2026.03.14

[lsanderson]

Trump wages war on Iran his own way: commander-in-chaos
Erratic rhetoric, shifting goals and mixed signals leave allies, foes and voters unsure what the president wants from war
David Smith in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/14/trump-iran-war-chaos

‘Everything is going up’: Americans struggle with affordability despite Trump’s claims
US workers are finding it difficult to afford basic necessities as the president claims ‘the economy is roaring back’
Michael Sainato
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/14/americans-struggle-affordability-despite-trump-claims

Trump administration set to expand migrant family detention at Louisiana airport
Alexandria airport center would hold migrant families and children inside converted barracks before deportation
Oliver Laughland in New Orleans
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/14/trump-migrant-detention-louisiana

Fetuses likely have more ‘forever chemicals’ in blood than thought – report
US test of 120 umbilical blood cord samples identified 42 Pfas compounds, which do not naturally break down
Tom Perkins
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/14/fetuses-pfas-forever-chemicals

Please drive carefully: scientists plan to transport volatile antimatter for first time
Cern researchers are testing traps capable of moving antimatter, which explodes into energy as soon as it comes into contact with regular matter
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/14/please-drive-carefully-scientists-plan-to-transport-volatile-antimatter-for-first-time

Trump faces a ‘personal Vietnam’ in Iran
Sidney Blumenthal
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/14/trump-iran-vietnam

Trump is the weakest he’s ever been. That makes him so dangerous on Iran
Moira Donegan
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/13/trump-iran-weakness

Phillips O'Brien on Iran
Paul Krugman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuAJYabShdY

Anti-ICE protesters accused of being part of antifa found guilty of support for terrorism in Texas
Case was seen as major test of the first amendment and whether the US could use broad anti-terrorism statute to prosecute leftwing protesters
Sam Levine in New York
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/13/texas-terrorism-trial

Kyrsten Sinema says in court filings she had a ‘romantic’ relationship with guard
Former US senator’s admission comes after Heather Ammel sued her under North Carolina’s ‘homewrecker’ law
Lauren Gambino
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/13/kyrsten-sinema-romantic-relationship-guard

Meta reportedly plans sweeping layoffs as AI costs increase
Sources tell Reuters layoffs could affect 20% or more of company as plans reflect broader tensions within big tech
Reuters
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/13/meta-layoffs-ai

ICE agents reveal daily arrest quotas and surveillance app in rare court testimony
Under oath, officers said they were told to make eight arrests a day and given special tech to help choose ‘targets’
Sam Levin in Portland, Oregon
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/13/ice-agent-court-testimony-oregon

My cultural awakening: a 60s folk band helped me find my place as a person of colour in Britain
Dragged along by my dad to see Pentangle, I heard something ancient that kickstarted my obsession with this country’s folklore – an enchanted, subversive and strange version of a Britain where I could truly belong
Zakia Sewell
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/mar/14/my-cultural-awakening-pentangle-helped-me-find-my-place-as-a-person-of-colour-in-britain