Spring forecast: Rachel Reeves to insist government has ‘right economic plan’, as Middle East crisis threatens inflation spike – live updates 03. March 2026 (08:48) Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, including the UK’s spring forecastRachel Reeves’s plans could be hit by Middle East conflict, say economistsHeathrow boss Thomas Woldbye received a total pay package of £3.8m last year – up 14% from £3.3m in 2024, despite the controversy around his handling of the power outage at the airport in March that messed up the travel plans of 200,000 passengers.Or rather non-handling, as he was fast asleep, leaving Heathrow’s chief operating officer Javier Echave to deal with the outage, after a fire at a nearby substation knocked out power supplies to the airport. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: Israel launches fresh attacks on Tehran and Beirut 03. March 2026 (08:44) Israeli airforce attacking cities simultaneously with a ‘wave of extensive strikes’ against the Iranian regime and HezbollahUS strikes on Iran triggered by Israel’s plan to launch attack, Rubio saysAnger with Hezbollah boils as war returns to weary BeirutUS secretary of state Marco Rubio has claimed the US attacked Iran after learning that Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces.“We knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” he told reportersThe Air Force is now attacking Tehran and Beirut simultaneouslyThe Air Force has now begun a wave of extensive strikes against the Iranian terror regime and the Hezbollah terror organization. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Isaac Herzog held secret meeting with Asio boss during Australia trip, intelligence agency confirms 03. March 2026 (08:32) Granting a foreign head of state such as the Israeli president access to domestic intelligence agency ‘unprecedented’, senator David Pocock claimsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, had a secret meeting with Australia’s director general of security, Mike Burgess, during his visit to Australia last month, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has confirmed.Under questioning in the Senate from the ACT independent senator David Pocock on Tuesday, the foreign minister, Penny Wong, said questions about Asio “were often very sensitive”, but refused to confirm the meeting. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Lucy Letby case expert witness was under fitness to practise investigation during trial 03. March 2026 (08:30) Exclusive: Jury was never told about inquiry into key prosecution witness Peter Hindmarsh, which looked into allegations including of harm to patientsA doctor who gave crucial expert evidence about insulin poisoning for the prosecution of the nurse Lucy Letby was under investigation by the medical regulator at the time due to serious concerns about his fitness to practise.The General Medical Council (GMC) opened an investigation into concerns about Prof Peter Hindmarsh, including that he had harmed patients, on the first day he gave evidence at Letby’s trial in late 2022. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nepal’s gen-Z election: can popular former rapper Balen topple a veteran political heavyweight? 03. March 2026 (07:48) With 46% of Nepal’s population under the age of 24, the election will be a test of whether their hopes and frustrations are being taken seriouslyIn the unassuming, dusty lanes of the Nepali city of Damak, an unprecedented political showdown is unfolding. Pitting an old political heavyweight against a rapper-turned-politician with a penchant for dark sunglasses and sharp suits, the battle is one that could completely reshape the country’s politics.As Nepal heads into its most gripping election in years, at the forefront stands Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old known simply as Balen. He rose to fame as a popular rapper whose songs criticised the ruling elite, before pivoting to politics and winning a resounding victory to become the mayor of Kathmandu in May 2022. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia just experienced its wettest summer in nearly a decade – and the eighth-hottest on record 03. March 2026 (07:06) South Australia saw most of the season’s wildest swings with January heatwaves followed by February floodsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThis summer ricocheted from extremely hot to intensely wet across parts of the country, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, with South Australia experiencing some of the season’s most acute swings.Nationwide, the 2025-26 season was the wettest in nearly a decade, with rainfall 32% higher than average across the country, according to the bureau’s summary, the rainiest since 2016-17. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘They say you have to buy blessings’: the London women who gave everything to a controversial church 03. March 2026 (07:00) Regulator rules Universal Church of the Kingdom of God did not protect vulnerable donors, including woman who says she gave life savings“Sometimes you’re seeing God as a genie, where if I give him all this money, He will bring me what I want,” Sarah says.The 27-year-old spent years in the grip of “prosperity gospel”, whose followers believe cash donations to evangelical churches unlock divine blessings of health and wealth. So did Jennifer*, 29, who says she handed over her life savings.Name has been changed Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Welsh ‘revolution’ required to hit target of 1m speakers by 2050, says report 03. March 2026 (07:00) Welsh language commissioner calls for ‘transformative’ intervention, amid Reform UK threats to undo new powersA “revolution is required” to protect the Welsh language, according to a major new report.While the number of Cymraeg speakers has remained more or less stable for decades, it has not risen in line with significant population growth, making the language more vulnerable, according to the Welsh language commissioner’s five-year report, published on Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran war heralds era of AI-powered bombing quicker than ‘speed of thought’ 03. March 2026 (07:00) Speed and scale of US military’s AI war planning raises fears human decision-making may be sidelinedThe use of AI tools to enable attacks on Iran heralds a new era of bombing quicker than “the speed of thought”, experts have said, amid fears human decision-makers could be sidelined.Anthropic’s AI model, Claude, was reportedly used by the US military in the barrage of strikes as the technology “shortens the kill chain” – meaning the process of target identification through to legal approval and strike launch. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rachel Reeves’s plans could be hit by Middle East conflict, say economists 03. March 2026 (06:00) Warning comes as OBR projections in the spring forecast are expected to show public finances moving in the right directionSoaring global energy prices as a result of the widening Middle East conflict will jeopardise Rachel Reeves’s plan to conquer inflation and rekindle growth, economists have warned as she prepares to deliver her spring forecast later today.Responding to the latest projections from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the chancellor will insist she has “the right economic plan for our country, in a world that has become more uncertain”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
