Thursday, March 26, 2026
32 stories, grouped by subject, the most important first
Conflict
Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff confirms that the United States has shared a 15-point peace plan to Iran through the Pakistani government.
Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar confirms that indirect negotiations between Iran and the U.S. are taking place.
2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
U.S. president Donald Trump extends his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by ten days, until 6 April, or "face further assassinations of senior officials".
2026 Iranian strikes on Israel
Nine people are injured in Israel after seven salvos of ballistic missiles by Iran.
2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
Two people are killed and three others are injured by falling debris from an intercepted ballistic missile in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Reactions to the 2026 Iran war
Ugandan military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba says the country is ready to join the war "on the side of Israel" and says the Ugandan military will enter the war soon if Iranian attacks on Israel do not end soon.
2026 Iran war
Israel claims to have assassinated Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
2026 Lebanon war
Two Israeli soldiers are killed in action in southern Lebanon.
Foreign involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian war
Zimbabwe confirms that 15 of its citizens have been killed after being recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine, with more than 60 others still on the front line. Cabinet minister Soda Zhemu says that most of them were lured to Russia through social media.
World
Agreement on Reciprocal
The European Parliament approves legislation to implement the EU-US trade deal adopted in 2025.
Russia–United Kingdom relations
Russia says the United Kingdom's decision to board and detain shadow fleet vessels is hostile and vows a "political, legal and asymmetric" response against the UK to protect Russian interests.
Russia–United Kingdom relations
British Chief of the General Staff Roland Walker warns that the UK is now on an "inevitable collision course" with Russia and urges the government to prepare.
52nd G7 summit
South Africa says it is no longer invited to the upcoming G7 summit in Haute-Savoie, France, after an initial invitation, with differing statements from its officials on the reasons for the decision.
Australia–Iran relations
Australia announces a six-month ban on short-term visa applications from Iranian passport holders for tourism and work, citing concerns that some visitors may not depart Australia once their visas expire due to the Iran war. The new policy includes limited exemptions.
Belarus–North Korea relations
Belarus and North Korea sign a friendship and cooperation treaty after North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un welcomed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko to Pyongyang.
France–Philippines relations
France and the Philippines sign a visiting forces agreement allowing joint military exercises and cooperation in each other's territory.
Tajikistan–Uzbekistan relations
Tajik president Emomali Rahmon and Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev inaugurate the Tajikistan embassy in Tashkent during Rahmon's state visit to Uzbekistan.
Politics
2026 Faroese general election
Two days after the Danish election, Faroe Islanders vote to elect 33 members of the Løgting.
2026 Faroese general election
The People's Party, led by Beinir Johannesen, wins the highest share of votes, receiving nine seats in the Løgting.
Crime & Justice
Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Europe
The Catholic Church in Portugal agrees to compensate 57 victims of sexual abuse with a total of €1.61 million (US$1.86 million) following findings from an independent inquiry into abuse cases over several decades.
Justice
Two people are killed, including the perpetrator, in a stabbing attack at a Pokémon Center at Sunshine City in Tokyo, Japan.
Disasters
Disasters
At least 14 people are killed and 27 others are injured when a private bus collides head-on with a tipper-truck in Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Disasters
At least 10 people are killed and 35 others are injured when a bus collides with a truck and overturns in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Disasters
Two people are killed, including a child, and at least 90 families are affected in flooding in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Disasters
Mexico's navy launches a search and rescue operation in the Caribbean Sea for two sailboats, which departed from Isla Mujeres with nine crew members, carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba after they failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled and lost communication.
Business
Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
Mauritius and South Sudan announce measures restricting electricity consumption due to the international energy crisis, with Juba's main electricity distributor saying the capital will start experiencing daily power cuts on a "rotational basis" from today.
Health
Noelia Castillo euthanasia case
A 25-year-old Spanish woman from Barcelona, Catalonia, undergoes euthanasia after her request was approved by authorities and upheld through multiple legal challenges despite opposition from her family.
Culture
Russian 2022 war censorship laws
A court in Chelyabinsk Oblast bans the distribution of the documentary film Mr Nobody Against Putin in Russia.
Sport
2026 FIFA World Cup
The Iranian sports ministry bans the men's national football team from travelling to "hostile countries", placing the team's participation in this year's FIFA World Cup tournament in doubt, which is being held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Sports minister Ahmad Donyamali previously stated that Iran will not play in this year's World Cup.
2028 Summer Olympics
The International Olympic Committee announces that participation in women's events will be limited to athletes classified as female based on biological criteria, with eligibility determined through a one-time genetic test starting from the 2028 Olympic Games. The policy replaces previous rules that allowed individual sports federations to set their own criteria.
Stories adapted from Wikipedia’s Current events portal for March 26, 2026, by Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.