Trump says it’s a ‘good thing’ counterterrorism director resigned over Iran
US President Trump reacted to the resignation of the US National Counterterrorism Centre’s director, Joe Kent.
Air strike hit Kabul rehab centre as patients ate dinner, survivor tells BBC
The exact number killed in Monday night's strike by Pakistan is still not known, but is feared to be in the hundreds.
Air strike hit Kabul rehab centre as patients ate dinner, survivor tells BBC
The exact number killed in Monday night's strike by Pakistan is still not known, but is feared to be in the hundreds.
Zelenskyy says Europe is a ‘global force’ that can stand against any other power in address to MPs – as it happened
Keir Starmer previously reassured that the war in Iran would not distract the UK from supporting Ukraine
Nigel Farage is speaking now at the Reform UK event.
The website promoting the lottery is up. It is called nigelcutmybills.com.
Continue reading...Trump says US does not need Nato after being rebuffed over strait of Hormuz
Amid escalation of Middle East crisis, US president describes rejection of call for help as a ‘foolish mistake’
Donald Trump has said the United States does not need Nato after being rebuffed by a number of the organisation’s member countries over his appeal for a multi-national naval force to reopen the key strait of Hormuz trade route closed by Iran.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, the US president described the rejection of his calls as a “very foolish mistake”, adding without evidence: “Everyone agrees with us, but they don’t want to help. And we, you know, we as the United States have to remember that because we think it’s pretty shocking.”
Continue reading...Arts Council England must change or face ‘disaster’, culture department is told
Margaret Hodge, who led report into arts funder, tells DCMS committee that grant recipients have lost confidence in the body
Arts Council England (ACE) requires a “radical” overhaul so that it is able to respond to the challenges of the culture sector, according to Margaret Hodge, who said if ACE leaders did not heed her warnings it would be a “disaster”.
The Labour peer, who led a wide-ranging and critical report into ACE, made the comments at a Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee, where she reiterated her calls for the organisation to embrace reform.
Continue reading...Security lines persist at US airports as Congress negotiates DHS funding
Senate Democrats sent counteroffer on Monday aimed at resolving budget standoff
Negotiations for Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – which oversees airport security officers – remained ongoing as the airport in Atlanta, the world’s busiest, dealt with long security lines on Tuesday.
A White House official confirmed that Senate Democrats sent a counteroffer on Monday aimed at resolving a budget standoff that led to a DHS shutdown into its second month. A Trump administration official confirmed to the Guardian that the offer by Democrats was under review, though Republican lawmakers were quick to dismiss the proposal.
Continue reading...US confirms 157 killed in maritime strikes experts call ‘extrajudicial’
Defence official tells Congress that 47 alleged drug-trafficking vessels have been struck since campaign began.
Belgian court sends ex-diplomat, 93, to trial over 1961 murder of Congo leader
Family of then PM, Patrice Lumumba, welcome decision to charge Étienne Davignon as ‘beginning of a reckoning’
A former Belgian diplomat, 93, should stand trial over alleged complicity in the 1961 murder of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of what was then the newly independent Congolese state, a Brussels court has ruled.
Étienne Davignon, the only person still alive among 10 Belgians the Lumumba family accuses of involvement in the killing, is charged with participation in war crimes.
The illegal transfer of Lumumba and his associates from Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) to Katanga.
The “humiliating and degrading treatment” of the men.
Depriving them of a fair trial.
Continue reading...Starmer, Zelenskyy urge ‘focus’ on Ukraine as Iran war diverts attention
As leaders of Ukraine and UK meet, Turkiye's top diplomat reiterates his country's offer to host Russia-Ukraine talks.
Iran war pushes Asian nations into energy triage as they conserve power – PBS
- Iran war pushes Asian nations into energy triage as they conserve power PBS
- These Countries Are Most In Danger Of Running Out Of Oil Forbes
- Iran War Catapults Asia to the Frontline of a Global Energy Crisis Bloomberg.com
- Use the stairs, work from home: Asia is already making big changes as oil prices spike NBC News
- The Iran War Is Pushing Some Countries to Cut Back On Energy Use The New York Times
Norway to investigate links between Jeffrey Epstein and foreign office
Prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre says files show sex offender’s connection to those in ‘trusted and central positions’
The Norwegian parliament has voted unanimously to appoint an independent investigative commission to look into connections between its foreign office and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking before the vote on Tuesday, the prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, paid tribute to Epstein’s victims and said that the files released by the US Department of Justice had clearly shown “it is possible to buy and abuse influence if you are rich enough”.
Continue reading...Dozens Dead in Pakistani Airstrike on Kabul – The New York Times
- Dozens Dead in Pakistani Airstrike on Kabul The New York Times
- Air strike hit Kabul rehab centre as patients ate dinner, survivor tells BBC BBC
- From sponsor to enemy: What's behind Pakistan's attack on Afghan Taliban? Reuters
- Kabul Accuses Pakistani Airstrike of Killing Over 400 People Foreign Policy
- Afghanistan says 400 killed in Pakistani strike on Kabul hospital Financial Times
Rachel Reeves reveals push for fiscal devolution to English regions, says Brexit caused damage, and admits student loan system is ‘broken’ – as it happened
Chancellor says Brexit may have cost 8% of UK GDP in wide-ranging Mais lecture at Bayes Business School in London which also called for AI push
The number of people in England and Wales falling into insolvency has jumped.
There were 11,609 individual insolvencies registered in England and Wales in February, the Insolvency Service has reported this morning. This was 18% higher than in February 2025 and 6% higher than in January 2026.
The individual insolvencies consisted of 768 bankruptcies, 4,210 debt relief orders (DROs) and 6,631 individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs). The number of DROs in February 2026 was a record high in the monthly time series going back to their introduction in 2009, exceeding the previous high of 4,185 in August 2025.
The number of IVAs was higher than both January 2026 and the 2025 monthly average. Bankruptcies were 25% higher than in February 2025, although numbers were affected by the clearing of a backlog following the Insolvency Service moving to a new case management system.
Average 2-year fix has risen from 4.83% at the start of March to 5.28% today. It’s highest since April 2025.
Average 5-year fix has risen from 4.95% at the start of March to 5.32% today. It’s highest since February 2025.
“War in the Middle East has added almost £800 to a typical annual mortgage bill in just two weeks, which will be unwelcome news for anyone currently seeking a fixed rate deal.
“The average two-year fixed rate has jumped from 4.83% at the start of March to 5.28% today – its highest level since April 2025. The average five-year fix has risen from 4.95% to 5.32%, now at its highest since February 2025. For a borrower with a £250,000 mortgage over 25 years, that equates to paying £788 more per year on a two-year fix, or £651 more on a five-year deal compared to just a fortnight ago.
Continue reading...Arizona charges Kalshi, alleging illegal gambling with election bets
Kalshi calls Arizona’s case ‘paper-thin’ and says the platform should not be overseen by ‘inconsistent state laws’
Arizona’s attorney general on Tuesday filed criminal charges against Kalshi, accusing the prediction markets platform of operating an illegal gambling business in the state and unlawfully allowing people to place bets on elections.
The charges filed by Kris Mayes, the Arizona attorney general, marked the first time a state has pursued a criminal case against Kalshi, which has been at the center of an escalating battle over the ability of state gaming regulators to police prediction markets operators.
Continue reading...Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones – NPR
- Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones NPR
- Ukraine plans anti-drone protection for 600 kilometers of front-line roads The Kyiv Independent
- Ukraine Builds 42 km of Anti-Drone Protected Roads in Dnipropetrovsk Region Odessa Journal
- Residents Cut Fiber-Optic Cables of Ukrainian FPV Drones in Kharkov Region Военное дело
- About 600 km of frontline roads in Ukraine will be covered with anti-drone protection - Kuleba ukranews.com
Video: Man rescued from under rubble after attack in Iran
A man was rescued from under the rubble of a destroyed building in Iran following an Israeli strike.
Ex-Belgian diplomat ordered to stand trial over murder of Congo’s Lumumba
Etienne Davignon, 93, is the only one alive among 10 Belgians accused by the Congolese leader's family of complicity.
Israel carrying out ‘mass expulsion of Palestinians’ in West Bank, UN warns
UN rights office says more than 36,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced in a year due to Israeli settler, army violence.
War, inheritance and … a baby? First Dune: Part Three trailer is here
The final instalment in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy brings back Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Florence Pugh and introduces a nasty new villain
Timothée Chalamet may have finally escaped Oscar season, but not movie promotion – the first look at Dune: Part Three is here.
The first trailer released for the final installment in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy sees further war and political upheaval in the galaxy beyond Arrakis – plus a possible future child for Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and Chani, the Fremen warrior played by Zendaya. “If we have a girl, what should be name her?” Chani asks, suggesting the two have reconciled since the end of Part Two.
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