Pentagon announces Randy George retiring from role as US army chief of staff, ‘effective immediately’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxRandy George, the US army’s top officer, is stepping down from his role after defense secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly requested that he retire immediately. The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that George, who had been serving as the army’s 41st chief of staff, is retiring.“General Randy A. George will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately. The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement,” Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement shared on social media. Continue reading...
Senate-passed funding plan for DHS languishes despite agreement between Republican congressional leadersSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US House of Representatives on Thursday took no action on a compromise measure that would end the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), raising questions about how much longer the record-long funding lapse will persist.The department has been without funding since mid-February, after Democrats refused to vote for its appropriations unless Republicans agreed to new guardrails on federal agents involved in immigration enforcement operations. Continue reading...
• US stocks closed Q1 2026 attempting a rebound from the year's deepest downturn, with S&P 500 marking a second straight down month.
• Geopolitics and soaring oil prices dominated sentiment, boosting energy as the sole positive sector while industrials weakened most.
• Spot crude rallied 55.2% in March, the second-largest monthly gain in 40 years, lifting energy stocks significantly.
Measure that would fund homeland security but exclude money for ICE could conclude lengthy funding lapseAn end to the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may be in sight, after Congress’s Republican leaders on Wednesday agreed to advance legislation that would fund the majority of the agency’s operations, with the exception of those involved in immigration enforcement.The pact may conclude the longest such funding lapse in US history, which last month caused security lines to stretch for hours at some airports as employees of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a subagency of DHS, quit their jobs or called out of work after going weeks without pay. Continue reading...
• The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on April 1, 2026, that state bans on conversion therapy for minors violate counselors' First Amendment rights.
• The decision overturns California's pioneering 2012 law and similar measures in over 20 states prohibiting practices aimed at changing sexual orientation.
• Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion, emphasizing licensed professionals' speech protections in private counseling.
Government keen to avoid panic as oil price surges, but perhaps households need advice on reducing consumptionLabour ministers sent out in recent days to respond to the looming energy crisis sparked by the Iran war have essentially stuck to that reassuring wartime slogan: keep calm and carry on.“I think people should go about their lives as normal, knowing that the government is taking action to bring energy bills down,” James Murray, the chief secretary to the Treasury, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday. Continue reading...
• S&P 500 rises 1.12% or 71 points, with SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) up 0.91% or $5.78, on March 31, 2026, amid news President Trump may end the war.
• Dow Jones climbs 1.14% or 512 points, Nasdaq advances 1.09% or 252 points, as futures explode on the development.
• Oil increases 25 cents to $103.13 per barrel, gold jumps $51.39 to $4,579 an ounce, while Bitcoin falls $173 to $66,554.
Tabloid outlet has covered Republicans and Democrats relaxing at places like Disney World as shutdown drags onWhen US federal workers were missing paychecks and the partial government shutdown entered its seventh week, Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina, was doing what any responsible lawmaker would do: riding Space Mountain and carrying a bubble wand at Disney World in Florida.Naturally, TMZ had photos of the vacationing senator on its homepage a few days later. Continue reading...
Union boss says workers have received some, but not all, of their paySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Security lines have eased at airports, clearing the worst of the bottlenecks as Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officers began receiving backpay for working during the government shutdown.Allegations swirl that a broker for Pete Hegseth inquired into an investment in key defense companies before the Iran war began. The Morgan Stanley broker allegedly made an inquiry with BlackRock regarding an investment into a defense-focused equity fund. The Pentagon denied the allegations calling them “entirely false and fabricated”.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill to rename the Palm Beach International Airport after Donald Trump. This would make the airport the latest in a long list of institutions, government programs, buildings and even money named after the president.The US government has directed all of its embassies and consulates to launch coordinated campaigns against foreign propaganda. Marco Rubio signed a cable on Monday directing the embassies to coordinate with the US military’s psychological operations unit to address disinformation. It suggested using Elon Musk’s social media platform X to carry out the campaign.José Guadalupe Ramos, a Mexican national, becomes the 14th known person to die in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since the beginning of the year. He was found unconscious in his bunk last week at the Adelanto detention center in California and pronounced dead after being taken to a nearby medical center.The army is investigating a helicopter fly-by at Kid Rock’s hillside swimming pool in Tennessee on Saturday. Two army choppers on a training run visited and hovered by the rocker’s house as he saluted them. According to the army, there was no official request for the fly-by, which triggered the administrative review. Continue reading...
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite have officially entered correction territory, each falling more than 10% from their recent peaks, signaling sustained market weakness across major indices.
• The S&P 500 declined 25.13 points to close at 6,343.72, down 0.4%, while deepening losses to 9.1% below its record set in early 2026; the Nasdaq composite fell 0.7% to 20,794.64.
• Wall Street has recorded its fifth consecutive week of losses, driven by rising geopolitical tensions from the US-Iran conflict combined with aggressive Trump administration tariff measures heightening market uncertainty.
Price of typical UK home increased by 0.9% in March, but surging mortgage rates amid conflict in Middle East is expected to put break on activityBusiness live – latest updatesUK house prices increased at the fastest rate in almost 18 months in March, although surging mortgage rates amid the Iran war is likely to lead to a slowdown in the market, according to Nationwide.The UK’s biggest building society said the price of a typical UK home increased by 0.9% month-on-month in March, the largest increase since December 2024. Continue reading...
• President Trump is pressing Congress to cut short its two-week recess and return to fund the Department of Homeland Security, now over 40 days into the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history.
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Trump offered to host a big Easter dinner if lawmakers return to fight Democrats on the issue.
• The House passed a bill to fund DHS through May 22, but top Democrats called it 'dead on arrival' in the Senate; Senate partially funded DHS except ICE and border protection last Friday.
• UConn defeated top-seeded Duke 73-72 in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament with Braylon Mullins' desperation 3-pointer at 0.4 seconds left, rallying from a 19-point first-half deficit to advance to the Final Four.
• Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to tie the game at three points down before Mullins' shot; Duke led by three entering the final moments.
• This marks the second straight season Duke suffers a huge collapse in the tournament as the top overall seed, while UConn now boasts a 54-game winning streak heading into the Final Four.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average confirmed correction status on March 28, 2026, falling over 10% from its February 10 record close to 45,166.64.
• Twenty-four of 30 Dow components closed negative on Friday, with Nasdaq down 2.2% to 20,948.36 and S&P 500 off 1.7% to 6,368.85.
• Geopolitical tensions, surging oil, and inflation fears drove the risk-off sentiment, with sectors like Consumer Discretionary down 3.1%.
• The New York Yankees, led by 2025 AL MVP Aaron Judge, face the Seattle Mariners and star catcher Cal Raleigh in a heavyweight American League matchup this week.
• Judge and Raleigh competed for the 2025 MVP award before Judge won his third career MVP, and both players were teammates on Team USA in the World Baseball Classic that saw the U.S. lose to Venezuela in the finals.
• Judge has started strong in 2026, homering in each of his last two games as the Yankees seek to establish early division dominance.
Trump has ordered pay be restored to TSA employees but it is unclear where money will come from and whether he has such legal powersHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Airports continue to warn passengers to arrive several hours early due to unpredictable Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wait times, as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) became the longest shutdown in US history.A generational divide over the Iran war has emerged between older attendees and their political heirs at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas, as the group’s leaders pleaded for unity ahead of a challenging midterm election year for Republicans. More here.Iran has warned the US that it is prepared to confront any ground assault, accusing Washington of secretly planning a land attack while publicly seeking talks, as the war that has killed thousands of people and caused the biggest ever disruption to global energy supplies entered its second month. More here.US lawmakers have responded to reports that the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran as thousands of US troops assemble in the Middle East and the conflict showed signs of entering a more dangerous phase. More here.The abortion rate is holding steady in the US despite total and partial bans in some states – largely because of travel across state lines and a significant increase in telehealth appointments, a new report says. More here.Pope Leo has said God ignores the prayers of leaders who wage war and have “hands full of blood”, in an apparent rebuke to the Trump administration. The pontiff made the comments on Sunday as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East.More than 8 million people protested against the Trump administration at more than 3,300 No Kings events across the US and in more than a dozen countries on Saturday, according to organizers. Continue reading...
• The S&P 500 has declined more than 7% year-to-date as the first quarter of 2026 approaches its close with two trading days remaining.
• Market challenges have intensified due to economic uncertainty and global events impacting investor sentiment.
• This downturn underscores broader concerns over growth prospects and potential shifts in Federal Reserve policy.
If the now-six-week partial shutdown continues after the weekend, it will become the longest of any shutdownThe shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the fourth largest agency in the US government, became the longest partial shutdown in US history on Sunday.If the now-six-week partial shutdown continues after the weekend, it will also become the longest of any shutdown, surpassing the impasse late last year that dragged on for 43 days. Continue reading...
• The House passed legislation on Friday to fund the Department of Homeland Security for 60 days at current levels through May 22, extending funding for all agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
• The measure cleared the House 213–203, with three Democrats voting alongside Republicans, automatically passing once the rule was adopted without a separate floor vote.
• Senate Democrats rejected the House GOP proposal as "dead on arrival," having already passed their own bipartisan bill that excluded ICE and parts of Customs and Border Protection funding.
• The Senate voted early Friday morning to approve a Department of Homeland Security funding bill that excludes funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and portions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ending weeks of stalled negotiations.
• Republicans indicated they plan to fund immigration enforcement agencies through a separate reconciliation bill in fiscal 2027, bypassing the normal appropriations process and relying solely on GOP votes.
• The Senate-passed measure faces significant obstacles in the House, where hardline conservatives have already signaled opposition, threatening to extend the DHS shutdown beyond its current five-week duration.
• President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA agents after House Republicans blocked the Senate's funding plan for the agency.
• The partial government shutdown has caused widespread disruptions at airports across the country, with long security lines and traveler frustrations continuing nationwide.
• The executive action represents an attempt to maintain airport security operations while funding negotiations continue between Congress and the White House.
• One month into the U.S. war with Iran started February 28, President Trump lists five objectives for the air campaign, up from initial three by Pentagon and four by staff, as he signals potential wind-down despite some unfulfilled aims.
• Press secretary Karoline Leavitt states Operation Epic Fury is 'ahead of schedule,' with Trump claiming Thursday the Iranian regime is 'largely decimated' amid talks to reopen Strait of Hormuz.
• Israeli strikes hit Iranian heavy water and yellowcake plants Friday, confirmed by Israel; conflict strains global economy, alliances, and raises questions on planning and aftermath.
• U.S. stocks deepened losses on Friday, with the S&P 500 falling 1.7% or 108.31 points to close at 6,368.85, marking its fifth straight losing week—the longest streak in nearly four years.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 793.47 points or 1.7% to 45,166.64, now more than 10% below its recent record, while the Nasdaq composite sank 459.72 points or 2.1% to 20,948.36.
• Big Tech weighed heavily on the market, including drops of 3.1% for Amazon and 3.5% for Meta Platforms, amid ongoing volatility from geopolitical tensions.
Flash flooding threatens the wheatbelt region and Perth, as weather system expected to continue south-east from Geraldton on SaturdayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEx-Tropical Cyclone Narelle was downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday morning after making landfall in Western Australia on Friday.Storm-ravaged communities were warned not to let their guard down, however, as residents along the state’s coastline prepared to assess the trail of damage along the Pilbara and North West Cape. Continue reading...
At least 77 people killed in anti-corruption youth uprising in September, which began over a brief social media banNepal’s former prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, was taken into custody on Saturday as police investigate whether he was negligent in failing to prevent dozens of deaths during Gen Z protests last September.This week, a Nepali panel which investigated violence during the anti-corruption protests recommended that Oli, 74, be prosecuted for failing to prevent the crackdown on the protests. Continue reading...
Actor outside Kennedy Center urges Americans to ‘stand tall against authoritarianism’ and resist free-speech threatsThe actor Jane Fonda joined journalists, musicians and writers outside Washington’s John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in urging US citizens to “break your silence” and “stand tall against authoritarianism”.At a damp but defiant rally hosted by Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment on Friday, around a hundred invited guests gathered to hear speakers and singers rail against book bans, political censorship and other threats to free speech under Donald Trump. Continue reading...
• The U.S. Senate approved a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA operations, but excluding ICE and parts of Customs and Border Protection.
• The measure addresses impacts from the partial government shutdown, where over 480 TSA officers quit and absences hit 40% at some airports.
• President Trump announced plans to sign an executive order for immediate TSA agent payments, separate from the Senate bill.
Party announces Corey Edwards’ decision to quit Senedd election campaign on grounds of mental healthA Reform UK candidate for the Welsh Senedd elections in May has announced he is standing down because of his mental health, after a photograph emerged of him apparently making a Nazi salute as an imitation of Adolf Hitler.The announcement by Reform comes a day after Nigel Farage defended Corey Edwards, its lead candidate for the Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg constituency, saying he might have instead been impersonating the John Cleese character Basil Fawlty. Continue reading...
• Senate passed a funding package by voice vote on March 27, 2026, covering most DHS operations except ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations, paving way to end partial shutdown before two-week recess.
• Package includes $20 million for body cameras on immigration agents, drawing from January negotiations, while Republicans eyed reconciliation for more immigration funding.
• Deal averts further disruptions amid Trump's unilateral TSA worker payments, with House potentially voting Friday; impacts $140 billion prior windfall for ICE and CBP.
• Major US indices declined Thursday amid caution over Trump's Iran pause and U.S.-Iran talks: Nasdaq fell 2.4% to 21,408.08, S&P 500 lost 1.7% or 114.74 points to 6,477.16, Dow dropped 1% or 469.38 points to 45,960.11.
• Eight of 11 S&P sectors ended negative, led by Communication Services (XLC) -3.5%, Tech (XLK) -2.7%, Industrials (XLI) -2.3%; Energy (XLE) gained 1.6%.
• NVIDIA (NVDA) led Dow losers down 4.2% despite Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy); trading volume at 16.50 billion shares below 20-session average of 20.54 billion.