UF College Republicans sue after suspension over Nazi salute post 17. March 2026 (17:34) The University of Florida campus group says the suspension over an off-campus post violated free speechSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA dispute among student Republican groups in Florida over alleged antisemitic behavior is heading for a courtroom after a chapter at the state’s flagship university was suspended for an online post featuring two people giving Nazi salutes.On Saturday, University of Florida (UF) blocked campus operations of the school’s College Republicans after the group’s state leadership said it had disbanded the chapter for engaging in “a pattern of conduct that violated its rules and values, including a recent antisemitic gesture”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pharmacies in England report surge in demand for meningitis jab 17. March 2026 (16:54) As outbreak in Kent claims the lives of two young people, experts advise against rushing to get a vaccinePharmacies in England are reporting a surge in demand for meningitis vaccines after an outbreak in Kent claimed the lives of two young people and left others in hospital.However, experts have advised against rushing to get a jab, stressing public health authorities are best placed to determine if vaccinations are required – and for whom. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
MI5 apologises and pays compensation to woman allegedly abused by agent 17. March 2026 (16:53) Woman known only as Beth says abuser claimed status made him untouchable, which terrorised her into silenceMI5 has apologised and paid compensation to a woman who alleged the Security Service was to blame for her being attacked with a machete and abused by one of its agents.The woman, known only as Beth, was in a relationship with a man she says used his status as an MI5 agent to perpetrate abuse and terrorise her into silence. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
CBS News workers hold 24-hour walkout for new contract 17. March 2026 (16:37) Writers Guild of America East says management failed to offer fair wages and basic job protectionsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxWorkers at CBS News walked out for 24 hours on Tuesday after a new contract agreement was not reached following the expiration of the contract last week.About 60 workers at the streaming service CBS News 24/7 are represented by the Writers Guild of America East. The union is holding rallies and walkouts at the CBS News broadcast center in Manhattan, New York, and at KPIX-TV CBS News Bay Area in San Francisco, California. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Everything was burning, people were burning’: witnesses describe strike on Kabul drug rehab centre 17. March 2026 (16:29) Pakistani strike on Afghan capital kills 400 people, who burned in their beds or were crushed by collapsing wallsWitnesses and survivors have described the horrific scenes of a Pakistani air raid that hit a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, killing more than 400 people, who burned in their beds or were crushed by the collapsing building.Afghan rescue crews were still digging bodies out of the rubble on Tuesday after the strike, the deadliest single attack so far in a three-week war between the two countries. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US Senate prepares to take up debate on restrictive voting bill 17. March 2026 (16:15) Sweeping bill would require proof of US citizenship for new voters passed by House but faces steep odds in SenateUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA sweeping restrictive voting bill that would require proof of US citizenship for new voters, among other measures, could be debated in the Senate as early as Tuesday.The Save America Act is a rebranded version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility act, or the Save Act, a bill that has been circulating through Congress in some iteration for more than two years. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Death of influential Ali Larijani may be bigger loss to Iran than Khamenei 17. March 2026 (16:06) Security chief had IRGC’s trust despite his differences with hardliners and had huge sway with likes of China and RussiaMiddle East crisis – live updatesIf confirmed, Israel’s assassination of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council and one of the linchpins of Iranian politics, would be a devastating body blow to the country and probably a bigger reverse than the loss of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei at the outset of the war.In any attempt to decapitate the Iranian leadership, Larijani would always be the prime target, largely because of his ability to straddle so many levels of Iranian politics and his huge personal influence not just in Iran but with foreign states including China and Russia. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bentley to cut hundreds of UK jobs amid ‘challenging global market environment’ 17. March 2026 (15:38) Carmaker reduces office-based roles and will not fill vacancies ‘to ensure long-term competitiveness of business’Bentley is to cut 275 jobs in the UK as the carmaker faces a “challenging global market environment”.The luxury brand, owned by Germany’s Volkswagen, is preparing to launch its first all-electric model but acknowledged it had some work to do to persuade consumers to switch away from internal combustion engine vehicles. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Police and media launch charter to ‘reset’ relations after Nicola Bulley case 17. March 2026 (15:07) Forces in England and Wales and journalists pledge to improve relations amid rising distrust Police and the media have backed a “reset” in relations between officers and journalists, after a prolonged period of distrust since the handling of the Nicola Bulley case in 2023.Bulley’s disappearance in Lancashire led to significant fallout between the police and the press, with media outlets saying a lack of access and information allowed incorrect assertions and conspiracy theories about the case to gain ground. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two men appear in court over murder of Iranian activist in Canada 17. March 2026 (15:05) Charges follow discovery of body of Masood Masjoody, who was a critic of the Tehran regime and the exiled shahTwo people have been charged with the murder of an Iranian activist in Canada, in a case which has intensified fears over transnational repression of critics of the regime in Tehran.Masood Masjoody, a former university maths teacher, went missing in early February in the city of Burnaby, British Columbia. He had been critical of Iran’s theocratic regime and the exiled family of the former shah. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
