Unprecedented changes to routine US immunization recommendations ‘arbitrary and capricious’, court saysSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe appointment of a controversial slate of vaccine advisers by Robert F Kennedy Jr likely violated federal law, and all votes taken by the committee over the past year have been stayed, a federal judge ruled on Monday.The advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP) is not able to meet later this week, since its membership has been invalidated, the judge said. Continue reading...
Bovino was demoted in January as head of controversial and deadly immigration crackdown in MinneapolisSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxGregory Bovino of the US border patrol, who was demoted in late January as the public face of the controversial and deadly immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, says he is retiring at the end of March.Bovino announced his retirement in an interview with Breitbart on Monday, weeks after federal immigration agents fatally shot 37-year-old US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good to death in separate cases in January. Continue reading...
PM refuses to be drawn into wider conflict as Germany and Italy defy Trump’s call to help reopen strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis – live updatesKeir Starmer insisted on Monday that the UK would not be drawn into the wider war in the Middle East as European leaders ruled out sending warships to the strait of Hormuz.In his clearest signal yet of the UK’s divergence from Donald Trump’s attack on Iran, the prime minister said he would stand firm in the face of US pressure despite the decision being “difficult, there’s no hiding that”. Continue reading...
• Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and Hailey Bieber were among the Hollywood stars attending the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty on March 15, 2026, following the 98th Academy Awards ceremony.
• The post-Oscars celebration featured stunning gowns, iconic fashion moments, and celebrity glamour as attendees continued the evening's festivities in Los Angeles.
• The afterparty drew major celebrity attendees including award winners like Michael B. Jordan, who showcased his Best Actor Oscar in a brown suit at the event.
Bibby Boys photo exhibition documents experiences of the men who lived on the former asylum seeker vessel in Dorset and the local community that rallied around them The Bibby Stockholm barge, which was moored off Portland, Dorset, to accommodate asylum seekers, attracted many negative headlines – from evacuation after the discovery of legionella bacteria, to the suicide of Albanian asylum seeker Leonard Farruku and angry far-right protests.But an exhibition launching this week reveals a less reported side of life on the barge, where enduring connections between asylum seekers and members of the local community were forged and continue long after the last group of asylum seekers left the vessel in November 2024. Continue reading...
US based Covid vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant people on ideology instead of evidence, critics saySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThere was scant data behind ending the Covid vaccine recommendation for pregnant people and children, according to internal memos made public because of a lawsuit against the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).The memos overlooked hundreds of studies on the benefits and safety of Covid vaccination and set the precedent for making changes to vaccine recommendations based on ideology instead of evidence, critics say. Continue reading...
Milan-based bank plans to up its near-30% stake in German lender to trigger formal talks despite strong opposition from BerlinTwo European banking powerhouses have become embroiled in a €35bn (£30bn) takeover battle after Italy’s UniCredit stepped up its long-running pursuit of German lender Commerzbank, despite strong opposition from the German government.UniCredit first took a stake of 9% in Commerzbank in September 2024 and has since built up its holding to just under 30%. It said on Monday it was pushing to increase that holding further and push the rival lender into formal merger talks. Continue reading...
Latest effort involves paying off fines worth hundreds of millions of pounds as part of bid to stave off financial collapseBusiness live – latest updatesThames Water’s lenders have put forward a £10bn rescue plan that would involve paying off the troubled water company’s hundreds of millions of pounds-worth of fines for leaks and pollution, as part of an effort to stave off financial collapse.A group of private equity firms and investment groups said they would inject about £3.35bn of cash into Thames Water and raise £6.65bn in debt, in exchange for the company not falling into a government-handled administration, effectively a temporary nationalisation. Continue reading...
Trump warns Nato faces ‘very bad’ future if US allies fail to assist in opening the vital oil route; Israel says thousands of targets in Iran remain – follow it liveHow have you been affected by the latest Middle East events?Donald Trump is said to be working to build a coalition of countries that will attempt to reopen the strait of Hormuz.The US president hopes to unveil the list later this week, Axios reported, citing four unnamed sources.Donald Trump has warned that Nato faces a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist in opening up the strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times has reported. He also said on Sunday that he has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the strait of Hormuz open, but his appeals have brought no commitments as oil prices soar during the Iran war. The president declined to name the countries heavily reliant on Middle East crude that the administration is negotiating with to join a coalition to police the waterway where about one-fifth the world’s traded oil normally flows. Australia and Japan have declined to send their navies to the strait.Flights were temporarily suspended at Dubai’s airport, previously one of the world’s busiest, after a “drone-related incident” sparked a fire nearby, city authorities said on Monday. The incident impacted a fuel tank, the Gulf financial hub’s media office said, later adding authorities had extinguished the blaze that broke out. The office said no injuries had been reported.Israel said that its military remains focused on thousands of potential targets within Iran, even as Tehran issued a stern warning to neighbouring nations against further involvement in the rapidly expanding regional war.Oil prices have climbed again amid mounting supply fears after the US struck Iran’s vital Kharg Island oil hub and Trump demanded allies help reopen the strait of Hormuz. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 1.8% to $104.98 per barrel during early trading on Monday. Another weekend of violence across the Middle East compounded concerns over the conflict, and its ramifications for global energy markets.British prime minister Keir Starmer discussed the need to reopen the strait of Hormuz to end disruption to global shipping with Trump, a Downing Street spokeswoman said on Sunday. Starmer also spoke with Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, with the leaders discussing the impact of the strait’s continued closure on international shipping, the spokeswoman told Reuters.Italy’s military said there had been a drone attack on the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait hosting Italian and US forces, but said all its personnel were safe. “This morning, Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait was the target of a drone attack that hit a shelter housing a remotely piloted aircraft of the Italian Task Force Air (TFA), which was destroyed,” the chief of the defence general staff, Luciano Portolano, said in a statement.UN peacekeepers said they were fired upon “likely by non-state armed groups” in south Lebanon on Sunday, while a Hamas source said an Israeli strike killed an official from the Palestinian militant group.A rocket attack on Baghdad international airport in Iraq, which houses a US diplomatic facility, wounded five people, Iraqi authorities said. The Iraqi government’s security media cell said “five rockets targeted Baghdad International Airport and its surrounding area, injuring four airport employees and security personnel, and an engineer”.US energy secretary Chris Wright said that there was “a very good chance” gas prices could drop below $3 a gallon by summer, though that is contingent on the Iran conflict’s end. Wright told NBC’s Meet the Press that while US drivers “are feeling it right now” at the pump and “will feel it for a few more weeks”, once the Iran war is over “we’ll go to a world more abundant” and “more affordable” in energy.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a brief video to mock viral social media rumours suggesting he had been killed. Taking a sip from a steaming cup at a cafe near Jerusalem, he jokingly posted to his official X account, “I’m dead for coffee,” utilizing a Hebrew slang term that equates being “dead” for something with loving it.The World Health Organisation said on Sunday it had released $2 m from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to support the health response in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria amid the Middle East crisis. Continue reading...
• Arizona enters the tournament as a major contender, having recorded wins over powerhouse programs Florida, UConn, Alabama, Houston, and Kansas during the regular season.
• The Wildcats are pursuing the West Coast's first national championship since 1997, leveraging their dominant schedule and tournament experience.
• Arizona's offensive firepower and tournament pedigree position them among the favorites to compete for the national title.
Much-loved actor, who died in October aged 79, remembered an emotional segment at the 98th Academy AwardsOscars 2026 – follow the action live!The winners: the full list – updating liveThe 98th Oscars in Los Angeles have paid tribute to one of Hollywood’s best-loved and most singular stars, Diane Keaton, who died in October 2025, aged 79.Rachel McAdams took to the stage to pay tribute to a woman who “wore so many hats, literally and figuratively”, calling her “a legend with no end”. Continue reading...
• The S&P 500 fell 1.6% last week to 6,632.19, now down 5% from its January 27 high of 6,978.60 and 3.1% year-to-date, hit by broad selling across indices including Dow -2% and Nasdaq -1.3%.
• Geopolitical tensions from US-Iran escalation drove oil higher, with markets pricing in prolonged uncertainty as the conflict enters its third week.
• Core PCE price index rose 0.36% month-over-month, with annualized three-month trend at 3.7%, signaling persistent inflation pressuring Fed rate cut expectations.
• IDC forecasts global security spending will hit $308 billion in 2026, up from prior years, with the U.S. leading at $150 billion fueled by financial services, healthcare, and government sectors.
• Software will account for over 50% of spending, including identity and access management, endpoint security, and analytics, growing 14% year-over-year amid AI-powered threats.
• Fastest-growing categories like CNAPP and data security software address AI workloads and non-human identities, as companies prioritize integrated architectures for resilience.
• The global security market is projected to grow 11.8% in 2026, with the United States leading worldwide spending at $150 billion, driven by investments from Financial Services, Healthcare, and Government sectors.
• Software will account for over half of security spending, with Identity and Access Management, Endpoint Security, and Security Analytics comprising more than 50% of global Security Software expenditures, growing at 14% year-over-year.
• AI-driven threats and sophisticated cyberattacks are prompting companies to prioritize integrated, intelligence-driven security architectures for better visibility and automated responses, amid geopolitical tensions.
Government reluctant to dispatch ships amid concerns complying with Trump’s demands could escalate Iran crisisMinisters are drawing up plans to send minesweeping drones to the strait of Hormuz amid concerns in Whitehall that complying with Donald Trump’s demand to send ships could escalate the crisis.The government is considering dispatching aerial minesweepers to help clear the vital waterway of mines in an attempt to allow the flow of oil exports to resume. However, officials said that sending ships, as requested over the weekend by the US president, could worsen the situation given the volatile nature of the war. Continue reading...
• UPMC, a major Pittsburgh health system, stopped providing gender care services to patients under age 19 approximately nine months ago, leaving local transgender teens struggling to find alternative care options.
• The policy change has forced young patients like Moss Brinzer to scramble for medical services, creating significant gaps in access to gender-affirming healthcare for minors in the region.
• The decision reflects broader tensions in U.S. healthcare around gender medicine for adolescents, with major health systems reassessing their policies amid ongoing national debate.
Nearly month-long funding lapse has disrupted US air travel and caused long wait times amid security officers’ absencesThe CEOs of major US airlines urged Congress on Sunday to move quickly to end a 29-day partial government shutdown that has forced 50,000 airport security officers to work without pay, warning it could further disrupt US air travel.Absences by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers had already disrupted travel at some major airports over the previous week, raising alarm as the busy spring break travel season continues. Continue reading...
• NATO leaders have called on President Trump to reverse his decision to suspend sanctions on Russian oil as the Iran conflict creates energy market volatility.
• The call reflects concerns among European allies that easing Russian oil sanctions could destabilize energy markets further while undermining coordinated Western policy on Russia.
• The disagreement between Trump and NATO allies over Russian sanctions policy during the Iran crisis highlights geopolitical divisions among Western nations at a critical moment.
Response to Donald Trump’s callout for military support in the waterway has so far been vague and reluctantMiddle East crisis – live updatesCountries including the UK, Japan, China and South Korea have said they are still considering their options after the US president, Donald Trump, urged them to send warships to the strait of Hormuz to secure the vital shipping route.In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called on the UK, China, France, Japan, South Korea and other countries to send ships to the waterway, the world’s busiest shipping route which is being violently blockaded by Iran. Continue reading...
Tehran wants ceasefire but terms ‘not good enough yet’, US president claims, as both sides launch new waves of strikesMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has warned he is not ready to seek a deal to end the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, saying that though he thought Tehran was keen to negotiate a ceasefire, the US would fight on for better terms.Trump’s comments came as Iran launched new missile and drone attacks on countries in the Gulf and on Israel, and Israeli and US warplanes launched new waves of strikes in Iran. Continue reading...
Energy secretary says ‘any options’ to get crucial shipping lanes reopened are being looked at by the governmentMiddle East crisis – live updatesBritain is considering sending ships and mine-hunting drones to the Middle East in an attempt to reopen the strait of Hormuz, Ed Miliband has said.The energy secretary confirmed on Sunday that ministers are talking to their allies about how the UK can help secure the vital waterway after the US president, Donald Trump, urged Britain and other countries to deploy ships to the region. Continue reading...
Lib Dem leader will tell spring conference Britain can no longer rely on US while Donald Trump is presidentBritain should have a completely independent nuclear deterrent as it can no longer rely on the US, Ed Davey is expected to say on Sunday.In a speech at the Liberal Democrats spring conference, the party leader will argue that the UK should manufacture and maintain its nuclear weapons in Britain, a move that Davey acknowledges will cost billions. Continue reading...
• No. 3 Michigan defeated No. 23 Wisconsin 68-65 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on March 14, 2026, at the United Center in Chicago, advancing to the championship game.
• Yaxel Lendeborg, Big Ten Player of the Year, hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left after grabbing an offensive rebound; Aday Mara scored 16 points with 8 rebounds and 5 blocks, Elliot Cadeau added 15 points.
• The win avenges Michigan's only regular-season conference loss (91-88 to Wisconsin on Jan. 10) and keeps them alive for the No. 1 NCAA Tournament overall seed; they face UCLA or No. 18 Purdue in Sunday's final.
• U.S. Senate passed its 2026 spending bill including the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act to advance pediatric cancer combination therapies.
• Bill features Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act streamlining out-of-state Medicaid/CHIP provider approvals for children and five-year reauthorization of FDA Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program.
• Allocates $7.35 billion to National Cancer Institute, up $128 million from 2025, with $30 million for Childhood Cancer STAR Act and $50 million for Childhood Cancer Data Initiative.
• The U.S. Senate passed its 2026 spending bill containing multiple landmark pediatric cancer provisions, including the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act to advance combination therapy research and the Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act to streamline Medicaid provider approvals.
• The bill allocates $7.35 billion for the National Cancer Institute (a $128 million increase from 2025), with $30 million designated for the Childhood Cancer STAR Act and $50 million for the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative, plus $12.6 million for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Program.
• These provisions represent a significant recovery for the pediatric cancer community after 2025's devastating federal funding cuts, including removal of key provisions from the previous year's spending bill and a 15% cap on NIH grant indirect cost reimbursements.
Exclusive: Queensland Performing Arts Centre board nominated Oodgeroo as their preferred name for the theatre in 2024, but it was not one of the four options put to public vote by the LNPGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Queensland government minister intervened to ensure a new theatre would not be named after Aboriginal poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal, overriding the theatre’s board, according to documents obtained under right to information laws.The late artist’s name is also set to be stripped from a state electorate, in draft electoral boundaries released by the state’s redistribution commission this week. The LNP lobbied for the change. Continue reading...
US president urges nations to deploy vessels to keep key oil shipping route open amid conflict with IranDonald Trump has said the UK should send warships to help keep the strait of Hormuz open.In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, the US president urged the UK and other countries to deploy vessels to the strait amid the conflict with Iran. Continue reading...
Motaz Malhees is an actor in The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film about a Palestinian girl killed by the IDF in Gaza in 2024Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees said a travel ban imposed by Donald Trump is preventing him from attending Sunday’s Academy Awards, whose nominees include a movie in which he has a starring role.The Voice of Hind Rajab, a film about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024, has been nominated for best international feature film. Continue reading...
Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman supported a proposal strengthening capital requirements for banks' trading desks, calibrated to U.S. capital markets. The rules aim to enhance resilience without stifling market-making activities. This comes amid volatile conditions from geopolitical risks and inflation pressures. Implementation could influence bank profitability and lending in the coming quarters.
