Trump Will Let Iran Play at 2026 World Cup in U.S., FIFA Chief Says

Live Updates: Japan and Germany to Release Oil as War in Iran Threatens Global Supply

The Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a fifth of the world’s oil, is all but closed as war in the Middle East expands. A British agency said three ships were hit by unidentified projectiles in or near the strait.

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Middle East crisis live: three ships hit in strait of Hormuz as Iran calls vessels belonging to US or allies ‘legitimate targets’

Thai navy responds to attack on bulk carrier as Iran military reiterates that it ‘will not allow a single litre of oil’ through straitHow have you been affected by the latest Middle East events?Over in Senate question time, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has confirmed embassies in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and the consulate in Dubai all physically closed in the last week. Wong said the government’s number one priority is to “keep Australians safe at home and abroad”. She continued: “The dangerous and destabilising attacks by Iran put civilian lives at risk, including Australian lives.” More than 3,200 Australians over 23 commercial flights have returned to Australia since the US and Israel attacked Iran, setting off a regional conflict and grounding thousands of international flights.Wong criticised Nationals senators for “winding up people and stoking fear” to panic buy fuel. The senator said:“Petrol companies are telling us that fuel stock continues to arrive as expected and on time but there has been a large change in the pattern of demand and that is having an effect on the supply, particularly in regional communities. We have seen jerry cans coming off the shelves at Bunnings and lines at the pump.”One of the two members of the Iranian women’s football teams provided with a humanitarian visa to stay in Australia has changed her mind and contacted the Iranian embassy, according to the country’s home affairs minister.In Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. So, we respect the context in which she has made that decision.Unfortunately, in making that decision, she had been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and get collected … As a result of that, it meant that the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was. Continue reading...

First set of Peter Mandelson documents to be released - UK politics live

It is expected the papers will relate to the process of his appointment as US ambassador in 2024 As reported by Nadeem Badshah this morning, the documents relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US expected to be released today will include a due diligence report by the Cabinet Office, which is believed to be two pages long.It is likely to raise questions about Keir Starmer’s judgment, with sources saying it had warned the prime minister of the serious “reputational risk” of going ahead with Mandelson’s appointment in December 2024 given his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.He has said, as you know that it is a little bit – it does fall into the category of too little too late, but I think they have a good, solid relationship, and hopefully they’ll be able to repair it. I go by what the president says, and the president says continuously that everybody is entitled to their point of view. But I think sometimes we detect that there’s not that feeling of gratitude.I think the president’s position is that we do plenty for Europe, plenty for the UK, in the area of trade, in the area of defence, in the area of the support we give to Nato. And I think sometimes the response back, the reciprocity back, is a little bit lacking. I would leave it at that, OK? Continue reading...

Democrat and Trump-endorsed Republican head to Georgia runoff election for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat – US politics live

Shawn Harris to face Clay Fuller in special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in CongressIn response to the latest inflation data, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Elizabeth Warren, top Democrat on the Senate banking committee, said that the fact US inflation remained at 2.4% last month is proof that Donald Trump is “making life less affordable” for Americans.“Instead of fixing the economic pain he’s caused, Trump single-handedly dragged the United States into a war with Iran, which will lead to even higher prices for families – from the gas pump and the grocery store to airline tickets and shipping costs,” the Massachusetts lawmakers said in a statement. Continue reading...

Record release of emergency oil reserves planned as prices surge

The G7 group of nations welcomes the idea of releasing oil in response to the surge in prices since the US-Israel war with Iran began

US inflation stayed flat at 2.4% in February before effects of war on Iran kicked in

Effect of war on prices not reflected in data, as Trump says only ‘fools’ would think oil price shocks would be significantSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxUS inflation stayed flat at 2.4% in February, according to government data released Wednesday that provides a snapshot of the US economy before it was thrown into a tailspin by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.The levelling comes after prices swung last year, reaching a four-year low in April before shooting back up in September. In late fall, inflation crept down again, reaching 2.4% in January. Continue reading...

‘Nothing changes’: Four decades in power, Congo’s Nguesso seeks a new term

Is Brazzaville's stability a result of gradual democratic consolidation or carefully organised political continuity?