Intensifying airstrikes in Beirut and Tehran, Iran's missile launches into Qatar territory, and the **US declaring its initial war costs at $11.3 billion** reflect the severe escalation and mounting global impact of the conflict.

• Iran War Live Updates: Israeli Airstrikes Shake Beirut and Drone Attacks Hit Tehran — New York Times World -
• Here’s the latest. — New York Times World -
• Trump tells Kentucky rally Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities degraded — The Guardian -

• Middle East crisis live: Iran launches ballistic missiles in Qatar territory as Trump says US has ‘got to finish the job’ — The Guardian -
• Trump puts pressure on Senate majority leader in blunt message: pass strict voter ID bill – live — The Guardian -
• Countries Scramble to Shore Up Global Oil Supplies as Ships Are Attacked — New York Times World -
• US to release 172m barrels of oil from strategic petroleum reserve — The Guardian -
• California Officials See No Imminent Threat of Drone Attacks by Iran — New York Times World -
• Democrats Demand Accountability From Hegseth on Iranian School Strike — New York Times World -
• Iran escalates attacks on infrastructure and transport networks across the Gulf — The Guardian -
• What Happened in the U.S.-Israeli War on Iran on Wednesday — New York Times World -
• US intelligence sees direct attacks by Iran on oil tankers as greater risk than mines — The Guardian -
• Will Trump TACO on Iran? — New York Times World -
• Iran’s New Supreme Leader Was Wounded Early in the War, Iranian and Israeli Officials Say — New York Times World -
• First Week of Iran War Cost More Than $11 Billion, Pentagon Tells Congress — New York Times World -
• Iran holds a public mourning ceremony for commanders killed by strikes. — New York Times World -
• How Trump’s War With Iran Changed the World in a Week — New York Times World -
• U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says — New York Times World -
• Banks in Gulf Evacuate Their Offices — New York Times World -
• Iran Has Fired Widely Banned Cluster Munitions at Israel — New York Times World -
• Israel sends an extra infantry brigade to Lebanon’s border. — New York Times World -
• World Heritage Sites Hit in Airstrikes on Iran — New York Times World -
• Elevating injured Mojtaba Khamenei to supreme leader shows Iranian war machine can run on autopilot — The Guardian -
• Donald Trump’s mixed messages on Iran leave questions unanswered — The Guardian -
• Three merchant ships struck as tensions rise in Hormuz strait amid Iran war — The Guardian -
• Lebanese residents are left in shock and fear as Israeli strikes reach the center of Beirut. — New York Times World -
• At Least 3 Ships Are Struck Around Strait of Hormuz, and Iran Claims One — New York Times World -
• ‘The shine has been taken off’: Dubai faces existential threat as foreigners flee conflict — The Guardian -
• Bowen: Trump has called for an Iran uprising but the lessons from Iraq in 1991 loom large — BBC World -
• Iran’s Retaliatory Strikes Appear to Be Slowing — New York Times World -
• 'Even under missiles we carry on living' - how young Iranians are coping with war — BBC World -
• Lloyd’s of London stresses it is still insuring shipping in strait of Hormuz — The Guardian -
• Countries agree to record release of emergency oil reserves as prices surge — BBC World -
• ‘Stunned, sidelined and disunited’: how war in the Middle East paralysed the EU — The Guardian -
• See where U.S. installations have been damaged in the war with Iran. — New York Times World -
• Starmer attacks Badenoch and Farage over Iran war support U-turns at raucous PMQs — The Guardian -
• Countries must seek energy independence through renewables and nuclear, says John Kerry — The Guardian -
• IEA orders largest ever release of stockpiled oil to reduce crude price — The Guardian -
• Trump’s Actions in Iran and Venezuela Show Limits of U.S. Sanctions — New York Times World -
• Mojtaba Khamenei was hurt in strike that killed his father, Iran’s Cyprus ambassador confirms — The Guardian -
• EU and UK demand Israel stop surge in West Bank settler violence since Iran war — BBC World -
• Thousands of pets being abandoned in Dubai as owners flee over Iran war — The Guardian -
• Nigel Farage says Iran ‘bigger danger than Putin’ in New Statesman interview — The Guardian -
• World Heritage Sites Hit in Airstrikes on Iran — New York Times World -
• At Least 3 Ships Are Struck In and Around the Strait of Hormuz — New York Times World -
• US attacks Iran’s mine-laying boats in strait of Hormuz as tensions rise over oil | First Thing — The Guardian -
• U.S. Says It Struck 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Vessels Near Oil Route — New York Times World -
• Why Iran’s vital Kharg Island oil hub is still untouched by US-Israel bombers — The Guardian -
• Iran’s regional proxies hold back from all-out war with US and Israel — The Guardian -
• Boots on the Ground — but Whose? — New York Times World -
• How Trump and His Advisers Miscalculated Iran’s Response to War — New York Times World -
• U.S. Showers Iran With Bombs in Most Intense Strikes of the War, Pentagon Says — New York Times World -
• Democrat blasts Trump’s ‘incoherent’ Iran strategy after Pentagon says 140 US service members wounded in operation – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Five killed in strikes on Lebanon, health ministry reports – as it happened — The Guardian -
• U.S. Forces Attack Iranian Mine-Laying Ships Near the Strait of Hormuz — New York Times World -
• Missiles, Drones and Airstrikes Pound Middle East Into 12th Day of War — New York Times World -
• Here’s the latest. — New York Times World -
• Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Tuesday — New York Times World -

Revelations about Starmer overruling warnings regarding Mandelson's Epstein ties and the release of related official documents have sparked controversy and raised questions about vetting procedures and political judgment.

• Starmer Was Warned of Mandelson’s Ties to Epstein Ahead of Ambassador Pick — New York Times World -
• Starmer overruled warning of ‘reputational risk’ over Mandelson appointment, files show — The Guardian -
• Starmer’s national security adviser expressed concern about Mandelson appointment, documents show - as it happened — The Guardian -

• New satirical statue depicts Trump and Epstein as doomed lovers from Titanic — The Guardian -
• Mandelson documents raise questions about Starmer’s decision-making — The Guardian -
• Starmer Was Warned About Risk of Appointing Friend of Epstein As Ambassador — New York Times World -
• Why Did the UK Police Repeatedly Decline to Investigate Claims About Epstein and Prince Andrew? — New York Times World -
• What the Mandelson documents reveal – and what we still don’t know — The Guardian -
• Mandelson was offered highly classified briefing before vetting completed — The Guardian -
• Here’s what to know. — New York Times World -
• Peter Mandelson asked Foreign Office for £500k severance payment, files show — The Guardian -
• Why the British government is only releasing some of the Mandelson files. — New York Times World -
• Who is Peter Mandelson? — New York Times World -
• Starmer warned cabinet against ‘overly deferential’ relations with devolved governments — The Guardian -
• Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea FC sale cash may be under investigation as ‘proceeds of crime’ — The Guardian -
• Shabana Mahmood approves police request to ban al-Quds march in London — The Guardian -
• No 10 to release hundreds of files on Mandelson’s US ambassador appointment on Wednesday — The Guardian -
• Expert witness in Lucy Letby trial did not reveal hospital investigation into his medical work — The Guardian -
• Jeffrey Epstein had two key aides - why do they still control his money and secrets? — BBC World -

From major layoffs at Atlassian and deadly Queensland floods to political shifts in the Nationals leadership and controversies surrounding Iranian soccer players seeking asylum, Australia grapples with a mix of economic, environmental, social, and political challenges.

• Atlassian lays off 1,600 workers ahead of AI push — The Guardian -
• Australia politics live: Pocock quizzes Anthropic boss on water use ahead of Australia launch — The Guardian -
• Queensland floods: police believe bodies found are those of missing backpackers — The Guardian -

• Former spy chief quits royal commission into antisemitism and Bondi attack, saying he was ‘way overpaid’ — The Guardian -
• Iran Soccer Players Seeking Asylum Are Part of a History of Athlete Defections — New York Times World -
• One Member of Iranian Soccer Squad Abandons Asylum Bid in Australia — New York Times World -
• Snapchat told an Australian mother it would not delete her son’s account because his listed age was 25 — The Guardian -
• Payman, Thorpe and Faruqi demand Labor change parliamentary rules to counter ‘overt’ racism — The Guardian -
• ‘Naming them is not justice’: robodebt victims feel let down by findings of corruption watchdog — The Guardian -
• Australian governments subsidising fossil fuel use by more than $30,000 a minute, analysis finds — The Guardian -
• SA Liberals stand by candidate who said homosexuality opens up ‘demonic realms’ — The Guardian -
• Two protesters charged on first day of Queensland’s ‘from the river to the sea’ ban — The Guardian -
• ‘Intended to divide’: Porsche-driving middleman behind string of antisemitic attacks in Sydney sentenced to five years’ jail — The Guardian -
• NSW police visited home where foster children lived with convicted killer weeks before government removed her — The Guardian -
• ACCC calls emergency meeting with fuel suppliers – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Time Out names Melbourne the best city in the world – but is it more ‘vibes’ than hard data? — The Guardian -
• Sale of rat poisons could be restricted to protect Australian wildlife — The Guardian -
• Australian designer Katie Perry wins trademark appeal vs Katy Perry — BBC World -
• Naplan authority CEO apologises for technical glitch that delayed test on first day — The Guardian -
• Member of Iranian football squad changes mind on asylum claim in Australia, minister confirms — The Guardian -
• Inside the Australian hotel where Iranian footballers escaped to claim asylum — BBC World -
• Katie Perry v Katy Perry: Sydney fashion designer wins 16-year trademark dispute with US pop star — The Guardian -
• Member of Iranian football delegation granted Australian asylum changes her mind — BBC World -
• Australians hit by soaring petrol prices now face expected blow of interest rate rise — The Guardian -
• Matt Canavan elected new Nationals leader and calls for ‘more Australian babies, more Australian everything’ — The Guardian -
• Two robodebt officials engaged in serious corrupt conduct, Nacc finds, but Scott Morrison cleared — The Guardian -
• Bundaberg floods: hundreds of homes and businesses inundated after river bursts banks — The Guardian -
• Muslim community in shock after police opt not to arrest man accused of crashing Ballarat Iftar dinner — The Guardian -
• Meghan to appear at £1,400 per person 'girls' weekend' in Australia — BBC World -

President Trump's political maneuvers regarding voter ID laws, a significant Democratic flip in a New Hampshire special election, and ongoing concerns about the US vaccine panel's review of mRNA Covid shots underscore a dynamic and often contentious domestic landscape.

• Strong or Weak? How Trump Picks His Battles. — New York Times World -
• Google founder backs both Republican and Democrat in California governor’s race while ex-CEO fights billionaire tax — The Guardian -
• Trump hits back at Republican Senate majority leader over Save America act — The Guardian -

• Dances With Wolves actor to be sentenced in Nevada after sexual abuse conviction — The Guardian -
• U.S. Seeks Extradition of Maduro Ally Alex Saab From Venezuela — New York Times World -
• Parents of Georgia student charged in teacher’s death amid prank say family ‘in deep remorse’ — The Guardian -
• Texas to execute man who killed his girlfriend and her eight-year-old son in 2013 — The Guardian -
• US vaccine panel retreats from mRNA Covid review ahead of midterms — The Guardian -
• Democrats deliver ‘stunning’ flip in New Hampshire special election, latest in series of 28 upsets — The Guardian -
• Nearly 4,000 US meatpacking workers to strike at plant run by top Trump donor — The Guardian -
• Foreign hacker reportedly breached FBI servers holding Epstein files in 2023 — The Guardian -
• Trump Casts a Shadow Over One of Mexico’s Deadliest States — New York Times World -
• Georgia race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene heads to a runoff — BBC World -
• Experts fear ‘unethical’ vaccine trial in Africa is ‘prototype’ for US studies under RFK Jr — The Guardian -
• Iranian exile factions vie for US leaders’ blessing to lead Iran — The Guardian -
• Trump’s pick for state department role withdraws after backlash over past ‘anti-Israel’ and race remarks — The Guardian -
• Woman charged with attempted murder after shooting at Rihanna's home — BBC World -
• Republican and Democrat head for run-off in election for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s House seat — The Guardian -
• Hawaii braces for powerful kona storm bringing heavy rain and strong winds — The Guardian -

China's quiet reduction of military flights near Taiwan, a deadly drone strike on a school in Sudan, and the arrest of three brothers linked to an Oslo US embassy blast highlight a range of ongoing global tensions and security concerns outside the main Middle East conflict.

• China’s Military Has Quietly Cut Flying Near Taiwan — New York Times World -
• Two People Die After Paid Plasma Donation at Clinics in Canada — New York Times World -
• China's biggest political meeting is ending - what have we learned? — BBC World -

• New US ambassador to South Africa summoned over 'undiplomatic remarks' — BBC World -
• At least 17 killed after drone strikes school in Sudan — The Guardian -
• Canadian PM Mark Carney inches closer to majority, as fourth MP defects to Liberals — BBC World -
• Three brothers arrested after explosion at US embassy in Oslo — BBC World -
• Three Norwegian brothers arrested over US embassy blast in Oslo — The Guardian -
• Swiss bus fire that killed six caused by ‘disturbed’ man setting himself alight, prosecutor says — The Guardian -
• Large WW2 bomb defused after Dresden evacuated — BBC World -
• French aid worker among three killed in drone strikes in rebel-held DR Congo city — BBC World -
• Russia Says Ukraine’s Strike on Factory City Was Deadly — New York Times World -
• French aid worker among three killed in dronestrike in east DRC, M23 rebels say — The Guardian -
• No evidence Swiss bus fire was terrorism, officials say — BBC World -
• El Salvador’s mass arrest policy may have led to crimes against humanity, study shows — The Guardian -
• At least 65 Nigerian soldiers killed in jihadist raids in country’s north-east — The Guardian -
• Ukraine says it has hit Russian 'missile component' plant — BBC World -
• A Trump-Xi Summit Nears, but China Doesn’t Know What Trump Wants — New York Times World -
• Mugabe's son drops bail request - what has happened to the family after losing power — BBC World -
• India's top court allows removal of life support of man in vegetative state — BBC World -
• José Antonio Kast, the Pinochet fan about to swerve Chile to the far right — The Guardian -
• Ukraine Can Now Manufacture ‘China-Free’ Drones — New York Times World -
• China and North Korea to reopen passenger train service after pandemic halt — BBC World -
• Widow Gives Harrowing Testimony About Assassination of Haiti’s President — New York Times World -

Meta's significant crackdown on scam networks, Revolut securing a full UK banking license, and discussions around targeted government support for energy costs showcase active developments across the global business and financial sectors.

• Meta disables more than 150,000 accounts in crackdown on south-east Asian scam networks — The Guardian -
• British fintech Revolut gets full banking licence — The Guardian -
• UK companies struggling to hire young people amid cost pressures, MPs told — The Guardian -

• US inflation stayed flat at 2.4% in February before effects of war on Iran kicked in — The Guardian -
• ‘Nothing off the table’ as Rachel Reeves considers ‘targeted support’ over energy costs — The Guardian -
• Wednesday briefing: From missing billions to nonexistent datacentres, inside Britain’s AI drive — The Guardian -
• Reaching net zero by 2050 ‘cheaper for UK than one fossil fuel crisis’ — The Guardian -

Billie Eilish's impending acting debut, the sentencing of an actor in a sexual abuse case, and **Kenya's LGBTQ+ community finding hope in landmark prison sentences** reflect varied and impactful stories in the social and cultural spheres.

• ‘Inconceivable’ Gerry Adams was not involved in IRA bombings, claims former British army commander — The Guardian -
• Billionaire Zara founder Amancio Ortega to receive €3.23bn dividend — The Guardian -
• Billie Eilish set for big screen acting debut in Sarah Polley’s adaptation of The Bell Jar — The Guardian -

• Zack Polanski repeated claim hypnosis can increase breast size, BBC interview reveals — The Guardian -
• Iran to Skip World Cup, Minister Says, Despite Reported Trump Assurances to FIFA — New York Times World -
• Kneecap rapper will not face terrorism trial after high court rejects CPS appeal — The Guardian -
• A Dublin Pub-Crawl, but Hold the Booze — New York Times World -
• Quentin Tarantino’s ‘swashbuckling epic’ The Popinjay Cavalier set for West End premiere — The Guardian -
• Edinburgh international festival will explore America’s creativity and cruelty, says director — The Guardian -
• Drug that prevents hot flushes to be available on NHS in England — The Guardian -
• Shia LaBeouf cleared to travel to Rome for father’s baptism days after court denial — The Guardian -
• From New Zealand to Orkney: Why we brought this classic car half way round the world — BBC World -
• Prison sentences for pair who attacked gay men hailed as sign of hope for Kenya’s LGBTQ+ community — The Guardian -
• ‘We can’t go back’: mother of six-year-old cancer survivor fears UK visa changes — The Guardian -
• Ultrasound repellers could keep hedgehogs off roads, scientists hope — The Guardian -
• Cologne Cathedral’s plans to charge for tickets spark outcry — The Guardian -
• ‘My lovely distraction’: live stream of kākāpō – world’s fattest parrot – and her chicks captivates New Zealand — The Guardian -
• 'Icky and heartbreaking': The $2 per hour worker behind the OnlyFans boom — BBC World -