Iran Regional Tensions and Falloutactive

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...

Chinese energy storage firm Sigenergy has ignited a market frenzy with its initial public offering (IPO) plan in Hong Kong, drawing an oversubscription of over 1,000 times, while its listed peer Guoxia Technology enjoyed a rally, as the duo capitalise on the artificial intelligence boom. Shanghai-based Sigenergy, which aims to raise HK$4.4 billion (US$561.6 million) in its IPO, is expected to be 1,414 times oversubscribed, as retail investors borrowed HK$358.6 billion from 17 brokerages,...

Senator Tim Scott says a confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair, will be held next week. Punchbowl reports it will take place on April 21. This morning, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said Warsh "would be a great candidate." Bloomberg's Dani Burger reports. (Source: Bloomberg)

Another key site halted by drone strikes just as Baltic terminals ramp up

In the wake of the US blockade on Iranian ports, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has called for freedom of navigation in international waters to be respected. He spoke to RFI about France's proposal for a peaceful, multinational mission to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the necessity of a ceasefire in Lebanon, as well as developments in Hungary and Sudan.

France and the UK will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the French president's office said.

Rome froze its defence deal with Israel on Tuesday after an incident in Lebanon involving a UN peacekeepers convoy and sharp criticism from Antonio Tajani over attacks on Lebanese civilians in Israel's ongoing war against Hezbollah.

Changes follow concern that original code created a legal minefield for organisations implementing it The equalities watchdog has updated its guidance on how to implement the supreme court ruling on gender after the government requested changes to the original proposals submitted last year. In a statement, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said that after “feedback” from the government, as well as consultation responses and extra legal advice, it had made changes to what is officially known as the code of practice. Continue reading...

Malaysia’s government has urged the public to be ready to tighten their belts over an extended period, with the full effects of the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war expected to kick in as soon as June after the country’s economic buffers run their course. Domestic gas production and costly fuel subsidies have so far shielded the country’s population of 34 million from most of the fallout from the war, which has choked supply for 25 per cent of global seaborne oil trade and nearly a fifth...

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. During a speech in Poland’s parliament, far-right politician Konrad Berkowicz displayed an Israeli flag in which the Star of David had been replaced with a Nazi swastika. He accused Israel of being the “new Third Reich” and of committing genocide in Gaza. Berkowicz’s actions were condemned by the parliamentary speaker, while an MP from Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s ruling coalition called for prosecutors to take action. Polish MP Konrad Berkowicz compares Israel’s crimes against humanity to those of the Third Reich and displays an Israeli flag with a swastika. Israel is the new Third Reich! pic.twitter.com/Uo8GBcgQcc — Sławomir Mentzen (@SlawomirMentzen) April 14, 2026 Konrad Berkowicz is a member of Confederation (Konfederacja), a far-right opposition group that has 16 MPs in the 460-seat Sejm, the more powerful lower house of parliament. Speaking from the parliamentary rostrum, Berkowicz declared that “the number of children who have died [in Gaza] is dozens of times higher than during the entire war in Ukraine”. He said that Israel had used phosphorus munitions against civilians, causing enormous suffering. “Israel is committing genocide before our eyes with particular cruelty. Israel is the new Third Reich, and its flag should look exactly like this,” declared the MP, before pulling out a modified version of Israel’s flag with the Star of David replaced by a swastika. Clips of Berkowicz’s speech were shared on social media by official Confederation accounts, as well as by the personal account of one of the group’s leaders, Sławomir Mentzen, who wrote in English: “Israel is the new Third Reich!” Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads The speaker of the Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, condemned Berkowicz’s stunt. “Displaying the swastika in the Polish Sejm is in no way justified,” said Czarzasty, quoted by broadcaster TVN, which also reported that cries of criticism could be heard from other MPs in the chamber. Speaking immediately after Berkowicz, Sławomir Ćwik, an MP from the ruling coalition, called on Czarzasty to forward a transcript of the speech to prosecutors so that they could initiate criminal proceedings. Under Polish law, displaying Nazi symbols is punishable by up to three years in prison if they are used to “promote a Nazi…system of state or incite hatred based on national, ethnic, racial or religious differences”. Even without displaying symbols, the promotion of hatred based on such differences is a crime under the same law. During the Nazi-German occupation in World War Two, around 17% of Poland’s population was killed, a higher proportion than any other country during the war. Around half of those roughly six million victims were Polish Jews. Six people who were filmed celebrating Hitler’s birthday in Poland while wearing Nazi uniforms and saluting in front of a burning swastika have been found guilty of promoting fascism https://t.co/SYPqn3nMd3 — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) June 1, 2022 Berkowicz’s actions were also condemned by the US ambassador to Poland, Thomas Rose, who previously spent seven years as publisher and CEO of the Jerusalem Post and is a vocal supporter of Israel. “SHAME SHAME SHAME on YOU!!, wrote Rose on social media, sharing Mentzen’s clip of Berkowicz’s stunt in the Sejm. “Maybe even you have noticed that we Jews aren’t so easy to push around anymore, are we? We defend ourselves with all our strength without apology — we stand with our friends and we know how to fight and defeat our enemies!!!” added the ambassador. SHAME SHAME SHAME on YOU!! Maybe even you have noticed that we Jews aren’t so easy to push around anymore, are we? We defend ourselves with all our strength without apology — we stand with our friends and we know how to fight and defeat our enemies!!! https://t.co/3nZUDTfKKs — Tom Rose (@TomRoseIndy) April 14, 2026 In 2023, far-right MP Grzegorz Braun – who was then part of Confederation but has since split from the group – attacked a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hannukkah in the Sejm with a fire extinguisher. His actions were widely condemned by other political parties, and Braun is currently on trial over that incident as well as a number of other alleged crimes. Last year, Confederation submitted a resolution to parliament that condemned both “the criminal terrorist attacks by Hamas against the civilian population of Israel” as well as “the criminal and genocidal actions against civilians carried out by the Israeli armed forces in Gaza”. However, it has not been voted on by the chamber. The far-right Confederation party has submitted a resolution to Poland’s parliament condemning Israel’s “genocidal actions” in Gaza, as well as the “criminal terrorist attacks by Hamas”. It has called on other parties to adopt the resolution in a vote https://t.co/mrbIuzlhAK — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) October 7, 2025 ​ 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: Slawomir Kaminski / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

Iran earned $5bn in oil exports in past month while it shut the strait for most other ships. That revenue is at risk.

As for the outcomes of this negotiation between Lebanon and the Israeli enemy, the Shiite Hezbollah movement is not interested in or concerned with them at all, Wafiq Safa said

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government has suspended Italy's defence cooperation agreement with Israel amid rising tensions between the two countries after Rome accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

France’s interior minister is seeking to block US rapper Kanye West from performing in the southern city of Marseille in June due to his antisemitic remarks, a source close to the minister said on Tuesday. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is “highly determined” to ban the June 11 concert at Marseille’s Velodrome stadium and is exploring “all possibilities”, the source said. West, 48, has been heavily criticised for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. Britain has...

The Strait of Hormuz carries a significant share of the world’s energy and agricultural inputs. Disruptions since the outbreak of hostilities between the US and Iran are constraining flows of oil, gas and fertilizer, with ripple effects reaching far beyond the Middle East. As the US begins its naval blockade of Iran’s ports, America's farmers are already feeling the repercussions, a few weeks out of the start of planting season.

In recent years, the American rapper has lost many fans and several commercial contracts following antisemitic and racist remarks. In early April, British authorities also decided not to allow him to enter the United Kingdom.

The United States is planning a fuel depot in southern Philippines to support humanitarian and maritime security missions for its long-time ally in Asia, as part of a growing network of forward-based refuelling hubs in the Western Pacific. Located far from the disputed reefs at the center of Manila's maritime dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea, the depot marks what one observer called a "more mature and more serious stage" in the US-Philippine alliance: a shift from base access and...

Italy's agreement with Israel concerned cooperation in defense industries, as well as the education and training of military personnel.

Experts say any short-term financial benefit will be outweighed by long-term health costs related to obesity Faced with high demand for GLP-1 drugs, some American cities and states that previously covered the cost of the weight-loss medication for low-income residents and public employees have now started to restrict or eliminate coverage. The pullback stems from the dramatic increase in public spending on drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy in recent years. Continue reading...

She joins other former Republicans and Trump administration officials running for office as critics of the president. The district would open up if voters approve a new map.

President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair the meeting to discuss a plan to 'restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when security conditions allow.'

The number of non-local students admitted to Hong Kong’s public universities with Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) qualifications has risen fivefold in four years, according to the Education Bureau. By comparison, the number of local DSE candidates who qualified for those universities fell by 5 per cent over the same period, the bureau said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, universities admitted more students with non-DSE certificates who paid higher tuition fees, sparking concerns regarding social...

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. Poland’s justice minister has ordered prosecutors to launch a criminal investigation into advisors to opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki for their role in Nawrocki’s decision not to swear in constitutional court judges appointed by parliament. The individuals, who have not been named, are suspected of aiding and abetting the president in the crime of abuse of power. However, a senior presidential aide has called the accusations “ridiculous”. Prokurator Generalny Waldemar Żurek polecił wszcząć śledztwo w sprawie pomocnictwa do niedopełnienia obowiązków i nadużycia uprawnień w związku z bezpodstawną weryfikacją wyboru sędziów Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. ⬇️https://t.co/UfzsOoS5OH — Prokuratura (@PK_GOV_PL) April 13, 2026 Last month, the government’s majority in the Sejm, the more powerful lower house of parliament, chose six new judges to fill empty seats on the Constitutional Tribunal (TK), a body that is at the heart of Poland’s rule-of-law crisis. However, under the law, new TK judges can only take up their position after “taking an oath before the president”. Yet Nawrocki, instead of swearing in all six judges, only invited two of them to the presidential palace, leaving the other four in limbo. The government and many legal experts have argued that those actions were unlawful: the president has no role in choosing TK judges; therefore, if he accepted the validity of two of the six – all of whom were elected by parliament at the same time – he should also have sworn in the other four as well. The chief justice of the constitutional court has refused to accept four new judges appointed by parliament but whom the opposition-aligned president has refused to swear in. The decision deepens an unprecedented standoff over Poland's top court https://t.co/B02DKA3uBL — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) April 9, 2026 At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Waldemar Żurek, who serves as both justice minister and prosecutor general, announced that he had instructed prosecutors to investigate those who had advised Nawrocki not to swear in all six judges. “The president…[acted] outside the law and in violation of the constitution,” said Żurek, quoted by news website 300Polityka. Nawrocki has no right to “choose who he likes best” out of the judges elected by parliament, he added. Later on Monday, the National Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Żurek had ordered an investigation into the offence of aiding and abetting the commission of a crime, which in this case was alleged abuse of power by the president (which carries a potential prison sentence of up to three years). Żurek noted that, as president, Nawrocki himself does not fall under the normal criminal process. Instead, if he were to be investigated, it would be under the purview of the State Tribunal, a special judicial body empowered to punish the highest officials of the state. Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads Neither Żurek nor the prosecutor’s office named any specific individuals who are to be investigated. The justice minister said only that he “hopes we will identify those who helped the president in this behaviour”, some of whom have already “publicly revealed themselves”. The prosecutor’s office said that those who had advised the president not to swear in all the judges had potentially acted to the “detriment of the private interest of judges…and the public interest in the proper functioning of the judiciary, and thus democracy in Poland”. “Upon their election by the Sejm, these persons acquired the status of judges of the Constitutional Tribunal, and any actions aimed at delaying or preventing the taking of the oath and, as a result, the taking of judicial actions should be considered legally inadmissible,” they added. President Nawrocki has received the oaths of two new constitutional court judges – the first in almost four years, amid a standoff between the government and opposition. However, he refused to receive the oaths of four other judges chosen by parliament https://t.co/61NqAF3v3R — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) April 1, 2026 Neither the president nor his chancellery have addressed the specific accusations against them so far. However, the head of Nawrocki’s International Policy Office, Marcin Prydacz, did make two social media posts in response. “Polish Minister of Justice (appointed by D. Tusk) has just indicated that he has instructed the prosecutor’s office to launch an investigation into individuals who have recently actively ADVISED the President of the Republic of Poland,” he wrote in English. “Are these the standards of liberal democracy, Mr. Prime Minister Donald Tusk?” In the other post, written in Polish, Przydacz declared: “The worst moment for any politician is when he becomes ridiculous. Mr. Żurek crossed those boundaries a long time ago.” Meanwhile, opposition politician and former deputy justice minister Michał Woś – who is himself facing trial for abuse of power and other alleged crimes – told the Do Rzeczy news magazine that it is a “scandal” that Żurek is seeking charges against advisors for simply doing their job by advising the president. Polish Minister of Justice (appointed by D. Tusk) has just indicated that he has instructed the prosecutor's office to launch an investigation into individuals who have recently actively ADVISED the President of the Republic of Poland. Are these the standards of liberal… https://t.co/hGsaPeO8Y7 — Marcin Przydacz (@marcin_przydacz) April 13, 2026 Last week, the four judges whom Nawrocki had failed to swear in decided to organise their own ceremony in the Sejm, where they took their oath of office. They invited the president to attend, but he refused to do so and has described the entire process as unlawful. Nawrocki’s position was endorsed by the chief justice of the Constitutional Tribunal, Bogdan Święczkowski, who is also aligned with the right-wing opposition. While he has accepted the two judges sworn in by Nawrocki, he says he will not recognise the remaining four until they take their oath before the president. Poland’s rule-of-law crisis took a new twist today as parliament – which is controlled by the ruling coalition – hosted the swearing in of four constitutional court judges whose oaths opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki has refused to receive https://t.co/9Mu8tSrCxw — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) April 9, 2026 Main image credit: Mikołaj Bukaj/KPRP

Diamond-studded necklaces, golden pectorals and ceremonial smallswords are among about 200 jewellery and decorative pieces, covering 4,000 years of history across five continents, to be showcased in Hong Kong from Wednesday. Titled “Treasures of Global Jewellery from the Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Body Transformed”, the show at the Hong Kong Palace Museum marks the US institute’s first major travelling showcase of its jewellery collection. About 200 exhibits have been selected from the...

Due to the current situation in Iran, which is making it difficult to procure solvents necessary for painting, an industry association composed of painting companies submitted a petition to the government on the 14th, requesting action. The impact is spreading due to difficulties in procuring petroleum products.

After a month and a half spent living under the threat of drones, residents of Iraqi Kurdistan are exhausted. Just 24 hours before the ceasefire, a civilian was killed in a drone attack blamed on Iran by Kurdish authorities. In total, around 700 drone and missile attacks have targeted US positions and certain Kurdish interests. Victims' loved ones are devastated by the war between Iran and the United States, of which they are the indirect victims. FRANCE 24's Marie-Charlotte Roupie reports, with Josh Vardey.

The war with Iran is not just a geopolitical conflict. We see religious rhetoric used to cast strategic interests as a moral or sacred matter. US House Speaker Mike Johnson described Iran’s majority faith tradition, Shiite Islam, as a “misguided religion” while discussing the ongoing US strikes against Iran on March 4, 2026. A complaint […] The post Medieval Christian tropes inflaming Islamophobic Iran war debate appeared first on Asia Times.

The United Nations has criticized the decision by Israel's security cabinet to approve another 34 settlements in the West Bank, stating that this is part of a surge in the construction of these structures, "extending and solidifying" the annexation of Palestinian territory by Israeli authorities. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed "grave concern" over this information and highlighted that this figure would be "the largest approved at once," according to a statement released by his office through social media. "This continues the marked upward trend in the illegal construction of settlements, which extends and solidifies the Israeli annexation of occupied Palestinian territory," he warned, before emphasizing that the Israeli government must halt this type of action. "Israel must immediately cease the establishment and expansion of settlements, and reverse its settlement policies by evacuating all settlers and ending the occupation of Palestinian territory," Türk concluded. The Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, along with human rights organizations such as Yesh Din and Peace Now, revealed last week that the Israeli security cabinet had approved the creation of 34 new settlements in the West Bank. The decision was reportedly made at a meeting held several weeks ago, according to the Israeli newspaper "The Times of Israel," but the...

Washington’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is threatening to tip Asia into its worst energy crisis in living memory, with peace talks on the Iran war stalled and no clear timeline for when oil flows might resume. The United States moved to seize control of the flashpoint waterway on Monday night, with US President Donald Trump framing the move as a way to force Iran to open the strait and accept a deal to end the war. Iran responded by threatening all ports in the Persian Gulf and the...

At a top-level meeting of her 26 department chiefs in March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quietly approved a plan to stop EU funds from going to clean technology projects containing Chinese inverters. Inverters are the essential power electronics at the heart of solar and wind systems. Industry groups estimate that Chinese companies led by Huawei Technologies control more than 220 gigawatts of Europe’s installed solar capacity via the devices. The commission wants to...

Even with a U. S. blockage, geography gives Iran an edge in the Strait of Hormuz, shaping control of a vital global chokepoint.

A leading sovereign wealth fund from Central Asia has expressed confidence in Chinese debt and the country's currency by becoming the first institution from the region to sell yuan-denominated bonds, known as panda bonds, in China's domestic market. The decision by Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, to sell 3 billion yuan (US$440 million) in China's interbank market comes as global investors are seeking safe havens amid geopolitical uncertainties such as the war in Iran. The...

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers that Donald Trump abandoned in 2018 — achieved in its three years of full implementation what neither threats, nor war, nor even Saturday’s brief peace negotiations in Islamabad have managed to accomplish now. Back then, after 10 years of European mediation, two years of negotiations, and the signing of that pact, Tehran opened its nuclear facilities to a strict regime of international inspections, eliminated 97% of its highly enriched uranium stockpile, and committed to not enriching that mineral above 3.75% (the level necessary to produce electricity, but not nuclear weapons), in exchange for relief from international sanctions. Seguir leyendo

He is accused of allegedly using public resources to benefit private interests.

Danish pharma company Novo Nordisk has announced a partnership with OpenAI to apply artificial intelligence across its drug development process.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday pledged to strengthen relations with the EU following a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Beijing. “Let us establish a stronger bond between China and the European Union,” Xi said at the Great Hall of the People. “If these powers understand each other and cooperate, it will benefit their societies and also contribute to the stability, peace, and prosperity of the world in this delicate international climate.” Xi also recognized Sánchez as a key interlocutor between Beijing and Brussels, and said that, amid complicated global relations, Spain and China had worked to forge close ties that were “contributing to the stability” of his country’s broader relationship with the EU. In an apparent swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump, who has clashed with Sánchez over his refusal to back Washington’s foreign policy and the ongoing war in the Middle East, the Chinese president praised Spain for being a country that acts “with moral rectitude.” He added that both Madrid and Beijing were “on the right side of history” and committed to work with the Spanish prime minister to “reject the world’s return to the law of the jungle” and “jointly defend genuine multilateralism.” The meeting between Xi and Sánchez took place prior to a state banquet honoring the Spanish leader, who is on his fourth visit to Beijing in as many years. The premier has long advocated for stronger ties with China and…

Exports from China to Russia rose by 22.1% in the reporting period to $27.66 bln

Following Trump's attack on Pope Leo.

The first disruptions began around six o'clock, and cancellations also affected some regional trains.

Unlike his predecessor, Pope Leo XIV enjoys growing support from a broad swath of conservative Catholics.

The rising star in global centrist politics has secured a majority in the Canadian Parliament. Critics are alleging wrongdoing.

The Danish government has contributed more than $250 million to Mykolaiv, as the Trump administration pushes a more business-focused plan.

The vice president, following Trump's attack on Pope Leo.

Lebanese and Israeli representatives are set to meet in Washington Tuesday for US-mediated talks on ending the war in Lebanon, although Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has said will not abide by any agreements that may result from the negotiations and called for them to be canceled.

The US president claimed, against all plausibility, that the image he posted on social media showed him as a doctor, but he was forced to take it down. The post, along with his lengthy tirade against Leo XIV, left the faithful stunned.

BARCELONA, Spain—Under intense scrutiny of the global semiconductor supply chain and European security concerns, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

The world is undergoing a transformation of historic proportions. Geopolitical rivalry, economic restructuring and technological acceleration are converging to reshape the global order. These changes transcend the logic of any single nation, industry or moment in time, exerting profound influence on international politics, geoeconomics, industrial structures, capital flows and investment strategies. For Hong Kong, this “great change unseen in a century” is not an abstraction. It is a pressing...

As China looks to central Asia for more energy supplies to offset shipping disruptions amid the Iran war, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang will travel to Turkmenistan to visit local gas fields and to attend a bilateral cooperation meeting. Ding, who is China’s top-ranking vice-premier, will kick off his three-day visit on Wednesday by attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, Xinhua reported. Ding will also...

As of the end of last year, there were slightly fewer people in debt enforcement proceedings, but the average amount of debt they carried was higher than the same period in 2024.

The U.S. Vice President, a Catholic, openly defends Trump in his conflict with the Pope. He also criticizes the Pontiff. Jesuit priest James Martin stated: "This is exactly what Prevost is doing, expressing opinions on matters of morality, such as war and peace, and the care for the poor, the hungry, and migrants."

Teddy Indra Wijaya noted that the meeting between the countries’ leaders reflects a strengthening of bilateral relations over the past year