April 06, 2026

Navidi: USA sind geschwächt - Steigender Ölpreis setzt Weltwirtschaft unter Druck | ntv

Apr 5, 2026 | Trump: "Öffnet die verdammte Straße, ihr verrückten Bastarde"

Die Lage in der Straße von Hormus scheint sich nicht zu entspannen: "Man fragt sich tatsächlich, ob Trump den Ölpreis absichtlich in die Höhe treiben will", meint Expertin Sandra Navidi. Derweil reiße der Krieg ein immer größer werdendes Haushaltsdefizit in die US-Staatskasse.


Steve Rosenberg: Russian Newspaper Admits that Ukrainian Attacks on Russian Oil Facilities Having Consequences

Apr 6, 2026 | Today one Russian paper concedes that Ukrainian drone attacks “…on [Russian] oil refining facilities did not pass without trace…the government had to freeze petrol exports until July 1. Euphoria over extra revenues from high oil prices is unjustified.”

The War Is Turning Iran Into a Major World Power

THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: In recent years, the conventional geopolitical wisdom has been that the world order was moving toward three centers of power: the United States, China and Russia. That view assumed that power derived primarily from economic scale and military capability.

That assumption no longer holds. A fourth center of global power is quickly emerging — Iran — that does not rival those three nations economically or militarily. Instead, its newfound power derives from its control over the most important energy choke point in the global economy, the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait had long been an international waterway through which ships from all countries could travel. But the joint military campaign that the United States and Israel began waging against Iran this year has prompted Iran to create a selective military blockade of the strait.

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s supply of oil and liquefied natural gas moves through the strait. There are no real alternatives to these supply routes in the near term. If Iranian control over the strait persists for months or years, as I believe it may, it will drastically reshape the global order to the detriment of the United States.

Many analysts believe that Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz is only temporary. A widespread expectation is that U.S. and allied naval forces will soon stabilize the situation and that oil flows will resume along familiar lines.

That expectation is flawed. It assumes that to continue to control the strait, Iran must physically close it off. But as we have already seen, you can control the strait without closing it. Today, the strait remains open to tankers. Traffic has dropped by over 90 percent since the war began, though, not because Iran has been sinking every vessel that entered the strait, but because, given the credible threat of an attack, insurers withdrew or repriced war-risk coverage. Hitting a cargo ship every few days was more than enough to make the risk unacceptable. » | A NYT GUEST ESSAY by Robert A. Pape | Dr. Pape is a professor of political science at the University of Chicago who studies military strategy and international security. | Monday, April 6, 2026

April 05, 2026

'Open the F—in' Strait' — Trump Fires Off a Profanity-laden Social Media Attack on Iran | DW News

Apr 5, 2026 | US President Donald Trump on Sunday heightened tensions with Iran, renewing a threat to strike key infrastructure if Tehran does not lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, in an expletive laden post on his Truth Social platform.

Trump's references to 'Power Plant Day' and 'Bridge Day' as imminent actions were widely interpreted as threats against civilian infrastructure, including electrical grids and transportation networks. Under the Geneva Conventions, deliberately targeting civilian objects — such as power plants, bridges, or water systems not being used for military purposes — constitutes a war crime.

Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards have claimed responsibility for attacks on petrochemical plants in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The IRGC has warned that it will intensify its attacks on US economic interests in the region if Washington strikes additional civilian targets.


Happy Easter! Frohe Ostern! Joyeuses Pâques ! Pasg Hapus! ¡Felices Pascuas! Buona Pasqua! !عيد فصح سعيد

May you all have a blessed and joyous Easter!

April 04, 2026

Iran Conflict Costing the US $1 Billion a Day

Apr 4, 2026 | “An awful lot of money, and people are unsure what it is for.”

The American people feel “they don’t really know what’s going on” in Iran, as Trump has asked for an additional $1.5 trillion, says US reporter Harriet Alexander.


April 03, 2026

How Much Is the War with Iran Costing the US? | BBC News

Apr 3, 2026 | The US war with Iran is into its second month and there's growing tension on how much money the US is spending on the conflict.

Recently, the Trump administration signalled that it would be requesting more funds, but there are demands for more transparency on how much the war is costing.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world is feeling the impact of the war with rising fuel and oil prices and Trump axes Pam Bondi as Attorney General.


Ist Trump ein Russischer Einfluß-Agent? "Erdrückende Indizien"

Apr 2, 2026 | Sandra Navidi hält Trump für ein Asset, einen Einfluss-Agenten, Putins. Sie nennt Angriffe auf Justiz, Medien und Fed sowie den Ausstieg aus der NATO und Ukraine als Muster.

April 02, 2026

Prof Sachs on Iran War: How the World Is Paying for US Delusion

Apr 2, 2026 | US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard over the next two to three weeks" in his first prime-time speech since starting the war on Iran. In a one-hour conversation with CGTN host Tian Wei, Jeffrey Sachs, the director of Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development, warns of a worsening global energy shock, rising oil prices, and the risk of a deeper economic crisis. He questions the credibility of US policy and argues the world may already be shifting toward a new multipolar order. National address met with market skepticism

Trump eskaliert gegen den Iran: Kommt jetzt der große Finanz-Crash?

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Donald Trump zieht gegen den Iran nicht zurück. An den Börsen steigt die Nervosität. Der gefürchtete „perfekte Sturm“ braut sich zusammen.

Seit dem US-Angriff auf den Iran wird immer öfter von einem „perfekten Sturm“ gesprochen, wird der „schwarze Schwan“ gesucht – also ein unvorhergesehenes Ereignis, das einen Absturz auslöst. Spekulanten mit Insider-Wissen beschleunigen Entwicklungen. Irgendwann erreicht der Irrsinn dann auch Haushalte, Familien und die reale Wirtschaft.

Donald Trump hat mit seiner Rede am Donnerstag klargemacht, dass er nicht daran denkt zu deeskalieren. Der amerikanische Präsident kündigte an, den Iran in den kommenden Wochen „extrem hart“ zu treffen. Er machte damit die Hoffnung auf ein Ende des Kriegs im Nahen Osten zunichte.

Mehrere US-Geheimdienste sollen laut New York Times in den vergangene [sic] Tagen zu dem Schluss gekommen sein, dass die iranische Regierung nicht bereit sei, substanzielle Verhandlungen aufzunehmen. Trump sagte, Washington werde seine Kriegsziele „sehr bald“ erreichen. Und weiter in der ihm eigenen unflätigen Sprache: „Wir werden sie in den nächsten zwei bis drei Wochen extrem hart treffen. Wir werden sie in die Steinzeit zurückversetzen, dorthin, wo sie hingehören.“ Zugleich sagte er den amerikanischen Verbündeten, sie müssten „die Führung übernehmen“, um die Straße von Hormus wieder für Öllieferungen zu öffnen. Frankreichs Präsident Emmanuel Macron erteilte der Forderung Trumps am Donnerstag postwendend eine Abfuhr. Es sei nicht möglich, die Straße mit militärischer Gewalt offenzuhalten, sagte Macron während eines Staatsbesuchs in Südkorea. » | Michael Maier | Donnerstag, 2. April 2026

Steve Rosenberg: A Newspaper Headline the Kremlin Will Love

Apr 2, 2026 | A Russian headline the Kremlin will love: “Trump declares he’s ready to pull America out of Nato.” Another paper today concedes “US law limits [Trump’s] ability to take a unilateral decision” on this, but suggests he can still “cause a lot of problems for the Alliance.

Trump Claims Iran War ‘Nearing Completion’ and Seeks to Justify Conflict in Prime Time Address

THE GUARDIAN: Markets sink after president offers little detail on how he intends to wind down conflict over next two to three weeks

Donald Trump used a prime time address to the nation on Wednesday evening to declare the month-long war in Iran a success “nearing completion”, despite a spiraling conflict that has caused economic turmoil across the globe, fractured transatlantic alliances and eroded the president’s approval ratings.

In remarks from the White House, Trump argued that the US’s “little journey” to Iran had nearly accomplished “all of America’s military objectives”, but offered little clarity on how he planned to wind down the conflict over the next “two to three weeks”.

“We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s sinister threat to America and the world,” Trump said in the 19-minute speech, delivered from Cross Hall of the White House. “We have all the cards. They have none.”

Acknowledging the economic pain caused by the conflict, he blamed a “short-term” rise in gas prices on Iran’s actions, and insisted the US had become energy independent.

Oil prices rose and Asian stocks traded lower immediately after Trump’s address, which did little to soothe investor concerns over the closure of the strait of Hormuz. The US president reiterated his call for other nations to help secure the global oil chokepoint: “Grab it and cherish it.” » | Lauren Gambino | Thursday, April 2, 2026

«Aucune nouveauté», «non-événement», «copier-coller» : l’allocution de Trump sur la guerre en Iran n’a pas convaincu la presse internationale : REVUE DE PRESSE - À l’occasion de sa première intervention en direct depuis le début du conflit en Iran, le président américain n’a su dissiper ni les craintes des marchés ni celles de l’opinion publique, selon un consensus quasi unanime dans les médias internationaux ce jeudi. »

‘Fossil-fuel Imperialism’: Trump’s Hankering for Iranian Oil Runs Deep

THE GUARDIAN: Experts say the US believes it is entitled to resources it desires – a perspective president has supported for decades

Donald Trump said this past weekend he wants to “take the oil in Iran” by seizing control of a key export hub, echoing a refrain he has returned to for over a decade.

It’s a sign of his disregard for international law and belief in “fossil-fuel imperialism”, experts say.

“Trump truly believes that the US is entitled to whatever resource it so desires,” said Patrick Bigger, co-director of the Transition Security Project, a research initiative focused on the climate and geopolitical concerns of militarization. “It’s a real ‘might-makes-right’ logic that is both abhorrent and spectacularly miscalculated.” » | Dharna Noor | Wednesday, April 1, 2026

April 01, 2026

UK Needs ‘Ambitious’ New EU Ties amid Iran War, Starmer Says

THE GUARDIAN: PM to focus on European defence and economic partnership for ‘dangerous world’ in pivot away from US

Britain’s long-term national interest requires closer partnership with the EU, Keir Starmer has said, citing war in the Middle East and the increasingly volatile international situation.

The prime minister indicated that the conflict had refocused the government on “ambitious” new ties with Europe, economically and in defence, and said how Britain emerged from the crisis “would define us for a generation”.

Starmer also used the address at Downing Street to announce that the foreign secretary would host a meeting of other countries later this week on how to unblock the vital strait of Hormuz. » | Ben Quinn | Political correspondent | Wednesday, April 1, 2026

March 31, 2026

Mohammad Marandi on US Ground Invasion Plans in Iran

Mar 31, 2026 | Professor Mohammad Marandi breaks down why a US ground assault on Iran is likely to fail, how Tehran and its allies could retaliate, and the devastating long-term consequences for the global economy.

Average Gasoline Price Hits $4 in U.S., a ‘Headache’ for Drivers and Trump

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A month since the first U.S.-Israeli attacks and Iran’s response effectively shut off Persian Gulf oil, drivers are paying significantly more to fill up.

Gasoline in the United States crossed an average of $4 a gallon on Tuesday, a threshold it hadn’t reached since August 2022, continuing a series of nearly uninterrupted increases since the Middle East war began that are chipping away at the spending power of American consumers.

Since the end of February, the average cost of regular gasoline has jumped 35 percent, according to data from the AAA motor club.

Seeing gasoline at more than $4 a gallon — when it was below $3 a month ago — could push American drivers to change their spending habits.

“We have this obsession with gas prices because they dictate a lot of ‘Can we drive? Can we do things we enjoy?’ And now some of that is at risk,” said Patrick De Haan, an analyst at GasBuddy, which also tracks fuel prices.

“As we get to a month of increases and prices are much higher,” he added, “the amount of pressure on Americans’ budgets and their spending is going to ramp up.”

For President Trump, who not long ago was boasting about how prices had fallen since he was re-elected in 2024, the highly visible reminder of the war’s consequences is a political burden. » | Emmett Lindner | Tuesday, March 31, 2026

March 30, 2026

Life under US Sanctions in Iran: Living with Economic Pressure | SLICE | Full Documentary

Mar 25, 2026 | November 1979: The United States impose their first embargo on Iran in response to staff at their embassy in Tehran being taken hostage.

Today, relationships between Tehran and Washington continue to deteriorate and the Iranian economy is suffering under the weight of US sanctions. Inflation, unemployment, trafficking of medicines, and ration coupons – the Iranian people are paying a heavy price. But how do the Iranians survive under the heavy burden of this embargo? And just who is benefiting from it?

From Washington to Tehran, via Brussels, Paris, and Tel Aviv, this geopolitical documentary takes us behind the scenes of this shadow war and retrace the deployment of the US sanctions on Iran since they began.

With testimony from political leaders and economics experts from Europe, Iran, and America, along with extensive archive footage, this film questions the political effectiveness of these sanctions and reveals the input they are having on diplomacy and trade today.

Documentary: Embargo, Iran and the Sanctions
Directed by: Magali Serre
Production: ARTLINE PRODUCTION (2020)


March 29, 2026

Brit in Germany: Why Britain's Story No Longer Holds

Mar 29, 2026 | Many people in Britain say the same thing now: “I feel like a stranger in my own country.”

This video explores why that feeling has become so widespread, and why it isn’t primarily about immigration, culture wars, or political tribes.

Britain is a country historically held together by story rather than systems. But when the economic reality changes and the story doesn’t, coherence starts to break down.

This is an analysis of national identity, economics, culture, and what happens when a country no longer recognises itself, even though life still appears to function.


March 28, 2026

Trump’s Economy Is Failing; Trump In Denial.

Steve Schmidt explains.

Rob Groves: Who's Really Bankrolling Reform UK?

Mar 28, 2026 | The government has moved to ban cryptocurrency donations to UK political parties and cap overseas donations at £100,000 a year.

On the face of it, that's a victory for democracy. But dig a little deeper and this story is really about one man: Nigel Farage, and the £12 million pumped into his Reform UK by a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire.

This week we follow the money, and ask why Farage has gone so uncharacteristically quiet.