marks a significant step in reconnecting the two neighboring nations after prolonged isolation.

The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has exposed profound divisions among Europe's far-right parties and personalities. In one camp, Atlanticists such as Nigel Farage, founder of the populist hard-right Reform UK party, support the war. In a recent post on X, he urged United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer to “back the Americans in this vital fight against Iran!”. Days later, he stated that any refugees fleeing Iran “should be housed in the Middle East and not in Britain”. Spain's far-right Vox party has also backed the war, criticizing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez after the left-wing prime minister condemned it as an “unjustified” and “dangerous military intervention”.

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is set to appear as a special guest speaker at a three-day, women-only weekend retreat in Sydney during her upcoming trip to Australia in April. The event, organized by the "Her Best Life" podcast, offers tickets starting at A$2,699 (approximately £1,400) per person, with VIP packages costing around A$3,200 (£1,700) for front-row seats and a group photo opportunity with the Duchess.

Poland's nationalist-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party has appointed Przemysław Czarnek as its lead candidate for the 2027 parliamentary elections, in a bid to reclaim right-wing voters. The 48-year-old law professor, who has been the party's deputy head since 2025, previously served as Poland's Minister of Education and Science from 2020 to 2023. His proposed reforms at the time triggered widespread protests, with universities accusing Czarnek of infringing on academic freedoms.

Uzbekistan's state-owned oil and gas company, Uzbekneftgaz, has signed a contract with China's XIBU company, part of the CNPC national corporation, to drill 30 wells between 2026 and 2027. According to the company's press service, this agreement is being implemented as a result of negotiations conducted by Uzbekneftgaz Chairman Abdugani Sanginov with leading oil and gas companies during his official visit to China.

Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke informed parliament that two members of the Iranian women's football delegation—one player and one support staff—had initially accepted an offer to remain in the country. However, one of them changed her mind after speaking with teammates who had already departed, contacting the Iranian embassy to arrange her exit. Burke stated, "In Australia people are able to change their mind. We respect the context in which she had made that decision," but noted this alerted Iranian authorities to the location of others who chose to stay, prompting immediate relocation measures.

Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke informed parliament that one of the two members of Iran's women's football team who had initially accepted an offer to remain in the country following their elimination from the Asian Cup has changed her mind. According to Burke, after speaking with teammates who had already departed Australia, the individual contacted the Iranian embassy and decided to leave. He stated, "In Australia people are able to change their mind. We respect the context in which she had made that decision," but added that this led to the Iranian embassy learning the location of others who chose to stay, prompting immediate relocation for security reasons.

A 250-kilogram British bomb from World War II was discovered in Dresden, Germany, triggering the largest evacuation in the city's history. Authorities have ordered around 18,000 people to leave their homes and workplaces by 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The 1,000-meter evacuation zone includes key landmarks such as the Frauenkirche, Semperoper, police headquarters, and the Saxon state parliament. An emergency shelter will open at the Dresden Exhibition Centre from 7 a.m., highlighting Germany's broader emergency preparedness issues, as none of its roughly 600 public shelters are currently operational.

When the FBI raided Jeffrey Epstein's New York mansion in July 2019, on the day he was arrested for child sex trafficking, agents forced open a large safe to find diamonds, bundles of cash, passports, binders of CDs, and hard drives. However, an issue with the warrant meant they could not leave with the items. When they returned with a new warrant, the safe had been emptied while they were gone, according to FBI documents.

Israel has continued its relentless bombardment of Lebanon, striking a residential building in central Beirut and locations in the east and south of the country, killing at least 19 people. Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that strikes early on Wednesday killed seven people and wounded five in Tamnin al-Tahta, in the Baalbek district, updating an earlier report that 10 had died.