Top World News
Feb 1, 2026
Living hell of North Korea’s ‘paradise on Earth’ scheme back in spotlight in Japan
Plaintiffs in case say they were lured from Japan, exploited for labour and cut off from families for generationsIt has been more than six decades since Eiko Kawasaki left Japan to begin a new life in North Korea. Then 17, she was among tens of thousands of people with Korean heritage who had been lured to the communist state by the promise of a “paradise on Earth”.Instead, they encountered something closer to a living hell. They were denied basic human rights and forced to endure extreme hardship. Official promises of free education and healthcare plus guaranteed jobs and housing had been a cruel mirage. And to their horror, they were prevented from travelling to Japan to visit the families they had left behind. Continue reading...
Jan 31, 2026
Trump is like this fascist dictator — it isn't Hitler
By Rachelle Wilson Tollemar, Adjunct Professor of Spanish, University of St. Thomas. Minneapolis residents say they feel besieged under what some are calling a fascist occupation. Thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been swarming a city whose vast majority in 2024 did not vote for Donald Trump — or for a paramilitary roundup of its diverse population.Tragically, two residents have been killed by federal agents. Consequently, social media is aflame with comparisons of Trump’s immigration enforcers to Hitler’s Gestapo.While comparisons to Hitler’s fascist regime are becoming common, I’d argue that it may be even more fitting to compare the present moment to a less-remembered but longer-lasting fascist regime: that of Francisco Franco, dictator of Spain from 1936 until his death in 1975.In 2016, critics warned that Trump’s campaign rhetoric was grounded in textbook fascism, exhibiting signs such as racism, sexism and misogyny, nationalism, propaganda and more. In return, critics were met with intense backlash, accused of being hysterical or overly dramatic.Now, even normally sober voices are sounding the alarm that America may be falling to fascist rule.As a scholar of Spanish culture, I, too, see troubling parallels between Franco’s Spain and Trump’s America.Putting them side by side, I believe, provides insightful tools that are needed to understand the magnitude of what’s at risk today.Franco’s rise and reignThe Falange party started off as a a small extremist party on the margins of Spanish society, a society deeply troubled with political and economic instability. The party primarily preached a radical nationalism, a highly exclusive way to be and act Spanish. Traditional gender roles, monolingualism and Catholicism rallied people by offering absolutist comfort during uncertain times. Quickly, the Falange grew in power and prevalence until, ultimately, it moved mainstream.By 1936, the party had garnered enough support from the Catholic Church, the military, and wealthy landowners and businessmen that a sizable amount of the population accepted Gen. Francisco Franco’s coup d'etat: a military crusade of sorts that sought to stop the perceived anarchy of liberals living in godless cities. His slogan, “¡Una, Grande, Libre!,” or “one, great, free,” mobilized people who shared the Falange’s anxieties.Like the Falange, MAGA, the wing of the Republican Party named after Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again,” repeatedly vilifies the left, who mostly live in cities, as godless anarchists who live like vermin.Once in power, the Francoist regime commissioned a secret police force, the Political-Social Brigade — known as the BPS — to “clean up house.” The BPS was charged with suppressing or killing any political, social, cultural or linguistic dissidents.Weakening resistanceFranco not only weaponized the military but also proverbially enlisted the Catholic Church. He colluded with the clergy to convince parishioners, especially women, of their divine duty to multiply, instill nationalist Catholic values in their children, and thus reproduce ideological replicas of both the state and the church. From the pulpit, homemakers were extolled as “ángeles del hogar” and “heroínas de la patria,” or “angels of the home” and “heroines of the homeland.”Together, Franco and the church constructed consent for social restrictions, including outlawing or criminalizing abortion, contraception, divorce, work by women and other women’s rights, along with even tolerating uxoricide, or the killing of wives, for their perceived sexual transgressions.Some scholars contend that the repealing of women’s reproductive rights is the first step away from a fully democratic society. For this reason and more, many are concerned about the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent overturning of Roe v. Wade.The #tradwife social media trend involves far-right platforms echoing Francoist-style ideologies of submission, restriction, dependence and white male dominance. One of TikTok’s most popular tradwife influencers, for instance, posted that “there is no higher calling than being a wife and a mother for a woman.” She also questioned young women attending college and rebuked, on air, wives who deny their husbands sexual intimacy.Weakening the economyEconomically, Franco implemented autarkic policies, a system of limited trade designed to isolate Spain and protect it from anti-Spanish influences. He utilized high tariffs, strict quotas, border controls and currency manipulation, effectively impoverishing the nation and vastly enriching himself and his cronies.These policies flew under the motto “¡Arriba España!,” or “Up Spain.” They nearly immediately triggered more than a decade of suffering known as the “hunger years.” An estimated 200,000 Spaniards died from famine and disease.Under the slogan “America First” — Trump’s mutable but aggressive tariff regime — the $1 billion or more in personal wealth he’s accumulated while in office, along with his repeated attempts to cut nutrition benefits in blue states and his administration’s anti-vaccine policies may appear to be disconnected. But together, they galvanize an autarkic strategy that threatens to debilitate the country’s health.Weakening the mindFranco’s dictatorship systematically purged, exiled and repressed the country’s intellectual class. Many were forced to emigrate. Those who stayed in the country, such as the artist Joan Miró, were forced to bury their messages deeply within symbols and metaphor to evade censorship.Currently in the U.S., banned books, banned words and phrases, and the slashing of academic and research funding across disciplines are causing the U.S. to experience “brain drain,” an exodus of members of the nation’s highly educated and skilled classes.Furthermore, Franco conjoined the church, the state and education into one. I am tracking analogous moves in the U.S. The conservative group Turning Point USA has an educational division whose goal is to “reclaim" K-12 curriculum with white Christian nationalism.Ongoing legislation that mandates public classrooms to display the Ten Commandments similarly violates religious freedom guarantees ratified in the constitution.Drawing comparisonsTrump has frequently expressed admiration for contemporary dictators and last week stated that “sometimes you need a dictator.”It is true that his tactics do not perfectly mirror Francoism or any other past fascist regime. But the work of civil rights scholar Michelle Alexander reminds us that systems of control do not disappear. They morph, evolve and adapt to sneak into modern contexts in less detectable ways. I see fascism like this.Consider some of the recent activities in Minneapolis, and ask how they would be described if they were taking place in any other country.Unidentified masked individuals in unmarked cars are forcibly entering homes without judicial warrants. These agents are killing, shooting and roughing up people, sometimes while handcuffed. They are tear-gassing peaceful protesters, assaulting and killing legal observers, and throwing flash grenades at bystanders. They are disappearing people of color, including four Native Americans and a toddler as young as 2, shipping them off to detention centers where allegations of abuse, neglect, sexual assault and even homicide are now frequent.Government officials have spun deceptive narratives, or worse, lied about the administration’s actions.In the wake of the public and political backlash following the killing of Alex Pretti, Trump signaled he would reduce immigration enforcement operations] in Minneapolis, only to turn around and have Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorize the use of an old military base near St. Paul, suggesting potential escalation, not de-escalation. Saying one thing while doing the opposite is a classic fascist trick warned about in history and literature alike.The world has seen these tactics before. History shows the precedent and then supplies the bad ending. Comparing past Francoism to present Trumpism connects the past to the present and warns us about what could come.
Jan 31, 2026
Trump's perilous racket will do more than just stuff his pockets
Trump Tower. Trump Steaks. Trump University. Trump Watches. Trump cologne, candles, coins, robes, ornaments, towels, pens, gerbils, and gold-tipped suppositories. It’s hard to think of anything Trump hasn’t tried to monetize. And now, from his premier fantasy collection, there’s Trump UN. Last September, while Trump was busy solving eight wars that leaders of those countries say never started, never ended, or had nothing to do with him, Trump hatched a plan to line his own pockets with the misery in Gaza. He came up with a Gaza Board of Peace vested with magical powers to maintain order while steering private investments to his friends and family. Billion-dollar racketFor a mere billion-dollar membership fee, you can join Trump’s Orwellian-themed Board of Peace and dine with the world’s most brutal dictators. Trump, who invested his dad’s money in Middle East real estate decades ago, claimed last year that the U.S. would “run” Gaza, that he saw “long-term ownership” possibilities there. His “Riviera of the Middle East” proposal with son-in-law Jared Kushner floated luxury tourism and an economic hub, describing a “phenomenal location, on the sea, the best weather” with “unbelievable” potential. The only hitch? Someone would first need to relocate more than two million desperately poor Palestinians who have nowhere else to go. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, no fan of international law or Palestinians, loved the concept. Arab leaders, not so much. Palestinians, leaders of surrounding Arab nations, and international organizations saw Trumps ‘Riviera’ as ethnic cleansing, ripe for war crimes under international law. Trump’s peace deal didn’t surviveAfter widely congratulating himself for the Gaza ceasefire, Trump first mentioned a Gaza Board of Peace to govern reconstruction of the rubble pile last October. The ceasefire never really materialized — they’re still killing each other — but Trump’s Board idea took hold of his ego and ran with it. As Trump originally designed it, the Board would provide a forum where Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and other Middle East countries could discuss political reforms and reconstruction of Gaza, the latter rife with private profit potential. Trump, who has already pocketed $1.4 billion in loose emoluments since re-assuming the presidency, magnanimously offered to serve as chairman.By the time he got around to presenting the Board last week at Davos, it had become a barnacle attached to his id, distorted beyond recognition. The Times of Israel published the Board’s charter, announcing that it would “promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.” The grandiosity of purpose was not limited to Gaza; as the Times of Israel noted, the charter doesn’t even mention Gaza. Instead Trump’s Board aspires to be a private, mini United Nations divvying up the spoils of war and operating under one thumb: Trump’s. Democratic leaders politely declinedThe Board is Trump’s power fantasy strutting on a catwalk. Under Trump’s plan, he personally gets to decide policies for the world and declare resolutions by majority vote, reserving veto power for himself. He also gets to name his successor, which, preliminarily, will be Don Jr. (when he isn’t in a helicopter slaughtering animals endangered by his dad’s climate ignorance).Trump has crowned himself and his smirking spawn Chairmen of the Universe of Rogue Actors which includes the leaders of Hungary, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. They’re all royals or dictators or both, or they’re wannabes buying access. Their billion-dollar entrance fee is a solid investment in their oligarchs, not just in Gaza but around the globe.When Trump presented the idea at Davos, EU leaders were already aghast at his Greenland blunder. When he invited Canada, the U.K, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and other European nations to join, the invitees had already gotten a good look at who he is, and what he is up to. Unsure whether to attribute Trump’s bombast to dementia, malice or some sick combination of hubris and ignorance, their unified response was to say no thank you, and back away. What’s left for the Board to do?While wrecking the global economy and trying to start a civil war at home to slake his midterm worries, Trump has awarded himself the power to “administer Gaza” even as European leaders roll their eyes and describe his derangement as “dangerous.” They are also walking the talk, pivoting away from Trump’s adulterated version of democracy. This week India and the European Union closed a breakthrough free trade agreement reducing tariffs. German firms’ investments in China are at a four-year high. Working around Trump, Mexico, Canada and China are rapidly expanding their cooperation. Despite Trump’s stated goal of weakening China economically, his tariffs accelerated supply-chain reconfiguration, causing China’s 2025 trade surplus to surge to a record-breaking $1.2 trillion. After treating Venezuela like a real-estate acquisition, Trump can’t even convince his own big oil supporters to invest there. Real leaders, in short, aren’t buying Trump’s “U.S. economy is hotter than ever” schtick or his Gaza “Peace” Board.Trump thinks he can fool the world, but he can’t fool anyone outside the Fox News/Sinclair propaganda bubble. He will try to do his worst in Gaza, but the civilized world, fed up with Trump’s insanity, is moving on.Sabrina Haake is a columnist and 25+ year federal trial attorney specializing in 1st and 14th A defense. Her Substack, The Haake Take, is free.
Jan 30, 2026
Hot mic reveals prominent no-shows at 'Melania' documentary premiere
A hot mic on a livestream Thursday night caught someone behind the camera naming several notable no-shows at the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's self-titled documentary screening at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.In the video, which was shared by several users on social media, a black carpet appeared empty while a voice behind the camera listed names of several Trump allies — including a number of administration officials — who did not appear at the Amazon MGM Studios film's premiere. Kari Lake, Bret Baier, Kellyanne Conway, Riley Gaines, Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, Sean Duffy and Peter Navarro were all named as missing at the event by the person behind the camera. Ticket sales for the film have reportedly been dismal, with the London premiere reportedly drawing in only single-digit ticket sales. "Melania" will open in 1,400 theaters Friday across the U.S. and in more than 27 other countries. Amazon dropped a reported $35 million on marketing the documentary, and social media posts have suggested that many theaters will be empty as the film rolls.BREAKING - Humiliating hot mic moment at the Melania premiere red carpet.NO ONE is showing up and they had to cut the feed. ????????????Kari Lake, Bret Baier, Kellyanne Conway, Riley Gaines, Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, Sean Duffy, and Peter Navarro all no-showed! pic.twitter.com/uiV7l0156z— DonkConnects ♻️™ (@donkoclock) January 30, 2026
Jan 30, 2026
Breakdown in cricket relations with Bangladesh rings alarm bells for India’s Olympic bid
Concern raised over politicisation of sportBangladesh pulled out of men’s World T20 after rowBangladesh’s withdrawal from the men’s T20 World Cup could have implications for India’s 2036 Olympic bid amid concern at the International Olympic Committee over the potential politicisation of sport.Bangladesh pulled out of next month’s tournament last weekend after the International Cricket Council declined a request to move their group matches from India to the co-hosts Sri Lanka, after a long-running political row triggered by Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to remove the Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League squad. Continue reading...
Jan 30, 2026
Junta-backed party secures sweeping victory in Myanmar’s ‘sham’ election
Human rights groups and some western countries have denounced the election, the first held since the 2021 coup, describing it as neither free nor fairMyanmar’s military-backed party has completed a sweeping victory in the country’s three-phase general election, state media said, cementing an outcome long expected after a tightly controlled political process held during civil war and widespread repression.The Union and Solidarity Party (USDP) dominated all phases of the vote, winning an overwhelming majority in the two legislative chambers in Myanmar. It secured 232 of the 263 seats up for grabs in the lower Pyithu Hluttaw house and 109 of the 157 seats announced so far in the Amyotha Hluttaw upper chamber, according to results released on Thursday and Friday. Continue reading...
Jan 28, 2026
Trump rattles off early-morning threat against foreign nation: 'With speed and violence'
President Donald Trump announced a possible military action against Iran in an early morning social media post.The USS Abraham Lincoln and three other warships arrived Tuesday in the Middle East as the 79-year-old president considers airstrikes over Iran's crackdown on protesters, which may have resulted in the deaths of nearly 6,000 people and detentions of nearly 42,000 more."A massive Armada is heading to Iran," Trump posted Wednesday morning on Truth Social. "It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary."The deployment is intended to pressure Iran to negotiate an end to its nuclear program, Trump said, which U.S. forces targeted in June."Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties," he posted. "Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Jan 27, 2026
Trump uncorks new threat to old foe: 'Very bad choice!'
President Donald Trump dropped a new threat to an old international foe on Tuesday. Trump was slated to speak in Iowa and was arriving in Des Moines where he was expected to speak about the economy amid Republican concerns over upcoming midterm losses when he shared a sharp criticism of Nouri al-Maliki, an Iraqi politician who served as Prime Minister of Iraq from 2006 to 2014, a period marked by significant sectarian violence, the rise of ISIS and allegations of authoritarian governance and marginalization of Sunni populations. Trump wrote the following on his Truth Social platform:"I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!"Al-Maliki and his administration have been criticized for corruption, mismanagement of the military and policies that many analysts argue exacerbated sectarian tensions and contributed to the conditions that allowed ISIS to gain a foothold in Iraq, leading to his eventual replacement as Prime Minister in 2014.
Jan 27, 2026
Rock legend gifts entire music archive to Greenland in sharp Trump rebuke
Rock legend Neil Young gifted his entire music archive to Greenland residents. Young, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, said he hoped the offering “will ease some of the unwarranted stress…you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government,” Pitchfork reported Tuesday. The musician hasn't held back his thoughts on the Trump administration and has criticized its actions against American citizens, and now Greenlanders. On his Neil Young archives, the artist offered the message of solidarity "as a gesture of kindness and respect, we stand with you along with a strong majority of Americans." Young has used both his music and social media commentary to take swings at Trump and his administration. Young has also taken legal action against the Trump campaign on multiple occasions for the unauthorized use of his songs at campaign rallies, most notably his 1989 hit "Rockin' in the Free World," demonstrating his strong opposition to Trump's political movement and his willingness to defend his artistic work from association with Trump's agenda.
Jan 27, 2026
'Politically toxic' Trump has become a liability for far-right European fascists: report
The alliance between Donald Trump and far-right nationalist groups in Europe has become frayed to the point of snapping due to his designs on occupying Greenland and the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros.According to the New York Times, European far-right parties have historically grounded their political platforms on national sovereignty, particularly opposing immigration. However, Trump's contempt for European nations has exceeded their tolerance.While the Trump-nationalist relationship has always been characterized as "awkward," European nationalist leaders have recently adopted a more confrontational stance toward the president. His lengthy speech at Davos intensified existing tensions.Jordan Bardella, president of France's far-right National Rally party, characterized Trump's Greenland remarks as "unacceptable" and labeled tariff threats as "blackmail."Nigel Farage, leader of Britain's far-right Reform UK party and longtime Trump ally, described the Greenland threats as a "very hostile act." Giorgia Meloni, Italy's right-wing prime minister, typically viewed as Trump-friendly, rejected his claims about European military contributions in Afghanistan.Justin Logan of the libertarian Cato Institute explained the backlash: "Whatever the AfD or Rassemblement National believe about civilizational erasure and migration, they're not for the American annexation of a big chunk of Europe."Trump faces additional challenges among far-right Europeans who already harbored suspicions toward America. Polling data shows substantial shares of far-right-aligned voters in Britain, France, and Germany viewed Trump negatively before the recent developments.Trump's unpopularity is particularly acute in France, where association with the president carries political risk and he is described as "politically toxic." Alice Weidel, a leader of Germany's extremist AfD party, directly accused Trump of violating a fundamental campaign promise by interfering in other countries through the Venezuelan invasion.You can read more here.
Jan 27, 2026
Italians furious as ICE agents sent to Milan's Olympic Games: 'A militia that kills'
Italians were angry Tuesday after news that the US was sending ICE agents to the Winter Olympics in Italy. The announcement reportedly set off confusion after the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the unit was heading to Europe to apparently work as "a security role" for the US delegation at the international event, a DHS spokesperson confirmed with CNN. “They don’t do immigration enforcement (operations) in a foreign country obviously,” the spokesperson said.DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN that “All security operations remain under Italian authority.”“At the Olympics, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations is supporting the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organizations,” McLaughlin said in a statement to CNN. The move set off outrage among Italians, citing major concern among the Europeans who have watched ICE attack and kill US citizens, including the most recent fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said he would not welcome ICE in his city, which is set to host the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, according to The Associated Press. Vice President JD Vance was expected to attend the event in Milan, where most of the ice sports will be.“This is a militia that kills, a militia that enters into the homes of people, signing their own permission slips. It is clear they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt,” Sala told RTL Radio 102.
Jan 26, 2026
Desperate major automaker mulls scrapping US factory plans due to Trump's tariffs
Major automaker Volkswagen has considered cancelling its plans for a US major factory over President Donald Trump's automotive tariffs, according to reports Monday. Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group, said in an interview with Handelsblatt that in the first nine months of 2025 levies issued by the Trump administration had cost the company $2.5 billion and that the company needed to make cuts, Semafor reported. After Trump returned to office, German investments in the US dropped 45% year-on-year in 2025, according to Reuters. The dollar's depreciation was considered a factor while German exports also declined. Other recent political and economic factors have also come into play. "After Trump warned at the World Economic Forum last week of possible further duties on Europe, growing global uncertainty over the stability of trade relationships pushed gold above $5,000 per ounce for the first time," according to Semafor.
Feb 4, 2026
Iran Formally Allows Women To Ride Motorcycles
