Morning news brief

Israel launches strikes in Beirut, FBI investigating two unrelated attacks in Michigan and Virginia, Senate passes bipartisan housing bill to ban large investors from buying up single-family homes.

Bucking stigma, more places turn to factory-built for affordable housing

Manufactured homes have long faced stigma and been confined to trailer parks. But with updated designs – and zoning codes – more suburbs and cities are turning to them for affordable housing.

James Blake: Trying Times review – platitudes about politics and Kanye can’t detract from an excellent album

(Good Boy)
Amid the stylistic shifts of Blake’s seventh record come samples of Dusty Springfield and Dizzee Rascal: gripping distractions from some preachy sentiments

Of all the things you might expect from a James Blake album – exquisite minimalism, plaintive vocal distortion, appearances from hip-hop’s great and good – chin-stroking socio0political commentary probably isn’t one of them. But as the title suggests, our current predicament is precisely what the 37-year-old aims to address on his seventh solo record. Unfortunately, preachy, banal sentiments (“Everyone’s getting different information / So how can we get on the same side?”) sit awkwardly amid the ethereal melancholia he long ago perfected as the poster boy for London’s 2010s indie-electronica scene.

Subsequently, however, Blake became better known for collaborating with huge US rappers, including Kanye West: the pair recorded a succession of still-unreleased tracks in 2022. Through the High Wire – seemingly a repurposing of one of those songs – scans as a bold defence of his disgraced former colleague. “People love a story,” croons Blake, explaining that “whispers change” until “we all fall from glory”.

Middle East crisis live: Israel ‘targeting Iranian weapons facilities’ as rescue effort continues after US plane crash in Iraq

IDF says it has carried out strikes in Tehran and other areas including on a command centre for the IRGC

• Middle East war creating ‘largest supply disruption in history of oil markets’

• How have you been affected by the latest Middle East events?

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry is saying that two drones have been intercepted and destroyed in the eastern region.

More now after reports of explosions in Dubai on Friday morning: thick black smoke rose over the financial hub’s skyline after what authorities described as a fire in an industrial area of the city-state.

Nasa ‘on track’ for Artemis II moon mission launch as soon as 1 April

US space agency says it is working towards new date after February launch delayed by technical difficulties

Nasa said on Thursday that the long-delayed launch of Artemis II, the first crewed flyby mission to the moon in more than 50 years, could come as soon as 1 April.

“We are on track for a launch as early as April 1, and we are working toward that date,” Lori Glaze, a senior Nasa official, told a press conference, after technical difficulties delayed a launch originally expected in February.

Tottenham may have reached a nadir in Madrid but it could still get worse | Max Rushden

Masochistically rewatching the horror show against Atlético confirms that in a season of disasters this is perhaps the biggest

The Guardian published a story on its website late on Wednesday with the headline: Igor Tudor to carry on at Spurs but future in doubt beyond Liverpool match. Given the past four games, and especially Tuesday night, most Tottenham fans may find it surprising that the (seemingly-disastrously-poor-at-making-decisions) decision makers are giving the emotionless Croat one more roll of the dice.

But beneath the headline, in slightly smaller font: “Harry Redknapp rules himself out of return.” A real human person wrote the words that a 79-year-old has had to rule himself out of managing Tottenham again. In March 2026.

‘Villages are burned, animals slaughtered. We have to let the world know what’s happening’: Tinariwen and Imarhan fight for Tuareg music

Tinariwen went from Saharan weddings to Grammy-winning acclaim – but violence has forced the desert blues masters into exile. Now, a new generation is stepping in to help

Since their formation in 1979, Tuareg guitar band Tinariwen have been constantly moving. Based variously in Mali, Libya and Algeria, the Grammy-winning group have used their desert blues music as a lament for a wandering refugee status that continues to this day.

Co-founder Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni says the group are currently in Algeria, after band members had to flee their homes in Mali in October 2024. “The Malian military and the Russian mercenary group Wagner have been burning villages, slaughtering animals and raping women,” he says. “No one is talking about what is happening – no politicians or journalists – so we have to let the world know through our music.”

A new wave of defiance: the Turkish film-makers standing up to autocracy

İlker Çatak’s Yellow Letters and Emin Alper’s Salvation both won headline honours at the Berlin film festival and show dissenting cinema is thriving in the face of Erdoğan’s repression

‘I want calm in our building,” says the landlord of a couple who have been purged from their jobs in the film Yellow Letters, before asking them to leave the premises. “We’re all responsible for keeping the calm here”. Turkish cinema, however, has never been less inclined to keep the peace. İlker Çatak’s Yellow Letters and Emin Alper’s Salvation, two politically outspoken films that examine Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s autocratic regime, shared the top prizes at this year’s Berlinale: the Golden Bear for Çatak and Silver for Alper.

These striking works share a lot more. Both titles are co-produced by Liman, an indie film company from Turkey. Nadir Öperli, Salvation’s producer, co-produced Yellow Letters alongside Enis Köstepen who produced and co-wrote Çatak’s film. Both in their mid-40s, they are key figures in the new wave of Turkish cinema that has risen from the ashes of Yeşilçam, the national film industry body that collapsed in the late 1980s. Aesthetically bold yet accessible, and steeped in Turkey’s rich tradition of dissent, their projects expose Turkey at a precarious moment of political repression and economic hardship.

Fridolina Rolfö: ‘It’s been a great first season at United but now the fun starts …’

Sweden winger was a serial winner at Barcelona and hopes her experience can help Manchester United claim their first Women’s League Cup trophy on Sunday against Chelsea

When a club is preparing for its fourth major cup final, it helps to have somebody in the squad whose tally of Champions League final appearances alone surpasses that. Enter the serial winner Fridolina Rolfö, who has helped Manchester United reach a final at the first attempt in her first season in England. What else did we expect? It is just what she does.

The Sweden winger, who arrived from Barcelona last summer, is speaking to the Guardian about Sunday’s Women’s League Cup final against Chelsea, the holders, and her winning mentality quickly reveals itself when she says of reaching the final: “Yes, we should be proud, but of course we’re not happy – we want to win the final as well.

Suspect in synagogue attack lost family in recent airstrike in Lebanon, source says

The attacker rammed a vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield and was confronted and killed by security, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.

Rescue effort under way as US military refuelling plane crashes in Iraq

US Central Command officials say ‘incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury’

• Middle East live blog – latest updates

• Pentagon tells lawmakers Iran war costs top $11.3bn – but true price unknown

Rescue efforts were underway on Friday as the US military sought to find and extract the crew of a US military refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq on Thursday.

It was unclear if the crew of the KC-135 aircraft had been harmed in the incident, which US Central Command said involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. At least five crew were reportedly onboard.

‘No cars, unspoilt beaches and seabirds rule’: readers’ favourite European island escapes

From the rugged north of Scotland to the glittering Aegean, our tipsters recommend islands for slowing down, lazing around and taking in nature
• Tell us about a spring activity or day out – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher

A short ferry ride from Vigo (daily and overnight visitor numbers are capped) took us to the tiny archipelago of the Cíes Islands, a protected cluster of islands where seabirds rule and tiny beaches remain unspoilt. There are no cars on the island and only a few small restaurants dotted about. There is one campsite, with little else but the waves of the Atlantic to lull you to sleep. I felt as if I had won the lottery when we visited and knew this would be an experience not easily matched.
Helen E

Week in wildlife: a wet macaque, four little pigs and a stowaway fox

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world

Hit Netflix series has Germany’s spy agency dreaming of a less gaffe-prone future

Unfamiliar’s fictitious portrayal of hapless, rules-bound BND comes amid real-world calls to roll back postwar restraint

In the new Netflix series Unfamiliar, two spies working for Germany’s foreign intelligence agency are trying to gauge the intentions of a Russian agent who has recently arrived in Berlin. They come up with a creative solution: hacking into his taxi’s dashcam and seizing footage of the spook as he shakes hands with a well-known hitman.

The six-part show revels in such flagrant disregard for red tape – the kind of brazen derring-do that Germany’s notoriously rule-bound Federal Intelligence Service (BND) can only dream of in real life.

Cuba will release 51 people from prison in an unexpected move

The announcement was made just hours before Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel is scheduled to speak early Friday "to address national and international issues."

U.S. launches fresh Section 301 probes into 60 economies over forced-labor trade practices

The forced-labor probes follow Section 301 investigations launched on Wednesday, targeting excess industrial capacity across more than a dozen economies.

US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian oil at sea as Iran war sees global prices surge

Trump administration announces 30-day waiver on Russian oil stranded at sea as concerns over US-Israel war on Iran unsettles markets

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The United States has temporarily waived sanctions on Russian oil stranded at sea as Trump administration officials attempt to reverse a surge in prices that is causing mounting apprehension about global supplies.

Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, announced a “temporary authorization” late on Thursday, allowing countries to buy the stranded Russian oil for 30 days. Trump is “working to keep prices low”, he said, after average US fuel prices rose by 65 cents per gallon in a month.

UK energy prices are soaring – and propagandists want to sell you a false reason why | George Monbiot

The war on Iran has put fossil-fuel prices centre stage, but don’t believe those who tout ‘maximising the North Sea’ as our salvation

These are burning, smoking lies. As oil and gas prices soar, thanks to the US and Israel’s attack on Iran, the UK’s opponents of climate policy become even shriller. Rightwing politicians, Tufton Street junktanks and the billionaire press tell us our energy security will be enhanced and our bills will fall if we abandon net zero policies, ditch renewables and reinvest in North Sea gas. These claims are not just a little bit wrong. They are the exact opposite of the truth.

Two things have indeed happened in recent years. The price of electricity has soared, contributing greatly to the cost of living, and the proportion of the electricity we receive from renewables has simultaneously boomed: from 3% in 2000 to 47% today. So, they claim, one has caused the other: more renewables means higher prices.

George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist

Beddy buys: what to wear if you are obsessed with your sleep score

Is the secret to a decent night’s kip a good sleep kit? Silky pyjamas, cosy socks and a dressing gown you won’t mind being seen in when putting the bins out will certainly help

Hundreds of thousands of NHS staff in England attacked and harassed, survey shows

Health service’s 2025 staff survey found that one in seven had experienced violence from patients or the public

Hundreds of thousands of NHS staff have been attacked, harassed, bullied, or subject to racism, latest NHS figures show.

The health service’s 2025 staff survey found that one in seven had experienced violence from patients or the public, while more than a quarter reported harassment, bullying and abuse, the highest levels in three years.

Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for caramelised white chocolate and rhubarb cheesecake | The sweet spot

Blonds really do have more fun – a special-occasion sweet treat that’s perfect for Mother’s Day

It’s often my own impatience that forces me to make no-bake cheesecakes over baked ones. They’re not at all as faffy, though it’s pretty hard to beat the lighter, silkier texture you get with a baked version plus the extra effort is worth it on a special occasion such as Mother’s Day. I’ve sweetened the filling for this one with caramelised white chocolate – it brings a beautiful, creamy, dulce de leche-type caramel flavour that even the biggest white chocolate haters should enjoy. If making your own caramelised white chocolate feels a step too far, however, just buy bars of blond chocolate instead. Top with gently poached rhubarb for a pop of colour and to cut through the richness.

Country diary: Frogspawn returns to the pond I built with my father | Claire Stares

Langstone, Hampshire: A glistening raft of jelly is a promising sign of a frog resurgence after newts dominated for a decade

I register the arrival of spring through small, dependable signs in my garden: queen buff-tailed bumblebees wobbling through purple crocuses in search of nectar; the pungent scent of wild garlic; bluetits prospecting the nest box below my bedroom window; and the wren’s cascading song heralding the start of the breeding season.

Frogspawn used to be one of these markers, but not for many years. Then, 10 days ago, glancing more from habit than expectation, I saw it – a glistening raft moored against the water forget-me-nots. After such a long absence, it felt quietly momentous.

A record number of political parties register for Haiti's first election in a decade

A record 280 political parties had registered by Thursday's deadline to participate in Haiti's first general election in a decade, hopeful for a chance to help ease their country's multiple crises.

Could the US military turn on Trump? – podcast

Since coming back into office, Donald Trump has sent troops to Venezuela, Iran and US cities. He has threatened to deploy them to Greenland in order to get what he wants. But what do the people who serve think of their commander-in-chief? If they wanted to, could they disobey his orders?

This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Janessa Goldbeck, a former Marine and the chief executive of Vet Voice Foundation

Archive: PBS Newshour, Fox 11 Los Angeles, DRM News, DW, AP, ABC News, ABC 7, Good Morning America, CBS News, Bloomberg, New York Post

Nearly three-quarters of England’s woods inaccessible to public, study finds

Exclusive: Campaigners call for government to introduce right-to-roam bill that allows people to walk around their local woodlands

Nearly three-quarters of England’s woods are off-limits to the public, buried government documents show.

The study by Forest Research, which is a government-funded quango, found that 73% of English woodland is publicly inaccessible.

Mining’s toxic timebomb: dams full of poisonous waste are dotted around the world. What happens when they burst?

While tailings dams are meant to last for ever, extreme weather events are making many unstable – with devastating consequences for nature and humans

As soon as the barrier broke, a flood of poison brought death to the river. Gushing through the fragile wall built to hold back mining waste in Zambia’s copper belt in February 2025, more than 50m cubic litres of acid and heavy metals poured into the Chambishi stream – a tributary of the Kafue River, the country’s longest waterway.

Thousands of lifeless fish rose to the surface as a plume of acid floated downriver, leaving dead crocodiles and other wildlife in its wake.

Experience: I suffered terrible burns as a child – then became a firefighter

I was sick and tired of the world treating me like a victim, so I decided to flip the narrative. At 25, I tried out for my local volunteer fire academy

When I was six years old, my entire body went up in flames. It was 1992, in my home town of Hawthorne, Nevada. My older brothers were out playing and I went to call them for dinner. I followed their voices, just a few houses down from ours, to find them playing with a bowl of kerosene they’d found and a lighter. When they flicked the lighter, the bowl caught fire. My brother freaked out and kicked it over in a bid to contain the flames. They weren’t aware I was just inches away.

Soon I was submerged in flames. The pain was excruciating. I was tackled to the ground by a neighbour I’d never met, who covered me in a sleeping bag, extinguishing the flames. It haunts me to this day to think of what he would have seen: a six-year-old boy on fire outside his house.

Snoop Dogg, pigsty fights and the wrong kind of snow: Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan on making the Peaky Blinders movie

The actors and creator Steven Knight discuss the Shelbys’ big-screen swan song, how fans propelled the show to success, and that undercut

In June 2023, Barry Keoghan texted Cillian Murphy to wish him a happy Father’s Day. The pair had shared the screen six years before, in the film Dunkirk. “Cillian and Colin [Farrell] are people I admire greatly, and always keep in touch with,” says Keoghan. A reply from Murphy pinged back soon after: “Thank you. Would you like to play my son in Peaky Blinders the movie?”

Murphy remembers it a bit differently: that he was the one initiating contact (which is how Tim Roth and Rebecca Ferguson came on board). But he’s happy to let Keoghan’s version be recorded as fact.

NYC's Mamdani condemns Tuberville's anti-Muslim posts as "bigotry"

Speaking at a public iftar dinner, held to break the daily Ramadan fast, New York City Mayor Mamdani described Sen. Tuberville's anti-Muslim rhetoric as "bigotry" and "hatred."

U.S. launches new investigations into 60 countries as it fights to restore tariffs

The Trump administration has launched investigations into dozens of countries accused of failing to crack down on forced labor, flexing a law that lets the federal government impose tariffs.

Draper knocked out as Medvedev capitalises on controversial call in Indian Wells

• British No 1’s title defence ends with 6-1, 7-5 loss in quarters

• Carlos Alcaraz beats Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 to reach last four

Jack Draper was controversially ruled to have caused a hindrance to opponent Daniil Medvedev as his Indian Wells title defence ended in the quarter-finals. The 24-year-old Briton, looking understandably weary from his exploits in beating Novak Djokovic less than 24 hours earlier, went down 6-1, 7-5 to the former world No 1.

The decisive moment came at 5-5 and 0-15 in the second set when umpire Aurelie Torte decided to award Medvedev a point following a video review after Draper had raised his arms at a disputed line call and was deemed to have distracted his opponent, with Medvedev going on to seal a crucial break.

Old Dominion shooting suspect was previously arrested for trying to support ISIS

The suspect, who was killed following the shooting, had previously been imprisoned for several years for trying to support ISIS, the FBI said.

Brave ROTC students credited with stopping deadly shooting at Old Dominion

Officials praised the "brave" actions of ROTC students who confronted a gunman Thursday after he opened fire in a classroom​ on the campus of Old Dominion University, killing one person and injuring two others.

The kill line v Chinamaxxing: a window into how China and the US see each other

In China, one social media trend hangs on the idea that a life in the US is always one step from disaster, while another in the US has gen Z revelling in Chinese lifestyle hacks

Across two online worlds that are normally splintered, over the last few months there has been a mirroring of sorts. On TikTok and Instagram, young people are diving into the joys of Chinese culture – from drinking hot water to playing mahjong – all under the banner of “Chinamaxxing”. On the Chinese internet, however, the US is losing its decades-long grip on soft power, and is instead being replaced by a darker trend: the kill line.

The kill line is a dangerous place to be. In gaming, the term refers to the point at which a player’s strength is so depleted that one more blow could lead to total wipeout. In China, the term refers to the risks that come with daily life in the US.

China slams Trump's trade investigation, as it approves a 5-year economic plan

China's Foreign Ministry criticized the Trump administration's trade investigation as a "pretext" for tariffs. Meanwhile, China is moving ahead with a five-year plan that may rankle trade partners.

Australia to release nearly 20% of fuel stockpile as Bowen insists country ‘nowhere near’ running out

Energy minister cuts fuel companies’ minimum stock obligations to free up diesel and petrol, which will be directed to regional Australia

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Australia will begin releasing its stockpile of fuel after the government directed fuel companies to release nearly a fifth of reserve petrol and diesel supplies.

The energy minister, Chris Bowen, acknowledged fuel supplies could face further pressure but ruled out a cut to the fuel excise or rationing fuel purchases.

Fatal shooting at Virginia university investigated as act of terrorism, FBI says

Suspect who was convicted in 2016 for supporting Islamic State is dead after attack kills one and leaves two injured

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The suspect who killed one person and injured two others at Old Dominion University on Thursday was identified by authorities as Mohamed Jalloh, a former member of the army national guard who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State.

Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Norfolk field office, told reporters the suspect had attempted to commit an “act of terrorism” and shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire. He was subdued and killed by members of the university’s ROTC program in a university classroom, she said, praising them for demonstrating “extreme bravery and courage” and preventing further loss of life. (ROTC is a college-based program that allows students to train to become a US military officer while also earning a college degree.)

‘IG is a drug’: jury to deliberate as US trial over social media addiction wraps up

Meta and YouTube accused of creating harmful products in trial seen as a bellwether for attitudes towards social media

The first-ever jury trial over the potential harms of social media wrapped up on Thursday. Lawyers for Meta and YouTube have argued their platforms are safe for the vast majority of young people, while lawyers for a young woman at the center of the case say the tech companies have designed their products to be addictive, leading to mental health issues in children and teens.

“How did they become such behemoths?” Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said during closing arguments in Los Angeles superior court on Thursday, according to NBC. “It’s the attention economy. They’re making money off capturing your attention.”

U.S. military plane crashes in Iraq as status of crew is unknown, officials said

An aerial refueling tanker crashed in Western Iraq, U.S. officials said.

Elderly couple in Indiana home among 3 killed as tornadoes tear through Midwest

A string of tornadoes touched down in multiple states as severe weather stretched from Texas to Michigan.

Suspect dead after ramming vehicle into Michigan synagogue, officials say

FBI treating incident as targeted act against Jewish community as temple says all students and staff safe

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A man who rammed his vehicle into a Michigan synagogue and drove through a hallway on Thursday died during the incident, officials said.

There were no other serious casualties at the Temple Israel in West Bloomfield township, a suburb in Oakland county, and the FBI said it was treating the matter as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community”. It was not immediately clear how the driver died, but officials said security staff engaged the suspect and at least one fired shots.

3/12: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Police investigating attacks at Old Dominion University and Michigan synagogue; Iran's new supreme leader releases first statement.

BBC World Service funding freeze risks ‘opening door to hostile states’, MPs say

Cross-party committee says service is ‘jewel in crown of UK’s soft power’ but is diminished by poor governance

Ministers risk “opening the door to propaganda from hostile states” and diminishing international trust in the BBC World Service by allowing its funding to be frozen at a crucial time, parliament’s spending watchdog has said.

The cross-party public accounts committee (PAC) said it was deeply troubled by the fact the service was still unclear about its funding just weeks before its current deal runs out.It also reiterated the BBC’s warnings about the rising influence of Russian and Chinese state-backed media.

Short tempers and legal threats: UK teachers report rise in problem parents

Rudeness, social media posts and AI-generated complaints among issues harming staff wellbeing, union survey finds

Teachers are used to outbreaks of rudeness and defiance from their pupils, but are now saying parents are some of the worst offenders and affecting staff mental health, according to a headteachers’ union.

More than 90% of headteachers and other senior leaders said they had been on the receiving end of “challenging behaviour” from parents including rude or disrespectful responses, while 60% have had verbal abuse and threats within the past 12 months, according to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

SUV drivers could face extra charges for driving in London

TfL are also poised to increase 20mph zones and cut speed limits on the capital’s fastest roads later this year

Owners of SUVs could face charges to drive in London, after the mayor and transport authorities said they were reviewing the increased danger posed by larger, heavier cars.

Proposals to clamp down on the biggest vehicles could come later this year, with Transport for London (TfL) also poised to increase 20mph zones and cut the speed limits on its fastest roads from 50mph to 40mph to tackle road deaths.

The logistics of a potential U.S. military plan to open the Strait of Hormuz

CBS News national security analyst Aaron MacLean walks through the potential options for a U.S. military mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

3 teens took part in a weeklong experiment to curb screen time. It worked.

For one week, three New Jersey high schoolers agreed not to take their phones to bed, and to try different tools to reduce screen time.

Can Pope's childhood church in Chicago be saved from demolition?

Thousands of churches have closed in recent decades, but one on Chicago's South Side is getting attention for its connection to the Pope. Tony Dokoupil has the story.

Teens agree to weeklong experiment to curb screen time

For a period of one week, three New Jersey teens agreed not to take their phones to bed, and to try different tools to reduce screen time during the day. Meg Oliver has the story.

How rising diesel price may affect inflation amid Iran war

For American drivers, the cost of the war with Iran is already showing up at the pump. But there's a bigger warning light flashing for the economy: diesel. Kelly O'Grady explains.

Virginia university gunman was previously convicted for ISIS ties

The gunman who killed one person and wounded two others at a Virginia university campus on Thursday had previously been imprisoned for trying to support ISIS. Nicole Sganga has more on the shooting and how the gunman was subdued.

What we know about U.S. military plane crash in western Iraq

A U.S. military aerial refueling tanker that was involved in the military operation in Iran crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, according to multiple U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News. Charlie D'Agata and Aaron MacLean have more.

Armed man plows truck packed with explosives into Michigan synagogue

A suspect is dead after ramming a truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, prompting a massive law enforcement response. No victims were killed inside the synagogue, officials said. Scott MacFarlane reports.

3/12: CBS Evening News

Suspect dead after attack on Michigan synagogue; U.S. military aircraft goes down in western Iraq.

White House mulls defunding civil rights election observer program

The federal observer program sends neutral observers to monitor election sites to ensure voters don't experience discrimination at the polls.

Trump weighs Jones Act waiver amid rising fuel prices, White House says

Easing the century-old shipping law could help lower fuel prices as the Iran war pushes crude oil near $100 a barrel, experts say.

Senate passes sweeping bipartisan housing bill, but House roadblocks remain

The Senate approved a package of bills aimed at lowering housing costs, the most sweeping housing legislation in decades and a rare point of bipartisan consensus in an election year, with the issue of affordability top of mind for many voters.

NASA targets Artemis II crewed moon mission for April 1 launch

A six-day launch window opens on April 1 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lunar orbital mission would be the first time humans have returned to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Warren calls on State Department to provide more aid to Americans stuck in Middle East

The State Department said this week that 36,000 Americans had returned to the U.S. after the start of the war with Iran.

Eswatini says it received more ‘third country’ deportees as part of deal with Trump administration

Two deportees sent to Eswatini were from Somalia, one was from Sudan and one was from Tanzania

The government of Eswatini announced on Thursday it received four more “third country” deportees from the United States, as part of the Trump administration’s multimillion-dollar deal with the small African nation.

Now, a total of 19 deportees from the US have been sent to Eswatini when they hail from other countries, amid the Trump administration’s continued anti-immigrant crackdown and changes to immigration policy.

Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has verified account on X, Elon Musk's platform

The newly created account was busy posting on Thursday, its first day being active on the X social media platform.

FBI closes 2020 election fraud inquiry demanded by NV's top federal prosecutor

The FBI found only 38 non-citizens may have voted in the 2020 presidential election in the inquiry ordered by Sigal Chattah, Nevada's top federal prosecutor.

Bosa/Wu: Private equity is about to eat its own software portfolio

Private equity built the SaaS installed base. It may also be the one that rips it out.

Markets' hopes for Fed interest rate cuts are rapidly fading away

As both energy prices and inflation fears pop higher, expectations for cuts are sliding lower.

Millions of Americans skip meals, stretch medication to afford health care

Even people with six-figure incomes are making financial sacrifices to pay for medical care, a new study finds.

Flights are already getting more expensive after a jet fuel spike. When should you book?

Some airlines are already raising fares after a historic surge in jet-fuel costs.

Iran War: U.S. Navy will escort oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz when 'militarily possible,' Bessent tells Sky News

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to shipping because of the war against Iran by the U.S. and Israel.

Fear of Iranian mines in the Strait of Hormuz could further slow the flow of oil

Attacks by Iran have already nearly halted the flow of oil through the vital waterway as commercial ship crews fear being hit by missiles, drones or mines.

Massive emergency oil release fails to stem investor fears

Attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf temporarily pushed oil back above $100 a barrel, stoking investor fears.

Trump administration launches Section 301 trade probes into Mexico, China, EU, others

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling, said President Trump was not authorized by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, IEEPA, to impose tariffs.

EV maker Lucid reveals plans for robotaxi, positive free cash flow late this decade

The EV company is aiming to hit that target through market expansion into midsize vehicles, robotaxis and new counties, specifically in Europe.

What will it take for ships to brave the Strait of Hormuz again?

Energy prices won't ease up until the Strait of Hormuz is secure, experts say. Here's what it will take to get the oil flowing again.

English clubs have week to forget in Champions League – but is that a bad thing? | Barney Ronay

Of six teams in the last 16, only two – Arsenal and Liverpool – look more likely than not to get to the quarter-finals. But does it matter?

The coefficient is safe. The coefficient is yours. You’re going home with the coefficient. But perhaps not, on this evidence, with the microwave, the washing machine or the jet ski.

England’s soccer shame. Premier League in EURO MELTDOWN. Robot-ball crisis: how Arteta’s Arsenal destroyed all that is good and true, including the ploughman’s lunch and probably Woolworths. This kind of stuff has begun to do the rounds after this week’s Champions League last-16 matches.

Israeli military drops charges against soldiers accused of Gaza detainee abuse

Five soldiers were indicted over alleged violent abuse and rape of Palestinian man at detention centre in 2024

Israel’s top military lawyer has dropped all charges against five soldiers accused of the violent abuse and rape of a Palestinian detainee from Gaza.

The military advocate general, Itay Offir, said prosecutors lacked key evidence after the victim was sent back to Gaza, and that the conduct of senior officials had affected the chance of holding a fair trial.

Fed chair pick Kevin Warsh meets with more senators as Thom Tillis blockade continues

Sen. Tillis vows to vote against sending Kevin Warsh's nomination as Federal Reserve chair to the full Senate as a criminal probe of Jerome Powell is pending.

Clyburn, 85-year-old South Carolina Democrat, running for reelection

Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina announced Thursday he will seek an 18th term in Congress.

CBS News Things That Matter: A Town Hall with Governor Wes Moore

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a rising star in the Democratic Party, sits down with CBS News senior correspondent Norah O'Donnell to discuss issues impacting the nation, including the critical 2026 midterm elections and his vision for the future of the Democratic Party.

Ben Jennings on the Oscars – cartoon

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The Guardian view on the cost of Trump’s war on Iran: the world’s poor will pay most dearly | Editorial

The economic fallout of the US-Israeli assault and Tehran’s retaliation is spreading fast, and pushing the most vulnerable towards disaster

Soaring prices at the pump, the scrapping of mortgage deals, and the prospect of higher prices for everything from food to smartphones. The US-Israeli attack on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliation, has rocked the global economy. Consumers are already feeling the pain of the biggest energy supply shock in history, and Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed on Thursday that the strait of Hormuz will remain closed, according to a statement attributed to him by state media. The corridor is the biggest chokepoint for the global energy system. The relief to oil prices brought by the International Energy Agency’s largest ever release of reserves had already proved shortlived: as the US and Israel intensified attacks on Iran, it escalated attacks on transport infrastructure across the Gulf.

But the impact is not evenly felt. In Asia, heavily reliant on the Middle East for crude oil and liquefied natural gas, Bangladesh closed all its universities and Pakistan some of its schools due to fuel shortages. While US coverage is dominated by the impact at home, others are paying a higher price. And it is the world’s poorest and most vulnerable who will be worst hit.

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The Mandelson papers reveal a prime minister who would rather not hear from dissenting voices | Gaby Hinsliff

Warnings were ignored and processes rushed because No 10 had already made up its mind to let Peter Mandelson sail through

The arrogance takes your breath away, even to the end. Sacked in disgrace for bringing shame upon those who trusted him, Peter Mandelson’s response, we now know, was to unsuccessfully demand half a million pounds of public money to go quietly, all while haughtily insisting upon his dignity as a servant of the crown. In other words, this week’s disclosures suggest Mandelson behaves in a tight corner pretty much exactly as bitter experience suggests he might. What they still don’t explain satisfactorily is why Downing Street, seemingly alone, failed to anticipate that.

To understand what went wrong, imagine the three-step process by which he became ambassador to Washington as a sandwich: two bland slices of officialdom, representing the Cabinet Office’s initial efforts at due diligence and a deeper vetting process at the end, glued together with political filling. Take away the middle, which is the political operation around the prime minister himself, and what’s left is dry bread falling apart in your hands.

Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columinst

Guardian Newsroom: Can Labour come back from the brink?
On Thursday 30 April, ahead of the May elections, join Gaby Hinsliff, Zoe Williams, Polly Toynbee and Rafael Behr as they discuss how much of a threat Labour faces from the Green party and Reform UK, and whether Keir Starmer can survive as leader of the Labour party
Book tickets here or at guardian.live

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.

The Guardian view on a green wake-up call for Friedrich Merz: Europe’s political centre loses its way again | Editorial

The German chancellor and his Social Democrat coalition partners need to learn the right lessons, after an election reverse in Germany’s third-largest state

For most of the postwar period, the state of Baden-Württemberg was both a bastion of German conservatism and – as the home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche – an economic powerhouse. But in volatile times, even regions that embodied political stability and industrial prowess now deliver the unexpected. A come-from-behind victory for the Greens last Sunday, in the first of a series of important regional elections this year, suggests that Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrat-led national government is alienating voters in the same way as other centrist administrations in Europe. If Sir Keir Starmer has Gorton and Denton to anguish over, Mr Merz and his Social Democrat coalition partners now have Baden-Württemberg.

Caveats apply. The Greens already had an impressive power base in Germany’s third-largest state, where they have been the senior partner in coalition administrations for 15 years. In Cem Özdemir, their victorious candidate, they also fielded a charismatic and popular campaigner. Mr Özdemir’s personal achievement is in itself a cause for celebration. The son of immigrants who arrived in the country in the 1960s, he becomes Germany’s first state premier with Turkish roots.

KPop Demon Hunters sequel confirmed at Netflix: ‘This is only the beginning’

The streamer’s biggest film of all time, also nominated for two Oscars, is getting a follow-up

A sequel to record-breaking hit KPop Demon Hunters has been officially confirmed at Netflix.

The film will again be a collaboration between the streamer and Sony with Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the writer-directors, returning.

Senate fails again to advance DHS funding as tempers flare over stalemate

The Senate failed for a fourth time to advance a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, with no deal in sight.

FBI says its taking over the Michigan synagogue attack investigation

Security officers at Temple Israel "engaged with the suspect" after a vehicle rammed into the building, according to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.

‘Wherefore art thou?’: France look to restore identity with outing to Romeo and Juliet

Fabien Galthié hopes ballet excursion helps side put Scotland loss behind them for Saturday’s Six Nations finale

A night at the opera may not be to every Frenchman’s taste these days, but for Fabien Galthié the outing will have been an integral part of his team’s Six Nations finale preparations.

Two evenings out from their clash against England, Les Bleus were set to leave their training camp to watch rehearsals for a performance of the ballet Romeo and Juliet at the Opéra Garnier in central Paris. “It’s important for us to take a step back,” the head coach explained. “We’re going to be meeting the lead dancers, watching them at work, speaking to them, and experiencing that legendary venue.”

Parseword: Is Wordle creator’s new game too much of a ‘chin-scratcher’ to go viral?

Josh Wardle hopes his digital take on the cryptic crossword can be a gradual on-ramp crossing the cultural divide between Britain and the US

In 2021, Josh Wardle became a household name almost overnight. His digital game, Wordle, turned a simple guessing game into a global morning ritual: six guesses, one word, and a grid of coloured squares shared across social media feeds.

It became a cultural phenomenon; bought within months by the New York Times for a seven-figure sum.

Gerry Adams was leader of IRA, ex-police officers tell high court

Two former members of Royal Ulster Constabulary testify at civil trial that Adams led proscribed organisation

Gerry Adams was the leader of the Irish Republican Army, two former police officers have told the high court.

The former Sinn Féin leader is being sued for symbolic “vindicatory” damages of £1 each by John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who allege he was culpable for three separate IRA bombings in which they were injured.

Rivian's crucial R2 EV launch to begin with $58,000 model in spring

Rivian will launch sales of its crucial R2 all-electric vehicle this spring with a roughly $58,000 special edition model, the company announced Thursday.

Trump tariffs: Martin Heinrich bill would give families tax rebate for higher import costs

The Supreme Court in a 6-3 ruling Feb. 20 ruled that President Donald Trumps IEEPA tariffs were illegal.

This tale of a Chicago school book ban was inspired by true events

Librarian Jarrett Dapier's graphic novel tells a fictionalized account of real-life events in 2013 that restricted access to Marjane Satrapi's memoir Persepolis in Chicago Public Schools.

TSA workers set to miss first paycheck of shutdown as Senate bickers over DHS funding

Democrats and Republicans remain at loggerheads over reopening the Department of Homeland Security.

British tourist among 20 charged in Dubai over videos of Iranian missile strikes

UAE cybercrime law means sharing images or footage of war can bring jail, prison time and deportation

A British man is among 20 people who have been charged in the United Arab Emirates under cybercrime laws in connection with filming and posting material related to Iranian attacks on the country.

The 60-year-old man, understood to be a tourist who was visiting Dubai, was charged under a law that prohibits sharing material that could disturb public security.

Tehran diary: dark and bitter, the terror of life under US-Israeli bombardment

Elahi, a former political prisoner writing under a pseudonym, details a sleepless night in the Iranian capital

It’s 5am on Thursday 12 March. I was finally falling asleep after a day full of fear when the phone rang. Terror rushes through me. It’s not the right time for a call. Someone must need help – or maybe they are alone and frightened.

I answer the phone, exhausted. It’s my younger sister. She is crying and cannot speak. My heart breaks into a thousand pieces. I haven’t seen her for many days. When I was released from prison, she had gone to another city to take care of our mother.

Microsoft top Office executive Rajesh Jha retiring after more than 35 years

Rajesh Jha helped Microsoft bring to market an artificial intelligence assistant containing OpenAI models for its Office productivity customers.

Misty Copeland fires back at Timothée Chalamet ballet, opera comments

Ballerina Misty Copeland responded to controversial comments made by actor Timothée Chalamet when he appeared to dismiss the significance of ballet and opera, saying, "No one cares."

Morrissey cancels Valencia concert after being left in ‘catatonic state’ by city noise

After latest concert cancellation, singer also describes Valencia hotel as ‘indescribable hell’ that will require ‘one year to recover’ from

British singer Morrissey has cancelled a concert in Valencia after being left sleep-deprived during the city’s notoriously noisy Las Fallas festival.

A statement on his website said: “Having travelled for two days by road, Morrissey reached the hotel in Valencia late on Wednesday. Any form of sleep or rest throughout the night was impossible due to festival noise/loud techno singing/megaphone announcements.”

Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics 2026: day six – in pictures

We take a look at the best images from the Games, including alpine skiing, slalom and ice hockey

Snow joke: Winter Paralympics athletes angry at scheduling as big thaw hits

• Ice melt causes dangerous conditions for para athletes

• IPC says changing winter calendar ‘easier said than done’

In Cortina d’Ampezzo, the thaw is on. With daytime temperatures reaching double figures in celsius, snow is disappearing from the hillsides and the “torrenti” of ice melt have started to flow once again.

Traditionally a time of year when snowfall can be at its heaviest, there has been none since the Winter Paralympics began. The Games have not been insulated from the consequences.

Try small steps and set the bar low: how to find the meaning of life

Don’t treat it as a lofty quest, experts say. You can make each day feel more meaningful with humbler methods

What makes your life meaningful?

If you don’t really know, you’re far from alone. “We’re in the middle of a meaning crisis,” says Bill Burnett, executive director of the Life Design Lab at Stanford University.

Trump-backed SAVE America Act will get a Senate vote next week, Thune says

Advocates of the voter-ID bill have pressed the Senate for months to call a vote on the controversial legislation.