Wednesday, March 4, 2026

World

US-Israel War on Iran Enters Day Five

The US and Israel have now struck nearly 2,000 targets inside Iran — roughly double the scale of the 2003 shock-and-awe campaign in Iraq — while Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes across Gulf states, hitting a US base in Kuwait and the US consulate in Dubai. Trump has rejected Iran's overtures to negotiate, with Secretary of State Rubio warning that 'the hardest hits are yet to come.' Iran's death toll has surpassed 800, with a mass funeral held in Minab for 165 schoolgirls and staff killed in an airstrike.

Economy

Iran Effectively Closes Strait of Hormuz to Oil

Iran has brought maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to a near standstill using drone strikes and intimidation, with seaborne traffic down 80% since Sunday and at least four tankers hit. Trump has responded by ordering the US Navy to escort oil tankers through the strait and promising government-backed insurance for vessels transiting the waterway. Asian stocks have fallen for a third consecutive day as energy prices soar, threatening a global supply shock.

World

Iran Strikes Gulf States as Regional War Widens

Iran has launched retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region, striking oil and gas facilities, a British RAF base in Cyprus, and the US consulate in Dubai, forcing major Gulf aviation hubs to close or severely restrict operations for a fourth straight day. Qatar has announced the arrest of Iranian IRGC sleeper cells, and UK and French warships have been dispatched to Cyprus after the drone attack on RAF Akrotiri. Pakistan has separately urged Iran not to extend strikes to Saudi Arabia, with which Islamabad holds a mutual defence pact.

Politics

Texas Primaries Open 2026 Midterm Season

Texas kicked off the 2026 midterm primary season on Tuesday with two nationally watched races: Democrat Jasmine Crockett and state representative James Talarico battled for the Senate nomination in a state Democrats haven't carried in over three decades, while four-term Republican Senator John Cornyn faced a bitter challenge from scandal-plagued Attorney General Ken Paxton. The results are expected to serve as an early barometer of where both parties' bases stand ahead of November's fight for control of Congress.

Health

Syngenta Halts Paraquat Pesticide Linked to Parkinson's

Agrochemical giant Syngenta has announced it will stop producing paraquat, its controversial weed killer linked to Parkinson's disease, by the end of June. The decision comes as the company faces several thousand US lawsuits from people who allege they developed Parkinson's after exposure to the product, which remains banned in over 50 countries but has been widely used in the US.