Middle East crisis live: Iran vows revenge for killing of security chief; Israel strikes central Beirut

Ali Larijhani killed in an Israeli strike; Israeli military calls for evacuations in central Beirut as it targets Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah

Global air travel remains severely disrupted after the war in Iran forced the closure of important Middle Eastern hubs including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.

Greece’s largest carrier is latest to announce cancellations: flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman have been cancelled until 22 April, and to Erbil and Baghdad until 24 May. Flights to Dubai were cancelled until 19 April and to Riyadh until 18 April.

Instagram to remove end-to-end encryption for private messages in May

Meta’s announcement comes after years of criticism from child safety groups over feature

Instagram will stop encrypting private messages between users from May, after enduring years of criticism from law enforcement and child safety groups over the feature.

Meta quietly announced this month on its help page for Instagram and in an updated 2022 news post that end-to-end encryption would no longer be available on direct messages between users on Instagram from 8 May 2026.

Senate votes to begin marathon debate over SAVE America Act

The Senate voted to begin a marathon debate on the SAVE America Act, an elections bill that President Trump has been pressing Republicans to pass.

Venezuela win first World Baseball Classic title after taming USA in politically fraught final

• Suárez double seals Venezuela’s first WBC title

• Harper HR ties it, but USA fall short in ninth

• Caracas celebrates as Venezuela win – in pictures

Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 on Tuesday night to win their first World Baseball Classic title, a landmark triumph in a politically charged final that resonated far beyond the diamond.

Eugenio Suárez drove in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning to seal a dramatic victory for the South American side at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.

Venezuela defeats U.S. 3-2 for its first World Baseball Classic title

With the game tied going into the 9th, Eugenio Suárez smacked a double into left-center field to score pinch runner Javier Sonoja for what would prove to be the winning run.

Iranian strikes hit near Australian airbase in UAE, Albanese confirms

Prime minister says no Australian personnel were injured and maintains Australia is not at war with Iran

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An Iranian projectile hit near Australia’s headquarters at the Al Minhad airbase in the United Arab Emirates, damaging an accommodation block and a medical facility.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirmed that no Australian personnel were injured in the strike at 9.15am AEDT on Wednesday morning.

Illinois Senate primary race is test of Pritzker's sway, Democrats' views of ICE

The 2026 Democratic primary campaign in Illinois for retiring Sen. Dick Durbin's Senate seat — won by Lt. Gov. Lisa Stratton — could set the tone for other midterm primaries.

1 killed, another injured in shooting at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico

Military officials say a shooting at a U.S. Air Force base in New Mexico has left one person dead and another wounded.

Daniel Biss wins Democratic primary for closely-watched Illinois House seat

Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Ill., topped political newcomer Kat Abughazaleh, a first-time candidate who ran as an unapologetic progressive in the race to succeed longtime incumbent Jan Schakowsky.

Banksy has been unmasked (again). But does this major Reuters investigation actually tell us something new?

British street artist’s ‘real’ name reported after an investigation stretching from Ukraine to New York and London. Kelly Burke explains all to Nick Miller

Hi Kelly, everyone is talking about Banksy (again) – what’s he done this time?

Hi Nick. So a really long (8,000-word) investigation by Reuters claims it has discovered the elusive street artist’s true identity, which backs up claims made by the Mail on Sunday British tabloid almost two decades ago that he is a 52-year-old Bristol-born man called Robin Gunningham, now going by the name of David Jones.

Subnautica 2 publisher’s CEO used ChatGPT in failed bid to avoid paying US$250m bonus to own studio head, court hears

Court orders Krafton’s CEO to reinstate Unknown Worlds’ leadership after they were ousted using an AI-generated plan

A South Korean gaming publisher who hatched a plan using ChatGPT to remove the heads of one of its own game studios in a bid to avoid paying US$250m has been ordered by a US court to reverse the removal.

The dispute stems from South Korean game developer Krafton’s acquisition of Unknown Worlds Entertainment, makers of the Subnautica video game, for $500m in 2021.

Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv deploys 200 anti-drone experts to Middle East

Zelenskyy warns British MPs of drone technology advances and future attacks; UK readies for court battle with Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. What we know on day 1,484

More flights canceled or delayed as weather, TSA staffing upend travel

Powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the country as many airports are also struggling with disruptions from reduced staffing at security checkpoints.

Isolated and exposed: can New Zealand’s fragile economic recovery withstand the global oil shock?

New Zealand economic growth tipped to overtake Australia’s this year but Middle East conflict casts a shadow over outlook

Just as New Zealand’s fragile economic recovery shows flickers of improvement – with economists predicting its annual growth could surpass that of its larger neighbour Australia – it is facing a new threat: the war in the Middle East.

New Zealand is particularly exposed to the energy shocks produced by the conflict – and to economic crises generally – with the small, isolated nation highly dependent on global trade and tourism. It is susceptible to disruptions in supply chains and shipping.

7-ton meteor identified as likely cause of boom heard across Ohio

Some residents immediately feared the sound was an explosion, according to CBS affiliate WOIO, but weather service officials say it appears to have been a meteor.

Pakistan hopes steep cost of airstrikes on Taliban targets will protect against terror attacks

Experts say attacks on Afghanistan are ‘defensive, not offensive’ but carry a risk of spiralling cycle of violence

An escalating Pakistani campaign of airstrikes against targets in Afghanistan is aimed at forcing the Taliban authorities to abandon their support for Pakistani militants, according to officials and experts.

The strategy is to impose such a steep cost on the Taliban administration that they act to prevent attacks emanating from Afghanistan. Yet it carries the risk of spiralling violence.

3/17: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Top U.S. counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Iran war; senior Iranian leader Ali Larijani killed in airstrike.

Residents fight to legalize gatherings involving alcohol at senior living facility

A senior living facility in Minnesota was recently told they'd need a liquor license for any gathering involving alcoholic beverages. That didn't sit well with many of the residents, who are now fighting to legalize the right to happy hour. Tony Dokoupil has the story.

7-ton meteor streaks across the sky over multiple states, causing loud boom

An asteroid weighing about 7 tons and traveling at 45,000 miles per hour zoomed over multiple states and lit up the sky, causing a loud boom that some residents mistook for an explosion. Mark Strassmann reports.

Nancy Guthrie investigation "becomes much harder" as time goes on, expert says

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that additional images were obtained from surveillance cameras installed at Guthrie's Tucson home, but they showed nothing suspicious.

‘Almost human’: life-size replicas of the dead help mend broken hearts in India

The silicon figures are a touching version of what the Hindi language calls ‘smaran’, or remembrance

In the north of Kolkata, near Dum Dum Junction, Subimal Das and his staff of 80 work from an old factory-warehouse. Using clay, fibreglass and silicon, they construct extraordinary lifesize replicas of religious icons, cultural figures, cricketers and Bollywood stars.

But the workshop also has a popular new line: custom-made 30kg replicas of the dead, commissioned by family and loved ones.

Arizona AG files criminal charges against Kalshi over 'illegal gambling'

Arizona is the first state to allege the prediction market company has committed criminal violations, accusing it of running an unlicensed gambling operation.

US postal service will run out of money by February 2027, says agency chief

Postmaster general David Steiner has called for change to federal law that caps USPS’s borrowing at $15bn

The US Postal Service will run out of funds within a year, unless lawmakers lift a cap on how much money the agency can borrow, according to the postmaster general.

In an interview with the Associated Press, David Steiner warned that the postal service – which relies on stamps and service fees rather than tax dollars to deliver mail six days a week to every address in the country – would run out of cash for employees and vendors by February next year.

Where the Nancy Guthrie investigation stands nearly 50 days since her disappearance

Nearly 50 days since Nancy Guthrie disappeared, the suspected abduction remains unsolved. CBS has learned investigators have recovered additional images from Guthrie's surveillance cameras. Jonathan Vigliotti has the latest.

Israel says Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, has been killed in a strike

Ali Larijani was seen as the right-hand man of Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Top Trump counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war

President Trump's director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, announced his immediate resignation Tuesday, citing the administration's decision to intervene in Iran.

Reeves plans to give England’s regional leaders a share of national tax revenues

Chancellor seeks ‘genuine break with the past’ in tackling centralised and ‘geographically unequal’ country

Rachel Reeves has announced that the Treasury will draw up proposals to hand England’s mayors a share of national tax revenues as part of a radical plan to rebalance the economy.

The chancellor promised “a genuine break with the past” that would shift spending power away from Westminster, as she promised to create investment-led growth across the UK.

Graves in England and Wales could be reused after 100 years

Law Commission proposal forms part of plan to modernise and simplify burial and cremation law

Graves more than 100 years old could be reused across England and Wales under Law Commission proposals that also include the reopening of some burial grounds closed under Victorian-era legislation.

The changes would create a national framework for the first time, aiming to reduce pressure on burial space and modernise a system largely unchanged for more than 170 years.

How you walk reveals to others how you are feeling, researchers say

Study highlights the movements in people’s gait that give away most about their emotional state

A long face is not the only sign that someone is down in the dumps. How people walk is revealing too, particularly the swing of the arms and legs, researchers say.

Scientists asked volunteers to guess people’s emotions from video clips of them walking and found that bigger swings portrayed more aggression while smaller swings implied fear and sadness.

Millions of children dying from preventable causes, report reveals

Premature birth, pneumonia and malaria among leading causes of death in under-fives worldwide, as UN experts warn aid cuts are slowing progress on survival rates

Most of the 4.9 million children who died in 2024 could have been saved, according to a new UN report that warns aid cuts could thwart the global goal of ending preventable child deaths.

Progress towards ending the preventable deaths of children under five by 2030 has slowed 60% since 2015, the report found, leading to UN experts to call for sustained investment in health systems to reach the target.

Blizzards, severe storms, heat wave hit U.S. with array of extreme weather

From a surprising heat wave in California to blizzards burying parts of the Midwest and storms rolling over the East Coast, chaotic weather put more than half the nation's population in the path of extreme conditions.

West Coast braces for heat warnings while major storm drops feet of snow further east

In parts of the west, there are already extreme heat alerts, days before spring starts. But further east, cold air has moved in, lingering after a major storm dropped feet of snow across the region. Dave Malkoff has the latest.

Judge orders 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work in rebuke to Kari Lake

A federal judge has ordered more than a thousand Voice of America staffers back to work by Monday. It's a major defeat for the Trump administration's effort to cut the news outlet to the bones.

TSA checkpoints forced to close as agents working without pay call out sick

The situation at American airports have gone from bad to worse as parts of the Department of Homeland Security remain without funding. Kris Van Cleave reports.

Jensen Huang says Nvidia has received orders from China and is 'restarting our manufacturing'

Nvidia is gearing up to sell its H200 processors to customers in China after a lengthy delay due to restrictions from both the U.S. and Chinese government.

Tesla to buy $4.3 billion of LG Energy battery cells from disbanded GM plant

Tesla is expanding ties with LG Energy Solution to include a $4.3 billion deal for U.S.-produced cells for energy storage systems from Michigan.

Senegal stripped of Africa Cup of Nations title over walkout protest in final

• Morocco declared 3-0 winners after appeal is upheld

• Senegal’s players walked off pitch over penalty call

Morocco have been awarded a 3-0 win in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final after Senegal were sensationally stripped of the title in an unprecedented ruling.

The Confederation of African Football announced on Tuesday evening that its appeal board had decided that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final” that was held in Rabat in January after the head coach, Pape Thiaw, and some of his players left the pitch for 15 minutes in protest at Morocco being awarded a penalty. They eventually returned after being implored to by the captain, Sadio Mané, with Brahim Díaz’s subsequent spot‑kick being saved to send the final into extra time, when Pape Gueye scored the winning goal.

3/17: CBS Evening News

Problems compound as airports shutter more security lines; massive cleanup underway after severe storms.

Iran expert says Trump's 'war of choice' has morphed into a 'war of necessity'

With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, policy expert Karim Sadjadpour says the war in Iran is becoming increasingly complicated: "I don't think President Trump ... understood what he was getting into."

Ruthless PSG condemn Chelsea to humiliating Champions League exit

Chelsea huddled once and, as if in an act of resistance, huddled again. They gathered on either side of the centre-circle before kick-off, apparently impervious to the kerfuffle that had followed their weekend antics, and it was the biggest fight they put up on a night that laid bare their distance from Europe’s elite.

The resounding Club World Cup win against Paris Saint-Germain was nothing more than a stateside summer fever dream: here, on the stage that really matters, they were humbled by opponents who belonged on a different pitch from the start.

Vinícius finishes off 10-man Manchester City as Real Madrid ease into last eight

“In football anything is possible,” was Pep Guardiola’s rallying cry and while Manchester City failed to pull off a Lazarus act for the ages, this was a definite one-off wonder of a contest that thrilled all witnesses.

Particularly, the first 45 minutes of mayhem headlined by Vinícius Júnior apparently being ruled offside by the referee, Clément Turpin, then onside, which meant Bernardo Silva was then penalised for handball, sent off, and the Brazilian then scored from the spot. Further entertainment also derived from a Guardiola yellow card, Erling Haaland’s equaliser, and a slew of goalmouth incident that mostly continued after the break – including late finishes from Rayan Aït-Nouri and Fede Valverde that were ruled offside, and one from Vinícius that counted.

‘Industrial-scale scams’ and a state allegedly ‘co-opted’: What the rise and fall of the Prince group means for Cambodia

Indictment and arrest of Prince Group founder Chen Zhi has sparked questions about scam industry’s alleged ties to political elite, and integrity of government crackdown

A giant golden clam shell, illuminated by lurid neon lights and filled with playing cards and red dice, once glowed nightly on the facade of Sihanoukville’s Jin Bei casino. Today, the casino’s gaudy signage is covered by sheets, and its doorway blocked by a Chinese sign that reads “under renovation”.

The casino in the Cambodian resort city was once emblazoned with the name Jin Bei, a company US prosecutors have accused of running scam compounds on behalf Prince Group, which an October indictment alleged was one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organisations.

Eze and Rice pick off Bayer Leverkusen as Arsenal cruise into quarter-finals

Is there anyone who can stop Arsenal in this kind of form? The Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, Janis Blaswich, tried his best in a spectacular first-half performance that kept the Premier League leaders at bay until Eberechi Eze smashed in his first Champions League goal and Declan Rice completed a comfortable victory after the break to seal a third successive quarter‑final appearance.

After yet another clinical performance in Europe yielded a ninth victory in 10 games this season, Mikel Arteta will certainly fancy Arsenal’s chances of getting past Sporting in the last eight despite the Portuguese side’s remarkable comeback against Bodø/Glimt that spared them a trip to the Arctic Circle.

Elon Musk and SEC in talks to settle lawsuit over Twitter deal

The SEC accused Elon Musk of failing to promptly disclose that he amassed an active stake in Twitter in 2022.

Senate Democrats send DHS counteroffer to Trump as shutdown drags on

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown has caused pileups in airport security lines across the country.

USS Ford has seen war, fire and plumbing woes as it nears a record long deployment

The Ford's crew left Norfolk, Va., on June 24, initially bound for the Mediterranean. More than nine months later, the crew is now in the Red Sea for the war with Iran with no clear return date.

Arizona alleges Kalshi engaged in illegal gambling, election wagering

The complaint includes 20 separate counts against Kalshi, claiming the company accepted bets from Arizona residents in violation of state law.

Pam Bondi subpoenaed over Epstein files release by House committee

Lawmakers on both sides of aisle have criticized justice department’s improper redaction of information

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Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, has been formally subpoenaed to appear before a House panel to answer questions about the justice department’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and its release of the Epstein files.

The move came amid growing criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over the justice department’s compliance with a law passed last year requiring the full release of Epstein-related files.

Sabalenka may avoid championships in Dubai after ‘ridiculous’ comment

• Director says stronger penalties needed for withdrawals

• Jack Draper continues comeback at Miami Open

Aryna Sabalenka says she may never return to compete at the Dubai Tennis Championships after she and Iga Swiatek were harshly criticised by the tournament director for their withdrawals from the tournament last month.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Sabalenka said during her pre-tournament press conference at the Miami Open. “I don’t think he showed himself in the best way possible. For me it’s actually so sad to see that the tournament directors and the tournaments are not protecting us as a player. They just care about their sellings, about their tournament and that’s it. His comment was ridiculous. I’m not sure if I ever want to go there after his comment. For me it’s too much.”

U.S. counterterrorism director Joe Kent resigns over war: 'Iran posed no imminent threat'

"Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation," Kent wrote in his letter to President Donald Trump.

The Fed issues its latest interest rate decision Wednesday. Here's what to expect

The Federal Reserve has little choice but to stay on the sidelines this week.

SAVE Act: Senate votes to start debate on Trump-backed voter-ID bill

Senators are expected to debate the election bill over the coming days and even weeks.

Airlines raise revenue guidance despite rising fuel costs, citing growth in demand

CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC's Phil LeBeau that Delta had taken a $400 million fuel hit in the quarter, but that demand has been "really, really great."

United Farm Workers union cancels Cesar Chavez events over abuse allegations

Union says claims involving young women and minors are serious enough to halt annual tributes and open an inquiry

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The United Farm Workers union has cancelled celebrations honoring Cesar Chavez, the organization’s co-founder, following “troubling allegations” that Chavez was involved in the abuse of young women or minors.

“We have not received any direct reports, and we do not have any firsthand knowledge of these allegations,” the UFW said in a statement on Tuesday. “However, the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose.”

Desperate parents calling pharmacies for meningitis jab as stocks run low

Supplies becoming sparse amid rise in demand since Kent outbreak, which has killed two and left 13 seriously ill

Worried parents are contacting pharmacies in an “increasingly desperate” effort to get their children vaccinated against meningitis after the outbreak in Kent that has killed two young people and left 13 seriously ill.

The surge in demand has led to stocks of the vaccine running so low that many pharmacies cannot get hold of supplies from wholesalers.

Here's how much U.S. families need to make to feel economically secure

Many Americans feel like they live in a "hamster wheel economy," said one expert who studies economic security.

Khamenei's killing renews questions about U.S. assassinating foreign leaders

Technology allowed the U.S. and Israel to kill Iran's Supreme Leader, but raised longstanding questions about whether the U.S. as a democracy should be assassinating foreign leaders.

Arne Slot says he ‘must have done a lot wrong’ if Liverpool fans are booing team

• ‘Never nice’ to hear boos after reaction to Spurs draw

• Liverpool face Galatasaray looking to overturn deficit

Arne Slot has said that he must have “done a lot of things wrong” for Liverpool fans to boo their team, but he does not feel the Anfield crowd has turned against him before a crucial Champions League tie against Galatasaray.

Slot believes the glum mood around the Premier League champions can be transformed by overturning a 1-0 deficit in the last 16 and reaching the quarter-finals at the Turkish club’s expense.

Colombian president accuses Ecuador after ‘27 charred bodies’ found near border

Relations deteriorate as Gustavo Petro claims government of Trump ally Daniel Noboa bombing targets in Colombia

President Gustavo Petro has accused Ecuador of bombing targets inside Colombian territory, saying later that the burned remains of nearly 30 people had been found near the border, in a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighbouring countries.

The Colombian leader said on Tuesday that an attack which had left “27 charred bodies” did not appear to have been carried out by Colombia’s own forces or any illegal armed groups which he said do not have armed planes.

Did Utah mom charged in husband's death poison him with a cocktail?

A medical examiner ruled Eric Richins, a Utah father of three, died of a lethal dose of fentanyl. His wife Kouri was charged in his death.

Durbin and Raskin call for perjury investigation into DHS' Kristi Noem

Ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before Congress earlier this month.

Nissan joins Toyota, Honda in plans to export U.S. cars to Japan

Nissan will export the Murano SUV built in Smyrna, Tennessee, beginning early next year. It marks the first American-made Nissan sold in Japan since the 1990s.

The Guardian view on falling donations to charity: rising living costs are part of the problem, but not all of it | Editorial

Lack of confidence in the voluntary sector seems linked to a more general fraying of social bonds

BBC Radio 1’s Greg James reached the halfway point of his 1,000km bike ride for Comic Relief just outside Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, on Tuesday lunchtime. The Radio 1 stunt is a popular fixture of the annual charity fundraiser – played out all day long with regular updates on the station, and enthusiastic reminders to “text 10, 20 or 30”. On Red Nose Day, which falls on 20 March, Mr James and his tandem – on which assorted celebrities have joined him – can expect to be greeted by cheering crowds in Edinburgh.

There is nothing not to like about this warm-hearted caper. The takings from these feats of endurance by presenters reached a record £2.2m last year – when Jamie Laing ran five ultra marathons in five days. But away from the buzzy spotlight of national radio, and seasonal appeals such as the Guardian’s, which raised more than £1m between December and January, charities are facing tough times. Concerning details of the current downward trend are set out in the latest report from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which recorded the first overall drop in donations since 2021.

Amazon introduces 1-hour and 3-hour delivery in U.S.

Amazon is speeding deliveries, putting pressure on other retailers. Here's where 1- and 3-hour delivery options are available and how much the service costs.

She's won 24 Paralympic medals. But Oksana Masters wants to talk about times she lost

Oksana Masters leaves Italy with five new para Nordic skiing medals, extending her reign as the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian. She competes in summer sports too and is already eyeing LA 2028.

Lisa Nandy vows to give BBC permanent charter to prevent political interference

Minister says the change is needed to protect the corporation from repeated ‘culture war’ attacks

The government is to put the BBC’s charter on a permanent footing for the first time, after the corporation said the change was needed to protect it from political interference.

In a significant change to the governance of the BBC, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said she wanted to grant the corporation’s demand for a permanent charter. She said she wanted to protect it from repeated “culture war” attacks.

Trump slams NATO allies for not joining Iran war effort, says U.S. never needed their help

Trump, a longtime NATO critic, said he sees the alliance as a "one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us."

Chief Justice: Personal attacks on judges are "dangerous and it's got to stop"

President Trump has slammed the Supreme Court justices who voted to strike down most of his tariffs, claiming they "openly disrespect the Presidents who nominate them."

Microsoft shakes up Copilot AI leadership team, freeing up Suleyman to build new models

Microsoft is doubling down on its superintelligence group to build models, while consolidating engineering efforts for its Copilot assistants.

‘All we wanted to do was go and win the Ashes’: Ollie Pope hits out at England critics

• Batter denies the team ‘weren’t fussed’ in Australia

• 28-year-old believes his ‘best batting years are to come’

Ollie Pope has challenged the perception England “weren’t fussed” during their troubled Ashes tour but accepts why it formed.

Ben Stokes’ tourists crashed to a 4-1 series defeat by Australia that is being reviewed by the England and Wales Cricket Board, with tour planning, preparation, individual performances and behaviour all under scrutiny.

The laundry chair: a clever solution for dirty clothes – or £820 poorly spent?

With a lazy-Susan-style rotating rail that you can dump your clothes over, this invention functions as chair and wardrobe. But is it really any better than ... any other chair?

Name: The laundry chair.

Age: Less than a week old.

Trump says China trip will be delayed because of Iran war

President Trump said Tuesday that China is "fine" with a delay.

Everything to know about the SAVE America Act voter ID-bill

President Donald Trump has been pushing Congress to approve the SAVE America Act to require ID at the polls and proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.

Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones

In eastern Ukraine, white nylon nets now stretch over roads and city streets, a low-tech defense against deadly FPV drones that dominate the battlefield and threaten civilians near the front line.

War, inheritance and … a baby? First Dune: Part Three trailer is here

The final instalment in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy brings back Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Florence Pugh and introduces a nasty new villain

Timothée Chalamet may have finally escaped Oscar season, but not movie promotion – the first look at Dune: Part Three is here.

The first trailer released for the final installment in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy sees further war and political upheaval in the galaxy beyond Arrakis – plus a possible future child for Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and Chani, the Fremen warrior played by Zendaya. “If we have a girl, what should be name her?” Chani asks, suggesting the two have reconciled since the end of Part Two.

Using AI for financial advice? Here's what to watch out for.

AI and other technologies can help you manage your financial life. But don't rely exclusively on such tools for money matters.

Sparse evidence for cannabis to treat mental health conditions highlights research gap

A new analysis represents the largest effort yet to systematically parse all the data from high-quality clinical trials on cannabis and mental health. The evidence is lacking.

We get it RFK Jr: you have abs. Now enough with the slopaganda | Arwa Mahdawi

While the health secretary posts shirtless workouts and AI videos, he should be focusing on soaring cases of measles

Vladimir Putin loves bombing Ukraine and taking his shirt off – not necessarily in that order. The Russian leader is well known for his macho photoshoots, including that infamous shot of him horse-riding bare-chested in Siberia. While various politicians have mocked Putin for his posing, others have been taking notes. And by others I mean Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has spent a large portion of his time in politics spamming social media with increasingly weird footage of him working out.

In 2023, when Kennedy ran for president, he posted a video of himself doing shirtless push-ups in an empty car park as preparation for his debate with Joe Biden – bizarrely, he was wearing blue jeans for the stunt. Now that Kennedy is the US health secretary, the videos are coming at a faster clip.

Spring break "takeovers" overwhelm some top Florida destinations

Spring break "takeovers," which are massive gatherings organized on social media, are overwhelming some top destinations and posing dangers.

The U.S. is the world's leading oil producer. So why are gas prices soaring?

"If the price of oil goes up, the price of everything goes up," said former U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

Can culling your garden slow a wildfire? A California city pins its hopes on a contested plan

Berkeley is adopting the ‘Zone 0’ regulation, which mandates first 5ft around the home in high-risk areas should be clear of combustible material

Michel Thouati went through the five stages of grief before he ripped his beloved fig tree from the earth. There was a persimmon and an elderberry too, nestled close to his hillside home in Berkeley, California, and they all had to go.

The plants thriving on his small property had become overshadowed by the dangers growing with them: an emerging body of research had found landscaping can help fuel the disastrous fires sweeping out of the wildland and into neighborhoods like his. Tucked into the ridges overlooking California’s San Francisco Bay and against an expansive nature area, the house Thouati and his wife have owned for 30-some years sits in one of the highest wildfire-threat areas in the state.

‘Strong evidence’ of lowered dementia risk: the benefits of shingles vaccination

A growing body of evidence suggests the vaccine may also lower risk of stroke and heart attack

One in three people in the US get shingles. Despite this, US vaccination rates remain low – about 35% of adults over 60, consistent with overall vaccination trends.

“We have a vaccine that works really well,” says Dr Andrew Wallach, ambulatory care chief medical officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “But there is a lot of what I call vaccine fatigue right now.”

Talk is precious: in the age of communication collapse, Jürgen Habermas’s message remains vital | Eva von Redecker

The philosopher, who has died aged 96, was often caricatured as a consensus-seeking liberal. But his belief in the need for shared understanding had a radical underpinning

Despite its canonical name, the Frankfurt School is not a school. It is, at least according to my former teacher, the critical theorist Rahel Jaeggi, a constellation. For a century, this scholarly constellation has pursued the intellectual endeavour of critique. Critique here is not the “thumbs down” or “blocking” exercised on social media. It is the wild aspiration to describe reality in a way that transforms it.

Jürgen Habermas, who died on 14 March 2026 at the age of 96, was a fixed star in this constellation. He set the compass for several generations of mostly German and North American thinkers. Habermas was incredibly prolific, with more than 40 books to his name, and very charismatic. There was an intensity, a concentration to Habermas’s thought and dialogue that his writings convey only poorly. The thundering polemics he brought to public debates also seem a far cry from the consensus-oriented discourse ethics he is known for.

Eva von Redecker is a German philosopher and nonfiction writer

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

MI5 apologises and pays compensation to woman allegedly abused by agent

Woman known only as Beth says abuser claimed status made him untouchable, which terrorised her into silence

MI5 has apologised and paid compensation to a woman who alleged the Security Service was to blame for her being attacked with a machete and abused by one of its agents.

The woman, known only as Beth, was in a relationship with a man she says used his status as an MI5 agent to perpetrate abuse and terrorise her into silence.

‘Everything was burning, people were burning’: witnesses describe strike on Kabul drug rehab centre

Pakistani strike on Afghan capital kills 400 people, who burned in their beds or were crushed by collapsing walls

Witnesses and survivors have described the horrific scenes of a Pakistani air raid that hit a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, killing more than 400 people, who burned in their beds or were crushed by the collapsing building.

Afghan rescue crews were still digging bodies out of the rubble on Tuesday after the strike, the deadliest single attack so far in a three-week war between the two countries.

Border Patrol's Gregory Bovino to retire from federal service, sources say

Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino​ was pulled away from a high-profile role leading immigration raids in major U.S. cities, including Minneapolis, earlier this year.

Did Utah mom poison her husband, then write a children's book on grief?

When her husband Eric died in March of 2022, Kouri Richins wrote a children's book to help her sons cope with the loss of their father – then she was charged in his death. Follow the timeline for a deep dive into the history of Eric and Kouri's relationship.

Trump counter-terrorism chief quits over Iran war, blaming Israel

Joe Kent resigned as national counter-terrorism center director, saying Iran posed no imminent threat to the US

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Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a far-right political figure and supporter of Donald Trump, resigned from his position on Tuesday in protest of the war in Iran.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in a resignation letter posted to X. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

Canadian billionaire Stephen Smith buys 27% stake in the Economist

Weekly news magazine’s parent company makes third significant ownership shake-up in its 183-year history

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The Canadian billionaire Stephen Smith has bought a stake in the parent company of the Economist, held by Lynn Forester de Rothschild, in only the third significant ownership structure shake-up in its 183-year history.

Smith and his family holding company, Smith Financial Corp, which owns financial businesses, including a co-ownership of the influential proxy advisory group Glass Lewis, has acquired a 26.9% stake in the Economist Group (TEG) for an undisclosed sum.

Here in Tel Aviv, even in the midst of war, the Israelis and Palestinians I work with hold on to one another’s humanity | David Davidi-Brown

With civilians across the Middle East living under attack, it’s vital to resist the forces of hate and insist on dignity and compassion for all

• David Davidi-Brown is chief executive of the New Israel Fund

First, if you are lucky, there is a loud warning alert on your phone. Then the sirens scream from all around you. Within seconds, people move quickly but calmly: to a safe room, to a shelter, sometimes simply to the nearest underground car park. Some families sleep in public shelters, unsure whether they can reach safety from home in time, young children in tow.

In my case, the past few weeks have meant hours in a shared reinforced room with neighbours, time alongside strangers – and their calming dogs – in public shelters, and, fortunately, many nights sleeping in a safe room between sirens.

David Davidi-Brown is chief executive of the New Israel Fund

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‘It’s going to upset the balance’: how will Paramount buying Warner Bros change Hollywood?

Warner Bros might have swept the Oscars with Sinners and One Battle After Another, but the impending merger has those in the industry worried about the future

On Sunday, Warner Bros snared 11 Oscars for One Battle After Another, Sinners and Weapons, equalling the record for most wins for a single film studio. Paramount, by contrast, did not earn a single nomination.

Yet in an apparent case of a minnow swallowing a whale, Paramount is poised to gobble up Warner Bros in a deal worth $111bn. If approved by regulators, the two studios would be consolidated into one, redrawing the Hollywood map and sowing uncertainty for actors, directors and writers as well as millions of viewers.

The Postal Service may be out of cash in 2027 without Congress' help, postmaster says

The U.S. Postal Service's leader says it is set to run out of money in less than a year and may have to stop deliveries because of declining mail volume and what USPS sees as burdensome requirements.

Half a million lose power as storm lashes US from midwest to east coast

Snow, tornadoes and fierce winds disrupt flights and leave homes and businesses in multiple states in the dark

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Half a million US homes and businesses were without power on Tuesday morning after a potent storm system brought a mix of snow, strong winds, cold temperatures and rainfall to areas from the midwest to the east coast.

As of Tuesday morning, there were about 107,000 power outages reported in Michigan, according to poweroutage.us. In New York, there were 68,000 power outages; 65,000 were registered in Pennsylvania and 50,000 in Massachusetts.

Why did my GP just use Google? What I’ve learned about the health system, as a doctor and a patient

From the importance of looking up ailments to the comfort and cleanliness of hospitals, Roland Bull has experienced both sides of the bed as a patient-turned-doctor

My medical history can sound almost unbelievable, even to me. In 2017, I underwent a spinal procedure during which the surgeon operated on the wrong part of my back, leaving me with two herniating intervertebral discs instead of one. During my post-surgical downtime, I began to wonder what I might contribute as a doctor, so applied for medical school.

It was going reasonably well until I woke up one morning with functional loss in my right foot. It turned out a bit of wayward disc had started compressing one of my spinal nerve roots, resulting in permanent neurological damage. A couple of years later, during final exams for medical school, I had a funny turn and discovered a benign but nasty tumour at the base of my brain. After careful consideration, I eventually had surgery to remove it.

Surfing’s big break: how climate crisis insurance may save El Salvador’s waves

Fearing that extreme weather threatened its epic breaks, Oriente Salvaje is piloting the first surf insurance policy to protect livelihoods and ecosystems

In the late 1990s in El Salvador, Rodrigo Barraza went in search of every surfer’s dream: a pristine wave, far from the crowds. Down a rough dirt track hours from any city, he found it: a little-known surf spot on the country’s eastern shores, where long lines of waves form a crisp right-hand break, surrounded by thousands of hectares of tropical forest.

“I fell in love with the place,” says Barraza. In 2004, he opened a small hotel there, and along with some surfing friends, founded a tourism association. They developed sustainable tourism standards and committed to protect the surrounding biodiverse ecosystem of rare dry tropical forest, rivers and mangroves. They called it Oriente Salvaje – the “wild east”.

Oriente Salvaje is known by surfers for its world-class breaks, Las Flores and Punto Mango

New York hip-hop experimentalist Elucid: ‘I like the harmony of the city. Everybody’s got a little solo’

From a pocket of Zen in the Dream House installation, the rapper/producer talks about channelling the city’s perpetual din, whether solo or with Billy Woods as Armand Hammer

Seated opposite me in the Dream House, New York rapper and producer Elucid leans against the wall, crosses his ankles and shuts his eyes. Perfumed by incense, the long-running installation in a Manhattan loft, from composer La Monte Young and artist Marian Zazeela, is an otherworldly experience: a fridge-sized speaker cabinet occupies each corner, and pink and purple stage lights illuminate curly mobiles hanging from the ceiling. Violet-tinted film covers the three west-facing windows, making it hard to tell what time it is, or if time is passing at all. Each speaker plays distinct parts of a long drone composition; the emphasis shifts as you tilt your head or move through the space. Eventually, Elucid gets up and slowly walks around, finding a spot to lie down and let it all wash over him.

An hour later, as we sip cocktails in a nearby bar, he tells me that he drifted off a bit. This was his first visit to the Dream House in at least a decade, but his years of frequenting floatation tanks – at least once a season, always after coming home from tour – had him primed for the installation’s meditative properties. “It takes a minute to get into another space, but I definitely got there,” he says. As he settled into the cascading tone, his eyes closed, words like “engine room” and “turbine” came to mind, unconsciously mirroring his songwriting process. “Rappers always be like, ‘The beat tells me what to do,’” he says, and he is no different. “Sound has colour, emotion and force, and everyone who hears the same sound interprets it differently. I’ve developed a sound vocabulary, and oftentimes words pop in. Sometimes it’s a whole sentence.”

Spring break "takeovers" cause chaos in some cities

Massive gatherings organized on social media have overwhelmed some Florida cities and local officials as part of spring break "takeovers." In Daytona Beach, beachgoers ran after hearing what they thought were gunshots. Cristian Benavides reports.

Hungry seagulls, smuggled ants and St Patrick’s Day: photos of the day – Tuesday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

Trump administration to slash fee to renounce US citizenship from $2,350 to $450

White House will take a financial loss to make it easier for Americans to walk away from citizenship starting in April

The Trump administration has agreed to take a financial loss in order to make it easier for Americans to walk away from their US citizenship.

In April, the cost to formally renounce citizenship will plunge from $2,350 to just $450, below the actual cost to the government of processing the requests – but fulfilling a years-long promise to reverse an unpopular fee adopted in 2015.

UK security adviser attended US-Iran talks and judged deal was within reach

Exclusive: Jonathan Powell thought Tehran’s ‘surprising’ offer on its nuclear programme could prevent rush to war, sources say

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Britain’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, attended the final talks between the US and Iran and judged that the offer made by Tehran on its nuclear programme was significant enough to prevent a rush to war, the Guardian can reveal.

Powell thought progress had been made in Geneva in late February and that the deal proposed by Iran was “surprising”, according to sources.