THE GUARDIAN: US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in Germany
Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.
“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.
Merz should instead focus on “fixing his broken Country,” he wrote, “especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”
Trump’s latest outburst came a day after he suggested the US military presence in Germany was being reviewed, with a “possible reduction” of troops under consideration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Jakub Krupa | Thursday, April 30, 2026
April 30, 2026
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady - From her humble beginnings as a grocer's daughter, Margaret Thatcher fought her way through the sexist prejudices of the 1970s to become the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979.
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady (2012)
Director: Alan Byron
Stars: Tony Benn, Gyles Brandreth, Michael Brunson
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Release Date: August 24, 2012 (United States)
Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady (2012)
Director: Alan Byron
Stars: Tony Benn, Gyles Brandreth, Michael Brunson
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Release Date: August 24, 2012 (United States)
Rising Costs Forcing 3m UK Households to Skip Meals, Which? Report Finds
THE GUARDIAN: Consumer insight tracker shows 85% are worried about food prices and a majority think the economy will deteriorate
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals as consumers resort to drastic measures to deal with rising costs, according to a Which? report published on Thursday.
The conflict in the Middle East and subsequent surge in oil and raw material prices has led to businesses preparing to raise prices, putting more pressure on household finances and hitting consumer confidence.
The Which? consumer insight tracker for the month to 10 April shows a fall in consumer confidence to -62. This is the lowest level since the peak of the cost of living crisis in 2022 and down from -56 the previous month.
Most adults – 71% – believe the UK economy will deteriorate in the next 12 months, with only 9% predicting it will get better. And 85% are now worried about food prices, up from 83% in February.
To manage rising costs, families are compromising on their shopping and eating habits, with 43% buying cheaper products, 37% purchasing more supermarket-branded budget items and 31% buying extra items when on sale.
On top of that, one in 10 UK households are now skipping meals and one in seven are going without some foods. » | Claudia Efemeni | Thursday, April 30, 2026
Three million UK households are being forced to skip meals as consumers resort to drastic measures to deal with rising costs, according to a Which? report published on Thursday.
The conflict in the Middle East and subsequent surge in oil and raw material prices has led to businesses preparing to raise prices, putting more pressure on household finances and hitting consumer confidence.
The Which? consumer insight tracker for the month to 10 April shows a fall in consumer confidence to -62. This is the lowest level since the peak of the cost of living crisis in 2022 and down from -56 the previous month.
Most adults – 71% – believe the UK economy will deteriorate in the next 12 months, with only 9% predicting it will get better. And 85% are now worried about food prices, up from 83% in February.
To manage rising costs, families are compromising on their shopping and eating habits, with 43% buying cheaper products, 37% purchasing more supermarket-branded budget items and 31% buying extra items when on sale.
On top of that, one in 10 UK households are now skipping meals and one in seven are going without some foods. » | Claudia Efemeni | Thursday, April 30, 2026
April 29, 2026
Venezuela Without Maduro | ARTE.tv Documentary
Apr 28, 2026 | Three months after Nicolás Maduro's kidnapping by US special forces, Venezuelan civil society is reawakening and challenging the regime openly. Demonstrators are criticising the government and demanding the release of political prisoners, and oil industry trade unions want to see change.
Venezuela Without Maduro | ARTE.tv Documentary Available until: 24/03/2029
Venezuela Without Maduro | ARTE.tv Documentary Available until: 24/03/2029
La guerre au Moyen-Orient risque de jeter plus de 30 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté
LE FIGARO : Le conflit va tout particulièrement affecter « l’Afrique subsaharienne et certains pays en Asie », ou encore «les petites îles en développement». Les populations vont souffrir des « coûts d’énergie, du manque d’engrais, ce qui va avoir un impact énorme dans les mois à venir ».
Le conflit en Iran, en provoquant une flambée des prix de l'énergie, menace de jeter plus de 30 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté à travers le monde, a souligné mercredi 29 avril l'administrateur du Programme des Nations unies pour le développement (PNUD), Alexander De Croo.
« Nous avons fait une étude après six semaines de guerre et notre estimation était que, même si la guerre s'arrêtait à ce moment-là, une population de 32 millions sera poussée dans la précarité dans 160 pays », a-t-il fait valoir en marge du G7 développement à Paris. « C'est le développement en marche arrière », a-t-il déploré. « Cela prend des décennies pour construire des sociétés stables, pour développer une économie locale, ça prend une guerre de quelques semaines pour détruire ça ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 29 avril 2026
Le conflit en Iran, en provoquant une flambée des prix de l'énergie, menace de jeter plus de 30 millions de personnes dans la pauvreté à travers le monde, a souligné mercredi 29 avril l'administrateur du Programme des Nations unies pour le développement (PNUD), Alexander De Croo.
« Nous avons fait une étude après six semaines de guerre et notre estimation était que, même si la guerre s'arrêtait à ce moment-là, une population de 32 millions sera poussée dans la précarité dans 160 pays », a-t-il fait valoir en marge du G7 développement à Paris. « C'est le développement en marche arrière », a-t-il déploré. « Cela prend des décennies pour construire des sociétés stables, pour développer une économie locale, ça prend une guerre de quelques semaines pour détruire ça ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 29 avril 2026
Steve Rosenberg: Stalin Rehabilitated, NATO 'Fragmented': What Today's Russian Papers Are Saying.
April 28, 2026
Canada Setting Up Investment Fund to Distance Economy From U.S.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The sovereign wealth fund announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney will be far smaller than ones in other oil producers like Norway and the Middle East.
Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada said Monday that his country would establish a pool of money similar to those used by major oil exporters like Norway to make investments as he seeks to make the Canadian economy less dependent on the United States.
Known as a sovereign wealth fund, it will focus on investments in Canadian infrastructure and will be operated like a private company. Canadians will also be able to invest in the fund.
Sovereign wealth funds are large pots of investment money that are generally managed independently, though they sometimes receive broad direction from governments about where they can put their funds.
In creating one of it own, Canada is following the lead of other countries, among them oil-rich nations in the Middle Eastern.
“This will be a Government of Canada fund, but more importantly, it will be a people’s fund, it will be your fund,” Mr. Carney told reporters in Ottawa. “Many countries that are blessed with natural resources, like Norway, have them. Canada has not until now.” » | Ian Austen | Reporting from the steam locomotive hall at a science and technology museum in Ottawa where Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke.| Monday, April 27, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada said Monday that his country would establish a pool of money similar to those used by major oil exporters like Norway to make investments as he seeks to make the Canadian economy less dependent on the United States.
Known as a sovereign wealth fund, it will focus on investments in Canadian infrastructure and will be operated like a private company. Canadians will also be able to invest in the fund.
Sovereign wealth funds are large pots of investment money that are generally managed independently, though they sometimes receive broad direction from governments about where they can put their funds.
In creating one of it own, Canada is following the lead of other countries, among them oil-rich nations in the Middle Eastern.
“This will be a Government of Canada fund, but more importantly, it will be a people’s fund, it will be your fund,” Mr. Carney told reporters in Ottawa. “Many countries that are blessed with natural resources, like Norway, have them. Canada has not until now.” » | Ian Austen | Reporting from the steam locomotive hall at a science and technology museum in Ottawa where Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke.| Monday, April 27, 2026
Steve Rosenberg: Reading Vladimir Putin.
April 27, 2026
Jared Yates Sexton on the Worldwide Energy Crisis Caused by Trump’s Wars on Iran (and the Pope)
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Richard Wolff: Petrodollar Decline Unravels the US Empire
April 26, 2026
Starving to Pay Rent: The Brutal Reality of the Cost of Living Crisis | 60 Minutes Australia
April 25, 2026
Michael Hudson: Iran War Ignites Global Financial Armageddon
Si le blocage d’Ormuz « perdure encore deux ou trois mois », la France entrera « dans une ère de pénurie énergétique », prévient le patron de TotalEnergies
LE FIGARO : Le patron de TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanné, appelle à renforcer la « résilience » des chaînes d’approvisionnement énergétique face aux tensions dans le détroit d’Ormuz, en plaidant notamment pour de nouveaux investissements dans les infrastructures de transport, dont des oléoducs.
Le patron de TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanné a appelé vendredi à la « résilience » face au blocage du détroit d'Ormuz, évoquant des investissements « probablement dans de nouveaux pipelines » afin de réduire la dépendance à ce passage maritime stratégique. Affirmant qu'il sera difficile de se passer du pétrole issu du Golfe, « très bon marché », Patrick Pouyanné a plaidé pour l'émergence d'alternatives au détroit d'Ormuz. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 25 avril 2026
Le patron de TotalEnergies Patrick Pouyanné a appelé vendredi à la « résilience » face au blocage du détroit d'Ormuz, évoquant des investissements « probablement dans de nouveaux pipelines » afin de réduire la dépendance à ce passage maritime stratégique. Affirmant qu'il sera difficile de se passer du pétrole issu du Golfe, « très bon marché », Patrick Pouyanné a plaidé pour l'émergence d'alternatives au détroit d'Ormuz. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 25 avril 2026
April 24, 2026
Britain Should Seek to Rejoin EU, Says Civil Servant Who Led Brexit Department
THE GUARDIAN: Philip Rycroft says promises on issues from economics to immigration have not lived up to expectations
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Anti-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in April. Photograph: James Veysey/Shutterstock
Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to a former senior civil servant who ran the Brexit department.
Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the EU, said the “argument was there to be won” about going back into Europe, adding that a “clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country’s best interests” was needed. However, he said rejoining the bloc could be a “long and windy” road.
“Most economic analysis suggests that we have taken a significant hit to GDP as a result of leaving the single market,” he wrote in the Times. “The precise number, and the impact on our export performance to the EU and beyond, might be subject to debate, but no one can credibly claim that we have marched to the sunny uplands of sustained economic growth as a consequence of Brexit.”
Rycroft said the promises of the Brexit campaign on issues from economics to immigration had not lived up to expectations. “The great promise of a comprehensive trade deal with the USA now seems like an impossible dream,” he said.
“Chill winds don’t just blow through the international trading order. The postwar certainties that underpinned our security as a nation are visibly crumbling. With a hot war on the European mainland perpetrated by a revanchist Russia and an increasingly disengaged America, it is beyond peradventure that we must look to solidarity with our friends and neighbours in Europe to secure our defences.”
He concluded: “The argument is there to be won. It is time to talk about rejoining. It might be time to knock on the EU’s door.” » | Rowena Mason and Lisa O’Carroll | Friday, April 24, 2026
It is to be hoped that this gentleman will apologize to the British electorate for leading them down the primrose path! — © Mark Alexander
Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to a former senior civil servant who ran the Brexit department.
Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the EU, said the “argument was there to be won” about going back into Europe, adding that a “clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country’s best interests” was needed. However, he said rejoining the bloc could be a “long and windy” road.
“Most economic analysis suggests that we have taken a significant hit to GDP as a result of leaving the single market,” he wrote in the Times. “The precise number, and the impact on our export performance to the EU and beyond, might be subject to debate, but no one can credibly claim that we have marched to the sunny uplands of sustained economic growth as a consequence of Brexit.”
Rycroft said the promises of the Brexit campaign on issues from economics to immigration had not lived up to expectations. “The great promise of a comprehensive trade deal with the USA now seems like an impossible dream,” he said.
“Chill winds don’t just blow through the international trading order. The postwar certainties that underpinned our security as a nation are visibly crumbling. With a hot war on the European mainland perpetrated by a revanchist Russia and an increasingly disengaged America, it is beyond peradventure that we must look to solidarity with our friends and neighbours in Europe to secure our defences.”
He concluded: “The argument is there to be won. It is time to talk about rejoining. It might be time to knock on the EU’s door.” » | Rowena Mason and Lisa O’Carroll | Friday, April 24, 2026
It is to be hoped that this gentleman will apologize to the British electorate for leading them down the primrose path! — © Mark Alexander
ran War Has Drained U.S. Supplies of Critical, Costly Weapons
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Pentagon’s rush to rearm its Mideast forces makes it less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, administration and congressional officials say.
Since the Iran war began in late February, the United States has burned through around 1,100 of its long-range stealth cruise missiles built for a war with China, close to the total number remaining in the U.S. stockpile. The military has fired off more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, roughly 10 times the number it currently buys each year.
The Pentagon used more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles in the war, at more than $4 million a pop, and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles, leaving inventories worrisomely low, according to internal Defense Department estimates and congressional officials.
The Iran war has significantly drained much of the U.S. military’s global supply of munitions, and forced the Pentagon to rush bombs, missiles and other hardware to the Middle East from commands in Asia and Europe. The drawdowns have left these regional commands less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, and it has forced the United States to find ways to scale up production to address the depletions, Trump administration and congressional officials say.
The conflict has also underscored the Pentagon’s overreliance on excessively expensive missiles and munitions, especially air-defense interceptors, as well as concerns about whether the defense industry can develop cheaper arms, especially attack drones, far more quickly. » | Eric Schmitt and Jonathan Swan | Reporting from Washington | Thursday, April 23, 2026
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Since the Iran war began in late February, the United States has burned through around 1,100 of its long-range stealth cruise missiles built for a war with China, close to the total number remaining in the U.S. stockpile. The military has fired off more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, roughly 10 times the number it currently buys each year.
The Pentagon used more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles in the war, at more than $4 million a pop, and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles, leaving inventories worrisomely low, according to internal Defense Department estimates and congressional officials.
The Iran war has significantly drained much of the U.S. military’s global supply of munitions, and forced the Pentagon to rush bombs, missiles and other hardware to the Middle East from commands in Asia and Europe. The drawdowns have left these regional commands less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, and it has forced the United States to find ways to scale up production to address the depletions, Trump administration and congressional officials say.
The conflict has also underscored the Pentagon’s overreliance on excessively expensive missiles and munitions, especially air-defense interceptors, as well as concerns about whether the defense industry can develop cheaper arms, especially attack drones, far more quickly. » | Eric Schmitt and Jonathan Swan | Reporting from Washington | Thursday, April 23, 2026
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Trump Says He Will ‘Probably Put a Big Tariff on the UK’ If It Doesn’t Drop Digital Services Tax
THE GUARDIAN: US president accuses UK of thinking it can ‘make an easy buck’ from US tech companies, weeks after warning that UK–US trade deal can be changed
Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the UK if it does not drop its digital services tax on US social media firms.
The digital services tax, introduced in 2020, imposes a 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday, the US president said: “We’ve been looking at it and we can meet that very easily by just putting a big tariff on the UK, so they better be careful.
“If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.”
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m ($673m), with more than £25m of the revenues from UK users.
Trump argued the laws, which have long been a source of tension in US-UK relations, targeted “top companies in the world”. » | Press Association | Friday, April 24, 2026
Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the UK if it does not drop its digital services tax on US social media firms.
The digital services tax, introduced in 2020, imposes a 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday, the US president said: “We’ve been looking at it and we can meet that very easily by just putting a big tariff on the UK, so they better be careful.
“If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.”
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m ($673m), with more than £25m of the revenues from UK users.
Trump argued the laws, which have long been a source of tension in US-UK relations, targeted “top companies in the world”. » | Press Association | Friday, April 24, 2026
150 Millionen Barrel: Jakarta vereinbart große Ölimporte aus Russland
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Indonesiens Präsident Prabowo Subianto vereinbarte die Lieferung nach einem Treffen mit Wladimir Putin in Moskau. Die Einfuhr soll den Bedarf bis Jahresende sichern.
Indonesien will in diesem Jahr 150 Millionen Barrel Rohöl aus Russland einführen. Das sagte Vize-Energieminister Yuliot Tanjung am Freitag laut Reuters vor Journalisten. „Es wurde vereinbart, dass die Gesamtmenge an Rohöl, die wir aus Russland importieren werden, bei rund 150 Millionen Barrel liegt, um unseren Bedarf bis Jahresende zu decken“, sagte Yuliot. Offen sei nur noch die Abwicklung der Einfuhr.
Die Vereinbarung folgt auf ein Treffen von Präsident Prabowo Subianto mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin in Moskau in der Vorwoche. Der Sondergesandte des Präsidenten für Energie und Umwelt, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, erklärte am Donnerstag laut der staatlichen indonesischen Nachrichtenagentur Antara, Russland habe zunächst zugesagt, 100 Millionen Barrel zu einem Sonderpreis zu liefern sowie weitere 50 Millionen Barrel bei Bedarf. Djojohadikusumo ist der Bruder des Präsidenten. Über das Liefervolumen für Flüssiggas sei noch nicht entschieden, sagte Yuliot laut Reuters. » | Peter Steiniger | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Indonesien will in diesem Jahr 150 Millionen Barrel Rohöl aus Russland einführen. Das sagte Vize-Energieminister Yuliot Tanjung am Freitag laut Reuters vor Journalisten. „Es wurde vereinbart, dass die Gesamtmenge an Rohöl, die wir aus Russland importieren werden, bei rund 150 Millionen Barrel liegt, um unseren Bedarf bis Jahresende zu decken“, sagte Yuliot. Offen sei nur noch die Abwicklung der Einfuhr.
Die Vereinbarung folgt auf ein Treffen von Präsident Prabowo Subianto mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin in Moskau in der Vorwoche. Der Sondergesandte des Präsidenten für Energie und Umwelt, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, erklärte am Donnerstag laut der staatlichen indonesischen Nachrichtenagentur Antara, Russland habe zunächst zugesagt, 100 Millionen Barrel zu einem Sonderpreis zu liefern sowie weitere 50 Millionen Barrel bei Bedarf. Djojohadikusumo ist der Bruder des Präsidenten. Über das Liefervolumen für Flüssiggas sei noch nicht entschieden, sagte Yuliot laut Reuters. » | Peter Steiniger | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Inside Putin’s Russia: ‘We’re Cut Off from the Outside World’ | BBC News
Apr 24, 2026 | In Putin’s Russia, authorities are increasing repressions on society, including bans on protests and restrictions on how people access the internet.
Access to global messaging apps has been restricted and there are widespread disruptions, even shutdowns of mobile internet.
Russian officials claim that internet curbs are necessary to keep the public safe. They declare the ultimate goal: a “sovereign internet” for a “sovereign Russia”.
As the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg explains in this special report from Moscow and the city of Vladimir, Russia’s bright future now looks more like its repressive Soviet past.
Access to global messaging apps has been restricted and there are widespread disruptions, even shutdowns of mobile internet.
Russian officials claim that internet curbs are necessary to keep the public safe. They declare the ultimate goal: a “sovereign internet” for a “sovereign Russia”.
As the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg explains in this special report from Moscow and the city of Vladimir, Russia’s bright future now looks more like its repressive Soviet past.
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Paper Calls Donald Trump a "Lame Duck in a Political Quagmire of His Own Making."
Trump Will Be Enjoying His Demise, Because He Is Profiting From It
April 23, 2026
A New Era and New Leadership: The Generals Who Are Running Iran
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ushered in a new form of collective leadership in the country, with more power for the Revolutionary Guards.
When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran as the supreme leader, he exerted absolute power over all decisions about war, peace and negotiations with the United States. His son and successor does not play the same role.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son, is an elusive figure who has not been seen and whose voice has not been heard since he was appointed in March. Instead, a battle-hardened collective of commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and those aligned with them are the key decision makers on matters of security, war and diplomacy.
“Mojtaba is managing the country as though he is the director of the board,” said Abdolreza Davari, a politician who served as senior adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he was president and knows Mr. Khamenei.
“He relies heavily on the advice and guidance of the board members, and they collectively make all the decisions,” Mr. Davari said in a phone interview from Tehran. “The generals are the board members.”
This account of Iran’s new power structure is based on interviews with six senior Iranian officials, two former officials, two members of the Revolutionary Guards, a senior cleric familiar with the inner workings of the system and three individuals who know Mr. Khamenei well. Nine other individuals with ties to the Guards and the government also described the command structure. They all spoke on the condition they not be identified because they were discussing sensitive matters of state. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has covered Iran for three decades. For this article, she interviewed 23 people in Iran, including senior officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards and individuals with ties to Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei. | Thursday, April 23, 2026
When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran as the supreme leader, he exerted absolute power over all decisions about war, peace and negotiations with the United States. His son and successor does not play the same role.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son, is an elusive figure who has not been seen and whose voice has not been heard since he was appointed in March. Instead, a battle-hardened collective of commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and those aligned with them are the key decision makers on matters of security, war and diplomacy.
“Mojtaba is managing the country as though he is the director of the board,” said Abdolreza Davari, a politician who served as senior adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he was president and knows Mr. Khamenei.
“He relies heavily on the advice and guidance of the board members, and they collectively make all the decisions,” Mr. Davari said in a phone interview from Tehran. “The generals are the board members.”
This account of Iran’s new power structure is based on interviews with six senior Iranian officials, two former officials, two members of the Revolutionary Guards, a senior cleric familiar with the inner workings of the system and three individuals who know Mr. Khamenei well. Nine other individuals with ties to the Guards and the government also described the command structure. They all spoke on the condition they not be identified because they were discussing sensitive matters of state. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has covered Iran for three decades. For this article, she interviewed 23 people in Iran, including senior officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards and individuals with ties to Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei. | Thursday, April 23, 2026
EU Risks Fallout with US over Trump-linked Balkans Pipeline Plan
THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Brussels seeks to stall awarding of contract to firm fronted by US president’s lawyer in letter seen by Guardian
The EU risks a confrontation with Donald Trump after it sought to stall the awarding of a lucrative Balkans pipeline contract to a company fronted by his personal lawyer, documents seen by the Guardian show.
Brussels has clashed with Trump over trade, Ukraine and military spending, but the intervention in the Southern Interconnection pipeline project appears to mark the first time it has challenged a commercial venture by those close to the president.
The pipeline will run through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under what Bosnian sources say have been months of pressure from US officials, its leaders have been moving quickly to award the contract to a previously little-known company based in Wyoming.
AAFS Infrastructure and Energy was incorporated in November last year and has not disclosed its owners. It is fronted by two leading members of Trump’s campaign to overturn his 2020 election defeat: Jesse Binnall, a lawyer who defended him against allegations of inciting the Capitol riots after his defeat, and Joe Flynn, the brother of the president’s former national security adviser.
Despite lacking any apparent track record, AAFS is planning to invest $1.5bn in the pipeline and other Bosnian infrastructure projects, its local representative has said.
In March, lawmakers approved legislation that Transparency International said would set a “dangerous precedent” by stipulating that the contract must go to AAFS without a tender. » | Tom Burgis I Sarajevo | Thursday, April 23, 2026
The EU risks a confrontation with Donald Trump after it sought to stall the awarding of a lucrative Balkans pipeline contract to a company fronted by his personal lawyer, documents seen by the Guardian show.
Brussels has clashed with Trump over trade, Ukraine and military spending, but the intervention in the Southern Interconnection pipeline project appears to mark the first time it has challenged a commercial venture by those close to the president.
The pipeline will run through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under what Bosnian sources say have been months of pressure from US officials, its leaders have been moving quickly to award the contract to a previously little-known company based in Wyoming.
AAFS Infrastructure and Energy was incorporated in November last year and has not disclosed its owners. It is fronted by two leading members of Trump’s campaign to overturn his 2020 election defeat: Jesse Binnall, a lawyer who defended him against allegations of inciting the Capitol riots after his defeat, and Joe Flynn, the brother of the president’s former national security adviser.
Despite lacking any apparent track record, AAFS is planning to invest $1.5bn in the pipeline and other Bosnian infrastructure projects, its local representative has said.
In March, lawmakers approved legislation that Transparency International said would set a “dangerous precedent” by stipulating that the contract must go to AAFS without a tender. » | Tom Burgis I Sarajevo | Thursday, April 23, 2026
April 22, 2026
Bessent Backs Financial Support for Oil-Rich U.A.E.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Treasury secretary said that currency swap line would benefit both the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he backed the idea of providing economic support in the form of a currency swap to the United Arab Emirates, an oil-rich ally that has been contending with economic fallout from the war in Iran.
Speaking at a Senate hearing, Mr. Bessent said that the Emirates, along with several other countries in the Persian Gulf and Asia, had inquired about the possibility of a swap. He said such a maneuver would prevent the disorderly sale of U.S. assets as nations look to secure access to dollars. The war in Iran has damaged oil and gas infrastructure throughout the Middle East, dealing a blow to economies such as the Emirates that rely on the Strait of Hormuz to transport crude around the world.
The Treasury secretary said that providing a currency swap to the Emirates could benefit the United States by stabilizing foreign exchange markets and protecting American assets around the world. He added that it could be provided by the Federal Reserve or by the Treasury Department, which can deploy its Exchange Stabilization Fund to buy another nation’s currency.
“Swap lines, whether it’s from the Federal Reserve or the Treasury, are to maintain order in the dollar funding markets and to prevent the sale of the U.S. assets in a disorderly way,” Mr. Bessent said. “The swap line would both benefit the U.A.E. and the U.S.” » | Alan Rappeport | Reporting from Washington | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
This is astonishing indeed! No money can be found to help hard-pressed Americans, but billions can be found to help an oil-rich nation. It is more especially astonishing given the fact that the USA is on its uppers and this illegal war, in addition, is costing billions per week. Trump and his chums in the regime appear to have very queer priorities. Of course, if this illegal war had not been started, the UAE’s economy wouldn’t be suffering today. That the country now needs help is only because of Trump’s illegal and unnecessary war on Iran. It’s a war that should never have been started and waged. — © Mark Alexander
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he backed the idea of providing economic support in the form of a currency swap to the United Arab Emirates, an oil-rich ally that has been contending with economic fallout from the war in Iran.
Speaking at a Senate hearing, Mr. Bessent said that the Emirates, along with several other countries in the Persian Gulf and Asia, had inquired about the possibility of a swap. He said such a maneuver would prevent the disorderly sale of U.S. assets as nations look to secure access to dollars. The war in Iran has damaged oil and gas infrastructure throughout the Middle East, dealing a blow to economies such as the Emirates that rely on the Strait of Hormuz to transport crude around the world.
The Treasury secretary said that providing a currency swap to the Emirates could benefit the United States by stabilizing foreign exchange markets and protecting American assets around the world. He added that it could be provided by the Federal Reserve or by the Treasury Department, which can deploy its Exchange Stabilization Fund to buy another nation’s currency.
“Swap lines, whether it’s from the Federal Reserve or the Treasury, are to maintain order in the dollar funding markets and to prevent the sale of the U.S. assets in a disorderly way,” Mr. Bessent said. “The swap line would both benefit the U.A.E. and the U.S.” » | Alan Rappeport | Reporting from Washington | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
This is astonishing indeed! No money can be found to help hard-pressed Americans, but billions can be found to help an oil-rich nation. It is more especially astonishing given the fact that the USA is on its uppers and this illegal war, in addition, is costing billions per week. Trump and his chums in the regime appear to have very queer priorities. Of course, if this illegal war had not been started, the UAE’s economy wouldn’t be suffering today. That the country now needs help is only because of Trump’s illegal and unnecessary war on Iran. It’s a war that should never have been started and waged. — © Mark Alexander
Iran Again Tightens Its Grip on Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Traffic in the strait has all but halted as Iran renews its attacks, striking two vessels on Wednesday. More than 300 ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait since the war began.
The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has become a barometer of how the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is affecting the global economy.
On Tuesday, after nearly eight weeks of war, that number was one, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Then Wednesday, more ships tried and Iran attacked two cargo vessels in the strait.
“They are reminding us that their threats to attack ships are genuine, and that’s enough to suppress traffic through the strait,” said Rosemary Kelanic, a director at Defense Priorities, a research organization focused on foreign affairs. Ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait, ship tracking data shows.
The latest attacks show that Tehran still has a stranglehold on the strait that allows it to ratchet up the pain on the global economy, even though the U.S. military has struck some 13,000 targets in Iran and set up a naval blockade against it. This strategic move gives Iran leverage in any talks with the United States to end the war. » | Peter Eavis | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has become a barometer of how the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is affecting the global economy.
On Tuesday, after nearly eight weeks of war, that number was one, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Then Wednesday, more ships tried and Iran attacked two cargo vessels in the strait.
“They are reminding us that their threats to attack ships are genuine, and that’s enough to suppress traffic through the strait,” said Rosemary Kelanic, a director at Defense Priorities, a research organization focused on foreign affairs. Ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait, ship tracking data shows.
The latest attacks show that Tehran still has a stranglehold on the strait that allows it to ratchet up the pain on the global economy, even though the U.S. military has struck some 13,000 targets in Iran and set up a naval blockade against it. This strategic move gives Iran leverage in any talks with the United States to end the war. » | Peter Eavis | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Trump Holds the American People in Total Contempt
THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: To say that President Trump is corrupt is to somehow understate the size, scope and magnitude of his corruption.
It is as if you were to describe a modern thermonuclear device as a “bomb.” That is true enough, but it is not quite the truth. It does not capture the nature of the thing in full.
So it goes for Trump’s corruption, which is so vast as to be a new phenomenon in American politics. The president and his family have leveraged his office to the tune of nearly $4 billion. They have received hundreds of millions of dollars from a network of branded cryptocurrency assets. Investors include large corporations, foreign nationals and state actors hoping to curry favor with the administration.
One such actor, according to The Wall Street Journal, was Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother and national security adviser to the president the United Arab Emirates. Tahnoon’s investment fund purchased a half-billion-dollar stake in the Trump family’s crypto fund, World Liberty Financial, just days before Trump’s second inauguration. Tahnoon has since successfully lobbied the White House for U.A.E. access to America’s most advanced A.I. chips, with a large portion going to Tahnoon’s A.I. company. » | Jamelle Bouie | Opinion Columnist | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
It is as if you were to describe a modern thermonuclear device as a “bomb.” That is true enough, but it is not quite the truth. It does not capture the nature of the thing in full.
So it goes for Trump’s corruption, which is so vast as to be a new phenomenon in American politics. The president and his family have leveraged his office to the tune of nearly $4 billion. They have received hundreds of millions of dollars from a network of branded cryptocurrency assets. Investors include large corporations, foreign nationals and state actors hoping to curry favor with the administration.
One such actor, according to The Wall Street Journal, was Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother and national security adviser to the president the United Arab Emirates. Tahnoon’s investment fund purchased a half-billion-dollar stake in the Trump family’s crypto fund, World Liberty Financial, just days before Trump’s second inauguration. Tahnoon has since successfully lobbied the White House for U.A.E. access to America’s most advanced A.I. chips, with a large portion going to Tahnoon’s A.I. company. » | Jamelle Bouie | Opinion Columnist | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Trump Threatens Companies Not to Seek Tariff Refunds, after Supreme Court Ruled Them Illegal
Apr 22, 2026 | Donald Trump said he’d remember companies that decline to seek refunds on duties paid after the Supreme Court struck down a large swath of his tariffs. In February, the Supreme Court ruled against Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from nearly every country. That ruling set the stage for a complicated task that could become the largest repayment by the US government in its history.
Trump’s comments come a day after US Customs and Border Protection launched a web portal for importers to file requests for refunds that could total more than $160 billion. Yet, the process is still fraught with uncertainty.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Trump’s comments come a day after US Customs and Border Protection launched a web portal for importers to file requests for refunds that could total more than $160 billion. Yet, the process is still fraught with uncertainty.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Press Slams Internet Restrictions and Decision to Ban a Street Protest
April 21, 2026
How Apple Became a $4 Trillion Company Under Tim Cook
THE NEW YORK TIMES: If the Steve Jobs era was defined by technological innovation, the Tim Cook period was one of exceptional financial growth.
When Tim Cook took over Apple in 2011, leaders from Silicon Valley to Wall Street predicted that the company’s best days were behind it. They feared that without Steve Jobs, Apple’s innovative chief executive, the company would falter.
They were wrong.
Over 15 years, Mr. Cook has engineered Apple’s rise from a Silicon Valley darling worth $350 billion into a cash-generating giant worth $4 trillion. The company’s annual revenue quadrupled, and its profits rose fourfold. The iPhone became ubiquitous, the Apple Watch proliferated, and the company developed credit cards and TV shows.
Apple’s growth is a testament to how Mr. Cook turned the iPhone into one of history’s best-selling products. Introduced by Mr. Jobs in 2007, the iPhone started the smartphone revolution, changing the way people work, socialize and travel. But Apple was selling only 72 million iPhones a year when Mr. Jobs died and Mr. Cook took over.
Two years later, Mr. Cook struck a deal with China’s largest wireless company, China Mobile. By the end of that year, Apple had more than doubled the number of iPhones it sold, and China was cementing itself as the company’s largest market after the United States. » | Tripp Mickle and Karl Russell | Tripp Mickle reported from San Francisco, and Karl Russell from New York. | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Related article here.
When Tim Cook took over Apple in 2011, leaders from Silicon Valley to Wall Street predicted that the company’s best days were behind it. They feared that without Steve Jobs, Apple’s innovative chief executive, the company would falter.
They were wrong.
Over 15 years, Mr. Cook has engineered Apple’s rise from a Silicon Valley darling worth $350 billion into a cash-generating giant worth $4 trillion. The company’s annual revenue quadrupled, and its profits rose fourfold. The iPhone became ubiquitous, the Apple Watch proliferated, and the company developed credit cards and TV shows.
Apple’s growth is a testament to how Mr. Cook turned the iPhone into one of history’s best-selling products. Introduced by Mr. Jobs in 2007, the iPhone started the smartphone revolution, changing the way people work, socialize and travel. But Apple was selling only 72 million iPhones a year when Mr. Jobs died and Mr. Cook took over.
Two years later, Mr. Cook struck a deal with China’s largest wireless company, China Mobile. By the end of that year, Apple had more than doubled the number of iPhones it sold, and China was cementing itself as the company’s largest market after the United States. » | Tripp Mickle and Karl Russell | Tripp Mickle reported from San Francisco, and Karl Russell from New York. | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Related article here.
El programa ‘Visión 2030’ de Arabia Saudita reevalúa sus prioridades
THE NEW YORK : Las autoridades de Arabia Saudita anunciaron una nueva estrategia para el fondo soberano del país, de aproximadamente 1 billón de dólares, y enfatizaron que en el futuro se centrarán en la “eficiencia”.
Imagen tomada de este artículo | El príncipe heredero saudí, Mohammed bin Salman, en Washington el pasado otoño. Los planes y ambiciones del príncipe han crecido más rápidamente que la capacidad financiera del Estado. | Credit... Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times
Hace 10 años, un príncipe de 30 años llamado Mohammed bin Salman anunció planes ambiciosos para transformar Arabia Saudita, al declarar que pondría fin a su “adicción” al petróleo.
Desde entonces, una cascada de cambios ha sacudido el conservador reino islámico. Las mujeres —que antes tenían prohibido conducir— ahora conducen ellas mismas a sus trabajos como camareras, dependientas y capitalistas de riesgo. El desempleo ha disminuido a medida que los saudíes se incorporan a empleos de bajos ingresos que antes ocupaban extranjeros. Y la policía religiosa del reino prácticamente ha desaparecido.
Sin embargo, la dependencia de Arabia Saudita del petróleo ha resultado más difícil de superar. Cuando los precios del petróleo subieron en 2021 y 2022, aumentando los ingresos del gobierno, se produjo una avalancha de espléndidos proyectos: una ciudad de esquí de montaña, un rascacielos en forma de cubo, una nueva liga de golf. Y cuando, luego, los precios del petróleo cayeron, con lo que se puso a prueba las finanzas del gobierno, los funcionarios empezaron a buscar ahorros, cancelando, retrasando y reduciendo planes que habían resultado ser demasiado grandiosos. » | Por Vivian Nereim | Reportando desde Riad, Arabia Saudita | martes 21 de abril de 2026
Read in English.
Hace 10 años, un príncipe de 30 años llamado Mohammed bin Salman anunció planes ambiciosos para transformar Arabia Saudita, al declarar que pondría fin a su “adicción” al petróleo.
Desde entonces, una cascada de cambios ha sacudido el conservador reino islámico. Las mujeres —que antes tenían prohibido conducir— ahora conducen ellas mismas a sus trabajos como camareras, dependientas y capitalistas de riesgo. El desempleo ha disminuido a medida que los saudíes se incorporan a empleos de bajos ingresos que antes ocupaban extranjeros. Y la policía religiosa del reino prácticamente ha desaparecido.
Sin embargo, la dependencia de Arabia Saudita del petróleo ha resultado más difícil de superar. Cuando los precios del petróleo subieron en 2021 y 2022, aumentando los ingresos del gobierno, se produjo una avalancha de espléndidos proyectos: una ciudad de esquí de montaña, un rascacielos en forma de cubo, una nueva liga de golf. Y cuando, luego, los precios del petróleo cayeron, con lo que se puso a prueba las finanzas del gobierno, los funcionarios empezaron a buscar ahorros, cancelando, retrasando y reduciendo planes que habían resultado ser demasiado grandiosos. » | Por Vivian Nereim | Reportando desde Riad, Arabia Saudita | martes 21 de abril de 2026
Read in English.
Sicherheitsexperte Neumann sieht Trump in Sackgasse und warnt vor massiven Folgen | ntv
Apr 21, 2026 | Neumann: USA in der Klemme
Kaum geöffnet, schon wieder dicht: Die Straße von Hormus sorgt erneut für Chaos. Der Politikwissenschaftler und Sicherheitsexperte Peter Neumann warnt vor massiven Folgen - von steigenden Ölpreisen bis hin zu einer möglichen Weltwirtschaftskrise - und sieht Trump in einer Sackgasse.
Kaum geöffnet, schon wieder dicht: Die Straße von Hormus sorgt erneut für Chaos. Der Politikwissenschaftler und Sicherheitsexperte Peter Neumann warnt vor massiven Folgen - von steigenden Ölpreisen bis hin zu einer möglichen Weltwirtschaftskrise - und sieht Trump in einer Sackgasse.
Ingénieur, champion de natation... Qui est John Ternus, l’homme qui va succéder à Tim Cook à la tête d’Apple ?
LE FIGARO : PORTRAIT - Cet ingénieur quinquagénaire, entré dans le groupe californien en 2001, a vu ses missions évoluer en 2025 et a été davantage mis en avant dans les conférences d’Apple.
De l’ombre à la lumière. Depuis l’automne dernier, son nom est sur toutes les lèvres dans la Silicon Valley. John Ternus, vice-président senior de l’ingénierie produit d’Apple, va succéder en septembre prochain à Tim Cook à la tête du groupe, selon un communiqué de la firme publié lundi soir.
Après quatorze ans à la tête de la firme à la pomme, celui qui avait succédé en 2011 à Steve Jobs quelques mois avant sa disparition va donc passer le flambeau à la fin de l’été 2026. Tim Cook va devenir président du conseil d’administration. » | Par Keren Lentschner | lundi 20 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Related article here.
De l’ombre à la lumière. Depuis l’automne dernier, son nom est sur toutes les lèvres dans la Silicon Valley. John Ternus, vice-président senior de l’ingénierie produit d’Apple, va succéder en septembre prochain à Tim Cook à la tête du groupe, selon un communiqué de la firme publié lundi soir.
Après quatorze ans à la tête de la firme à la pomme, celui qui avait succédé en 2011 à Steve Jobs quelques mois avant sa disparition va donc passer le flambeau à la fin de l’été 2026. Tim Cook va devenir président du conseil d’administration. » | Par Keren Lentschner | lundi 20 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Related article here.
Strategic Autonomy: Can Europe Break Free from the US?
Aug 20, 2026 | Europe is reassessing its place in a rapidly destabilizing world.
A stark warning from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney — that reliance on the United States has become a “weakness” — is now echoing across Europe, where leaders are confronting growing uncertainty about Washington’s long-term commitments.
At a key meeting in Poland, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk discussed deeper defense cooperation, including nuclear deterrence coordination and joint military projects.
The push reflects a broader debate over “strategic autonomy” — Europe’s ability to defend itself and act independently on the global stage — as tensions with Russia persist and divisions widen over conflicts such as the war involving Iran.
But how realistic is Europe’s ambition to become a true geopolitical power? And can it reduce its dependence on the United States without weakening its own security?
We speak to Steven Everts, director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies.
A stark warning from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney — that reliance on the United States has become a “weakness” — is now echoing across Europe, where leaders are confronting growing uncertainty about Washington’s long-term commitments.
At a key meeting in Poland, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk discussed deeper defense cooperation, including nuclear deterrence coordination and joint military projects.
The push reflects a broader debate over “strategic autonomy” — Europe’s ability to defend itself and act independently on the global stage — as tensions with Russia persist and divisions widen over conflicts such as the war involving Iran.
But how realistic is Europe’s ambition to become a true geopolitical power? And can it reduce its dependence on the United States without weakening its own security?
We speak to Steven Everts, director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies.
April 20, 2026
Tim Cook Will Step Down as Apple C.E.O.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The longtime leader of the iPhone maker will be replaced by John Ternus, the company’s head of hardware engineering.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said on Monday that he would step down after nearly 15 years running an operation that rode the wild popularity of the iPhone to become one of the most influential and valuable companies in the world.
Mr. Cook, 65, will move into a new role as Apple’s executive chairman in September and be succeeded in the company’s corner office by John Ternus, the 50-year-old head of Apple’s hardware engineering.
The retirement of Mr. Cook will end one of the most successful management runs in the history of American business. During his tenure, Apple’s annual profit quadrupled to more than $110 billion, while its value ballooned more than tenfold to $4 trillion.
Mr. Cook replaced the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs shortly before Mr. Jobs’s death in 2011, having earned a reputation for perfecting the nuts and bolts of a global consumer electronics business. Apple has since defined how a modern technology company operates, with products assembled in a supply chain that stretches from the giant operations that Mr. Cook helped create in China to India and Brazil and a popular retail business that operates on five continents. » | Kalley Huang and Tripp Mickle | Reporting from San Francisco | Monday, April 20, 2026
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said on Monday that he would step down after nearly 15 years running an operation that rode the wild popularity of the iPhone to become one of the most influential and valuable companies in the world.
Mr. Cook, 65, will move into a new role as Apple’s executive chairman in September and be succeeded in the company’s corner office by John Ternus, the 50-year-old head of Apple’s hardware engineering.
The retirement of Mr. Cook will end one of the most successful management runs in the history of American business. During his tenure, Apple’s annual profit quadrupled to more than $110 billion, while its value ballooned more than tenfold to $4 trillion.
Mr. Cook replaced the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs shortly before Mr. Jobs’s death in 2011, having earned a reputation for perfecting the nuts and bolts of a global consumer electronics business. Apple has since defined how a modern technology company operates, with products assembled in a supply chain that stretches from the giant operations that Mr. Cook helped create in China to India and Brazil and a popular retail business that operates on five continents. » | Kalley Huang and Tripp Mickle | Reporting from San Francisco | Monday, April 20, 2026
The Insider Trading Suspicions Looming Over Trump's Presidency | BBC News
Apr 20, 2026 | Throughout US President Donald Trump's second term in office, traders have been betting millions of dollars just before he makes major announcements.
The BBC has found a consistent pattern of spikes in trades and finical markets just hours, or sometimes minutes, before the president's most significant market-moving statements were made public.
Some analysts say it bears the hallmarks of illegal insider trading, whereby bets are made by people based on information that is not available to the general public.
While others say that some traders have become more adept at anticipating the president's interventions.
The BBC has found a consistent pattern of spikes in trades and finical markets just hours, or sometimes minutes, before the president's most significant market-moving statements were made public.
Some analysts say it bears the hallmarks of illegal insider trading, whereby bets are made by people based on information that is not available to the general public.
While others say that some traders have become more adept at anticipating the president's interventions.
Steve Rosenberg: Who Are the Kremlin's Friends in the West?
Iran War: Trump Threatens to ‘Blow Up Whole Country’
Apr 19, 2026 | Iranian state media has just announced a team from Iran will not be taking part in the new round of peace talks in Pakistan.
President Trump said he was sending a delegation to Islamabad for the talks on Monday night, and warned every power plant and every bridge in Iran would be knocked out if the regime does not agree to his terms.
President Trump said he was sending a delegation to Islamabad for the talks on Monday night, and warned every power plant and every bridge in Iran would be knocked out if the regime does not agree to his terms.
April 19, 2026
‘You Don’t Own Iran’: Lula Goes Nuclear on Trump In Explosive Speech; ‘Don’t Lie to Destroy Nations’
Kuba-Krise: Spanien, Mexiko und Brasilien schlagen Alarm
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Nach monatelanger Ölblockade der USA verschärft sich die Krise in Kuba. Spanien, Mexiko und Brasilien drängen auf eine Lösung.
In einer gemeinsamen Erklärung haben Spanien, Mexiko und Brasilien ihre Besorgnis über die schwere humanitäre Krise in Kuba zum Ausdruck gebracht. Die drei Länder fordern einen respektvollen Dialog, um eine dauerhafte Lösung zu finden und die Selbstbestimmung des kubanischen Volkes zu gewährleisten, wie die Nachrichtenagentur AFP berichtet.
Die Regierungen von Spanien, Mexiko und Brasilien zeigten sich besorgt über die „dramatische Situation“ in Kuba, wie aus einer am Samstag veröffentlichten Erklärung des mexikanischen Außenministeriums hervorgeht. Die Karibikinsel leidet unter einer schweren wirtschaftlichen und humanitären Krise, die durch eine Ölblockade der USA unter Präsident Donald Trump weiter verschärft wurde, so AFP. » | Lea Brüggemann | Sonntag, 19. April 2026
À LIRE AUSSI :
L'Espagne, le Mexique et le Brésil appellent à un dialogue respectueux avec Cuba : Les États-Unis, opposés au pouvoir communiste à Cuba depuis qu’il a été établi en 1959, ont accentué en janvier leur pression économique sur le pays des Caraïbes de 9,6 millions d’habitants. »
In einer gemeinsamen Erklärung haben Spanien, Mexiko und Brasilien ihre Besorgnis über die schwere humanitäre Krise in Kuba zum Ausdruck gebracht. Die drei Länder fordern einen respektvollen Dialog, um eine dauerhafte Lösung zu finden und die Selbstbestimmung des kubanischen Volkes zu gewährleisten, wie die Nachrichtenagentur AFP berichtet.
Die Regierungen von Spanien, Mexiko und Brasilien zeigten sich besorgt über die „dramatische Situation“ in Kuba, wie aus einer am Samstag veröffentlichten Erklärung des mexikanischen Außenministeriums hervorgeht. Die Karibikinsel leidet unter einer schweren wirtschaftlichen und humanitären Krise, die durch eine Ölblockade der USA unter Präsident Donald Trump weiter verschärft wurde, so AFP. » | Lea Brüggemann | Sonntag, 19. April 2026
À LIRE AUSSI :
L'Espagne, le Mexique et le Brésil appellent à un dialogue respectueux avec Cuba : Les États-Unis, opposés au pouvoir communiste à Cuba depuis qu’il a été établi en 1959, ont accentué en janvier leur pression économique sur le pays des Caraïbes de 9,6 millions d’habitants. »
April 18, 2026
Navidi: Straße von Hormus nicht wirklich offen | ntv
Iran’s Military Says It Has Reimposed ‘Strict Control’ of Strait of Hormuz
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The military said it would keep the vital waterway under its control until the U.S. ended its blockade of Iranian ports. The statement added to the uncertainty over access to the strait.
Iran said Saturday that it had reasserted control over the Strait of Hormuz because the United States was maintaining a naval blockade, just hours after Iranian officials and President Trump had said that the critical waterway was open, raising hopes for an end to the six-week war.
The announcement added more confusion to the status of transit through the strait, where Iran had choked global energy supplies by menacing nearby ships during the war with the United States and Israel. Iran’s military, in a statement carried by government media, said it was now “under strict control” unless the United States ended its own blockade of Iranian ports.
A day earlier, Iran’s foreign minister called the strait “completely open.” At the same time, however, Iranian officials had insisted ships would still need Iranian permission and must travel an Iranian-designated route.
Nonetheless, Mr. Trump framed the Iranian announcement as a breakthrough and presented the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran as all but concluded. He immediately added, however, that the American naval blockade of Iran’s ports would remain in place until a deal was reached to end the war.
The president has often made overly optimistic claims about the war, which began in late February. Although Mr. Trump expressed confidence late Friday about the negotiations with Iran that he said would be happening over the weekend, no new face-to-face talks were announced as of Saturday morning.
Mr. Trump also claimed in a phone interview with CBS that Iran had “agreed to everything.” But Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, quickly denied Iran had agreed to any of their adversaries’ core demands.
The announcement of the strait’s reopening brought immediate relief to energy markets on Friday, sending international oil prices tumbling to around $90 a barrel.
Hopes for an end to the war were boosted by the 10-day cease-fire in Lebanon that went into effect on Friday. The deal prompted celebrations in Lebanon as thousands of displaced families made their way home, and there was heavy traffic again Saturday morning as people continued to head south.
Iran had demanded the truce with the United States extend to Lebanon as a condition for a broader deal. Mr. Trump and U.S. officials worked to make that happen, even as they denied they were trying to meet Iran’s conditions. Iran War Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman, John Yoon, Ashley Ahn, Pranav Baskar and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad | Saturday, April 18, 2026
Iran said Saturday that it had reasserted control over the Strait of Hormuz because the United States was maintaining a naval blockade, just hours after Iranian officials and President Trump had said that the critical waterway was open, raising hopes for an end to the six-week war.
The announcement added more confusion to the status of transit through the strait, where Iran had choked global energy supplies by menacing nearby ships during the war with the United States and Israel. Iran’s military, in a statement carried by government media, said it was now “under strict control” unless the United States ended its own blockade of Iranian ports.
A day earlier, Iran’s foreign minister called the strait “completely open.” At the same time, however, Iranian officials had insisted ships would still need Iranian permission and must travel an Iranian-designated route.
Nonetheless, Mr. Trump framed the Iranian announcement as a breakthrough and presented the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran as all but concluded. He immediately added, however, that the American naval blockade of Iran’s ports would remain in place until a deal was reached to end the war.
The president has often made overly optimistic claims about the war, which began in late February. Although Mr. Trump expressed confidence late Friday about the negotiations with Iran that he said would be happening over the weekend, no new face-to-face talks were announced as of Saturday morning.
Mr. Trump also claimed in a phone interview with CBS that Iran had “agreed to everything.” But Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, quickly denied Iran had agreed to any of their adversaries’ core demands.
The announcement of the strait’s reopening brought immediate relief to energy markets on Friday, sending international oil prices tumbling to around $90 a barrel.
Hopes for an end to the war were boosted by the 10-day cease-fire in Lebanon that went into effect on Friday. The deal prompted celebrations in Lebanon as thousands of displaced families made their way home, and there was heavy traffic again Saturday morning as people continued to head south.
Iran had demanded the truce with the United States extend to Lebanon as a condition for a broader deal. Mr. Trump and U.S. officials worked to make that happen, even as they denied they were trying to meet Iran’s conditions. Iran War Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman, John Yoon, Ashley Ahn, Pranav Baskar and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad | Saturday, April 18, 2026
The Impossible Promise: Are We Witnessing the Return of Fascism?
THE GUARDIAN: Some of today’s far right is openly violent and undemocratic – and even in its less extreme forms, far-right populism is a profound threat. But that doesn’t mean it is just a re-run of history
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EXTRACT:
Fascism emerged in the 20th century, amid societies that were scarred by the violence of the first world war and the instability, hunger and mass unemployment that trailed in its wake and where a growing workers’ movement threatened to wrest power from trad¬itional governing elites. In response to a feeling of national humiliation or betrayal, fascism promised national rebirth through the violent cleansing of enemies at home, and imperial conquest abroad, in return for abandoning democracy. Its base lay among the frustrated lower middle classes, but it rapidly gained cross-class support. Its supporters were organised into parties with uniformed paramilitary wings. They operated in what Paxton called an “uneasy but effective collaboration” with traditional governing elites, for whom fascism was a way to maintain order and crush the left. (Those elites were wrong: they saw fascism as their attack dog, but it ate them alive.)
Read the whole article, ‘The Long Read’, jere.
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EXTRACT:
Fascism emerged in the 20th century, amid societies that were scarred by the violence of the first world war and the instability, hunger and mass unemployment that trailed in its wake and where a growing workers’ movement threatened to wrest power from trad¬itional governing elites. In response to a feeling of national humiliation or betrayal, fascism promised national rebirth through the violent cleansing of enemies at home, and imperial conquest abroad, in return for abandoning democracy. Its base lay among the frustrated lower middle classes, but it rapidly gained cross-class support. Its supporters were organised into parties with uniformed paramilitary wings. They operated in what Paxton called an “uneasy but effective collaboration” with traditional governing elites, for whom fascism was a way to maintain order and crush the left. (Those elites were wrong: they saw fascism as their attack dog, but it ate them alive.)
Read the whole article, ‘The Long Read’, jere.
Iron Will: Australia’s Richest Person Counts the Cost as Court Orders She Share Mining Millions with Rival Family
THE GUARDIAN: Gina Rinehart, who’s been called Australia’s ‘female Donald Trump’, has long fought claims from the family of her father’s business partner – as well as her own children
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has political connections in the Trump White House and Australia’s parliament. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Australia’s richest person is reeling after a landmark court decision found her company must pay royalties worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a rival mining dynasty.
Gina Rinehart, a multibillionaire with political connections in both the White House and the Australian parliament, has been described by members of the US conservative movement as “a female Donald Trump”. The 72-year-old, who inherited her father’s iron ore empire in Australia’s Pilbara region, has fought multiple claims against the family company Hancock Prospecting that were first launched in 2010.
On Wednesday, in the Western Australian supreme court, Justice Jennifer Smith found that Wright Prospecting was entitled to its claim for a half share of royalties coming from one of the region’s largest projects – Hope Downs.
Hope Downs is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Hancock Prospecting and exports about 45m tonnes of iron ore annually from Australia’s north-west each year.
But Hancock Prospecting had a partial victory, with the court rejecting Wright Prospecting’s claim for an equity stake in other mining assets.
The dispute harks back to a business partnership struck in the 1950s by mining prospectors Lang Hancock and Peter Wright. The pair had been school friends and together established a company called Hanwright which was responsible for pegging out vast tenements of iron ore-rich deposits in the region’s Hamersley Range. » | Sarah Martin | Saturday, April 18, 2026
Full Story Posdcast HERE.
Australia’s richest person is reeling after a landmark court decision found her company must pay royalties worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a rival mining dynasty.
Gina Rinehart, a multibillionaire with political connections in both the White House and the Australian parliament, has been described by members of the US conservative movement as “a female Donald Trump”. The 72-year-old, who inherited her father’s iron ore empire in Australia’s Pilbara region, has fought multiple claims against the family company Hancock Prospecting that were first launched in 2010.
On Wednesday, in the Western Australian supreme court, Justice Jennifer Smith found that Wright Prospecting was entitled to its claim for a half share of royalties coming from one of the region’s largest projects – Hope Downs.
Hope Downs is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Hancock Prospecting and exports about 45m tonnes of iron ore annually from Australia’s north-west each year.
But Hancock Prospecting had a partial victory, with the court rejecting Wright Prospecting’s claim for an equity stake in other mining assets.
The dispute harks back to a business partnership struck in the 1950s by mining prospectors Lang Hancock and Peter Wright. The pair had been school friends and together established a company called Hanwright which was responsible for pegging out vast tenements of iron ore-rich deposits in the region’s Hamersley Range. » | Sarah Martin | Saturday, April 18, 2026
Full Story Posdcast HERE.
More Than Half of Britons Support Rejoining EU 10 Years On from Brexit Vote
THE GUARDIAN: Experts say Labour’s ‘halfway house’ approach risks losing support from progressives and ‘red wall’ voters
Support for rejoining the EU rather than simply rejoining the single market is growing among British voters, with more than 80% of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party supporters favouring this option, according to research mapping voter attitudes 10 years after the Brexit referendum.
Labour’s “muted” approach to the issue means it risks losing support among progressive voters and in “red wall” constituencies, experts have said as part of research by Best for Britain.
While 61% of all voters supported the government’s current approach to EU relations, only 19% did so “strongly”, the research showed.
A full return to the EU was supported by 53% of all voters with support at 83% among Labour voters, 84% Liberal Democrat and 82% Green, the polling found.
Of Conservative and Reform voters, 39% and 18% backed the policy respectively, Best for Britain found. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Friday, April 17, 2026
Support for rejoining the EU rather than simply rejoining the single market is growing among British voters, with more than 80% of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green party supporters favouring this option, according to research mapping voter attitudes 10 years after the Brexit referendum.
Labour’s “muted” approach to the issue means it risks losing support among progressive voters and in “red wall” constituencies, experts have said as part of research by Best for Britain.
While 61% of all voters supported the government’s current approach to EU relations, only 19% did so “strongly”, the research showed.
A full return to the EU was supported by 53% of all voters with support at 83% among Labour voters, 84% Liberal Democrat and 82% Green, the polling found.
Of Conservative and Reform voters, 39% and 18% backed the policy respectively, Best for Britain found. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Friday, April 17, 2026
April 17, 2026
Stocks Extend ‘Astonishing’ Rally as Middle East Tensions Ease Further
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The S&P 500’s rise on Friday caps a striking three-week streak, powered by investors’ optimism about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and strong corporate earnings.
The stock market continued its record-setting rally on Friday, after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz had reopened to commercial shipping, bolstering investors’ optimism that the conflict in the Middle East was nearing an end.
The S&P 500, which set a record high on Wednesday, rose an additional 1.2 percent on Friday, notching its best streak of daily gains so far this year.
Already this month, the S&P 500 has climbed almost 10 percent, which would be the best monthly gain since 2020 when markets were rebounding from the pandemic-induced sell-off. The index is nearly 4 percent higher than it was before the United States and Israel started attacking Iran on Feb. 28.
The Nasdaq Composite index, which is filled with technology stocks, has staged an even more ferocious rally. The index posted its 13th consecutive day of gains, its best run since 1992. » | Joe Rennison | Friday, April 17, 2026
The stock market continued its record-setting rally on Friday, after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz had reopened to commercial shipping, bolstering investors’ optimism that the conflict in the Middle East was nearing an end.
The S&P 500, which set a record high on Wednesday, rose an additional 1.2 percent on Friday, notching its best streak of daily gains so far this year.
Already this month, the S&P 500 has climbed almost 10 percent, which would be the best monthly gain since 2020 when markets were rebounding from the pandemic-induced sell-off. The index is nearly 4 percent higher than it was before the United States and Israel started attacking Iran on Feb. 28.
The Nasdaq Composite index, which is filled with technology stocks, has staged an even more ferocious rally. The index posted its 13th consecutive day of gains, its best run since 1992. » | Joe Rennison | Friday, April 17, 2026
Brazil Is One Step Ahead of Rising Oil Prices, Thanks to Sugarcane
Apr 14, 2026 | Brazil's ethanol industry, born out of an oil crisis in the 1970s and rooted in decades of sugarcane cultivation, is experiencing a new moment in the spotlight as rising oil prices driven by Middle East conflict once again highlight the value of energy independence.
All gasoline sold in the country contains 30 percent ethanol, and most Brazilian cars run on flex-fuel engines, a locally developed technology that lets drivers choose between gasoline and ethanol at the pump. The industry's backers say consumers have saved more than 40 billion dollars over the past three decades thanks to that flexibility.
Now, the next chapter is taking shape: Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including BYD, are working to integrate Brazil's flex-fuel system into hybrid EVs, with the first ethanol-compatible hybrid set to launch in the coming weeks. Advocates argue ethanol and electrification are not rivals but partners in reducing fossil fuel dependence, pointing to both the environmental and economic benefits of a fuel that Brazil produces domestically.
More than 40 years after launching one of the world's most ambitious biofuel programs, Brazil finds itself ahead of the curve once again. Paulo Cabral reports from São Paulo.
All gasoline sold in the country contains 30 percent ethanol, and most Brazilian cars run on flex-fuel engines, a locally developed technology that lets drivers choose between gasoline and ethanol at the pump. The industry's backers say consumers have saved more than 40 billion dollars over the past three decades thanks to that flexibility.
Now, the next chapter is taking shape: Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, including BYD, are working to integrate Brazil's flex-fuel system into hybrid EVs, with the first ethanol-compatible hybrid set to launch in the coming weeks. Advocates argue ethanol and electrification are not rivals but partners in reducing fossil fuel dependence, pointing to both the environmental and economic benefits of a fuel that Brazil produces domestically.
More than 40 years after launching one of the world's most ambitious biofuel programs, Brazil finds itself ahead of the curve once again. Paulo Cabral reports from São Paulo.
Trump Can’t Dictate What Private Companies Do: Why We Should ‘Call His Bluff’ | Lord Vaizey
Apr 16, 2026 | “We live in a world where the Danish sent troops and blood banks to Greenland at the prospect of a possible invasion, so please can we start telling it like it is.”
We should “call Trump’s bluff”, says Times Radio’s Lord Vaizey as US-UK tensions persist.
We should “call Trump’s bluff”, says Times Radio’s Lord Vaizey as US-UK tensions persist.
Steve Rosenberg: In Russia, Botox Booming. But Economic Situation "Worse Than Forecast," Russian Papers Warn
April 15, 2026
Stocks Approach Record High as Wall St. Looks Beyond War
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Investors appear to be treating an end to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran as a foregone conclusion.
The S&P 500 approached a fresh record high on Wednesday, reflecting investors’ optimism that a peace deal would be reached before the war in Iran could inflict significant damage on corporate America, even as a spike in oil prices has led to a gloomier economic outlook.
In early afternoon trading, the S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent, putting the widely watched index on track to end the day above its previous peak, reached in January. The index had already erased its losses during the war in Iran and now sits nearly 2 percent higher than it was before the fighting began in late February.
Investors have been embracing signals in recent days that the United States and Iran could restart talks that ended last weekend in Pakistan without a deal but with comments from President Trump that he believed the war was nearing an end.
The mere posture toward peace has helped to placate the stock market. Since the cease-fire took hold last week, investors have noted a shift in tone by the Trump administration that reflects a desire to end the conflict soon. » | Joe Rennison | Wednesday, April 15, 2026
The S&P 500 approached a fresh record high on Wednesday, reflecting investors’ optimism that a peace deal would be reached before the war in Iran could inflict significant damage on corporate America, even as a spike in oil prices has led to a gloomier economic outlook.
In early afternoon trading, the S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent, putting the widely watched index on track to end the day above its previous peak, reached in January. The index had already erased its losses during the war in Iran and now sits nearly 2 percent higher than it was before the fighting began in late February.
Investors have been embracing signals in recent days that the United States and Iran could restart talks that ended last weekend in Pakistan without a deal but with comments from President Trump that he believed the war was nearing an end.
The mere posture toward peace has helped to placate the stock market. Since the cease-fire took hold last week, investors have noted a shift in tone by the Trump administration that reflects a desire to end the conflict soon. » | Joe Rennison | Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Krieg als „Geschäftsmodell“: Tod und Eskalation – wie die Trump Familie persönlich profitiert
Wunderbar ausgedrückt! Danke schön! — © Mark Alexander
April 14, 2026
How Hungary’s Election Result Could Change Europe | The Economist
April 13, 2026
Steve Rosenberg: How Are Russian Newspapers Reacting to Viktor Orbán's Defeat?
Orban Loss in Hungary Is a Big Moment for the E.U. Here’s Why.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stymied the European Union for years, and particularly in recent months. Peter Magyar’s election could change that, if only so much.
Viktor Orban has long been a challenge and a frustration for the European Union, and his concession in Sunday’s Hungarian election was greeted by top E.U. leaders as a potential moment for sea change after years of clashes between Brussels and Budapest.
“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, posted on social media as the votes came in.
Mr. Orban has often stood in the way of critical policy goals for the European Union, including blocking a loan to Ukraine and sanctions packages targeting Russia. His administration has long been viewed as a security risk at sensitive meetings because of its comparatively cozy ties to the Kremlin. With the victory of Hungary’s opposition party, led by Peter Magyar, that could begin to change.
Mr. Magyar and his Tisza party have struck a friendlier tone toward the European Union and NATO alike. As voting was underway, he pointed out that it was taking place on the anniversary of a 2003 vote in favor of Hungary joining the European Union — a potential signal that he wanted to break with Mr. Orban’s animosity toward Brussels.
Most immediately, the new leadership is widely expected to clear the path for a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine that has been frozen for weeks because of Mr. Orban’s objections.
“The election result is a game changer for Europe,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. » | Jeanna Smialek | Reporting from Brussels | Monday, April 13, 2026
NYT: What Orban’s Defeat Means for the Rest of the World »
Viktor Orban has long been a challenge and a frustration for the European Union, and his concession in Sunday’s Hungarian election was greeted by top E.U. leaders as a potential moment for sea change after years of clashes between Brussels and Budapest.
“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, posted on social media as the votes came in.
Mr. Orban has often stood in the way of critical policy goals for the European Union, including blocking a loan to Ukraine and sanctions packages targeting Russia. His administration has long been viewed as a security risk at sensitive meetings because of its comparatively cozy ties to the Kremlin. With the victory of Hungary’s opposition party, led by Peter Magyar, that could begin to change.
Mr. Magyar and his Tisza party have struck a friendlier tone toward the European Union and NATO alike. As voting was underway, he pointed out that it was taking place on the anniversary of a 2003 vote in favor of Hungary joining the European Union — a potential signal that he wanted to break with Mr. Orban’s animosity toward Brussels.
Most immediately, the new leadership is widely expected to clear the path for a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine that has been frozen for weeks because of Mr. Orban’s objections.
“The election result is a game changer for Europe,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. » | Jeanna Smialek | Reporting from Brussels | Monday, April 13, 2026
NYT: What Orban’s Defeat Means for the Rest of the World »
Four Ways Trump’s War Is Weakening America
THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: When President Trump attacked Iran on Feb. 28, we called his decision reckless. He went to war without seeking congressional approval or the support of most allies. He offered thin and contradictory justifications to the American people. He failed to explain why this naïve attempt at regime change would end better than earlier attempts by the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
In the six weeks since, the recklessness of his war has become clearer yet. He has disdained careful military planning and acted on gut instinct and wishfulness. After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel predicted to Mr. Trump that the attacks would inspire a popular uprising in Iran, the director of the C.I.A. countered that the notion was “farcical,” The Times reported. Mr. Trump proceeded nonetheless. He was so confident that he assembled no plan to respond to an obvious countermove available to Iran: causing a spike in oil prices by blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Nor did he develop a feasible strategy for securing the enriched uranium that Iran can use to rebuild its nuclear program.
Last week he careened from illegal and immoral threats about erasing Iranian civilization to a last-minute cease-fire that accomplishes few of his announced war aims. Iran continues to defy a central part of the deal and block most traffic from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Trump’s irresponsibility has left the United States on the cusp of a humiliating strategic defeat.
As we have emphasized, Iran’s regime deserves no sympathy. It has spent decades oppressing its people and sponsoring terrorism elsewhere. And the current war, combined with the June attacks by the United States and Israel and other Israeli operations since 2023, weakened Iran in important ways. Its navy, air force and air defenses have been degraded, and its nuclear program has been set back. Its murderous network of regional allies — including Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s fallen government — has been eroded.
Yet these successes cannot mask the ways in which the war has weakened the United States. We count four main setbacks for America’s national interests that are the direct result of Mr. Trump’s carelessness. These setbacks likewise weaken global democracy when authoritarians in China, Russia and elsewhere were already feeling emboldened. » | The Editorial Board | The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom. | Sunday, April 12, 2026
Leer en español.
In the six weeks since, the recklessness of his war has become clearer yet. He has disdained careful military planning and acted on gut instinct and wishfulness. After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel predicted to Mr. Trump that the attacks would inspire a popular uprising in Iran, the director of the C.I.A. countered that the notion was “farcical,” The Times reported. Mr. Trump proceeded nonetheless. He was so confident that he assembled no plan to respond to an obvious countermove available to Iran: causing a spike in oil prices by blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Nor did he develop a feasible strategy for securing the enriched uranium that Iran can use to rebuild its nuclear program.
Last week he careened from illegal and immoral threats about erasing Iranian civilization to a last-minute cease-fire that accomplishes few of his announced war aims. Iran continues to defy a central part of the deal and block most traffic from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Trump’s irresponsibility has left the United States on the cusp of a humiliating strategic defeat.
As we have emphasized, Iran’s regime deserves no sympathy. It has spent decades oppressing its people and sponsoring terrorism elsewhere. And the current war, combined with the June attacks by the United States and Israel and other Israeli operations since 2023, weakened Iran in important ways. Its navy, air force and air defenses have been degraded, and its nuclear program has been set back. Its murderous network of regional allies — including Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s fallen government — has been eroded.
Yet these successes cannot mask the ways in which the war has weakened the United States. We count four main setbacks for America’s national interests that are the direct result of Mr. Trump’s carelessness. These setbacks likewise weaken global democracy when authoritarians in China, Russia and elsewhere were already feeling emboldened. » | The Editorial Board | The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom. | Sunday, April 12, 2026
Leer en español.
Brit in Germany: Europe's Immigration Paradox
Apr 12, 2026 | Europe is entering a demographic transition. Birth rates are falling, populations are ageing, and labour shortages are emerging across many industries.
Immigration appears to be the obvious solution, yet it has also become one of the most contested issues in modern European politics.
This video explores the deeper structural forces behind Europe’s immigration paradox.
Immigration appears to be the obvious solution, yet it has also become one of the most contested issues in modern European politics.
This video explores the deeper structural forces behind Europe’s immigration paradox.
April 12, 2026
Spain's Pedro Sánchez Attacks Israel: "Suspend the Agreement with the EU."
Jung, frustriert, verschuldet – Generation Z im Check
Apr 9, 2026 | Viele junge Menschen denken laut einer Studie darüber nach, Deutschland zu verlassen. Was ist da los? Mirko Drotschmann, MrWissen2Go, erklärt in diesem Video, wie ihr, wie die junge Generation tickt.
Laut der Trendstudie „Jugend in Deutschland“ können sich 41 Prozent der 14- bis 29-Jährigen vorstellen, aus Deutschland auszuwandern. Ungefähr ein Fünftel spricht sogar von konkreten Auswanderungsplänen. In der Studie ist von einer Generation im „Dauerkrisenmodus“ die Rede. Als größte Sorgen nennen junge Menschen Krieg, Inflation, teuren Wohnraum, Spaltung der Gesellschaft, Trump als US-Präsident oder Klimawandel. Bei Wahlen und Umfragen zeigt sich: Der Trend geht weg von der politischen Mitte. Die Linke schneidet bei den Jungen am besten ab, dahinter folgt die AfD.
Fast die Hälfte hält es für unrealistisch, eine gute, bezahlbare Wohnung zu finden und fürchtet, sich die Miete in Zukunft nicht mehr leisten zu können. Viele Studierende und Auszubildende wohnen noch bei den Eltern. Immer mehr verschulden sich, Anfang 2026 waren es 23 Prozent. Dabei spielen Konsumschulden für Einkäufe auf Raten oder mit „Buy Now Pay Later“-Modellen die größte Rolle.
Fast ein Drittel der jungen Generation hat das Gefühl, wegen psychischer Belastung eine Behandlung zu benötigen. Ein weiteres verbreitetes Problem: Viele junge Menschen fühlen sich einsam – mehr als in allen anderen Altersgruppen und mehr als jemals zuvor. Allen anderen Altersgruppen etwas voraus haben die Jungen dagegen bei der Nutzung von Künstlicher Intelligenz. Die gehört für viele längst zum Alltag. Studien zeigen einen selbstbewussten, aber auch reflektierten Umgang mit KI.
Laut der Trendstudie „Jugend in Deutschland“ können sich 41 Prozent der 14- bis 29-Jährigen vorstellen, aus Deutschland auszuwandern. Ungefähr ein Fünftel spricht sogar von konkreten Auswanderungsplänen. In der Studie ist von einer Generation im „Dauerkrisenmodus“ die Rede. Als größte Sorgen nennen junge Menschen Krieg, Inflation, teuren Wohnraum, Spaltung der Gesellschaft, Trump als US-Präsident oder Klimawandel. Bei Wahlen und Umfragen zeigt sich: Der Trend geht weg von der politischen Mitte. Die Linke schneidet bei den Jungen am besten ab, dahinter folgt die AfD.
Fast die Hälfte hält es für unrealistisch, eine gute, bezahlbare Wohnung zu finden und fürchtet, sich die Miete in Zukunft nicht mehr leisten zu können. Viele Studierende und Auszubildende wohnen noch bei den Eltern. Immer mehr verschulden sich, Anfang 2026 waren es 23 Prozent. Dabei spielen Konsumschulden für Einkäufe auf Raten oder mit „Buy Now Pay Later“-Modellen die größte Rolle.
Fast ein Drittel der jungen Generation hat das Gefühl, wegen psychischer Belastung eine Behandlung zu benötigen. Ein weiteres verbreitetes Problem: Viele junge Menschen fühlen sich einsam – mehr als in allen anderen Altersgruppen und mehr als jemals zuvor. Allen anderen Altersgruppen etwas voraus haben die Jungen dagegen bei der Nutzung von Künstlicher Intelligenz. Die gehört für viele längst zum Alltag. Studien zeigen einen selbstbewussten, aber auch reflektierten Umgang mit KI.
Carney Confronts Trump Policies in Explosive Canada-First Speech
Mark Carney is a great leader. — © Mark Alexander
April 11, 2026
Russian Hackers Are Using Your Wi-Fi Router to Spy: Here’s How You Can Protect Yourself
Apr 8, 2026 | “There’s absolutely no doubt that not only are they in our edge devices, like Wi-Fi routers, but they’re in our infrastructure.”
Russian hackers are using home Wi-Fi routers as spying devices, giving them access inside the UK and potentially enabling them to carry out attacks, says cybersecurity and fintech specialist Mike Godfrey.
Russian hackers are using home Wi-Fi routers as spying devices, giving them access inside the UK and potentially enabling them to carry out attacks, says cybersecurity and fintech specialist Mike Godfrey.
Rob Groves: BREXIT - 63% Now Want Back In. Thanks, Trump!
Apr 11, 2026 | Ten years ago, 52% of voters chose to leave the European Union, on the basis of lies painted on a bus and a campaign bankrolled by dodgy money. A decade on, the bill keeps arriving. Haulage companies going bust at twice the pre-Brexit rate, food prices rising, trade barriers grinding away at the economy, and a so-called special relationship with America that turned out to be a vassal state telling itself a flattering story.
Meanwhile, the latest YouGov polling shows 63% of Britons would now vote to rejoin the EU. Among 18-25 year olds, that figure is 86%. Even among retirees, 60% say they'd vote to rejoin. The tide has turned. The argument has been won. The question now is: what happens next?
Meanwhile, the latest YouGov polling shows 63% of Britons would now vote to rejoin the EU. Among 18-25 year olds, that figure is 86%. Even among retirees, 60% say they'd vote to rejoin. The tide has turned. The argument has been won. The question now is: what happens next?
Sandra Navidi zur Hormus-Maut | ntv
April 10, 2026
Steve Rosenberg: "Forecasts of a Deeper, More Protracted Recession in Russia": Russian Paper
April 09, 2026
France Moves 129 Tonnes of Gold from New York Federal Reserve
Apr 8, 2026 | France's central bank has pulled its remaining gold deposit out of the US with a capital gain of $15 billion. Over the past year and a half, 129 tonnes of gold has been moved from New York back to France, while other gold stocks were sold off at record prices. The value of gold has more than quadrupled over the last decade.
Why does gold still matter so much in 2026? International business commentator Vicky Pryce talks with CGTN about the move.
Why does gold still matter so much in 2026? International business commentator Vicky Pryce talks with CGTN about the move.
April 08, 2026
Why Are Tourists Turning Away from America?
Aug 7, 2026 | Recent data shows a 5 per cent drop in international arrivals to the United States, compared with the previous year.
Washington correspondent George Grylls explains what could be causing holidaymakers to turn away from the US.
The decline comes at a critical time for the industry, as the US is set to host events such as the World Cup this year and the LA Olympics in 2028.
Can the US convince tourists to visit?
Nobody in his right mind would want to visit the US while Trump is in the White House. When people go on holiday, they want a good time. They don’t want to be arrested by ICE agents, beaten by them, and then disappeared! Sensible people are rightly staying well away from Trump’s dystopia. — © Mar Alexander
Washington correspondent George Grylls explains what could be causing holidaymakers to turn away from the US.
The decline comes at a critical time for the industry, as the US is set to host events such as the World Cup this year and the LA Olympics in 2028.
Can the US convince tourists to visit?
Nobody in his right mind would want to visit the US while Trump is in the White House. When people go on holiday, they want a good time. They don’t want to be arrested by ICE agents, beaten by them, and then disappeared! Sensible people are rightly staying well away from Trump’s dystopia. — © Mar Alexander
America’s Suez Moment: Trump Has Completely Underestimated Iran | General Sir Richard Shirreff
Apr 8, 2026 | “You now see the global superpower humbled by a tinpot theocratic dictatorship.”
Trump's failure to force the Iranians to open the Strait of Hormuz "is America's Suez moment”, and he has completely underestimated Iran’s “tinpot theocratic dictatorship”, says General Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy supreme allied commander of NATO.
Trump's failure to force the Iranians to open the Strait of Hormuz "is America's Suez moment”, and he has completely underestimated Iran’s “tinpot theocratic dictatorship”, says General Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy supreme allied commander of NATO.
Steve Rosenberg: "Warnings of a [Russian] Economic Crisis Grow Louder" - Russian Newspaper Headline
2-Week Cease-Fire Takes Hold
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Israel said the cease-fire did not include Lebanon. It was unclear whether ship operators considered the Strait of Hormuz safe for transit, or if word of the deal had reached local Iranian commanders.
The United States and Iran announced a two-week cease-fire on Tuesday evening, shortly before President Trump’s deadline for Iran to unblock the Strait of Hormuz or to see its “whole civilization” destroyed.
But on Wednesday morning, it was unclear whether word of the nascent deal had reached Iranian local commanders, as fresh missile and drone attacks were reported across the Persian Gulf. And even though the news sent the international oil price benchmark down 15 percent, to $93 a barrel, it remained unclear whether ship operators considered the strait — a critical passage for the world’s oil and gas — safe for transit.
After Mr. Trump said on Tuesday night that he had agreed to the cease-fire proposed by Pakistan, a U.S. official said American military strikes against Iran had stopped. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the country’s armed forces would “cease their defensive operation,” and that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible for two weeks if it was coordinated with Iran’s military.
But early on Wednesday, emergency sirens in Israel warned of incoming Iranian ballistic missiles. Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone attacks. Bahrain’s interior ministry sounded warning sirens and reported a fire started by an Iranian attack. Iranian local commanders are allowed to make their own strike decisions under a decentralized control system. Iran War Live Updates » | Francesca Regalado, Elian Peltier, Ephrat Livni and Farnaz Fassihi | Wednesday, April 8, 2026
The United States and Iran announced a two-week cease-fire on Tuesday evening, shortly before President Trump’s deadline for Iran to unblock the Strait of Hormuz or to see its “whole civilization” destroyed.
But on Wednesday morning, it was unclear whether word of the nascent deal had reached Iranian local commanders, as fresh missile and drone attacks were reported across the Persian Gulf. And even though the news sent the international oil price benchmark down 15 percent, to $93 a barrel, it remained unclear whether ship operators considered the strait — a critical passage for the world’s oil and gas — safe for transit.
After Mr. Trump said on Tuesday night that he had agreed to the cease-fire proposed by Pakistan, a U.S. official said American military strikes against Iran had stopped. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the country’s armed forces would “cease their defensive operation,” and that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible for two weeks if it was coordinated with Iran’s military.
But early on Wednesday, emergency sirens in Israel warned of incoming Iranian ballistic missiles. Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone attacks. Bahrain’s interior ministry sounded warning sirens and reported a fire started by an Iranian attack. Iranian local commanders are allowed to make their own strike decisions under a decentralized control system. Iran War Live Updates » | Francesca Regalado, Elian Peltier, Ephrat Livni and Farnaz Fassihi | Wednesday, April 8, 2026
US and Iran Agree to Provisional Ceasefire as Tehran Says It Will Reopen Strait of Hormuz
THE GUARDIAN: US president abandons threat for Iran to surrender or face destruction with last-minute intervention led by Pakistan
The US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Tuesday evening, which included a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, canceling an ultimatum from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender or face widespread destruction.
Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire agreement came less than two hours before the US president’s self-imposed 8pm Eastern time deadline to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges in a move that legal scholars, as well as officials from numerous countries and the pope, had warned could constitute war crimes.
Just hours earlier, Trump had written on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” American B-52 bombers were reported to be en route to Iran before the ceasefire agreement was announced.
But by Tuesday evening, Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement had been mediated through Pakistan, whose prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, had requested the two-week peace in order to “allow diplomacy to run its course”.
Trump wrote in a post that “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks”.
In a separate post later, the US president called Tuesday “a big day for world peace” on a social media post, claiming that Iran had “had enough”. He said the US would be “helping with the traffic buildup” in the strait of Hormuz and that “big money will be made” as Iran begins reconstruction. » | Andrew Roth in Washington | Wednesday, April 8, 2026
The US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Tuesday evening, which included a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, canceling an ultimatum from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender or face widespread destruction.
Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire agreement came less than two hours before the US president’s self-imposed 8pm Eastern time deadline to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges in a move that legal scholars, as well as officials from numerous countries and the pope, had warned could constitute war crimes.
Just hours earlier, Trump had written on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” American B-52 bombers were reported to be en route to Iran before the ceasefire agreement was announced.
But by Tuesday evening, Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement had been mediated through Pakistan, whose prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, had requested the two-week peace in order to “allow diplomacy to run its course”.
Trump wrote in a post that “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks”.
In a separate post later, the US president called Tuesday “a big day for world peace” on a social media post, claiming that Iran had “had enough”. He said the US would be “helping with the traffic buildup” in the strait of Hormuz and that “big money will be made” as Iran begins reconstruction. » | Andrew Roth in Washington | Wednesday, April 8, 2026
April 07, 2026
Un centime d’euro le litre : en Iran, les prix à la pompe restent les plus bas du monde
LE FIGARO : En Iran, les prix des carburants sont extrêmement bas. Deux raisons bien spécifiques à la République islamique contribuent à cet écart vertigineux avec le reste du monde.
1 centime d’euro. C’est le prix d’un litre d’essence en Iran, dans un pays où le salaire moyen est de 170 euros par mois et le salaire minimum de 85 euros. Sans appliquer de pondération par le niveau de vie sur place, l’Iran pratique le prix de l’essence le moins cher du monde. Avec la Libye, et le Venezuela, devant tous les grands producteurs pétroliers du Golfe.
Une spécificité d’abord liée à sa géographie. « L’Iran est un grand producteur, un grand raffineur de pétrole brut , et produit donc d’importants volumes de produits pétroliers. Il dispose d’un approvisionnement intérieur, ce qui rend les prix plus bas dès le départ que dans les pays qui doivent importer », explique Nader Itayim, spécialiste des hydrocarbures pour l’agence Argus Media à Dubaï. » | Par Clément Gros | mardi 7 avril 2026
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1 centime d’euro. C’est le prix d’un litre d’essence en Iran, dans un pays où le salaire moyen est de 170 euros par mois et le salaire minimum de 85 euros. Sans appliquer de pondération par le niveau de vie sur place, l’Iran pratique le prix de l’essence le moins cher du monde. Avec la Libye, et le Venezuela, devant tous les grands producteurs pétroliers du Golfe.
Une spécificité d’abord liée à sa géographie. « L’Iran est un grand producteur, un grand raffineur de pétrole brut , et produit donc d’importants volumes de produits pétroliers. Il dispose d’un approvisionnement intérieur, ce qui rend les prix plus bas dès le départ que dans les pays qui doivent importer », explique Nader Itayim, spécialiste des hydrocarbures pour l’agence Argus Media à Dubaï. » | Par Clément Gros | mardi 7 avril 2026
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Deutschland vor dem Crash? Drei Krisen, die jetzt alles entscheiden
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Deutschland steckt in drei Krisen gleichzeitig. Energie, Rohstoffe und Krieg treffen die Wirtschaft hart. Doch die wahre Katastrophe steht erst bevor. Eine Analyse.
In Krisen wird oft auf Koalitionszwänge verwiesen. Auf Zuständigkeiten. Oder, wenn gar nichts mehr geht, eine „komplexe Gemengelage“. Deutschland erlebt gerade einen solchen Moment. Drei Krisen – eine selbst verschuldete, eine importierte und eine verschlafene – laufen aufeinander zu.
Jede einzelne wäre für eine handlungsfähige Regierung eine Herausforderung. Zusammen ergeben sie das Szenario eines ökonomischen Crashs, auf den die Bundesregierung unter Friedrich Merz (CDU) keine erkennbare Antwort hat. Schlimmer noch: Die konzeptionelle Leere ist kein Betriebsunfall dieser Koalition. Sie ist das Erbe einer politischen Kultur, die ideologische Selbstvergewisserung über die materiellen Interessen der eigenen Bürger gestellt hat – und die nun unfähig ist, die Folgen dieses Fehlers zu korrigieren. » | Harald Neuber | Dienstag, 7. April 7, 2026
In Krisen wird oft auf Koalitionszwänge verwiesen. Auf Zuständigkeiten. Oder, wenn gar nichts mehr geht, eine „komplexe Gemengelage“. Deutschland erlebt gerade einen solchen Moment. Drei Krisen – eine selbst verschuldete, eine importierte und eine verschlafene – laufen aufeinander zu.
Jede einzelne wäre für eine handlungsfähige Regierung eine Herausforderung. Zusammen ergeben sie das Szenario eines ökonomischen Crashs, auf den die Bundesregierung unter Friedrich Merz (CDU) keine erkennbare Antwort hat. Schlimmer noch: Die konzeptionelle Leere ist kein Betriebsunfall dieser Koalition. Sie ist das Erbe einer politischen Kultur, die ideologische Selbstvergewisserung über die materiellen Interessen der eigenen Bürger gestellt hat – und die nun unfähig ist, die Folgen dieses Fehlers zu korrigieren. » | Harald Neuber | Dienstag, 7. April 7, 2026
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