Leading

Six candidates clashed over homelessness and cost of living crisis in first debate since Eric Swalwell’s exit – with a clear frontrunner still yet to emergeSix candidates vying to become the next governor of California sparred on Wednesday in the first debate since the already topsy-turvy race was plunged into upheaval by the sudden collapse of former congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign after sexual assault and misconduct allegations.With a clear frontrunner still yet to emerge, the unusually wide-open race to replace the outgoing governor Gavin Newsom in the heavily Democratic state has left nearly a quarter of voters undecided ahead of the 2 June primary. Continue reading...

PM to tell Commons he was himself misled and would ‘never knowingly mislead parliament or the public’UK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer is expected to admit he inadvertently gave MPs misleading information about Peter Mandelson’s vetting when he addresses the Commons.But his spokesperson said the prime minister would “never knowingly mislead parliament or the public” and that he was himself misled. Continue reading...

• Stanford freshman guard Ebuka Okorie, who led the ACC in scoring, announced he will enter the NBA draft following a standout debut season. • Okorie evolved from an under-the-radar recruit into a star, showcasing elite scoring ability in ACC play. • His departure highlights the talent pipeline from college basketball to the NBA, with Stanford now facing roster challenges.

Former Viktor Orbán loyalist and his Tisza party have enjoyed meteoric rise as opposition movement growsAs a child growing up in Budapest, Péter Magyar had a poster of Viktor Orbán – at the time a leading figure in the country’s pro-democracy movement – hanging above his bed. Orbán was one of several political figures that adorned his bedroom, Magyar told a podcast last year, hinting at his excitement over the changes sweeping the country after the collapse of communism.Now Magyar, 45, is the driving force behind what could be another momentous political change in Hungary: the ousting of Orbán, whose 16 years in power has transformed the country into a “petri dish for illiberalism”. Continue reading...

Marcos Orellana, a special rapporteur, found lax environmental standards and lack of oversight allowed pollution to accumulateMexico is facing a “toxic crisis” and has become a “garbage sink” for the US, exposing Mexican communities to dangerous pollution, a UN expert has warned.In an interview with the Guardian and Quinto Elemento Lab, an investigative outlet, Marcos Orellana, an environmental specialist, said pollutants ranging from imported waste to dangerous pesticides are affecting people’s right to live healthy lives. Continue reading...

Most of the stations hit with penalty infringement notices were in regional NSW, while 23 were in Sydney Ninety-three service stations in New South Wales are facing fines for misrepresenting their prices amid Australia’s fuel crisis – although none are facing penalties for price gouging.A two-week compliance blitz has seen inspectors visit about 75% – or just under 1,800 – of stations registered with fuel price app FuelCheck in NSW, issuing 93 penalty infringement notices, the state government said on Sunday. Continue reading...

Body that funds Alan Turing Institute says it should offer better strategy and more value for moneyThe UK’s leading AI research institute has been told to make “significant” changes by its main source of taxpayer funding.The warning comes after the Guardian revealed the board of the Alan Turing Institute was reminded of its legal duties last month by the charity watchdog after a whistleblower complaint. Continue reading...

Robert Morris, who started Gateway church, pleaded guilty in October to sexually abusing girl in the 1980sThe founder and former pastor of one of the US’s largest megachurches has been released from an Oklahoma jail six months after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.Robert Morris, 64, who started Texas’s Gateway church and also once served as a White House spiritual adviser during Donald Trump’s first presidency, pleaded guilty in early October in Osage county district court on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. Continue reading...

Sewell pleaded not guilty to five charges over alleged group assault on Camp Sovereignty last yearFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNeo-Nazi figure Thomas Sewell has been committed to stand trial after allegedly leading an attack on an Indigenous protest site in Melbourne last year.Sewell, 33, appeared into Melbourne magistrates court via video link on Thursday morning after being charged over the Camp Sovereignty incident. Continue reading...

• A late-night cloture vote on March 20, 2026, failed to advance the FY-2026 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, leaving TSA underfunded amid high travel volumes. • Daily TSA passenger throughput exceeds 2.4 million due to spring-break and March Madness demand, with missed connections at 8% versus a normal 1.6%, prompting three-hour early arrivals for domestic flights. • Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer plans a Saturday vote on a TSA-only continuing resolution, but GOP leaders signal they will block it, risking Easter travel chaos.

• Tech sector layoffs have surpassed 45,000 jobs in the first months of 2026, with the US accounting for the majority of global cuts announced so far this year. • Job reductions in Europe have been limited but noticeable, reflecting broader industry pressures amid economic shifts. • The wave of cuts highlights ongoing challenges in tech hiring post-boom, affecting major firms across the US.

The Senate approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on March 12, 2026, with an 89-10 bipartisan vote, marking the first major housing reform in a decade and including LeadingAge-supported policies for affordable senior housing. The bill creates grants for planning affordable housing, streamlines environmental reviews, and updates manufactured home standards to increase supply. It represents key wins by empowering state and local governments to revise zoning and regulatory barriers hindering development. Further reforms and House action remain needed to fully address senior housing shortages.

Charles Schwab stock rose 1.8% on March 13, 2026, amid gains in financial services, health care, and consumer goods sectors during a choppy session. About 61% of S&P 500 stocks advanced, with Schwab benefiting from defensive positioning. This resilience contrasts tech declines, pointing to rotation into value areas. Sector performance may persist if volatility continues.

MARA Holdings jumped more than 12% on March 13, 2026, driven by renewed interest in digital asset mining amid broader market volatility. Crypto-related firms outperformed as AI, semiconductors, and EV stocks showed mixed resilience, with Intel up 1.7% on chip production optimism and NIO rising 4%. This momentum underscores investor rotation toward high-growth sectors despite S&P 500's weekly 1.1% decline. Traders eye sustained crypto interest if oil stabilizes over the weekend.

Colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death for adults under 50 in the United States, yet a national survey by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance reveals only half of Americans know about convenient at-home screening options available to them. The survey found that nearly one-third of all Americans and almost half of adults under 45 reported doctors dismissing their stomach or bowel symptoms, indicating potential gaps in clinical recognition of warning signs in younger populations. More than one-quarter of adults don't follow through with recommended screening, with cost, fear, and lack of knowledge cited as primary barriers, though over 60 percent of respondents indicated they would pursue screening with better understanding of personal risk factors. March has been designated National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to address these critical knowledge gaps and encourage adoption of accessible screening methods.