• The Trump administration announced its withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council and ended all support for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which the administration characterized as funding Hamas.
• The decision represents a significant shift in US policy toward international human rights organizations and Palestinian humanitarian assistance programs.
• The move reflects the Trump administration's hardline stance on Middle East policy and international organizations it views as hostile to US and Israeli interests.
• A defiant House incumbent facing low polling numbers and a fragmented base has announced he will not yield to pressure to step aside for another centrist candidate, Zohran Mamdani, in an upcoming primary.
• The incumbent's decision to remain in the race despite weak polling reflects confidence in his political base despite internal party divisions.
• The contested primary underscores Democratic Party tensions between progressive and centrist factions as ambitious candidates position themselves for the upcoming midterm cycle.
PM says opening waterway is ‘vital’ as he rules out any UK involvement in US moves to blockade straitGood morning. The parliamentary recess is over, the Iran war disaster isn’t, campaigning is ramping up because the May elections are less than four weeks to go, and there will be plenty for MPs to discuss as they meet in the Commons this afternoon. The full timetable, as usual, is down below.Keir Starmer is in Greater Manchester this morning, on a visit linked to the English local elections. But he is expected to be in the Commons later giving an update on the UK response to the Iran war, and in an interview on Radio 5 Live a few minutes ago he confirmed that Britain will not join the US in enforcing the new blockade of the stait of Hormuz proposed by Donald Trump.We’re not supporting blockade.The strait is shut or not free for navigation in the way it should be. That means that oil and gas is not getting to market. That means the price is going up. That means everybody listening to this is facing higher energy bills. And I don’t want that to happen.I want their energy bills to be stabilised and lower. And so it is, in my view, vital that we get the strait open and fully open. Continue reading...
Human rights lawyers say NDIS workers and their clients remain at risk despite newly bolstered whistleblower protectionsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen Susan* came across wrongdoing at her disability support provider, she faced a choice.Say nothing, and allow her highly vulnerable clients to be put at serious risk. Continue reading...
• The U.S. Dollar Index climbed to 106.85 Thursday, marking a three-month high, bolstered by expectations for sustained higher interest rates and Federal Reserve officials' reluctance to signal imminent policy pivots.
• The euro weakened to $1.087, declining 1.3% on the week, as diverging monetary policy expectations between the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank broadened rate differentials favoring dollar-denominated assets.
• Currency strategists noted that strong dollar performance reduces competitiveness for U.S. export-oriented companies but supports purchasing power for multinational corporations with foreign earnings, creating mixed market impacts.
• US and EU officials finalized a coordinated sanctions package on April 8, 2026, targeting Belarusian entities supplying weapons to Russia.
• Measures freeze $300 million in assets and ban 50 officials, including Lukashenko allies facilitating troop transit.
• The pact strengthens transatlantic unity against authoritarian axis, vital as Belarus hosts 10,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border.
Ron Gibson had recently expressed support for a 14-acre, $500m data center project in Martindale-BrightwoodAn Indianapolis city councilor said his home was fired at on Monday, with a note left behind suggesting he had been targeted over his support of data centers.The case involving Ron Gibson – a Democrat on Indianapolis’s city council since 2024 – comes amid growing bipartisan concern in the US over political violence in the wake of cases such as the September murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist. Continue reading...
Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in SuffolkSeven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk.They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. Continue reading...
• Amy Duggar publicly criticized Kendra Duggar for standing by husband Joseph during ongoing family controversies.
• The Us Weekly report highlighted tensions within the Duggar family reality TV circle.
• Amy's comments sparked discussions on loyalty and family dynamics in conservative celebrity households.
• Congress reauthorized the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, extending mental health support programs for healthcare professionals through September 2030.
• Named after emergency physician Dr. Lorna Breen, who died by suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic, the law addresses burnout among nurses and others.
• The legislation continues federal initiatives to improve workplace conditions and reduce mental health challenges in healthcare.
Chancellor says the government is looking at ways they can support people based on household income Good morning. Keir Starmer is giving a press conference this morning where, according to No 10, he will discuss the Iran war, and how the government is supporting people at home. Now we are in April, the new financial year is starting, and the government is highlighting measures it has introduced that will help people with the cost of living. The Conservatives have an alternative list, and they are claiming this morning that “Keir Starmer and his chancellor have piled on extra costs leaving families almost £1,000 worse off this year”.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has been doing her own media too. She is on the Jeremy Vine show later, but she has already given an interview to BBC Breakfast in which she gave a marginally clearer idea of what she is planning to do to help people with energy bills than she did when she made a statement to MPs last week.From July to September, gas usage, especially by families and pensioners, is the lowest of any months of the year because it is the summer months …It will be really from the autumn onwards that people’s gas usage starts increasing. So at the moment we are working on a range of contingencies. And we are looking at more targeted measures. We are looking at ways we can support people based on their household income.I want to learn the lessons of the past because when Russia invaded Ukraine, the richest, the best-off third of households got more than a third of the support. That makes no sense at all. Continue reading...
Australian treasurer says Iran war having ‘extreme impact on global economy’ as Albanese to address nation about fuel crisis Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJim Chalmers has unveiled a suite of Covid-era support measures including tax deferrals for businesses struggling with soaring fuel prices, in the latest sign the government is preparing for a more severe economic downturn from the US-Israel war on Iran.Addressing the media on Wednesday morning, the treasurer said “the war in the Middle East is having an extreme impact on the global economy, [and[ Australians and Australian small businesses are paying the price for that”. Continue reading...
National Education Union poll finds 89% feel class sizes in England are too big to be ‘properly inclusive’Oversized classes and inadequate staffing levels are hindering teachers’ capacity to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), according to a large survey of state school teachers in England.Nine out of 10 (89%) of the 10,000 teachers who took part in the poll by the National Education Union (NEU), before its annual conference in Brighton which starts on Monday, said class sizes were too big to be “properly inclusive”. Continue reading...
Government, industry and opposition see growing public support for a new gas tax but the industry is fighting backGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe gas industry is mobilising in opposition to a potential new tax on the sector as political momentum builds – including among Labor MPs – for the government to use the May budget to prevent producers profiting from the Middle East war.The Australian Energy Producers (AEP) chief executive, Samantha McCulloch, claimed a new tax would punish the same Asian trading partners Australia was leaning on to supply more fuel amid the global energy crisis. Continue reading...
Donald Trump says he was ‘a little surprised’ at Australia’s lack of support, echoing comments from a week beforeFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDonald Trump has taken another swipe at Australia, alongside Nato, the UK and most of the rest of the world, for not getting more involved in the US-Israel war against Iran.At a press conference on Thursday at the White House, the US president was asked to reflect on phone calls with the UK prime minister Keir Starmer. He began by describing Starmer as a “lovely man”. Continue reading...
In today’s newsletter: This new war has exposed widening fractures between Israel and its allies, and the country finds itself increasingly out of step with global opinionGood morning. Israel may be the only country in the world where there is overwhelming public support for the conflict in Iran. Despite its impact on everyday life in the country – at least 15 people have been killed and hundreds more injured by Iranian missiles since the war started in February, and school closures and missile warnings remain routine – polling puts support for the war at more than 90% among Jewish Israelis.The contrast with the rest of the world is stark. Nearly a month into the fighting, polling shows that 60% of the US public oppose the war with Iran, and just one in four backed the initial strikes. In the Gulf, Europe and Asia, the conflict is widely unpopular, as severe economic consequences already begin to bite.Middle East crisis | Iran dismissed a US ceasefire proposal on Wednesday and countered with a negotiation plan of its own as intermediaries sought to keep diplomatic channels between the warring countries open.Media | Matt Brittin, Google’s former top executive in Europe, has been named the BBC’s next director general. Brittin will replace Tim Davie at a crucial time for the corporation.UK politics | Political donations from British citizens living abroad are to be capped at £100,000 a year, in a move that is likely to limit further funding from Reform UK’s Thailand-based mega-donor, Christopher Harborne.UK news | The former justice minister Crispin Blunt has been fined £1,200 for possessing illegal drugs after he told a court he entered the world of chemsex parties to help inform government policy.Housing | People who lost their homes when a tower block in Dagenham burned down say they are being made to pay for the building’s fire safety works after the government demanded its money back. Continue reading...
Reversal by London police comes as Shabana Mahmood prepares an appeal against high court overturning ban on the groupThe Metropolitan police has said it will resume arresting people who show support for Palestine Action just weeks after it said it would no longer do so following a high court ruling that the ban on the direct action group was unlawful.After last month’s judgment, the Met police said it would immediately stop arresting people for such offences under the Terrorism Act but would gather evidence for potential future prosecutions. Continue reading...
• OpenAI announced on March 25, 2026, it is discontinuing support for its Sora video generation model and ending its collaboration with Disney.
• The move follows challenges in scaling the technology amid competition and resource constraints in AI media tools.
• This reflects broader pressures on AI firms to prioritize core models over experimental features, impacting Hollywood's generative AI adoption.
Chancellor says package offered by Liz Truss’s government was unaffordable and any future help will be targetedRachel Reeves has ruled out universal support to deal with any future rise in energy bills, saying any government help would be targeted, and criticised the support offered by Liz Truss’s government as unaffordable and irresponsible.The chancellor also said she would review the planned fuel duty rise in September, but she did not commit to delaying or postponing it. Continue reading...
Fintech company’s profits leap to £1.7bn as it gears up for US push after getting UK banking licence this month Business live – latest updatesThe UK banking app Revolut has said it could face a backlash over its support for energy-intensive sectors such as crypto and AI, as it posted a 57% increase in annual profits.The fintech, which can now launch as a fully fledged UK bank after a five-year wait for regulatory approval, warned in its 2025 results that such activities posed a “reputational risk”. Continue reading...
PM indicates he would prefer to focus taxpayer-funded help on poorest households, rather than universal bailoutMinisters are looking at providing support for household bills next winter, Keir Starmer said, as he suggested the energy price shock unleashed by the Iran conflict could continue for months to come.The prime minister indicated he would prefer to focus any taxpayer-funded help on the poorest households, rather than an expensive universal bailout, ahead of an emergency meeting on the economic fallout of the Middle East crisis. Continue reading...
• House Republicans are advancing a resolution this week to affirm support for over 100,000 DHS employees, including 50,000 TSA frontline workers, unpaid for 37 days due to Democrats' refusal to fund the department.
• The shutdown has led to $1 billion in monthly unpaid wages, coinciding with elevated terror threats including recent attacks in Texas, New York, Michigan, and Virginia, and FBI warnings of lone wolf attackers and sleeper cells.
• Republicans highlight over 10 million illegal immigrants entering under Biden from 160 countries, including 400 on the Terrorist Watch List caught at borders, arguing the shutdown endangers national security.
• Key stock indexes broke or are testing long-term support levels, with the Dow Jones closing below its 200-day moving average for the third consecutive day.
• Market weakness has shifted from selective rotation to broader deterioration, with participation narrowing and leadership concentrating in defensive and commodity-driven sectors.
• Technical analysts warn that previous orderly rotation patterns have given way to genuine breakdown, signaling potential for sustained market pressure if support levels fail.
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...
• Hundreds gathered on Boston Common on a recent cold Saturday afternoon, waving signs, banners, and chanting calls to action in a rally supporting science amid federal funding uncertainties.
• The event highlights growing concerns over U.S. science budget cuts, echoing national surveys showing researcher layoffs and lab disruptions.
• Participants demanded sustained investment in research breakthroughs, peer-reviewed studies, and institutions like NIH, drawing from Manchester's LHCb success as a model for curiosity-driven science.
• Stagwell's Harris Poll found 88% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats view rigorous science as essential for progress, with 80-90% crediting US scientists for quality-of-life improvements.
• Only 19% believe US leads China in research, 33% say falling behind; 90%+ across parties want US global leadership role.
• If government funding lags, Americans favor businesses (23%) and nonprofits (19%) to fill gaps.
• President Trump stated the US should rethink NATO membership after allies refused to send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israel-Iran war.
• Multiple American partners balked at Trump's requests for naval assistance in protecting oil tanker traffic through the vital waterway.
• A senior UAE official indicated openness to helping, contrasting with broader allied reluctance that risks one-fifth of global oil flows.
Just three of Labour’s 20 MSPs in Holyrood voted for bill, despite support for legislation in House of CommonsSupporters of Scotland’s assisted dying bill said they are frustrated a significant majority of Labour MSPs voted against the proposals, despite Labour’s substantial support for the measure at Westminster.The Scottish bill was defeated in a late night free vote at Holyrood on Tuesday, five years after it was first proposed and a year after it was first tabled, by a larger than expected 12-vote margin. Continue reading...
Music’s most famous number is being repurposed to offer resources for patients and caregiversSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe telephone number immortalized in the enduring Tommy Tutone hit song 867-5309/Jenny has started connecting callers to a cancer support line – as one ad touting the news says it was time that music’s most famous digits “did some good”.Cancer Support Community (CSC)’s Instagram page announced the campaign with a series of posts on Monday alluding to the song about a guy who nervously ponders calling the phone number of a woman named Jenny, which is scrawled on a bathroom wall. Continue reading...
• Sen. Lindsey Graham filed for a fifth term on Monday in South Carolina, linking his campaign to President Trump's war with Iran, which he has long advocated for.
• Speaking to supporters, Graham claimed 'We haven’t underestimated Iran at all. We’re crushing them,' after recent talks with Trump on Sunday and Monday.
• The conflict drives up oil prices and lacks a clear endgame, risking unpopularity amid midterm elections where Congress control is at stake.
