Today in Focus

As thousands of US soldiers and marines arrive in the Middle East, Iran is accusing Washington of privately plotting a ground assault while publicly touting ceasefire talks. Donald Trump threatened to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s energy infrastructure, said his ‘preference would be to take the oil’ in Iran and that US forces could seize the regime’s export hub on Kharg Island, while also claiming he was in...

Reporter Aisha Down explores the UK’s ‘phantom investments’ in AI, and the risk the government has taken in betting so heavily on the technology if it all goes bust. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Could Israeli public support for the war in Iran give Benjamin Netanyahu a boost before this year’s elections? The vote will be the first chance for Israelis to have a say on their government since the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s chief Middle East correspondent, Emma Graham-Harrison – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguar...

Critics Catherine Shoard, Alexis Petridis and Hannah J Davies on what to watch and listen to this season. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Donald Trump insists Iran is still interested in cutting a peace deal despite Tehran rejecting the US plan. Iran has now put forward a five-point counterproposal and says the war will end on its own terms. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s senior international correspondent, Julian Borger – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

The journalists Ruaridh Nicoll and Daniel Montero report from Havana as Cuba suffers from a devastating oil blockade imposed by the US. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

A court in the US has ordered Meta to pay $375m after a jury found that the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, enabled harm including child sexual exploitation on its platforms. The landmark victory marks the first time the social media corporation has been successfully sued by a US state over child safety issues. Could it set a new precedent for holding big tech to account? Lucy Hough sp...

Andrew Roth on why the war on Iran is unpopular with the US public and what it means for Maga insiders. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

An investigation is under way into an arson attack on four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in north London. Efforts are being made to verify a claim of responsibility by a group known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI). Security sources have cautioned against a rush to tie Iran to arson and it has not so far been designated as a terrorist incident. Nosheen Iqbal speaks to chief r...

The conflict in the Middle East is being fought from the air – except in southern Lebanon where Israel and Hezbollah are fighting a bitter ground war. Will Christou reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Donald Trump has delayed his deadline for Iran to open the strait of Hormuz, saying he is postponing strikes on Iranian power plants for a five-day period. The US president had threatened to ‘obliterate’ the regime’s power plants, while Tehran said in return it would ‘irreversibly destroy’ essential infrastructure across the Middle East, including vital water systems, in the conflict’s latest esca...

Lucia Osborne-Crowley on what we should learn from Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

On the evening of 29 December 2011, the police officer Clifton Lewis was moonlighting as a security guard at a Chicago minimart when two men walked in. They shot Lewis several times, then took off with his gun and police star. A week later, officers had their suspects: four men affiliated with a gang called the Spanish Cobras. For hours, under intense police questioning, they all said they didn’t...

Governments are scrambling to find ways to conserve energy and shield the public from soaring costs across south-east Asia, as war in the Middle East causes huge disruption in the global oil market. In Thailand, news anchors have been ditching their jackets after orders to reduce air conditioning use, while government workers in the Philippines are operating on a four-day week. Asia relies heavily...

Rory Carroll reports on the Irish government’s initiative, as a musician and a writer relay their experiences on the scheme. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Donald Trump is threatening to ‘blow up’ a major Iranian energy facility, as attacks on gasfields across the Middle East send gas and oil prices skyrocketing again. The threat comes after Israeli strikes on the South Pars gasfield prompted Iran to retaliate with attacks on energy facilities across the region, including in Qatar. It marks a serious escalation in the war, which could cause long-term...

MP for Warrington North shares her experience as a complainant in a rape trial where the man she accused was acquitted. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Kemi Badenoch has described Donald Trump’s criticism of Keir Starmer as ‘childish’ and said it ‘sends the wrong signal to our opponents in Iran or in Russia’. Trump repeated his previous attack on the prime minister on Tuesday, saying: ‘Unfortunately Keir is no Winston Churchill.’ Are cracks starting to appear in the US-UK special relationship? Lucy Hough speaks to our senior political corresponde...

The Reform UK leader has a lucrative extra gig sending paid-for Cameo messages. But an analysis of more than 4,000 show they include videos for a neo-Nazi group and a rioter. Henry Dyer reports – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Israel claims it has killed the influential Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani in overnight strikes. If confirmed, Larijani’s death would represent a devastating blow to the regime, and the most senior official to die since Ali Khamenei’s death. Lucy Hough speaks to deputy head of international news, Devika Bhat – watch on YouTube . Help support our independent journalism at theguardian....

Events in the narrow waterway are causing chaos around the globe. Jillian Ambrose explains why. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Donald Trump is pressuring European allies to protect the strait of Hormuz, warning that Nato faces a ‘very bad’ future if members fail to offer assistance. The strait of Hormuz is one of the most important shipping routes in the world. A fifth of international oil supplies pass through the waterway, which has been disrupted since the start of the war. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s south Asi...

Madrid-based journalist Guy Hedgecoe explains why Pedro Sánchez has been one of the few European leaders to challenge the US president on Iran. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

After months of red carpets and awards season campaigns, it’s all eyes on Hollywood’s night of nights - the Academy Awards. It looks like it will be a fight between Ryan Coogler’s thriller Sinners and Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaptation One Battle After Another for most of the big prizes, with Jessie Buckley’s performance in Hamnet the clear favourite for best actress. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guard...

Video games editor Keza MacDonald traces the rise of Nintendo, and explains why its sense of fun matters in a world of big tech. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus