News 14/03/26

Donald Trump says the United States has carried out what he called one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East.

In a post on Truth Social, he said the strikes totally obliterated every military target on Iran’s Kharg Island, which he described as the country’s crown jewel. He added that for reasons of decency he had chosen not to wipe out the oil infrastructure there. Kharg is a small island in the northern Persian Gulf just off the Iranian coast.

An explosion has damaged a Jewish school in Amsterdam, according to Dutch officials.

The city’s mayor Femke Halsema said she believed the blast was a deliberate attack against the Jewish community. The incident happened early on Saturday morning and emergency services responded quickly. Damage to the school, which is in an upmarket residential neighbourhood on the south side of the city, is said to be limited, while investigations continue into exactly what caused the explosion.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to offer support to households struggling with higher heating oil costs following the global impact of the US Israel war with Iran.

She told the Times she has found the money to help and the Treasury is looking at options to support those most vulnerable to rising bills. Heating oil costs have increased with global prices and are not covered by Ofgem’s price cap, which is due to fall in April.

An eyesore heap of rubbish and fly tipping has built up again behind a block of flats in Slough, but the borough council says it is not responsible for clearing it.

Residents at Salt Hill Mansions off Bath Road first raised concerns last year about health and safety risks. One resident told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the rubbish has been cleared twice but has returned, calling it a disgusting mess and an embarrassment for people living there.

The prime minister’s independent ethics adviser says he will not investigate Sir Keir Starmer over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.

Sir Laurie Magnus said documents released about the decision showed the correct process for a political appointment was followed. The Conservatives had called for an investigation, claiming there were serious deficiencies in the material published and suggesting a possible cover up, but he said there were no grounds to act.