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Apr 24, 2026
Ex-CIA director skewers Trump's 'unforced errors': 'Didn’t have to dig the hole this deep'
President Donald Trump's ceasefire deal with Iran has been heavily criticized by a former Central Intelligence Agency director. William J. Burns, who served as the CIA's director from March 2021 to January 2025, profiled the key problem of Trump's current negotiating position with Iran. Trump sought to achieve regime change in Iran and potentially control the country's uranium resources when his administration first launched strikes. The admin framed the conflict as necessary for regional security and to counter perceived Iranian threats. However, analysts noted Trump's motivations extended beyond geopolitical strategy.The conflict also aligned with the ideological priorities of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other hardline advisors who promoted Christian nationalist justifications for military action. Burns wrote in The New York Times, "These unforced errors have already done a great deal of strategic damage. But, with a fragile cease-fire extension in place and the flickering potential for resumed negotiations, there is a chance to limit the harm. Three essential lessons from the past eight weeks can help Mr. Trump salvage America’s interests."This lesson is not about fatalism or avoiding tough choices. It’s about what you can accomplish at an acceptable cost to other priorities, both foreign and domestic. "Perfect is rarely on the menu in diplomacy, especially with a ruthless, ideological, and entrenched regime. Decapitating leadership can seem like an appealing shortcut, but as this administration quickly discovered in Iran, it can be an illusion."Burns went on to suggest the longer-term impact of Trump's war with Iran had emboldened world leaders in their own conflicts. He wrote, "The war has also thrown a lifeline to Vladimir Putin, resulting in more energy revenue and diminished U.S. military inventories at a time when Ukraine had been making progress on the battlefield and the Russian economy was facing its own dire straits. "Xi Jinping appears to believe the conflict has put China on higher strategic ground as Mr. Trump prepares to visit Beijing in mid-May, giving Mr. Xi an opportunity to extract concessions on trade, technology and Taiwan. And there will be longer-term challenges in the global economy, with a significant lag in impact even if a cease-fire is sustained."We didn’t have to dig the hole this deep. Fortunately, there’s still time to put our shovel down, learn some hard lessons, and apply them with a little more humility."
Apr 24, 2026
Ice block stalls hundreds of Everest climbers at base camp
Officials assessing route after serac between base camp and camp one deemed unstable and too risky for climbers A large ice block on the route just above the Mount Everest base camp has forced hundreds of climbers and local guides to delay their attempt to scale the world’s highest peak.The serac between base camp and camp one was unstable and risky for climbers, said Himal Gautam of Nepal’s department of mountaineering on Friday. Continue reading...
Apr 24, 2026
Anthony Albanese accused of ‘caving to gas companies’ as Labor set to reject new export tax
David Pocock says prime minister – who is trying to shore up fuel supplies – is parroting industry talking pointsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor is poised to reject a growing push for a new 25% tax on gas exports in next month’s budget, prompting David Pocock to accuse the government of “caving in” to the gas industry.It’s understood the government has elected not to pursue a new tax on gas exports in the budget, prompted in part by the global oil crisis and Anthony Albanese’s diplomatic efforts in shoring up fuel supply from Asian allies by pledging reliable access to liquefied natural gas. Continue reading...
Apr 24, 2026
India voices anger after Trump shares comments calling it a ‘hellhole’
Foreign ministry calls remarks of rightwing podcast host shared by Trump ‘uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste’The Indian government has denounced a social media post shared by Donald Trump that described India as a “hellhole”, calling the comments inappropriate and “in poor taste”.On Wednesday, Trump posted a four-page transcription of remarks made by the conservative podcast host Michael Savage that denounced the US constitutional right to citizenship of everyone born in the country. Continue reading...
Apr 23, 2026
Irate Trump gives reporter a tongue-lashing over 'stupid question' about nuking Iran
President Donald Trump fired back at a reporter who asked if his recent social media posts about destroying Iran are also a threat to use nuclear weapons in the conflict."Why would I use a nuclear weapon? Why would a stupid question like that be asked?" Trump fired back in the Oval Office on Thursday when a reporter asked him to explain his social media posts threatening Iran. "Why would I use a nuclear weapon when we've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it? No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."The reporter was cut off before she could read out which social media posts by the president sound nuclear. Trump had a confusing and ominous Easter post where he told Iran, "Open the [expletive] Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah."Trump also said he'd "obliterate" Iran in March. He's also given vague deadlines to open the Strait of Hormuz that have been pulled back.
Apr 23, 2026
'You're such a disgrace': Furious Trump doesn't take kindly to reporter's question
President Donald Trump attacked a reporter during a press conference in the Oval Office on Thursday. Trump was taking questions from reporters following a press conference on prescription drugs, TrumpRx and affordability when he became visibly irritated by press inquiries surrounding the ongoing Israeli-U.S. war against Iran. The reporter asked Trump if he anticipated gas prices would continue to increase while the conflict continued in the Middle East."What do you say to the American people who question how much longer this will take? Obviously you know they're having higher gas prices," the reporter said. Trump had a frustrated response and insulted the reporter to her face, dodging the question entirely. "You're such a disgrace. Did you hear what I just said? How many years was Vietnam?" Trump responded. Q: What do you say to the American people who question how much longer this will take? Obviously you know they're having higher gas pricesTRUMP: You're such a disgrace. Did you hear what I just said? How many years was Vietnam? pic.twitter.com/foZAPiQePS— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 23, 2026
Apr 23, 2026
Trump orders up new 'shoot and kill' operation in Strait of Hormuz
In yet another sign that things are not going well despite all his predictions that the war with Iran is about to come to a close, Donald Trump is threatening more violence in the Strait of Hormuz where the Middle Eastern country has the upper hand.The war, which the president claims the US has already won, has now been raging since the beginning of March and, despite White House announcements of a ceasefire, it continues with constant skirmishes.That type of fighting appears to be accelerating with a presidential announcement on Truth Social on Thursday morning.“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation,” he wrote. He added, “Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Apr 23, 2026
The only three people Trump listens to have him trapped in a 'quagmire': MS NOW panel
Donald Trump’s Iran problem is not going away and maybe worsening, and he can thank the only three people who seem to have his ear, according to the panel on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe.”With the Strait of Hormuz still caught up in a stranglehold as a result of the president’s unprovoked war on the Middle Eastern nation, Trump has been fuming at the current state of affairs that is costing him MAGA support and has an increasing number of GOP lawmakers looking for a way to rein him in.According to co-host Joe Scarborough, the president’s refusal to listen to Pentagon experts has cost him dearly.“You know, not to labor a point here, but everybody knew from 1979 that if you went into Iran, the strait was a problem,” the former GOP lawmaker began.He continued, “And then you have the United States stumbling into Iran instead of listening to some of the smartest people, not only around now, but also throughout history on military strategy. He listened only to Pete Hegseth, Benjamin Netanyahu and Lindsey Graham –– I mean, really, that's a triumvirate.”“That's really why we're here,” he elaborated. “As far as the people in his ear saying this is something that needs to be done. And we have reports that there were many close to him, many military leaders saying, ‘Don't listen to these guys. Don't believe these guys. They're making this sound easier than it actually is.’ And yet here we are.""I mean, we're right now, we we are in a bit of a quagmire as it pertains to the strait, because the Iranians know they can play hardball," he added. Co-host Jonathan Lemire offered, “Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined this could happen. But no, no advocacy was made and that's not necessarily his job. But no one else there did either. And, you know, [Vice President JD] Vance said that he had some reservations, but also made clear, 'Hey, boss, it's your decision. We'll just do it.' And this was a rushed war and it was shortsighted. They thought it was going to be over in days, a couple of weeks at most. And now it is no doubt a bit of a quagmire.” - YouTube youtu.be
Apr 22, 2026
GOP senator celebrates 'literally starving' Iranians: 'They can't feed themselves'
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) touted President Donald Trump's naval blockade of Iran because he said it was "literally starving" the people of the country.In an interview with Newsmax host Ed Henry this week, Marshall argued that the U.S. military was "locked and loaded" after Trump suggested to CNBC that he was willing to begin bombing Iran again if negotiations failed."And, well, again, we have our foot on Iran's neck right now," the senator explained. "When the president walks in the room, he's negotiating. There's a camera in front of him. He's negotiating, and again he's negotiating with these irrational religious zealots, that's just next to impossible, so they need to know he's serious and he's dead serious.""If this turns into weeks, I think that's when we're going to start getting antsy," he continued. "But also, we had this embargo working as well, the blockade.""And we're literally starving them both financially, as well as they can't feed themselves either very long."Marshall argued that the lack of negotiations with Iran was "a good thing.""The embargo, the blockade is there as well," he remarked. "I've got confidence in the president. That the president's got this."
Apr 22, 2026
British woman died in Ghana trying to recoup money from scammers, inquest told
Janet Fordham died in crash after travelling to see man who claimed he would help to recover money from earlier scamsA British woman who was scammed out of up to £1m in a string of so-called romance frauds died in a road crash after travelling to west Africa to try to recoup some of her lost fortune, an inquest in Devon has heard.Janet Fordham was cheated of her life savings and her home over a period of five years by fraudsters apparently based in the UK, Germany, the US and Ghana, the inquest in Exeter was told. Continue reading...
Apr 22, 2026
Allies scratch heads after Trump’s 'naughty list' of bad friends leaks: report
European diplomats were left perplexed after the Trump administration’s “naughty and nice” list of NATO nations was leaked this week, though details as to how the White House intends to punish allies given the “naughty” designation remain scant, Politico reported Wednesday.According to three European diplomats and a Pentagon official “familiar with the plan,” the list “includes an overview of members’ contributions to the alliance and places them into tiers,” and was drafted as a means to help the Trump administration look “for ways to punish allies who refused to back the Iran war,” Politico’s report reads.“They don’t seem to have very concrete ideas… when it comes to punishing bad allies,” a European official told Politico on the condition of anonymity. “Moving troops is one option, but it mainly punishes the U.S. doesn’t it?”Joel Linnainmäki, a former Finnish official who assisted in the nation’s 2023 acceptance into NATO – an acronym for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – was left equally confused by the Trump administration’s intentions behind the drafting of the list.“[President Donald] Trump and his team are busy trying to extract themselves from their self-inflicted quagmire,” Linnainmäki told Politico. “Likely the administration does not have the bandwidth to open another hostile front with Europe as long as the war continues.”Trump has long been a critic of NATO, with tensions escalating amid his administration’s war against Iran as NATO countries refused to join in the efforts.“Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social last month. “They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran.”Trump has also floated leaving the NATO alliance, a move that critics noted would likely be illegal due to U.S. law strictly prohibiting a president from single-handedly terminating the United States’ NATO membership.
Apr 22, 2026
Millions in India stripped of vote before critical state election, as government seeks to ‘purify’ electoral roll
Experts say Muslims and other minorities have been disproportionately deleted from the electoral roll ahead of the West Bengal elections this weekMillions of people in the Indian state of West Bengal have been stripped of their vote ahead of a critical state election this week, after a controversial electoral revision described by critics as a “bloodless political genocide” and mass disenfranchisement of minorities.In West Bengal, a total of 9.1 million names have been deleted from the register, more than 10% of the electorate. While many were dead or duplicates, about 2.7 million people have challenged their expulsions, but still been removed. Continue reading...
