Middle East crisis live: Iran threatens to attack US-linked oil targets after strikes on its Kharg Island

Iranian military said in a statement that oil and energy infrastructure belonging to firms that cooperated with the US would ‘immediately be destroyed’

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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.

Fake rooms, props and a script to lure victims: inside an abandoned Cambodia scam centre

Sprawling compound, including mock-up banks and police offices, uncovered by Thai military during border clashes

It is as if you have walked into a branch of one of Vietnam’s banks. A row of customer service desks, divided by plastic screens, with landline phones, promotional leaflets and staff business cards. A seated waiting area and a private meeting room. All of it features the OCB bank’s logo, or its trademark green colour.

This is not a genuine bank branch, however. It’s one of various “mock up” rooms inside a sprawling compound on the Thai-Cambodian border, where criminal groups are accused of using elaborate and industrial-scale fraud schemes to trick victims into handing over money.

Old Dominion gunman was released early from prison after conviction for ISIS support

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

‘Cannot wait until December’: Dennis Richardson calls for urgency over Bondi attack failures after quitting inquiry

Former spy chief says recommendations regarding intelligence agencies shouldn’t wait for royal commission’s final report

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Improvements to public safety and intelligence in the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack “cannot wait until December”, former spy chief Dennis Richardson has said just days after he sensationally quit the antisemitism royal commission.

“You cannot leave matters that go to public safety till the end of the year, particularly when you have a small section of the community living in such fear,” Richardson told an ABC podcast.

Meta reportedly plans sweeping layoffs as AI costs increase

Sources tell Reuters layoffs could affect 20% or more of company as plans reflect broader tensions within big tech

Meta is planning sweeping layoffs that could affect 20% or more of the company, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Meta seeks to offset costly artificial intelligence infrastructure bets and prepare for greater efficiency brought about by AI-assisted workers.

No date has been set for the cuts and the magnitude has not been finalized, the people said.

New details emerge on attack at Michigan synagogue and suspect's history

The attacker rammed a vehicle into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield and opened fire, but he was the only one killed, law enforcement officials said.

Democrats seek clarity on Epstein accountant's statements on Trump accuser

Richard Kahn, who worked closely with Epstein for more than a decade, testified before the Oversight Committee on Wednesday.

How a beloved resident has been embraced by his town for more than a half-century

Clinton, New Jersey, is known primarily for its old grist mill, its quaint downtown, and its historic resident, "Dave the Rave."

Michigan synagogue clergy grappling with attack: "None of us signed up for this"

Clergy members at a Detroit-area synagogue are grateful no one was seriously hurt after an armed man rammed his car full of explosives into their building. But the community is now grappling with an endless amount of emotional wounds. Jonah Kaplan has the latest.

Jury finds defendants guilty of terrorism charges in attack on Prairieland ICE center

Nine defendants were on trial on charges related to the July 4 attack on the Prairieland ICE detention center in North Texas.

Man charged with selling stolen firearm used in Old Dominion shooting

The stolen gun used in the Old Dominion University was sold this week to the shooter for $100, according to a federal law enforcement affidavit.

DOJ moves to drop charges against man who burned American flag outside White House

Jan Carey was facing two misdemeanor criminal counts in Washington, D.C., federal court.

Melbourne to finally get Myki-less public transport on Monday – but only on four train lines

Commuters on Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines will be first to test tap-and-go technology

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Melbourne is finally poised to join other Australian cities in the tap-and-go era, with the state government confirming public trials for contactless credit and debit card payments will launch for suburban rail commuters on Monday.

Commuters on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines will be the first to test the technology, allowing them to bypass the physical Myki card in favour of paying via a debit or credit card, smartphone or smartwatch.

A sobering question after a week of terrorism incidents in America

If not for extraordinary heroism, several terrorism-motivated incidents in the United States could have had even more carnage. "CBS Evening News" Tony Dokoupil reflects on what could have been after returning home from the Middle East.

Dr. Oz pledges to tackle hospice fraud: "Do not steal from the American people"

The Trump administration's Medicare boss reacts to CBS News investigation into California's hospice fraud problems.

Mom of 3 worries she'll have to quit job over increasing gas prices

A mom of three who commutes three hours roundtrip to work is worried she will have to quit her job as gas prices rise. Elaine Quijano has more.

Hegseth says Iran showing "sheer desperation" in Strait of Hormuz as oil tankers remain stuck

With tankers on fire and ships dead in the water, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tried to project the U.S. was in control of the Strait of Hormuz. As Matt Gutman reports, hundreds of oil tankers remain stuck, terrorized by Iranian attacks.

New details about firearm used in Old Dominion shooting

A man is facing federal charges, accused of selling to the gunman the firearm that was used in a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University. Scott MacFarlane has details.

What we know about the Michigan synagogue attacker

A suspect is dead after ramming a truck into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, in what the FBI said was a "targeted act of violence against the Jewish community." Ash-har Quraishi has more on what we know about him.

The Claudia Winkleman Show review – yes we love her, but this chatshow is a mess

It’s only the first episode, but alongside Jeff Goldblum’s non-anecdotes about pencils the guests are reduced to discussing the colour of the sofa

Now look. Let’s make a few things clear before we begin.

We love Claudia Winkleman, absolutely, yes.

Trump announces Ric Grenell departure as Kennedy Center head

President thanks Grenell for ‘outstanding work’ and says Matt Floca, vice-president of operations, will take over

Donald Trump has announced that Ric Grenell, the longtime Republican foreign policy adviser who oversaw far-reaching changes at the Kennedy Center, which prompted many artists to abandon the performing arts venue, will be replaced by Matt Floca, vice-president of operations at the center.

Trump made the announcement on social media that he has replaced Grenell, thanking him for the “outstanding work he has done”. Floca was photographed in December personally overseeing the addition of Trump’s name to the center’s facade. Grenell’s departure comes as the Kennedy Center prepares to close this summer for a two-year renovation.

Kyrsten Sinema says in court filings she had a ‘romantic’ relationship with guard

Former US senator’s admission comes after Heather Ammel sued her under North Carolina’s ‘homewrecker’ law

Kyrsten Sinema, a former US senator, admitted in court filings to having a “romantic and intimate” relationship with a married man who was a member of her security detail during her final year in office – but argues that his estranged wife should not be able to sue her over it.

The admission to the multi-state affair came in response to a lawsuit filed by Heather Ammel, who accused the former Arizona senator in federal court of breaking up her marriage under North Carolina’s so-called “homewrecker” law.

Hollywood in the gantry: Welsh derby gets Wrexham-heavy makeover

On fifth anniversary of their takeover, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac showed off their ‘happy clapper’ credentials

The daily ritual of the modern football fan is well established: check the fixtures and TV listings, then decide which match to half-follow while gawping at social media as a second screen. On most nights in March this year there has been either a Premier League or Champions League game to provide turf-coloured backlight to the doomscroll. Until Friday night.

Clearly the suits at Sky Sports thought Wrexham v Swansea City on a Friday night needed its own sideshow. A clash between two historic Welsh clubs just five points apart in the battle for the Championship playoff places may not appeal to the TikTok generation. If only there were some Hollywood actors on hand to step into the content void, relegating Daniel Mann and Andy Hinchcliffe to second-string commentary choice.

Mortgage rates surge to highest since September, hitting spring housing market

Mortgage rates jumped to a seven-month high Friday as war in Iran pushed bond yields higher.

‘You can cry or fight’: Igor Tudor orders struggling Spurs to stop playing the victim

• He dismisses talk of club being cursed by ‘black magic’

• Interim manager admits some players are not coping

Igor Tudor has told his Tottenham players to stand up and fight rather than wallow in the role of victims and hide behind “bullshit” excuses such as the club being cursed by “black magic”.

The interim manager is under intense pressure as he prepares for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Liverpool after losing his first four matches. He will be without 12 players, with Cristian Romero and João Palhinha undergoing concussion protocols after their clash of heads in Tuesday’s 5-2 Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid and Yves Bissouma added to the casualty list with a muscle problem.

Premier League news: Arteta denies his team ‘block’ at set pieces; Slot rues Isak absence

Carrick says Harry Maguire is ready for England return, while Rosenior is happy with Chelsea’s keeper dilemma

3/13: CBS Evening News

Michigan synagogue clergy grappling with attack; new details about firearm used in Old Dominion shooting.

Anti-ICE protesters accused of being part of antifa found guilty of support for terrorism in Texas

Case was seen as major test of the first amendment and whether the US could use broad anti-terrorism statute to prosecute leftwing protesters

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A group of protesters in Texas was found guilty of providing support for terrorism and other charges on Friday in a closely watched case in which prosecutors alleged anti-ICE activists were actually part of an antifa cell.

The case was seen as a major test of the first amendment and whether the government could use a broad anti-terrorism statute to prosecute leftwing protesters. It marked the first time the government alleged individuals were part of an antifa terrorist cell in a criminal prosecution.

Class-action lawsuit filed after the Potomac sewage spill

A class-action lawsuit has been filed after part of a decades-old sewer line in Maryland collapsed in January, sending raw sewage into the Potomac River. After weather delays, repair work has resumed.

Judge quashes subpoenas sent to Fed in DOJ criminal probe

A federal judge has quashed a pair of grand jury subpoenas sent to the Federal Reserve Board as part of a criminal probe by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office.

Kennedy Center president departs – months before the art complex's scheduled closing

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump announced Friday afternoon that Richard Grenell is leaving the Kennedy Center. The arts complex is scheduled to close in July for renovations.

NFL, Paramount discussing media deal that could mean CBS pays an extra $1 billion or more

The NFL is discussing getting rid of its 2029-30 opt-out clause in exchange for an increase on TV rights that could push CBS to pay more than $3 billion a year.

Security detail requested for U.S. official who asked for Lisa Cook, Adam Schiff probes

A security detail has been requested from the federal health department's inspector general for top federal housing official Bill Pulte.

Trump announces Ric Grenell stepping aside as Kennedy Center president

Matt Floca will be the new CEO and executive director of the Kennedy Center, President Trump announced.

Catholic priest in Louisiana charged with child sexual abuse

Korey LaVergne, 37, of the Lafayette diocese, charged with three counts of felony indecent behavior with a juvenile

A Roman Catholic priest in the south-west Louisiana diocese where the US church’s clergy abuse scandal effectively started decades ago has been formally charged with three counts of felony indecent behavior with a juvenile.

A bill of information from the district attorney for Acadia parish charges 37-year-old Korey LaVergne with three counts of felony indecent behavior with a juvenile who was 15 at the time of the alleged offenses.

Judge blocks DOJ's criminal probe of Federal Reserve, blasting it as political

A federal judge has put the brakes on a criminal probe of the Federal Reserve, saying it was part of an improper campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the central bank into cutting interest rates.

3/13: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Six U.S. service members killed in aircraft crash in Iraq; U.S. temporarily lifts sanctions on shipments of Russian oil.

A cholesterol test you've never heard of is now recommended to prevent heart disease

The test can help assess your lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease. That, along with earlier treatment for high cholesterol, is part of new doctors' guidelines.

Elon Musk says xAI must be 'rebuilt' as co-founder exodus continues, SpaceX IPO awaits

With xAI now in the hands of SpaceX, Elon Musk says he's rebuilding the artificial intelligence company following high-level departures.

US airports ask for donations for unpaid TSA staff amid partial government shutdown

TSA employees have been working in US airports without pay since the partial shutdown began in February

A rising number of US airports are asking for donations to support employees affected by the partial government shutdown with airport security officials missing their first full paychecks Friday.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees have been working in airports around the US without pay since a shutdown began in February after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a funding agreement. Democrats have since refused to support a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, the TSA’s parent agency, without first receiving guaranteed immigration enforcement reforms.

New release of oil reserves will put U.S. supplies at 40-year low

The latest release of oil follows historic withdrawals from the Biden administration to combat gas prices from the Ukraine war.

Chart shows what you're paying for when you buy a gallon of gas

U.S. gas prices are surging as the Iran war drives up the global cost of oil. But what exactly accounts for what you pay at the pump?

Borthwick and Itoje fight for their futures as England seek redemption in Paris

It is a decade since England beat France across the Channel in the Six Nations and with results spiralling downwards the pressure is on to avoid their worst-ever finish

Plenty of water has flowed down the Seine since England were last at the Stade de France for the business end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Back then they came within a point of beating South Africa – the eventual champions – in the semi-final before winning the bronze final against Argentina the following Friday. Their gameplan may have been strictly limited but the outlook seemed rosy for Steve Borthwick’s side.

Now, almost 29 months later, England find themselves back at base camp. The rigid gameplan that was supposed to evolve to suit the players available has been increasingly rumbled and results have spiralled downwards. As their hosts France prepare to try to clinch back-to-back Six Nations titles for the first time since 2007, England will do well to avoid finishing in the bottom two.

Crunch time: how England’s battle for Champions League places is shaping up

With nine games to go, we assess the Premier League teams behind Arsenal and Manchester City who are most likely to fill the remaining berths

Reasons for optimism: Michael Carrick recently professed himself as “definitely a glass half-full” manager so the interim surely looks at the final nine games and sees a huge opportunity. Particularly positive here are the fixtures with Aston Villa (Sunday), Chelsea (18 April) and Liverpool (2 May): three chances for Manchester United to seriously damage the Champions League qualification prospects of the three teams currently directly below them and enhance their own. Carrick’s men are third but only three points above Liverpool in sixth and, with fifth probably enough for a Champions League berth, beating even one of the three would be a big boost to hopes – provided results are rosy in United’s other fixtures.

Starbucks union sent the company a proposed contract. Here's what baristas want

Discussions between Starbucks and the union representing about 6% of its company-owned U.S. stores hit a wall last year.

Vaccinating bats could be good for people. But how do you vaccinate a bat?

In a new study, bats lap up vaccine-laced saline or chow down on vaccine-carrying mosquitoes. Will that have any impact on the flying mammal's immune system?

High oil prices are boosting airfares. These tips could save you money.

Planning a trip? Travel experts recommend booking your flight soon as the Iran war drives up airline and ticket costs.

Keegan Bradley ‘still heartbroken’ by Ryder Cup loss but open to returning as USA captain

• He shoots 66 to make cut at Players Championship

• Rory McIlroy squeaks into third round with strong finish

Keegan Bradley has admitted to still being “heartbroken” by his American Ryder Cup team’s loss at Bethpage last year. Bradley is also keen to retain the US captaincy at Adare Manor next September, should Tiger Woods knock back the opportunity.

Luke Donald and Europe were set for a Bethpage rout before a rousing US recovery on day three. The visitors still won the trophy for a second time in succession. Bradley, who has returned to playing duties on the PGA Tour, remains wounded by the event and, as is the case with all Ryder Cups, the losing captain has been subject to heavy criticism.

Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics 2026: day seven – in pictures

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

Military exercises in Alaska, Greenland test forces on operating in Arctic conditions

The U.S. military participated in a multi-national exercise in Alaska and Greenland in the austere conditions that officials say military forces need to train in more regularly for the future.

Bolivia arrests alleged drug kingpin accused of putting hit on Paraguayan prosecutor

Bolivian interior ministry says Sebastián Marset is being extradited to US, where he’s wanted for money laundering

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Sebastián Marset, an alleged Uruguayan drug trafficker and one of South America’s most wanted criminals, has been arrested in Bolivia.

Marset, 34, is accused of trafficking tonnes of cocaine from South America to Europe, and also of having ordered the murder of a Paraguayan prosecutor who was shot dead as he honeymooned on a Colombian beach in 2022.

Suspect in Michigan synagogue attack had lost family in Israeli strike on Lebanon

Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, who was born in Lebanon and became a naturalized US citizen, lost two brothers, a niece and a nephew in the airstrike

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The armed suspect who drove a vehicle into the hallway of a large Michigan synagogue complex that includes a school had lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike in his native Lebanon just last week, an official said on Friday.

A potential mass-casualty event was averted when security guards already in place at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township on the outskirts of Detroit killed the driver before any harm could come to the synagogue’s staff, teachers and 140 children at the early childhood center there on Thursday afternoon.

Trump tariffs: Refunds to companies should go to workers as bonuses, raises, Greer says

The United States government could end up paying $165 billion of more in refunds for Trump's IEEPA tariffs that the Supreme Court ruled were illegal.

An environmental activist and her family escaped death threats in Honduras. ICE deported her husband anyway

Oscar, Ana and their children fled violence for safety in the US. Now Oscar, afraid and alone, is back in Honduras – ‘at the mercy of God and his will’

As soon as Oscar’s deportation flight landed at the La Lima airport in Honduras, he put on his baseball cap. On the airport shuttle toward the terminal, he pulled his cap even lower – trying to obscure his face at various police checkpoints.

His parents picked him up in a car, and drove him to a lodging they had arranged for him – miles away from his family home. He has hardly stepped outside since. “Because I can’t trust anyone – not the authorities, not the government, not a police officer,” he said. He has visited his mother a handful of times since the US deported him three weeks ago, and only under the cover of night. “They will kill anyone here. There is death everywhere.”

The Guardian view on the Iran war and international law: it’s worse than a mistake; it’s a crime | Editorial

Double standards in Europe and elsewhere are laid bare by the muted response to US and Israeli aggression and the killing of civilians

When Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the international condemnation from Europe and elsewhere was loud and clear. Leaders did not expect legal threats to shift Vladimir Putin or end war crimes by his troops. But they understood the importance of naming what had happened as an illegal act of aggression, and of seeking to hold those responsible accountable.

The same countries have been strikingly muted since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran. This too was an act of aggression. Spain’s Pedro Sánchez has been lonely in his forthright condemnation, though Norway and others also pointed to the breach of international law. Meanwhile, Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, offered unreserved support and Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, declared that it was “not the moment to lecture our partners and allies”.

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 changes to copyright laws: authors should be protected over big tech | Editorial

Writers are voicing their anger at AI theft of their work with ‘Human Authored’ logos and an empty book. The government must listen

In a scene that might have come from a dystopian novel, books were being stamped with “Human Authored” logos at this week’s London Book Fair. The Society of Authors described its labelling scheme as “an important sticking plaster to protect and promote human creativity in lieu of AI labelled content in the marketplace”.

Visitors to the fair were also being given copies of Don’t Steal This Book, an anthology of about 10,000 writers including Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, Malorie Blackman, Jeanette Winterson and Richard Osman, in which the pages are completely blank. The back cover states: “The UK government must not legalise book theft to benefit AI companies.” The message is clear: writers have had enough.

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.

And the Oscar goes to — wait, why is it called an Oscar?

The Academy Awards officially adopted the "Oscars" nickname in 1939. But who is Oscar, and who started calling them that? We may never know. But here are four enduring legends to consider.

TSA workers miss a full paycheck, while travelers keep paying airport security fees

Many TSA workers received no money in their paychecks Friday as the partial DHS shutdown drags on. Fees paid by airline passengers keep piling up, even as airport security officers work without pay.

Brazilian president says he has ‘forbidden’ Trump adviser from visiting country

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva revokes Darren Beattie’s visa in retaliation for Brazilian health minister being denied visa for US

Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has said he has “forbidden” one of Donald Trump’s advisers from visiting the South American country in retaliation for his health minister being denied a US visa.

Darren Beattie, a far-right political strategist who was recently tapped for a senior advisory role on Brazil, had reportedly hoped to use a trip to the country to visit the former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup to stop Lula taking power after the 2022 election. Beattie is a longstanding critic of Brazil’s judiciary and president and once called the moderate leftwing leader a representative of “the most destructive and corrosive version” of communism.

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.

Ella Baron on Trump, Netanyahu and the victims of the war in the Middle East – cartoon

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Redknapp‘s Gold Cup hopes faded but the impossible dream is on to save Spurs

Former Tottenham manager says ‘I would give it a go’ after seeing his horse weaken up the Cheltenham hill

Harry Redknapp is the living embodiment of Spurs’ motto, Audere est Facere: To Dare Is To Do. And on the day one improbable dream ended, with his horse The Jukebox Man fading to finish eighth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the 79-year-old switched his sights towards another bold adventure: saving Tottenham from relegation.

“It’s a big challenge,” said Redknapp, who managed Spurs between 2008 and 2012. “Do I need the pressure at this stage of my life? Why not? I’d give it a go. I’m not too old. I feel as fit as a fiddle. If they ask me, I think I’d do a good job.”

‘No clear goal’: lack of Iran war plan has unleashed chaos and could stymie US military for decades, say critics

White House contends with reality of shoddy preparations for war and unclear conditions for victory

• Middle East crisis – live updates

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As US and Israeli jets descended to deliver the opening salvos of the war in Iran, Donald Trump’s back-of-the-envelope plan for regime change in Tehran was about to run into the reality of the largest US intervention in the Middle East since the start of the Iraq war in 2003.

That reality came quickly.

Process is progress as Scotland seek Six Nations title eliminator triumph

After 11 straight defeats against Ireland, victory in Dublin would vindicate Gregor Townsend’s faith in his players

Trusting the process. It sounds like a fine idea in principle: although it really depends if your process was any good in the first place.

Gregor Townsend faced down a familiar cacophony of criticism after Scotland’s opening defeat by Italy last month. The same old shortcomings had been exposed, it was said, and another year of disappointment beckoned. Townsend had insisted the embarrassing capitulation against Argentina in November, from 21-0 ahead, was a “line in the sand moment” – only to see that line swiftly washed away in the sheeting Roman rain.

Trump can't 'drill, baby, drill' his way out of this Iran-inspired oil crisis: Experts

Oil prices have skyrocketed in the days since President Donald Trump's war on Iran began.

Oscars 2026: who should win… and who actually will? - The Latest

After months of red carpets and awards season campaigns, it’s all eyes on Hollywood’s night of nights - the Academy Awards. It looks like it will be a fight between Ryan Coogler’s thriller Sinners and Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation One Battle After Another for most of the big prizes, with Jessie Buckley’s performance in Hamnet the clear favourite for best actress. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s film editor, Catherine Shoard

Even taking Trump’s confused reasons for the Iran war at face value, it’s still a total disaster | Jonathan Freedland

Two weeks in, it’s increasingly clear that the US-led war has taken every problem it aimed to solve – and made it worse

It’s not easy, but let’s try to look at this war in the best, most charitable light. Let’s try to see the US-Israel conflict with Iran as its prosecutors and advocates would want us to see it.

They would say that it has two aims, both legitimate. The first is to weaken if not remove a regime that has done terrible evil to its own people. Who could mourn the supreme leader of a government that, according to one report, gunned down 30,000 of its citizens on the streets in just two days on 8 and 9 January? Listen to those Iranians who long ago reached the glum conclusion that the only way they could be rid of their tormentors was through external military action. As one exiled Iranian put it to me this week: “The Iranian people have been begging the world for help for so many years. They tried voting for change in 2009; they were killed. They tried protesting in 2019, 2022 and this year; they were massacred in the tens of thousands … They were out of all other options.”

Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist

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.

How Italy became the darlings (and contenders, too) of the World Baseball Classic

With espresso shots, kisses on the cheek and Andrea Bocelli singalongs, Team Italy has charmed the baseball world. But their mission is more ambitious: Turn Italy into a bona fide baseball factory.

F1 expected to cancel Bahrain and Saudi GPs due to Middle East conflict

• F1 season expected to be reduced to 22 Grands Prix

• George Russell takes pole for China GP sprint race

Formula One is poised to cancel races scheduled for next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The sport has not yet formally confirmed the grands prix will be scrapped but it is expected to announce their cancellation as soon as this weekend before the meeting in Shanghai is over.

Andrew and Peter Mandelson pictured in bathrobes with Jeffrey Epstein

Trio captured relaxing around a wooden table in photo believed to have been taken on Martha’s Vineyard

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson have been pictured in bathrobes alongside Jeffrey Epstein, in the first known photograph of them together.

The trio were captured relaxing outside at a wooden table with mugs decorated with the American flag in the newly unearthed photograph believed to have been taken on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off Cape Cod in Massachusetts that is favoured by the wealthy.

Analysis: The U.S. is running out of ways to get oil prices down. It is up to the military.

Iran's threat to the Strait of Hormuz can't be fixed by releasing oil from strategic petroleum reserves.

The Guide #234: Five big questions before the 2026 Oscars

Where will the best picture gong go? Has Chalamet blown his chances? And will anyone speak out on Iran?

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Happy Oscars Eve eve to you all. The film industry’s glitziest night takes place on Sunday, at an ungodly hour for those of us covering it from the other side of the Atlantic. Coffee will be essential for anyone staying up, as will the Guardian’s annual liveblog, covering every last minute of the ceremony as well as its red carpet run-up. Head over to the homepage on Sunday evening for that, plus news and commentary on the night’s events.

There’s plenty to read before that too: our annual Oscar hustings, making the case for each of this year’s best picture nominees (I sided with Sentimental Value); an interview with Academy top dog Bill Kramer; a piece on the increasingly toxic discourse around many of this year’s nominees; and Guardian film editor Catherine Shoard’s reader Q&A on this year’s race and the state of film in general. There will be plenty more to come over the weekend too.

After firings, funding cuts, and a shooting, can a demoralized CDC workforce recover?

It's been a year since mass firings began at the CDC, the federal public health agency. Then came a shooting, and the government shutdown. Atlanta is still feeling the economic and emotional effects.

Temple Israel rabbi and staff say security training help save lives in attack

Temple Israel Rabbi Josh Bennett and staff member Cassi Cohen say their security training prepared them to respond quickly when a man rammed a vehicle into their synagogue.

‘I’m wearing the tree fibre undies right now!’ An audience with the organisers of the Oscar goodie bags

Diamond watches, customisable pre-nups and five brands of marijuana are amongst the rich pickings for the starfluencers in line for acting honours. Our film critic gets a preview

It is now 20 years since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences discontinued their official Oscars goodie bag. Modest by today’s standards, this bundle of presents was subject to a distinctly non-glamorous IRS crackdown regarding the taxation of its contents, which it viewed as non-cash compensation.

But no sooner had that been taken away than a flurry of beneficent gifting moguls swooped in to take their place. Hollywood this week has been gripped by a discreet yet intense gifting frenzy, as rooms in luxury hotels and spas are requisitioned as gifting suites for the A-listers upon whom hugely expensive items will be pressed in the hope that these starfluencers will mention them on their Instagram feed.

Fourth-quarter GDP revised down to just 0.7% growth; January core inflation was 3.1%

The PCE price index for January was expected to show headline inflation at 2.9% and core at 3.1%.

Sadiq Khan may give up armoured car as part of clampdown on SUVs in London

Mayor says he will encourage Met to scale down his official vehicle alongside plans for new charges for big cars

The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has said he would be encouraging the Met to abandon his armoured car in favour of a smaller vehicle as he signalled a clampdown on driving SUVs in London.

Khan and Transport for London are considering options including additional charges on outsize vehicles to tackle the increasing numbers of SUVs on London’s roads, primarily to address road safety but also to address concerns about parking and congestion.

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.

Pete Hegseth attacks media for not being positive enough about US attacks on Iran

US defense head is eager to frame operation as a success – and slam journalists for not portraying it in a positive light

• Has the pro-Maga media turned on the Pentagon over Iran?

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Pete Hegseth on Friday again claimed the US military campaign against Iran has been an unprecedented success, using a Pentagon press conference to accuse journalists of downplaying Washington’s supposed gains on the battlefield.

Speaking alongside the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, the US defense secretary claimed Iran had been left without a functioning air force, navy or missile defense network after 13 days of strikes, and said the combined US-Israeli air campaign had hit more than 15,000 targets since the war began.

Hegseth says "no clear evidence" Iran is placing new mines in Strait of Hormuz

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine briefed on Operation Epic Fury in Iran Friday.

Trump says he thinks Putin is helping Iran

Russian leaders told President Trump they aren't sharing intelligence with Iran as it fights the U.S. and Israel, special envoy Steve Witkoff said this week.

Man jailed for 26 years for ex-wife’s murder and burial in Cardiff garden

Alireza Askari, 42, sentenced for killing Paria Veisi after she left him, and aunt Maryam Delavary jailed for helping bury her

A man has been jailed for at least 26 years for the “cold-blooded murder” of his ex-wife and the burying of her body in his garden.

Alireza Askari, 42, admitted killing Paria Veisi, 37, at the property they previously shared in Penylan, Cardiff, in April last year.

Amazon to hike price of ad-free Prime Video tier by $2 a month

Amazon is boosting the price of Prime Video to $4.99 a month in the U.S., from $2.99 per month for users who want to avoid ads.

Great haul of China: how table-topping nation rose to be a Winter Paralympic power

Their sporting dominance is all the more striking after winning a solitary medal eight years ago but no country can match them now

With two days of competition left at the Winter Paralympics there is no doubt who will finish top of the medal table. At close of play on Friday, China had a total of 33 medals, the same as their nearest rivals the USA and Italy combined. They have won gold in four of the Games’ six sports – cross-country skiing, curling, snowboarding and biathlon – and are in line for a medal in para-ice hockey too. This sporting dominance is all the more striking because, only eight years ago, China was nowhere.

At the Pyeongchang Games, the Chinese won a solitary medal, gold in the mixed team curling. Three of that team are competing here at Milano Cortina and a fourth, Wang Meng, already has a gold medal around her neck after winning the inaugural mixed doubles alongside her partner Yang Jinqiao. “I’m very, very proud, very, very honoured, and also very grateful,” she said after beating the Korean pair 9-6 following a tie-break end. “I’m so grateful to so many people who have helped us along the way, and [to be] finally standing on this podium”.

Cuban president confirms talks with Trump officials amid US blockade

Negotiations aimed to ‘find solutions to the bilateral differences’ between the countries, Miguel Díaz-Canel said

Cuban officials have held talks with the US government, the country’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, confirmed on Friday, amid growing pain inflicted by a punishing US fuel blockade and frequent power failures.

“These talks have been aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences we have between the two nations,” Díaz-Canel said in a prerecorded statement to senior Communist officials.

Another Farmer hat-trick lifts USA to verge of fifth straight Paralympic sled hockey gold

• Farmer hat trick powers USA past Czechia 6-1

• Americans reach fifth straight Paralympic final

• USA move one win from fifth consecutive gold

The United States defeated Czechia 6-1 on Friday in the semi-finals of the Paralympic sled hockey tournament in Milan, advancing to the gold medal game for a fifth consecutive Games.

Declan Farmer scored three goals and assisted on the other three as the Americans pulled away after conceding the opening goal. Farmer’s hat trick – his fourth in four games at these Paralympics – set records for most goals and most points in a single Paralympic tournament. He now has 14 goals and 24 points in Milan.

‘I could barely think because it was so bad’: how pain changes us

After living with chronic pain, Darcey Steinke wanted to know how it affected others. Her memoir, This Is the Door, explores both isolation and freedom

Chronic pain has a way of upending a life.

In her memoir This Is the Door, writer Darcey Steinke writes that “pain, like failure, breaks into our everyday lives and upsets who we thought we were and what we thought we could do”.

Epstein files: Congress seeks to depose prison guard on duty at time of Jeffrey Epstein's death

The House Oversight Committee has called in Tova Noel, who was working at the time of Jeffrey Epstein's death, for a deposition later this month.

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.

Cuba’s president confirms talks with U.S. — but warns an agreement will take time

It comes at a time when the Caribbean island is grappling with a worsening economic crisis.

Governors warn of increasing violence of ‘nothing-to-lose’ inmates attacking notorious prisoners

Longer sentences, overcrowding and inexperienced staff cited as factors in ‘rising tensions’ in prisons

Notorious prisoners such as the Soham killer Ian Huntley are facing increasingly violent attacks from inmates with “nothing to lose”, the head of the Prison Governors’ Association has said.

Tom Wheatley, the president of the PGA, which represents governors in England and Wales, said those serving lengthy sentences or whole-life tariffs in high-security institutions had “no fear” of being given additional time in prison, and could earn status by singling out famous child murderers and paedophiles.

Last week, a 20-year-old sex offender who had recently moved to my son’s prison was ‘kettled’. In prison, that means boiling water, mixed with a bit of sugar, was thrown into his face. He has been scarred for life.

This is the kind of threat that my son and every sex offender has to live with every day when they are in prison.

Iran’s 'oil lifeline’ has been left untouched in the conflict. What happens if it's seized?

Analysts say any attempt to attack or seize Iran’s strategic oil hub is likely to be fraught with risk.

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.

Sinners or One Battle: what can we learn from this year’s anonymous Oscar ballots?

While Academy voters are supposed to keep their picks secret, another batch of anonymous ballots have leaked – giving us some insight on a hard-to-call race

• Oscars 2026: how to watch, nominations, what to read and predictions

It took a great deal of blood, sweat and tweets, but in 2016 the Academy finally took notice and started to embrace both diversity and modernity. The #OscarsSoWhite furore over two straight years of all-white nominees (Michael B Jordan’s Creed snub was in my opinion the cruelest) led to a dramatic shake-up and one that has continued ever since with more women, people of colour and international voters added to what had been an overwhelmingly homogenous base.

It has all led to an Oscars race that is increasingly harder to predict using old-fashioned thinking in ways that have become rather thrilling over time, the idea of an “Oscar movie” now far more slippery. Films such as Parasite, Anora, Moonlight, Anatomy of a Fall, Nomadland, Get Out and The Zone of Interest have now found their way into the major categories in past years, and this year’s crop showcases further progression – from foreign language picks to outsider narratives to pricklier characters than ever before.

Pete Hegseth on Strait of Hormuz: 'Don't need to worry about it'

The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical chokepoint for oil shipments, has been effectively closed since the U.S. and Israel began the war on Iran.

Has Today had its day? BBC’s flagship Radio 4 show grapples with podcast age

As it searches for a new editor and presenter, programme is facing questions over its direction and status

With well over 5 million listeners a week tuning in to hear whether another tongue-tied minister will fall foul of its legendary 8.10am interview slot, Radio 4’s Today programme continues to be one of the BBC’s flagship news shows.

It has also traditionally been the pinnacle for broadcasters, producers and editors alike, keen to be associated with a show that has strived to set the daily news agenda since the 1950s.

Economic growth late last year was much weaker than previously thought

GDP grew at a sluggish 0.7% pace in the final months of 2025 as the government shutdown hurt economic activity.

King Charles concerned about Alberta separatist movement, First Nation chief says

Joey Pete of Sunchild First Nation said king seemed ‘committed to learning’ after meeting Indigenous leaders

King Charles has expressed concern over a simmering separatist movement in western Canada, according to Indigenous leaders who met the head of state at Buckingham Palace.

Members of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations travelled to London from their territories in the province of Alberta to raise the alarm over the secessionist movement, arguing that it ignores key agreements signed between First Nations and the crown nearly 150 years ago.

Snow geese, a lava flow and Oscars prep: photos of the day – Friday

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

Rabbi vows to defy far-right harassment of Jewish-based refugee support work

Synagogues and groups helping displaced people are coming up against hostility driven by conspiracy theories

A leading Jewish refugee advocate has vowed that solidarity work with asylum seekers will continue despite growing harassment from far-right activists targeting Jewish organisations supporting refugees.

Rabbi David Mason, the executive director of the UK Jewish refugee charity HIAS+JCORE, said groups such as theirs had increasingly faced antisemitic abuse and conspiracy theories from far-right activists, most notably online.