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Pentagon request could cause uproar in Congress, Washington Post reports; United Arab Emirates denounces Iran's attacks targeting Habshan gas facility as a dangerous escalation'

Gia Lam should have been offered interpreter by medical team at Fairfield hospital, coroner's court finds

Hoskins, like Dennis an Olympic cyclist, was struck by his car in 2023. His return to Instagram included picture with caption an absolute weapon'

Have you cancelled a holiday? Are you working from home more or taking fewer journeys? Tell us your experienceGlobal oil market prices have surged, with the US-Israel war on Iran disrupting key shipping routes. The strait of Hormuz, where as much as a fifth of global fuel supply travels through, has been closed due to the conflict.Asia is deeply affected by the crisis, relying heavily on imported energy that passes through the strait. Continue reading...

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Massive storm tracking a path to Queensland coast, which intensified offshore Thursday morning to category five, fuelled by warm waters in Coral Sea

Independent committee to investigate safety standards and whether building practices contributed to worst residential fires in decades

The detention of Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, of Venezuela, a freshman in the Bronx, sparked national outrageA New York high school student who was detained at an immigration courthouse in May last year, sparking national outrage, was released on Wednesday.Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, of Venezuela was a freshman at Ellis Prep academy, a Bronx public school dedicated exclusively to students who have recently arrived in the US. It was the first widely known instance of a public school student being arrested by federal immigration agents. Continue reading...

Lawmakers leave closed-door meeting after AG refuses to commit to honoring subpoena to testify under oathDemocrats on the House oversight committee walked out of a closed-door briefing from attorney general Pam Bondi about the Jeffrey Epstein files on Wednesday, leaving what California congressman Robert Garcia called an outrageous fake hearing" after Bondi refused to commit to honoring a subpoena to testify under oath.The committee voted to subpoena Bondi earlier this month, with five Republicans joining Democrats to demand that the attorney general answer questions about the justice department's failure to properly release files from the federal investigations into Epstein. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese also announces new national fuel supply taskforce and reiterates call for motorists to only take what you need'

Republicans block resolution to take up the measure, which Democrats vow to bring up again and again and again'

Thousands of police prepare to deploy to South Korea's capital ahead of K-pop's most anticipated comebackSeoul has stepped up security ahead of BTS's huge comeback concert on Saturday, which more than a quarter of a million fans are expected to attend, with authorities raising the terror alert in the area and preparing to deploy thousands of police to the capital.South Korean president Lee Jae Myung warned at a cabinet meeting this week that the issue is safety" and urged heightened vigilance by the interior ministry and emergency services to prepare for every possibility. He described the concert as an important occasion to reaffirm the country's global cultural standing. Continue reading...

Mayor of London says returning to EU now more desirable because of economic instability caused by Donald TrumpLabour should go into the next general election promising to rejoin the EU, Sadiq Khan has said.The mayor of London has repeatedly made the case for joining the customs union and single market, but went much further on Wednesday night by suggesting the party should promise full membership at next ballot. Continue reading...

Sergey Brin gives $25m on top of $20m he's already given to Super Pac trying to blocking state's proposed 5% wealth taxA Google founder has more than doubled his financial contribution to the fight against a proposed wealth tax in California. New filings with the state show that former Alphabet president Sergey Brin donated $25m to a Super Pac dedicated to blocking the tax on top of $20m he had already given.Brin is not alone among Google's top brass in upping his financial stake in the campaign against the ballot proposal. The company's former CEO Eric Schmidt donated $1.02m, adding to a previous $2m contribution. Continue reading...

Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, arrested after counter-terrorism investigationTwo men have been charged with spying for Iran over alleged surveillance of the Jewish community in London, police said.Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian and British national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, have both been charged with engaging in contact likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 9 July and 15 August last year. Continue reading...

Jerome Powell resists Trump pressure as policymakers weigh energy shock against a weakening US jobs market

There is growing confidence that the 20 people diagnosed with the illness have not infected anyone outside the areaHealth officials increasingly believe they have contained the fatal outbreak of meningitis in Kent, with no cases emerging that are not linked to the original cluster of 20.In another boost to efforts to contain the infection, the bug that caused it has been identified as a known strain of meningitis B, the Guardian understands. Continue reading...

PM will consider exempting large numbers from proposed changes, which would leave people waiting 10 years for settled statusKeir Starmer is hoping to soften the impact of his government's changes to the immigration system after a backlash from Labour MPs and a dramatic intervention from his former deputy Angela Rayner.The prime minister is considering exempting large numbers of people from the proposed changes, which would make it harder to achieve settled status in the UK, as he attempts to keep his restive party onboard. Continue reading...

Glasses use verbal cues and floating text to assist wearers and are expected to be available in early 2027AI software that can be embedded into smart glasses has won a 1m prize for technology to help people with dementia.Built into chunky, black-rimmed frames that have a camera, microphone and speakers, the tech - known as CrossSense - guides wearers through everyday life by means of a chatty assistant called Wispy. Continue reading...

Death confirmed of Esmail Khatib, the third senior Iranian figure killed in 24 hours, as Israel also launches intense airstrikes on Lebanon

Former Sinn Fein leader, who is being sued for symbolic damages, also denies any prior knowledge of the attackGerry Adams has told the high court he was stunned by the 1996 Docklands bombing as he denied being at the nerve centre of the IRA's operations.The former Sinn Fein leader also denied having any prior knowledge of the bombing of the commercial district of east London, which shattered a 17-month-old ceasefire. Continue reading...

Attempt to decapitate' state may harden resistance instead of destabilising regime

Steady UK opposition to the war and the US president's insults mean MPs are finding it easier to point out the obviousWhen is a U-turn definitely a U-turn? To the consternation of politicians through the ages, this is rarely something within their control, but decided instead by the herd. And thus it is with Kemi Badnoch over Iran and Donald Trump.The Conservative leader would very much like it to be known that she had not changed her stance on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, or on the US president. Continue reading...

Trump pick to replace Kristi Noem signaled he'd avoid her mistakes but defends president's immigration campaignMarkwayne Mullin defended his ability to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and expressed regrets for comments he made about a US citizen killed by immigration agents at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, which began on an unusually quarrelsome note when a fellow Republican senator accused him of encouraging violence.Donald Trump earlier this month nominated Mullin, a first-term Republican senator from Oklahoma, to lead DHS, after the president ousted Kristi Noem amid public blowback against the administration's aggressive approach to its mass deportation agenda and the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Continue reading...

A memorial will be built on the site, with final plans to be revealed in May and completion scheduled for fall 2027

PM calls on Kemi Badenoch to sack justice spokesperson after he called public prayers as act of domination'Keir Starmer has claimed the Conservative party has a problem with Muslims" after the shadow justice secretary described an event where the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, joined others to pray in Trafalgar Square as an act of domination".During PMQs, the prime minister urged Kemi Badenoch to sack Nick Timothy over a post on X in which he shared a clip of Khan and other Muslims praying in the square. Continue reading...

Producers say alleged victim of grooming was ready to tell his story and show raises urgent issues around online safetyChannel 5 has defended its controversial drama about the downfall of Huw Edwards, saying it raises the urgent" issue of grooming and online safety and gives voice to his alleged victim, who worked with the programme to tell his side of the story so no one who has been silenced feels they are alone".Starring Martin Clunes as the disgraced former BBC newsreader, the drama charts the claim of a relationship and texts between Edwards and a vulnerable young man who was at the centre of a scandal reported by the Sun in 2023, which alleged the presenter made payments to a 17-year-old for sexually explicit images.Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards will air at 9pm on 24 March on Channel 5. Continue reading...

Marius Borg Hoiby accused of 39 offences, but denies the most serious charges of four rapesMarius Borg Hoiby, the son of Norway's crown princess, should receive more than seven years in prison if he is found guilty of 39 offences, including four rapes and assaults, according to prosecutors.On Wednesday, the penultimate day of the more than six-week-long trial at Oslo district court, the prosecution said it believed that Hoiby was guilty of 39 of the 40 offences with which he was charged, which, as well as rape and domestic abuse, include multiple breaches of restraining orders, assault, drug and driving offences. Continue reading...

Government's first published land use framework maps how land is used and how it can be adapted to meet changing needsAbout 7% of England's land - an area roughly two-and-a-half times the size of Cornwall - will need to be given over to nature, forests and renewable energy, to meet the UK's environmental targets, new data shows.But there will still be enough land to grow the food needed, and to house a growing population, according to the government's first land use framework, published on Wednesday.Placing a high priority on restoring peatland, all but 13% of which is degraded across England, but this will not include an outright ban on development such as wind or solar farms.Encouraging the multi-use" of land, for instance with livestock grazing alongside wind and solar farms, and wildlife protection and nature restoration on arable land.Encouraging local authorities to put nature reserves in urban areas as well as in the countryside.Grouse moors to come under closer scrutiny and tighter regulation, which will go further than EU rules.No new right to roam" is included in the framework, but there will be a consultation on making landowner liability more proportionate", which could open up areas for public access.A national soil map will be published.A new land use unit will be established.Government planning for changes to the UK's landscape under global heating of 2C above preindustrial levels, and of much higher heating of 4C. Continue reading...

Oklahoma senator has repeatedly made cryptic claims about overseas' work and war experience, while refusing to explain them

Emanuel Fabian says his routine report became focus of wager with $23m at stake on online prediction platformAn Israeli journalist received threatening messages from users of the online prediction platform Polymarket after one of his reports, on a minor missile strike near Jerusalem, suddenly became the focus of an unresolved bet about the Israel-Iran conflict.After you make us lose $900,000 we will invest no less than that to finish you," said one message to the journalist, Emanuel Fabian. Continue reading...

Reform MP made Valentine's Day clips for platform despite previous warning about commercial filming

Snub comes as Iran vows revenge for killing of Ali Larijani. Plus, judge orders reinstatement of Voice of America staffGood morning.Donald Trump has said the US does not need Nato, after a number of the organization's members rejected his call to send their warships to reopen the strait of Hormuz.How many people have been displaced in Iran? Up to 3.2 million people, according to the UN's refugee agency. Here, Tehran residents speak about their daily life under bombardment.For the latest updates, follow our liveblog. Continue reading...

Sky News Arabia has been accused of broadcasting propaganda and whitewashing genocide in SudanSky is considering terminating its joint venture with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after accusations it is involved in broadcasting propaganda and genocide denial.Sky is in talks with its partner in the UAE on Sky News Arabia over the potential termination next year of the licence to use its brand. Continue reading...

The stars of Sex Education and The Morning Show will appear in a new West End production of Edward Albee's classic, directed by Marianne ElliottGillian Anderson is to return to the West End in a role she has coveted for decades". The Sex Education star will appear opposite Billy Crudup in a revival of Edward Albee's marital meltdown classic Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in the autumn. Staged in-the-round, the production will be directed by Marianne Elliott at the intimate @sohoplace theatre.Anderson will play Martha who spars with her professor husband George over drinks with a young married couple in the 1962 play. Martha's rage is inseparable from her longing, her disappointment and her need to be seen - all things still eminently relatable 60 years on," said Anderson. The role was first played on Broadway by Uta Hagen, on screen a few years later by Elizabeth Taylor (opposite her husband Richard Burton) and in a 1996 London revival by Diana Rigg. I've wanted to play Martha for decades," said Anderson. I'm thrilled Billy Crudup is joining me in the ring as George." Continue reading...

$11.3bn more than enough to fund EPA or National Cancer Institute, where administration sought to slash budgets

German food delivery firm's share price has plummeted by 93% since 2021 boom during Covid lockdownsHelloFresh has reported a sharp decline in sales as the struggling food delivery company battles falling demand after the pandemic-era meal kit boom.The German company was forced to make 900 UK job cuts last year with the closure of a delivery site in Nuneaton, and the demand for meal kits tumbled as revenue fell by more than 11% during 2025. Continue reading...

Governments in countries heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil introduce measures to shield public from soaring costs

Greater Manchester mayor adds to Rayner's criticism of planned immigration changes, which she has called un-British'

Thomas Corbett-Dillon, who claims to have advised Boris Johnson, says immigrants could turn' on white populationGB News is facing a backlash after a commentator on one of its shows suggested there is a genocide happening" against white people in England and that immigrants could turn" on the white population.Ofcom, the media regulator, has received a series of complaints about the comments by Thomas Corbett-Dillon. Continue reading...

Researchers say their prototype is a big step towards fully functioning batteries with rapid charging timesAustralian scientists have developed what they say is the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery.Quantum batteries, first proposed as a theoretical concept in 2013, use the principles of quantum mechanics to store energy, and have the potential to be more efficient than conventional batteries. Continue reading...

Aircraft carrier has been participating in strikes on Iran, after previously taking part in the operation to seize Venezuela's president Nicolas MaduroA fire onboard the USS Gerald R Ford, injuring sailors and destroying 100 beds, is the latest mishap to plague the world's largest aircraft carrier on a marathon deployment some argue has sapped crew morale.At sea for almost nine months, and currently stationed in the Red Sea to support the war on Iran, the carrier will reportedly set sail for Crete for repairs. Continue reading...

Treasurer likens impact of conflict to recent major shocks, including global financial crisis and Covid pandemic

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Other delivery and transport companies such as Uber, DoorDash and Australia Post are weighing whether to charge more

Labor's preventative detention regime suffers blow as court finds tough laws for NZYQ group are unconstitutional

A 2006 Guardian interview with Iran's slain security chief now reads as a grim warning of the conflict that killed himDeep down, Ali Larijani always believed that the western powers were bent on destroying Iran's revolutionary regime, for which he had fought on the battlefield.The prescience of that inner conviction has now been vindicated in lethal fashion as Larijani has become the latest establishment figure to die at the hands of Israel, killed in an apparently targeted airstrike, according to reports.Robert Tait was the Guardian's correspondent in Tehran from February 2005 until December 2007 Continue reading...

As Iran war drives up cost concerns, thinktank says 3.7bn discount system should be developed before next winterThe UK government is facing calls to spend almost 4bn to launch a social tariff" providing cheaper energy for poor households amid growing concerns over the Iran conflict.As households brace for an increase in living costs, the Resolution Foundation said ministers should develop a system of discounted domestic energy bills in time for next winter to protect the most vulnerable households. Continue reading...

Exclusive: finding out who owns land will become simpler under plans to make the best use of green spaces and hit net zero targetsFinding out who owns land in England is to become much simpler because a paywall will be lifted from large parts of the Land Registry, the government is to announce.A small number of landowners control the majority of land but finding out who owns what is difficult to piece together, even for government departments, owing to the way the Land Registry operates. Freeing up access will make it easier to determine ownership of key areas, such as river catchments, grouse moors and peatland. Continue reading...