Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Good morning and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.

Donald Trump has lashed out at Nato for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Wes Streeting has defended the response to the meningitis outbreak in Kent, and Iran has confirmed the death of top security chief Ali Larijani.

Top stories

1 | Donald Trump's new tantrum: We don't need anyone's help in Iran war

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2 | Streeting defends response to 'unprecedented' meningitis B outbreak as cases 'linked to super-spreader event'

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3 | Iran confirms death of top security chief Ali Larijani in Israeli strike

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4 | Heathrow Terminal 4 loses a third of passengers as Gulf collapse continues

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5 |Polling guru says 'no doubt' Reform's support is falling as Farage renews attack on YouGov

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Editors' picks

'The rot runs deep': Readers on Theroux's Manosphere documentary

I think the documentary showed them as the fractured, pitiful, uneducated grifters that they are. My favourite scene was when one of them took a dressing-down on camera from his mummy and just stood there staring at the floor.

Share your opinion and read the full debate here.

WATCH 

Newsom's wife torches Trump after he mocked dyslexia

STAT OF THE DAY

700

The doses of antibiotics that have been distributed to help prevent further spread of meningitis in Kent

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

I can do anything I want with it to tell you the truth

President Donald Trump talking about the "honour" of taking Cuba as he issued wild threats to the country amid a historic blackout

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Other stories you might like

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