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Darren Jones suggests cost of energy, food and flights will remain high after de-escalation and Hormuz strait reopensThe UK faces higher prices for food and fuel for at least eight months after the war in Iran ends, a minister has said. The closure of the strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane that carried a fifth of global oil and gas, has sent oil prices soaring since the US and Israeli attacks on Iran began in February. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said the conflict would probably continue to raise prices for energy, food and flights in the coming months as potential issues around energy supplies affect production, rather than lead to shortages on supermarket shelves. The UK government has urged motorists to fill up their cars as usual amid higher prices at the pumps and for air travellers not to change their plans over potential jet fuel shortages. Jones told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “You’re going to see prices go up a bit as a consequence of what Donald Trump has done in the Middle East. “That’s probably going to come online not just in the next few weeks, but the next few months. There’s going to be a long tail from this.” Asked how long higher prices might remain, Jones suggested it would be around eight months after the strait of Hormuz was unblocked and a de-escalation of the conflict had taken place. “I think our best guess is eight-plus months from the point of resolution that you’ll see economic impacts coming through the system,” he said. Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the US ceasefire with Iran last week that paused most of the fighting, but further efforts towards ending the conflict have been unsuccessful after the US president told his envoys not to travel to Pakistan for talks at the weekend. The UK government is stepping up planning for how to offset the impact, focusing on the live monitoring of stock levels and what plans are in place for addressing supply chain disruption. Jones said: “The government here in the UK, the work that I’m doing with the prime minister is looking at all of those things and saying, ‘What can we do within our power to help people to get through those difficult times?’” The government is also looking to secure stocks of carbon dioxide, which is used in the food industry and by breweries to make drinks fizzy, as well as for defence purposes and medical uses such as MRI scanning. Jones said he was seeking to ensure there was an adequate supply of beer for fans watching the men’s football World Cup which starts on 11 June. He said: “I raised this issue because if there is a problem with jet fuel on holidays and carbon dioxide on beer, the summer might be pretty depressing for people, but we’re doing everything we can to make sure that it’s not the case.” The Liberal Democrats have called for a bill to be included in the next king’s speech in May to put food security at the top of the government’s agenda. Continue reading...

Criminal investigation under way after carcasses found across Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise national park within a weekThe carcasses of 18 wolves have been found in an Italian national park within the space of a week in an apparent series of poisonings described by conservationists as the most serious crimes against wildlife in Italy in a decade.Authorities of the national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise said eight wolves were found dead in recent days in three different areas of the vast park, adding to the 10 carcasses discovered last week. Three dead foxes and a buzzard were also found. Continue reading...

Brand, who will be tried in October over allegations of rape and sexual assault, tells podcast he slept with 16-year-old when he was 30Russell Brand said he had “exploitative” consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl at the height of his fame.The comedian, actor and podcaster, 50, will be tried in the autumn over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him by six women. Brand denies all the charges, which date from 1999 to 2009. Speaking about his past actions in an appearance on the YouTube show of the US journalist Megyn Kelly, Brand described himself “selfish” and an “exploiter of women”. Continue reading...

Demographic also overrepresented when police officers use force such as handcuffs, firearms or Tasers, says children’s commissionerBlack children across England and Wales are almost eight times more likely to be strip-searched by police than their white counterparts, a report has disclosed.Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, said Black children are also overrepresented when officers use force and were more likely to have their “size, gender or build” cited as justification. Continue reading...

• Wolverhampton Wanderers were mathematically relegated from the Premier League to the Championship on Monday, ending their eight-year tenure in England's top flight. • The relegation was confirmed after Wolves' goalless draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with West Ham's result sealing their fate. • The demotion marks a significant setback for the club, which will compete in the second tier starting next season.

Gunman, identified as Shamar Elkins, fatally shot the children – including seven of his own – at two separate housesMass shooting rampage in Louisiana leaves eight children dead and others woundedSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailLouisiana authorities have identified eight children – aged three to 11 – who were killed Sunday during what police described as a “violent domestic incident” in Shreveport that marked the deadliest US mass shooting in more than two years.The Caddo parish coroner’s office identified the children as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5. Continue reading...

Suspect was fatally shot, Shreveport police say, after children ranging from 18 months to 14 years were killedSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAt least eight people are dead and others are wounded after a mass murder reported in the Louisiana city of Shreveport, according to local police.Police said that among the victims were children ranging in age from 18 months to 14 years. Two other women were reportedly shot in the head but survived – and a third person, described as a young boy, was injured while jumping from a roof. Continue reading...

Voters broadly split along generational lines as pro-Russian former president leads in pollsAnna Bodakova’s days tend to be rather hectic at the moment. Hopping between meeting voters on the street, political debates and recording videos for social media, the 23-year-old is standing to become an MP in Bulgaria’s general election.Last year she was among the many young Bulgarians who participated in countrywide mass protests over the government’s economic policies and perceived failure to tackle corruption. Those protests ultimately resulted in the resignation of the prime minister, Rosen Zhelyazkov, and his cabinet in December. Continue reading...

Experts say any short-term financial benefit will be outweighed by long-term health costs related to obesityFaced with high demand for GLP-1 drugs, some American cities and states that previously covered the cost of the weight-loss medication for low-income residents and public employees have now started to restrict or eliminate coverage.The pullback stems from the dramatic increase in public spending on drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy in recent years. Continue reading...

Crews from Morengo fire and rescue built a makeshift raft to get Troy, who was stuck in 15ft deep creek, safely to shoreA horse in Illinois swept from a barn in a fast-moving flood has been reunited with his owner after firefighters joined a local veterinarian in a unique, daring deep-water rescue.Crews from the Marengo fire and rescue districts constructed a makeshift raft to move Troy, who was stranded about 600ft from the nearest shore and surrounded by a strong current of water in Coon Creek, about 60 miles north-west of Chicago. Continue reading...

Oil prices and borrowing costs are expected to rise this week as tankers remain stranded in Persian gulfMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesThe failure of the US and Iran to reach a peace deal after marathon negotiations has put markets on alert for further oil and gas price rises.With large numbers of oil tankers remaining stuck in the Persian gulf, the US vice-president, JD Vance blamed the collapse of the talks on Tehran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, while Iranian sources hit back at “excessive” demands from Washington. Continue reading...

• Truckload markets are tightening faster than anticipated, with freight costs now projected to increase 16–17% year over year in 2026, according to C.H. Robinson's April freight market update. • Capacity constraints and carrier attrition are driving the acceleration in transportation costs across North America. • The tighter capacity environment signals sustained pressure on logistics expenses for shippers as supply chain challenges persist into the second quarter.

The 79th edition of the film festival will see work by Pedro Almodóvar, Hirokazu Kore-eda and László Nemes considered for the coveted Palme d’OrGillian Anderson, Rami Malek, Cara Delevingne and John Travolta are expected to walk the red carpet at Cannes this year, as the world’s most influential film festival unveiled an auteur-heavy lineup for its 79th edition.Competing for the coveted Palme d’Or will be new films by heavyweights Pedro Almodóvar, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Paweł Pawlikowski, László Nemes and Asghar Farhadi. Continue reading...

The partial government shutdown has now lasted eight weeks with Congress on recess until 13 AprilHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The record-breaking partial government shutdown has now entered its eighth week, with little end in sight.Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed into a law a bill that allows the state to designate terrorist groups, then punish those who promote them. Critics say the law will threaten free speech, especially on school campuses. The bill specifics bars the state’s courts from enforcing foreign religious laws, specifically naming Sharia Law. Florida courts enforce secular laws passed in the state, however.Representative Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat, will introduce impeachment articles next week against defense secretary Pete Hegseth. “Only Congress has the power to declare war, not a rogue president or his lackeys,” Ansari said in a statement.Donald Trump reiterated his threats to bomb Iranian energy and civilian infrastructure if the White House does not reach a deal to reopen the strait of Hormuz 8pm ET today. “The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said during a 90-minute press conference Monday afternoon.District court judges have been increasingly issuing strong rulings challenging the legality of many of Trump’s policies and power grabs, blocking key ones at least temporarily, and sparking angry responses from the president, former judges and prosecutors say.Trump threatened to jail a journalist – or journalists – who reported that a second US airman was missing after being shot down by Iran on Friday in an effort to identify their source. The badly injured airman hid in a mountain crevice to avoid capture before being rescued by a US recovery team that received heavy fire. Continue reading...

• The No. 4-ranked University of Georgia baseball team overcame a hitless start through four innings to beat Georgia State 14-9 at Foley Field on Tuesday. • Georgia exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, securing the comeback victory after trailing earlier in the game. • The Bulldogs, known for one of the nation's most potent offenses, demonstrated their resilience in the high-scoring contest.

Called Foundayo, the tablet becomes the second one to receive FDA’s green light after Novo Nordisk’s WegovyThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the green light on Wednesday to a new oral weight-loss medication developed by the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.Known as orforglipron or brand name Foundayo, the once-daily tablet becomes the second GLP-1 drug in pill form to hit the market in a short span of time, arriving after Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill received approval in December. Continue reading...

• The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Elite Eight matchup between Michigan and Texas is scheduled for Monday, March 30 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN from Fort Worth, Texas. • This Elite Eight game is one of four remaining contests determining which teams advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4 and 6. • The women's tournament began with selections on March 15 and features the most competitive field of elite teams competing for the national championship.

War continues to escalate with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis confirming a second wave of attacks on Israel since they joined the war on SaturdayRead the full reportHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East as the war enters its second month.The war only continues to escalate as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis confirmed a second wave of attacks on Israel since joining the conflict on Saturday. They have vowed to continue strikes in the coming days, posing a threat not just to worsening regional security but also global trade.In a televised speech, Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the Iran-backed group had launched a “barrage of cruise missiles and drones” in a second attack on Israel, targeting key military sites. He vowed the Houthis would continue military operations in the coming days until Israel “ceases its attacks and aggression”.The entry of the Houthis, poses a direct threat to the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, a second major choke point in the supply chain of energy supplies and other trade in and out of the Middle East. With Iran’s near total closure of the strait of Hormuz, a shutdown of the Bab al-Mandab, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, would amplify the already grave impact of the war on the global economy, and could also reignite a Saudi-Yemen conflict.The Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran – potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the strait of Hormuz – though President Donald Trump has not yet approved any deployment, the Washington Post is reporting. Any ground operation would stop short of a full-scale invasion, instead involving raids by special operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the Post said, citing unnamed officials.Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has told one of the US’s biggest annual gatherings of conservatives that he is ready to lead a new Iranian government and would call on the country’s citizens to rise up when the “right moment arrives”, AP reports. Pahlavi is the son of the shah, a monarch deposed in 1979 when the Islamic theocracy came to power.Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to target US universities in the Middle East after saying US-Israeli strikes had deliberately targeted two Iranian universities. “If the US government wants its universities in the region to be free from retaliation... it must condemn the bombing of the universities in an official statement by 12 noon on Monday, March 30, Tehran time,” said the statement published by Iranian media.Pakistan has said it would host a meeting of Middle Eastern powers on Monday in an effort to find a regional approach to ending the conflict. But the talks, which bring together the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, did not appear to include any of the warring parties, casting further doubt on persistent US claims of diplomatic progress.Israeli attacks killed three journalists in a targeted strike on their car in southern Lebanon, which the Lebanese president condemned as a “blatant war crime”. The strike killed Ali Shoeib, from Hezbollah-owned al-Manar TV, Fatima Ftouni and her brother and cameraman Mohammed Ftouni from pro-Hezbollah outlet al-Mayadeen.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organisation, called for an end to attacks on medical staff after nine paramedics were ​killed in southern Lebanon on Saturday.The Israeli military bombarded Tehran with a “wide-scale wave of strikes”, damaging residential areas, civilian infrastructure, and research and educational buildings. The IDF also said it had hit Iran’s headquarters for naval weaponry.Iran has allowed 20 oil tankers from Pakistan to pass through the strait of Hormuz. Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, said two ships would cross per day. The country has been playing a key mediatory role in the conflict. Continue reading...

• The U.S. economy faces 'real risk' of recession following four weeks of war in Iran, with major indexes like S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq down sharply and energy stocks up 25%. • Inflation pressures have driven 30-year fixed mortgage rates to 6.5%, up 0.5 points, while businesses cannot expect Federal Reserve rate cuts soon. • Stock portfolios and retirement accounts have suffered ugly losses, compounded by higher gas prices and persistent high interest rates.

• East and Midwest Regions completed Sweet 16 action on Friday, March 27, with top-seeded Duke facing a tough challenge from Rick Pitino's team. • Live bracket updates, scores, and in-depth analysis available for all 2026 March Madness games. • Elite Eight matchups now determined, setting stage for Final Four in Indianapolis.

• NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament advances to Elite Eight on Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29, following Sweet 16 completion on March 27. • Regional games continue at Toyota Center in Houston, SAP Center in San Jose, and United Center in Chicago, hosted by local universities. • Final Four looms on April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with championship on April 6, building excitement for US college hoops climax.

• Second-seeded Purdue defeated 11th-seeded Texas 79-77 in the West Region semifinal on March 26 in San Jose, California. • Trey Kaufman-Renn's tip-in of Braden Smith's miss with 0.07 seconds left secured the win for the Boilermakers. • Purdue advances to face top-seeded Arizona in the West Region final on March 28 for a Final Four spot in Indianapolis.

• Top-seeded Arizona defeated Arkansas 109-88 in the Sweet 16 on March 27, shooting nearly 64% from the field to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015. • Freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat each scored 21 points, while Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. led his team with 28 points. • The win extends Arizona's winning streak to 12 games, positioning them one victory from their first Final Four in 25 years.

• Third-seeded Illinois beat Houston 65-55 in the South Region semifinals of the NCAA Tournament on March 26, 2026, in Houston. • David Mirkovic led Illinois with 14 points and 10 rebounds, as the team showcased strong defense to eliminate last year's national runner-up. • The win advances Illinois (27-8) to its 11th Elite Eight, facing ninth-seeded Iowa on Saturday to determine a Final Four participant.

In incident filmed by security cameras in Rio de Janeiro, group of attackers beat animal with sticks and iron barsPolice in Rio de Janeiro have arrested eight people for brutally beating a capybara – the world’s largest rodent.Resembling a giant guinea pig, the light brown capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is often seen roaming the Brazilian city, particularly near streams and lagoons. Continue reading...

• Women's NCAA tournament second round play continues Monday, March 23, with eight games scheduled across ESPN and ESPN2, featuring matchups including Alabama at Louisville (noon ET) and Virginia at Iowa (2 p.m. ET). • Additional second round games include Notre Dame at Ohio State, Kentucky at West Virginia, Syracuse at UConn, Illinois at Vanderbilt, Southern Cal at South Carolina, and Oklahoma State at UCLA. • The women's tournament second round concludes Monday's schedule, with the most successful teams advancing to regional play in subsequent rounds.

After a 1,088-day wait, a jury acquitted the man Nichols accused. She describes her experience of the system as a complainant – and explains why she went publicWarning: this article contains graphic testimonyCharlotte Nichols on her rape trial ordeal – podcastSitting in the House of Commons, waiting for the speaker to call her name last week, the MP Charlotte Nichols was doing breathing exercises to try to keep calm. “I was just trying to get myself into the headspace where I could say what I wanted to say without either completely garbling it or just crying or bottling it at the last minute.”She didn’t bottle it. She stood up, asked MPs to be gentle with her, and then went public with her biggest secret. Continue reading...

• A federal jury in Texas convicted eight anti-ICE protesters on terrorism charges Friday, marking the first successful terrorism prosecution against activists by the Justice Department. • Federal prosecutors accused the protesters of being members of antifa in connection with a reported shooting during a demonstration outside the Prairieland ICE jail in Alvarado last year. • The conviction has raised concerns about the Trump administration's intensifying crackdown on activists and First Amendment rights, with the DFW Support Committee calling it "a sham trial, built on political persecution and ideological attacks."

• Eight leading technology companies, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, have pledged to share threat intelligence on fraudster misuse of their platforms, with the agreement announced ahead of the UN Global Fraud Summit in Austria on March 16. • The initiative focuses on collaborating against fraud and improving user security features, though the voluntary accord carries no penalties for companies that fail to meet commitments. • Rising fraud losses driven by AI-enabled realistic personas and messages have forced tech platforms to enhance security strategies and advocate for stricter regulations against global fraud syndicates.