• Director Denis Villeneuve confirmed production on "Dune: Part Three" has officially begun, with filming taking place in Morocco and Jordan through October 2026.
• Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Oscar Isaac are set to return, with newcomers Rebecca Ferguson and Austin Butler joining the expanded cast for the concluding installment.
• Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have greenlit a 2027 release date, with Villeneuve stating this final chapter will "definitively conclude Frank Herbert's epic saga."
Peter Kyle did not dispute Times’ report that under a ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ supermarkets might start running out of some itemsGood morning. ‘We don’t comment on leaks,’ is the usual government response to an unsanctioned lobby scoop. But this morning Peter Kyle, the business secretary, took a different response. Asked about a Times splash saying the government is making plans to deal with possible food shortages in the summer, caused by the Iran war, he told Sky News:It is difficult for me, because, of course, these leaks are very unhelpful. But when people do read it, they need to be reassured that we are doing this kind of planning, and we are doing this kind of scenario planning.Britain could face shortages of chicken, pork and other supermarket goods this summer if the war in Iran continues, a secret government analysis has found.Officials have drawn up contingency plans for a “reasonable worst-case scenario” amid fears that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will lead to shortages of carbon dioxide (CO2) which is critical to the food industry …I can tell you, because I’m in these meetings, the prime minister has been there since the very start, and he is going through personally and driving deep dives into lots of areas of resilience throughout our economy.People should be reassured that we are doing this kind of action behind the scenes to keep resilience in our economy, so that when the full extent of what may or may not emerge, because this situation is still unfolding in the Middle East, you have a government that is acting with creativity and boldness.If any of these things change, I will be up front with the public about it in advance so that we can prepare. But right now, people should go on as they are, enjoying beer, enjoying their meats, enjoying all the salads.But also there are critical uses for CO2 – MRI scanning, for example, water purification; it’s involved in our nuclear industry, our civil nuclear power industry, some defensive uses for it as well. Continue reading...
• Researchers published the most thorough study of cosmic expansion in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics on April 10, combining decades of research to derive the most precise Hubble constant yet while confirming that tension between early and late-universe measurements persists.
• The study, launched at an International Space Science Institute Breakthrough Workshop in Bern, Switzerland in March 2025, expanded the cosmic distance ladder into a comprehensive survey called the Local Distance Network, achieving a goal considered 'potentially unreachable' a decade ago.
• Study co-author Richard Anderson from the University of Göttingen stated that the Hubble tension reveals that 'something's missing' in the current understanding of basic physics on cosmological scales.
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...
Visit with Camilla to take place in late April despite calls for it to be delayed because of US war against IranUK politics live – latest updatesThe king’s state visit to the US is to go ahead next month as planned, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.Charles and the queen’s long-expected trip to see Donald Trump will take place in late April, despite calls for it to be postponed because of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Continue reading...
• President Trump extended the strike deadline on Iran's energy sector while warning that failure to accept current negotiation terms would result in "far greater military consequences," according to White House statements.
• The White House confirmed ongoing negotiations with Iranian leadership despite military operations continuing at historic levels, with Iranian leadership described by Trump as "desperate to negotiate."
• The Kennedy Center confirmed comedian Bill Maher as the 2026 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient on March 26, 2026, days after White House denial labeled reports fake news.
• Maher becomes the 27th honoree following Conan O'Brien and Kevin Hart; he quipped, 'It's like an Emmy, except I win,' in a Kennedy Center release.
• White House communications director Steven Cheung called prior Atlantic reporting 'Literally FAKE NEWS,' and press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Maher would not receive the award.
Mohammed bin Salman said to consider war a ‘historic opportunity’ to remake Middle East. Plus, Senate passes funding package for Homeland Security that excludes ICEGood morning.Saudi Arabia has urged Washington to intensify attacks on Iran, a Saudi intelligence source has confirmed, while it considers whether to join the war directly.Have there been reports of active Saudi military involvement? Not so far. But a Saudi analyst said the kingdom was likely to intervene if peace efforts led by Pakistan failed. Mohammed Alhamed said: “If [Iran] rejects the conditions and continues its attacks, the threshold for Saudi action will be crossed.”What is the latest on the strait of Hormuz? On Tuesday, Tehran said it would permit “non-hostile vessels” to pass: here is a visual guide.For the latest updates, follow our live blog.Why has there been no DHS funding? Democrats have blocked it as they demand changes to its immigration crackdown, particularly after agents in Minneapolis killed the US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Continue reading...
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said to view US-Israeli war as ‘historic opportunity’ to remake Middle EastMiddle East crisis – live updatesSaudi Arabia has urged the US to ramp up attacks on Iran, a Saudi intelligence source has confirmed, while it is weighing a decision on whether to join the fight directly.The Saudi source confirmed reporting in the New York Times, which said the kingdom’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has urged Donald Trump not to cut short his war against Iran, and that the US-Israeli campaign represented a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East. Continue reading...
• Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin was confirmed as Homeland Security Secretary in a 54-45 Senate vote, replacing fired Kristi Noem to oversee mass immigration raids and deportations.
• Republican Rand Paul voted against Mullin, calling him a 'freaking snake' during hearings, while Democrats John Fetterman and Martin Heinrich crossed lines to support him.
• Confirmation occurs as DHS partial shutdown risks extending into April amid staffing shortages, with ICE agents deployed to airports to ease security lines.
