Madagascar’s military ruler decrees that ministers must pass lie detector tests

• An Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet was hit by enemy fire during a combat mission over Iran, with sources confirming the pilot is now in stable condition after ejection. • The incident highlights risks to advanced US aircraft as the US-Israeli air campaign enters its third week, targeting Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure. • Israeli PM Netanyahu claimed on March 19 that Iran has lost all uranium enrichment and ballistic missile production capacity due to sustained strikes.

• President Trump met Japan's prime minister on March 20, fielding questions from Japanese media on why allies were not warned before US strikes on Iran. • Meeting occurs as US redirects focus to Middle East, potentially weakening joint priorities with Japan on trade and security issues. • Discussions highlight differing US-Israel goals in the conflict, with Trump denying plans to deploy ground troops.

• An Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet believed to have been struck by enemy fire during a combat mission over Iran has been reported, with sources telling ABC News of the incident. • The pilot is in stable condition following the engagement, demonstrating the continued operational challenges faced by US forces in the Iran conflict zone. • The incident underscores the active air defense capabilities remaining available to Iranian forces despite claims of significant degradation through the sustained US-Israeli bombing campaign.

• The Pentagon is requesting more than $200 billion in additional funding from Congress to sustain the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which has been ongoing for approximately three weeks with thousands of strikes. • The funding request aims to urgently increase production of weapons that have been heavily expended during the intensive air campaign, according to the Washington Post. • Lawmakers from both parties are demanding detailed justification before approving the massive expenditure, with some questioning why the administration is requesting such funds if the conflict is expected to end soon.

Animal Aid says reclassification of research facilities as key infrastructure could catch even most peaceful actionA charity has filed a legal challenge over a “chilling” change in the law that restricts protest outside animal testing facilities in England and Wales by reclassifying them as “key national infrastructure”.Animal Aid says last month’s amendment to the Public Order Act could capture even the most peaceful, non‑disruptive advocacy. It claims the change is unlawful because it goes beyond parliament’s intention at the time the act was passed. Continue reading...

Mette-Marit says she ‘did not know he was a sex offender’, despite Googling him three years after his prison sentenceNorway’s crown princess, Mette-Marit, has said she was “manipulated and deceived” by Jeffrey Epstein as she spoke publicly for the first time about her years-long relationship with the late sex offender.She also claimed that she “did not know he was a sex offender or an abuser” – despite telling him in an email in 2011, three years after he had been sentenced to 18 months in prison and pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from girls as young as 14, that she had recently Googled him. Continue reading...

Spread appears to have slowed, with just two new cases reported in past day bringing total to 29The Kent meningitis outbreak may have reached its peak, after only two new cases were reported by officials on Friday.The UK Health and Security Agency said that as of 12.30pm on Thursday, there were 18 confirmed and 11 probable cases of meningitis linked to the Kent outbreak, taking the total number of people with the disease to 29. Of the confirmed cases, 13 were meningitis B. Continue reading...

Jonathan Horn scooped best sports feature prize for a series on AFL, while Chris Hopkins won for pictures of a cancer sufferer caring for her son Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSports writer Jonathan Horn and photographer Chris Hopkins have won Melbourne Press Club awards for their work for Guardian Australia.Guardian Australia was recognised with eight nominations in a range of categories in the 31st annual Quill awards, which were presented in Melbourne on Friday night. Continue reading...

Three people were suing ex-Sinn Féin leader for liability over IRA bombings in UK which left them injuredThree men who sued the former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams over three Irish Republican Army bombings in Britain have withdrawn their lawsuit, their lawyers told the high court in London.Adams, who became the president of Sinn Féin in 1983 when it was the IRA’s political wing, was for many years the best-known face of the movement seeking to end British rule in Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Fusion of cherished American eateries hopes to revive brands that have ‘gone hungry’ while rest of industry feastsNo one could say the New York union of Applebee’s and Ihop happened without fanfare.A car park in Hawthorne, 30 miles north of Manhattan, had been decked out with a 30ft-high inflatable red apple. Red, white and blue bunting flew from masts. Upbeat music blasted from speakers. Continue reading...

The right to protest is ‘fundamentally American’, says Bajun Mavalwalla who awaits trial and faces six years in prisonThis story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer CenterA US military veteran arrested on federal conspiracy charges after participating in a June 2025 protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told the Guardian he refuses to plead guilty and is ready to face justice. Continue reading...

What causes meningitis, what the public health response has been and how the situation differs from Covid The deadly outbreak of meningitis in Kent has fuelled concerns about how far the disease will spread and seen the return of people wearing masks and queueing for vaccines. The scenes are reminiscent of the Covid crisis, but meningitis is very different. Here we look at how the outbreak unfolded. Continue reading...