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Strike on Girls' School Kills at Least 175, Iranian State Media Says Videos and images verified by The New York Times showed that at least half of the school was destroyed. It was not immediately clear why the school was hit, or which country’s forces had fired at it. Strikes carried out during U.S.-Israeli attacks on Minab, Iran, on Feb. 28 caused extensive damage to a school, witness videos verified by The New York Times show. Women wailed as rescue workers searched through rubble for survivors and victims. Photo Credit: IRIB TV, via Agence France Presse By Malachy Browne, Ephrat Livni and Sanam Mahoozi At least 175 people, most of them likely children, were killed in a strike on a girls’ elementary school in southern Iran on Saturday, health officials and Iranian state media said. The search for survivors in the rubble of the Shajarah Tayyebeh school in the southern town of Minab ended Sunday, according to Mohammad Radmehr, the governor of Minab, Iranian state media reported. It appeared to be the deadliest attack in the ongoing American-Israeli bombing campaign. Several videos and images verified by The New York Times showed that at least half of the two-story school was destroyed in the explosion. Emergency workers with the Red Crescent could be seen alongside families desperately combing through the rubble, which was littered with schoolbooks and book bags covered in blood and ashes. Portions of the building jutted out from the rubble, with bits of colorful murals visible on what were once the walls of the school. Desks were piled with debris. More than 175 people, mostly children, were reportedly killed when an elementary school in Minab was hit by an apparent airstrike on Feb. 28 during a wave of attacks across Iran by the U.S. and Israel. Photo Credit: Mehr News Agency In other verified videos, rescue workers retrieved a severed arm from the rubble. Victims were laid out in body bags at the scene, where throngs of people were gathered among ambulances and rescue workers. “The Minab school incident has no comparison with any other incident,” said Pirhossein Kolivand, the head of Iran’s Red Crescent, in a video posted on social media on Sunday. “Even in Gaza,” he added, there had not been such a high number of students killed simultaneously, calling the attack “a unique and bitter incident.” Times reporters are trying to confirm the death toll and details about the attack. It was not immediately clear why the school had been hit, or which country’s forces had done so. The United Nations cultural and education agency, UNESCO, condemned the strike, saying in a statement on social media on Sunday: “The killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning constitutes a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law.” A crowd of onlookers waited as rescue workers combed through rubble searching for survivors and victims after a reported airstrike at a school in Minab, Iran, on Feb. 28. Photo Credit: Mehr News Agency Intentionally attacking a school, hospital or other civilian structure is a war crime, and indiscriminate strikes also violate the law. Even if schools are used for military purposes, the law requires armed parties to avoid or minimize harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Citing in part the strike on the school, the Center for Civilians in Conflict, a Washington-based nonprofit dedicated to minimizing civilian harm in war, on Sunday called for “immediate de-escalation, maximum restraint, and urgent action to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.” Full story at The New York Times (March 2026)
Explosive meningitis outbreak is unprecedented, officials say By Vicky Castle, Joshua Askew and Nick Triggle Two people have died following the outbreak in the Canterbury area of Kent An outbreak of meningitis that has killed a university student and a sixth former is unprecedented, health chiefs have said. The number of confirmed cases of invasive meningitis in the Canterbury area stands at 15, with a targeted vaccination programme announced at the University of Kent. Two people have died - a 21-year-old university student and Juliette, a sixth form pupil at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham. Professor Susan Hopkins, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said there was an "explosive nature" to the outbreak, while deputy chief medical officer Dr Thomas Waite said it was the quickest growing outbreak he had seen in his career. Earlier, Health Secretary Wes Streeting described it as an unprecedented outbreak and a "rapidly developing situation". Hopkins said it looked as though there had been a super spreader event, with the outbreak ongoing within university halls of residences, where there would have been parties and social mixing. She said she could not yet confirm where the initial infection came from. The UKHSA declared a national incident on Sunday to help ensure supplies of antibiotics, BBC health correspondent Nick Triggle said. But it's not a sign that the outbreak is spreading beyond Kent, he added. Instead, it is an operational tool to allow the authorities to flex national resources. Hopkins said in her 35 years in medicine, it was the most cases she had seen in a single weekend with this type of infection. "It's the explosive nature that is unprecedented here - the number of cases in such a short space of time," she added. Full story at BBC News (March 2026)
Hong Kong police arrest bookstore owner and staff for allegedly selling Jimmy Lai biography, broadcaster reports By Jessie Pang and Greg Torode The exterior of the bookstore Book Punch, whose owner and three shopkeepers Hong Kong police arrested for allegedly selling "seditious" publications including a biography of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai as broadcaster TVB reported, in Hong Kong, China, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Jessie Pang HONG KONG, March 24 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police arrested a bookstore owner and three shopkeepers on Tuesday for allegedly selling "seditious" publications including a biography of jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai, broadcaster TVB reported. The owner of the Book Punch store Pong Yat-ming and three staff were accused of selling copies of "The ‌Troublemaker", a biography of Lai by one of his former business directors, Mark Clifford, TVB reported. Lai, founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to a 20-year jail term in February for collusion with foreign forces and sedition in the city's biggest national security case. A police spokesperson, asked about the reported arrests, did not comment directly but said in a statement that police "will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law". Hong Kong's Secretary for Security Chris Tang did not respond to reporters' questions. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said it was inappropriate for her to comment as someone has already been arrested. Asked whether ⁠the arrests could impact public reading habits, Law said "reading will continue to be promoted in Hong Kong". A notice outside the door of the bookstore read: "Resting for a day due to emergency, sorry for the inconvenience." Reuters could not immediately reach Pong for comment and could not determine whether Pong or any of the staff had been charged with any offence. Clifford, now based in New York, was a former director of media group Next Digital owned by Lai. In response to questions from Reuters, Clifford said he was not aware of the arrests, but "if true, it's a sad and ironic commentary that selling a book on a man who is in jail for his activities as a journalist, for promoting free expression, would be subject to sedition". Under a local national security law, known as Article 23, sedition is punishable up to seven years in jail and a maximum of 10 years if the act involves collusion with an "external force". Full story at Reuters (March 2026)
Row over ‘Islamic prayers’ at Church of England primary school By Poppy Wood A Church of England school is at the centre of a row after claims that children were asked to participate in a Muslim prayer. Richard Tice, the deputy Reform UK leader, has written to Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, over allegations that a primary school in his Lincolnshire constituency encouraged seven-year-old pupils to kneel and bow their heads in the style of an Islamic prayer. Mr Tice received a complaint from a parent in his Boston and Skegness constituency last week, who claimed that seven-year-old pupils were “coerced, manipulated and cajoled” into the act “despite none of the children in the classroom being of the Islamic faith”. The father claimed his seven-year-old daughter’s class was shown a video of people kneeling on prayer mats in the direction of Mecca and reciting a prayer to Allah during a religious education lesson last Wednesday, before being told to “have a go” themselves. He said he was shocked when he was putting his daughter to bed last week and she said: “We did prayers to Allah yesterday.” Richard Tice was told by a parent from his Lincolnshire constituency that his non-Muslim daughter was encouraged to perform an Islamic prayer at school. Photo Credit: Thomas Krych/Anadolu via Getty He said his daughter claimed the teacher said words to the effect of “OK, let’s all have a go now. We all need to do the performing of the prayer”, before encouraging them to take off their shoes and enact “the full physical prayer process”. The Christian father said the state school, which The Telegraph has chosen not to name, had not sought permission from parents beforehand or offered pupils an opt-out. He has since reported the incident to Lincolnshire Police. The Diocese of Lincoln, speaking on behalf of the school, disputed the claims. ‘Not an act of worship’ A spokesman for the Diocesan Board of Education said: “During the lesson, which began following the relevant lesson plan, pupils were invited to demonstrate some of the movements associated with Muslim prayer. “Although this was outside the lesson’s intended approach, it was not an act of worship – no prayers or religious words were spoken and no child was required to take part. No mats were used and pupils were not asked to face any particular direction.” The spokesman said the school acted promptly after the parental complaint was raised and that it would “undertake appropriate reflection to ensure future lessons continue to align fully with the intended non‑confessional approach of RE”. Full story at The Telegraph (March 2026)
Austria school headscarf ban sparks anger A headscarf ban for girls under 14 in Austrian schools has stirred unease, anger and fears of further targeting of Muslims in the EU member state. Image: Tracey Adams/Independent Newspapers Archives A headscarf ban for girls under 14 in Austrian schools has stirred unease, anger and fears of further targeting of Muslims in the EU member state. Austrian lawmakers in December approved the measure, which is set to take effect from the new school year in September. With anti-immigration sentiment running high, the conservative-led government argues the law is aimed at protecting girls from "oppression". But rights groups and experts say it is discriminatory, risks deepening social division and is likely unconstitutional. "It's my decision...No one can force me to wear a headscarf, and no one can force me to take it off," a 12-year-old student told AFP at a protest against the ban in Vienna last month, declining to give her name. The government estimates around 12,000 girls would be affected by the new law, but this projection has been questioned as too high. Roughly eight percent of Austria's nine million residents are Muslim, according to 2021 government statistics. The education ministry sent out information to all schools several weeks ago on how to enforce the new law. It contains illustrations of different Islamic head coverings. "Every teacher who observes a violation must instruct the student to remove her headscarf. If she does not immediately comply, the teacher must report the violation to the school administration without delay," the instructions state. "The school administration must immediately hold a meeting with the student and her legal guardians." For repeated non-compliance, parents can face fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros ($175 to $930). Failure to report those in violation of the law could also have "legal consequences" for teachers and school management, the instructions warn. One Vienna schoolteacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP she was not planning to enforce the law. "It's a populist measure" that fails to address "the real problem when parents of any religion use violence or psychological violence against children," she said. Full story at AFP (March 2026)
Student, 15, Shoots High School Teacher in Texas The teacher was taken to a hospital, and the student died at the scene, the authorities said. The authorities responded to a report of a shooting at Hill Country College Preparatory High School in Bulverde, Texas, on Monday. Photo Credit: KSAT By Alice Callahan A 15-year-old student shot a teacher at a San Antonio-area high school on Monday, the authorities said. Officials said they did not have information about the condition of the teacher. She remained hospitalized on Tuesday, the authorities said. The student died at the scene from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Mark Reynolds, the Comal County sheriff, said at a news conference on Monday afternoon. “It looks as though the student turned the gun on himself and shot himself,” Mr. Reynolds said. He said it was not clear if other students witnessed the shooting. The student used a .357 Magnum revolver that he brought from home, the Comal County Sheriff’s Office said on Tuesday. The student “may have been experiencing academic challenges, including failing several classes,” the sheriff’s office said. A motive was not yet known. Law enforcement officials continued to investigate, including by searching the student’s home and seizing several electronic devices, the sheriff’s office said. Hill Country College Preparatory High School in Bulverde, Texas, directed questions to the sheriff’s office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bulverde is about 30 miles north of San Antonio. A lockdown alarm was activated at the school at 8:34 a.m., according to a Facebook post from the school. By 10:08 a.m., the sheriff’s office reported that there was no longer an active shooter on the campus. In an interview with KSAT-TV of San Antonio, one student described hearing three or four gunshots that sounded “like a table slamming down,” followed by a scream and the school’s lockdown alert system. Students then fled outdoors, he said. Students were taken to a nearby middle school to be reunited with their parents. Full story at The New York Times (March 2026)
Russia woos students for its drone forces in Ukraine with large financial packages By Ismail Shakil and Ryan Patrick Jones MOSCOW, April 2 (Reuters) - Students across Russia are being offered large financial incentives to join drone units fighting in Ukraine as operators and engineers, while companies in Russia's central Ryazan region have been given quotas to sign up workers for the army, documents show. The recruitment effort, which comes as Russian forces continue to grind forwards ‌on the battlefield in Ukraine and as U.S.-brokered peace talks are on ice due to the Iran war, suggests Moscow is diversifying its push to replenish its army's ranks in what is the fifth year of its war. But it is not part of a general mobilisation drive, something the Kremlin said this week was not on the agenda. Nor, say top officials, is Russia running short of recruits despite Ukrainian claims - dismissed by Moscow - that Kyiv is eliminating ​Russian troops faster than they can be recruited. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council, told state media on Friday that Russia's recruitment system, which offers substantial financial packages ​to volunteers, continues to deliver. More than 400,000 people had signed up last year and over 80,000 so far this year, he said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry ⁠Peskov said on Thursday he had not seen official documents concerning student recruitment and corporate recruitment quotas in Ryazan, but confirmed that students were being encouraged to join Russia's drone forces, a new division of the armed forces set up at the end of last year at the behest of President Vladimir Putin. The recruitment offer applies equally to everyone - workers, students and the unemployed, Peskov told ​reporters. "This is a completely open offer, an offer to join a new type of unit." RUSSIA SEEKS HIGHLY SKILLED DRONE OPERATIVES Russia's move to target students - a process critics say has sometimes been accompanied by undue pressure - suggests that Moscow is keen to pour more skilled human resources into its drone forces which - like those of Ukraine - play an increasingly pivotal role in what has long become a war of attrition. Drone operators from both sides typically work some distance from the front line but are regarded as high-value targets who are hunted down and killed if their positions are revealed. The Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok is promising students who sign up for a minimum of one year extendable academic leave and a guaranteed exemption from any education fees on their return, plus free accommodation and grants. It is also pledging to cover the costs of ‌any military ⁠equipment and weaponry needed. People walking under a digital screen displaying an ad promoting contract military service in the Russian army’s unmanned systems forces, with payment details and contact information, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 26, 2026. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/File Photo That is on top of what, by local standards, is a substantial financial package: a first-year salary from 5.5 million roubles ($68,433), a one-off payment of 2.5 million roubles after free training, a monthly allowance of 240,000 roubles, and a one-off payment of 200,000 roubles from the university. "This is not only an opportunity to prove yourself, but also a unique platform for social and career advancement, backed by unprecedented support measures," the university said in a document published on March 19. Full story at Reuters (April 2026)
Hundreds search for wolf that escaped from zoo in South Korea Local school closes in Daejeon city as hundreds of emergency service and military personnel scour area around O-World theme park where the wolf escaped from An image taken and released on Wednesday by Daejeon fire headquarters shows a wolf that escaped from a zoo walking on a road in the South Korean city. Photograph: YONHAP/AFP/Getty Images Authorities are hunting for a wolf after it escaped from a zoo in Daejeon, a South Korean city with a population of 1.5million. More than 300 people – including firefighters, police and military personnel – are taking part in the search operation, an official from the Daejeon fire headquarters said. Images released by local media showed it wandering in the middle of a road. The male wolf – born in 2024 and weighing about 30kg – escaped from a zoo at O-World theme park in the city, which lies about 150km (93 miles) south of Seoul, on Wednesday, triggering a wide search in surrounding areas. It remained at large Thursday, authorities said, with a nearby school closing for safety as the search continued. Rescue workers search for a wolf that escaped from a zoo in Daejeon. Photograph: YONHAP/AFP/Getty Images “Daejeon Sanseong elementary school is closed today following the escape of a wolf from a zoo yesterday,” a spokesperson for the Daejeon metropolitan office of education told AFP. The fire official said they had deployed drones with cameras as part of the search but had to withdraw them because of rain. The Korea Times quoted an O-World official as saying: “We conduct daily inspections of each enclosure before opening, and one wolf was missing. After checking CCTV, we confirmed it had dug through the soil at the bottom of the enclosure and escaped.” Full story at The Guardian (April 2026)
Doctor with 1st class honours opts for nut butter business By K. Parkaran Lee Bei Er says she turned away from medicine after witnessing the long hours and tough lives of doctors undergoing housemanship, and obstacles to career pathways. Put off by the long hours and work culture faced by government doctors, Dr Lee Bei Er decided to start a nut butter business, which now earns her a five-figure income. Photos Credit: Lee Bei Er PETALING JAYA: Scoring straight A’s in the SPM examination gave Lee Bei Er a burning desire to become a doctor, as she felt that it was the ultimate profession. She took the plunge despite her parents’ warnings of a tough life for doctors in government hospitals. But the reality she confronted, after graduating with first-class honours, led her to put off a medical career. Lee is now making a five-figure income as a distributor of home-made nut butter, with her key selling point being the fact that it is a product focused on health, with no additives or preservatives. She started off selling her Yuppy Jiang nut butter at a night market for a few months before becoming a fulltime online distributor. Her parents — a contractor father and retired teacher mother — had no objections to her switching careers. Lee said she turned away from medicine after seeing housemen and medical officers struggling with long hours of work, being bullied occasionally and earning wages not commensurate with their work. It was not what she had imagined when she enrolled at Mahsa University in Sepang for a five-year bacherlor’s degree in medicine and surgery in 2019, graduating five years later with first class honours, and her government student loan of RM150,000 written off as a result. “I saw housemen and medical officers working hard with very little time for themselves when I was doing my clinical housemanship at Hospital Kuala Lumpur. The long hours — some worked for more than 36 hours straight — while putting up with some seniors and department heads who tend to bully, put me off completely. “There is also a severe shortage of housemen and medical officers in most hospitals, which adds stress on junior doctors. Some of them go through emotional and mental anguish while at work. “It was not the glamourous life that everyone thinks doctors have. Some are treated like dirt,” she told FMT. Full story at Free Malaysia Today (April 2026)