Wednesday, March 18, 2026

World

Iran War Escalates as Hormuz Stays Shut

Iran continues striking Israel and regional US allies after the killing of security chief Ali Larijani, while the Strait of Hormuz blockade has sent Oman crude above $150 a barrel — the largest-ever disruption to fuel supply according to the International Energy Agency. Trump rebuffed NATO, Japan, Australia, and South Korea when he asked for a multinational naval force to reopen the strait, then declared the US doesn't need any of them. Baghdad took explosions near the US embassy, Dubai watched missile debris rain from the sky, and Trump's own counterterrorism chief Joe Kent resigned, calling Iran no 'imminent threat' to America.

World

Pakistan Airstrikes Kill Hundreds in Afghanistan

Pakistan has escalated a bombing campaign against Taliban-linked militant targets inside Afghanistan, with the death toll from strikes hitting 400 — including a hit on a Kabul rehabilitation centre where patients were eating dinner. Pakistan flatly denies striking a hospital, insisting it targets only military sites, but the Taliban have accused Islamabad of killing civilians, threatening a spiral of cross-border violence. The campaign is designed to make Taliban support for Pakistani militants so costly that Kabul cuts them off.

Health

India Generic Semaglutide Patent Expiry Reshapes Obesity Market

India's patent on semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — expires on March 20, unleashing roughly 50 branded generic versions onto the market at a fraction of current prices. This could dramatically widen access to weight-loss drugs across lower- and middle-income countries, where the branded versions remain unaffordable for most patients. The shift has the potential to reshape the global obesity treatment landscape in a way that the original rollout never did.

Economy

Oil Shock Hits $150 as Democrats Push Windfall Tax

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered crude oil prices to surge past $150 a barrel for Oman crude, creating a growing dislocation between global benchmarks and the actual cost of physical supply. Democratic lawmakers and progressive groups are pushing for a windfall tax on major fossil fuel companies cashing in on the war, while Trump has reopened a California pipeline shut since a 2015 oil spill to boost domestic supply. The International Energy Agency has called it the largest-ever disruption to global fuel supply.

Politics

Scotland Rejects Assisted Dying Bill in Close Vote

The Scottish Parliament has voted 69 to 57 to reject a bill that would have made Scotland the first part of the UK to legalise assisted dying, a larger margin than polls and last-minute amendments had suggested. The bill fell after a concerted campaign by religious groups and medical opponents, despite supporters arguing the amendments had addressed the key concerns. A similar bill remains in progress in the Westminster Parliament for England and Wales.