Monday, March 2, 2026

World

US and Israel launch war on Iran, six Americans killed

The US and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran now entering its third day, hitting Tehran's nuclear sites, housing, and infrastructure while Iran retaliates with Shahed drones and ballistic missiles across the Gulf. Six American service members are dead, three US fighter jets were shot down in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait, and Trump says the campaign is projected to last four to five weeks — though it could go "far longer." Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, trapping at least 150 tankers and sending oil prices toward $100 a barrel.

Economy

Strait of Hormuz closure triggers global energy and market shock

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has effectively frozen shipping through one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints, with 150 vessels stranded and maritime insurers pulling war risk cover for Gulf-bound ships entirely. Qatar — which supplies 20 percent of global LNG — has halted natural gas production after Iranian strikes hit key facilities. Investors are fleeing to gold rather than US Treasury bonds, a rare signal of deep uncertainty about America's own economic stability.

Politics

France expands nuclear arsenal and extends European deterrence

Emmanuel Macron has announced France will increase its nuclear warhead stockpile for the first time in decades and extend its deterrence umbrella to eight European allies, including the UK, Germany, and Poland — explicitly framing the move as a response to faltering US security guarantees. Nuclear-capable French fighter jets could be deployed to partner countries, though Paris will retain sole authority over any strike decision. The announcement marks the most significant shift in European nuclear doctrine since the Cold War.

World

Starmer breaks with Trump, Spain blocks US base access

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly broken with Donald Trump over the Iran war, telling Parliament the UK does not support "regime change from the skies" and invoking the Iraq War as a cautionary tale — a striking rebuke after months of careful relationship management. Spain's Pedro Sánchez went further, denying the US permission to use the jointly operated bases at Rota and Morón for Iran strikes, calling the campaign an "unjustified and dangerous military intervention." A Hezbollah drone struck the UK's RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus overnight, with two more intercepted on Monday morning.

Tech

Anthropic's Claude tops app charts after Pentagon blacklist

Claude, Anthropic's AI chatbot, has rocketed to the number one spot on Apple's US app store after the Pentagon blacklisted it for refusing to shed its ethics guardrails — then turned around and contracted OpenAI for classified military work instead. The backlash appears to have made Claude a cause célèbre among civilians uncomfortable with AI being deployed in warfare, dethroning ChatGPT within a single day. The episode has also reignited debate over how AI companies navigate government defence contracts, with Al Jazeera reporting US forces used a banned AI system in the Iran strikes.