‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity 20. March 2026 (19:50) Eid al-Fitr celebrated amid political furore over claims public Ramadan prayers an ‘act of domination’On Friday morning, little space remained in Baitul Futuh mosque as thousands of people poured in to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.The south London mosque, one of the largest in Europe, offered a glimpse of the Eid al-Fitr festivities being celebrated by millions of Muslims across the UK. This year, however, a political furore around one of the most important holidays in the Islamic calendar has divided UK party leaders, drawn warnings of bigotry and left members of the community feeling disturbed and disappointed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Is it time for the UK to acknowledge the ‘rhetoric to reality gap’ on its military power? 20. March 2026 (19:50) Forces have been stripped back since the cold war but political stasis is dangerous in the face of growing global threats• Middle East crisis – live updatesIt will have been more than three weeks since the US and Israel first attacked Iran when the first British warship finally arrives off the coast of Cyprus, a belated defensive deployment that has highlighted the lack of military capacity available to the UK.Nominally, HMS Dragon was one of three destroyers available out of six. In reality the warship has had to be hauled out of dry dock, prepared and then, after launch, tested for several days in the Channel. Its arrival date is still unconfirmed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Arizona desert town breaks record for hottest March temperature in US history 20. March 2026 (19:22) Martinez Lake, about 145 miles west of Phoenix, reached 110F (43.3C) on Thursday amid scorching south-west heatSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA small community in the Arizona desert has broken a record for the highest March temperature ever recorded in the US, as the south-west bakes in a blistering late-winter heatwave.The astonishing temperature was recorded just outside Martinez Lake, Arizona, which reached 110F (43.3C) on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Lowering speed limits among contingency plans to curb UK oil demand 20. March 2026 (19:10) International Energy Agency recommends emergency measures, including working from home, as Iran war hits fuel supplyLowering speed limits to minimise fuel consumption is among potential contingency plans being drawn up by the UK government as the crisis in the Middle East threatens global oil supplies.Sources stressed that there is no shortage of fuel in the UK, but said that officials in the Department for Transport were working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on an analysis of what measures could be taken to curb oil demand. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Canadian mother and daughter ‘traumatized’ by ICE detainment, husband says 20. March 2026 (19:04) Tania Warner and Ayla, her seven-year-old with autism, sent to notorious Texas detention center and told to ‘self-deport’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA Canadian woman and her seven-year-old daughter with autism who have been held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly a week have been transferred to a notorious detention center and asked to “self-deport”, according to her husband, who said the pair had been “traumatized” by the experience.Tania Warner and her daughter Ayla Luca, originally from British Columbia, moved to the US five years ago, when Warner married Edward Warner, a US citizen. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Experts consider expanding meningitis vaccine eligibility after Kent outbreak 20. March 2026 (18:58) Scientific advisory committee to examine impact of offering routine MenB jabs to wider range of peopleThe Kent meningitis outbreak: what is happening and why?Experts are considering the case for routinely vaccinating more people against meningitis B in response to the fatal outbreak in Kent.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s review was announced after the health secretary, Wes Streeting, asked it to “re-examine eligibility for meningitis vaccines” for a wider range of people than those who now qualify. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gabbard testimony on Puerto Rico voting machines raises questions about role of Venezuela conspiracy theory 20. March 2026 (18:50) National intelligence director said voting machine seizure was requested by US attorney in Puerto Rico – who’s been trying to revive 2020 election conspiracy theoryWhen the US director of national intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, testified on Thursday that her office seized voting machines from Puerto Rico, she said it was at the request of the office of the US attorney in Puerto Rico. Left unsaid was that the prosecutor, as the Guardian previously reported, has been the center of a push by Donald Trump supporters to revive a long discredited conspiracy theory purporting to link Venezuela to Trump’s 2020 electoral defeat.Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, the conspiracy theory maintains, controlled electronic voting machines worldwide and remotely manipulated results in 2020 to deprive Trump of a presidential victory. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mexico’s monarch butterfly population jumps 64%, offering hope for at-risk species 20. March 2026 (18:41) The insects covered its largest area since 2018, despite threats from habitat loss, climate crisis and pesticidesThe population of monarch butterflies in Mexico increased 64% this winter, compared with the same period in 2025, offering a glimmer of hope for an insect considered at risk of extinction.The figures, released this week by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mexico, showed that the area occupied by monarchs expanded to 2.93 hectares (7.24 acres) of forest from 1.79 hectares (4.42 acres) the previous winter, the largest coverage since 2018. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Travelers in US continue to face delays at airport security amid DHS shutdown 20. March 2026 (18:40) Staffing shortages intensify and lead to longer screening times as TSA workers go for weeks without payMany travelers across the US are continuing to face significant delays at airport security checkpoints as the homeland security department shutdown, which has affected staffing of the Transportation Security Administration, remains ongoing.With TSA workers going for weeks without pay, staffing shortages have intensified, leading to longer screening times and growing frustration among passengers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French IS member convicted of genocide for atrocities against Yazidis 20. March 2026 (18:39) Sabri Essid also found guilty of crimes against humanity after harrowing evidence from women enslaved by jihadistA French member of Islamic State has been convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed against Yazidis in a historic judgment that highlighted the atrocities committed by jihadists.The Paris criminal court found Sabri Essid, who was tried in his absence, directly participated in an organised system of killing, raping and enslaving members of the Iraqi ethnic and religious minority who are descended from some of the region’s most ancient roots. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
