The Guardian

Trump tells Iran to reopen strait to shipping or face destruction of its energy infrastructure, as Tehran launches its most destructive attack yet on IsraelHere’s a recap of Trump’s remarks on Saturday night, in which he threatened to strike Iranian power plants if Tehran does not “fully open” the strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.Writing on Truth Social, Trump said:If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”Following previous warnings,

People in hard-hit areas of Oahu and Maui told to evacuate with still more rain expected over the weekendAs Hawaii endures its worst flooding in more than 20 years, officials urged people in hard-hit areas to “LEAVE NOW”. That warning early on Saturday came after heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago, and still more was expected over the weekend.Muddy floodwaters smothered vast stretches of Oahu’s North Shore, a community renowned for its big-wave surfing. Raging waters lifted homes and cars and prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu.

Weakening system expected to bring severe weather across parts of NT already saturated from recent rains and flooding. Follow live updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia not ‘contemplating’ fuel rationing but state and federal governments have powers, Bowen saysState governments also had fuel rationing powers, Chris Bowen said.When I was a kid … in the 80s in Sydney, I remember petrol rationing was done by state governments – the state governments do have powers there.Yes, the Commonwealth government, under the fuel emergency act, has powers.It’s not designed to be invoked lightly. It really has powers

First responders report 33 injured at multiple sites in Dimona, including a 10-year-old boy in serious conditionMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesAn Iranian missile has hit the Israeli town of Dimona, home to a nuclear facility, in what Iran said was retaliation for strikes on its own nuclear site at Natanz.Dimona hosts a facility just outside the main town widely believed to possess the Middle East’s sole nuclear arsenal, although Israel has never admitted to possessing nuclear weapons. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/iran-hits-israeli-town-housing-nuclear-facility-in-retaliation-for-natanz-strike Author : AFP Publish date : 2026-03-21 20:58:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the

President attacks ‘Radical Left Democrats’ after homeland security funding bill again sinks in SenateSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump threatened on Saturday to deploy federal immigration agents to US airports on Monday if Democrats do not agree to measures aimed at strengthening security and immigration enforcement.“If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. Continue reading... Source

Michael Smith, 52, charged after flooding platforms with thousands of AI songs and boosting them with botsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA North Carolina man has pleaded guilty to defrauding music streaming platforms and his fellow musicians out of millions in royalties by flooding the services with thousands of AI-generated songs – and using automated “bots” to artificially boost the number of listens into the billions.As part of a deal with federal prosecutors in New York’s southern district, 52-year-old Michael Smith pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Venezuelan-born dancer posts emotional video saying she plans to take on new projects in other areasStrictly Come Dancing’s longest-serving female professional dancer, Karen Hauer, has quit the show after 14 years.In a video posted on Instagram, Hauer said it was “the right time to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas I’m passionate about”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/mar/21/strictlys-longest-serving-dancer-karen-hauer-quits-show-after-14-years Author : Sammy Gecsoyler Publish date : 2026-03-21 13:09:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Exclusive: Tariq Ahmad says he has raised concerns with party leadership after shadow justice secretary’s remarksThe shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, has been accused by a Conservative peer and former counter-extremism minister of “instilling fear” among Muslims with his comments about public prayer.British Muslims were openly talking about leaving the Conservative party, added Tariq Ahmad, who said he had raised his concerns with the party leadership and expected action to be taken. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/21/tory-peer-tariq-ahmad-nick-timothy-muslims-islamic-public-prayers Author : Ben Quinn Political correspondent Publish date : 2026-03-21 11:11:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

President says US ‘getting very close to meeting our objectives’; missiles fired at joint US-UK military base in Indian Ocean but neither hit, reports sayUS to send three more warships and thousands more troops, reports sayHow the Iran war has sent shocks rippling across the globeCircling back now to Diego Garcia, Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the joint US-UK military base in the Indian Ocean – but neither of them hit, according to news reports citing US officials.The Wall Street Journal said one of the missiles failed in flight, and that a US warship fired an SM-3 interceptor

How infections linked to a nightclub escalated into a public health incident requiring a national response is a puzzle experts are still grappling withTyra Skinner had already been violently sick three times when doctors at Kent’s William Harvey hospital realised something was badly wrong. The 20-year-old was rushed into critical care, racked with a pounding headache, a stiff neck and excruciating pain – the hallmark symptoms of meningitis, the disease that had already claimed two young lives in Kent.“She could hardly move, she was in a foetal position. She was so cramped up and sore,” her father, Dale Skinner, 42,

Move to allow shipments already at sea comes amid a supply crisis and after US president says he does not ‘want to do a ceasefire’; IDF says it is attacking regime targets in Iran’s capital after strikes on Beirut US to send three more warships and thousands more troops, reports sayHow the Iran war has sent shocks rippling across the globeKuwait’s state oil firm KPC said its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was hit by multiple drone attacks early on Friday, causing a fire in some units, with no initial casualties reported, the state news agency said.Firefighters responded immediately, with several units

California jurors hand win to investors who sued billionaire saying he publicly disparaged social media platform in 2022A California jury has ruled that Elon Musk is responsible for Twitter investors’ stock plummeting when he sought to buy the social media platform for $44bn in 2022. Jurors handed the win to a group of investors who sued the billionaire saying he publicly disparaged the company with the aim of bringing down Twitter’s stock price to get a better bargain.The trial, which began earlier this month in federal court in San Francisco, focused on whether Musk intended to move the market with

One person survived and two were killed, the military said, who were turned over to Costa Rican coast guardUS Southern Command announced on Friday that US forces carried out another “lethal kinetic strike” on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific which left one survivor and two people dead.After the strike, the military said that it “immediately notified US Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system” for three people who survived the strike. The coast guard said in a statement that one of its ships recovered two dead bodies and one survivor and turned them over to

Veteran broadcaster interviewed prominent female leaders including Margaret Thatcher and Hillary ClintonJenni Murray, the broadcaster who hosted BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour for more than 30 years, has died at the age of 75.Murray joined the programme in 1987 and presented it until 2020, departing as its longest-serving presenter. She was awarded a damehood in 2011 in recognition of her contribution to broadcasting. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/mar/20/former-bbc-womans-hour-presenter-jenni-murray-dies-aged-75 Author : Guardian staff Publish date : 2026-03-20 19:49:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Lawsuit alleges university violated civil rights of Jewish and Israeli people in aftermath of war in GazaThe Trump administration renewed its assault on Harvard University on Friday, filing a lawsuit in Massachusetts alleging the Ivy League institution violated the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli people in the aftermath of the war in Gaza.The lawsuit, shared publicly by the New York Times, accuses Harvard of allowing anti-Israel protesters to operate on campus “with impunity” following the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Gaza and Israel’s massive military response. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/20/trump-administration-new-harvard-lawsuit-antisemitism Author : Richard Luscombe Publish date :

Senior figures said to have been skeptical over Keir Starmer’s appointment of ‘arrogant’ veteran politician, later sacked over connections to Jeffrey EpsteinSign up for the Breaking US News US emailThe US military is deploying thousands of additional marines and sailors to the Middle East, three US officials told Reuters on Friday.One of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the USS Boxer, along with the marine expeditionary unit onboard, were departing the west coast of the US about three weeks ahead of schedule. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/mar/20/trump-mandelson-starmer-supreme-court-iran-us-politics-latest-news-updates Author : Marina Dunbar (now) and Tom Ambrose

Mozambique-flagged vessel boarded this morning with UK assistance, French military confirms, as Macron says Iran war will not distract France from support of UkraineMeanwhile, French president Emmanuel Macron has confirmed the seizure of the tanker, which he said belonged to the Russian shadow fleet.In a strongly worded post on X, he said:“The French navy boarded this morning in the Mediterranean a new vessel from the shadow fleet, the Deyna.The war in Iran will not divert France from its support for Ukraine, where Russia’s war of aggression continues. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/20/spain-tax-france-elections-pope-leo-eu-iran-war-energy-costs-europe-latest-news-updates Author : Jakub Krupa Publish date :

LSE research found some Reform councillors have denied the reality of climate science, and mention of climate has been removed from strategy documentsGood morning. Seven weeks from today, counting will be taking place for the English local elections and, unless the polls are more wrong than they have ever been before, Reform UK will be celebrating record wins. The commentary will focus on the implications for national politics. But councils have significant powers, and a report today says Reform wins in local government could have a significant impact on climate policy.We know that Reform UK are opposed to net zero,

Exclusive: Richard Hermer, who is Jewish, says Tory leader and shadow minister seem ‘to only have an issue with Muslim events’Richard Hermer, the attorney general, has challenged Kemi Badenoch to say whether she would object to Jewish prayer in public, after the Conservative leader backed one of her shadow ministers who said an Islamic prayer event was intimidating and un-British.Hermer, one of the UK’s most prominent Jewish politicians, said Badenoch’s decision to support the views of Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, put her on a par with Reform UK and Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist. Continue reading... Source link

Government faces political fight as industry says mooted 25% levy on exports would hurt Australia’s economy and energy securityGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGas giants will lobby against any federal government moves to introduce a 25% export levy on windfall profits, as crossbenchers pressure the prime minister to redirect billions of dollars in “wartime profits” to Australians struggling amid the global energy crisis.It comes after the prime minister’s department asked Treasury to model the effects of placing a flat 25% tax on gas exports, the ABC reported on Friday, along with any further changes to

Colombia-born Estefany Rodríguez, whose detention had alarmed press freedom advocates, freed on $10,000 bondThe Nashville journalist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month was released from a Louisiana detention center on Thursday after spending 15 days in custody.Estefany Rodríguez, who covers immigration and other topics for the outlet Nashville Noticias, was detained in Nashville on 4 March and spent a week at a county jail in Alabama before being transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana. Her lawyers said Rodríguez was detained without warrant. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/19/journalist-detained-ice-released Author : Maanvi Singh Publish

Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFar north residents in the path of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle say they have taken shelter as winds begin to swirl in the remote Cape York Communities.Sara Watkins, the owner of Coen Mechanical and the Little Bush Pantry in the township of Coen – population about 330 – say they moved to a more secure brick building when the winds picked up about 4am, local time.The wind has really started to pick up, you can hear a couple of things moving around outside.Until the wind started it

Authorities warn of strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and coastal storm surgeHow did global heating fuel Tropical Cyclone Narelle?Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSevere Tropical Cyclone Narelle was poised to make landfall in far north Queensland on Friday morning, likely as a “high-end” category four system but still posing a severe threat to several remote communities.Locals took shelter early in the morning as the winds began to pick up ahead of forecast winds over 250km/h. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/20/tropical-cyclone-narelle-poised-to-hit-far-north-queensland-as-high-end-category-four-storm Author : Ben Smee and Graham

US president was meeting with Japanese PM when he said: ‘Who knows better about surprise than Japan?’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxIt would be funny if it wasn’t so Trumpy.Hosting the Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, in the Oval Office on Thursday, Donald Trump could not resist mocking Japan about its 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor during the second world war. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/19/trump-mocks-japan-pearl-harbor-iran-war Author : David Smith in Washington Publish date : 2026-03-19 18:48:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Nigel Farage echoed Nick Timothy’s comments after he said public prayer for Ramadan was an ‘act of domination’Starmer claims Tories have ‘problem with Muslims’ after Timothy tweetCleverly is trying to show a video, but it is not working. So he just invites Kemi Badenoch to start her speech.The Conservatives are launching their local elections campaign. There is a live feed here. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/mar/19/labour-eu-iran-covid-local-elections-meningitis-latest-news-updates Author : Andrew Sparrow (now) and Tom Ambrose (earlier) Publish date : 2026-03-19 16:14:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.