Geopolitical Shifts, Economic Uncertainty, and Rising Tensionsactive

Sergei Lavrov noted that thanks to the interaction between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, bilateral ties show resilience to economic and geopolitical shocks that are increasingly acquiring a military dimension

The pharmaceutical sector is the engine room that drives clinical trial activity and the benefits that go way beyond patient care. Clinical research delivers significant economic growth, and the European Union has the potential to deliver so much more. That’s why it’s good news that the European Medicines Agency (EMA), alongside the European Commission and Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA), have set a new target for increasing clinical trials in the EU. The 11.1 percent target should bring an additional 500 multinational trials over five years. A new report by Frontier Economics, published in February by EFPIA, analyzed this target. It will produce an extra 35,000 clinical trial places for people in Europe, who will be able to access treatments that may otherwise have been unavailable. The economic impact is estimated to be around €4 billion. It’s certainly a good first step toward turning around a decade of decline. Patients in the United States and China, for example, now see the benefit of significantly increased trial places, whereas Europe has lost 60,000 trial places in the past decade. Spain, where Almirall is based, has shown what is possible when the right conditions are in place. In 2023 it overtook Germany as the country with the most clinical trial starts across Europe. In just ten years, our industry investment in clinical trials in Spain has risen at an average annual rate of 5.7 percent, climbing from €479 million in 2012 to €834 million in 2022. The successful and timely implementation of the EU’s Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR) and effective collaborations and improvements to the Spanish healthcare system have made this possible. However, unlike Spain, the EU overall has been slow to deliver the simplifications and incentives needed to compete in attracting clinical trials. Other countries have implemented policies that are successful at attracting clinical research. Patients in the United States and China, for example, now see the benefit of significantly increased trial places, whereas Europe has lost 60,000 trial places in the past decade. Carlos Gallardo This is why the EU must implement policies urgently to bring our clinical trial ecosystem on a par with China and the US. Particularly worrying is the trend for advanced therapeutics such as cell and gene therapy trials. China’s share has soared to 42 percent, while Europe’s has fallen from 25 percent to just 10 percent. Our ask of policymakers is clear: we need streamlined processes to bring more clinical trials to Europe. The current fragmented national procedures must be replaced with a single, harmonized system for clinical trial authorization. Multi-country clinical trials are especially critical, enabling medicine developers in Europe to scale their efforts and compete with global leaders, however, regulatory fragmentation and operational complexity continue to make the EU a less attractive location for conducting clinical research. Uniformly implementing the CTR across all member states and optimizing the Clinical Trials Information System will be critical for success, alongside efficient multi-country trial processes, including coordinated ethics reviews and cross-border patient participation. In recent months EU policymakers have started to realize the potential impact of the EU’s worrying trends. Alongside the EMA target, the Biotech Act pledges to harmonize and speed up the EUs regulatory system — this is undoubtedly a positive step. Could Europe be more ambitious? To highlight the real opportunity to be competitive in clinical trials, EFPIA’s report models two further, more ambitious scenarios that have the potential to take Europe to a completely different level supporting clinical trials, provide early access to developmental treatments and drive economic value. The second scenario would increase trials by 25 percent, taking the EU back to 2013 levels. This would see 79,000 extra patients enrolled in trials, delivering economic benefits of €9 billion and supporting an extra 41,000 jobs. This would be a sign that Europe has taken action to address its current relegation to the second tier in clinical research. It would reflect our collective desire and ambition to reclaim some of the opportunities with clinical trials that have been lost recently. via EFPIA Under a third scenario, the analysis in the report considers the rate of growth in clinical trials in China and North America since 2013. Matching that level of activity would mean doubling clinical trials in Europe. That path would offer an economic boost of €18 billion per year; 82,000 new jobs and 158,000 more clinical trial places for patients. A clear focus on policy changes to make it more efficient to place clinical trials in Europe would see our hospitals at the forefront of innovation, clinicians trained on tomorrow’s treatments today and patients able to access new therapies without leaving the continent. Importantly, the efforts and investment needed to achieve this third and most impactful scenario are modest, but the results and impact would be very significant, putting Europe firmly on the map in the increasingly competitive landscape of life sciences innovation.  It would also signal something even more important: Europe once again has the chance to become an innovation leader in health, the place where science moves rapidly from ideas to therapies. A clear focus on policy changes to make it more efficient to place clinical trials in Europe would see our hospitals at the forefront of innovation, clinicians trained on tomorrow’s treatments today and patients able to access new therapies without leaving the continent. As an industry, we support the EMA’s target. But should we be more ambitious for Europe. Yes, I am convinced we can achieve more if we create the right conditions and Europe´s policymakers act now and with a sense of urgency. Disclaimer POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT The sponsor is European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The entity ultimately controlling the sponsor is European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). This article is linked to the EU Biotech Act. More information here.

According to Aidit, 90% of travel agencies are reporting a decline in demand and an increase in cancellations. European destinations and Italy, on the other hand, are experiencing growth. However, tour operators and organized tours are facing uncertainty and operational challenges.

The commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, stated that the United States has fully implemented a maritime blockade against Iran, effectively halting the country's foreign trade via sea routes in a matter of hours. In an official statement, the military official asserted that "the blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented, while U.S. forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East." Statement from Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander: pic.twitter.com/dJxKJcEcmO — U. S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 15, 2026 Furthermore, he added that, within less than 36 hours of the operation's commencement, "U.S. forces have completely halted economic activity entering and leaving Iran by sea." According to Cooper's explanation, the measure targets a critical point in the Iranian economy, as he stated that approximately 90% of its activity depends on international maritime trade, which would have immediate consequences for the supply of goods and the export of strategic resources such as oil. The operation is being carried out, among other means, by guided missile destroyers of the U.S. Navy, ships with over 300 highly trained crew members specializing in offensive and defensive operations. It should be noted that the U.S. Central Command clarified that the action is being applied broadly, without disti...

The US military said on Tuesday that four people had been killed in a strike on another alleged drug-trafficking boat, marking the fourth such deadly attack in as many days. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that the strike – just as the previous three – occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It posted aerial video on social media showing a vessel bobbing in the water before being struck by a projectile and exploding. The four new fatalities raise the total death toll of the...

Jewellery and cash worth hundreds of millions of ringgit were found in overfilled luggage bags stored in a luxury condominium in Kuala Lumpur during a raid linked to the 1Malaysia Develop­ment Bhd (1MDB) investigation, the High Court heard. The police had found 71 ­luggage bags, a plastic box and more than 200 boxes during the operation at Pavilion Residences on May 17, 2018. Former Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Amar Singh Ishar Singh testified that the sheer amount...

On April 13, France's National Museum of Natural History announced the launch of 'Bugs Matter: les insectes, ça compte!' ('Bugs Matter: Insects Count!'), a citizen science project modeled after a similar initiative that was established in 2021 in the United Kingdom.

The U. S. military conducted its 50th lethal strike against an alleged drug-trafficking boat on Tuesday, killing four “narco-terrorists” in the Eastern Pacific.  The vessel was operated by a designated terrorist organization, transiting along “known narco-trafficking routes” and was engaged in “narco-trafficking” operations, the U. S. Southern Command (Southcom) said. It is unclear which terrorist group the U. S.…

Not all scientists are willing to share why they returned to China. Most remain tight-lipped about their reasons for returning home and their specific experiences because of political or other non-scientific reasons. Professor Zhang Kai is an exception. Zhang, who worked for many years in Cambridge, England, and Yale University in the United States, is one of the world’s top and most influential cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) scientists while harbouring further ambitious goals. “The first...

Carney and Stubb: Two centrist dads trying to save the world The leaders of Canada and Finland are running partners and friends who text each other regularly. Can they build a new transatlantic alliance in the age of Trump? By TIM ROSS and MICKEY DJURIC in OTTAWA, Canada Photo-Illustration by Natália Delgado/POLITICO Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander Stubb were born three years and 4,000 miles apart. But Donald Trump’s detonation of the rules-based order in 2026 has lashed them together as the intellectual leaders of a new counter-movement offering a way for centrist liberals to survive the storm. They are increasingly aligned on the world stage — quoting each other in their speeches and sharing opinions on the broken global order and how smaller countries can cooperate better on defense and market power. They talk in private by phone and text message regularly. Last month, when they found themselves in London at the same time, Carney and Stubb swapped texts and arranged to go jogging together in Hyde Park, somewhat to the surprise of their respective entourages. “We call each other and message quite frequently,” Stubb, a triathlete, told POLITICO in Helsinki a few days later. “We write to each other, we try and reflect what’s going on in the world, so it’s that type of a friendship. And then we can go out on an occasional run as well, which is nice.” “I am not going to be doing any triathlons with President Stubb, that would be quite embarrassing from my perspective,” Carney said Tuesday when asked by POLITICO about the friendship as Stubb arrived in Ottawa for talks. “He is a remarkable individual with many talents.” Carney also said he valued “the deep relationship” and the “alignment” between the two on “a huge range of issues.” Together, he added, the two countries are facing up to the “disorder in the international system to rebuild a better system that works for the people of Canada, the people of Finland and the people of the world.” Nowadays, Canadians and Finns each face hostile and unpredictable neighbors, raising the stakes of diplomacy to existential levels. Carney’s superpower to the south makes ominous jokes about wanting to incorporate Canada as its 51st state and has embarked on an economically damaging war in the Middle East with no clear resolution in sight. Finland’s neighbor to the east is four years into a war of aggression against Ukraine, menacing the waters of the Baltic and targeting countries across Europe with hybrid attacks. Stubb, a 58-year-old liberal conservative with a son and a daughter, and Carney, 61, the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party and a father of four girls, find themselves in power at a profoundly perilous moment for the world. A person who has seen Stubb and Carney together said there was clearly “very good chemistry” between them. “They share a way of thinking and their values, of course, but they also both have an operative mindset that’s geared toward finding solutions,” said this person, granted anonymity to speak freely. This week, Stubb is visiting Ottawa, where the pair will continue their conversations face-to-face. Over meetings and a private working dinner, they are due to reflect on the state of the world, including how to end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the ongoing impact of Trump’s tumultuous second term. Aligned on the world stage on a range of issues, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb skate at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Canada on April 14 where they met members of a women’s professional hockey team. | Andrej Ivanov/AFP via Getty Images As transatlantic relations slip deeper into crisis, the future of what used to be called the liberal world order could depend on the ideas these two centrist dads discuss between themselves. Tackling Trump Stubb and Carney both love hockey. Stubb even watched football on TV with another centrist dad leader, British PM Keir Starmer, on that same trip to London. Like Starmer, both Carney and Stubb are bookish and thoughtful and have enjoyed significant success in life outside politics — Carney as a central banker, and Stubb in diplomacy and academia, as well as high-level amateur sport. “I respect Mark a lot — I think he is one of the most intellectually astute world leaders we have right now,” Stubb told POLITICO. “I think we have a fairly similar background, the difference being that he’s an economist and I’m an international relations buff. We both have our Ph. D.s in our respective subjects and we both share a love of ice hockey. Canada and Finland have always been of similar minds so I’ve been fortunate to land a good relationship with Mark.” But when it comes to Trump, the two men have had different experiences. Carney came to power in 2025 vowing to stand up to Trump and fight for Canadian sovereignty in the face of his territorial and economic threats. Stubb, by contrast, found himself with the label of Europe’s “Trump whisperer” after getting to know the American president on his Florida golf course, and consolidating that relationship with calls, texts and meetings since. Despite his country’s relatively small population of 5.6 million, Stubb has enjoyed outsized influence in Washington, though he says he speaks a little less often to Trump since the outbreak of war in the Middle East. So far, 2026 has been the year of Trumpian geopolitical upheaval, from Venezuela to Greenland, European relations and now the war in Iran. It was also the year Carney and Stubb emerged as the intellectual leaders navigating a potential pathway for allies to survive in a dangerous new era of great power politics. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Carney delivered a speech that shook ski-booted prime ministers and CEOs out of their complacency and forced them to face up to the profound Trumpian rupture of the world order. “Stop invoking rules-based international order as though it still functions as advertised,” Carney declared. “Call it what it is: A system of intensifying great power rivalry, where the most powerful pursue their interests, using economic integration as coercion.” And it was to Stubb whom Carney turned for his solution: “Our new approach rests on what Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland, has termed ‘value-based realism.’” Carney gestures during his landmark speech at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 20. | Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images A week earlier, Stubb had published his latest book on international affairs, “The Triangle of Power: Rebalancing the New World Order.” This is where he set out his idea of “values-based realism” as a tool for navigating the present upheaval. “Our path toward a steadier future starts with seeing the world as it is,” Stubb wrote. “And defining a way to hold our liberal values while working humbly and respectfully with those who do not share them.” Carney was blunt in his conclusion in Davos. “We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldn’t mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy.” Like Stubb, Carney also offered a more hopeful avenue to build something “more just” where the old illusion of a rules-based order used to be. “This is the task of the middle powers, the countries that have the most to lose from a world of fortresses and most to gain from genuine cooperation,” he said. “The powerful have their power. But we have something too – the capacity to stop pretending, to name reality, to build our strength at home and to act together.” The two men agree in their analysis but have differences in style. Where Carney’s oratory rises to impassioned heights, Stubb is proud to be a cool, calm and collected Finn. But they are both convinced that the way forward for countries like theirs is to cooperate. What might this cooperation among middle powers look like? And could it ever be enough to replace American leadership in NATO and other key alliances? In short: a lot of convenient marriages. Centrist dad club When it comes to NATO, of which both Finland and Canada are members, Stubb is clear that European countries must and will club together to deliver security for Europe within the alliance, regardless of whether America walks away. Finnish leaders do not want to undermine the credibility of NATO, which they only recently joined, in part because they are a frontline state facing down Moscow’s simmering hostility toward Europe, sharing an 800-mile border with Russia. In Helsinki last month, Stubb hosted Starmer and a group of other leaders from northern European countries for a day of discussions about defense. Among them was Rob Jetten, the new liberal Prime Minister of the Netherlands, whom Stubb presented with a birthday cake. And dialing in from across the Atlantic, of course, was Carney, who was “fully part of the conversation,” according to one official present during the talks. That grouping, known as the Joint Expeditionary Force, aims to act as a European rapid-response military option to support NATO, though there are suggestions its role could expand. While Canada is not likely to become a full member of the JEF, it may yet formalize its association with the group. Stubb meets U. S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on Oct. 9, 2025 to discuss trade, defense and the war in Ukraine. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Then there is the European Union. During their run in the park in London, Stubb suggested to Carney that he should think about Canada joining the EU, an idea that bubbles up regularly — and apparently enjoys the support of nearly half of Canadians. Carney has said full EU membership is not likely, though he does want deeper trade and security ties with the bloc. And Stubb will be on board with that just as he wants the U. K. to scrap Brexit and return to what he says is its rightful place inside the EU. Amid a tariff war with the U. S., Canada is showing what diversification of alliances really means. It already has a trade agreement with the EU, though not all 27 governments have ratified it yet. But this year alone Carney reached a major trade agreement with China and a clutch of new overarching deals with India, including a 10-year accord on nuclear energy. The Finnish president is bringing a delegation of more than 30 businesses to Canada this week: Companies from defense, maritime and mining industries will be making connections in Ottawa as the two leaders renew their discussions. Endurance tests There are clearly limits, of course. Canada and Finland are medium and small countries, not superpowers, either economically or militarily. Their common values are clear, but the “realism” of their size is equally obvious. To those who struggle to see much hope amid the global upheavals, Stubb suggests staying calm and behaving like a Finn: “Take an ice bath, visit a sauna, and reflect,” as he put it in the introduction to his book. He is an endurance athlete, and often propounds Finland’s concept of resilience, or grit, using a word with no direct English translation: “Sisu.” In the face of Trump’s threats, Carney this month described how millions of small individual acts of solidarity — such as buying Canadian wine instead of imported bottles from California, or taking vacations in Canada rather than Florida — are renewing his country’s strength. “Together they make a statement,” Carney said. “We are the masters of our destiny.” If destiny is also geography, the deepening friendship between Carney and Stubb may owe something to a sense of place. The towns of their birth, Fort Smith and Helsinki, lie on exactly the same latitude: 60 degrees North. Inhabitants of both must endure months of unforgiving cold, with winter temperatures falling below -20 degrees Celsius. And there is surel…

Former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte discussed removing President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr from office and even considered assassination if a supposed power-sharing deal fell apart, a jailed witness told a House impeachment hearing into Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Ramil Madriaga, a self-described political organiser, intelligence operative and bagman who said he had once been close to Duterte-Carpio, made the sensational allegations before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday during...

Taiwan’s political pendulum is reversing. The government led by Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) William Lai Ching-te is increasingly discredited, not least for selling out the jewel of its semiconductor industry to the United States under pressure from President Donald Trump. The Legislative Yuan is controlled by the opposition led by the Kuomintang (KMT). Party politics is now institutionalised into a sustained confrontation between the island’s presidency and its legislature. Now, budgets...

Nvidia has introduced a new open family of AI models called Ising, designed to address two of the most persistent engineering bottlenecks in quantum computing: processor calibration and error correction.

The U.S.-Israeli attack accelerated the rise of hardliners and apocalyptic religious followers, raising doubts about the possibility of a lasting peace.

Warships, helicopters, jet fighters and thousands of servicemembers are enforcing the operation.

Taiwan's leading thermal solution providers reported record revenue in March 2026, as AI-driven demand extended into general-purpose servers and network switches, lifting overall shipments across the sector.

Interior minister is ‘highly determined’ to block US rapper from performing in the southern city in June due to his past antisemitic remarks, sources say France’s interior minister is seeking to block the US rapper formerly known as Kanye West from performing in the southern city of Marseille in June due to his antisemitic remarks, a source close to the minister said Tuesday. The interior minister, Laurent Nunez, is “highly determined” to ban the 11 June concert at Marseille’s Velodrome stadium and is exploring “all possibilities”, the source told Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...

The French carmaker said it would cut up to 2,400 engineering jobs as the company tries to catch up to Chinese electric vehicles in terms of price and production speed.

The USS George H.W. Bush, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has been spotted off the coast of Namibia as it heads south towards the African continent, en route to the Middle East. The deployment of the ship, which departed from the naval base in Norfolk at the end of March, suggests that it will join Operation Epic Fury, where the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is already operating, in the context of the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The route chosen by the USS George H.W. Bush, which skirts the Cape of Good Hope instead of crossing the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal, is intended to avoid the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. These waters have been the scene of numerous attacks by Houthi rebels from Yemen against commercial ships and U.S. military vessels in recent years. Military sources have confirmed that the route allows the U.S. fleet to maintain operational security and avoid the area of greatest risk, where the threat from missiles and drones launched by the Houthis has been persistent. The USS George H.W. Bush will be the third aircraft carrier deployed by the United States in the region in recent months, reflecting the escalation of military activity following the failure of recent negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The USS Abraham Lincoln has already been patrolling the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman since February. In parallel, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy, is...

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that the automatic renewal of a defense agreement with Israel, which was scheduled for this month, will not proceed. Italy has stated its position of not participating in military operations involving the United States and Israel concerning the situation in Iran, highlighting a growing strain in relations with both countries.

In light of the ongoing instability in Iran, which is contributing to rising oil prices, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on the 14th that the government will temporarily suspend tax measures on gasoline and other fuels until September of this year. The Canadian government estimates that this measure will result in a financial burden of approximately 27 billion yen.

Rising US-Iran tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are pushing oil and driving gas prices higher across the United States.

There is no good news. The President's luck is elusive, both domestically and internationally. He faces persistent national inflation, allegations of corruption against libertarian officials, the recent defeat of his Hungarian friend, Viktor Orbán, last Sunday, and, on top of that, the Iranian situation in which his most powerful ally, Donald Trump, is embroiled. Trump did the same to his oldest friend, Mauricio Macri, when Macri was president. He helped him with formal procedures, especially at the International Monetary Fund, but U.S. domestic and foreign policies seriously complicated the second part of the Argentine leader's presidency, which ultimately proved to be his last term in office. Trump also assisted Milei in securing a new agreement with the IMF and supported him when, in September of last year, the Peronist party won the province of Buenos Aires. Trump did something more for Milei: he showed Argentine society a check for $20 billion, but warned that he would only lend it to the current Argentine president. The check would disappear if the Peronist party won the national elections next October. Milei achieved a resounding victory that spring. Adorni had not previously declared the house in the gated community; he has now added it to his declaration, a year late. However, this is the same Trump who has launched a war, still ongoing, against the criminal ayatollahs of Iran. The theocratic regime in Tehran is...

Anja Manuel, Executive Director of the Aspen Strategy Group, discusses US-Iran negotiations, the impact of the Strait of Hormuz blockade on Iran and China, and the outlook for oil prices and shipping. She speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg’s "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)

To the warlords, primarily President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Russian President Vladimir Putin: Enough with the war! The world cannot endure any more killings and the immense destruction caused by acts of aggression motivated by delusions of grandeur, national interests, or state-sponsored terrorism, and the pursuit of immortality and domination. Perhaps ignorance, messianic beliefs, and a lack of virtue in politics are the spiritual cause of the madness we are witnessing. Thousands of Ukrainians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Iranians, and countless other human beings have been killed, entire cities have been destroyed, resulting in millions of displaced people. Interests and geopolitics explain this behavior, but they never justify it. The disregard for norms is not only the non-compliance with international treaties, which is a defining characteristic of the current belligerents' state policies, but also reveals the banality of evil, as Hanna Arendt would say, through the exercise of violence. Trump, without scruples, seeks to maintain the global hegemony of the United States, which, far from achieving this, accelerates its decline; while Israel promotes war in order to expand its territory according to aspirations found in its sacred texts (the creation of the "Greater Israel"); and Russia seeks to rebuild its influence over the territories of the former Soviet Union. These three states...

Chinese robotics companies are increasingly banking on quadruped robots as major revenue drivers, a trend highlighted by AgiBot’s recent decision to spin out its four-legged robotics unit into a new subsidiary called AgiQuad, and Amap’s coming launch of a quadruped model. The move by AgiBot was intended to drive large-scale growth so that the unit would not “live in the shadow of the humanoid robot giant”, Qiu Heng, chief operating officer of the new subsidiary, said at a media briefing last...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and announced a new package of support for Ukraine, which is facing a Russian military invasion. This support includes strengthening Ukraine's air defense systems.

The Spanish prime minister, who is the most outspoken European critic of Donald Trump, has traveled to China four times in three years. Sanchez is an advocate for closer relations between Beijing and the European Union and has secured major Chinese investments for Spain.

China, the largest importer of Iranian crude oil, says that the measure puts at risk a "fragile ceasefire."

Fifty Democrats are backing a bill to create a permanent panel that could remove a president from office without needing the Cabinet's support

Former Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren discusses historic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, the prospect of a second round of talks between the US and Iran, and the outlook for a broader regional peace deal. He speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg’s "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)

Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) discusses whether or not House Democrats’ plan to have ICE not receive additional funding will backfire as the House is looking to vote on a bill that would fund ICE before voting on the Senate’s bill that funds the rest of the Department of Homeland Security. He also talks about whether or not a proposed $1.5 trillion defense spending budget for fiscal year 2027 will pass, and shares his reaction to Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) announcing their resignations ahead of potential expulsion votes. Representative Levin speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power.” (Source: Bloomberg)

In the U. S.-Israeli war on Iran, there is now a U. S. blockade on the Strait of H...

The US naval blockade of Iranian ports is not a tactic to force China to pressure Iran into a peace deal, according to analysts. Rather, the US aimed to end the war through showing its maritime supremacy over the world’s most vital energy chokepoint, they argued. Washington began to enforce the blockade on Monday, drawing threats of retaliation from Tehran. It remains unclear how fully the blockade can be enforced. The US Navy currently has at least 15 ships in the region, including an aircraft...

In Sudan, Africa, it has been three years since the fighting began between the military and paramilitary groups, and reports indicate that over 50,000 people have died. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

Amid ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Muslim organization backed by Iran, the U.S. Secretary of State Rubio facilitated discussions between the ambassadors of both Israel and Lebanon, who are stationed in the United States. The focus now is on whether progress can be made regarding a potential ceasefire and other related issues.

Sexual assault allegations leveled against former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., stood out for their lurid detail — and because the fallout was unusually swift. Within hours after the San Francisco Chronicle dropped a story Friday that accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting a former staffer, over a dozen Democrats had pulled their endorsements of the then-frontrunner for governor of California. CNN followed that evening with a story labeling the former staffer’s accusations as rape and revealing that three additional women were accusing Swalwell of sexual misconduct. He suspended his campaign for governor Sunday, and on Monday, he announced his resignation from Congress. He was out Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET. The outcry made sense, in part, because of the severity of the allegations: The ex-staffer said Swalwell left her vaginally bruised and bleeding; another woman alleged Tuesday that he had drugged her in order to rape her. But the fact that Swalwell, who has denied the allegations, did not remain in Congress while under investigation suggests that American politicians are sensitive to concerns over sexual abuse and misconduct — particularly as the midterms approach against the backdrop of the Epstein files, and Democrats position themselves as defenders of victims as they head into November. “It’s hypocrisy if they don’t” speak out, said Nina Smith, a Democratic communications strategist and former senior adviser to former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacy Abrams. Smith said that the advocacy from Epstein’s survivors, as well as the people who’ve been speaking out online about Swalwell, helped force lawmakers to take a stand on this issue. Related Attorney for Epstein Survivors Warns That Justice Is Impossible With Bondi as AG “It has created this watershed moment on the Democrats’ part to address this issue quickly,” she told The Intercept. “Both parties are recognizing that accountability is something that is at the forefront of a lot of voters’ minds.” In a February poll from Reuters/Ipsos, 69 percent of respondents said the statement that the Epstein files “show that powerful people in the U. S are rarely held accountable for their actions” represented their views “very well” or “extremely well.” Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., said that Democrats have to demonstrate “accountability” even when allegations come up against one of their own. “The work and bravery of Epstein’s survivors helped expose just how deeply these systems are failing us.” “Our job is to center the people who were harmed, to take allegations seriously, and to make sure there are real systems for justice,” Lee wrote in a statement to The Intercept. “The work and bravery of Epstein’s survivors helped further expose just how deeply these systems are failing us — all while protecting perpetrators with money, connections, or status. That legacy demands more from all of us right now.” Still, it’s too soon for Democratic leadership “to be patting themselves on the back,” about Swalwell’s swift rebuke, said Michael Ceraso, a Democratic communications strategist who worked on Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign. He pointed to the level of detail and corroboration in the stories that CNN and the SF Chronicle published, arguing the careful reporting “made it fail-safe for political leaders to do the right thing.” And that doesn’t excuse the people who had heard the rumors and continued to support Swalwell until the allegations were in a newspaper, Ceraso added. “I would call bullshit on people” within his proximity who are “claiming they didn’t know this,” he said. There’s been heavy attention on Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who was long known to be a close friend of Swalwell’s. Gallego claimed Tuesday that Swalwell had “lied to” him — but admitted to hearing that his close friend and colleague was “flirty.” “I definitely look at the world a different way now,” Gallego told reporters. “I certainly am going to make sure that I’m going to take, you know, personal steps and office steps to make sure that we don’t even get close to a gray line.” Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown also alluded to other members of Congress being aware of Swalwell’s actions. “I’m not surprised frankly, because there have been rumors after rumors after rumors, his colleague in Washington pretty much said that. That’s what Adam Schiff said, that’s what Nancy Pelosi said,” Brown told ABC 7. The Democrats, Lee added, cannot ask voters to trust them on this issue if they fail to hold their members accountable when they engage in abusive behaviors. “Accountability has to mean something, even when it is uncomfortable, even when it is one of your own, and even when power is involved,” she wrote. “No one and no party should ask for the public’s trust if it is unwilling to hold itself to the same standard.” The Intercept has not independently verified the allegations against Swalwell. In a statement posted Tuesday, Sara Azari, a criminal defense attorney representing Swalwell, wrote that the former congressman “categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault that has been leveled against him,” calling the accusations “a ruthless and shameless attempt to smear Congressman Swalwell.” The Intercept reached out to Swalwell’s communications staff for comment; a reporter for The Hill wrote Tuesday that the relevant staff members no longer work for him. Azari did not immediately respond to The Intercept’s request for comment. Smith, who spoke out in 2018 about being sexually harassed and assaulted while working in the Maryland state legislature, said she believes that these abuses will continue to happen wherever disparities in power exist. But she was heartened to see how quickly Democrats called out Swalwell, which she said means that survivors have moved the needle on this issue. “Survivors have been the most powerful piece of holding elected officials and officials accountable. … They are the ones who have continued to fight in a way that has made all of this possible,” said Smith. “Ten years ago, we really just talked about this behind closed doors.” The post Swift Swalwell Fallout Suggests the Democrats Have Finally Learned From Epstein appeared first on The Intercept.

After more than 20 hours of high-level negotiations in Islamabad, US Vice-President J. D. Vance confirmed that Washington and Tehran were walking away without a deal. Iran reportedly refused to accept US terms on its nuclear programme, laying bare the deep strategic divides that continue to stall diplomatic solutions to the conflict. However, the venue tells a larger story. India has long been seen as South Asia’s most globally networked actor and has maintained ties with Washington, Tel Aviv,...

The war in Iran is threatening Asia’s rice harvest. Today on the Big Take Asia: What this means for the region’s tables, economies and politics.

Regarding the situation in Iran, U.S. President Trump, in an interview with the media, stated that "something could happen within the next two days," suggesting that negotiations with Iran are imminent and could potentially resume in Pakistan. However, no official statements confirming this have been released by Iran.

Eric Swalwell, California Congressman, resigned from his post amid sexual misconduct allegations, even has his old posts with wife Brittany drew flak.

In the United Kingdom, the energy system operator, Neso, has announced a plan to incentivize households to consume more energy during the summer months, coinciding with peak periods of wind and solar power generation. The program aims to encourage users to take advantage of the abundance of renewable electricity by using appliances and charging electric vehicles when the grid has excess capacity. The goal is to balance the system, avoid overloads, and reduce the need to pay power plants to curtail their production. According to the British newspaper The Guardian, the new system will allow energy providers to offer significant discounts or free electricity during specific hours when renewable energy production exceeds demand. More than two million households already have access to reduced rates during periods of low demand, but this will be the first time that the operator uses incentives to increase consumption and stabilize the grid in real time. Energy Consumption Incentives in Summer Analysts predict that this measure will attract considerable attention this summer, given that the government's limit on energy bills will rise to nearly £2,000 annually starting in July 2024. This increase is due to the rise in international gas and electricity prices, exacerbated by the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran, and the global supply crisis. The energy context...

The economic damage is immediate and threatens the regime if it lasts.

According to the newspaper, these ships included tankers, dry cargo and container carriers

The planned four-day state visit comes at a fraught time in the U. S.-U. K. relationship, following President Trump’s frequent belittling of the British prime minister.

The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) has released a pro-mail-in voting advertisement in response to President Trump's recent criticisms of the practice. The ad, titled "America Needs Vote by Mail," features people from various occupations and backgrounds, including a flight attendant, a college student, and a farmer, explaining their reasons for voting by mail. "Vote…

After Singapore last week, the PM visits supplier of 9% of Australia’s diesel as treasurer travels to Washington for G20 finance ministers’ meeting Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Jim Chalmers will travel to Washington DC this morning to meet finance ministers, treasurers and central bank governors from around the world as the US-Israeli war on Iran wages on. The treasurer said he will continue to call for an enduring ceasefire, an end to the conflict and the immediate re-opening of the strait of Hormuz after peace talks between the US and Iran failed over the weekend. From an economic perspective, a proper end to this war can’t come soon enough. Australians are paying a hefty price for events on the other side of the world. Continue reading...

Departures came after lawmakers from both parties threatened to introduce resolutions expelling the two men US politics live – latest updates Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzales submitted their resignations to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, abruptly ending their political careers amid bipartisan furor over allegations of sexual misconduct against both. Swalwell resigned at 2pm eastern time, while Gonazales’s resignation will take effect at 11.59pm on Tuesday evening, according to the House clerk. Continue reading...

Democrat Senator Ruben Gallego denied being in the alleged video which shows California lawmaker Eric Swalwell kissing another woman.

ECB president says the impacts will pile up as the conflict continues

The Pentagon is sitting on a growing backlog of dozens of proposed US wind farms and withholding authorizations key for developing the power projects.

Mike Waltz also claimed that the United States is ready to continue its naval blockade of Iran until Tehran restores navigation in full in the Strait of Hormuz

Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno spoke on Tuesday afternoon at an Amcham event, stating that the war in the Middle East has economically benefited the country, and he defended Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni, who is under investigation for alleged illicit enrichment. "I am extremely busy at the Foreign Ministry. It hasn't been six months since I arrived. We have an excellent Chief of Staff," Quirno said. Throughout the brief discussion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed various topics, most of which were related to the economic and international landscape of the country. First, he addressed the state of the alliance between Argentina and the United States. "It is very important, something that the President has been working on since he was a candidate. We arrived, we put things in order, and we are projecting ourselves internationally." "In that projection, the alliance with the United States was crucial. It has been a year since Argentina lifted capital controls and since Secretary Bessent's visit. More important than this symbolic support, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury himself, Bessent, said something that went largely unnoticed shortly after: 'If Argentina continues to do things as it has been doing and faces some difficulties, we will be there,'" he recalled. He concluded: "The trade agreement with the United States also saw President Milei as a pioneer in its implementation. It was signed in November and ratified a couple of..."

Contrary to the expectations of Washington and Tel Aviv, various socio-political groups in Iran rallied around the central government, and the most radical opposition forces went deep underground

France's lawyers have been striking in protest over a criminal justice reform that would introduce a guilty plea procedure in order to help reduce court backlogs. Lawyers warn that the procedure undermines the justice system and deprives victims of their day in court.

U.S. warships intercepted six merchant vessels leaving an Iranian port, forcing all of them to turn back, in the initial hours of the U.S. government's operation to counter Tehran's potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to military sources cited by The Washington Post on Tuesday. The U.S. blockade, which went into effect on Monday amidst a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, involves 10,000 U.S. service members, more than a dozen warships positioned in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and a variety of fighter aircraft and drones to monitor commercial vessels in the area, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on social media. More than 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen, along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft, are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports. During the first 24 hours, no ships managed to pass the U.S. blockade, and 6 merchant vessels… pic.twitter.com/dpWAAknzQp — U. S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 14, 2026 CENTCOM reported that no ships leaving Iranian ports have managed to breach the U.S. blockade during its first 24 hours, adding that it is unlikely that coercive measures will be implemented in the Persian Gulf. According to a senior official, more than 15 U.S. warships…

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, says that "none of the participants in today's meetings have the authority to negotiate", adding that "implementing what the Lebanese and Israeli government would like to do is simply not possible. The Israelis cannot destroy Hezbollah and the Lebanese central government is unwilling or unable to take that challenge on".

Israel and Lebanon held their first direct talks since 1983 on Tuesday in Washington, a unprecedented sign of rapprochement in the face of the common threat posed by Hezbollah in the region. Tel Aviv and Beirut have agreed to initiate direct negotiations at a mutually agreed-upon date and location, the State Department said in a statement. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, told the press that the delegations shared a common vision for the future of the region. "We discovered today that we are on the same side. We are united by the goal of liberating Lebanon from Hezbollah," he said after the meeting, which lasted for more than two hours at the headquarters of the U.S. State Department. The Israeli diplomat emphasized that this meeting represents "the beginning of a strong and consistent fight against Hezbollah" and added: "They have never been so weakened as they are now. Together, we will continue to eliminate the threat posed by this Iranian agent, which is so damaging to the region." "We do not want the French involved in this process, or in anything related to peace in the region. They are a negative influence, especially in Lebanon," the Israeli ambassador stated. The comment came after French President Emmanuel Macron called for Lebanon to be included in the regional ceasefire. During the dialogue, Israel and Lebanon discussed the possibility of defining a clear border and...

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) both officially resigned from Congress on Tuesday amid uproar over allegations of sexual misconduct. The House clerk on Tuesday afternoon read notices that Gonzales was resigning effective 11:59 p.m. Tuesday night, and that Swalwell resigned effective 2 p.m. Tuesday. The two congressmen had announced their intentions…

Higher global inflation forecast at 4.4 percent, up 0.6 points, driven by surging oil, gas and fertiliser costs.

U. K. and French plan aims to give shipping companies confidence to use the strait after the fighting ends.

The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that the US-Israeli war on Iran could slow global economic growth, stoke inflation, and increase the possibility of a worldwide recession and energy crisis. The war being waged by US President Donald Trump and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already had wide-ranging negative impacts on the global economy, from soaring fuel […] The post IMF warns Trump’s Iran war could unleash global recession appeared first on Asia Times.

An 86-year-old French woman was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Marie-Thérèse moved from France to the United States last year, rekindling a romance from the 1960s, and is now being held in an ICE detention center in the state of Louisiana. Marie-Thérèse's son, originally from the city of Nantes, raised the alarm after his mother was arrested in Anniston, Alabama, in early April. "They handcuffed her hands and feet as if she were a dangerous criminal," he told the French news outlet Ouest-France. The BBC contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, to request comment on the case. A Long-Lost Love Marie-Thérèse moved to the United States after reconnecting with Billy, an American man with whom she had no contact for 50 years, but who had been her youthful love. They met in the 1960s when Billy was a soldier stationed at a NATO base in Saint-Nazaire, and she worked as a secretary. Billy returned to the United States in 1966. He and Marie-Thérèse lost touch, each married in their respective countries and had children. However, they reconnected in 2010 and visited each other, along with their respective spouses, according to Ouest-France. By 2022, they were both widowed and began a romantic relationship. Billy was a "man..."

UN says hundreds killed by drone strikes over past three months, as medical charity reports two more deaths in Darfur.

Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) said on Tuesday that Russia is the "real winner" of the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, where a disruption of oil exports has contributed to increased prices worldwide. Crow questioned the purpose of ending the blockade, given that "Iran was already blockading the Straits of Hormuz," he told CNN's Kate.

DUBLIN — Ireland’s government suffered a surprise blow Tuesday over its wobbly handling of weeklong fuel-price protests by farmers and truckers — who, over a pint, persuaded a government minister to resign. The surprise announcement from the junior agriculture minister, Micheal Healy-Rae, came during a debate of no confidence in the government of Prime Minister Micheál Martin, whose year-old center-right administration depends on rural independent lawmakers like Healy-Rae to maintain its majority. While the government survived on a 92-78 vote, Healy-Rae’s defection to the opposition benches — where his older brother Danny already sits — delivered the first concrete blow to the government’s hold on Dáil Éireann, Ireland’s parliament. Rising to his feet from the government benches, Healy-Rae said he’d spent Monday night talking to aggrieved voters in the Plough Bar in his County Kerry constituency — and had come away persuaded he should stop supporting Martin. “I met tractor men, lorry men, farmers, telling me how unhappy they were. The leader of the country should have listened,” Healy-Rae told a hushed chamber. “Because I believe this government have let the people of Ireland down, I will be voting no confidence in the leader of the country, and I will be tendering my resignation as a minister of state from now,” he said. Healy-Rae accused the government of lacking sympathy for farmers and truckers struggling to pay runaway diesel prices. “People cried at the protests — and they were workers! They were respectable people!” he shouted. He then exited the Leinster House parliamentary building to cheers from the hundreds of fuel-price protesters, mostly middle-aged men, who had gathered outside behind security barriers. Healy-Rae — who invariably dons an Irish flat cap — is the scion of one of Ireland’s most cunning and colorful political families, profiled by POLITICO back in 2020. He opted to quit government despite Martin’s announcement Sunday night of an extra €505 million package to reduce the cost of gasoline and diesel. The emergency legislation is expected to be approved Tuesday night.

The attack on Corriere: "They don't want to help us with Iran; I thought they had courage." Schlein: "Strong condemnation of the attack on the Prime Minister." Tajani: "Meloni says what she thinks; she will always defend Italy."

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, lashed out this Tuesday at the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, for her recent statements defending Pope Leo XIV and her refusal to participate in the war in Iran, stating that he was wrong to think that the Italian leader "had courage." "She is unacceptable because she doesn't care that Iran has a nuclear weapon, which could blow Italy to pieces in two minutes if it had the opportunity," he explained in a telephone interview with Corriere della Sera, referring to Meloni's statements in which she called his words about the Pope "unacceptable." The President, who had previously been on good terms with the Italian leader, indicated that "it has been a long time" since they last spoke, after stating that Meloni "is very different" from what he thought. "She is no longer the same person," the Republican tycoon replied. "I thought she had courage, but I was wrong," he expressed, adding that "Italy will never be the same country again" and that "immigration is killing" the country and the entire European continent. "They are paying the highest energy prices in the world and they are not even willing to fight for the Strait of Hormuz, from where they obtain it," he said, confirming that he had asked Italy to send "whatever they wanted" to the region, although they ultimately did not. He once again criticized the Pope. Furthermore, Trump intensified his criticism of the Pope, stating...

The field for the upcoming Inside California Politics gubernatorial debate is likely to shift following the sudden exit of Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who dropped out of the race over the weekend amid allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct. On Monday, Swalwell announced he would also resign from Congress. Because the lawmaker led all candidates, regardless…

US President Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump and his wife, Lara, will accompany the president on his trip next month to China, a spokeswoman for the family organization said on Tuesday. Two sources earlier said that members of Trump’s family, including Eric, were considering joining Trump on his highly anticipated May 14-15 visit, potentially to contribute to US-China business relations. The spokeswoman said that Eric, who manages his father’s business empire, would go in a personal capacity. “Eric…

The defeat of Hungary's populist prime minister represents a setback for parties across the right-wing MAGA spectrum, including Trump.

The new round of talks could be held in Islamabad

The BBC obtained testimonies from parents and people who are trying to help children cope with the distress caused by the war.

Jaime Fillol is a respected voice in Chilean tennis. The legendary former tennis player not only had a remarkable career, reaching number 14 in the world, but he is also the grandfather of Nicolás Jarry, who smiled again on the circuit last week after reaching the semifinals at the Madrid Challenger, his best performance in almost two years. He also witnessed firsthand what his grandson experienced at the Rome Masters 1000 in 2024, where he reached the final but also endured a nightmare after his hotel room was violated. This sensitive issue was recently discussed in more detail by María Laura Urruticoechea, Nico's wife. What did you think of Nico's performance in Madrid? I couldn't actually watch him play due to the schedule, but I did follow the results and sent him congratulatory and encouraging messages via WhatsApp. I am very happy because no bad situation lasts forever. At some point, things had to change. And it's great that they did, and I believe Nico is very happy with what he achieved in Madrid. Also, the atmosphere is very nice, and he enjoyed it a lot. I think he is much more at peace, so to speak. And he will start to perform well again, he will start to win more matches. This is the path. He was very close to reaching the final... We are somewhat accustomed to seeing what happens with a sense of suffering, but the good thing is that he is already realizing it himself, as I have heard in his interviews...

Controversial US rapper Kanye West is facing the possible cancellation of his planned June concert in Marseille as France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez moves to block the performance over the artist’s anti-Semitic remarks.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he believes the House will agree that Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) should be expelled from Congress. His comments come just a day after both Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who had been facing allegations of sexual misconduct, announced they plan to leave office rather than face expulsion…

The Iranian president noted that the true essence of civilizations was revealed during pivotal moments in history

Tarek Mitri stressed that Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, who is set to begin talks with Israeli officials in Washington on Tuesday, represents the Lebanese government, not the Shiite organization Hezbollah

A Chinese ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz. "Iran is considering halting shipments through Hormuz to avoid disrupting negotiations." Netanyahu compares Iranian nuclear sites to Nazi extermination camps.

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said that Italy had suspended an automatic renewal of a defence cooperation deal with Israel.

The idea that having access to all the world's information, as Google promises in its value proposition, equates to having knowledge, can be dangerous. This isn't a completely new concept; we've been seeing signs of it for over a decade, but it's become more critical today due to the speed, ease, and dependence we've developed. As early as 2011, studies on the so-called "Google effect" revealed something counterintuitive: when we know information is readily available, we stop remembering it. Our brains don't store the content itself, but rather the path to finding it again. We had become experts in that. It was interesting then, but today, with artificial intelligence (AI) available in seconds and with minimal effort, this phenomenon is amplified dramatically. The most recent evidence is starting to concern many people, and it's no longer just coming from surveys, but from electrodes attached to the head. In 2025, researchers at the MIT Media Lab conducted an experiment where they measured the brain activity of people while they were writing essays. One group used ChatGPT, another used search engines, and a third worked solely with their brains. The results were striking. The group that used AI showed up to 55% less brain connectivity compared to the group without tools, while 83% of the participants who used AI were unable to cite anything from the essays they had just written. The task was completed, but it left no lasting impression. The researchers...

There are times when a relationship breaks down, not with a dramatic confrontation, but with a six-minute phone call. That's what happened on Tuesday between Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni. In a conversation with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the former U.S. president said he was "shocked" by the Italian Prime Minister, claimed he hadn't spoken to her "in a long time," and accused her of allowing America to do the "dirty work" while Italy watches. "She's not the same person anymore," Trump declared. "And Italy won't be the same country. Immigration is destroying Italy and all of Europe." The former president's words were laden with history. Just a month ago, in an interview with the same newspaper, Trump had described Meloni as a great leader who "always tries to help." The turnaround is so abrupt that it's difficult to separate it from its context: Italy has been resisting Washington's pressure to militarily join the conflict in the Middle East for weeks, and Meloni had dared, the day before, to do something that few European leaders had done so clearly: defend Pope Francis against Trump. The Prime Minister had called the attacks by the former U.S. president on the pontiff, who had called for peace in the region, "unacceptable," and added that she would not feel comfortable in a society where religious leaders obey politicians. Trump was quick to respond with…

Masoud Pezeshkian noted that the Islamic Republic abides by international law and is ready to negotiate within that framework

ROME — U. S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday branded Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as “unacceptable” and complained she was “no longer the same person,” a day after she criticized his attack on Pope Leo XIV. In a phone interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Trump said he was “shocked by her. I thought she was brave, but I was wrong.” Asked about Meloni’s comments on Monday calling Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV unacceptable, the U. S. president retorted: “It’s her who’s unacceptable, because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance.” Trump complained that Meloni expected the U. S. to “do the work for her” by protecting Italy from nuclear attack and ensuring the flow of oil. He said the two hadn’t spoken in “a long time.”

Novo Nordisk, the maker of popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, is partnering with OpenAI to deploy the technology across its operations as it looks to keep pace with rapid expansion in the obesity drug market. The Danish company announced in a statement on Tuesday that it would use AI to analyze complex datasets, identify promising drug candidates…

The Ministry of Defence shows little sign of learning from its mistakes – no wonder the Treasury is reluctant to agree to its demands. George Robertson, Tony Blair's first defence secretary, a former NATO secretary general, and the author last year of the latest in a series of evasive strategic defence reviews, accused Keir Starmer on Tuesday of a "corrosive complacency towards defence." He said the prime minister was not willing to make the "necessary investment." Lord Robertson could have directed his criticism elsewhere. He must know that no government department has been so complacent in the face of years of devastating evidence of waste, profligate contracts, and policy decisions that have avoided confronting new but increasingly clear security threats to Britain and other Western countries.

The move by Italy, once considered a strong ally of Israel, reflected growing anger over Israeli aggression in the Middle East. President Trump criticized Italy’s stance on the war.

Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair, has disclosed assets with his wife Jane Lauder that total at least $192 million, though the actual figure for their holdings is certainly much higher.

In 2026, Rolls-Royce will celebrate a significant milestone in its recent history: the triple anniversary of three of its most iconic experimental vehicles, developed during what is known as the Goodwood era. These are the 101EX, 102EX, and 103EX models, which are marking their 20th, 15th, and 10th anniversaries since their debut, representing key stages in the brand's evolution. Unlike traditional concept cars, Rolls-Royce defines its "EX" models as fully functional vehicles developed with a clear purpose: to anticipate concrete solutions based on a deep understanding of its customers. These automobiles do not seek to explore abstract ideas, but rather to embody the brand's future vision in design, engineering, and the luxury experience. The 101EX, presented in 2006, laid the groundwork for future models such as the Phantom Coupé, incorporating innovations that would later become distinctive features, such as the renowned "Starlight Headliner." The 102EX, from 2011, represented the brand's first foray into electrification, serving as a real-world laboratory for electric propulsion technologies that would later pave the way for models like the Spectre. Meanwhile, the 103EX, revealed in 2016, projected a radical vision of the future, imagining a completely autonomous and electric vehicle, focused on an unprecedented luxury experience, where the driver no longer takes center stage and technology is seamlessly integrated...

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he will suspend a fuel excise tax until Labor Day weekend in response to gas prices that have shot up by about 45% in 2026, primarily driven by the Iran war.

US President Donald Trump received a DoorDash delivery from McDonald's to the Oval Office during a press conference where he spoke about Iran and the pope.

The International Monetary Fund has outlined three scenarios for further global economic developments, taking into account the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran

The US Treasury Department’s technology team is seeking to gain access to Anthropic PBC’s Mythos AI model so it can begin hunting for vulnerabilities, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Annika Albrecht recounts her unsettling experience with Rep. Eric Swalwell, who allegedly sent her inappropriate messages and invited her to a hotel.

Donald Trump had to retract a statement on Monday after facing criticism from his evangelical Christian allies for sharing an image that appeared to depict him as Jesus Christ healing a sick man. In a typical Trump move, the U.S. president did not apologize for the picture but instead told the media that, "I thought it was me as a doctor." His explanation sparked ridicule on the internet and prompted us to consider the greatest political excuses ever. Here are 10 of the best. "I don't sweat" In 2019, then-Prince Andrew gave a televised interview on BBC addressing allegations that he had sexual relations with Virginia Giuffre on multiple occasions. Giuffre, one of the women who accused convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein of exploiting her, claimed that, during one encounter, Andrew had been sweating heavily while dancing with her. Andrew denied the encounter. He then went further in the now-notorious interview, offering what he presented as evidence, saying that he was unable to sweat at the time due to a medical condition, which resulted from an adrenaline overdose when he served in combat as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. As he put it, "There's a slight problem with the sweating, because I have a peculiar medical condition, which is that I don't sweat—or I didn't sweat at the time." Thought it 'was a work event' Let's cast our minds back to May 2020, when people across the U.K. were living under strict Covid lockdown...