Top World News

Apr 10, 2026 - World

Donald Trump's recent comments on Truth Social and during a speech addressing the war with Iran have made the United States look foolish, a Nobel Prize winner claimed. Paul Krugman believes the president has made America look like a laughing stock in recent weeks. But the long-term damage of doing so makes Trump's administration an unreliable ally to world leaders who would previously be reassured by the US as an ally. Not anymore, according to the veteran economist, who says the recent statements made by Trump have undermined America's world standing. Writing in his Substack, Krugman suggested Trump's rhetoric has not only severed close ties with friendly nations but emboldened other, more aggressive countries to take action. "Think about Gulf states that relied on America to protect them and preserve their access to world markets," he wrote. "Now they know that we can’t and won’t, while Iran holds a knife at their throats.""They’re now looking to themselves for security — and starting to buy equipment and technology from Ukraine, which has learned the hard way how to fight a modern war."Think about Asian and European nations that have swallowed Trump’s many insults, and mostly avoided retaliating against his tariffs, because they feared both U.S. power and the loss of U.S. support. Now America’s weakness and unreliability have been laid bare."Krugman went on to suggest previous statements made by Trump, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, had worsened the war. Trump's comments on the importance of oil have only made it harder for his administration, the veteran economist suggested. "In Trump’s mind, control over fossil fuels is the essence of national greatness," Krugman wrote. "In his inaugural address, Trump declared that 'We will drill, baby, drill … We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet that will help to do it.'""But this was obvious nonsense. For one thing, the narrative that woke environmentalists had hobbled U.S. fossil fuel production was at odds with the reality that fracking had in fact caused a boom in oil and gas production that began under Obama and continued under Republican and Democratic administrations alike.""Trump has been doing all he can to block development of wind and solar power, in the apparent belief that this will empower America. But what it actually does is empower regimes that are in a position to disrupt world oil supply, while having little to lose from chaos in the world economy. Which means, above all, Iran."

Apr 10, 2026 - World

In Pakistan’s capital, the army has been deployed, a public holiday has been declared and the streets are eerily emptyMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe streets of Islamabad were on strict lockdown as Pakistan’s capital prepared to play host to historic negotiations between Iran and the US that have dangled the promise of an end to war that has devastated the Middle East.Even as the US-Iran ceasefire looked increasingly precarious, amid Israel’s continued bombardment of Lebanon and disputes over the terms of the talks, Pakistani officials insisted that the make-or-break peace negotiations would be going ahead over the weekend as planned. Continue reading...

Apr 10, 2026 - World

Israeli PM says he will continue to attack Hezbollah ‘with full force’ after attacks that killed more than 300 peopleMiddle East crisis – live updatesBenjamin Netanyahu has said there is “no ceasefire in Lebanon” and Israel would continue “to strike Hezbollah with full force” as the country’s military launched fresh strikes. The Israeli prime minister’s remarks and latest attacks on what the IDF called “Hezbollah launch sites” came shortly after Donald Trump said he had asked Netanyahu to be more “low-key” in Lebanon.Later on Friday, a US state department official said Israel and Lebanon will hold talks in Washington next week. The announcement came as Netanyahu ordered his ministers to seek direct talks with Lebanon focused on disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Continue reading...

Apr 10, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump stunned political observers and analysts on Thursday by officially endorsing Hungarian dictator Viktor Orbán for reelection. Trump posted on Truth Social that Orbán is a "truly strong and powerful Leader, with a proven track record of delivering phenomenal results" and urged voters to support him during the April 12 election. Trump's post came at a time when Orbán, who has been in office for the past 16 years, is facing one of his toughest reelection bids yet."Viktor works hard to Protect Hungary, Grow the Economy, Create Jobs, Promote Trade, Stop Illegal Immigration, and Ensure LAW AND ORDER!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Relations between Hungary and the United States have reached new heights of cooperation and spectacular achievement under my Administration, thanks largely to Prime Minister Orbán. I look forward to continuing working closely with him so that both of our Countries can further advance this tremendous path to SUCCESS and cooperation."Political analysts and observers reacted to the endorsement on social media. "Bizarre and inappropriate," writer Zaid Jilani posted on X. "No American president in history has campaigned this hard for a politician in an allied democracy," Matt Welch, editor at large for Reason Magazine, posted on X. "'Be sure to attend the Budapest caucuses,'" journalist Michael McGough quipped on X. "We should not be directly interfering in another country’s election to this extent. It’s fine to have a preference, but this goes way too far. Ironically, though, this may only hurt Orban’s re-election chances as other countries Trump interfered w/ have seen blowback from it," attorney Blake Allen posted on X.

Apr 9, 2026 - World

Vice President JD Vance was under fire on Thursday after a number of voices called for his excommunication from the Catholic Church. Vance has described himself as a devout Catholic and has a new book coming out about his faith journey. But critics of the vice president have demanded Pope Leo punish Vance and take a stand after the Church leader called President Donald Trump's threat to wipe out the Iranian civilization "truly unacceptable."The internet shared their thoughts on what they believe the pope should do. "The Chicago pope must excommunicate the heretic JD Vance," Elizabeth Lopatto, editor at The Verge, wrote on Bluesky. "Excommunicate JD Vance. Place Washington D.C. under interdict. The whole diocese of Arlington, too, for good measure - that’s where half the Supreme Court goes to mass," Molly Conger, host of the "Weird Little Guys" podcast on Cool Zone Media, wrote on Bluesky."Petition for the Pope to personally excommunicate JD Vance over this nonsense," writer Kathryn Brightbill wrote via Bluesky."Pope Leo I'm gonna level with you it's time to either excommunicate JD Vance or shut up," Jack Kennedy, Ph.D. candidate at Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, and editorial fellow at The Bulletin, wrote on Bluesky."Excommunicate JD Vance," Aparna Nair, writer, teacher and disability advocate, wrote on Bluesky, adding a vulgar acronym to emphasize her point."Come on Pope Leo, excommunicate his a--!" astrophysicist Alfredo Carpineti posted on Bluesky. "I want him to have to beg for forgiveness like Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV in the snow for three days."