UK ministers begin contingency planning amid economic fears over Iran war

20/03/2026 19:25 The Guardian

Anger grows within cabinet over impact of war begun by Donald Trump, who branded Nato allies ‘cowards’• Middle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has branded the UK and other Nato allies “cowards” but anger is growing among cabinet ministers that his war in Iran could jeopardise Britain’s fragile finances.Senior members of the government are in despair about the potential effects on the economy, with experts warning of higher energy prices and mortgage and borrowing costs. Continue reading...

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US to send three more warships and thousands more troops to Middle East, reports say

Washington considers Kharg Island takeover as Donald Trump calls Nato allies ‘cowards’ for refusal to ‘help open’ strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US is reportedly preparing to send three more warships and thousands more troops to the Middle East, as Donald Trump called...

20/03/2026 20:25 The Guardian

Thousands ordered to evacuate as Hawaii hit by severe flash floods

Officials warn some residents could be trapped by rising waters as Wahiawā dam on Oahu ‘may collapse at any time’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxTowering flash floods and an imminent dam failure in the northern part of Oahu triggered evacuation warni...

20/03/2026 20:22 The Guardian

US stock markets dip for fourth straight week over US-Israel war on Iran

Markets seem particularly attuned to increasing oil prices, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq down 1.5% and 2% respectivelyUS stock markets dropped again on Friday, capping off a fourth week of market turbulence as investors worried about the US-Israel war on Iran and its widespread impact on global o...

20/03/2026 20:12 The Guardian

‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity

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...

20/03/2026 18:50 The Guardian

Is it time for the UK to acknowledge the ‘rhetoric to reality gap’ on its military power?

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 c...

20/03/2026 18:50 The Guardian

Lowering speed limits among contingency plans to curb UK oil demand

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 suppli...

20/03/2026 18:10 The Guardian

Canadian mother and daughter ‘traumatized’ by ICE detainment, husband says

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...

20/03/2026 18:04 The Guardian

Trump administration sues Harvard again over accusations of antisemitism

Lawsuit alleges university violated civil rights of Jewish and Israeli people in aftermath of war in GazaThe Trump administration has renewed its assault on Harvard University, filing a lawsuit in Massachusetts alleging the Ivy League institution violated the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli peopl...

20/03/2026 17:19 The Guardian

Nato relocates personnel from Iraq mission to Europe amid conflict in Middle East – as it happened

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our European news coverage hereMeanwhile, French president Emmanuel Macron has confirmed the seizure of the tanker, which he said belonged to the Russian shadow fleet.In a strongly worded post on X, he said:“The French navy boarded this morning in...

20/03/2026 16:12 The Guardian

UK borrowing costs hit highest since 2008 as markets expect up to three interest rate rises

Deficit rises unexpectedly to £14.3bn in February as stock markets slide amid fears that Iran war will escalateBusiness live – latest updatesUK government borrowing costs have reached their highest level since 2008, while financial markets now expect up to three interest rate rises this year as i...

20/03/2026 15:58 The Guardian

‘We need to think much bigger’: trade minister calls for greater ambition in UK-EU reset

Exclusive: Chris Bryant says policy agreements are being done in bits and pieces but a greater vision is needed by both sidesIt was all smiles and warm handshakes when the two men in charge of renegotiating the UK’s relationship with the EU met in Brussels this week.Maroš Šefčovič and the UK m...

20/03/2026 15:00 The Guardian

House of Lords has ‘signed its own death warrant’ by stalling assisted dying bill, says MP

Kim Leadbeater says people are ‘extremely angry’ at delaying tactics of peers as time runs out to pass billThe House of Lords “signed its own death warrant” over its stalling of the UK assisted dying bill, the MP Kim Leadbeater said as she joined more than a dozen terminally ill and bereaved...

20/03/2026 13:06 The Guardian

Household energy bills in Great Britain ‘could rise to almost £2,000 a year’ amid Iran war shock

Consultancy forecasts typical £1,972 annual dual-fuel bill as conflict pushes UK’s gas market past three-year highsBusiness live – latest updatesHousehold energy bills in Great Britain could increase by more than £330 a year to almost £2,000 from this summer after the Iran war pushed the UK...

20/03/2026 12:50 The Guardian

Father of killed US military member disputes Hegseth’s claim he said to ‘finish’ the job in Iran

Defense secretary had said relatives of service members killed in refueling tanker crash told him ‘do not stop until the job is done’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe father of a US military member killed in the Iran war has contradicted Pete Hegset...

20/03/2026 12:50 The Guardian

UK letting US use its bases is ‘participation in aggression’, Iran’s foreign minister tells Yvette Cooper – UK politics live

Abbas Araghchi says decision to allow use of RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia will be ‘recorded in the history of relations’ between Iran and UKThe Liberal Democrats have said the government’s waste crime action plan (see 11.18am) does not go far enough. They want the National Crime Agency to be...

20/03/2026 11:39 The Guardian

Trump aides tried to block appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to US, reports say – US politics live

Senior figures said to have been skeptical over Keir Starmer’s appointment of ‘arrogant’ veteran politician, later sacked over connections to Jeffrey EpsteinA technical glitch at the understaffed Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is masking millions of dollars in campaign contributions to state-l...

20/03/2026 11:27 The Guardian

Iran says it will show ‘zero restraint’ if energy infrastructure is targeted again | First Thing

Foreign minister issues warning after Israeli attack on South Pars gasfield that prompted retaliatory strike on Qatar. Plus, what happened to the Oscars red carpet after the ceremony?Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.Iran has said it will show “zero restraint...

20/03/2026 11:24 The Guardian

Fire experts ‘kept awake’ over growing hazard of lithium-ion batteries

Fire service warns ubiquity of batteries in everyday products is outpacing public understanding and safety regulationsLithium-ion batteries represent a new technological hazard that one fire science expert has said keeps him awake at night, as fire service chiefs warn the ubiquity of the batteries i...

20/03/2026 11:11 The Guardian

‘It’s not sustainable’: US farmers reeling as Iran war pushes fertilizer costs up

Closure of strait of Hormuz – a key fertilizer production and transportation route – has squeezed farmers as prices jumpRodney Bushmeyer has been farming as long as he can remember. Bushmeyer’s father was a farmer, as was his grandfather.The family-run Bushmeyer Farms in Illinois dates back mo...

20/03/2026 11:00 The Guardian

Hungary officials ‘gave Ukrainian forced injection’ after raid on bank vehicles

Kyiv sources say they think injection contained relaxant meant to make people more talkative in interrogationsHungarian security operatives administered a “forced injection” to one of the Ukrainians detained earlier this month during a dramatic raid on bank vehicles carrying gold bars and tens o...

20/03/2026 10:18 The Guardian

Heatwave scorching US west ‘virtually impossible’ without climate crisis, say scientists

Unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week were up to 30F above average for the time of yearThe record-breaking heatwave scorching the US west this week would have been “virtually impossible” if not for the climate crisis, a team of scientists has determined.Millions of American...

20/03/2026 07:01 The Guardian

Friday briefing: What the Covid inquiry reveals about the NHS – and why it should worry us

In today’s newsletter: Bereaved families say the latest findings confirm long-standing concerns about capacity, care and political choicesGood morning. Yesterday lunchtime the UK Covid-19 inquiry published its latest findings – this time on how the NHS, its staff and patients were affected durin...

20/03/2026 06:51 The Guardian

Uber to increase fares – as it happened

This blog is now closedGas giants warn against windfall gains tax as Pocock says ‘wartime profits’ should go to struggling AustraliansGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFar north residents in the path of Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle say they have taken shelter as winds...

20/03/2026 06:22 The Guardian

Gas giants warn against windfall gains tax as Pocock says ‘wartime profits’ should go to struggling Australians

Government faces political fight as industry says mooted 25% levy on exports would hurt Australia’s economy and energy securityGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGas giants will lobby against any federal government moves to introduce a 25% export levy on windfall profits, a...

20/03/2026 04:18 The Guardian

Reliant on imported fuel, Pacific islands appeal for help as oil prices surge

Samoa and Tonga raise supply concerns with foreign partners as businesses and residents in Papua New Guinea grapple with higher fuel prices amid the Iran warThe leaders of some Pacific countries have appealed for help with oil supplies while others urge against “panic buying” as the import-relia...

20/03/2026 02:52 The Guardian

Israel denies ‘dragging’ US into war – as it happened

This blog is now closed – our coverage of the Middle East crisis continues hereTurning to Australia now, a petrol tsar will manage “unprecedented” supply issues caused by the Middle East conflict as the finishing touches are put on measures to address dire shortages in many regional areas.Prim...

20/03/2026 02:26 The Guardian

Tropical Cyclone Narelle hits far north Queensland as 250km/h winds tear off roofs and fell trees

Authorities warn of strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and coastal storm surges as cyclone makes landfall in far north QueenslandLive updates: Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle – latest newsCyclone Narelle path tracking mapHow did global heating fuel Tropical Cyclone Narelle?Get our breaking news em...

20/03/2026 02:09 The Guardian

Japanese prime minister explains to Trump that her country cannot join his Iran war – as it happened

This live blog is now closed.Trump news at a glance: president claims ignorance of Israel’s plan to strike Iranian gasfield, exposing riftSign up for the Breaking US News US emailAnswering a reporter’s question on Iran’s missile capabilities, considering the country has managed to strike numer...

20/03/2026 01:59 The Guardian

Nashville journalist arrested by ICE released after 15 days in detention

Colombia-born Estefany Rodríguez, whose detention had alarmed press freedom advocates, freed on $10,000 bondThe Nashville journalist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month was released from a Louisiana detention center on Thursday after spending 15 days in...

20/03/2026 01:23 The Guardian

China has been preparing for a global energy crisis for years. It is paying off now

As other Asian economies race to conserve energy, China has huge reserves of oil and gas as well as alternative energy sources like wind and solarMiddle East crisis – live updatesXi Jinping has been preparing for a crisis like this for years. China must secure its energy supply “in its own hands...

20/03/2026 01:14 The Guardian

BREAKING NEWS

20/03 21:17 - India cooking gas crisis forces exodus of textile workers 20/03 21:17 - India cooking gas crisis forces exodus of textile workers 20/03 21:17 - Closure of Christianity’s holiest church won’t stop Holy Fire – Russian archpriest 20/03 21:03 - Palestinian citizens of Israel demand better protection against missiles 20/03 21:03 - Palestinian citizens of Israel demand better protection against missiles 20/03 20:55 - Justice Dept. Seeks to Drop Charges Against Officers in Breonna Taylor’s Death 20/03 20:25 - US to send three more warships and thousands more troops to Middle East, reports say 20/03 20:22 - Thousands ordered to evacuate as Hawaii hit by severe flash floods 20/03 20:16 - Ukraine-Hungary oil pipeline row threatens EU loan 20/03 20:12 - US stock markets dip for fourth straight week over US-Israel war on Iran 20/03 20:09 - Will Europe be pulled into the Iran war? 20/03 20:09 - Will Europe be pulled into the Iran war? 20/03 19:44 - What are the risks of turning energy sites into battlefields? 20/03 19:44 - What are the risks of turning energy sites into battlefields? 20/03 19:39 - Iran: The ‘Mosaic Doctrine’, Zelensky V Orban, Hungary-splaining 20/03 19:34 - QatarEnergy CEO says warned US, industry officials against attack on energy 20/03 19:34 - QatarEnergy CEO says warned US, industry officials against attack on energy 20/03 19:33 - News24 | Switzerland blocks weapons exports to US over Iran war 20/03 19:25 - UK ministers begin contingency planning amid economic fears over Iran war 20/03 19:22 - Trump: No Iranian leaders left to talk to, says war going ‘extremely well’ 20/03 19:22 - Trump: No Iranian leaders left to talk to, says war going ‘extremely well’ 20/03 19:21 - Sri Lanka says it denied US request to land two aircraft at Mattala airport 20/03 19:21 - Sri Lanka says it denied US request to land two aircraft at Mattala airport 20/03 18:50 - ‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity 20/03 18:50 - Is it time for the UK to acknowledge the ‘rhetoric to reality gap’ on its military power? 20/03 18:41 - Prof. Schlevogt’s Compass No. 48: Fabricating the war story – Iran ploy patched into plausibility 20/03 18:41 - Iranians celebrate Persian New Year in first wartime Nowruz in decades 20/03 18:41 - Iranians celebrate Persian New Year in first wartime Nowruz in decades 20/03 18:32 - 4 women killed in West Bank are first Palestinian deaths in Iran war 20/03 18:15 - Explosion hits Jerusalem’s Old City after Iran missile alert 20/03 18:15 - Explosion hits Jerusalem’s Old City after Iran missile alert 20/03 18:10 - Lowering speed limits among contingency plans to curb UK oil demand 20/03 18:04 - Canadian mother and daughter ‘traumatized’ by ICE detainment, husband says 20/03 18:03 - News24 | Ukraine-Russia peace talks resume after Middle East war pause, Zelenskyy pushes for timeline 20/03 17:59 - A Diary of War From an Unlikely Author: the Son of Iran’s President 20/03 17:44 - 'Polish populists have decided to turn anti-European': Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski 20/03 17:19 - Trump administration sues Harvard again over accusations of antisemitism 20/03 16:56 - Iran War Underscores the Diverging Aims of Trump and Netanyahu 20/03 16:37 - Myth of liberation: As war rages, trapped Iranians 'curse' the regime, the Americans & the Israelis 20/03 16:33 - 'No obvious short-term way out' of war, French top diplomat tells Israel 20/03 16:31 - Iran's Khamenei says enemy 'defeated' in Nowruz message 20/03 16:27 - 'Trump could be ready to stop the war at almost any moment,' ex-adviser John Bolton says 20/03 16:20 - Could Iran war trigger the next global food shock? 20/03 16:20 - Could Iran war trigger the next global food shock? 20/03 16:12 - Nato relocates personnel from Iraq mission to Europe amid conflict in Middle East – as it happened 20/03 15:58 - UK borrowing costs hit highest since 2008 as markets expect up to three interest rate rises 20/03 15:49 - AfD co-chair calls for end to funding ‘corrupt’ Ukraine 20/03 15:49 - ‘Cowards’: Trump slams NATO over lack of support in US–Israel war on Iran 20/03 15:49 - ‘Cowards’: Trump slams NATO over lack of support in US–Israel war on Iran 20/03 15:35 - What US-Israeli targets reveal about Iran war goals three weeks in 20/03 15:35 - What US-Israeli targets reveal about Iran war goals three weeks in 20/03 15:29 - Switzerland halts US arms exports amid Iran war, citing neutrality 20/03 15:29 - Switzerland halts US arms exports amid Iran war, citing neutrality 20/03 15:27 - Japan's PM walks tightrope in high-stakes Washington visit 20/03 15:20 - 'Not our war': Palestinians caught in the crossfire of Middle East war 20/03 15:12 - US easing ban on Iranian oil would signal ‘beginning of the end of war’ 20/03 15:12 - US easing ban on Iranian oil would signal ‘beginning of the end of war’ 20/03 15:04 - Deferring to Trump, G.O.P. Lawmakers Resist a Public Accounting on Iran 20/03 15:00 - ‘We need to think much bigger’: trade minister calls for greater ambition in UK-EU reset 20/03 14:52 - Iran warns UK letting US use bases is 'participation in aggression' 20/03 14:48 - Will Russian oil be the biggest winner in the US-Israel war on Iran? 20/03 14:48 - Will Russian oil be the biggest winner in the US-Israel war on Iran? 20/03 14:39 - News24 | ‘We’re boiling water for drinking’: Stranded Gulf seafarers ration food and water 20/03 14:35 - ‘Safe’ corridor opening up through Strait of Hormuz: What we know so far 20/03 14:30 - Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants timeline for next round of Russia talks 20/03 14:30 - Zelenskyy says Ukraine wants timeline for next round of Russia talks 20/03 14:27 - Fed Official Urges Caution on Rate Cuts as Iran War Drags On 20/03 14:18 - Eid al-Fitr celebrations begin under shadow of war 20/03 14:11 - Ready-to-wear autumn-winter 2026/27 collections: Is fashion still subversive? 20/03 14:09 - Watch: Netanyahu says idea Israel dragged US into Iran war 'fake news' 20/03 14:01 - France presenting 'nuanced position' as FM Barrot visits Israel 20/03 13:53 - Kim’s daughter ‘drives tank’ during North Korean war drills (VIDEO, PHOTOS) 20/03 13:45 - Ukraine adds Russian Paralympians to ‘kill list’ 20/03 13:45 - Who are the Gulf’s military allies, and how are they helping in Iran war? 20/03 13:45 - Who are the Gulf’s military allies, and how are they helping in Iran war? 20/03 13:35 - With its wind farms, Danish island of Samsø shows path forward during energy crisis 20/03 13:26 - Tenerife hit by snow as Storm Therese brings wind and rain to Canary Islands 20/03 13:22 - Typical energy bill forecast to rise by £332 a year in July 20/03 13:21 - EU eyes energy tax cuts to counter impact of Iran war 20/03 13:15 - Spain Says the Sun Shields It From Rising Gas Costs. Is That True? 20/03 13:06 - House of Lords has ‘signed its own death warrant’ by stalling assisted dying bill, says MP 20/03 13:00 - The Week: The War In Iran Escalates 20/03 12:53 - French navy seizes oil tanker sailing from Russia accused of flying false flag in Mediterranean 20/03 12:50 - Household energy bills in Great Britain ‘could rise to almost £2,000 a year’ amid Iran war shock 20/03 12:50 - Father of killed US military member disputes Hegseth’s claim he said to ‘finish’ the job in Iran 20/03 12:29 - Sri Lanka refused ground access to US fighter jets – president 20/03 11:39 - UK letting US use its bases is ‘participation in aggression’, Iran’s foreign minister tells Yvette Cooper – UK politics live 20/03 11:33 - Hungary's Orbán accused of disloyalty and blackmail over Ukraine loan veto 20/03 11:27 - Trump aides tried to block appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to US, reports say – US politics live 20/03 11:24 - Iran says it will show ‘zero restraint’ if energy infrastructure is targeted again | First Thing 20/03 11:21 - Refugee Council questions Australia’s Iran strategy at Women’s Asian Cup 20/03 11:21 - Refugee Council questions Australia’s Iran strategy at Women’s Asian Cup 20/03 11:20 - 'Online diplomacy': How Trump narrates war in Iran on Truth Social 20/03 11:16 - Iran to boycott US but not FIFA World Cup – football chief 20/03 11:14 - EU to push Ukraine loan ‘one way or the other’ – von der Leyen 20/03 11:13 - EU leaders vent anger after Hungary's Orban keeps blocking Ukraine loan 20/03 11:11 - Fire experts ‘kept awake’ over growing hazard of lithium-ion batteries 20/03 11:08 - Iran today, Africa tomorrow 20/03 11:08 - Iran today, Africa tomorrow 20/03 11:06 - Whose War?