UNITED KINGDOM

Emily Thornberry is the latest figure to call on the king’s visit to the US to be delayed, citing the ongoing war against IranNigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, Robert Jenrick, his Treasury spokersperson, and Richard Tice, his business spokesperson, are holding their press conference now. As the BBC reports, they will commit the party to getting rid of VAT and green levies on energy bills.There is a live feed here.This strategy will provide unprecedented funding for local media outlets to invest in innovation and infrastructure, almost tripling the size of funding for community radio, harnessing the power of local

Michele Bullock says high inflation hurts everyone, but there still seems to be an extraordinary level of complacency about potential fallout from the US-Israel war on IranGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Reserve Bank has made some controversial calls over recent years, but hiking interest rates in the middle of a historic global energy shock is right up there.If this Middle East conflict lasts for months, not weeks, and drags the world and our economy down, then Tuesday’s decision to increase households’ borrowing costs will not age well. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/17/the-rba-has-made-one-of-its-most-controversial-calls-in-recent-years-and-this-rate-rise-may-not-age-well Author

Liz Kendall announces £1bn funding to help design large-scale quantum computers for scientists, researchers, public sector and businessThe UK will not let quantum computing talent slip through its fingers and must learn lessons from US dominance of the AI race, the technology secretary has said, as the government announced a £1bn quantum funding pledge.Liz Kendall said the government hoped to retain homegrown quantum startups, engineers and researchers rather than lose them to competing countries, with the US stealing a march on its western rivals in AI. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/17/uk-must-learn-lessons-from-ai-race-and-retain-its-quantum-computing-talent-says-minister Author : Dan Milmo Global technology editor Publish

Trump says delay of ‘a month or so’ requested while key official insists move is not to pressure Beijing to help unblock strait of Hormuz; Iraqi officials say drones and rockets attacked embassyEuropean countries reject Trump’s call for help to reopen strait of HormuzHow have you been affected by the latest Middle East events?Are fuel price increases making you cut back?The United Arab Emirates’ air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone attacks from Iran, the Gulf state’s ministry of defence has just said. It posted on social media that sounds being heard there are from air defences