Top World News
Jul 16, 2026
UK aid cuts ‘reduce bilateral support to some African countries by 90%’
Critics say Foreign Office figures send ‘global message about the role the country wants to play on international stage’Labour’s foreign aid cuts mean reductions of as much as 90% in the bilateral support the UK will give to some African countries, Foreign Office figures show.The department’s annual report includes a long-awaited breakdown of how the reduction in the aid budget will affect individual countries for the next three years. Continue reading...
Jul 16, 2026
'Betting on state secrets': Conservative warns Trump just found new way to rig economy
President Donald Trump's cryptocurrency dealings earned him a massive amounts of wealth — effectively rigging the whole industry in his favor as if it's one of his old casinos, conservative analyst and talk radio host Erick Erickson warned on Thursday.This comes after financial reports revealed Trump and his family have made over $1.4 billion from crypto assets alone under the new presidency, their single largest gain of assets."In gambling, they say never bet against the house," he wrote. "In crypto, President Trump has positioned himself as the house."Erickson, a committed conservative Republican who nonetheless criticizes the president on occasion, pointed out Trump has made more of a profit on cryptocurrency "than every single publicly traded U.S. cryptocurrency company," which all combined finished out the year half a billion down.The real problem, wrote Erickson, is so much of this money is flowing in from foreign sources."An Abu Dhabi state-backed fund chaired by the UAE’s national security adviser used $2 billion of World Liberty’s stablecoin to finance a deal — weeks before the White House cleared the UAE to buy advanced American AI chips," wrote Erickson. This is by no means the only foreign racket currently in progress, he said. "Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, manages more than $6 billion — 99% of it foreign, including $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign fund — while Kushner serves as a peace envoy dealing with those very governments," wrote Erickson. All of this only scratches the surface of the problem, Erickson said.If the GOP "meant what they said" in 2016 when they vowed to "drain the swamp," wrote Erickson, "the test is simple, and it applies to their own side: no foreign money flowing to the president’s family while the government it deals with awaits a decision; no regulators dropping cases against companies the first family owns; no one betting on state secrets; real divestment, not divestment to one’s children.""Drain the swamp. Don’t just recycle the water for our side," he concluded.
Jul 16, 2026
Uganda calls for travel restrictions to be lifted after last Ebola patient discharged
Country begins 42-day countdown to outbreak being declared officially over, as numbers continue to rise in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the CongoUganda has started lobbying countries to lift Ebola-related travel restrictions after discharging its last confirmed Ebola patient from hospital.The discharge of a Congolese national from the Mulago national referral hospital’s isolation centre in Kampala on Thursday triggered the start of a 42-day countdown required by the World Health Organization before Uganda can officially be declared Ebola-free, provided no new infections are detected. Continue reading...
Jul 16, 2026
More than 500 feared dead after reports of two shipwrecks off Myanmar, UN says
Vessels believed to have departed from Myanmar in late June, with mostly Muslim Rohingya minority onboardThe United Nations has said more than 500 people are feared dead after reports of two large shipwrecks off Myanmar since late June.The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its refugee agency UNHCR voiced alarm in a joint statement at reports “that two boats carrying more than 500 people may have capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent days”. Continue reading...
Jul 16, 2026
Trump-supporting pastor laments 'very difficult moment': 'Many feel betrayed'
A conservative Haitian pastor who helped marshal support for President Donald Trump spoke out on Wednesday, saying many people in the community are feeling betrayed by an administration that is trying to strip some of their right to live in the U.S., according to a new report. Rev. Daniel Ulysse, who leads the Haitian American Republican Caucus, spoke with Mother Jones about what life has been like for members of his group during the second Trump administration. Last year, the administration abruptly ended Temporary Protected Status for more than 300,000 Haitians, a move that the Supreme Court ruled was legal last week, even though it would force the people to return to a war-torn country.Ulysse told the outlet that it is a "very difficult moment" for his community, which has been compounded by the sense of betrayal they feel. “Nobody’s speaking for Haiti, so I have to devote most of my time, my energy, for Haiti,” Ulysse told Mother Jones."Many of them feel betrayed because they were expecting a better outcome from the Trump administration than Biden," he added. "Many of them voted for Trump. We supported him, and he pledged to help Haiti, to be Haiti’s greatest champion, and that never materialized."Ulysse added that many people in his community would return home if Haiti were stable. "They’re afraid. They are sad. They’re very angry. They wouldn’t mind going back to Haiti, but the place is a mess," Ulysse said. "It’s got worse. It gets worse because of the mercenaries. All they do is create problems, kill people, [and] make money. So it’s a total mess with the American administration right now, where big money makes the decision."
Jul 15, 2026
Trump to level bombshell accusation against China during primetime speech: insiders
President Donald Trump's primetime speech on Thursday is expected to feature a bombshell allegation against China, according to CBS News.Sources familiar with the speech that Trump teased earlier this week say it will accuse China of election meddling, the report indicated. Trump had only teased that his speech would focus on election security, but didn't reveal much else."Part of President Trump's speech Thursday night is expected to touch on previously unreported alleged Chinese meddling in U.S. elections," CBS News reported, adding that Trump alleges that "Beijing compromised U.S. voter data and evidence the CIA knew about the action." Trump will also say that the CIA "didn't share that information with Mr. Trump during his first term," CBS News added, noting Trump invited the current heads of major intelligence and national security agencies and members of Trump's cabinet."Among those invited are the heads of the CIA, the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Department of Homeland Security," CBS News reported.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the sourcing as speculation when asked by CBS News about the contents of Trump's speech."As usual, anonymous sources are speculating about what President Trump will say during his speech on Thursday evening," Leavitt told CBS News in a statement. "The truth is, nobody knows yet what President Trump will ultimately say, which is why everyone should tune in."
Jul 14, 2026
Wall Street needles Trump with bitter new joke as Hormuz debacle returns with a vengeance
Energy traders and Wall Street analysts are resorting to dark humor to cope with Donald Trump's foreign policy catastrophe in the Persian Gulf, where his aggressive posturing toward Iran has backfired spectacularly and destabilized one of the world's most critical shipping routes.The situation has become so dire that financial markets have developed a bitter joke about it. Traders have coined a new term for what they now expect: the "NACHO trade" — shorthand for "Not a Chance Hormuz Opens," according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.That acronym joins other Trump-themed market jargon, including "TACO," which stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out," revealing the contempt Trump critics have for his erratic decision-making.The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20 percent of the world's oil passes, has become the focal point of Trump's unraveling Middle East strategy. After renewed fighting over the weekend and Trump's announcement that he was reimposing a U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping, oil prices surged more than 10 percent, erasing an entire month of price declines."The chance of the region and Hormuz going back to the old normal is effectively zero," said Rachel Ziemba, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told the Journal. "If anything this reinforces the impetus to invest in other pathways as quickly as possible."The core problem, according to Wall Street Journal reporting, is that Iran and neighboring countries have discovered they can easily manipulate U.S. politics by threatening to choke off shipping through the strait. That realization has fundamentally altered market calculations."Oil markets and Middle East producers appear to be aligning around a new reality: The Strait of Hormuz is no longer expected to return to a prewar norm," the Journal reported.According to the Journal, "The idea behind the NACHO trade is that the shipping route through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil had passed will remain virtually shut, with only a trickle of traffic slipping through clandestine routes, until the economic costs of its closure, such as high oil prices and accelerating inflation, become untenable."
Jul 14, 2026
Ex-Army intel officer dumbfounded by Trump's latest move: 'New levels of desperation'
A former U.S. Army intelligence officer was left dumbstruck Tuesday following President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to degrade Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, an effort they described as a manifestation of the president’s “new levels of desperation.”On Monday, Trump announced that the United States would be reinstating its naval blockade on Iran and charging hefty fees to transiting vessels. The decree came amid renewed exchanges of fire between the United States, Iran and U.S.-aligned Middle Eastern nations.“This is just new levels of desperation that I couldn't have imagined a couple of months ago,” said Harrison Mann, a former U.S. Army major and intelligence officer, during an appearance on CNN.“We've got to remember that the free protection from the U.S. Navy has not been successful for the past several months; it's why we're in a new cycle of escalation over the past week. The Navy has repeatedly tried to secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz – Iran has still been able to attack ships.”The flare-up in violence was sparked last week after Iran struck a container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz in a manner Iranian officials claimed was a violation of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement. The United States launched strikes at Iran in retaliation, which itself was met with a flurry of strikes from Iran targeting U.S. allies in the region.Mann, who resigned in protest over the U.S. facilitation and support for the Israeli siege on Gaza – which a United Nations commission and countless human rights organizations have described as a genocide – said that not only was the Trump administration’s plan doomed to fail, it also undercut its own position.“So the protecting ships part of it, we already know won't work. Is he actually going to charge fees? I doubt it, but he is doing something that's kind of dangerous for his own strategy, which is legitimizing that demand,” Mann said.“Marco Rubio just two weeks ago said nobody can charge passage through this international waterway. Trump is now saying, 'oh no, that's fine, we're going to try and do it.'"
Jul 13, 2026
Trump rage-quits press gaggle after CNN's Kaitlan Collins questions new war strikes
CNN's Kaitlan Collins pressed President Donald Trump about the war in Iran when he decided to suddenly end a White House press conference on Monday.Trump was speaking at the Oval Office to a group of reporters when he cut the questions short and lashed out against the network. The president had told reporters that the United States had plans to ramp up attacks on Iran, as Trump had ordered a new blockade against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz."The US is bombing Iran again. You've been bombing Iran for months now. Is this just the new normal for the American people?" Collins asked.Trump started to complain about CNN and its coverage of the Iran war."All they have is fake news because the fake news would rather see us lose the war," Trump said.Collins responded to Trump."You argued Iran couldn't have ballistic missiles," Collins said.But Trump kept talking about CNN and "fake news.""Which is really treasonous in a certain way. So we're doing another very major attack tonight," Trump said.Trump abruptly ended the press conference after his rant to Collins, and aides hurriedly shuffled reporters out of the room. TRUMP: All they have is fake news because the fake news would rather see us lose the warCOLLINS: You argued Iran couldn't have ballistic missilesTRUMP: Which is really treasonous in a certain way. So we're doing another very major attack tonight. pic.twitter.com/dwe58GUgul— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
Trump's sons orchestrate secret $3 billion payday thanks to dad's policies: report
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have quietly raked in billions as the Pentagon has invested in new defense technology, according to a new Washington Post investigation published Monday.President Donald Trump's sons have made significant investments in military-related startups, "further entangling the United States’ interests and the Trump family’s financial fortunes in an area with immense stakes for national security," The Post reported.Many of these financial investments have come as Trump returned to the White House."The companies have collectively generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the sons invested and an additional $3.1 billion in future contract options," according to The Post. "Some have gained coveted spots on shortlists of preapproved contractors that can bid exclusively on up to nearly $200 billion in future work."A top priority for Trump's second administration has been focusing on national security and "modernizing the tools of warfighting." And the Trump sons have reportedly cashed in on this Pentagon initiative by building a portfolio focused on this spending priority."The Trump sons are part of investment groups that have poured money into established government contractors, such as SpaceX and Anduril, as well as lesser-known start-ups aspiring to build a new generation of nimble, tech-forward weaponry — from drones to humanoid robots that can either mow a lawn or use deadly force," The Post reported. "Most of the firms are in the defense industry, but some focus on products not meant for the battlefield: One company is partnering with the luxury fashion label Prada to design spacesuits, and another is trying to build quantum computers."Before they sought Pentagon and defense contracts, neither Trump son had notable experience in the defense tech industry. They do not hold any government titles and are currently the vice presidents of the Trump Organization. The White House has denied any inappropriate conduct surrounding the sons' investments or potential conflicts of interest."Trump’s sons have described their investments in patriotic terms," according to The Post. "Eric Trump has said the U.S. 'better be winning' the AI race. Trump Jr. has repeatedly argued that the U.S. should be developing an industrial base that can crank out drones to meet potential threats from China."Political analysts reacted to the explosive new report."How fortunate for these two that Daddy can pardon them on the way out the door. Those around them may be less fortunate," Joyce Vance, a former U.S. attorney appointed by former President Barack Obama, wrote on X. "Trump Jr. & Eric Trump now have investments in over a dozen defense tech companies. Thanks to the nature of defense tech companies, their only real viability is if they can get gov contracts, & guess what! Turns out it is pretty easy to get gov contracts when your dad is the most corrupt president in history," the account They Call Me Gary, a progressive political commentator, wrote on Bluesky.
Jul 13, 2026
Trump says the US is 'taking over' the Strait of Hormuz and announces massive levy
President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will reinstate its naval blockade of Iran and be "reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped" through the Strait of Hormuz, a levy he did not explain.Trump said the strait itself would stay open to every country other than Iran. Hours earlier, in a call-in to Fox News, he said: "We're taking over the strait. They've got nothing." He added that the US would "probably run it" and "get paid for guarding it — a lot of money."“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately.”Trump’s announcement comes amid a flare-up of violence in the Middle East, and two days after Iranian officials declared the Strait of Hormuz to be “closed.”The United States launched strikes at Iran Saturday in response to an attack on a container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran claimed violated the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement. Iran responded early Sunday morning with strikes targeting major U.S. allies in the region.
Jul 10, 2026
Protests engulf Indian state after rape and murder of 11-year-old girl
Innocent man lynched by mob in West Bengal as police killing of suspect further escalates tensionsProtests have engulfed the Indian state of West Bengal after the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, the subsequent lynching of an innocent man and the police killing of one of the accused.Outrage erupted on Sunday after the body of a missing girl was recovered from a pond in a town just outside the state capital, Kolkata. Continue reading...
