408: The number of people killed in the Afghan capital of Kabul, after a Pakistani strike hit a drug rehabilitation center there, according to Taliban officials. Another 250 were reported injured. Islamabad claimed the facility was being used as an ammunition depot, as the conflict between the two neighbors, which started as border clashes last year, continues to spiral.
5: The number of Iranian women’s soccer team members – including the team captain, Zahra Ghanbari – who withdrew their asylum claims in Australia, per Iran’s state media. Now, only two out of the seven women offered asylum remain in Australia – they had sought asylum after they refused to sing Iran’s national anthem at the Asian Cup. Human rights activists suggested that these women’s families may have been threatened, prompting the reversal.
13: The number of people who contracted meningitis, an infection that’s most common among children and young adults, in the English county of Kent over the last four days. Two of the cases proved fatal. Meningitis is caused by a contagious viral or bacterial infection, and the outbreak has prompted widespread panic at the University of Kent and high schools in the area.
2,000: The number of live ants that a Chinese citizen tried to take out of Kenya last week. On Tuesday, a Kenyan court charged him and one other man with transporting wildlife illegally. Why smuggle ants, you ask? Certain enthusiasts of the insect are willing to pay large sums to watch how the complex social structures of these colonies develop.
Microsoft, Europol, and industry partners took coordinated action to disrupt Tycoon 2FA, a major phishing‑as‑a‑service operation designed to bypass multifactor authentication. Active since 2023, the service fueled large‑scale online impersonation, enabling fraud, data theft, and disruptions across sectors, including healthcare and education. Acting under a US court order, the coalition seized hundreds of domains powering Tycoon 2FA’s infrastructure — underscoring the need for global, public‑private cooperation that is essential to counter industrialized cybercrime and protect digital trust. Read the full blog here.
Two weeks into his war against Iran, the US president is now calling on other countries to send forces to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Mexicans participate in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record, where organisers aim to break the mark for the world's largest football (soccer) lesson as part of efforts to promote the country ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, at Zocalo square in Mexico City, Mexico, March 15, 2026.
9,500: The number of people in Mexico City who participated in a soccer training session on Sunday, smashing a Guinness World Record as part of a campaign ahead of the World Cup in June.
As the war intensifies, chances of a clean exit from Iran are slipping further out of reach for President Trump. Brookings Institution's Thomas Wright joins Ian Bremmer to unpack the crisis and outline possible endgame scenarios.