The Guardian

James Murray says PM has approached Middle East crisis with a ‘cool head’ amid repeated criticism of UK’s position from US presidentKeir Starmer will face a Commons grilling over his decisions on the Middle East war after Donald Trump launched a personal attack against him over the refusal to allow initial US strikes on Iran from British bases.In his latest broadside against the prime minister, the US president said on Tuesday he was “not happy with the UK” over the extent of its support and that “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.There are times to say no

Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez says he opposes ‘repeating the mistakes of the past’Sánchez says his position is not naive – and says “what is naive is thinking that violence is the solution” or that “democracies or respect between nations can come from ruins.”He says Spain’s position is “not at all naive, but consistent.”“We will not be complicit in something that is bad for the world and that is also contrary to our values ​​and interests simply out of fear of reprisals from someone.” Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/04/europe-latest-news-updates-pedro-sanchez-spain-nato-eu Author : Jakub Krupa Publish date : 2026-03-04 08:32:00 Copyright

With much of the world’s oil supplies out of action, Russia could step in to meet demand in China and IndiaA prolonged energy crisis triggered by the widening war in the Middle East could offer an economic lifeline to Russia’s war machine at a moment when it was beginning to show signs of strain.The sharp weakening and possible collapse of the regime in Iran would deprive the Kremlin of one of its closest regional partners. But that setback could be outweighed by an economic windfall if disruption pushes buyers toward Russian energy, alongside a possible slowdown in western arms supplies

US military says strikes in the first 24 hours was nearly double the scale of the 2003 ‘shock-and-awe’ operation in Iraq; US president orders insurance to be provided for shipping in crucial waterwayTrump administration has still not settled on reasons for warMiddle East attacks intensify as Trump rejects Iran’s attempt to talkExplosions sounded in Iran’s capital city on Wednesday as its war with the US and Israel entered a fifth day after earlier strikes on an Iranian nuclear site and retaliatory strikes by the Islamic Republic across the Gulf region.Iranian state television reported explosions around Tehran as dawn broke. Meanwhile,

Party worries a victory by Maga darling Ken Paxton over John Cornyn would open door to Democrats in red stateFour-term Republican US senator John Cornyn is fighting for his political life against Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, in a bitter primary contest that will likely end in a runoff.As polls began to close across the Lone Star state on Tuesday evening, national Republicans were openly fretting that a victory by Paxton, a scandal-plagued conservative culture warrior who is a darling of Donald Trump’s Maga movement, would give Democrats a rare opening in a solidly red state. Continue reading... Source link

Push to give English same status as Māori and NZ sign languages sparks backlash from opposition parties and linguistic expertsA bill to recognise English as an official language of New Zealand has cleared its first hurdle in parliament amid ridicule from opposition parties and linguists who say it is “unnecessary” and “cynical”.The bill seeks to give English, which is spoken by 95% of the country, the same official status as te reo Māori (Māori language) and New Zealand sign language. The bill said the status and use of the existing official languages would not be affected. Continue reading... Source link

The prime minister has discussed stranded Australians with the Emirati president. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLidia Thorpe says the parliamentary watchdog is powerless to make a real difference against racism and the treatment of women after it released its first public statement last week.The Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission named Victorian senator Ralph Babet as having made “offensive, disrespectful and harmful” remarks in a social media post published in November 2024. The watchdog said it had sanctioned him to attend one-on-one behaviour training and agree to refrain from further similar comments but

US president appears to contradict Marco Rubio remarks that Israel planned to strike Iran first, claiming ‘If anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand’ People in the US: share your views of the Iran conflictSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxIn a late night post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said that the US munition stockpiles “at the medium and upper medium grade” have “never been higher or better”.He added that the US has a “virtually unlimited supply of these weapons”, meaning that “wars can be fought ‘forever’”. Continue reading... Source link

Chancellor’s statement comes amid backdrop of economic and geopolitical turmoil, including gas prices at three-year highRachel Reeves’s plans could be hit by Middle East conflict, say economistsUK grocery price inflation has risen, showing that people are being hit in the pocket even before the surge in energy prices feeds through to the economy.Data provider Worldpanel by Numerator has reported that annual grocery inflation rose to 4.3% in February, after four consecutive months of falls, in a blow for households. That’s up from 4% in January.Sentiment towards BP and Shell has strengthened significantly off the back of oil price spikes. But

Defence secretary has not made a final decision but multiple sources say the deployment of HMS Duncan is under considerationEllie Chowns, the Green party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, has said she has tabled an “armed conflict (requirements) bill’” which would require any UK military intervention to have a lawful basis, viable objective and approval from MPs.In a letter addressed to the prime minister, which she shared to X, Chowns, who is the Green’s MP for North Herefordshire, wrote:In recent days we have seen a deeply concerning escalation in conflict in the Middle East following a series of illegal and dangerously irresponsible

British, Czech, Italian and Polish media report first successful returns from Oman and the United Arab Emirates The family of the Italian defence minister, who was embarrassingly left stranded in Dubai in first hours of the war, has returned to Italy on last night’s return flight to Rome Fiumicino airport, local media reported.As we reported yesterday, Guido Crosetto returned on Sunday on an Italian state flight, which sparked further criticism, as hundreds of other Italians remain stuck in Dubai while he was evacuated alone. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/03/european-travel-flights-iran-middle-east-freidrich-merz-europe-latest-news-updates Author : Jakub Krupa Publish date : 2026-03-03 09:59:00 Copyright

Israeli airforce attacking cities simultaneously with a ‘wave of extensive strikes’ against the Iranian regime and HezbollahUS strikes on Iran triggered by Israel’s plan to launch attack, Rubio saysAnger with Hezbollah boils as war returns to weary BeirutUS secretary of state Marco Rubio has claimed the US attacked Iran after learning that Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces.“We knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” he told reportersThe Air Force is now attacking Tehran and Beirut simultaneouslyThe Air Force has now

Warning comes as OBR projections in the spring forecast are expected to show public finances moving in the right directionSoaring global energy prices as a result of the widening Middle East conflict will jeopardise Rachel Reeves’s plan to conquer inflation and rekindle growth, economists have warned as she prepares to deliver her spring forecast later today.Responding to the latest projections from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the chancellor will insist she has “the right economic plan for our country, in a world that has become more uncertain”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/03/rachel-reeves-middle-east-obr-spring-forecast Author : Heather Stewart Economics

Liberal MP says rules are irrelevant when Trump acts as an ‘apex opportunist’, following a drone strike at Al Minhad airbase where Australian troops are basedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCoalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie has declared anyone who thinks the rules-based order still exists is living in a “fantasyland”, amid an escalating US-Israel war on Iran, and as the government confirmed Australian troops in the region were safe after a weekend drone strike.Australian troops posted at the defence force’s headquarters in the United Arab Emirates are all

State secretary frames strikes as necessary to protect US forces from retaliation; Chuck Schumer tells reporters ‘this is Trump’s war’ and ‘he has no strategy’Hegseth says US won’t get ‘bogged down’ in IranWhat is the legality of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran?Sign up for Breaking US News email alertsWhile speaking today, Pete Hegseth acknowledged the fourth US service member killed in Iran’s counterattacks.“War is hell and always will be,” he said. “Our grateful nation honors the four Americans we have lost thus far and those injured – the absolute best of America.” Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/mar/02/democrats-to-force-vote-in-congress-to-limit-trumps-war-powers-against-iran-us-politics-live

PM tells ABC’s 7.30 that the late Iranian leader should not be mourned. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGovernment takes conflict ‘a day at a time’Moving across to ABC News Breakfast, Richard Marles say the government is taking the conflict in the Middle East – and its economic consequences – a day at a time.It sounds trite, but you literally kind of have to take this at a day at a time. It is very difficult to speculate about how long this will go. You are right that there could easily be

UK considering all evacuation options, including charter and military flights and bus trips across land bordersMore than 100,000 Britons were stranded in the Gulf on Monday, with airspace in the region still closed to most flights and overland evacuation regarded as risky while Iran continues to launch missile and drone strikes across the region.Downing Street said UK officials were considering all options to get citizens home safely, including using commercial, charter and military flights and bussing evacuees across land borders into Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/more-than-100000-britons-stranded-in-gulf-with-airspace-closed-to-most-flights Author : Pippa Crerar and Gwyn Topham Publish date

Many early-stage crowdfunders left empty-handed as Tilray acquires beer company’s UK and Irish assetsBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK and Irish assets of BrewDog, the Scottish self-styled “punk” brewer, have been sold to US cannabis and drinks firm Tilray for £33m, in a deal that will cost nearly 500 jobs and leave legions of the company’s early-stage crowdfunders empty-handed.Tilray agreed a deal to buy BrewDog’s brand, intellectual property, UK brewing operations and 11 “strategic” bars in the UK and Ireland, the two companies confirmed, preserving 733 jobs. The remaining 38 bars will close immediately, at a cost of 484 jobs.

All six crew members ejected safely in apparent ‘friendly fire’ as Kuwait launches investigation into incidentUS-Israel war on Iran – live updatesThree US fighter jets were mistakenly shot down over Kuwait early Monday in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, military officials said. All six crew members ejected safely.According to a statement from US Central Command (Centcom), Kuwait’s air defences fired on the F-15 war planes during a combat mission on the third day of conflict following Saturday’s launch of US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/02/us-fighter-jets-kuwait Author : Richard Luscombe Publish date : 2026-03-02 13:44:00 Copyright for

Foreign secretary confirms strike on Akrotiri base but says it ‘simply not true’ the UK is being dragged into an Iraq-style conflict‘Simply not true’ UK is being dragged into Iraq-style conflict, says foreign secretaryKonstantinos Letymbiotis, a spokesman for the government of Cyprus, posted on X on Monday that two unmanned aerial drones heading toward the RAF Akrotiri base have been shot down.The British base was struck by an unmanned drone overnight that caused no casualties and limited damage. Shortly after the hit, Keir Starmer announced that the UK would allow the US use British military bases to attack Iranian missile

EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, warns against further escalation following US and Israel strikes on IranA so-called “security college” of the European Commission is set to meet today as the European Union is considering its options given the escalating situation in the Middle East.The bloc’s foreign ministers spoke at an online emergency meeting last night, with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, warning later about the prospect of further escalation in the region. She also stressed the importance of keeping critical waterways, like the strait of Hormuz, open. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/02/eu-response-middle-east-conflict-evacuate-citizens-europe-live-latest-news Author : Jakub Krupa Publish date

It is Hanson’s second censure within four months, this time over comments questioning whether there were good MuslimsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson has been censured again by the federal Senate, with two Liberal senators crossing the floor to support a motion calling out the One Nation leader’s “inflammatory and divisive” recent comments about Australian Muslims.Hanson branded the motion – her second censure within four months, following her stunt in wearing a hijab in the parliament last year – as a “joke”, theatrically slapping herself on

Iran-backed Hezbollah says it launched rockets and drones at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Ali KhameneiPodcast: The assassination of Iran’s ayatollah – and fears for a wider conflictFull report: Trump open to talks with Iran as conflict deepens in Middle EastHow have you been affected by events in the Middle East?Bahrain has that one person was killed by shrapnel from an intercepted missile. The death of a foreign worker at Salman Industrial City, working on a boat there, marks the kingdom’s first reported fatality in the war.Bahrain, home to the US navy’s 5th fleet, said it intercepted

Eclipse will feature a deep, coppery-red full moon on 3 March, with scientists predicting the best times to see itFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNorth America, Australia and New Zealand will be treated to a rare total lunar eclipse on Tuesday known as a “blood moon”.As the full moon dips into the planet’s shadow it will change colour to a “deep and coppery red”, says astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Allen of Swinburne University.Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart – starts 10.04pm, ends 11.02pmBrisbane – starts 9.04pm, ends 10.02pmAdelaide – starts

Trials to form part of three-month consultation on Keir Starmer’s plans to tackle negative effects of smartphone useHundreds of teenagers will be enlisted to trial social media bans in the coming months with overnight digital curfews and daily screen time limits also tested as part of Keir Starmer’s plan to crack down on the negative effects of smartphone use.The trials will be part of a three-month consultation launched this week that could lead to an outright ban on social media for under-16s similar to that introduced in Australia. Ministers have said they are ready to toughen laws just six months