Democracy is an illusion! It’s become a political system fostered by the élite, for the élite, in order to fool the people that they have a stake in the system. In actual fact, they have virtually none. The whole political system in the modern era, despite having noble beginnings, is now used to benefit the few at the expense of the many. – Mark Alexander, June 29, 2018
March 22, 2026
Top Economist: Why the Iran War Will Destroy the US Empire
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Prof Steve Keen,
Trump regime,
US Empire,
USA
Iran erklärt: Straße von Hormus ist offen – außer für Schiffe von „Feinden“
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Die Straße von Hormus sei weiterhin passierbar, erklärt der iranische Vertreter bei der UN-Seefahrtsorganisation. „Feindliche“ Schiffe seien allerdings ausgenommen.
Eine Passage durch Straße von Hormus bleibt nach iranischen Angaben möglich, mit Ausnahme von Schiffen, die mit „Irans Feinden“ in Verbindung stehen, wie die iranische Nachrichtenagentur Mehr auf Telegram mitteilte. Das habe der Iran in einer Stellungnahme an die Internationale Seeschifffahrts-Organisation (IMO) erklärt, hieß es.
Der Schiffsverkehr durch die Straße von Hormus ist aufgrund des Iran-Kriegs stark eingeschränkt. Die strategisch wichtige Handelsroute ist für etwa ein Fünftel der weltweiten Öl- und LNG-Transporte von zentraler Bedeutung. Die weitgehende Blockade hat weltweit für steigende Energiepreise gesorgt. » | Anika Schlünz | Sonntag, 22. März 2026
Iran-Krieg: Spanien friert die Mieten ein: Spanien beschließt wegen des Iran-Kriegs einen Mietenstopp. Das milliardenschwere Entlastungspaket gegen die Kriegsfolgen führte zuvor zu massivem Streit in der Koalition. »
Eine Passage durch Straße von Hormus bleibt nach iranischen Angaben möglich, mit Ausnahme von Schiffen, die mit „Irans Feinden“ in Verbindung stehen, wie die iranische Nachrichtenagentur Mehr auf Telegram mitteilte. Das habe der Iran in einer Stellungnahme an die Internationale Seeschifffahrts-Organisation (IMO) erklärt, hieß es.
Der Schiffsverkehr durch die Straße von Hormus ist aufgrund des Iran-Kriegs stark eingeschränkt. Die strategisch wichtige Handelsroute ist für etwa ein Fünftel der weltweiten Öl- und LNG-Transporte von zentraler Bedeutung. Die weitgehende Blockade hat weltweit für steigende Energiepreise gesorgt. » | Anika Schlünz | Sonntag, 22. März 2026
Iran-Krieg: Spanien friert die Mieten ein: Spanien beschließt wegen des Iran-Kriegs einen Mietenstopp. Das milliardenschwere Entlastungspaket gegen die Kriegsfolgen führte zuvor zu massivem Streit in der Koalition. »
Labels:
Iran,
Iran-Krieg,
Straße von Hormus
Iran Warns of ‘Irreversible Damage’ to Regional Infrastructure If Power Plants Attacked
THE GUARDIAN: In a post on X, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that critical infrastructure and energy facilities in the Middle East could be “irreversibly destroyed” if Iranian power plants are attacked. He wrote:
”Immediately after the power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, the critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets and will be destroyed in an irreversible manner, and the price of oil will remain high for a long time.”Click here for more » | Sunday, March 2026
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran,
Iran War,
power plants
‘The Stakes Are Enormous’: How a Prolonged Iran War Could Shock the Global Economy
THE GUARDIAN: Donald Trump’s ‘little excursion’ is likely to have long-term effects, from oil prices to inflation to growth, say experts
In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived.
“There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again that geopolitical flare-ups like this tend to be short-lived. This one should prove to be no exception.’’
Goldman Sachs told clients it expected temporary disruption. “Oil prices to decline throughout the year. But risks are skewed to the upside,” its analysts wrote. UniCredit suggested crude would be capped at about $80 a barrel. “Given its struggle for survival, the Iranian regime has an incentive to keep its response measured”.
Three weeks later, the prospect of a drawn-out war is causing mounting economic problems. Oil prices have soared above $100 a barrel, European gas prices have doubled, volatility stalks financial markets, and consumers worldwide are bracing for a surge in living costs. Central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England and European Central Bank, warn the war could have a material impact on inflation and dent global growth.
“Market wisdom still holds that the war will end quickly, with the strait of Hormuz soon to reopen,” said Albert Edwards, a senior analyst at Société Générale. “Maybe the market is right, but in my opinion the risks are asymmetric that stagflation bursts the complacency bubble.”
With each day, more problems are emerging. From the soaring price of petrol and diesel for motorists, to cancelled flights and the worst travel disruption since the Covid pandemic. » | Richard Partington | Sunday, March 22, 2026
In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived.
“There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again that geopolitical flare-ups like this tend to be short-lived. This one should prove to be no exception.’’
Goldman Sachs told clients it expected temporary disruption. “Oil prices to decline throughout the year. But risks are skewed to the upside,” its analysts wrote. UniCredit suggested crude would be capped at about $80 a barrel. “Given its struggle for survival, the Iranian regime has an incentive to keep its response measured”.
Three weeks later, the prospect of a drawn-out war is causing mounting economic problems. Oil prices have soared above $100 a barrel, European gas prices have doubled, volatility stalks financial markets, and consumers worldwide are bracing for a surge in living costs. Central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England and European Central Bank, warn the war could have a material impact on inflation and dent global growth.
“Market wisdom still holds that the war will end quickly, with the strait of Hormuz soon to reopen,” said Albert Edwards, a senior analyst at Société Générale. “Maybe the market is right, but in my opinion the risks are asymmetric that stagflation bursts the complacency bubble.”
With each day, more problems are emerging. From the soaring price of petrol and diesel for motorists, to cancelled flights and the worst travel disruption since the Covid pandemic. » | Richard Partington | Sunday, March 22, 2026
Labels:
global economy,
Iran War
How the Gulf Countries Are Responding to the Iran War Energy Shock
Mar 21, 2026 | As energy prices rise, the US is increasingly looking for ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.
So what are the workarounds? And can any of them stave off an energy crisis?
So what are the workarounds? And can any of them stave off an energy crisis?
Labels:
energy crisis,
Gulf States
Iran Launches Attack on Israel’s Top Secret Nuclear Facility in Negev Desert | BBC News
Mar 21, 2026 | Iranian missiles have struck an Israeli town housing the country’s top secret nuclear facility, believed to be the site of its nuclear weapons arsenal. The Shimon Perez Negev Nuclear Research Centre contains a nuclear reactor and is close to the town of Dimona in the Negev desert in southern Israel.
Around 100 people are reported to have been injured in Dimona, when the missiles hit residential buildings. There are unconfirmed reports of multiple deaths. Injuries and deaths were also reported in the southern Israeli city of Arad. Iran said the strike on Dimona was in retaliation for an Israeli attack earlier in the day on its nuclear facilities at Natanz. Iran's nuclear agency said the site had come under attack but there had been no leakage of radioactivity.
Iran’s state news agency said: “The enemy has once again received an unforgettable lesson. The missile attack on the Dimona area has once again sent a clear message: No area is safe from Iranian missiles. The enemy must surrender before it is too late.”
The United Arab Emirates also reported many people injured there in the latest missile attacks by Iran. The UAE’s defence ministry said it had intercepted hundreds of missiles. Israel and the US have continued their airstrikes on Iran’s capital Tehran, while US Central Command said it had degraded Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement calling for an “immediate end” to Iranian strikes in the Gulf region. They also said they were prepared to take measures to protect global energy supplies.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood, Esyllt Carr and Damian Grammaticas.
Around 100 people are reported to have been injured in Dimona, when the missiles hit residential buildings. There are unconfirmed reports of multiple deaths. Injuries and deaths were also reported in the southern Israeli city of Arad. Iran said the strike on Dimona was in retaliation for an Israeli attack earlier in the day on its nuclear facilities at Natanz. Iran's nuclear agency said the site had come under attack but there had been no leakage of radioactivity.
Iran’s state news agency said: “The enemy has once again received an unforgettable lesson. The missile attack on the Dimona area has once again sent a clear message: No area is safe from Iranian missiles. The enemy must surrender before it is too late.”
The United Arab Emirates also reported many people injured there in the latest missile attacks by Iran. The UAE’s defence ministry said it had intercepted hundreds of missiles. Israel and the US have continued their airstrikes on Iran’s capital Tehran, while US Central Command said it had degraded Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement calling for an “immediate end” to Iranian strikes in the Gulf region. They also said they were prepared to take measures to protect global energy supplies.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood, Esyllt Carr and Damian Grammaticas.
March 21, 2026
Could the US Lose the War in Iran?
Mar 21, 2026 | Is the United States really winning the war against Iran—or is the situation more complicated than it seems? Despite massive airstrikes and thousands of Iranian targets destroyed, Iran continues to launch drone attacks, strike oil infrastructure, and disrupt global shipping.
How is a country with far fewer military resources still able to challenge the world’s most powerful military? Anthony Davis breaks down the strategy behind modern asymmetric warfare—where weaker nations use cheap drones, missiles, and strategic geography to impose huge costs on stronger opponents. He also explores how the Strait of Hormuz, global oil markets, and economic pressure could play a decisive role in the conflict, as Trump begs former allies for assistance.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
How is a country with far fewer military resources still able to challenge the world’s most powerful military? Anthony Davis breaks down the strategy behind modern asymmetric warfare—where weaker nations use cheap drones, missiles, and strategic geography to impose huge costs on stronger opponents. He also explores how the Strait of Hormuz, global oil markets, and economic pressure could play a decisive role in the conflict, as Trump begs former allies for assistance.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Michael Lambert: Top Ten Brexit Lies and Starmer's Stupid Red Lines
Mar 21, 2026 | Is the "Brexit Omertà" finally over?
In this video, I break down why senior Labour politicians are suddenly finding their voices to criticize the economic damage of leaving the EU.
We look at the latest YouGov data showing a massive 82% of Labour voters now support rejoining the EU—leaving Keir Starmer in a nearly impossible political position. Why did he set "Red Lines" back in 2022 that ruled out the Single Market and Customs Union, and can he ever walk them back?
In this video, I break down why senior Labour politicians are suddenly finding their voices to criticize the economic damage of leaving the EU.
We look at the latest YouGov data showing a massive 82% of Labour voters now support rejoining the EU—leaving Keir Starmer in a nearly impossible political position. Why did he set "Red Lines" back in 2022 that ruled out the Single Market and Customs Union, and can he ever walk them back?
Labels:
Brexit
Bernie Sanders: We Are Living in Dangerous Times
Labels:
Bernie Sanders
March 20, 2026
Le Kremlin affirme vouloir aider Cuba, sans évoquer de livraison de pétrole russe
LE FIGARO : Le gouvernement américain, qui a récemment assoupli ses sanctions contre le pétrole russe, a souligné jeudi qu’il interdisait toujours la livraison à Cuba d’hydrocarbures venant de Russie.
Le Kremlin a affirmé vendredi discuter avec Cuba, pays allié de Moscou, des moyens d'aider l'île soumise à un blocus pétrolier américain, se refusant néanmoins à commenter des informations sur une livraison secrète de gazole d'origine russe. « Nous sommes en contact constant avec les autorités cubaines, avec nos amis cubains et nous discutons avec eux des moyens d'aider Cuba dans la situation difficile dans laquelle elle se trouve », a déclaré le porte-parole de la présidence russe, Dmitri Peskov, lors de son point presse quotidien.
Cuba n’a plus importé de pétrole depuis le 9 janvier
« C'est tout ce que je peux dire sur le sujet », a-t-il ajouté. Selon le service de suivi maritime Windward, un pétrolier s'apprête à livrer clandestinement « d'ici quelques jours » du gazole d'origine russe à Cuba s'il parvient à atteindre l'île. Le Sea Horse, battant pavillon de Hong Kong et qui n'est pas visé par des sanctions, transporterait selon Windward environ 190.000 barils de gazole russe, chargé depuis un autre navire au large de Chypre début février. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 20 mars 2026
Related article in English here.
Le Kremlin a affirmé vendredi discuter avec Cuba, pays allié de Moscou, des moyens d'aider l'île soumise à un blocus pétrolier américain, se refusant néanmoins à commenter des informations sur une livraison secrète de gazole d'origine russe. « Nous sommes en contact constant avec les autorités cubaines, avec nos amis cubains et nous discutons avec eux des moyens d'aider Cuba dans la situation difficile dans laquelle elle se trouve », a déclaré le porte-parole de la présidence russe, Dmitri Peskov, lors de son point presse quotidien.
Cuba n’a plus importé de pétrole depuis le 9 janvier
« C'est tout ce que je peux dire sur le sujet », a-t-il ajouté. Selon le service de suivi maritime Windward, un pétrolier s'apprête à livrer clandestinement « d'ici quelques jours » du gazole d'origine russe à Cuba s'il parvient à atteindre l'île. Le Sea Horse, battant pavillon de Hong Kong et qui n'est pas visé par des sanctions, transporterait selon Windward environ 190.000 barils de gazole russe, chargé depuis un autre navire au large de Chypre début février. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 20 mars 2026
Related article in English here.
What the Attacks Oil & Gas Facilities in the Middle East Mean for Global Energy Security | DW News
Labels:
energy security,
Iran War
Steve Rosenberg: In Russia "Restrictions Are Tightening, Self-censorship Increasing."
Labels:
Russia,
what the papers say
Is Russian Oil Headed for Cuba, Testing the U.S. Blockade?
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A Russian oil tanker is being closely tracked to see if it will challenge the Trump administration’s blockade on Cuba.
A Russian tanker full of oil is moving through the Atlantic Ocean and drawing scrutiny to see if it is heading to Cuba, a potential test of the U.S. oil blockade of the island, according to shipping data and industry analysts.
The ultimate destination of the tanker is still unknown. But if Russia is attempting to send oil to Cuba, as some analysts suspect, it could represent a critical lifeline for the Cuban government — and a new potential showdown between two superpowers over the small island nation.
Cuba has not received a significant shipment of fuel since Jan. 9, soon after the United States captured Venezuela’s president and took control of its oil exports, which once largely powered Cuba.
That is causing a severe crisis for Cuba. The Trump administration has threatened other nations not to send fuel, hoping to choke Cuba’s government into submission.
The tanker, called the Anatoly Kolodkin and owned by the Russian government, is carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of crude oil, which analysts estimate could buy Cuba weeks of energy. » | Christiaan Triebert and Jack Nicas | The reporters analyzed ship-tracking data and satellite images and spoke to oil-shipping analysts for this article. | Thursday, March 19, 2026
Leer en español.
A Russian tanker full of oil is moving through the Atlantic Ocean and drawing scrutiny to see if it is heading to Cuba, a potential test of the U.S. oil blockade of the island, according to shipping data and industry analysts.
The ultimate destination of the tanker is still unknown. But if Russia is attempting to send oil to Cuba, as some analysts suspect, it could represent a critical lifeline for the Cuban government — and a new potential showdown between two superpowers over the small island nation.
Cuba has not received a significant shipment of fuel since Jan. 9, soon after the United States captured Venezuela’s president and took control of its oil exports, which once largely powered Cuba.
That is causing a severe crisis for Cuba. The Trump administration has threatened other nations not to send fuel, hoping to choke Cuba’s government into submission.
The tanker, called the Anatoly Kolodkin and owned by the Russian government, is carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of crude oil, which analysts estimate could buy Cuba weeks of energy. » | Christiaan Triebert and Jack Nicas | The reporters analyzed ship-tracking data and satellite images and spoke to oil-shipping analysts for this article. | Thursday, March 19, 2026
Leer en español.
March 19, 2026
Iran Says It Will Show ‘Zero Restraint’ If Energy Infrastructure Is Targeted Again
THE GUARDIAN: Foreign minister issues warning after Israeli attack on South Pars gasfield and as Qatar reels from retaliatory strike
Iran said on Thursday it would show “zero restraint” if its energy infrastructure was targeted again as Qatar revealed that almost a fifth of its liquefied natural gas export capacity had been knocked out in an Iranian strike that is likely to have a years-long impact.
The warning, delivered by the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, followed Israel’s attack on Iran’s massive South Pars gasfield – which it shares with Qatar – which triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas complex and other Gulf neighbours, sending stock markets tumbling globally and triggering sharp increases in gas prices.
Ras Laffan supplies about 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas. Israel also confirmed on Thursday that the Bazan Group refinery in Haifa had been hit and damaged in a claimed Iranian strike.
Araghchi said in a post on X: “Our response to Israel’s attack on our infrastructure employed FRACTION of our power. The ONLY reason for restraint was respect for requested de-escalation. ZERO restraint if our infrastructures are struck again.” » | Peter Beaumont, Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem and Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Dubai | Thursday, March 19, 2026
Iran said on Thursday it would show “zero restraint” if its energy infrastructure was targeted again as Qatar revealed that almost a fifth of its liquefied natural gas export capacity had been knocked out in an Iranian strike that is likely to have a years-long impact.
The warning, delivered by the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, followed Israel’s attack on Iran’s massive South Pars gasfield – which it shares with Qatar – which triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas complex and other Gulf neighbours, sending stock markets tumbling globally and triggering sharp increases in gas prices.
Ras Laffan supplies about 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas. Israel also confirmed on Thursday that the Bazan Group refinery in Haifa had been hit and damaged in a claimed Iranian strike.
Araghchi said in a post on X: “Our response to Israel’s attack on our infrastructure employed FRACTION of our power. The ONLY reason for restraint was respect for requested de-escalation. ZERO restraint if our infrastructures are struck again.” » | Peter Beaumont, Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem and Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Dubai | Thursday, March 19, 2026
Iran War: Trump White House at ‘Panic Stations’ over Strait of Hormuz Crisis
Mar 19, 2026 | Saudi Arabia is warning it may retaliate against Iran after fresh threats to oil and gas infrastructure as Donald Trump’s administration desperately tries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
With strikes hitting key energy facilities across the Gulf, this conflict is no longer just military - it’s an economic war with global consequences.
So how far could this escalate? And what does it mean for energy prices, inflation and the world economy?
On this episode of The Fourcast Matt Frei is joined by The Economists defence editor Shashank Joshi and Channel 4 News’ economics editor Helia Ebrahimi.
With strikes hitting key energy facilities across the Gulf, this conflict is no longer just military - it’s an economic war with global consequences.
So how far could this escalate? And what does it mean for energy prices, inflation and the world economy?
On this episode of The Fourcast Matt Frei is joined by The Economists defence editor Shashank Joshi and Channel 4 News’ economics editor Helia Ebrahimi.
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran War,
Strait of Hormuz
Iran War Energy Crisis Panics Government: ‘The Genie Is Out of the Bottle’ | Steven Swinford
Mar 19, 2026 | “The genie is out of the bottle and it’s really hard to get it back in now.”
The government is “extremely worried about the cost of living”, especially energy bills in June, as the Iran war causes “huge levels of uncertainty” for UK energy, says The Times’s political editor Steven Swinford.
The government is “extremely worried about the cost of living”, especially energy bills in June, as the Iran war causes “huge levels of uncertainty” for UK energy, says The Times’s political editor Steven Swinford.
The End of the Petrodollar? How Iran War Is Reshaping the Global Economy: Author Laleh Khalili
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
Labels:
Iran War,
petrodollar,
world economy
Trump Threatens to ‘Massively Blow Up’ Major Iranian Gas Field after Strikes in Qatar | BBC News
Mar 19, 2026 | US President Donald Trump threatened to “massively blow up” a major Iranian gas field, after Iran attacked Qatar's Ras Laffan in retaliation to an Israeli attack on its South Pars gas field.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US "knew nothing" of Israel's strike, and threatened an escalation if Iran attacks Qatar again.
If Iran does strike Qatar again, Trump said the US will "will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before".
Iran's South Pars is part of the world's largest natural gas field, with both Qatar and Iran operating facilities in the area - Israel is yet to comment.
The price of gas has risen sharply in the UK and Europe following the attack on Qatar's Ras Laffan.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US "knew nothing" of Israel's strike, and threatened an escalation if Iran attacks Qatar again.
If Iran does strike Qatar again, Trump said the US will "will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before".
Iran's South Pars is part of the world's largest natural gas field, with both Qatar and Iran operating facilities in the area - Israel is yet to comment.
The price of gas has risen sharply in the UK and Europe following the attack on Qatar's Ras Laffan.
Labels:
Donald Trump,
gas fields,
Iran,
Iran War,
Qatar,
UAE
March 18, 2026
Cuba Abandoned by Allies as Trump Considers Takeover
Mar 17, 2026 | “They’re all hamstrung.”
Cuba’s neighbours Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, as well as it’s traditional allies in China and Russia have been quiet as the US has stopped Venezuelan oil going to Cuba, leading Trump to consider whether he could ‘take’ Cuba, says Jon Bonfiglio, Latin America correspondent.
Cuba’s neighbours Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, as well as it’s traditional allies in China and Russia have been quiet as the US has stopped Venezuelan oil going to Cuba, leading Trump to consider whether he could ‘take’ Cuba, says Jon Bonfiglio, Latin America correspondent.
Labels:
Cuba,
Donald Trump
Iran Threatens Gulf Energy Facilities after Israeli Attack on Its Largest Gasfield
THE GUARDIAN: Revolutionary Guards say they will strike infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar after South Pars field hit
Iran has threatened to attack energy infrastructure across the Gulf region in retaliation for Israeli strikes on its largest gasfield, the first targeted attacks on its fossil fuel production since the war began.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened counterstrikes on several energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar “in the coming hours” after state media reports that missiles had targeted its gas facilities at the giant South Pars field, the largest gas reserves in the world.
The strikes on Iran’s South Pars gasfield, which it shares with Qatar, were widely reported in Israeli media to have been carried out by Israel with the consent of the US.
The attack against the heart of Iran’s gas infrastructure marks a key escalation in US and Israeli military operations. The two countries have until now largely spared Iran’s oil and gas sector and helped to keep a lid on the global oil price surge. » | Jillian Ambrose | Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Iran has threatened to attack energy infrastructure across the Gulf region in retaliation for Israeli strikes on its largest gasfield, the first targeted attacks on its fossil fuel production since the war began.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened counterstrikes on several energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar “in the coming hours” after state media reports that missiles had targeted its gas facilities at the giant South Pars field, the largest gas reserves in the world.
The strikes on Iran’s South Pars gasfield, which it shares with Qatar, were widely reported in Israeli media to have been carried out by Israel with the consent of the US.
The attack against the heart of Iran’s gas infrastructure marks a key escalation in US and Israeli military operations. The two countries have until now largely spared Iran’s oil and gas sector and helped to keep a lid on the global oil price surge. » | Jillian Ambrose | Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Labels:
Iran,
Iran War,
Israel,
Persian Gulf States
Chris Murphy Exposes Trump's Family Corruption on Prediction Markets, Introduces Bill amid Iran War
As I have said many times before, Trump has turned a once decent and admired nation into a SHITHOLE! If the powers-that-be had had the SPUNK, Trump, the Felon- and Sex Offender-in-Chief, would have been sent to prison and locked up for good! Just think of how many innocent lives would have been saved in America and around the world had someone in high office had the SPUNK, the COURAGE, to act WISELY on behalf of the NATION! Wars, chaos, corruption, and a probable impending serious downturn in the world economy could have been avoided. An old, cruel, corrupt man with galloping dementia is really NOT the right man to lead the most powerful nation on earth. When America F***S UP, the rest of the world is SCREWED! — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
corruption,
Donald Trump,
Trump family,
Trump regime
March 17, 2026
Iran Challenges US Dollar, Demanding Oil Be Sold in Chinese Yuan, as It Targets US Corporations
Mar 17, 2026 | In response to the US-Israeli war, Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the most important oil chokepoint on Earth, causing energy prices to skyrocket.
However, Tehran is allowing Chinese tankers through, and says other ships can pass if they agree to sell oil in China's currency, the renminbi (aka yuan).
Iran is also targeting offices of major American corporations, and wants to force them out of the Middle East (West Asia), while trying to expel US military bases.
Ben Norton explains how this war affects the petrodollar system, and the dominance of the dollar as the global reserve currency.
INVESTOPEDIA: Yuan vs. Renminbi: What’s the Difference? »
However, Tehran is allowing Chinese tankers through, and says other ships can pass if they agree to sell oil in China's currency, the renminbi (aka yuan).
Iran is also targeting offices of major American corporations, and wants to force them out of the Middle East (West Asia), while trying to expel US military bases.
Ben Norton explains how this war affects the petrodollar system, and the dominance of the dollar as the global reserve currency.
INVESTOPEDIA: Yuan vs. Renminbi: What’s the Difference? »
Labels:
Chinese Yuan,
Donald Trump,
Iran,
Iran War,
oil,
Strait of Hormuz,
US dollar
Trump Says He Will Have the ‘Honor’ of ‘Taking Cuba’
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump’s words came amid a nationwide blackout and as a top Cuban official said his country would move to open the economy to foreign investors.
President Trump raised the possibility of the United States “taking” Cuba on Monday, telling reporters at the White House, “I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba.”
“Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it,” he said. “They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
The president’s words came on the same day as Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout, amid diminishing fuel supplies. On Monday evening, Cuban officials had also planned to announce that the country’s Communist government would open itself to foreign investment, including from the United States, Cuba’s deputy prime minister, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, told NBC News.
“Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies, also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants,” the deputy prime minister said in a clip of an interview posted by the network on Monday morning.
It is unclear how widely Cuba intends to open its economy, or how the moves compare with those made a decade ago under President Barack Obama. But the scheduled announcement coincides with a severe humanitarian and energy crisis, with some experts saying the island could run out of fuel within weeks because of a de facto blockade by the Trump administration. » | Annie Correal, Jack Nicas and Frances Robles | Reporting from Mexico City and Florida. | Published: Monday, March 16, 2026. Updated: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Watch the NYT video here.
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President Trump raised the possibility of the United States “taking” Cuba on Monday, telling reporters at the White House, “I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba.”
“Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it,” he said. “They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
The president’s words came on the same day as Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout, amid diminishing fuel supplies. On Monday evening, Cuban officials had also planned to announce that the country’s Communist government would open itself to foreign investment, including from the United States, Cuba’s deputy prime minister, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, told NBC News.
“Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies, also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants,” the deputy prime minister said in a clip of an interview posted by the network on Monday morning.
It is unclear how widely Cuba intends to open its economy, or how the moves compare with those made a decade ago under President Barack Obama. But the scheduled announcement coincides with a severe humanitarian and energy crisis, with some experts saying the island could run out of fuel within weeks because of a de facto blockade by the Trump administration. » | Annie Correal, Jack Nicas and Frances Robles | Reporting from Mexico City and Florida. | Published: Monday, March 16, 2026. Updated: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Watch the NYT video here.
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Labels:
Cuba,
Donald Trump
March 16, 2026
Kuba will Kubanern im Ausland Investitionen und Firmenbesitz auf der Insel ermöglichen
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Erstmals sollen im Ausland lebende Kubaner offiziell Firmen auf der Insel gründen und besitzen dürfen. Doch es gibt Zweifel an der Wirksamkeit der Pläne.
Kubas Regierung will im Ausland lebenden Kubanern – darunter Hunderttausende in Miami –, künftig erlauben, auf der Insel Unternehmen zu besitzen und in den Privatsektor zu investieren. Das kündigte der stellvertretende Ministerpräsident Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga in einem Interview mit NBC News in Havanna an.
„Kuba ist offen für fließende Handelsbeziehungen mit US-Unternehmen“ sowie „mit in den Vereinigten Staaten lebenden Kubanern und deren Nachkommen“, sagte Fraga, der zugleich Außenhandels- und Investitionsminister ist. Die Öffnung gehe über den reinen Handel hinaus und umfasse auch Großinvestitionen, insbesondere in die Infrastruktur, so Fraga gegenüber NBC News. » | Lea Brüggemann | Montag, 16. März 2026
Kubas Regierung will im Ausland lebenden Kubanern – darunter Hunderttausende in Miami –, künftig erlauben, auf der Insel Unternehmen zu besitzen und in den Privatsektor zu investieren. Das kündigte der stellvertretende Ministerpräsident Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga in einem Interview mit NBC News in Havanna an.
„Kuba ist offen für fließende Handelsbeziehungen mit US-Unternehmen“ sowie „mit in den Vereinigten Staaten lebenden Kubanern und deren Nachkommen“, sagte Fraga, der zugleich Außenhandels- und Investitionsminister ist. Die Öffnung gehe über den reinen Handel hinaus und umfasse auch Großinvestitionen, insbesondere in die Infrastruktur, so Fraga gegenüber NBC News. » | Lea Brüggemann | Montag, 16. März 2026
Labels:
Kuba
Britain Before WWI: The Empire Built by Workers I SLICE History | Full Documentary
Feb 27, 2026 | Edwardian Britain was the richest empire in the world. But behind the power of the crown stood millions of workers.
For the first time, rare archival footage from 1901–1914 has been carefully colorized, revealing the real faces of miners, dockworkers, factory girls, market porters, and children whose labour built modern Britain. From Queen Victoria’s funeral to the mills of Lancashire, from London’s docks to Blackpool’s seaside resorts, this is the story of a nation at its industrial peak — just years before the First World War would change everything.
Documentary: Edwardian Britain in Colour EP:1
Directed by: Alison Grist
Production: MAKE WAVES Ltd production for channel 5 [London & Singapore] [MW]
For the first time, rare archival footage from 1901–1914 has been carefully colorized, revealing the real faces of miners, dockworkers, factory girls, market porters, and children whose labour built modern Britain. From Queen Victoria’s funeral to the mills of Lancashire, from London’s docks to Blackpool’s seaside resorts, this is the story of a nation at its industrial peak — just years before the First World War would change everything.
Documentary: Edwardian Britain in Colour EP:1
Directed by: Alison Grist
Production: MAKE WAVES Ltd production for channel 5 [London & Singapore] [MW]
Labels:
documentary,
Edwardian Britain
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Media Continue to List Benefits for Moscow from Iran War
Labels:
Russia,
what the papers say
March 15, 2026
Tucker Carlson Blows Up at Rutger Bregman in Unaired Fox News Interview | NowThis
Feb 20, 2019 | Fox News refused to air this full interview with historian Rutger Bregman after Fox News host Tucker Carlson lost his temper, calling his guest a 'tiny brain...moron' during the interview.
During the Rutger Bregman interview, host Tucker Carlson goes off on Bregman, calling his guest a 'tiny brain...moron.' NowThis has obtained the full segment of the unaired interview with historian Rutger Bregman that Fox News refused to air. Watch it here first..
During the Rutger Bregman interview, host Tucker Carlson goes off on Bregman, calling his guest a 'tiny brain...moron.' NowThis has obtained the full segment of the unaired interview with historian Rutger Bregman that Fox News refused to air. Watch it here first..
Col Doug Macgregor: Iran War Not Ending Anytime Soon
Labels:
economic impact,
Iran War,
oil
March 14, 2026
La Pologne, ce « Phoenix européen » en plein boom qui fait revenir sa diaspora au pays
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Ils étaient partis à l’Ouest, souvent pour effectuer des petits boulots ou poursuivre leurs études. Aujourd’hui, ils sont plus nombreux à quitter le Royaume-Uni, l’Allemagne ou les Pays-Bas pour revenir sur leur terre d’origine que leurs compatriotes effectuant le chemin inverse.
Le fameux mythe du « plombier polonais » ne semble être plus qu’un lointain souvenir. Il y a deux décennies, l’expression enflammait le débat public français pour désigner, avec un brin de condescendance, la main-d’œuvre peu qualifiée venue des bords de la Vistule sur notre marché du travail.
Depuis, la donne a bien changé. « Pour la première fois depuis des générations, notre solde migratoire est positif », indique Dominika Pszczółkowska, chercheuse au Centre de recherche sur les migrations de l’Université de Varsovie. Une consécration pour la Pologne qui, après s’être libérée du carcan soviétique et avoir utilisé à bon escient la manne européenne, s’impose désormais comme une locomotive économique du continent. Cette année, le pays signe même son entrée dans le Groupe des vingt pays les plus avancés de la planète. » | Par Adam Hsakou, à Varsovie | samedi 14 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Le fameux mythe du « plombier polonais » ne semble être plus qu’un lointain souvenir. Il y a deux décennies, l’expression enflammait le débat public français pour désigner, avec un brin de condescendance, la main-d’œuvre peu qualifiée venue des bords de la Vistule sur notre marché du travail.
Depuis, la donne a bien changé. « Pour la première fois depuis des générations, notre solde migratoire est positif », indique Dominika Pszczółkowska, chercheuse au Centre de recherche sur les migrations de l’Université de Varsovie. Une consécration pour la Pologne qui, après s’être libérée du carcan soviétique et avoir utilisé à bon escient la manne européenne, s’impose désormais comme une locomotive économique du continent. Cette année, le pays signe même son entrée dans le Groupe des vingt pays les plus avancés de la planète. » | Par Adam Hsakou, à Varsovie | samedi 14 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Labels:
immigration,
Pologne,
Union européenne
Trump and the Death of the Atlantic Partnership
I am in total agreement with the sentiments expressed in this video. My regular visitors will know that I have been saying similar things in my comments for a very long time. These things need to be said over and over. The concept of the so-called, one-way, and often very elusive “Special Relationship” is almost indelible in the psyche of the average Brit, because it has been repeated so many times. But the fact remains that any relationship with the USA is always lobsided and always on the side of being pleasing to America. It is not, and never could be, a relationship between two equals. Further, the undeniable fact of the matter is that Brits are Europeans, whether we are in the European Union or not, so our sensibilities and perceptions are fashioned by European mores and thought.
It is high time that we stopped harping on about this elusive special relationship, turned our backs on it, and rejoined our family and friends in Europe.
Naturally, we need to maintain good relations with America, but our future lies in and with Europe. The sooner we accept this incontrovertible fact, the better. — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
Brexit,
Donald Trump,
Europe,
European Union,
special relationship,
USA
Michael Lambert: Trump Is Delusional: The Real Reason for the Iran War
Mar 14, 2026 | Trump's war in ran continues and in this video I discuss the stupidity of this reckless venture and the many negative consequences. I talk about the lack of qualifications of Steve Witkoff and Jered Kushner who without any previous experience of diplomacy were sent by Trump to negotiate a peace deal with Iran.
I explain how the US has committed economic suicide and achieved diplomatic isolation as a result of this war, how the US has damaged relationships with allies in the Middle East notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
I point out that Iran's blocking of the Strait of Hormuz where 20% of the world's oil passes should have been predicted by the United States before entering into this war.
Oil prices are rocketing and this will have.an effect on the worldwide economy.
Russia and China are now supporting Iran and this will make it all but impossible for America to end this war with victory.
The war is costing at least $1 billion per day and many lives lost. The US has lost a number of servicemen who have been killed and at least 1,000 are said to have died in Iran. The most tragic incident has been the killing of 160 people, mostly schoolgirls in an incident at the start of the war.
All of this has been caused by the decision of one man, Donald Trump. The war started just 7 days before the latest, and last, batch of the Epstein files were released and it is hard to believe that the timing of the war was not chosen by Trump to distract from the Epstein files in which he features. I also note that Trump's decision to go to war was almost certainly influenced by Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel who saw this as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to decapitate and defeat Iran
I explain how the US has committed economic suicide and achieved diplomatic isolation as a result of this war, how the US has damaged relationships with allies in the Middle East notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
I point out that Iran's blocking of the Strait of Hormuz where 20% of the world's oil passes should have been predicted by the United States before entering into this war.
Oil prices are rocketing and this will have.an effect on the worldwide economy.
Russia and China are now supporting Iran and this will make it all but impossible for America to end this war with victory.
The war is costing at least $1 billion per day and many lives lost. The US has lost a number of servicemen who have been killed and at least 1,000 are said to have died in Iran. The most tragic incident has been the killing of 160 people, mostly schoolgirls in an incident at the start of the war.
All of this has been caused by the decision of one man, Donald Trump. The war started just 7 days before the latest, and last, batch of the Epstein files were released and it is hard to believe that the timing of the war was not chosen by Trump to distract from the Epstein files in which he features. I also note that Trump's decision to go to war was almost certainly influenced by Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel who saw this as a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to decapitate and defeat Iran
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran War,
Trump regime
March 13, 2026
La crisis del petróleo asesta otro golpe a la economía mundial
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Los países ya afectados por la ruptura del orden comercial internacional, la guerra en Ucrania y el caos de los legisladores estadounidenses se enfrentan a daños económicos potencialmente duraderos.
Las bombas estallan en Irán y Medio Oriente, pero las consecuencias sacuden los hogares y las empresas de todo el mundo.
En Kansas, los compradores de viviendas han visto cómo los tipos hipotecarios a 30 años superaron el 6 por ciento esta semana. En el oeste de India, las familias que lloraban la muerte de un ser querido descubrieron que se habían cerrado temporalmente los crematorios de gas.
En Hanoi, Vietnam, los propietarios de gasolineras colocaron carteles de “agotado”. En Kenia, los cultivadores y comerciantes de té temían que sus exportaciones a Irán se pudrieran en el muelle. Y en Estados Unidos, Canadá, Europa, Gran Bretaña y México, los agricultores palidecieron ante el aumento de los costos de los fertilizantes.
El recrudecimiento de la guerra en Irán ha asestado un duro golpe a una economía mundial que ya se ha visto afectada por la ruptura del orden comercial internacional, la guerra en Ucrania y la caótica política del presidente Donald Trump.
“Esto sí que es grave”, dijo David Goldwyn, exdiplomático estadounidense y exfuncionario del Departamento de Energía de Estados Unidos, sobre el cierre del estrecho de Ormuz, el punto de estrangulamiento más importante del mundo para el petróleo. Es el escenario de emergencia que todos temían, dijo. » | Por Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen es corresponsal de economía mundial en Londres. | 13 de marzo de 2026
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Las bombas estallan en Irán y Medio Oriente, pero las consecuencias sacuden los hogares y las empresas de todo el mundo.
En Kansas, los compradores de viviendas han visto cómo los tipos hipotecarios a 30 años superaron el 6 por ciento esta semana. En el oeste de India, las familias que lloraban la muerte de un ser querido descubrieron que se habían cerrado temporalmente los crematorios de gas.
En Hanoi, Vietnam, los propietarios de gasolineras colocaron carteles de “agotado”. En Kenia, los cultivadores y comerciantes de té temían que sus exportaciones a Irán se pudrieran en el muelle. Y en Estados Unidos, Canadá, Europa, Gran Bretaña y México, los agricultores palidecieron ante el aumento de los costos de los fertilizantes.
El recrudecimiento de la guerra en Irán ha asestado un duro golpe a una economía mundial que ya se ha visto afectada por la ruptura del orden comercial internacional, la guerra en Ucrania y la caótica política del presidente Donald Trump.
“Esto sí que es grave”, dijo David Goldwyn, exdiplomático estadounidense y exfuncionario del Departamento de Energía de Estados Unidos, sobre el cierre del estrecho de Ormuz, el punto de estrangulamiento más importante del mundo para el petróleo. Es el escenario de emergencia que todos temían, dijo. » | Por Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen es corresponsal de economía mundial en Londres. | 13 de marzo de 2026
Read in English
‘Unbelievably Unequal’: Report Shows How 1% of Mexicans Own 40% of Country’s Wealth
THE GUARDIAN: Fortunes of the country’s 22 billionaires doubled in last five years, reaching unprecedented collective wealth of $219bn
Scrunched between luxury apartment buildings and a lush gated community, the neighborhood of Santa Lucía Reacomodo in Mexico City is a working-class pocket of real estate. Electrical wires tangle above cinder-block houses, stray cats slink down narrow streets, debris piles up on the pavement.
María del Socorro Corona, 79, arrived here decades ago, back when it was just a cactus-covered hillside. The two-bedroom turquoise house she built with her now-deceased husband is crammed with bags of clothes and knick-knacks she sells at a weekly market.
“I have to make money,” she said, “or I won’t eat.”
While most people built their homes here in the 80s and 90s, the area really started to change about 20 years ago, Corona said, when the government constructed a bridge connecting Mexico City to the high-end business district of Santa Fe nearby. Foreigners came wanting to buy up their land, but none of the neighbors wanted to sell.
“So now the rich are over there,” she said, pointing at one of the looming luxury apartment buildings: row upon row of glass balconies with carefully manicured hedges. “And the poor are over here.”
The stark contrast in this little enclave of the capital is a microcosm of a problem that has plagued Mexico for decades: rampant income inequality, with a small slice of the population living in opulence while millions of families languish in poverty.
“Mexico is unbelievably unequal – it’s almost inconceivable,” said Viri Ríos, a public policy expert and director of Mexico Decoded. “Inequality in our country has been around for centuries: we’ve just grown accustomed to living this way.” » | Oscar Lopez in Mexico City | Thursday, March 12, 2026
Scrunched between luxury apartment buildings and a lush gated community, the neighborhood of Santa Lucía Reacomodo in Mexico City is a working-class pocket of real estate. Electrical wires tangle above cinder-block houses, stray cats slink down narrow streets, debris piles up on the pavement.
María del Socorro Corona, 79, arrived here decades ago, back when it was just a cactus-covered hillside. The two-bedroom turquoise house she built with her now-deceased husband is crammed with bags of clothes and knick-knacks she sells at a weekly market.
“I have to make money,” she said, “or I won’t eat.”
While most people built their homes here in the 80s and 90s, the area really started to change about 20 years ago, Corona said, when the government constructed a bridge connecting Mexico City to the high-end business district of Santa Fe nearby. Foreigners came wanting to buy up their land, but none of the neighbors wanted to sell.
“So now the rich are over there,” she said, pointing at one of the looming luxury apartment buildings: row upon row of glass balconies with carefully manicured hedges. “And the poor are over here.”
The stark contrast in this little enclave of the capital is a microcosm of a problem that has plagued Mexico for decades: rampant income inequality, with a small slice of the population living in opulence while millions of families languish in poverty.
“Mexico is unbelievably unequal – it’s almost inconceivable,” said Viri Ríos, a public policy expert and director of Mexico Decoded. “Inequality in our country has been around for centuries: we’ve just grown accustomed to living this way.” » | Oscar Lopez in Mexico City | Thursday, March 12, 2026
Labels:
Mexico,
wealth inequality
Steve Rosenberg: Moscow's Mobile Internet Blackout Sends Sales of Walkie-talkies, Pagers & Paper Maps Spiralling
Labels:
Russia,
what the papers say
March 12, 2026
La guerra en Irán causa la mayor interrupción petrolera de la historia, según agencia de energía
THE NEW YORK TIMES: El conflicto obliga a los productores a recortar la producción y cerrar puertos, mientras Irán intensifica los ataques contra las infraestructuras energéticas.
La guerra en Medio Oriente ha causado “la mayor interrupción del suministro en la historia del mercado petrolero mundial”, dijo el jueves la Agencia Internacional de Energía, al tiempo que Irán intensificaba sus ataques contra las embarcaciones petroleras de la región.
Antes de la guerra, 20 millones de barriles de petróleo pasaban diariamente por el estrecho de Ormuz, la estrecha vía navegable frente a la costa meridional de Irán. Esa cantidad se ha reducido a “un goteo” desde que Irán advirtió de que los barcos que pasaban por allí corrían peligro de ser atacados, dijo la AIE en su informe mensual.
Esta semana, los 32 Estados miembros de la AIE acordaron liberar 400 millones de barriles de petróleo de sus reservas estratégicas, la mayor cantidad de la historia y la primera liberación coordinada desde la invasión a gran escala de Ucrania por Rusia en 2022. » | Por Eshe Nelson | Reportando desde Londres | 12 de marzo de 2026
Read in English.
La guerra en Medio Oriente ha causado “la mayor interrupción del suministro en la historia del mercado petrolero mundial”, dijo el jueves la Agencia Internacional de Energía, al tiempo que Irán intensificaba sus ataques contra las embarcaciones petroleras de la región.
Antes de la guerra, 20 millones de barriles de petróleo pasaban diariamente por el estrecho de Ormuz, la estrecha vía navegable frente a la costa meridional de Irán. Esa cantidad se ha reducido a “un goteo” desde que Irán advirtió de que los barcos que pasaban por allí corrían peligro de ser atacados, dijo la AIE en su informe mensual.
Esta semana, los 32 Estados miembros de la AIE acordaron liberar 400 millones de barriles de petróleo de sus reservas estratégicas, la mayor cantidad de la historia y la primera liberación coordinada desde la invasión a gran escala de Ucrania por Rusia en 2022. » | Por Eshe Nelson | Reportando desde Londres | 12 de marzo de 2026
Read in English.
Labels:
guerra de Irán,
petrolera
Iran Issues Statement ‘from Mojtaba Khamenei’ as Its Attacks Disrupt Energy Markets
THE GUARDIAN: Message read out by newsreader calls for national unity and says that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks
In his first public remarks as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei apparently called for national unity and said that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks. The strait of Hormuz will remain closed in order to pressure Iran’s enemies, Khamenei reportedly said. He was not seen in the broadcast and the statement was delivered by a newsreader.
Khamenei said Iran will avenge the those who were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, including the dozens of seven to 12-year-old girls who were killed in an airstrike that hit a school in Minab. He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks. Middle East Crisis Live » | Lucy Campbell (now); Tom Ambrose, Vivian Ho and Adam Fulton (earlier) | Thursday, March 12, 2026
In his first public remarks as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei apparently called for national unity and said that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks. The strait of Hormuz will remain closed in order to pressure Iran’s enemies, Khamenei reportedly said. He was not seen in the broadcast and the statement was delivered by a newsreader.
Khamenei said Iran will avenge the those who were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, including the dozens of seven to 12-year-old girls who were killed in an airstrike that hit a school in Minab. He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks. Middle East Crisis Live » | Lucy Campbell (now); Tom Ambrose, Vivian Ho and Adam Fulton (earlier) | Thursday, March 12, 2026
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Countries already walloped by a breakdown of the international trading order, war in Ukraine and chaotic U.S. policymaking are facing potentially lasting economic damage.
Bombs are exploding in Iran and the Middle East, but the fallout is rattling households and businesses in neighborhoods all over the globe.
In Kansas, home buyers saw 30-year mortgage rates edge above 6 percent this week. In Western India, families mourning the death of a loved one discovered that gas-fired crematories had been temporarily closed.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, gas station owners posted “sold out” signs. In Kenya, tea growers and traders worried their exports to Iran would rot on the dock. And across the United States, Canada, Europe, Britain and Mexico, farmers blanched at the surge in fertilizer costs.
The widening war in Iran has delivered a stunning punch to a worldwide economy that has already been walloped by a breakdown of the international trading order, war in Ukraine and President Trump’s chaotic policymaking.
“This really is the big one,” David Goldwyn, a former U.S. diplomat and U.S. Energy Department official, said of the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important choke point for oil. It is the emergency scenario everyone feared, he said.
Cargo deliveries have been stranded, shipping charges have increased and insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Yes, the price of gas at the pump is affected. But so is the price of food, medicine, airplane tickets, electricity, cooking oil, semiconductors and more.
A drawn-out war between the United States and Iran could have “catastrophic consequences” for the world’s oil market and the global economy, Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil and gas company, warned this week.
Yet even if the war, which began on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel struck Iran, wraps up relatively quickly, this latest upheaval is sending consumers, workers and employers on another unnerving and unpredictable ride. » | Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen is the global economics correspondent in London.| Thursday, March 12, 2026
One can but wonder what all the members of Trump’s fan club have to say for themselves now! The king of dealmaking is not looking so clever now, is he? His magic touch looks pretty elusive to me. — © Mark Alexander
Bombs are exploding in Iran and the Middle East, but the fallout is rattling households and businesses in neighborhoods all over the globe.
In Kansas, home buyers saw 30-year mortgage rates edge above 6 percent this week. In Western India, families mourning the death of a loved one discovered that gas-fired crematories had been temporarily closed.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, gas station owners posted “sold out” signs. In Kenya, tea growers and traders worried their exports to Iran would rot on the dock. And across the United States, Canada, Europe, Britain and Mexico, farmers blanched at the surge in fertilizer costs.
The widening war in Iran has delivered a stunning punch to a worldwide economy that has already been walloped by a breakdown of the international trading order, war in Ukraine and President Trump’s chaotic policymaking.
“This really is the big one,” David Goldwyn, a former U.S. diplomat and U.S. Energy Department official, said of the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important choke point for oil. It is the emergency scenario everyone feared, he said.
Cargo deliveries have been stranded, shipping charges have increased and insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Yes, the price of gas at the pump is affected. But so is the price of food, medicine, airplane tickets, electricity, cooking oil, semiconductors and more.
A drawn-out war between the United States and Iran could have “catastrophic consequences” for the world’s oil market and the global economy, Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil and gas company, warned this week.
Yet even if the war, which began on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel struck Iran, wraps up relatively quickly, this latest upheaval is sending consumers, workers and employers on another unnerving and unpredictable ride. » | Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen is the global economics correspondent in London.| Thursday, March 12, 2026
One can but wonder what all the members of Trump’s fan club have to say for themselves now! The king of dealmaking is not looking so clever now, is he? His magic touch looks pretty elusive to me. — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
crude oil,
Iran War,
world economy
Saudi Arabia and UAE Defence Strategy Against Iranian Missile Strikes
Labels:
Iran,
Iran War,
Saudi Arabia,
UAE
Rutger Bregman, Historian, Called Out Billionaires Face to Face in Davos
Labels:
billionaies,
Davos,
Rutger Bregman,
taxation
Why America Is Losing the War with Iran (w/ John Mearsheimer) | The Chris Hedges Report
Elect a know-nothing fool, expect geopolitical chaos! – © Mark Alexander
Labels:
Benjamin Netanyahu,
Chris Hedges,
Donald Trump,
Iran,
Iran War,
Israel,
USA
Wolff Responds: "Iran! Underappreciated Aspects" Dated March 11, 2026
Labels:
Dr Richard Wolff,
Iran War
March 11, 2026
‘The Shine Has Been Taken Off’: Dubai Faces Existential Threat as Foreigners Flee Conflict
THE GUARDIAN: Tens of thousands of residents and tourists have left UAE since the US and Israel started bombing Iran two weeks ago, leaving beach bars, malls and hotels eerily empty
In the playground of the rich, nobody wanted this war. For decades, Dubai built itself up as a sanctuary of unadulterated consumerism visited by tourists the world over.
But now, the city in the United Arab Emirates faces an existential threat, as the war between the US and Israel and Iran has shaken the foundations of the “Dubai dream” that so many foreigners had bought into.
The UAE has borne the brunt of more than two-thirds of Iran’s strikes; the state targeted in part, say analysts, for its deep military and intelligence partnerships with western powers, and Dubai’s reputation as a favoured centre for global finance and western holidays.
“The shine has definitely been taken off,” said John Trudinger, a British resident of Dubai for 16 years, who is a headteacher at an Emirati school in Dubai. He employs more than 100 teachers from the UK and said most have been so “deeply traumatised and really struggling to cope” with the sudden arrival of war in Dubai that they have left and won’t come back.
They are among the tens of thousands of residents and tourists that have fled Dubai since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran almost two weeks ago. The city’s large population of migrant workers largely don’t have that privilege. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Dubai | Wednesday, March 11, 2026
In the playground of the rich, nobody wanted this war. For decades, Dubai built itself up as a sanctuary of unadulterated consumerism visited by tourists the world over.
But now, the city in the United Arab Emirates faces an existential threat, as the war between the US and Israel and Iran has shaken the foundations of the “Dubai dream” that so many foreigners had bought into.
The UAE has borne the brunt of more than two-thirds of Iran’s strikes; the state targeted in part, say analysts, for its deep military and intelligence partnerships with western powers, and Dubai’s reputation as a favoured centre for global finance and western holidays.
“The shine has definitely been taken off,” said John Trudinger, a British resident of Dubai for 16 years, who is a headteacher at an Emirati school in Dubai. He employs more than 100 teachers from the UK and said most have been so “deeply traumatised and really struggling to cope” with the sudden arrival of war in Dubai that they have left and won’t come back.
They are among the tens of thousands of residents and tourists that have fled Dubai since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran almost two weeks ago. The city’s large population of migrant workers largely don’t have that privilege. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Dubai | Wednesday, March 11, 2026
How Trump’s War With Iran Changed the World in a Week
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The conflict is reshaping travel patterns, energy dependencies, living costs, trade routes and diplomatic alliances.
Since President Trump launched a new war with Iran, he has portrayed it as a shock-and-awe assault with few lasting consequences, especially for Americans. On Monday in Florida, he called it a “brief disruption.”
Experts say it is rapidly becoming something else entirely: a jolt to the global security order and economy that far exceeds those delivered by other recent conflicts in the Middle East.
Mr. Trump’s war, now nearly two weeks old, is already reshaping travel patterns, energy dependencies, living costs, trade routes and strategic partnerships. Countries typically shielded from regional conflict, like Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates, have faced retaliatory Iranian fire. The fallout could disrupt midterm elections in the United States, tilt the war calculus in Ukraine and force China into a major economic pivot.
Those effects may compound if Mr. Trump presses ahead with the war, particularly if Iran escalates its counterattacks and blocks ship traffic through the critical oil passage of the Strait of Hormuz. Some economists are already invoking a dreaded memory for any U.S. president — the specter of oil-shock-induced stagflation, with growth stalling and prices roaring upward. » | Jim Tankersley | Reporting from Berlin, Washington and London’s Heathrow Airport | Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Since President Trump launched a new war with Iran, he has portrayed it as a shock-and-awe assault with few lasting consequences, especially for Americans. On Monday in Florida, he called it a “brief disruption.”
Experts say it is rapidly becoming something else entirely: a jolt to the global security order and economy that far exceeds those delivered by other recent conflicts in the Middle East.
Mr. Trump’s war, now nearly two weeks old, is already reshaping travel patterns, energy dependencies, living costs, trade routes and strategic partnerships. Countries typically shielded from regional conflict, like Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates, have faced retaliatory Iranian fire. The fallout could disrupt midterm elections in the United States, tilt the war calculus in Ukraine and force China into a major economic pivot.
Those effects may compound if Mr. Trump presses ahead with the war, particularly if Iran escalates its counterattacks and blocks ship traffic through the critical oil passage of the Strait of Hormuz. Some economists are already invoking a dreaded memory for any U.S. president — the specter of oil-shock-induced stagflation, with growth stalling and prices roaring upward. » | Jim Tankersley | Reporting from Berlin, Washington and London’s Heathrow Airport | Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran War
Why Crypto Isn’t Cool Anymore | The Economist
Labels:
Bitcoin,
cryptocurrencies
Epstein Conspiracy: All the Proof We Need
Feb 10, 2026 | The Epstein files - and the cover-up - reveal all we need to know. Call a friend. Start organizing. Get educated. Let’s put this primitive “predatory phase” of humanity behind us.
We know what to do. We know how to feed, house, clothe, and care for all of us on this miraculous floating orb in outer space.
We know what to do. We know how to feed, house, clothe, and care for all of us on this miraculous floating orb in outer space.
Labels:
Jeffrey Epstein
The Billionaire Crime Ring
Our so-called democratic leaders have just allowed THIS SHIT to happen! They haven’t had the SPUNK to do ANYTHING about it! The West needs CHANGE, BIG CHANGE. SOON! Kick the MORONS out of office and let the grown-ups take the reins. But we must make sure that these grown-ups have SPUNK. Lots of it! — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
billionaires
Steve Rosenberg: In Russia, Who's Criticising Donald Trump...and Who Isn't?
Labels:
Russia,
what the papers say
March 10, 2026
The Economics of a Dying Empire (w/ Richard Wolff) | The Chris Hedges Report
Labels:
capitalism,
Chris Hedges,
Dr Richard Wolff,
US Empire
March 09, 2026
Peter Thiel and Praxis: The Billionaire Plan to Create the Fourth Reich
Labels:
Fourth Reich,
Peter Thiel
Peter Schiff: Iran War Creates Chaos in the World Economy
Labels:
Iran War,
world economy
‘We Just Don’t Know’ How High Gas Prices Will Go as Iran War Continues Warns Utilita Chair
Mar 9, 2026 | “It's going to be a white knuckle ride”
Utilita chair Derek Lickorish MBE tells Times Radio “we just don’t know” how high gas prices will go as long as the war in the Middle East continues.
WIKIPEDIA: Utilita Energy »
Utilita chair Derek Lickorish MBE tells Times Radio “we just don’t know” how high gas prices will go as long as the war in the Middle East continues.
WIKIPEDIA: Utilita Energy »
Labels:
energy prices,
gas prices
March 07, 2026
Gas Prices Continue to Surge in U.S., Rising 14% in a Week
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Soaring oil prices suggest that more increases could be in store for American drivers. Diesel, jet fuel, and other refined products are also becoming much more expensive.
The price of gas in the United States reached an average of $3.41 per gallon on Saturday, a day after crude oil prices soared to levels not seen since 2023 as the spillover from the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran continued.
That gain means gasoline has jumped 14 percent in the past week, according to data from the AAA motor club. The prices recorded Saturday were the highest for gasoline since 2024.
The suddenly rising energy costs — everything from jet fuel to diesel for trucks and tractors is more expensive — are rooted in supplies of crude oil coming from the Persian Gulf. The tankers that normally carry oil out of the region are not sailing, cutting the world off from about one-fifth of its oil supply.
That’s led to a surge in oil prices globally. By Friday, the U.S. crude benchmark, called West Texas Intermediate, had climbed more than 35 percent for the week, to settle at $90.90 a barrel, with much of that gain coming on Friday alone. The last time crude was trading at those levels, gasoline in the United States was above $3.80 a gallon, the data from AAA shows. » | Emmett Lindner | Saturday, March 7, 2026
The price of gas in the United States reached an average of $3.41 per gallon on Saturday, a day after crude oil prices soared to levels not seen since 2023 as the spillover from the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran continued.
That gain means gasoline has jumped 14 percent in the past week, according to data from the AAA motor club. The prices recorded Saturday were the highest for gasoline since 2024.
The suddenly rising energy costs — everything from jet fuel to diesel for trucks and tractors is more expensive — are rooted in supplies of crude oil coming from the Persian Gulf. The tankers that normally carry oil out of the region are not sailing, cutting the world off from about one-fifth of its oil supply.
That’s led to a surge in oil prices globally. By Friday, the U.S. crude benchmark, called West Texas Intermediate, had climbed more than 35 percent for the week, to settle at $90.90 a barrel, with much of that gain coming on Friday alone. The last time crude was trading at those levels, gasoline in the United States was above $3.80 a gallon, the data from AAA shows. » | Emmett Lindner | Saturday, March 7, 2026
Labels:
Iran War,
oil prices
Truth To Power: Trump Exposed: What Really Happened with Iran
Trump is a F*****G LIAR, and an UNSCRUPULOUS ONE at that! He is also a CRUEL CRIMINAL who understands NO GEOPOLITICS. The man should be in prison, not in the White House. — © Mark Alexander
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran War
March 06, 2026
U.S. Employers Cut Jobs in Sign of a Shakier Economy
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A weaker-than-expected report for February showed a decline of 92,000 jobs, and a rise in the unemployment rate to 4.4 percent.
Job growth fizzled in February, a sign of unexpected weakness in the labor market.
Employers cut 92,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported on Friday, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent. The job losses cut across nearly all major sectors, including health care, which was weighed down by a nurses strike in California.
The report dimmed the picture of the labor market and all but shut down the prospect of a resurgence in growth after an anemic year of hiring that was weighed down by economic uncertainty. Many economists had forecast that employers would shake off their reluctance to hire this year.
Here’s what else to know: Live Updates » | Sydney Ember | Friday, March 6, 2026
Job growth fizzled in February, a sign of unexpected weakness in the labor market.
Employers cut 92,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported on Friday, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent. The job losses cut across nearly all major sectors, including health care, which was weighed down by a nurses strike in California.
The report dimmed the picture of the labor market and all but shut down the prospect of a resurgence in growth after an anemic year of hiring that was weighed down by economic uncertainty. Many economists had forecast that employers would shake off their reluctance to hire this year.
Here’s what else to know: Live Updates » | Sydney Ember | Friday, March 6, 2026
Labels:
employment,
US economy
Wie Trumps Iran-Krieg die nächste Finanzkrise auslösen könnte
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Finanzkrise,
Iran-Krieg,
Sandra Navidi
March 05, 2026
El líder de España Pedro Sánchez intensifica su disputa con Trump
THE NEW YORK TIMES: El presidente del gobierno español ha arremetido contra los ataques de EE. UU. e Israel, y se ha negado a participar incluso después de que Trump amenazara a Madrid con represalias económicas.
Captura de pantalla tomada de este artículo del NYT. | El presidente del gobierno español, Pedro Sánchez, hablando en Madrid en febrero. Sánchez, que se enfrenta a conflictos políticos en su país, ha intentado distinguir sus políticas de las del presidente Trump.Credit...Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
Durante más de un año, el presidente del gobierno español, Pedro Sánchez, se ha posicionado como líder de la resistencia de la izquierda europea al presidente Donald Trump.
Mientras Trump aumentaba las deportaciones, Sánchez ofrecía a los migrantes indocumentados una vía para obtener la residencia. Mientras el presidente de Estados Unidos defendía a las empresas tecnológicas estadounidenses, Sánchez intentaba restringirlas. Y el pasado fin de semana, Sánchez se negó a que los aviones de guerra estadounidenses utilizaran España como plataforma de lanzamiento de ataques contra Irán, lo que hizo que Trump amenazara con poner fin al comercio con España.
El miércoles, esas tensiones llegaron a su punto álgido cuando Sánchez pronunció un discurso especial a la nación en el que condenó la campaña contra Irán y reiteró su negativa a participar a pesar de las amenazas de Trump de tomar represalias económicas.
“No vamos a ser cómplices de algo que es malo para el mundo, y que también es contrario a nuestros valores e intereses, simplemente por el miedo a las represalias de alguno”, dijo Sánchez en el discurso televisado.
“Ni siquiera están claros los objetivos de quienes lanzaron el primer ataque”, añadió Sánchez, refiriéndose a Estados Unidos e Israel. » | Por Jason Horowitz | Reportando desde Madrid | 4 de marzo de 2026
Read in English.
Durante más de un año, el presidente del gobierno español, Pedro Sánchez, se ha posicionado como líder de la resistencia de la izquierda europea al presidente Donald Trump.
Mientras Trump aumentaba las deportaciones, Sánchez ofrecía a los migrantes indocumentados una vía para obtener la residencia. Mientras el presidente de Estados Unidos defendía a las empresas tecnológicas estadounidenses, Sánchez intentaba restringirlas. Y el pasado fin de semana, Sánchez se negó a que los aviones de guerra estadounidenses utilizaran España como plataforma de lanzamiento de ataques contra Irán, lo que hizo que Trump amenazara con poner fin al comercio con España.
El miércoles, esas tensiones llegaron a su punto álgido cuando Sánchez pronunció un discurso especial a la nación en el que condenó la campaña contra Irán y reiteró su negativa a participar a pesar de las amenazas de Trump de tomar represalias económicas.
“No vamos a ser cómplices de algo que es malo para el mundo, y que también es contrario a nuestros valores e intereses, simplemente por el miedo a las represalias de alguno”, dijo Sánchez en el discurso televisado.
“Ni siquiera están claros los objetivos de quienes lanzaron el primer ataque”, añadió Sánchez, refiriéndose a Estados Unidos e Israel. » | Por Jason Horowitz | Reportando desde Madrid | 4 de marzo de 2026
Read in English.
Labels:
Donald Trump,
España,
guerra de Irán,
Pedro Sánchez
EU Says It Supports Spain Whilst Refusing to Disagree Fully with Trump | DW News
Labels:
Donald Trump,
EU,
Iran War,
Pedro Sánchez,
Spain
March 04, 2026
Col. Douglas Macgregor: Trump’s War: A Mess of His Own Making
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran War
March 03, 2026
The Economist: Will the Iran War Spread across the Middle East?
Mar 3, 2026 | The war in Iran is already reverberating across the Middle East.
From surging oil and gas prices to threats against Gulf trade routes and rising regional tensions, the conflict is having far-reaching effects beyond Iran’s borders.
Our editors examine whether the war can be contained, or if the region is heading towards a wider war.
From surging oil and gas prices to threats against Gulf trade routes and rising regional tensions, the conflict is having far-reaching effects beyond Iran’s borders.
Our editors examine whether the war can be contained, or if the region is heading towards a wider war.
Labels:
Iran War,
Middle East
Global Markets Tumble After U.S. Warns War Could Last Weeks
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Oil and gas prices surged and stock markets fell, after U.S. and Israeli officials signaled that strikes on Iran would intensify. As the conflict widened, Israel’s military stepped up operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah, which fired rockets into Israel.
Global stock markets tumbled on Tuesday and the price of oil surged, as the widening conflict in the Middle East sent a shudder through the world economy and American and Israeli officials signaled that their bombing campaign against Iran could last weeks.
President Trump was set to meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany in Washington on Tuesday morning, the president’s first meeting with a foreign leader since the war began, and the two were expected to speak with reporters. The meeting was long planned, but is likely to be dominated by discussions of the attacks on Iran, which continued for a fourth day.
With Iran retaliating for the killing of its supreme leader, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia warned of imminent drone and rocket attacks in Dhahran, the eastern city that is home to Saudi Aramco, the government-controlled oil producer, threatening to put more pressure on global oil supplies. The embassy itself was hit by a drone attack early Tuesday, a day after a drone struck the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, prompting the United States to announce that it was closing both facilities.
Fighting escalated between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said that it was carrying out additional strikes in Iran, and had targeted weapons storage facilities in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, as Hezbollah said it had fired attack drones at Israel. Israel’s advance in southern Lebanon prompted fears that it could be weighing a wider ground assault similar to the one it launched during its yearlong war with Hezbollah that ended in late 2024. Iran Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman, Helene Cooper and Yan Zhuang | Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Global stock markets tumbled on Tuesday and the price of oil surged, as the widening conflict in the Middle East sent a shudder through the world economy and American and Israeli officials signaled that their bombing campaign against Iran could last weeks.
President Trump was set to meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany in Washington on Tuesday morning, the president’s first meeting with a foreign leader since the war began, and the two were expected to speak with reporters. The meeting was long planned, but is likely to be dominated by discussions of the attacks on Iran, which continued for a fourth day.
With Iran retaliating for the killing of its supreme leader, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia warned of imminent drone and rocket attacks in Dhahran, the eastern city that is home to Saudi Aramco, the government-controlled oil producer, threatening to put more pressure on global oil supplies. The embassy itself was hit by a drone attack early Tuesday, a day after a drone struck the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, prompting the United States to announce that it was closing both facilities.
Fighting escalated between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said that it was carrying out additional strikes in Iran, and had targeted weapons storage facilities in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, as Hezbollah said it had fired attack drones at Israel. Israel’s advance in southern Lebanon prompted fears that it could be weighing a wider ground assault similar to the one it launched during its yearlong war with Hezbollah that ended in late 2024. Iran Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman, Helene Cooper and Yan Zhuang | Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Labels:
Gas,
Iran War,
oil,
stock markets
One of UK's Richest Men Wants German Citizenship over 'Hostility' to Jews
BBC: "Britain is an uncomfortable place for Jews today," Cardiff-born billionaire Sir Michael Moritz has said.
The Welsh investor said Britain was "far more hostile than the US" towards its Jewish community, citing the attack on Manchester's Heaton Park synagogue in 2025.
Sir Michael, who has written about his family's experience of the Nazis, said "antisemitism is always in the air" and there were modern parallels to the persecution they had faced.
He said he was applying for a German passport, which is what he calls an "insurance policy" that would allow him the opportunity to flee the US or the UK in a way that some of his ancestors were unable to escape persecution.
He also argued that the UK was a less attractive place to do business compared with the US and China, and that the growing use of AI could be "deeply disruptive" for white-collar workers.
The 71-year-old, who holds both UK and US passports, is the richest Welshman who has ever lived. with a wealth built on investments in companies like Yahoo and Google that made him billions during the dot-com boom of the early 2000s.
In a memoir called Ausländer – the German word for foreigner or outsider – Sir Michael charts his family's treatment under the Nazis.
His paternal grandparents, Max and Minnie Moritz, were among swathes of relatives killed during the Holocaust.
Using public archives he found that two of his relatives, his great-uncle Oskar Moritz and his cousin Mira Marx, were photographed by the Gestapo as they were forced onto buses that transported them to their deaths.
Sir Michael's parents had escaped Germany and settled in Cardiff, where he attended the now-closed Howardian High School in Penylan. » | Huw Thomas | Wales business correspondent | Monday, March 2, 2026
The Welsh investor said Britain was "far more hostile than the US" towards its Jewish community, citing the attack on Manchester's Heaton Park synagogue in 2025.
Sir Michael, who has written about his family's experience of the Nazis, said "antisemitism is always in the air" and there were modern parallels to the persecution they had faced.
He said he was applying for a German passport, which is what he calls an "insurance policy" that would allow him the opportunity to flee the US or the UK in a way that some of his ancestors were unable to escape persecution.
He also argued that the UK was a less attractive place to do business compared with the US and China, and that the growing use of AI could be "deeply disruptive" for white-collar workers.
The 71-year-old, who holds both UK and US passports, is the richest Welshman who has ever lived. with a wealth built on investments in companies like Yahoo and Google that made him billions during the dot-com boom of the early 2000s.
In a memoir called Ausländer – the German word for foreigner or outsider – Sir Michael charts his family's treatment under the Nazis.
His paternal grandparents, Max and Minnie Moritz, were among swathes of relatives killed during the Holocaust.
Using public archives he found that two of his relatives, his great-uncle Oskar Moritz and his cousin Mira Marx, were photographed by the Gestapo as they were forced onto buses that transported them to their deaths.
Sir Michael's parents had escaped Germany and settled in Cardiff, where he attended the now-closed Howardian High School in Penylan. » | Huw Thomas | Wales business correspondent | Monday, March 2, 2026
Labels:
Wales
„Ich kann Länder zerstören“: Trump ist im Machtrausch
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Sandra Navidi
March 02, 2026
Javier Milei veut ériger l'« alliance stratégique durable » avec les États-Unis en « politique d'État »
LE FIGARO : Javier Milei s’est dit résolu à pousser plus avant ses réformes, annonçant un train ambitieux de 90 réformes dans l’année, pour « redessiner » l’Argentine « pour les 50 prochaines années ».
Le président ultralibéral argentin Javier Milei a déclaré dimanche au Parlement vouloir faire de « l'alliance stratégique durable » avec les États-Unis de son allié Donald Trump une « politique d'État », notamment pour agir sur le « terrain de rivalité stratégique » de l'Atlantique sud.
« L'Argentine a déjà laissé passer deux fois le train de l'histoire », a déclaré M. Milei dans son discours sur l'État de la nation lançant sa seconde moitié de mandat, en référence à la neutralité argentine pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale qui « nous a coûté des décennies de marginalisation ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 2 mars 2026
Le président ultralibéral argentin Javier Milei a déclaré dimanche au Parlement vouloir faire de « l'alliance stratégique durable » avec les États-Unis de son allié Donald Trump une « politique d'État », notamment pour agir sur le « terrain de rivalité stratégique » de l'Atlantique sud.
« L'Argentine a déjà laissé passer deux fois le train de l'histoire », a déclaré M. Milei dans son discours sur l'État de la nation lançant sa seconde moitié de mandat, en référence à la neutralité argentine pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale qui « nous a coûté des décennies de marginalisation ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 2 mars 2026
Labels:
Argentine,
États-Unis,
Javier Milei
March 01, 2026
Oil Price Expected to Surge after Iran Strikes and Strait of Hormuz Closure
THE GUARDIAN: Stock markets around the world could tumble on Monday and motorists are likely to pay more at the pump
The price of oil is expected to soar on Monday as the US-Israel war on Iran and the effective closure of the crucial strait of Hormuz rattles investors despite major producers’ pledges to increase its output.
US crude is on track to rise by 11% when trading resumes, according to data from the broker IG. The jump comes as Opec+, the cartel of oil producers, agreed on Sunday to step up its output by more than expected as it assessed the impact of the conflict.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly told ships on Saturday that passage through the strait of Hormuz was prohibited, in effect shutting the key choke point and prompting the halt of some oil shipments.
About $500bn (£372bn) of energy trade and 20% of global oil supplies pass through the strait each year. Vessels also carry chemicals and fertilisers, meaning disruption could affect agriculture and global food prices. » | Graeme Wearden and Mark Sweney | Sunday, March 1, 2026
The price of oil is expected to soar on Monday as the US-Israel war on Iran and the effective closure of the crucial strait of Hormuz rattles investors despite major producers’ pledges to increase its output.
US crude is on track to rise by 11% when trading resumes, according to data from the broker IG. The jump comes as Opec+, the cartel of oil producers, agreed on Sunday to step up its output by more than expected as it assessed the impact of the conflict.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly told ships on Saturday that passage through the strait of Hormuz was prohibited, in effect shutting the key choke point and prompting the halt of some oil shipments.
About $500bn (£372bn) of energy trade and 20% of global oil supplies pass through the strait each year. Vessels also carry chemicals and fertilisers, meaning disruption could affect agriculture and global food prices. » | Graeme Wearden and Mark Sweney | Sunday, March 1, 2026
Labels:
crude oil,
Iran War,
stock markets
Trump autoriza las ventas de petróleo al sector privado de Cuba
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Tras bloquear los envíos de petróleo desde el extranjero a la isla, el gobierno de Trump da luz verde a la entrada de pequeñas cantidades a Cuba, siempre que no lleguen al gobierno.
Después de bloquear los envíos de petróleo desde extranjero a Cuba, lo que ha sumido a la isla en su crisis más profunda en décadas, el gobierno de Donald Trump ha empezado a permitir que empresas estadounidenses envíen combustible a negocios privados en Cuba.
El gobierno de Trump también está permitiendo que las empresas soliciten licencias para vender petróleo venezolano a entidades no gubernamentales en Cuba, como organizaciones humanitarias y pequeñas empresas.
Los esfuerzos del presidente Trump por ayudar a negocios como mercados de alimentos y compañías de transporte a paliar la aplastante escasez de petróleo señalan lo que, según los expertos, es una estrategia para reforzar al pequeño sector privado del país, en dificultades, al tiempo que se sortea al gobierno comunista que Estados Unidos busca destituir. » | Por Frances Robles y David C. Adams | Reportando desde Florida | 28 de febrero de 2026
Read in English.
Después de bloquear los envíos de petróleo desde extranjero a Cuba, lo que ha sumido a la isla en su crisis más profunda en décadas, el gobierno de Donald Trump ha empezado a permitir que empresas estadounidenses envíen combustible a negocios privados en Cuba.
El gobierno de Trump también está permitiendo que las empresas soliciten licencias para vender petróleo venezolano a entidades no gubernamentales en Cuba, como organizaciones humanitarias y pequeñas empresas.
Los esfuerzos del presidente Trump por ayudar a negocios como mercados de alimentos y compañías de transporte a paliar la aplastante escasez de petróleo señalan lo que, según los expertos, es una estrategia para reforzar al pequeño sector privado del país, en dificultades, al tiempo que se sortea al gobierno comunista que Estados Unidos busca destituir. » | Por Frances Robles y David C. Adams | Reportando desde Florida | 28 de febrero de 2026
Read in English.
Labels:
Cuba,
Donald Trump
St. David's Day, the National Day of Wales: Daffodils – William Wordsworth (An Inspirational Poem)
Jun 20, 2020 | A powerful poem on finding pleasure and comfort in nature.
Read by Victor Vertunni
William Wordsworth was a revered English poet who was, in part, responsible for kick-starting the Romantic movement in English literature.
Inspired after finding a surprising number of daffodils during a countryside walk, Daffodils (or 'I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud') serves as something of a reminder that humanity is a part of nature and not an opposing force.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus I chwi gyd! / Happy St. David’s Day to you all! — © Mark Alexander
Image Source: With thanks to Plantlife.org.uk.
Read by Victor Vertunni
William Wordsworth was a revered English poet who was, in part, responsible for kick-starting the Romantic movement in English literature.
Inspired after finding a surprising number of daffodils during a countryside walk, Daffodils (or 'I Wondered Lonely as a Cloud') serves as something of a reminder that humanity is a part of nature and not an opposing force.
Labels:
St David's Day,
Wales
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