Independent News & People Network Desk of News

Pope Leo urges Trump to end war on Iran

Source: Al Jazeera - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:12:43+00:00

Pope Leo XIV has urged US President Donald Trump to find an “off-ramp” from the US and Israel’s war on Iran.

Discussion
•••

The Voorhees law of traffic: when overtaken slow cars seem to always catch up at a red light

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:01:31+00:00

UK researcher uses maths to explain seeming inevitability of phenomenon experienced by many motoristsIt is a situation experienced by many motorists: one driver overtakes another only to find the slower car is right behind them when they reach a red light. Now a researcher has used mathematics to reveal why the situation feels inevitable.Dr Conor Boland from Dublin City University has called his work “The Voorhees law of traffic”. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

Two-thirds of UK hospitality businesses plan to cut jobs and one in seven will close, survey finds

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:01:31+00:00

Sector cites ‘billions of pounds in additional costs’ from new business rates and increase in minimum wage thresholdsTwo-thirds of hospitality businesses are planning to cut jobs as a result of “suffocating” costs imposed by government, as new business rates and higher wage bills come into force.Many pubs, restaurants and hotel companies will see their costs increase significantly from 1 April after Rachel Reeves’s changes to business rates and an increase in minimum wage thresholds announced at the chancellor’s November budget. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

Anti-terrorist programme Prevent ‘outdated and inadequately prepared’, report finds

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:00:33+00:00

The home affairs select committee said Prevent cannot deal with the modern challenges of fighting extremismThe government’s anti-terrorism programme, Prevent, is “outdated and inadequately prepared” to deal with modern challenges such as extremists adhering to no particular ideology, an influential cross-party group of MPs has concluded.The home affairs select committee has called for a reset to the approach for dealing with fast-evolving online subcultures promoting antisemitism, anti-Muslim hostility, misogyny and violence, as well as an over-representation of neurodiverse people and those w

Discussion
•••

Japan allows divorced couples to negotiate joint custody of children for first time

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:00:32+00:00

The new rules are the first major change to the country’s laws governing child-rearing in more than a centuryDivorced couples in Japan will be able to negotiate joint custody of their children from Wednesday, in the first major change to the country’s laws governing child-rearing in more than a century.Previously, Japan’s Civil Code required couples to decide which parent would take custody of their children when they divorce. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

‘Severe disinformation campaign’ fuelling trans hate speech, Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner says

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:00:32+00:00

Trans and gender-diverse people experience ‘significant and preventable barriers to their safety and dignity’, report findsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe sex discrimination commissioner says there has been a concerted disinformation campaign against transgender rights since Australia’s postal survey on same-sex marriage.The Australian Human Rights Commission released a report on Tuesday – coinciding with international trans day of visibility – finding that trans and gender-diverse people experience “significant and preventable barriers to their safety, dignity a

Discussion
•••

Want to boost the UK’s birthrate? Fix the housing crisis, research suggests

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T23:00:31+00:00

Policymakers should address financial barriers that hinder young people from starting families, says thinktank Politicians hoping to persuade young people in the UK to have more children should prioritise tackling housing affordability, according to research by the Resolution Foundation thinktank.There has been growing concern in recent years about Britain’s declining birthrate, given the long-term fiscal pressures of supporting an ageing population. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

Al Senato c’è Dux nella password del wifi

Source: Repubblica Homepage · Published: 2026-03-31T23:00:00+00:00

Il cartello a Palazzo Madama ieri per una riunione con il commissario Ue Hoekstra. La battuta di un’addetta: “A volte usiamo anche Urss”

Discussion
•••

US judge orders Trump to halt $400m White House ballroom project

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T22:57:36+00:00

US president demolished East Wing of White House last year to make way for 90,000-sq-ft projectSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA US judge has halted the construction of Donald Trump’s $400m White House ballroom.The US president demolished the historic East Wing of the White House last year to make way for the project. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

Australia politics live: Chalmers announces support package for businesses hit by fuel crisis including tax relief

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T22:47:52+00:00

Meanwhile government and opposition MPs all refuse to provide ‘commentary’ on Trump’s latest rebuke to allies. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe makers of Claude.ai will become the first company to sign onto Australia’s national AI plan following a meeting with Anthony Albanese this morning.Anthropic, one of the world’s largest AI companies, will meet with the prime minister, science minister Tim Ayres and assistant science minister, Andrew Charlton, to sign a memorandum of understanding.The Australian government and Anthropic are working to

Discussion
•••

Silicon Valley city to give residents doorbells equipped with cameras

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T22:47:11+00:00

Milpitas approves measure to distribute smart doorbells and says residents can upload footage to police databaseA Silicon Valley city will offer its residents free wireless doorbells equipped with cameras to help police collect video evidence.The city council of Milpitas, a suburb north of San Jose, California, recently approved $60,000 to provide these devices on a one-camera-per-household, first-come, first-served basis, as was first reported by Milpitas Beat and confirmed by the Guardian. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

US to end Iran military operations soon, says Trump

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-03-31T22:46:12+00:00

Speaking from the White House, he suggested the withdrawal may proceed even without a formal deal with Tehran

Discussion
•••

South Africa Sees Maritime Traffic Surge Amid Iran War

Source: New York Times - World · Published: 2026-03-31T22:36:32+00:00

Global shipping companies looking for safer routes are turning to the Cape of Good Hope, a much longer, more expensive journey.

Discussion
•••

Middle East crisis live: Trump says no reason for US to secure strait of Hormuz and war will end in ‘two or three weeks’

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-03-31T22:35:21+00:00

US president reiterates that responsibility for reopening the vital oil and gas hub rests on the countries who rely on itSaudi Arabia’s defence ministry has said it has intercepted and destroyed ten drones over the past hours, and eight missiles launched towards the Riyadh area and the country’s eastern region.Early this morning Kuwait said its air defences were responding to hostile missile and drone attacks. Neither Saudi Arabia nor Kuwait said where the drones or missiles came from.Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai. Local authorities later said response

Discussion
•••
news

Editorial wall of the news flow

A query on the internal database produces an ordered selection of articles, ready for reading and discussion.