The Republic of Ireland fly to Prague for a do-or-die World Cup play-off semi-final against the Czech Republic on Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm Irish time. The match at the Fortuna Arena carries huge national stakes: two wins would see Ireland reach the 2026 finals in North America. Only about 1,000–1,200 tickets were allocated to travelling Irish supporters for a stadium of roughly 19,000–20,000, but organisers and team officials expect around 6,000 Irish fans to descend on the city, many without tickets. Troy Parrott, whose injury‑time hat-trick in November propelled Ireland into the play-offs and who has more than 30 goals for club and country this season, leads the attack; key absences include Josh Cullen (ACL) and Evan Ferguson (ankle), while Liam Scales is suspended. Czechia, managed by 74‑year‑old Miroslav Koubek, arrive as favourites at home, with striker Patrik Schick a key threat. Broadcaster RTÉ has deployed an expanded on‑site team to Prague. Authorities have warned against fake and scalped tickets after high online resale prices and cancelled fraudulent listings.

A Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport plane carrying security forces crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province on March 23, Colombian officials said. The armed forces reported 66 dead, four missing and dozens injured; 57 survivors were evacuated to regional hospitals, some flown to Bogotá. Authorities gave varying counts of those aboard during early reporting but the military said the aircraft was carrying troops and crew on a routine internal movement. Officials said the aircraft struck terrain about 1.5-2 kilometres from the runway, clipped trees, caught fire and detonated some ammunition it was transporting. Local residents were first on scene, ferrying wounded on motorcycles until military and medical teams arrived; access to the remote jungle site slowed rescue operations. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez and the armed forces said there were no immediate indications of hostile action and opened an investigation into the cause. President Gustavo Petro used the accident to press for accelerated modernisation of military equipment. Lockheed Martin expressed condolences and offered assistance in the inquiry.

Mel Schilling, the relationship coach best known for her roles on Married At First Sight Australia and the UK edition, has died at 54, her family announced on March 24, 2026. Schilling was first diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023. She underwent surgery to remove a tumour and later 16 rounds of chemotherapy as the disease progressed; routine scans in 2024 showed metastases to her lungs and, in late 2025, to the left side of her brain. Schilling revealed on March 12 that her oncology team had told her there was “nothing further they can do.” Her husband, Gareth Brisbane, announced on Instagram that she “passed away peacefully… surrounded by love,” and described a final whispered message to him and their daughter, Maddie, 10. Schilling, who joined MAFS Australia in 2016 and began appearing on the UK series in 2021, had recently stepped back from the Australian show. Broadcasters, production companies and colleagues paid tribute, with Channel 4 praising her warmth and impact on the programmes she helped shape.

Four volunteer ambulances run by Jewish charity Hatzola were deliberately set alight in Golders Green, north‑west London, in the early hours of March 23–24, 2026. CCTV shows three hooded figures dousing vehicles with accelerant and fleeing; oxygen cylinders aboard the ambulances exploded, shattering nearby windows but causing no reported injuries. The Metropolitan Police have classified the attack as an antisemitic hate crime and put counter‑terrorism detectives in charge while stressing it has not yet been designated a terrorist incident. A newly surfaced Telegram channel claiming responsibility under the name Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamia (HAYI) has asserted a series of similar strikes across Europe; Israeli and Western officials and analysts say the group has suspected links to Iran or Iran‑aligned networks, a claim London police are working to authenticate. Authorities announced an immediate stepped‑up protective posture — including 264 extra officers, firearms patrols, drones and other specialist teams — and the government pledged to replace the ambulances. The attack has prompted large public fundraising for Hatzola, community rallies, political condemnation and renewed debate over hostile state proxies and measures to protect vulnerable communities ahead of Passover.

Late on the night of March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express regional jet (Flight 8646), a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle while landing on Runway 4 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The collision, at about 11:40 p.m. ET, killed the plane’s pilot and co‑pilot and injured dozens. Port Authority officials said 41 people were taken to hospitals, 32 were later released and nine remained in serious condition. Audio from air traffic control indicates the fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway — responding to a separate United Airlines report of an odor onboard — and that a controller then urgently ordered the vehicle to stop seconds before impact. Flightradar24 data placed groundspeed at roughly 24 mph (39 kph) at the moment of collision. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a full investigation with FAA support; the Port Authority and Jazz Aviation are cooperating. LaGuardia was closed and subject to a ground stop until at least 2 p.m. Monday, triggering hundreds of cancellations and widespread travel disruption across the Northeast U.S.

The European Union and Australia have finalised and signed a long-delayed free trade agreement in Canberra after roughly eight years of negotiations, alongside a new security and defence partnership. The deal was announced on March 24 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who framed the pact as a response to rising global trade tensions, U.S. tariff pressure and the need to diversify away from reliance on China. The agreement removes more than 99% of tariffs on EU goods entering Australia, with the European Commission saying it could save EU exporters about €1 billion a year in duties and lift EU sales to Australia by as much as one-third over the next decade. Australian tariffs on wine, sparkling wine, fruit, vegetables, chocolates and many other products will fall to zero immediately or over time, while beef and sheep-meat access to the EU will be expanded through tariff-rate quotas. Australia will also keep using some product names such as prosecco domestically, while phasing them out for exports over 10 years. The EU and Australia said the package also covers critical minerals, services, investment, cyber and maritime security, and could open the way for Australia’s participation in Horizon Europe.