US president’s 19-minute Wednesday address at the White House was met with bewilderment from commentatorsDonald Trump’s primetime nationwide address on the war with Iran caused widespread bewilderment, with commentators voicing shock at his vow to continue bombing to “bring them back to the stone ages”.Speculation before Wednesday’s speech from the White House Blue Room suggested that the president might be about to signal a winding up of the US military effort, which began on 28 February. Continue reading...
• Brazil and Paraguay finalized a bilateral agreement on Thursday to jointly develop and operate expanded hydroelectric capacity along the Paraná River, addressing critical energy shortages affecting both nations and the broader South American grid.
• The $8.7 billion infrastructure project aims to increase regional electricity output by 28% within five years and includes provisions for technology transfer and workforce development across both countries.
• The agreement emerged from emergency regional meetings convened by the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) following cascading power grid failures that left 85 million people without electricity across South America in early March.
Democrats criticize speech as doing little to answer ‘the most basic questions’ of the American people. Plus, how rap lyrics were used to help sentence a man to deathGood morning.Donald Trump declared the month-long US-Israeli war against Iran a success “nearing completion” in his prime time address to the nation on Wednesday evening – despite the conflict wreaking global economic chaos, damaging transatlantic alliances and hitting his approval ratings.What is the significance of Trump’s comments on HEU? The apparent decision to leave it appears to conflict with his assertions that a key war aim was to ensure Iran could never make a nuclear bomb.Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.What has Houston said about the rocket’s deployment? Flight controllers confirmed that all four solar arrays, which will provide the spacecraft with continuous electrical power throughout its lunar journey, were deployed successfully. Continue reading...
President is expected to offer a timeline for end of the war, and speak about his threat to withdraw the US from Nato as he faces falling poll numbers and global energy crisisTrump says he is ‘absolutely’ considering withdrawing US from Nato Israel hits Iran with waves of attacks and says it killed top Hezbollah commanderWelcome to our continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, as Donald Trump prepares to address America for the first time since the US-Israel war on Iran was launched.The president will deliver the prime-time speech at 9pm ET from the White House.Iran has rejected Donald Trump’s claim that its leadership asked for a ceasefire, calling the US president’s statement “false” and “baseless”. Trump made the claim in a post on Truth Social, which said: “Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE! We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!”Trump also said he is “absolutely” considering withdrawing the US from Nato, warning that the matter was “beyond reconsideration” after the refusal of US allies to join the US-Israeli war against Iran. The president’s threats, his most determined to date, have left the alliance facing its worst crisis in its 77-year history, a former US ambassador has said. Here’s our story.Meanwhile, in an open letter to the American people, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian said relations between Washington and Tehran were “misunderstood” and that Iran was not an aggressor. The Iranian “harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighbouring countries,” he said, adding that portrayals of Iran as a security threat were inaccurate, and Tehran was acting in self-defence – not aggression.In Tehran, Kamal Kharazi, a top foreign policy official and former Iranian foreign minister, has been severely injured in an airstrike on his home in the Iranian capital. His wife was reportedly killed in the attack. Kharazi, considered a moderate politician and veteran policy expert, also served as an adviser to the assassinated former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports suggest his targeting is being viewed as an attempt to derail diplomacy. Continue reading...
Prime minister urges Australians to consider using public transport and conserve fuel for ‘critical industry’ and othersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralian prime minister Anthony Albanese has used a rare address to the nation to attempt to allay public fears over dwindling fuel supplies, vowing to keep petrol prices down by shoring up international supplies and ramping up local production.But the opposition has been scathing of the address, describing it as “nothing but hot air” and urging more clarity over the fuel crisis. Continue reading...
Prime minister says months ahead ‘may not be easy’ and urges Australians to ‘think of others in your community, in the bush and in critical industries’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMy fellow Australians.By nature, we’re an optimistic country. But I understand that right now it’s hard to be positive. Continue reading...
• Senators introduced the Fiscal Commission Act mirroring House version to create commission recommending fiscal health policies.
• Commission aims to tackle rising U.S. debt through targeted policy proposals amid ongoing budget concerns.
• Bill provides structured approach for bipartisan fiscal reforms without specifying exact recommendations upfront.
• International medical graduates play a vital role in addressing the U.S. physician shortage projected at 86,000 by 2036, particularly for Medicare patients and underserved communities.
• The American Medical Association's March 27, 2026 National Advocacy Update calls on representatives to co-sponsor H.R. legislation to support these essential workers.
• This effort aims to ensure adequate healthcare workforce amid growing demands from aging populations and expanded coverage.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is appearing on major U.S. news programs to articulate Iran's position as the conflict enters its third week with no immediate end in sight.
• The Iranian government continues to emphasize its blockade strategy and threats against maritime commerce, signaling determination to sustain pressure despite U.S. military strikes.
• International diplomatic channels remain active, with discussions ongoing about potential paths to de-escalation and conflict resolution involving multiple stakeholders.
• The U.S. Senate passed a broad bipartisan housing bill on Thursday designed to make U.S. housing more accessible and affordable, marking a rare bipartisan legislative effort to address the nation's growing housing shortage.
• The bill represents a significant policy shift aimed at tackling housing affordability challenges facing American families across multiple income levels.
• Congressional support for housing reform reflects bipartisan recognition of the critical need to expand housing supply and reduce barriers to homeownership and rental access.
