Israeli forces launched two waves of attacks on Tehran on Wednesday and claimed to have killed a senior Hezbollah commander, Youssef Hashem, indicating no let-up in the war despite U.S. President Donald Trump repeating an assertion that Iran's leadership is allegedly seeking a ceasefire. The strikes come as regional tensions intensify, with Iran and its proxies continuing to target Israel.
The Italian coastguard has recovered the bodies of 19 people from an inflatable boat south of the island of Lampedusa, a spokesperson, Roberto D’Arrigo, told AFP. During the rescue operation in the early hours of Wednesday, 58 other individuals, including five children, were found alive and transported to Lampedusa by the coastguard.
Nepal's newly elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, has issued his first post-election message in the form of a rap song urging national unity. The 35-year-old politician, a former rapper, has emerged as a symbol of youth-driven political change in the Himalayan republic. His Rastriya Swatantra party secured a landslide victory in the 5 March election, which was the first poll since a deadly youth-led uprising in September 2025 toppled the government, resulting in at least 77 deaths.
Pakistan's airstrike on Afghanistan occurred during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The strike destroyed the 'Omid' (Hope) drug rehabilitation center on the outskirts of Kabul. Despite the Pakistani government's claims that the attack targeted 'terrorist and military infrastructure', the UN and Afghan authorities confirmed that the strike hit a rehabilitation facility for patients undergoing treatment for drug addiction. The UN's preliminary death toll is 143 people, while the Taliban administration reports over 400 killed.
Two prominent leaders of the Palestine solidarity movement in Britain, Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham, have been found guilty of breaching conditions imposed on a protest held on 18 January 2025, following a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Judge Sternberg stated in his verdict that the conditions were lawful and necessary, and both defendants clearly knew them. Jamal was also convicted on two counts of inciting other protesters to breach police conditions, with the judge ruling his speech constituted “a suggestion, persuasion, and inducement” to violate the restrictions.
In Coimbatore, India, 35-year-old Alagesan faces the risk of closing his roadside drink and snack shop, which runs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). He said, “I am far away from the Middle East, but my life is affected. The gas cylinder is not available because of the war. I don’t know what to do.” This is part of a global fuel shortage triggered by the US-Israel attacks on the Iranian government.
Global oil prices tumbled and stock markets rallied worldwide after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that the war in Iran would end in "two to three weeks." The international benchmark Brent crude fell as low as $98.35 a barrel on Wednesday, down more than 15% from the previous day and hitting its lowest level in a week. It later recovered some ground, closing at $102, as markets reacted to Trump's comments, which allegedly signaled a potential de-escalation in the conflict.
Afghanistan's Taliban government has released American academic Dennis Coyle after detaining him for over a year. The foreign ministry stated the release was made on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan. Coyle was detained in January 2025, with Afghan authorities accusing him of violating laws but never specifying the charges.
Families of UK citizens held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over allegations of sharing images related to the conflict with Iran have voiced frustration at the British government’s failure to provide assistance. Several British nationals are among more than 100 foreign detainees held under draconian Emirati laws that outlaw publishing or sharing material that could “disturb public security.”
The bodies of 19 people have been recovered from an inflatable boat south of the Italian island of Lampedusa, a spokesperson for the Italian coastguard told AFP. During the rescue operation in the early hours of Wednesday, 58 other people, including five children, were found alive and transported to Lampedusa by the coastguard.
Governments across Asia are accelerating their reliance on coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, in an attempt to cover massive energy shortfalls triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. This move has sparked warnings from climate experts, who highlight coal's devastating environmental impact and argue that the energy crisis should serve as a wake-up call for governments to invest in renewables, which can offer a more stable supply less exposed to price shocks.
A Supreme Court judge in Queensland, Australia, Justice Jim Henry, has stated that serious criminal cases are taking "excruciatingly longer" to finalize due to "glacial" delays in the state's magistrates courts, where some matters spend several years in procedural limbo. Henry, based on data from his court, revealed that of 31 recent criminal cases he finalized between November and February, on average each case took over a year (370 days) in the lower courts before committal.