Tropical Cyclone Narelle poised to hit far north Queensland as ‘high-end’ category four storm

• The FBI and IRS are initiating a joint investigation into nonprofits over possible ties to domestic terrorism, targeting groups promoting extreme views on immigration, gender ideology, and anti-American sentiment. • The probe follows a memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi last year ordering lists of such organizations. • This initiative raises concerns about free speech and government overreach amid heightened security focus.

• Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee, claiming last year's strikes obliterated Iran's nuclear program with no rebuild efforts. • Republican senators blocked a war powers resolution to limit President Trump's Iran attacks, amid questions on an imminent nuclear threat. • Gabbard dodged direct queries during the hearing, drawing criticism from Sen. Jon Ossoff on threat assessments.

• The U.S. Federal Reserve decided to hold interest rates steady on March 19, 2026, in its first move since oil prices spiked due to the Iran war. • Officials cite inflationary pressures from energy disruptions but project stability if conflict de-escalates. • The decision impacts American consumers facing higher gas prices, influencing mortgage and loan rates nationwide.

• A New York Times investigation on March 19, 2026, alleges civil rights icon Cesar Chavez groomed and sexually abused teenage girls in the farmworkers movement. • Sources detail multiple accounts of abuse during the 1970s, challenging Chavez's legacy as a labor hero. • The revelations prompt reevaluation of U.S. civil rights history and calls for institutional accountability.

• A University of Alabama student disappeared in Spain while on spring break, with foul play fears growing as of March 19, 2026. • U.S. authorities and Spanish police are searching for the student, last seen in a popular tourist area, amid reports of potential abduction risks. • The case underscores vulnerabilities for American travelers abroad during global tensions, drawing State Department involvement.

• Thousands of TSA agents called out sick on March 19, 2026, protesting ongoing delays in wage payments despite federal funding. • The mass absenteeism disrupts airport security nationwide, coinciding with surging travel demands and war-related alerts. • Labor issues risk compromising U.S. aviation safety at a critical time, prompting emergency federal intervention calls.

• FBI sources report analyzing an apparent improvised explosive device (IED) left outside the visitor center at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, amid heightened security concerns linked to the Iran war. • The device was discovered on March 19, 2026, prompting a federal investigation by the FBI's National Counterterrorism Center, though no group has claimed responsibility. • This incident heightens fears of domestic terror threats tied to escalating Middle East conflicts, potentially straining U.S. military installations.

If prosecuted, case against 31-year-old would be one of first in Georgia since it passed 2019 law banning most abortionsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA 31-year-old Georgia woman has been charged with murder by police who say she took pills to induce an illegal abortion.If state prosecutors decide to move forward with the murder charge brought by local police against Alexia Moore, her case would be one of the first instances of a woman being charged for terminating a pregnancy in Georgia since it passed a 2019 law banning most abortions. Continue reading...

Federal law says living presidents can’t appear on currency, but commission approves design for US’s 250th birthdayA federal arts commission on Thursday approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing Donald Trump’s image to help celebrate the US’s 250th birthday on 4 July.The vote by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members are supporters of the Republican president and were appointed by him earlier this year, was without objection. It clears the way for the US Mint to begin production on the coin, whose size and denomination are still under discussion. Continue reading...

Akrotiri and Dhekelia bases have become targets for Iran after outbreak of Middle East crisisEU leaders have pledged to stand behind Cyprus as it seeks “an open and frank discussion” on the future of the British bases on the island, which have become a target after the outbreak of the latest Middle East crisis.Ahead of an EU summit on Thursday, Cyprus’s president, Nikos Christodoulides, said he wanted “an open and frank discussion with the British government” regarding the status and future of the British bases on the island. Continue reading...

NT coroner ends inquest into Murdoch’s death, which heard the outback killer refused to reveal where he hid Falconio’s body right up until his deathFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNotorious outback killer Bradley John Murdoch yelled at police to “get out” as he lay dying in hospital, refusing to the last to reveal where he hid a backpacker he shot dead on a remote highway.The Northern Territory coroner Elisabeth Armitage on Thursday wrapped up an inquest into the 66-year-old’s death from throat cancer on 16 July 2025 at the palliative care unit of Alice Springs hospital. Continue reading...

James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey was at nightclub in Spanish city when he separated from friends at about 3am on TuesdayThe body of James “Jimmy” Gracey, a 20-year-old college student from Illinois, was found Thursday in the water off a Barcelona beach, police in Spain said.Gracey’s body was found by police divers and positively identified, the press office for Catalonia’s regional police in Barcelona told the Associated Press. Continue reading...