Escalating Tensions, Global Economic Shiftsactive

The world's most critical oil corridor now opens and closes by the day. One mome...

ACT independent David Pocock is calling for a 25% tax on gas exports to fund welfare and housing. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Labor should use the proceeds of limiting tax concessions for property investors and a crackdown on gas export profits to fund welfare increases and build housing, charities and social service groups say. Ahead of next month’s federal budget, the Albanese government is under pressure to wind back negative gearing rules and the 50% capital gains tax discount for property investments, and to tax more of the profits from soaring commodity exports, pushed up by the global energy shock. People on the lowest incomes are skipping meals, delaying medical care and rationing energy just to get by. Frontline services are operating at capacity, facing growing demand and increasingly complex needs. Current policy settings are not meeting the needs of our communities – it’s clear that significant and sustained public investment is essential. Continue reading...

Authorities said that a suspected domestic incident has left multiple people dead in Shreveport, including several children

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, said Saturday that the country’s armed forces remain “ready” amid peace talks with the U. S. “It is not the case that we think just because we are negotiating, the armed forces are not ready,” he told state-owned Press TV. “Rather, just as the people are in…

Iran also said it had been 'victorious in the field' during weeks of war and had only agreed to a temporary truce with the United States because its demands had been met, Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Saturday. The two-week ceasefire is set to end on Wednesday unless it is renewed.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf emphasized that Iran does not trust Israel and the United States and is ready to resume combat operations at any moment

Optical lens giant Largan held its first quarter of 2026 earnings call on April 16, hosted by chairman En-Ping Lin. The company posted 7% year-on-year revenue growth — but headwinds are building as smartphone makers look to downgrade specifications.

The Albanese government overhauled policy and promised significant pollution cuts – but carbon offsets are still being used as an excuse Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Is this how a national scheme to cut climate pollution is supposed to work? Australian government data released this week shows emissions from Australian coalmines increased last financial year. About 80% of the coalmines pumped more into the atmosphere than their government-imposed limit. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also criticized the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps called on shipowners to adhere exclusively to the recommendations of the Iranian side

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a vehement attack on opposition parties a day after his proposed amendments to expand Parliament and accelerate the reservation of at least a third of seats for women were struck down by rivals.

Indian government's bid to redraw voting boundaries tied to quotas for women legislators was blocked in a parliament vote. It is the first major legislative setback for PM Modi's government. DW has the latest.

There is a lively and, at times, sharply divided discourse in India today on its foreign policy choices over the Iranian crisis. At the center of this debate is a simple but uncomfortable question: Is India being prudently cautious, needlessly timid or has it devolved into strategic ambiguity? In the aftermath of last weekend’s failed […] The post Strategic autonomy or ambiguity? India’s Gulf dilemma appeared first on Asia Times.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to expand Parliament and reserve at least a third of seats for women was defeated in a vote, dealing a setback to one of his most ambitious political reforms.

William Hilderbrandt is pleased to welcome Basil Germond, Professor of International Security in the School of Global Affairs and Co-Director of the University research institute Security Lancaster. He examines the emerging European-led initiative to secure the Strait of Hormuz in a post-war context, placing it within broader questions of maritime security, geopolitical negotiation, and transatlantic relations. From his perspective, this initiative reflects a strategic shift: European actors are no longer merely reacting within a US-led framework, but are attempting to shape the conditions of peace and stability themselves.

According to the newspaper, Executives from Fortune Global 500 companies, China’s Top 500, and other leading private corporations attended the event

Between 1951 and today, the increase has been approximately sixfold. Today, we spend more on services than we did on food in the 1950s.

A tie-up between the carriers would cut the number of major US airlines to just three.

The Indian Parliament began debate on Thursday on a landmark bill that reserves one-third of legislative seats for women, a move that could trigger a significant redrawing of electoral districts and exacerbate political tensions across the country. If passed, the bill would expedite the implementation of a 2023 law that establishes a 33% reservation of seats for women in the Parliament and state legislatures. This would be one of the most transformative changes in political representation since India's independence and could significantly increase female participation in a system where women remain underrepresented. However, the quota is linked to a controversial standalone bill to redraw electoral district boundaries, a process that could increase the number of seats in the lower house from 543 to approximately 850. While there appears to be broad bipartisan support for increasing female representation in Parliament, opposition parties have expressed concerns about the redrawing of electoral districts, warning that it could shift the political balance in favor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The bills are being debated during a special three-day session of Parliament and will require a two-thirds majority in both houses to be approved. The National Democratic Alliance…

Taiwan's optical lens makers opened 2026 with a sharp rebound, driven by a recovery in the global smartphone market and rising demand for high-end camera modules. At the same time, a new narrative is taking hold: silicon photonics (SiPh) and co-packaged optics (CPO) are pulling traditional lens suppliers into the core of AI infrastructure.

Rising tensions in the Middle East cast a fresh shadow over the opening of China’s largest trade fair, at a time when the impact of geopolitical shocks is being reflected in the nation’s trade figures. In conversations across sprawling exhibition halls after the Canton Fair opened its doors on Wednesday in China’s manufacturing hub of Guangzhou, domestic exporters and foreign buyers sounded each other out, trying to gauge how far those shocks might ripple through global trade. The threat of US...

A tie-up might create a genuine US flag carrier, but there is not much scope to cut prices for passengers

The first public hearing for a Thai woman, the defendant in a case involving charges of arranging prostitution of a minor, took place. The defendant, who is accused of facilitating the sexual exploitation of a 12-year-old Thai girl at a store in Tokyo, pleaded not guilty and stated, "The facts are not as they have been presented."

An increase of 27.3 billion.

A new pattern of deceptive activity by some vessels around the critical waterway suggests the new American blockade is changing how some ships linked to Iran are behaving.

Rising temperatures and extreme drought are causing more destructive spring fires across the American Great Plains. This year, conditions have aligned to create a perfect storm in Nebraska. In a normal year, the vast grasslands that stretch across the American Great Plains would be beginning to turn green. But in the center of the US, where most of the nation's beef producers graze their herds, this spring brought fire instead of moisture, leaving more than a million acres blackened and barren. Multiple fires raged across Nebraska, where records for the annual acreage burned were shattered in a single month. The state recorded the largest fire ever, when the Morrill fire spread across more than 642,000 acres before it was contained in March. Continue reading...

China's export value in March increased by more than 2% compared to the same month last year, driven by growth in exports to Europe and Southeast Asia. However, the growth rate has slowed significantly compared to the previous two months. The focus now is on how the continued high oil prices, stemming from the escalating situation in Iran, will impact future trends.

The US Federal Reserve should "wait and see" before deciding whether to lower interest rates amid the conflict around Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is on the verge of securing a majority government as special elections are held in three districts on Monday. Votes are being cast in the Toronto-area districts of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale, which are considered safe seats for Carney’s Liberals, and in the Montreal-area district of Terrebonne, which is considered a toss-up. Winning just one of them would give Carney a majority. The Liberals now have 171 members of Parliament in the House of...

The United States on Monday moved to implement a blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors, after US-Iran peace talks failed over the weekend, but questions persist over how fully the measures can be enforced and what they will mean in practice. Despite concerns of escalation, Pakistan, which has acted as mediator in the peace negotiations, continued efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict with diplomacy as the two-week ceasefire...

Just before Sophia Scott turned four years old, her parents received the devastating news that she had been diagnosed with a condition that causes childhood dementia. They were given a single sheet of paper and the advice to make the most of the time they had left with their daughter. Now, at 15 years old, Sophia is unable to speak or walk without assistance. It is possible that she will not live to see her 16th birthday. Her father, Darren, and her mother, Amanda, are separated, but they both work together to care for Sophia. Darren balances this responsibility with his job as a manager in the hospitality industry, while Amanda left her job to dedicate herself to caring for her daughter. He also conducts campaigns to raise awareness about Sophia's condition: Sanfilippo syndrome. This is a rare, progressive, and incurable genetic disorder. "They are taking our only daughter away from us" Sophia's early childhood was happy. Darren, originally from Glasgow, said that his daughter loved to dance, cook, play, and go to school. Although there were some developmental delays, nothing indicated the severity of what was to come. "We had no concerns that anything was wrong," he told BBC News Scotland. "There were some delays in her milestones, but we never imagined anything of this magnitude," he added. "Essentially, we were given a life sentence: this progressive and incurable disease is going to take our only daughter away from us," he recounted, emphasizing: "They gave us a sheet of paper..."

Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz “forces Beijing into a political dilemma” and could potentially derail the US president’s coming summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, analysts said. After talks in Pakistan between the US and Iran ended without a deal on Sunday, Trump said in a social media post that the US would seal off the strategically vital chokepoint. In a narrower order issued later, the US military said American forces would blockade only “maritime traffic...

Labor is under pressure to impose a new 25% export tax amid soaring prices from the global fuel shock Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The bosses of resources giants including Santos, Woodside, Chevron and Shell could be compelled to face an inquiry into export tax settings, as the Greens ramp up pressure on Labor ahead of the budget. The chief executives of the companies, along with the bosses of gas exporters Inpex and ConocoPhillips, have been requested to give evidence to a Greens-led inquiry sitting in Canberra and Perth later this month. Under Senate rules, they could be compelled to attend if they choose not to give evidence voluntarily. Continue reading...

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. The US ambassador to Poland, Thomas Rose, has criticised the speaker of Poland’s parliament, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, for calling President Donald Trump “irrational” and a “leader of chaos”. Rose, who had a similar dispute with Czarzasty earlier this year, called the speaker a “menace” and pointed to his past as a member of Poland’s former communist party. This man is a menace. The aim of his inflammatory rhetoric disparaging @POTUS can only be to damage U. S.–Poland ties, and weaken his own country. Perhaps as a notorious far-left, ex-communist apparatchik, we shouldn’t be surprised.https://t.co/r05rsSZ9Ix — Ambasador Tom Rose (@USAmbPoland) April 13, 2026 Czarzasty serves as speaker of the Sejm, the more powerful lower house of parliament, making him a key figure in Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s ruling coalition. In remarks to the Financial Times published on Sunday, Czarzasty said that “Trump is becoming a leader of chaos and I think that in many cases Trump’s behaviour is absolutely irrational”. In response, Rose, a former conservative radio host and political advisor who was appointed as ambassador to Poland last year, posted a link to Czarzasty’s interview on his official ambassadorial account on X and declared that “this man is a menace”. “The aim of his inflammatory rhetoric disparaging POTUS [the president of the United States] can only be to damage US-Poland ties, and weaken his own country,” continued Rose. “Perhaps as a notorious far-left, ex-communist apparatchik, we shouldn’t be surprised.” Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads In the 1980s, when he was in his 20s, Czarzasty was a member of the communist Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR) that ruled Poland as a Soviet-backed authoritarian regime. Following the fall of communism and restoration of democracy, Czarzasty became part of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), which governed Poland for parts of the 1990s and the first decade of the 20th century. In 2016, Czarzasty became head of the SLD and, under his leadership, it merged with other left-wing parties to form a new alliance, The Left (Lewica), which has since 2023 been a junior member of Tusk’s ruling coalition, which ranges from left to centre-right. Włodzimierz Czarzasty has transformed the role of speaker of parliament into a forceful political weapon, writes @aleksszczerbiak Controversial yet effective, he has become one of Donald Tusk's key allies and the ruling coalition’s uncompromising enforcer https://t.co/wZFCqCSFly — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) March 9, 2026 Czarzasty himself became speaker of the Sejm in November last year. That role gives him influence over the passage of key government legislation, while also allowing him to effectively block bills proposed by the right-wing opposition and opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki. In February this year, Rose cut off ties with Czarzasty, accusing him of making “outrageous insults” against Trump after the speaker had expressed opposition to the US president being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. However, when asked by Polish media to specify which element of Czarzasty’s comments had constituted an insult against Trump, Rose refused to say. The US has cut all contact with the speaker of Poland's parliament because of his "outrageous insults" against President Trump. In response, Polish Prime Minister @donaldtusk told the US ambassador that "allies should respect, not lecture, each other" https://t.co/h2gGH7iMkn — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) February 5, 2026 During the clash in February, Tusk came to Czarzasty’s defence, telling Rose that “allies should respect, not lecture, each other”. So far, however, neither Tusk nor other senior government figures have commented on the latest spat. While Nawrocki is a close ally of Trump, Tusk has had a more ambivalent relationship with the US president. He has at times openly criticised some of Trump’s rhetoric and actions, but also emphasises the importance of the US as Poland’s key ally, especially when it comes to security. Meanwhile, opinion polls indicate that the Polish public is becoming increasingly concerned about the direction of US policy under Trump. A survey conducted in January this year found that a majority of Poles, 53.2%, believe the US is no longer a reliable ally, while only 29.9% believe that it is. Another poll, published in February, showed that Trump is the third-most distrusted major world leader among Poles, behind only Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko. The US has cut all contact with the speaker of Poland's parliament because of his "outrageous insults" against President Trump. In response, Polish Prime Minister @donaldtusk told the US ambassador that "allies should respect, not lecture, each other" https://t.co/h2gGH7iMkn — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) February 5, 2026 ​ Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: Jakub Wlodek / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

In the fast-paced race of artificial intelligence, the industry standard is often to release quickly and fix issues as they arise. However, Anthropic – the company known for creating the Claude model family and its methodical approach to safety – decided to change the script. Their new development, named Claude Mythos Preview, will not be available to users on the internet, at least not initially. The reason for this delay is due to an "excess of capabilities" that triggered alarms among U.S. authorities and on Wall Street, according to a report by Bloomberg. During the evaluation phases, Mythos demonstrated an unusual ability to identify "zero-day" vulnerabilities in the most widely used operating systems and web browsers. A zero-day vulnerability is a security flaw in software, hardware, or firmware that is not yet known to the manufacturer and for which no patch is available. It is called a "zero-day" because developers have "zero days" to fix it before it can be exploited. The most striking example documented by Anthropic was the discovery of a 27-year-old security breach in OpenBSD, an open-source operating system renowned for its robustness against attacks. Mythos was not specifically trained to be a hacking tool. According to Anthropic's researchers, these capabilities are a result of its advanced…

The Israeli prime minister blamed Iran for the dialogue's failure

The Russian presidential aide and head of the Maritime Board noted that Kiev cynically regarded the deaths of three crew members as "their victory," which was "a tragedy for their relatives, loved ones, friends, and all normal people"

"The provision of airspace by the Baltic states and Finland for the passage of combat UAVs means direct participation of the NATO member states in attacks on Russian territory and infrastructure," Nikolay Patrushev said

"The United States, the United Kingdom, France and a number of their allies are seeking political, military and financial control over strategic maritime routes," Nikolay Patrushev added

Keir Starmer said he would seek powers for the UK to automatically sign up to some new European Union rules, as the prime minister tries to boost Britain’s flat-lining economy and use dividing lines on Brexit to bolster his chances of political survival.

The dollar started Monday with a significant jump against the Chilean peso, breaking the 900-peso mark, amid another day of unease in major global markets due to the tense situation in the Middle East following the United States' announcement of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. currency is trading around 906.6 pesos, a 0.72% increase compared to Friday's closing price, in line with the rise shown by the dollar index against major global currencies. Geopolitics are once again putting pressure on the markets, in a context where the prospect of a ceasefire is again in doubt following the events of the weekend. "The lack of an agreement between the United States and Iran, coupled with statements from President Donald Trump, who indicated that the United States will block ships entering or leaving Iranian ports starting April 13, has reignited concerns about further disruptions to the supply chain," said Ignacio Mieres, head of research at XTB. This scenario has strongly boosted oil prices, which are now consolidating above $100 per barrel, and has been interpreted by the market as a signal of increased risk for global trade flows, reinforcing the perception of a potential inflationary shock. The return to escalating conflict is impacting investor sentiment worldwide. Global stock markets are falling, while Wall Street futures are anticipating losses at the opening: the D…

Shu Meng emphasized the influence of Israel, noting that while it is not directly involved in the negotiations, its strategic position and demands significantly restrict the potential for compromise between the US and Iran

Russian oil has not flowed through the Druzhba pipeline to oil refineries in Hungary and Slovakia since January 27

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sparked a diplomatic row with Israel and criticism at home after comparing Israeli military actions against Palestinians to the Holocaust in a post on social media platform X. The controversy began on Friday after Lee said “wartime killings” by the Israel Defence ‌Forces were “no different from the Jewish massacre” by the Nazis in World War II and reposted footage with a caption that said it showed Israeli troops had tortured and thrown a Palestinian from...

Pakistan’s deployment of an air force contingent at a base on Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast, coming as it mediated talks between Iran and the US, could force Tehran to reconsider its strategy of attacking critical energy infrastructure in the kingdom, analysts say. While purely defensive in nature, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) task force posed a poignant question to Tehran: if hostilities resumed, would it be prepared to risk shooting down warplanes belonging to the peacemaking country it clearly...

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam earlier demanded that the Shiite organization transfer weapons to the Lebanese state and limit its activities to the political sphere within the framework of constitutional provisions

Alexander Maslennikov noted that the continuation of the Middle East crisis could increase the number of people facing hunger worldwide by 45 million, bringing the total to a record 673 million.

The conflict in the region creates risks to Russia’s food security too, Alexander Maslennikov noted

China is pushing a ceasefire in the Iran war as key to the Strait of Hormuz being open to international trade and energy, as US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the oil transit chokepoint. Guo Jiakun, a foreign ministry spokesman, said during a daily press briefing on Monday that the strait was an important channel for international trade in goods and energy, and that “maintaining its safety, stability and unimpeded passage serves the common interests of the...

Faisal Niaz Tirmizi described BRICS as an emerging platform in the global economic landscape

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated that the restoration of the freedom of navigation was of paramount importance for the EU

The US Navy command will face new challenges and threats, Alexander Stepanov said.

AI companies are rationing their offerings and products, rankling users—a warning sign for a boom that depends on rapid adoption.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Holocaust survivors in his office in Jerusalem, on the occasion of Remembrance Day, which is observed on Monday and Tuesday, and assured them that Israel is "hunting down the oppressors" in the context of the regional escalation. "Every year, my wife and I meet with the torchbearers. It is an extraordinarily moving moment because they are giants of the spirit. They endured indescribable suffering, and yet they came to the Land of Israel and participated in our great renaissance," Netanyahu said. "We prevented them from carrying out their plan of annihilation with a force that brought the State of Israel to the peak of its power since its founding," the Prime Minister stated in a statement released by his office on Monday, referring to Iran. "Who would have believed 80 years ago that our brave pilots and our squadrons would be flying over Iran, over Tehran, and not only alone, but also alongside the world's greatest power, flying side by side to attack the oppressor?" he continued. Netanyahu stated that all of this represents a "profound change" compared to the Holocaust experienced by the group of survivors sitting with him in the meeting. "This means that the people of Israel are alive, strong, and powerful. There will be no more Holocaust," he concluded. One of the survivors, Avigdor Neumann, stated that members of his synagogue community...

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife has been charged with influence peddling and private-sector corruption.

The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, confirmed this Monday that the United Kingdom will not join the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, and emphasized that all of London's efforts are focused on achieving the full reopening of this strategic waterway. "What the United Kingdom has been doing in recent weeks is bringing countries together to ensure that the strait remains open, and not closed," Starmer stated in an interview with BBC Radio 5 on Monday. The Labour leader warned about the direct economic consequences of the closure of the maritime route for British citizens. "As long as the strait remains closed or is not freely navigable as it should be, oil and gas will not reach the market. This means that prices will rise. This means that everyone who is listening to us will face higher energy bills. And I don't want that to happen," he said. Starmer also expressed his concern about the impact of the conflict on the cost of living in the United Kingdom, and directly attributed the increase in prices to the actions of Tehran. "The increase in costs is largely due to the actions of Iran in closing, either completely or partially, the Strait of Hormuz," the Prime Minister stated. Starmer's rejection of the blockade comes a day after Trump announced that the United States would take control of the strait "with immediate effect."

According to Deputy Secretary Alexander Maslennikov, a shortage of physical food supplies could emerge by the third or fourth quarter of 2026.

The pontiff stressed that his increasingly strong anti-war statements are not attacks on any one person.

Pope Leo XIV said he has no intention of entering into a debate with the US president

Failed talks between Iran and the United States over the weekend dashed hopes of a swift deal to permanently end the war.

Prime Minister Koichi met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vo Van Thuong, via telephone, exchanging views on the situation in the Middle East and reaffirming their commitment to cooperate in ensuring energy stability for the entire Asian region.

Spending bills with longer timelines offer tempting ways around blockages, but also put changes out of reach

A driver of a car registered in Singapore has been arrested in Johor for allegedly filling up with subsidized Malaysian petrol. This arrest has sparked a wave of online approval from Malaysians, as the government intensifies border controls due to rising fuel costs and concerns about subsidy abuse in the face of a global energy crisis. The arrest follows months of viral social media posts showing vehicles registered in Singapore allegedly filling up with RON95 petrol in the neighboring state of Johor, fueling public anger over the misuse of a subsidy intended for...

Israeli forces fired tear gas towards a group of children trying to walk to school in the occupied West Bank.

Behind most card payments in Europe stand two American giants, Visa and Mastercard – a dependence recently thrust into the spotlight. After issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several judges at the International Criminal Court were sanctioned by Washington, leaving them unable to use their bank cards – even on European soil.

Russia's Lavrov to visit China for talks on Iran-US conflict, Hormuz blockade

OP Pohjola anticipates a slow but gradual recovery for the Finnish economy, although the war could hinder progress.

The Chinese government on Monday called for an "unimpeded passage" through the Strait of Hormuz and emphasized the need to reach an agreement "as soon as possible" to end the war in the Middle East. This statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the waterway following the failure of weekend talks in Pakistan aimed at reaching a peace agreement with Iran. "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for international trade in goods and energy. Maintaining security, stability, and unimpeded passage in the region benefits the common interests of the international community," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun during a press conference. He noted that "the fundamental cause of disruptions to navigation in the Strait (of Hormuz) stems from the conflict surrounding Iran," before adding that "the way to resolve this problem is to achieve a ceasefire and an end to hostilities as soon as possible," according to the Chinese newspaper 'Global Times'. "All parties must remain calm and act with restraint," Guo argued, reiterating that "China is willing to continue playing a positive and constructive role" in reaching a peace agreement that would end the offensive launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran. Trump announced on Sunday, after…

Pope Leo said Monday that he was not scared of the White House, after U. S. President Donald Trump launched a stinging attack on the Catholic church leader. “I have no fear of the Trump administration,” Leo told reporters on a plane to Algeria after sparking Trump’s fury by criticizing the U. S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran. “I do believe in the message of the gospel, as a peacemaker,” Leo said, adding he will “not shy away from pronouncing [that] message.” The pontiff added, “To put my message on the same plane as what the president is attempting to do here is not understanding what the message of the gospel is, and I’m sorry to hear that, but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church.” Trump blasted Leo on Monday, accusing him of being “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy” in a Truth Social post that underscores a widening rift between the White House and the Vatican. In his remarks Monday, the pontiff dismissed Trump’s criticism and said, “I have no intention of having a debate with him.” Senior Italian politicians, for whom Catholics are a key constituency, indirectly backed the pope on Monday, as the diplomatic furor escalates. “May the ministry of the Holy Father help foster the resolution of conflicts and the return of peace, both within and among Nations, following the path laid out by his Predecessors, and provide support and comfort to the Christian communities he will have the opportunity to meet during the journey,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a statement published Monday. “Best wishes to Pope Leo for his apostolic journey to Africa,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. “I greatly appreciated his call for peace in Sudan. His authoritative words further encourage the Italian government’s commitment through humanitarian missions. Words that represent an important contribution to achieving a ceasefire and the end of the civil war after three years of harsh conflict. “We accompany his mission with prayer,” Tajani added.

About one-fifth of U. S. aluminum imports come from the Gulf and the Middle East accounts for about 9% of global aluminum output.

The economist, famously nicknamed "Doctor Doom" for predicting the 2008 financial crisis, has seemingly transformed into a bullish "Doctor Boom" with his latest economic outlook. Nouriel Roubini now predicts that a "Cambrian explosion" of technological advances – including artificial intelligence – could propel the US' potential economic growth to 4 percent by 2030, and as high as 10 percent in less than a quarter-century, overshadowing Middle East oil shocks and other near-term headwinds. Framing AI...

Malaysia ended last week with seven oil tankers en route via the Strait of Hormuz and a government promise that supplies would last through May. Then US President Donald Trump announced a blockade. Analysts say the escalation in the US-Israel war on Iran puts Malaysia on a collision course with an energy crisis sooner than expected. “Putrajaya has already flagged June as a critical pressure point,” said geopolitical risk consultant Asrul Sani, associate vice-president of The Asia Group. “This...

The head of the Catholic Church, who has repeatedly called for an end to the conflicts in Iran and Lebanon, has received sustained criticism from the US president.

LONDON — Britain is not supporting Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Keir Starmer said Monday. The U.K. leader said in a BBC radio interview that he is focused on getting the vital shipping route open. Starmer, who has come under fire from the U.S. president for not providing full military support for U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran, said he is “very concerned” about the impact of the war on people in the U.K. who’ve “obviously played no part,” adding: “I don’t want them paying the price.” “We’re not supporting the blockade,” he said. Starmer confirmed that Britain does have “minesweeping capability,” but declined to comment on “operational matters.” Emmanuel Macron stopped short of explicitly stating his opposition to Trump’s blockade in an online post Monday, instead warning that the conflict in the Middle East must be resolved “through diplomacy.” “We mustn’t spare any effort in order to quickly reach a strong and long-term resolution of the conflict in the Middle East through diplomacy,” the French president wrote. He said he will co-host a conference of countries that want to take part “in a peaceful multinational mission” to restore freedom of navigation in the strait in the coming days. “This mission [will be] strictly defensive and separate from the belligerents, and will be deployed as soon as the situation permits,” Macron said. Trump announced on his Truth Social platform Sunday that the U.S. would be “blo…

The President of the United States accuses Pope Leo XIV of being "soft on crime and incompetent in foreign policy."

Deputy Secretary Alexander Maslennikov stated that Europe is facing the potential loss of traditional imports from the Persian Gulf, and is also unable to increase its own fertilizer production due to rising gas prices.

Elizabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, discusses the latest on the Middle East conflict as talks between the US and Iran collapsed and President Trump threatened to  blockade the Strait of Hormuz. She speaks on Bloomberg Television. (Source: Bloomberg)

The Lobaev Arms company said the system can be used in remote control mode, as well as in a highly autonomous mode, where AI performs most of the calculations and functions

The arrest of opposition politician Umit Erkol on corruption allegations has intensified claims that President Erdogan’s government is using the judiciary to target political rivals in a sweeping crackdown.

Online data is generally pretty secure. Assuming everyone is careful with passwords and other protections, you can think of it as being locked in a vault so strong that even all the world’s supercomputers, working together for 10,000 years, could not crack it. But last month, Google and others released results suggesting a new kind […] The post Quantum computers to break our codes faster than expected appeared first on Asia Times.

US President Donald Trump’s plan for a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to deepen an already unprecedented crisis.

The US president launches an unprecedented attack on Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff's rejection of the Iran war, accusing him of being "weak on crime" and hurting the Catholic Church.

The US announced a blockade against ships calling at Iranian ports, ramping up pressure on the Middle East nation after marathon peace talks over the weekend ended without a deal. Action was due to start Monday at 10am New York time (10pm Hong Kong), according to US Central Command. Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports won’t be affected, it said. President Donald Trump had earlier said that the blockade would cover all ships using the vital waterway. “Any Iranian...

Off the northern boundary of the Spratly Islands, winds howl and waves surge. A Japanese-flagged oil tanker ploughs through these disputed waters in the South China Sea. The Towa Maru, measuring roughly 340 metres (1,115 feet) long and 60 metres wide, rivals an aircraft carrier in sheer bulk. A Chinese satellite locks its gaze upon the vessel, 35,800km (22,245 miles) overhead. Last month, China released a series of undated radar images of the Towa Maru. It marked the first time ever that a...

Rapidly strengthening storm brings destructive winds, flooding risk and dangerous seas to western Pacific The Mariana Islands archipelago in the western Pacific, home to the US territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, is bracing for extreme weather early this week as Super Typhoon Sinlaku approaches. The system originated as a cluster of thunderstorms over the seas of Micronesia before strengthening into a tropical storm and then a typhoon on Friday and Saturday. Continue reading...

PM rejects claim plan is integration with EU ‘by stealth’, saying changes will happen only if parliament passes law UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer has defended plans for the UK to align more closely with some EU rules without parliamentary votes, saying a closer relationship with Europe “is in the UK’s best interest”, particularly given the international turmoil over the Iran war. Speaking to the BBC after the Guardian revealed that ministers were planning to use so-called Henry VIII powers to dynamically align with EU rules by default, Starmer argued that, nearly 10 years after the Brexit referendum, it was time to “look forward”. Continue reading...

We speak to an influential voice on European reform, the former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta, author of a landmark report on the future of the Single Market, presented in April 2024. Two years on, he says many of its recommendations remain unimplemented, warning that continued fragmentation of the Single Market – and by extension the energy market – is contributing to higher costs for the EU amid the war in the Middle East. We also ask him about the EU’s plans for a digital single currency, alongside a report on the issue from our correspondent Alix Le Bourdon.

Singapore is at the sharp end of the energy crisis. Imported natural gas accounts for an estimated 95 per cent of the city state’s electricity generation. According to Nomura, Singapore is the fourth most vulnerable Asian economy to the energy shock emanating from the war in Iran, based on a set of criteria that includes the share of fossil fuels in energy consumption and the proportion of energy imports from the Gulf. Last month, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the...

During a visit to the project, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing stated that a mega-dam in Tibet must prioritize ecological integrity and safety. The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River will be the world's largest hydropower facility and is a key component of China's plans to harness the potential of the Tibetan Plateau by promoting regional growth through green energy and infrastructure. India has repeatedly voiced concerns that the project could lead to water shortages and ecological damage.

PM says opening waterway is ‘vital’ as he rules out any UK involvement in US moves to blockade strait Good morning. The parliamentary recess is over, the Iran war disaster isn’t, campaigning is ramping up because the May elections are less than four weeks to go, and there will be plenty for MPs to discuss as they meet in the Commons this afternoon. The full timetable, as usual, is down below. Keir Starmer is in Greater Manchester this morning, on a visit linked to the English local elections. But he is expected to be in the Commons later giving an update on the UK response to the Iran war, and in an interview on Radio 5 Live a few minutes ago he confirmed that Britain will not join the US in enforcing the new blockade of the stait of Hormuz proposed by Donald Trump. We’re not supporting blockade. The strait is shut or not free for navigation in the way it should be. That means that oil and gas is not getting to market. That means the price is going up. That means everybody listening to this is facing higher energy bills. And I don’t want that to happen. I want their energy bills to be stabilised and lower. And so it is, in my view, vital that we get the strait open and fully open. Continue reading...

Now that the United States has failed to get Iran to accept all its demands, "unattractive options" are what remain for Washington, the TV channel noted

China’s reported decision to halt sulphuric acid exports, together with the failure of peace talks between the United States and Iran over the weekend, risks driving prices higher and disrupting global mining and fertiliser supply chains that have few readily available alternatives. Beijing had indicated it would halt shipments of sulphuric acid from May, according to reports from Acuity Commodities and Bloomberg, though no official announcement has been made. Economists said food security sat...

Trump vowed to block all vessels passing through the Strait after weekend talks with Iran broke down, causing oil and natural gas prices to climb sharply.

The world’s largest water fight erupted across Bangkok on Monday as the three-day annual Songkran festival drew a surge in tourists to a country whose bruised economy badly needed a reason to celebrate. Thailand has refused to let a fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran dampen its traditional New Year’s celebrations, even as prices spike for everything from petrol to ice during the hottest month of the year. The water festival – also known as Thingyan in neighbouring Myanmar and...

The US president accuses Leo of being "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy".