US House speaker gives Trump so-called ‘America First’ award amid global chaos

• White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on March 25, 2026, that President Trump will hit Iran harder if Tehran does not accept military defeat. • The US is closely tracking efforts to secure oil tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian threats. • This escalation threat underscores Trump's strategy to force Iran into capitulation, potentially prolonging the conflict without regime change.

• Iranian strikes on US bases in the Middle East prompted thousands of American troops to relocate to hotels and office spaces throughout the region on March 26, 2026. • The attacks represent an existential threat to Gulf states, which urged the UN to intervene amid escalating regional tensions. • This displacement highlights vulnerabilities in US forward bases, forcing operational shifts and increased reliance on civilian infrastructure during ongoing conflict.

Research suggested resurgence in Christianity, especially among young people, but some respondents found to be ‘fraudulent’A YouGov survey showing a significant rise in church attendance in parts of the UK has been withdrawn after some respondents were found to be fraudulent.The poll was central to a Quiet Revival report, published by the Bible Society last year, which prompted news stories about an apparent resurgence in Christianity, particularly among young people. Continue reading...

Government not on course to meet its three objectives, including to shift power from Whitehall to local areas, says IFGKeir Starmer’s drive to reform public services is failing to live up to its aims of shifting power from Whitehall to local areas, a report from the Institute for Government has found.Last summer, the government set out its three guiding principles for reform aimed at making public services such as the NHS, court system and children’s social care easier to access and better at helping people. Continue reading...

Gavin Newsom set to sign bill to rename 31 March holiday following sexual abuse allegations against labour leaderCalifornia lawmakers have voted to rename Cesar Chavez Day as Farmworkers Day in an effort to reconcile the Latino labor leader’s legacy with explosive sexual abuse allegations before the state holiday on 31 March.Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is expected to quickly sign the bill. Continue reading...

Investigative reporter Szabolcs Panyi covered story alleging foreign minister had passed information to Sergei LavrovThe Hungarian government has filed charges against one of the country’s most prominent investigative journalists, accusing him of spying for Ukraine, as officials grapple with the fallout of allegations that Budapest shared confidential EU information with Moscow.The claims of espionage cap off a tumultuous week in Hungarian politics, in which relations with the EU plummeted to new lows and polls suggested that Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party is still lagging behind in support before next month’s election. Continue reading...

About 38% of children in London live in relative poverty, compared with 29% in England as a wholeLondon has England’s highest levels of child poverty and most extreme concentrations of hardship, data has revealed. In two boroughs more than half of children live below the breadline.In Britain, child poverty rates flatlined in 2024-25 compared with the previous year. About 4 million youngsters (27%) live in households earning less than 60% of the national median income after housing costs are taken into account. Continue reading...

The decision follows activist pressure as Palantir faces growing scrutiny over NHS and UK government dealsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxNew York City’s public hospital system announced that it would not be renewing its contract with Palantir as controversy mounts in the UK over the data analytics and AI firm’s government contract.The president of the US’ largest municipal public health care system, Dr Mitchell Katz, testified last week before the New York City Council that the agreement with Palantir would expire in October. Continue reading...

Scotland Yard investigating off-duty officer’s apparent involvement in altercation with journalists covering arson attack in Golders GreenA volunteer police officer is being investigated over claims he sought to intimidate Al Jazeera journalists who were covering a suspected antisemitic hate crime in north-west London on Monday, Scotland Yard has said.David Soffer, who was off-duty at the time of his alleged involvement, has been referred to the Met’s department of professional standards over his apparent involvement in the altercation between Golders Green residents and the journalists. Continue reading...

Paul Quinn said he could not explain searches on his phone, including for Andrew Malkinson, wrongly convicted for the crimeA man accused of a 2003 rape that saw an innocent person jailed for 17 years has told a jury he does not know how his DNA got on the victim’s clothes.Paul Quinn, 51, also said he could not explain searches made on his phone for “wrongly convicted cases” and “Andrew Malkinson”, whose rape conviction was quashed in 2023. Continue reading...

Starmer tells MPs he will not react to US president’s repeated insults amid Iran warMiddle East crisis – live updatesUK politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump has dismissed British warships as “toys” in his latest jibe at Nato countries for their lack of involvement in the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Speaking at the White House on Thursday, he claimed he had told the UK: “Don’t bother, we don’t need it.”Trump has previously alleged that he requested two aircraft carriers from the UK that Keir Starmer had initially rejected and then offered to send. Number 10 has denied that a request was made or denied. Continue reading...