Stories for March 2026

Friday, March 20th 2026 - 16:26 UTC
Two US federal prosecutors investigating Colombian President Gustavo Petro over alleged narco ties

Colombian President Gustavo Petro is the subject of a criminal investigation by at least two US federal prosecutors over alleged links to international drug trafficking, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing three people with knowledge of the matter.
Friday, March 20th 2026 - 16:16 UTC
Trump brands NATO allies “cowards” for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric against NATO allies on Friday, lambasting them as “cowards” for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that has remained effectively closed since the start of the war with Iran. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared that without the US military, NATO amounts to nothing more than “a paper tiger,” and warned that Washington would not forget the alliance's stance.
Friday, March 20th 2026 - 02:47 UTC
Delcy Rodríguez renews Venezuela's military high command following Padrino's ouster

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, executed a sweeping restructuring of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) leadership. The changes, announced less than 24 hours after the appointment of Gustavo González López as the new Defense Minister replacing the veteran Vladímir Padrino, mark a significant shift in Caracas' power structure following months of institutional attrition.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 22:59 UTC
Uruguay to seek damages after Spanish shipyard Cardama fails to appeal OPV contract termination

Spanish shipyard Cardama did not file an appeal against the Uruguayan government’s decision to terminate the contract for the purchase of two offshore patrol vessels for the Navy, meaning the measure is now final and the Ministry of Defence will move ahead with a claim for damages. The confirmation came on Thursday from Presidential Secretary Jorge Díaz.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 22:52 UTC
Trump jokes about Pearl Harbor in front of Japan’s prime minister during White House meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump made a joke about Pearl Harbor on Thursday during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, while answering a question about why Washington had not informed some allies in advance about its decision to strike Iran. The bilateral meeting was part of the White House’s official schedule for March 19.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 22:43 UTC
Netanyahu hints a ground phase may be needed as Iran war hits Gulf energy infrastructure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested on Thursday that an air campaign alone would not be enough to bring down Iran’s regime, as the conflict entered a new phase marked by strikes on Gulf energy facilities and renewed warnings over the Strait of Hormuz.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 17:35 UTC
UK Plan to combat waste crime vandals who will forced into “clean up squads”

The UK Government through the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs will be publishing a New Action Plan to tackle waste crime and restore pride to towns and cities.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 12:57 UTC
Western Democracies backsliding, with U.S. decline “unprecedented”

Democratic backsliding is now happening in well-established democracies. Democracy in the USA is deteriorating at unprecedented speed, and media and journalists are increasingly targeted across the world. This, and more, is reported in the latest Democracy Report from the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 02:12 UTC
Russian diesel shipment bound for Cuba challenges US blockade

A Hong Kong-flagged tanker that could be carrying fuel to Cuba has resumed navigation in the Atlantic after remaining halted for several weeks, in a move that could offer limited relief to the island’s deepening energy crisis. According to ship-tracking available on Vessel Finder, the Sea Horse loaded fuel in a ship-to-ship operation earlier this year and then resumed course with Cuba as a possible destination. The Financial Times reported that the vessel was part of two Russian energy shipments headed to the island and could arrive within days.
Thursday, March 19th 2026 - 02:02 UTC
Falklands, concerns on the Meningitis B outbreak in UK; Islands’ children have been vaccinated since 2025

The Falkland Islands Directorate of Health and Social Services is aware of growing concerns from parents with children studying in the UK, arising from an outbreak of Meningitis B. These concerns are entirely understandable.