The American Express Times
Friday, March 13, 2026
Trump's Iran policy praised by Coughlin
Journalist Con Coughlin published a commentary praising former President Donald Trump's Iran policy for fundamentally altering the security outlook of the Middle East. Coughlin contended this strategy effectively ended Iran's perceived threat, which could ease global worries about its nuclear ambitions and sent a clear message to other hostile nations about U.S. resolve.
★ Featured Stories
V&A show makes clear link between the catwalk and everything we wear and buy
A new exhibition at V&A Dundee traces the transformation of fashion shows over more than a century, from intimate salon showings to today's elaborate global…
Delirious takeoff in a cabin crewed for laughs
The musical adaptation of the 1990s sitcom "The High Life," co-written by original series creators Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson, is currently on tour through…
The king’s toughest job yet
King Charles III is scheduled for a diplomatic visit to the United States from April 27-30, including a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington,…
Country diary Sgòr Gaoith, Cairngorm
A hiking group, including writer Merryn Glover, successfully ascended Sgòr Gaoith in Scotland's Cairngorms on a rare clear day after a month of poor weather.…
★ All Stories
Budget cuts behind teen link-ups
Hundreds of young people gathered on Clapham High Street for online-advertised events, causing widespread disruption, police intervention, and arrests. Experts attribute these incidents to rapid…
Middle East war's impact on children
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has killed hundreds of children, displaced over 1.2 million, and seen minors as young as 12 recruited into…
‘Masculinity crisis’ leading to misogynistic abuse of female teachers, unions warn
UK teachers' unions are raising alarms over a significant increase in misogynistic abuse from pupils directed at female staff, with a recent survey revealing nearly…
Labour urged to ban ‘outdated’ greyhound racing in England
A group of Labour Members of Parliament is pushing their party leadership to propose a ban on greyhound racing in England, citing significant animal suffering…
‘Maternity pay needs overhaul to stop teachers from leaving’
A leading teaching union is urging the government to significantly increase maternity pay for educators to 26 weeks of full pay, arguing that the recently…
Northern Ireland leads UK petrol price increases
Northern Ireland has experienced the sharpest rise in fuel prices across the UK since the recent conflict in Iran began, with petrol up 19% and…
North Sea fields would have ‘almost no’ impact on imports
New analysis indicates that initiating significant oil and gas developments in the North Sea, like the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields, would have a minimal effect…
Cost of living champion urges Starmer to extend fuel duty cut
Richard Walker, the government's cost of living champion, has called for an extension of the current 5p per litre fuel duty cut beyond its scheduled…
Already? A warm(ish) welcome to the earliest spring of the century
Britain is experiencing one of its earliest springs on record in 2026, with numerous natural events like frog spawning, bird nesting, and hazel flowering occurring…
New spritz on the block could challenge Aperol this summer
The Hugo spritz, an elderflower-based cocktail, is rapidly gaining popularity as a potential summer drink favorite in the United Kingdom, challenging the long-held dominance of…
M&S calls for greater police resources to stop ‘brazen’ and violent retail crime
Marks & Spencer has urged the Home Secretary and London Mayor to allocate more police resources to combat a significant rise in retail crime, which…
UK-US relations strained by Trump's mockery of Starmer
United States President Donald Trump publicly mocked UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a White House speech, criticizing him for allegedly declining to deploy British…
Who wants to not be a millionaire? Jackpot of £10.6m goes unclaimed
A £10.6 million National Lottery jackpot from a ticket bought in Bexley expired unclaimed after the winner missed the deadline. This unusually large sum will…
TikTok reviewers put London’s gentrified bakeries to the test
Young London residents are increasingly using platforms like TikTok to review upscale bakeries and cafes appearing in their evolving neighborhoods. This online trend has become…
Three arrested after fatal shooting of boy, 14, in south-east London
Three teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder following the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Eghosa Ogbebor in Woolwich, south-east London. The active investigation continues,…
Humour propels twisty tale about enslavement
Winsome Pinnock's "The Authenticator" follows two Black academics investigating 18th-century diaries that reveal a white ancestor's brutal role on a Jamaican plantation, contradicting family claims…
Vanity projects Trump plasters his face and name across the US
During his second term, President Donald Trump has pursued widespread personal branding, attaching his name and image to numerous government institutions, programs, and currency, a…
Nuns return to convent after escaping care home
Three elderly nuns who controversially returned to their Austrian convent after leaving a care home are reportedly closer to securing their right to remain at…
John Crace’s diary
President Trump indicated that the conflict with Iran could conclude within two to three weeks. This declaration comes amidst widespread public dissent against the administration's…
Clowns blame decree for ‘taking away smiles’
Clowns and other professional entertainers in La Paz, Bolivia, protested a new government decree on Monday, arguing it threatens their livelihoods by restricting school extracurricular…
Middle East war drives global food price surge
Global food commodity prices climbed for a second consecutive month in March, largely driven by increased energy and freight costs stemming from the Middle East…
Gardening underwater: restoring Britain’s lost seagrass meadows
Conservation groups and volunteers, spearheaded by Project Seagrass, are actively replanting Britain's severely diminished seagrass meadows, with significant work currently focused on Penrhyn beach in…
Junta chief who led coup appointed president of Myanmar
Min Aung Hlaing, the military general behind Myanmar's 2021 coup, has been appointed president following recent elections broadly criticized as illegitimate. This appointment is widely…
Democracy ‘not for us’, Burkina Faso leader says
Burkina Faso's military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, stated that democracy is unsuitable for his nation and urged citizens to abandon the idea. This declaration comes as…
Palestinians face death penalty for ‘terrorism’
Israel's parliament has passed new legislation allowing military courts to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of deadly terror attacks with only a simple…
More than 70 people killed in gang attack
A human rights organization reported that an attack by the Gran Grif gang in Haiti's Artibonite region left at least 70 people dead and 30…
‘I have not seen such panic’ Fear of fertiliser shortage grips India and Sri Lanka
Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz amidst a developing Gulf conflict is causing widespread concern about critical fertilizer shortages across South Asia, particularly impacting…
Injuries warning amid boom in unregulated reformer pilates
Industry groups are warning of increasing injuries in reformer pilates, attributing this trend to a widespread lack of formal regulation for studios and instructors. This…
Khan’s police protection officers ‘leave bag of guns on London street’
A bag containing multiple firearms and a Taser, belonging to armed police officers protecting London Mayor Sadiq Khan, was found by a member of the…
Labour casts doubt on Farage claim over cost of private jet trip
Labour has formally challenged Reform leader Nigel Farage's declared £25,000 cost for a private jet trip to the Maldives, asserting that market rates for the…
Law to ban relatives storing ashes in flats
China is implementing new legislation to prohibit the storage of cremated remains in residential properties and to restrict all burials to official public cemeteries. This…
Europe's leverage in Trump-Nato negotiations
European strategic analysts are exploring ways for European nations to gain leverage in upcoming negotiations about transatlantic security with a potential future U.S. administration. Their…
Fugitive shot dead after seven-month manhunt
Dezi Freeman, who was sought for seven months in connection with the fatal shooting of two police officers, was killed by law enforcement during a…
Three people charged over alleged attack on Jewish ambulances
Police in London have pressed charges against Hamza Iqbal, Rehan Khan, and a 17-year-old boy following an alleged firebombing of four vehicles belonging to a…
Designers want to make Belfast linen world-famous again
Belfast is experiencing a significant resurgence of its historic linen industry, once a global leader, driven by local designers and farmers. This revival aims to…
Cornish island still laid low after Storm Goretti
Cornwall continues to face significant challenges three months after Storm Goretti caused extensive devastation to communities and iconic landmarks like St Michael's Mount. The ongoing…
Why we need to stockpile food – and be ready to share with neighbours
UK food policy experts are advising households to establish emergency food stockpiles, citing escalating global risks like conflicts and extreme weather that threaten supply chains.…