Eswatini says it received more ‘third country’ deportees as part of deal with Trump administration 12. March 2026 (20:47) Two deportees sent to Eswatini were from Somalia, one was from Sudan and one was from TanzaniaThe government of Eswatini announced on Thursday it received four more “third country” deportees from the United States, as part of the Trump administration’s multimillion-dollar deal with the small African nation.Now, a total of 19 deportees from the US have been sent to Eswatini when they hail from other countries, amid the Trump administration’s continued anti-immigrant crackdown and changes to immigration policy. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Israeli military drops charges against soldiers accused of Gaza detainee abuse 12. March 2026 (20:39) Five soldiers were indicted over alleged violent abuse and rape of Palestinian man at detention centre in 2024Israel’s top military lawyer has dropped all charges against five soldiers accused of the violent abuse and rape of a Palestinian detainee from Gaza.The military advocate general, Itay Offir, said prosecutors lacked key evidence after the victim was sent back to Gaza, and that the conduct of senior officials had affected the chance of holding a fair trial. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
California officials say no imminent Iran threat found after FBI alert 12. March 2026 (20:31) Gavin Newsom says drone concerns always ‘top of mind’ and it’s about ‘preparedness for worst-case scenarios’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxCalifornia leaders said on Wednesday there was no imminent threat to the state from Iran after the FBI sent a warning to local police about a potential plan to strike the west coast, which was based on “unverified information”.The FBI’s alert caused significant anxiety and confusion in California after it was made public in an ABC News report. State leaders and police officials have since emphasized there was no credible threat from Iran, and FBI and White House officials have also said there was no cause for concern. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man who rammed vehicle into Michigan synagogue killed by security staff 12. March 2026 (20:29) No serious casualties among those at Temple Israel, and explosives reportedly found in suspect’s vehicleSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA man who rammed his vehicle into a Michigan synagogue and drove through a hallway on Thursday is dead after he was confronted and shot at by security staff.Multiple law enforcement sources responded to the incident at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield township, a prosperous suburb in Oakland county about 25 miles north-west of downtown Detroit. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
One in five girls aged 16-19 have experienced domestic abuse, police estimate 12. March 2026 (20:26) Teenagers are fastest-growing victim group, with officers warning misogyny and ‘toxic’ online influences are driversCases of abuse are growing fastest among teenagers, police have said, with nearly a fifth of girls aged 16-19 estimated to have experienced domestic abuse.Louisa Rolfe, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for domestic abuse, said “nowhere near enough” was being done to tackle misogyny among young boys and toxic online influences. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
In linking Iran to Russia, Healey could be laying ground for hard choices ahead 12. March 2026 (20:25) Defence secretary connects Middle East conflict to plight of Ukraine, sympathy for which remains relatively highAfter a week or so of wearing media coverage about the deterioration of the Anglo-American relationship and the belated decision to deploy Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus, it was time to move the conversation on.On a visit to the UK’s permanent military headquarters in Northwood, north-west London, the defence secretary, John Healey, asked two senior British military officers if there was “any sign of a link between Russia and Iran” in the sprawling conflict that has suddenly engulfed the Middle East. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Woman kept in ‘Dickensian’ servitude for 25 years speaks out as abuser jailed 12. March 2026 (20:08) Amanda Wixon, 56, sentenced to 13 years for keeping victim imprisoned at home in Gloucestershire since 1990s‘She didn’t want me to hug her’: carer of enslaved woman describes her recoveryA woman imprisoned and forced to work for a mother of 10 for more than a quarter of a century in “Dickensian” conditions has said nothing can give her back her lost years as her abuser was sentenced to 13 years.The woman, who was held by Amanda Wixon in Tewkesbury, said: “For 25 years I lived in fear, control and abuse. I was treated as though my life, my freedom and my voice did not matter. The trauma and the nightmares are something I still carry with me every day.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Google’s former Europe boss close to becoming next head of BBC, sources say 12. March 2026 (20:02) Appointment of Matt Brittin as director general would be latest sign of big tech’s power in media worldGoogle’s former Europe boss is closing in on becoming the BBC’s next director general, the Guardian has been told.Sources said that Matt Brittin, 57, was very advanced in the appointment process. Some insiders believe that, barring a last-minute development, he will succeed Tim Davie as the broadcaster’s next director general. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Blistering early-season heatwave threatens California and other western states 12. March 2026 (19:53) Records could be smashed in southern California as experts warn weather set to be ‘exceptional – and not in a good way’States across the US west are bracing for a brutal early-season heatwave threatening to cook several cities through the weekend and into next week. Forecasters warned temperatures will spike 20-30F above normal for several days.Daily records could be shattered in southern California this week, the National Weather Service said, with a possibility that all-time records for March will be broken as well. Following the warmest winter on record across most of the region, the intense conditions are expected to eat into low snowpack levels, deepening drought concerns. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New Green MP calls for tolerance and inclusivity in first Commons speech 12. March 2026 (19:22) Former plumber Hannah Spencer, who won Gorton and Denton byelection, also says more MPs from manual working backgrounds are neededHannah Spencer, the Green MP who won last month’s Gorton and Denton byelection, has used her first speech in the Commons to call for tolerance and inclusivity, and to argue for more people from manual working backgrounds to be elected to parliament.Saying she wanted to “make hope normal again”, Spencer used a speech in a debate about International Women’s Day to say she had found out that some children had dressed up for events marking the day at their schools as “Hannah the plumber”, wearing overalls and copying her distinctive hairstyle. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
