Iran’s top woman chess player has fled to Spain after receiving threats not to return to Iran for competing at an international tournament in Kazakhstan without a hijab. Iranian law requires women to wear a headscarf in public, even when visiting other countries. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh’s decision was seen as a gesture in solidarity with anti-government protests that erupted in Iran in September in response to the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iranian so-called morality police. In related news, several Iranian soccer players were arrested after attending a New Year’s Eve party with women and where alcohol was served. The players were current and former members of one of Tehran’s prominent soccer clubs. A local media outlet said many of the detained soccer players had also expressed support for the mass protests.