Could Trump’s Iran ‘excursion’ be a bigger global turning point than Vietnam?

• The House of Commons Library has published a comprehensive timeline documenting the major events of the Russia-Ukraine conflict from the February 2022 invasion to the present. • The report tracks key military developments, diplomatic efforts, and geopolitical shifts resulting from Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

• Defense experts are warning that future military conflicts will be decided by the speed at which targeting data is generated to deliver long-range effects. • This shift emphasizes a move toward rapid, automated targeting cycles to maintain a competitive edge in high-intensity warfare.

• Following US-Israel strikes and subsequent Iranian counter-strikes, a broader conflict has escalated involving Israel and Hezbollah. • On 28 February 2026, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany condemning Iran's military actions.

• U.S. Navy Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs) are deploying to the Red Sea to project Marine power and secure critical international trade routes. • These forces utilize specialized amphibious connectors, such as Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft and Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels, to move personnel and equipment from ship to shore.

Scottish family on low income receives £15,000 more a year than identical household in EnglandThe emergence of “welfare nationalism” in the UK has created striking differences in benefit entitlement that result in a Scottish family on a low income receiving £15,000 a year more in state support than an identical household over the border in England.A typical out of work couple with four children would have received £22,000 a year benefit income in York, compared with £32,000 in Belfast and £37,000 in Glasgow, according to new research on the impact of devolved welfare approaches Continue reading...

From watching their team win to watching their mayor in the nosebleeds, residents are feeling hopefulNew York City, hardly a city deprived of energy, is having a moment. In the past two weeks, the bars have been even more packed than usual. Several nights a week, usually at around 11pm, there has been a seemingly synchronized honking of horns.Walking around the city, it doesn’t take long to find out why. People wearing New York Knicks jerseys are high-fiving each other, and Knicks flags fly from cars, windows and bodegas, as people celebrate the team reaching the NBA finals – and having the chance to overcome five decades of (mostly) failure. Continue reading...

Tragedy in Washington and near-miss in California cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosionsFor several tense days last week, tens of thousands of southern California residents were left wondering whether a 7,000-gallon chemical storage tank would either explode or spill out into the streets.The episode cast in sharp relief the risk of chemical spills and explosions that lurk behind every corner of modern life. The methyl methacrylate that recently left the city of Garden Grove teetering on the edge of disaster is just one of many toxic chemicals commonly found in American cities. Continue reading...

Experts hail daraxonrasib as ‘gamechanger’ for patients with advanced pancreatic cancerA daily pill can double survival time in patients with the world’s deadliest cancer, according to the results of a clinical trial that experts are saying is a “gamechanger” and one of the biggest breakthroughs in decades.Currently, there are few treatments for pancreatic cancer, and most do little or nothing to help. For decades, scientists have worked relentlessly trying to find clever solutions for a form of cancer that is often found late. More than half of patients are only diagnosed after it has spread. Continue reading...

Survey finds consumers cannot reliably access 4G or 5G, highlighting weaknesses in digital infrastructure More than four in 10 consumers struggle to access 4G or 5G on their mobile devices for at least half the time they are on the move, according to a survey that highlights the poor state of the UK’s digital infrastructure.The poll of more than 2,000 people who use digital devices found that 45% feel frustrated with mobile connectivity outside the home at least once a week. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, that figure rises to 57%. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Experts say homelessness is primary driver of crisis that led to 77 ‘avoidable’ deaths in 2025Falling through the cracks: ex-prisoners who died within two weeks of releaseThe number of people who die within two weeks of being released from prison in England and Wales has reached a record high, a Guardian investigation has found.Seventy-seven people died within 14 days of being released from prison in 2025, 28% higher than the 60 deaths recorded the previous year and the highest since records began in 2021. Continue reading...

A difficult job market and rising costs are making it harder for young adults to enter adulthoodYoung people are already facing the worst entry-level job market since the start of the pandemic and significant economic instability.But overall economic conditions are making it more challenging for those just entering adulthood. More than eight in 10 young adults rate the economy as “bad” or “terrible”, according to a recent survey conducted with more than 1,000 18- to 34-year-olds around the US by Generation Lab, a research firm studying young people. While young adulthood is known as a time for establishing independence and responsibility, many are attempting to do so amid cuts to social safety net programs and the ever-increasing costs of basic needs like gas and groceries. Continue reading...