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Friday, April 24, 2026
Steve Schmidt: MAGA's House of Cards Is Collapsing
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Todesstrafe: US-Justizministerium will Hinrichtung durch Erschießung auf Bundesebene
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Minister Todd Blanche spricht sich für Erschießungskommandos als Form der Todesstrafe aus. In einigen Bundesstaaten ist die Praxis bereits zulässig.
Das US-Justizministerium setzt sich dafür ein, Hinrichtungen auf Bundesebene künftig auch durch Erschießungskommandos zu ermöglichen. Justizminister Todd Blanche begründet den Schritt mit der eingeschränkten Verfügbarkeit von Mitteln für andere Methoden.
In einem Regierungsbericht spricht sich Blanche dafür aus, neben der Giftspritze weitere Hinrichtungsmethoden zu erwägen, darunter das Erschießungskommando. Damit könne das Ministerium auch dann Exekutionen vollstrecken, „wenn ein bestimmtes Mittel nicht verfügbar ist“, heißt es in dem Bericht. Das könnte beispielsweise auf die Substanz für die Giftspritze zutreffen. » | Maximilian Eichgrün | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Das US-Justizministerium setzt sich dafür ein, Hinrichtungen auf Bundesebene künftig auch durch Erschießungskommandos zu ermöglichen. Justizminister Todd Blanche begründet den Schritt mit der eingeschränkten Verfügbarkeit von Mitteln für andere Methoden.
In einem Regierungsbericht spricht sich Blanche dafür aus, neben der Giftspritze weitere Hinrichtungsmethoden zu erwägen, darunter das Erschießungskommando. Damit könne das Ministerium auch dann Exekutionen vollstrecken, „wenn ein bestimmtes Mittel nicht verfügbar ist“, heißt es in dem Bericht. Das könnte beispielsweise auf die Substanz für die Giftspritze zutreffen. » | Maximilian Eichgrün | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Le détroit d’Ormuz « est plus leur combat que le nôtre » : Pete Hegseth critique les Européens et les somme de « se mettre à l’eau »
LE FIGARO : Lors d’une conférence de presse, le secrétaire à la Défense américain s’en est pris aux pays européens qui profitent gratuitement depuis des décennies, selon lui, de la protection des États-Unis.
Le chef du Pentagone s’en prend une nouvelle fois aux Européens. Lors d’une conférence de presse à Arlington (Virginie) ce vendredi 24 avril, Pete Hegseth a fait un point sur le conflit en Iran et le blocus du détroit d’Ormuz. Par la même occasion, il a chargé les pays européens qui profitent gratuitement, selon lui, de la «protection» des États-Unis. « L’Europe et l’Asie bénéficient depuis des décennies de notre protection. Mais ce temps est révolu », a-t-il lancé.
« Les États-Unis et le monde libre méritent des alliés loyaux, et être un allié ce n’est pas à sens unique. Nous, nous ne comptons pas sur l’Europe mais eux ont bien plus besoin du détroit d’Ormuz que nous », a-t-il affirmé. Avant de tacler les Européens de nouveau : « Ils feraient bien de parler un peu moins, d’organiser moins de conférences prestigieuses et plutôt de se mettre au travail et se mettre à l’eau. » Et d’insister : « C’est plus leur combat que le nôtre. » » | Par Clara Hidalgo | vendredi 24 avril 2026
Le chef du Pentagone s’en prend une nouvelle fois aux Européens. Lors d’une conférence de presse à Arlington (Virginie) ce vendredi 24 avril, Pete Hegseth a fait un point sur le conflit en Iran et le blocus du détroit d’Ormuz. Par la même occasion, il a chargé les pays européens qui profitent gratuitement, selon lui, de la «protection» des États-Unis. « L’Europe et l’Asie bénéficient depuis des décennies de notre protection. Mais ce temps est révolu », a-t-il lancé.
« Les États-Unis et le monde libre méritent des alliés loyaux, et être un allié ce n’est pas à sens unique. Nous, nous ne comptons pas sur l’Europe mais eux ont bien plus besoin du détroit d’Ormuz que nous », a-t-il affirmé. Avant de tacler les Européens de nouveau : « Ils feraient bien de parler un peu moins, d’organiser moins de conférences prestigieuses et plutôt de se mettre au travail et se mettre à l’eau. » Et d’insister : « C’est plus leur combat que le nôtre. » » | Par Clara Hidalgo | vendredi 24 avril 2026
Kushner and Witkoff to Talk With Iranian Officials in Pakistan
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, will also be in Islamabad this weekend, and Iranian officials said he planned to meet with the two Americans.
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, two of the United States’ lead negotiators in peace talks with Iran, will travel to Pakistan on Saturday to hold discussions with Iranian officials, an administration spokeswoman said. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, also arrived in Islamabad, according to Iranian state media, and Iranian officials said he planned to meet with the two U.S. representatives.
“Steve and Jared will be heading to Pakistan tomorrow to hear the Iranians out,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Friday afternoon. “We hope progress will be made,” she said, adding that “the president, the vice president, the secretary of state will be waiting here in the United States for updates.”
The Iranian foreign minister plans to present a new written response to a U.S. proposal for a peace deal, according to two senior Iranian officials familiar with the trip who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.
President Trump announced an extension of the cease-fire in the war on Iran earlier this week. While that halted an all-out bombardment of Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and Gulf countries, the war has morphed into a costly standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil and gas conduit. Both the United States and Iran are blocking the transit of ships through the waterway in an effort to gain leverage in any peace talks.
The news of the scheduled meeting in Pakistan came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ships and ports would continue for “as long as it takes” to get Iran to agree to a deal. Iranian leaders have made lifting the blockade a condition of resuming peace talks with Washington.
Many sticking points remain between the two sides, chief among them the status of the strait and Iran’s nuclear program. The last U.S.-Iran negotiations took place in mid-April in Islamabad and ended with no agreement. Iran War Live Updates » | Luke Broadwater, Helene Cooper, John Ismay, Farnaz Fassihi and Max Bearak | Reporting from Washington and New York | Friday, April 24, 2026
We can all relax now, then, knowing that Witkoff and Kushner are being sent to Pakistan to deal with those pesky Iranian officials! Between them, they have a wealth of diplomatic experience to draw on to sort out any problems they will encounter! At this rate, the war will be over in no time! 😊
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, two of the United States’ lead negotiators in peace talks with Iran, will travel to Pakistan on Saturday to hold discussions with Iranian officials, an administration spokeswoman said. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, also arrived in Islamabad, according to Iranian state media, and Iranian officials said he planned to meet with the two U.S. representatives.
“Steve and Jared will be heading to Pakistan tomorrow to hear the Iranians out,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Friday afternoon. “We hope progress will be made,” she said, adding that “the president, the vice president, the secretary of state will be waiting here in the United States for updates.”
The Iranian foreign minister plans to present a new written response to a U.S. proposal for a peace deal, according to two senior Iranian officials familiar with the trip who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters.
President Trump announced an extension of the cease-fire in the war on Iran earlier this week. While that halted an all-out bombardment of Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and Gulf countries, the war has morphed into a costly standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil and gas conduit. Both the United States and Iran are blocking the transit of ships through the waterway in an effort to gain leverage in any peace talks.
The news of the scheduled meeting in Pakistan came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ships and ports would continue for “as long as it takes” to get Iran to agree to a deal. Iranian leaders have made lifting the blockade a condition of resuming peace talks with Washington.
Many sticking points remain between the two sides, chief among them the status of the strait and Iran’s nuclear program. The last U.S.-Iran negotiations took place in mid-April in Islamabad and ended with no agreement. Iran War Live Updates » | Luke Broadwater, Helene Cooper, John Ismay, Farnaz Fassihi and Max Bearak | Reporting from Washington and New York | Friday, April 24, 2026
We can all relax now, then, knowing that Witkoff and Kushner are being sent to Pakistan to deal with those pesky Iranian officials! Between them, they have a wealth of diplomatic experience to draw on to sort out any problems they will encounter! At this rate, the war will be over in no time! 😊
I Have Rarely, if Ever, Agreed with Liz Truss on Anything…
Des perles et diamants par milliers : les 40 plus somptueux bijoux d’Elizabeth II
MADAME FIGARO : Elizabeth II aurait célébré ses 100 ans, ce 21 avril 2026. Tour d’horizon des pièces les plus exceptionnelles de sa collection privée, aujourd’hui en grande partie léguée à Kate Middleton ou la reine Camilla.
Aucune femme au monde n’a porté autant de bijoux que la reine Elizabeth II et près de quatre ans après son décès, elle reste encore aujourd’hui indissociable de son impressionnante cassette. Parce qu’au-delà des bijoux appartenant à la Couronne, la souveraine britannique aux multiples records a amassé une faramineuse collection privée, dont on connaît près de 300 pièces, avec pas moins de 98 broches, 46 colliers, 34 paires de boucles d’oreilles, 15 bagues, 14 montres et cinq pendentifs. Une collection aujourd’hui estimée à 50 millions d’euros et dont les plus anciennes pièces datent seulement du XIXe siècle. Car avant Elizabeth II, la reine Victoria est la première à garnir l’écrin britannique en se rapprochant du futur joaillier royal Garrard, qui trouvera pour elle des pierres de couleurs et des diamants à travers le monde, en Inde et en Afrique du Sud, pour en faire les bijoux d’exception que l’on connaît aujourd’hui. Mais toute une partie de sa collection resterait aujourd’hui secrète, et ne serait jamais apparue aux yeux du grand public. Ce qui en fait sans aucun doute la plus grosse au monde. » | Par Louise Ginies | vendredi 24 avril 2026
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If Palantir has called for the draft to be reinstated, it is to be presumed that Peter Thiel and his husband will be eager to sign up and will be at the front of the queue to do so. — © Mark Alexander
Britain Should Seek to Rejoin EU, Says Civil Servant Who Led Brexit Department
THE GUARDIAN: Philip Rycroft says promises on issues from economics to immigration have not lived up to expectations
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Anti-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in April. Photograph: James Veysey/Shutterstock
Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to a former senior civil servant who ran the Brexit department.
Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the EU, said the “argument was there to be won” about going back into Europe, adding that a “clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country’s best interests” was needed. However, he said rejoining the bloc could be a “long and windy” road.
“Most economic analysis suggests that we have taken a significant hit to GDP as a result of leaving the single market,” he wrote in the Times. “The precise number, and the impact on our export performance to the EU and beyond, might be subject to debate, but no one can credibly claim that we have marched to the sunny uplands of sustained economic growth as a consequence of Brexit.”
Rycroft said the promises of the Brexit campaign on issues from economics to immigration had not lived up to expectations. “The great promise of a comprehensive trade deal with the USA now seems like an impossible dream,” he said.
“Chill winds don’t just blow through the international trading order. The postwar certainties that underpinned our security as a nation are visibly crumbling. With a hot war on the European mainland perpetrated by a revanchist Russia and an increasingly disengaged America, it is beyond peradventure that we must look to solidarity with our friends and neighbours in Europe to secure our defences.”
He concluded: “The argument is there to be won. It is time to talk about rejoining. It might be time to knock on the EU’s door.” » | Rowena Mason and Lisa O’Carroll | Friday, April 24, 2026
It is to be hoped that this gentleman will apologize to the British electorate for leading them down the primrose path! — © Mark Alexander
Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to a former senior civil servant who ran the Brexit department.
Philip Rycroft, who was permanent secretary of the Department for Exiting the EU, said the “argument was there to be won” about going back into Europe, adding that a “clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country’s best interests” was needed. However, he said rejoining the bloc could be a “long and windy” road.
“Most economic analysis suggests that we have taken a significant hit to GDP as a result of leaving the single market,” he wrote in the Times. “The precise number, and the impact on our export performance to the EU and beyond, might be subject to debate, but no one can credibly claim that we have marched to the sunny uplands of sustained economic growth as a consequence of Brexit.”
Rycroft said the promises of the Brexit campaign on issues from economics to immigration had not lived up to expectations. “The great promise of a comprehensive trade deal with the USA now seems like an impossible dream,” he said.
“Chill winds don’t just blow through the international trading order. The postwar certainties that underpinned our security as a nation are visibly crumbling. With a hot war on the European mainland perpetrated by a revanchist Russia and an increasingly disengaged America, it is beyond peradventure that we must look to solidarity with our friends and neighbours in Europe to secure our defences.”
He concluded: “The argument is there to be won. It is time to talk about rejoining. It might be time to knock on the EU’s door.” » | Rowena Mason and Lisa O’Carroll | Friday, April 24, 2026
It is to be hoped that this gentleman will apologize to the British electorate for leading them down the primrose path! — © Mark Alexander
Iran War Has Drained U.S. Supplies of Critical, Costly Weapons
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Pentagon’s rush to rearm its Mideast forces makes it less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, administration and congressional officials say.
Since the Iran war began in late February, the United States has burned through around 1,100 of its long-range stealth cruise missiles built for a war with China, close to the total number remaining in the U.S. stockpile. The military has fired off more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, roughly 10 times the number it currently buys each year.
The Pentagon used more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles in the war, at more than $4 million a pop, and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles, leaving inventories worrisomely low, according to internal Defense Department estimates and congressional officials.
The Iran war has significantly drained much of the U.S. military’s global supply of munitions, and forced the Pentagon to rush bombs, missiles and other hardware to the Middle East from commands in Asia and Europe. The drawdowns have left these regional commands less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, and it has forced the United States to find ways to scale up production to address the depletions, Trump administration and congressional officials say.
The conflict has also underscored the Pentagon’s overreliance on excessively expensive missiles and munitions, especially air-defense interceptors, as well as concerns about whether the defense industry can develop cheaper arms, especially attack drones, far more quickly. » | Eric Schmitt and Jonathan Swan | Reporting from Washington | Thursday, April 23, 2026
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Since the Iran war began in late February, the United States has burned through around 1,100 of its long-range stealth cruise missiles built for a war with China, close to the total number remaining in the U.S. stockpile. The military has fired off more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, roughly 10 times the number it currently buys each year.
The Pentagon used more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles in the war, at more than $4 million a pop, and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles, leaving inventories worrisomely low, according to internal Defense Department estimates and congressional officials.
The Iran war has significantly drained much of the U.S. military’s global supply of munitions, and forced the Pentagon to rush bombs, missiles and other hardware to the Middle East from commands in Asia and Europe. The drawdowns have left these regional commands less ready to confront potential adversaries like Russia and China, and it has forced the United States to find ways to scale up production to address the depletions, Trump administration and congressional officials say.
The conflict has also underscored the Pentagon’s overreliance on excessively expensive missiles and munitions, especially air-defense interceptors, as well as concerns about whether the defense industry can develop cheaper arms, especially attack drones, far more quickly. » | Eric Schmitt and Jonathan Swan | Reporting from Washington | Thursday, April 23, 2026
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Trump Says He Will ‘Probably Put a Big Tariff on the UK’ If It Doesn’t Drop Digital Services Tax
THE GUARDIAN: US president accuses UK of thinking it can ‘make an easy buck’ from US tech companies, weeks after warning that UK–US trade deal can be changed
Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the UK if it does not drop its digital services tax on US social media firms.
The digital services tax, introduced in 2020, imposes a 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday, the US president said: “We’ve been looking at it and we can meet that very easily by just putting a big tariff on the UK, so they better be careful.
“If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.”
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m ($673m), with more than £25m of the revenues from UK users.
Trump argued the laws, which have long been a source of tension in US-UK relations, targeted “top companies in the world”. » | Press Association | Friday, April 24, 2026
Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the UK if it does not drop its digital services tax on US social media firms.
The digital services tax, introduced in 2020, imposes a 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.
Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday, the US president said: “We’ve been looking at it and we can meet that very easily by just putting a big tariff on the UK, so they better be careful.
“If they don’t drop the tax, we’ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.”
The tax targets companies whose worldwide revenues from digital activities exceed £500m ($673m), with more than £25m of the revenues from UK users.
Trump argued the laws, which have long been a source of tension in US-UK relations, targeted “top companies in the world”. » | Press Association | Friday, April 24, 2026
150 Millionen Barrel: Jakarta vereinbart große Ölimporte aus Russland
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Indonesiens Präsident Prabowo Subianto vereinbarte die Lieferung nach einem Treffen mit Wladimir Putin in Moskau. Die Einfuhr soll den Bedarf bis Jahresende sichern.
Indonesien will in diesem Jahr 150 Millionen Barrel Rohöl aus Russland einführen. Das sagte Vize-Energieminister Yuliot Tanjung am Freitag laut Reuters vor Journalisten. „Es wurde vereinbart, dass die Gesamtmenge an Rohöl, die wir aus Russland importieren werden, bei rund 150 Millionen Barrel liegt, um unseren Bedarf bis Jahresende zu decken“, sagte Yuliot. Offen sei nur noch die Abwicklung der Einfuhr.
Die Vereinbarung folgt auf ein Treffen von Präsident Prabowo Subianto mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin in Moskau in der Vorwoche. Der Sondergesandte des Präsidenten für Energie und Umwelt, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, erklärte am Donnerstag laut der staatlichen indonesischen Nachrichtenagentur Antara, Russland habe zunächst zugesagt, 100 Millionen Barrel zu einem Sonderpreis zu liefern sowie weitere 50 Millionen Barrel bei Bedarf. Djojohadikusumo ist der Bruder des Präsidenten. Über das Liefervolumen für Flüssiggas sei noch nicht entschieden, sagte Yuliot laut Reuters. » | Peter Steiniger | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Indonesien will in diesem Jahr 150 Millionen Barrel Rohöl aus Russland einführen. Das sagte Vize-Energieminister Yuliot Tanjung am Freitag laut Reuters vor Journalisten. „Es wurde vereinbart, dass die Gesamtmenge an Rohöl, die wir aus Russland importieren werden, bei rund 150 Millionen Barrel liegt, um unseren Bedarf bis Jahresende zu decken“, sagte Yuliot. Offen sei nur noch die Abwicklung der Einfuhr.
Die Vereinbarung folgt auf ein Treffen von Präsident Prabowo Subianto mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin in Moskau in der Vorwoche. Der Sondergesandte des Präsidenten für Energie und Umwelt, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, erklärte am Donnerstag laut der staatlichen indonesischen Nachrichtenagentur Antara, Russland habe zunächst zugesagt, 100 Millionen Barrel zu einem Sonderpreis zu liefern sowie weitere 50 Millionen Barrel bei Bedarf. Djojohadikusumo ist der Bruder des Präsidenten. Über das Liefervolumen für Flüssiggas sei noch nicht entschieden, sagte Yuliot laut Reuters. » | Peter Steiniger | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Javier Milei, deux ans d’une présidence qui veut révolutionner l’Argentine
LE FIGARO : AMÉRIQUE LATINE, LE GRAND VIRAGE À DROITE - Au milieu de son mandat, le président argentin est plus puissant que jamais. Mais sa politique économique tarde à produire ses fruits, et son trumpisme radical suscite le scepticisme, jusque dans ses propres rangs.
Image extraite de cet article. | Le président argentin Javier Milei célèbre la victoire du parti La Libertad Avanza aux élections de mi-mandat, à Buenos Aires, en Argentine, le 26 octobre 2025. Cristina Sille / REUTERS
Au mitan de son mandat présidentiel, Javier Milei se trouve dans une situation paradoxale. Deux ans après son élection, il est plus puissant politiquement qu’il ne l’a jamais été, ce qui devrait lui permettre de continuer à dérouler son programme de dérégulation de l’économie argentine afin, comme il le dit lui-même, paraphrasant son mentor, Donald Trump, de « Make Argentina Great Again ». La grande promesse de renouveau de la nation argentine, sur laquelle il a fondé son ascension politique et son élection, en décembre 2023, est toujours au cœur de sa politique. Mais pointe à l’horizon une série de difficultés qui pourraient rendre complexe la fin de son mandat. Elle est prévue pour décembre 2027 : le temps lui est compté.
Le président libertarien a été porté par une victoire inattendue aux élections législatives d’octobre 2025 : elle lui a permis d’obtenir une solide majorité à la Chambre des députés, où son parti, La Libertad Avanza, regroupe 95 sièges et peut compter sur le soutien des 22 élus du Pro, le parti de la droite conservatrice et libérale. Il a aussi pu renforcer sa position au Sénat, sans pour autant parvenir à y obtenir une majorité nette.
Cette victoire dans les urnes a probablement été facilitée par le soutien, sinon l’ingérence, de Donald Trump dans la campagne électorale de l’automne dernier. Fin février, elle lui a permis de faire définitivement adopter par le Sénat sa réforme du travail : un texte de 218 articles introduisant une forte dose de flexibilité dans un système hérité de l’époque péroniste, datant du milieu des années 1970, et que cet économiste estimait totalement inadapté à la réalité du marché du travail contemporain. Considérée comme irréalisable du fait du poids des syndicats, la réforme est passée sans qu’ils ne parviennent à bloquer le pays. » | Par Guillaume de Dieuleveult, envoyé spécial à Buenos Aires | vendredi 24 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Au mitan de son mandat présidentiel, Javier Milei se trouve dans une situation paradoxale. Deux ans après son élection, il est plus puissant politiquement qu’il ne l’a jamais été, ce qui devrait lui permettre de continuer à dérouler son programme de dérégulation de l’économie argentine afin, comme il le dit lui-même, paraphrasant son mentor, Donald Trump, de « Make Argentina Great Again ». La grande promesse de renouveau de la nation argentine, sur laquelle il a fondé son ascension politique et son élection, en décembre 2023, est toujours au cœur de sa politique. Mais pointe à l’horizon une série de difficultés qui pourraient rendre complexe la fin de son mandat. Elle est prévue pour décembre 2027 : le temps lui est compté.
Le président libertarien a été porté par une victoire inattendue aux élections législatives d’octobre 2025 : elle lui a permis d’obtenir une solide majorité à la Chambre des députés, où son parti, La Libertad Avanza, regroupe 95 sièges et peut compter sur le soutien des 22 élus du Pro, le parti de la droite conservatrice et libérale. Il a aussi pu renforcer sa position au Sénat, sans pour autant parvenir à y obtenir une majorité nette.
Cette victoire dans les urnes a probablement été facilitée par le soutien, sinon l’ingérence, de Donald Trump dans la campagne électorale de l’automne dernier. Fin février, elle lui a permis de faire définitivement adopter par le Sénat sa réforme du travail : un texte de 218 articles introduisant une forte dose de flexibilité dans un système hérité de l’époque péroniste, datant du milieu des années 1970, et que cet économiste estimait totalement inadapté à la réalité du marché du travail contemporain. Considérée comme irréalisable du fait du poids des syndicats, la réforme est passée sans qu’ils ne parviennent à bloquer le pays. » | Par Guillaume de Dieuleveult, envoyé spécial à Buenos Aires | vendredi 24 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
A Watershed Moment? | John Mearsheimer and Sir Max Hastings
Apr 24 2026 | Historians reserve the term “watershed” for those rare moments when events do not merely shock the established order but upend it. Think of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which hastened the end of the Cold War and ushered in an era of American unipolarity. Or the September 11, 2001, attacks in the US, which ignited the global war on terror and culminated in the long, costly entanglements of the so-called forever wars.
In each case, those living through the moment could sense they were witnessing events whose consequences would extend far beyond the immediate crisis. The question now is whether the Iran war belongs in that category. On the world stage, many allies and partners increasingly worry that the United States as a friend is shrinking with extraordinary rapidity. If this is true, what does this mean for international affairs after the Iran war?
Guests are Sir Max Hastings, the British military historian, columnist and former newspaper editor, and John Mearsheimer, professor of political science from the University of Chicago.
To put it succinctly, Trump is a chump who is also off his chump! — © Mark Alexander
In each case, those living through the moment could sense they were witnessing events whose consequences would extend far beyond the immediate crisis. The question now is whether the Iran war belongs in that category. On the world stage, many allies and partners increasingly worry that the United States as a friend is shrinking with extraordinary rapidity. If this is true, what does this mean for international affairs after the Iran war?
Guests are Sir Max Hastings, the British military historian, columnist and former newspaper editor, and John Mearsheimer, professor of political science from the University of Chicago.
To put it succinctly, Trump is a chump who is also off his chump! — © Mark Alexander
Soßen-Attentat auf den Schah-Sohn: Warum kam der Attentäter so dicht an Reza Pahlavi heran?
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Ein 22-Jähriger schüttet rote Flüssigkeit auf den Sohn des gestürzten Schahs von Iran. Auf X kursieren derweil wildeste Behauptungen.
Bei dem Angreifer, der Reza Pahlavi mit Tomatensoße beworfen hat, handelt es sich um einen 22-jährigen in Berlin geborenen Mann. Gegen ihn werde nun wegen versuchter Körperverletzung ermittelt, sagte ein Polizeisprecher am Freitagvormittag der Berliner Zeitung. Der Täter sei bislang nicht polizeilich in Erscheinung getreten.
Nach Angaben des Polizeisprechers handelt es sich definitiv nicht um jene Person, die auf einem Account des Netzwerks X samt vollem Namen und Foto gepostet wurde. Dort wurde behauptet, dass der Täter Sohn eines früheren Beamten der iranischen Revolutionsgarde sei. » | Andreas Kopietz | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Bei dem Angreifer, der Reza Pahlavi mit Tomatensoße beworfen hat, handelt es sich um einen 22-jährigen in Berlin geborenen Mann. Gegen ihn werde nun wegen versuchter Körperverletzung ermittelt, sagte ein Polizeisprecher am Freitagvormittag der Berliner Zeitung. Der Täter sei bislang nicht polizeilich in Erscheinung getreten.
Nach Angaben des Polizeisprechers handelt es sich definitiv nicht um jene Person, die auf einem Account des Netzwerks X samt vollem Namen und Foto gepostet wurde. Dort wurde behauptet, dass der Täter Sohn eines früheren Beamten der iranischen Revolutionsgarde sei. » | Andreas Kopietz | Freitag, 24. April 2026
Inside Putin’s Russia: ‘We’re Cut Off from the Outside World’ | BBC News
Apr 24, 2026 | In Putin’s Russia, authorities are increasing repressions on society, including bans on protests and restrictions on how people access the internet.
Access to global messaging apps has been restricted and there are widespread disruptions, even shutdowns of mobile internet.
Russian officials claim that internet curbs are necessary to keep the public safe. They declare the ultimate goal: a “sovereign internet” for a “sovereign Russia”.
As the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg explains in this special report from Moscow and the city of Vladimir, Russia’s bright future now looks more like its repressive Soviet past.
Access to global messaging apps has been restricted and there are widespread disruptions, even shutdowns of mobile internet.
Russian officials claim that internet curbs are necessary to keep the public safe. They declare the ultimate goal: a “sovereign internet” for a “sovereign Russia”.
As the BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg explains in this special report from Moscow and the city of Vladimir, Russia’s bright future now looks more like its repressive Soviet past.
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Paper Calls Donald Trump a "Lame Duck in a Political Quagmire of His Own Making."
Trump Will Be Enjoying His Demise, Because He Is Profiting From It
Le Pentagone évoque la suspension de l’Espagne de l’OTAN, Pedro Sánchez ne veut pas y croire
LE FIGARO : Très critique sur l’action de ses alliés de l’Otan au Moyen-Orient, Washington envisagerait plusieurs mesures à l’encontre d’autres membres de l’organisation politico-militaire, rapporte ce vendredi l’agence Reuters qui cite un courriel interne au Pentagone.
Les États-Unis réfléchiraient à suspendre l'Espagne de l'Otan en représailles à son opposition à la guerre contre l'Iran, rapporte ce vendredi l’agence Reuters qui cite un courriel interne au Pentagone. Parmi les possibilités présentées par cette note, la suspension de l’Espagne de l’alliance.
Le premier ministre espagnol, Pedro Sánchez, a affirmé vendredi balayé les informations de presse évoquant une telle éventualité, en ouverture d'un sommet des dirigeants de l'UE à Chypre. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP et Reuters | vendredi 24 avril 2026
Les États-Unis réfléchiraient à suspendre l'Espagne de l'Otan en représailles à son opposition à la guerre contre l'Iran, rapporte ce vendredi l’agence Reuters qui cite un courriel interne au Pentagone. Parmi les possibilités présentées par cette note, la suspension de l’Espagne de l’alliance.
Le premier ministre espagnol, Pedro Sánchez, a affirmé vendredi balayé les informations de presse évoquant une telle éventualité, en ouverture d'un sommet des dirigeants de l'UE à Chypre. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP et Reuters | vendredi 24 avril 2026
La Russie sera bien invitée au G20 en Floride, annonce un haut responsable de la Maison-Blanche
LE FIGARO : Le vice-ministre russe des Affaires étrangères, Alexandre Pankine, avait indiqué mercredi que son pays avait été convié à participer à ce sommet « au plus haut niveau ».
Un haut responsable de la Maison-Blanche a indiqué à l'AFP jeudi que tous les États membres du G20, parmi lesquels la Russie, seraient invités au sommet prévu en décembre en Floride, tout en précisant que les invitations n'avaient pas encore été envoyées. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 23 avril 2026
Un haut responsable de la Maison-Blanche a indiqué à l'AFP jeudi que tous les États membres du G20, parmi lesquels la Russie, seraient invités au sommet prévu en décembre en Floride, tout en précisant que les invitations n'avaient pas encore été envoyées. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 23 avril 2026
Prince Harry Delivers Message to Trump and Putin in Surprise Speech from Ukraine
Thursday, April 23, 2026
EU Formally Approves €90bn Ukraine Loan and 20th Sanctions Package against Russia
THE GUARDIAN: Ursula von der Leyen hails ‘good news’ after Hungary’s lifting of vetoes allows leaders to sign off on agreements
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | António Costa, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
EU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc completed the agreement along with a 20th sanctions package against Russia.
After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for a summit in Cyprus that began in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media: “We are on our way to Cyprus with good news.” The European Commission president welcomed both agreements, finalised after Hungary lifted its veto.
Von der Leyen said: “While Russia doubles down on its aggression, we are doubling down on our support to the brave Ukrainian nation, enabling Ukraine to defend itself and putting pressure on Russia’s war economy.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Thursday, April 23, 2026
EU leaders have welcomed the end of diplomatic deadlock over a long-awaited €90bn (£78bn) loan for Ukraine, after the bloc completed the agreement along with a 20th sanctions package against Russia.
After weeks of delay, the EU signed off on the loan on Thursday, in time for a summit in Cyprus that began in the evening and will include talks over a dinner with the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media: “We are on our way to Cyprus with good news.” The European Commission president welcomed both agreements, finalised after Hungary lifted its veto.
Von der Leyen said: “While Russia doubles down on its aggression, we are doubling down on our support to the brave Ukrainian nation, enabling Ukraine to defend itself and putting pressure on Russia’s war economy.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Thursday, April 23, 2026
Rauchverbot für ganze Jahrgänge: Großbritanniens radikaler Kurs und seine rechtlichen Grenzen
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Das in Großbritannien beschlossene Tabak- und Vaping-Gesetz sorgt für Kritik. Zu komplex in der Umsetzung und ein möglicher Eingriff in die individuelle Freiheit.
Während die EU über Einschränkungen sozialer Medien für Kinder und Jugendliche diskutiert und in Deutschland über die Wehrpflicht debattiert wird, nimmt in Großbritannien ein weitreichendes Gesetz zum Umgang mit Rauchen Gestalt an.
Das sogenannte Tabak- und Vaping-Gesetz wurde am Dienstag in London verabschiedet und verbietet Personen, die ab dem 1. Januar 2009 geboren wurden, dauerhaft den Erwerb von Tabakprodukten sowie E-Zigaretten. Ab dem ersten Januar 2027 tritt das Gesetz in Kraft und soll mit jedem weiteren Jahr auf weitere Jahrgänge übergreifen.
Ziel soll es sein, eine sogenannte rauchfreie Generation zu bewirken. Beide Kammern des britischen Parlaments haben dem Gesetz zugestimmt, mit dem Argument, dadurch eine Entlastung des staatlichen Gesundheitssystems zu bewirken. Rauchen ist laut ADAC in Großbritannien mit etwa 80.000 Toten im Jahr die häufigste „vermeidbare“ Todesursache, die die britische Wirtschaft zudem etwa 17 bis 18 Milliarden Pfund durch Arbeitsausfälle und Behandlungskosten kostet. Darüber hinaus wird das Rauchverbot auf Außenbereiche wie Spielplätze sowie Außenflächen von Schulen und Krankenhäusern ausgeweitet. » | Vassiliki Mantziou | Donnerstag, 10. April 2026
Während die EU über Einschränkungen sozialer Medien für Kinder und Jugendliche diskutiert und in Deutschland über die Wehrpflicht debattiert wird, nimmt in Großbritannien ein weitreichendes Gesetz zum Umgang mit Rauchen Gestalt an.
Das sogenannte Tabak- und Vaping-Gesetz wurde am Dienstag in London verabschiedet und verbietet Personen, die ab dem 1. Januar 2009 geboren wurden, dauerhaft den Erwerb von Tabakprodukten sowie E-Zigaretten. Ab dem ersten Januar 2027 tritt das Gesetz in Kraft und soll mit jedem weiteren Jahr auf weitere Jahrgänge übergreifen.
Ziel soll es sein, eine sogenannte rauchfreie Generation zu bewirken. Beide Kammern des britischen Parlaments haben dem Gesetz zugestimmt, mit dem Argument, dadurch eine Entlastung des staatlichen Gesundheitssystems zu bewirken. Rauchen ist laut ADAC in Großbritannien mit etwa 80.000 Toten im Jahr die häufigste „vermeidbare“ Todesursache, die die britische Wirtschaft zudem etwa 17 bis 18 Milliarden Pfund durch Arbeitsausfälle und Behandlungskosten kostet. Darüber hinaus wird das Rauchverbot auf Außenbereiche wie Spielplätze sowie Außenflächen von Schulen und Krankenhäusern ausgeweitet. » | Vassiliki Mantziou | Donnerstag, 10. April 2026
Trump’s War Has Backfired Spectacularly: Iran Is Now More Influential Than Ever
THE GUARDIAN: Tehran has shown that its grip over the strait of Hormuz is its most potent deterrent – arguably more consequential than its now defunct nuclear programme
Donald Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran will be remembered as a grave strategic miscalculation – one that has reshaped the region in unintended and destabilising ways. With the ceasefire now extended indefinitely, we can see more clearly how the war has undermined the US’s standing in the world and failed to achieve its core objectives: it has neither brought about regime change in Tehran, nor forced Iran to submit to American demands. Far from it.
By inflicting economic pain far beyond the region and slowing the global economy, Iran has demonstrated that its grip over the strait of Hormuz constitutes its most potent deterrent – arguably more consequential than its now defunct nuclear programme. Control of the strait will be Tehran’s most powerful source of leverage in the years ahead.
And this strategy is not confined to Hormuz. Relying on its Houthi allies in Yemen, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also signalled its ability to threaten the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern tip of the Red Sea – a choke point through which roughly 8% of global trade and a significant share of the world’s energy and chemical shipments pass. The prospect of disruption at both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab would amount to a double shock to the global economy. » | Fawaz Gerges * | Thursday, April 23, 2026
* Fawaz Gerges is professor of international relations at the London School of Economics
Donald Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran will be remembered as a grave strategic miscalculation – one that has reshaped the region in unintended and destabilising ways. With the ceasefire now extended indefinitely, we can see more clearly how the war has undermined the US’s standing in the world and failed to achieve its core objectives: it has neither brought about regime change in Tehran, nor forced Iran to submit to American demands. Far from it.
By inflicting economic pain far beyond the region and slowing the global economy, Iran has demonstrated that its grip over the strait of Hormuz constitutes its most potent deterrent – arguably more consequential than its now defunct nuclear programme. Control of the strait will be Tehran’s most powerful source of leverage in the years ahead.
And this strategy is not confined to Hormuz. Relying on its Houthi allies in Yemen, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also signalled its ability to threaten the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern tip of the Red Sea – a choke point through which roughly 8% of global trade and a significant share of the world’s energy and chemical shipments pass. The prospect of disruption at both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab would amount to a double shock to the global economy. » | Fawaz Gerges * | Thursday, April 23, 2026
* Fawaz Gerges is professor of international relations at the London School of Economics
Steve Schmidt: Donald Trump Has Made America Sick Again
« Gravement blesse », le nouveau guide suprême iranien serait notamment soigné par le président iranien en personne, selon le New York Times
LE FIGARO : Selon le quotidien américain, Mojtaba Khamenei serait entouré d’une cellule médicale d’élite à laquelle participe directement le président iranien Masoud Pezeshkian. En retrait, le guide suprême gouvernerait pour l’heure à distance, via des communications écrites.
Le nouveau guide suprême iranien Mojtaba Khamenei, grièvement blessé lors d’une frappe israélienne ayant coûté la vie à son père Ali Khamenei au premier jour de la guerre, est aujourd’hui pris en charge dans des conditions particulièrement encadrées, mais est « vif d’esprit et actif », rapporte jeudi le New York Times. Selon le quotidien américain, qui cite plusieurs responsables iraniens sous couvert d’anonymat, le dirigeant vit reclus dans un lieu tenu secret, entouré d’une équipe médicale de haut niveau incluant le président iranien Masoud Pezeshkian lui-même, chirurgien du cœur, ainsi que le ministre de la Santé.
Mojtaba Khamenei n’a pas été vu en public depuis sa nomination et ne communique que par déclarations écrites, transmises selon un protocole strict. Le dirigeant ne reçoit pas de visites pour des raisons de sécurité et reçoit des messages écrits à la main, « glissés dans des enveloppes scellées puis transmis par voie de coursiers qui empruntent autoroutes et routes secondaires, en voiture ou à moto, jusqu’à ce qu’ils atteignent sa cachette », ajoute le quotidien. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 23 avril 2026
Le nouveau guide suprême iranien Mojtaba Khamenei, grièvement blessé lors d’une frappe israélienne ayant coûté la vie à son père Ali Khamenei au premier jour de la guerre, est aujourd’hui pris en charge dans des conditions particulièrement encadrées, mais est « vif d’esprit et actif », rapporte jeudi le New York Times. Selon le quotidien américain, qui cite plusieurs responsables iraniens sous couvert d’anonymat, le dirigeant vit reclus dans un lieu tenu secret, entouré d’une équipe médicale de haut niveau incluant le président iranien Masoud Pezeshkian lui-même, chirurgien du cœur, ainsi que le ministre de la Santé.
Mojtaba Khamenei n’a pas été vu en public depuis sa nomination et ne communique que par déclarations écrites, transmises selon un protocole strict. Le dirigeant ne reçoit pas de visites pour des raisons de sécurité et reçoit des messages écrits à la main, « glissés dans des enveloppes scellées puis transmis par voie de coursiers qui empruntent autoroutes et routes secondaires, en voiture ou à moto, jusqu’à ce qu’ils atteignent sa cachette », ajoute le quotidien. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 23 avril 2026
Trump Threatens Iranian Boats He Says Are Mining the Strait of Hormuz
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump’s latest threats came after the Pentagon said the U.S. military had boarded a second tanker carrying oil from Iran. Both sides are trying to exert authority over shipping amid uncertainty over the status of peace talks.
President Trump said on Thursday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Pentagon announced that U.S. forces had boarded another sanctioned tanker that was carrying oil from Iran.
A day earlier, Iranian forces claimed to have seized two cargo ships near the strait, a vital conduit for oil and gas. The United States and Iran are each trying to exert authority over shipping during a cease-fire, with little public indication that either is intent on restarting peace talks.
“There is to be no hesitation,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that U.S. minesweepers were “clearing the Strait right now.” It has not been confirmed whether Iranian boats are mining the strait.
The post took a more aggressive tone than previous comments from the White House, which said on Wednesday that the president did not view Iran’s reported ship seizures as a violation of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire that he extended this week.
The tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have injected fresh fear into energy markets, with oil trading above $100 a barrel again on Thursday.
Energy prices have risen sharply since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran in late February and Iran responded by effectively blocking shipping through the strait. The United States has countered with a naval blockade that has prevented dozens of ships from leaving or accessing Iranian ports.
The U.S. Navy has also targeted Iran-linked ships elsewhere in the world. On Thursday, the Pentagon said that American forces had stopped and boarded the M/T Majestic X, a sanctioned tanker carrying oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean, in an effort to squeeze Iran’s oil economy. Earlier this week, Navy SEALS boarded another ship in the Indian Ocean, the M/T Tifani, the Pentagon said. Iran War Live Updates » | Luke Broadwater and Eric Schmitt | Thursday, April 23, 2026
President Trump said on Thursday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Pentagon announced that U.S. forces had boarded another sanctioned tanker that was carrying oil from Iran.
A day earlier, Iranian forces claimed to have seized two cargo ships near the strait, a vital conduit for oil and gas. The United States and Iran are each trying to exert authority over shipping during a cease-fire, with little public indication that either is intent on restarting peace talks.
“There is to be no hesitation,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that U.S. minesweepers were “clearing the Strait right now.” It has not been confirmed whether Iranian boats are mining the strait.
The post took a more aggressive tone than previous comments from the White House, which said on Wednesday that the president did not view Iran’s reported ship seizures as a violation of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire that he extended this week.
The tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have injected fresh fear into energy markets, with oil trading above $100 a barrel again on Thursday.
Energy prices have risen sharply since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran in late February and Iran responded by effectively blocking shipping through the strait. The United States has countered with a naval blockade that has prevented dozens of ships from leaving or accessing Iranian ports.
The U.S. Navy has also targeted Iran-linked ships elsewhere in the world. On Thursday, the Pentagon said that American forces had stopped and boarded the M/T Majestic X, a sanctioned tanker carrying oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean, in an effort to squeeze Iran’s oil economy. Earlier this week, Navy SEALS boarded another ship in the Indian Ocean, the M/T Tifani, the Pentagon said. Iran War Live Updates » | Luke Broadwater and Eric Schmitt | Thursday, April 23, 2026
Trump Is in Cognitive Decline and Must Be Removed | Matthew Parris
Apr 23, 2026 | “I think the way cognitive decline is affecting him is that the underlying narcissism… is bubbling up to the surface.”
Trump’s behaviour is getting “wilder and stranger”, and the White House needs to start figuring out “how to get him removed”, says The Times’s Matthew Parris.
Trump’s behaviour is getting “wilder and stranger”, and the White House needs to start figuring out “how to get him removed”, says The Times’s Matthew Parris.
Jeffrey Sachs: Iran Exposed the Limits of American Power
High Street Mini-Marts Selling Cocaine and Cannabis, BBC Secret Filming Reveals | BBC News
Apr 23, 2026 | Cocaine, cannabis, laughing gas and prescription pills are being offered for sale in mini-marts on UK High Streets, a BBC investigation has revealed. They were readily offered to our undercover researchers who secretly filmed in shops across four neighbouring West Midlands towns.
Across the country, shopfronts are being exploited by organised criminal gangs that have gained a foothold pushing illegal drugs, say both the National Crime Agency and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Responding to the BBC’s findings in the West Midlands and more widely, a senior Labour MP is now calling on the government to act urgently.
And our STUPID POLITICIANS are going ahead with that RIDICULOUS generational smoking ban! These dorks are living in La-La Land! Young people enjoying conventional cigarettes are the least of our concerns.
This is precisely why I am so dead against this generational smoking ban. It will not stop young people taking up the smoking habit; on the contrary, it will make it more attractive to them. Forbidden fruits always taste the sweetest!
Moreover, young people these days engage in far more dangerous pleasures than smoking a humble cigarette.
They tried banning pleasure in the form of alcohol in the USA during the Prohibition (1920 – 1933). It failed! And this generational smoking ban will fail, too. The Prohibition led to a great deal of lost revenue, and a rise in organised crime. Also, because people were consuming unregulated alcohol, such as “moonshine”, the government lost control of the quality of the alcohol people were consuming. And they were consuming illegal alcohol in vast quantities; so, it became the cause of seriously poorer public health. Furthermore, prohibition was also unenforceable. Legal bars and saloons were replaced with speakeasies. There were between 30,000 and a 100,000 of them in New York alone! And this stupid generational smoking ban will also be shown to be just as unenforceable, too.
Won’t stupid politicians EVER learn? — © Mark Alexander
Across the country, shopfronts are being exploited by organised criminal gangs that have gained a foothold pushing illegal drugs, say both the National Crime Agency and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Responding to the BBC’s findings in the West Midlands and more widely, a senior Labour MP is now calling on the government to act urgently.
And our STUPID POLITICIANS are going ahead with that RIDICULOUS generational smoking ban! These dorks are living in La-La Land! Young people enjoying conventional cigarettes are the least of our concerns.
This is precisely why I am so dead against this generational smoking ban. It will not stop young people taking up the smoking habit; on the contrary, it will make it more attractive to them. Forbidden fruits always taste the sweetest!
Moreover, young people these days engage in far more dangerous pleasures than smoking a humble cigarette.
They tried banning pleasure in the form of alcohol in the USA during the Prohibition (1920 – 1933). It failed! And this generational smoking ban will fail, too. The Prohibition led to a great deal of lost revenue, and a rise in organised crime. Also, because people were consuming unregulated alcohol, such as “moonshine”, the government lost control of the quality of the alcohol people were consuming. And they were consuming illegal alcohol in vast quantities; so, it became the cause of seriously poorer public health. Furthermore, prohibition was also unenforceable. Legal bars and saloons were replaced with speakeasies. There were between 30,000 and a 100,000 of them in New York alone! And this stupid generational smoking ban will also be shown to be just as unenforceable, too.
Won’t stupid politicians EVER learn? — © Mark Alexander
Deutschland bereitet sich auf Krieg vor: Der Feind ist Russland
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Die neue Militärstrategie ändert das Verhältnis zwischen Moskau und Berlin dauerhaft. Das hat Folgen für alle Deutschen.
Deutschland bereitet sich auf einen Krieg vor. Das von Bundesverteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius am Mittwoch vorgestellte Paket soll die Bundeswehr zur „stärksten konventionellen Armee Europas“ machen. Pistorius präsentierte eine neue Militärstrategie, ein „Fähigkeitsprofil“ der Bundeswehr und einen „Plan zum personellen Aufwuchs“.
In der Strategie wird klar: Deutschlands erster Feind ist Russland. Laut dem Papier hat sich das Ministerium „detailliert“ mit dem „internationalen Handlungs- und Bedrohungsumfeld“ beschäftigt und „daraus Folgerungen für die Bundeswehr“ gezogen. Die Bundeswehr kommt ohne Wenn und Aber auf den Punkt: „Ihr Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf Russland als für die deutsche, europäische und transatlantische Sicherheit auf absehbare Zeit größte und unmittelbare Bedrohung.“ Russland stelle „eine gesamtstaatliche und umfassende militärstrategische Bedrohung dar“: Russland agiere „bereits heute unterhalb der Schwelle des Krieges“. Daher seien „alle Elemente des Staates gefordert“. » | Michael Maier | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
Deutschland bereitet sich auf einen Krieg vor. Das von Bundesverteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius am Mittwoch vorgestellte Paket soll die Bundeswehr zur „stärksten konventionellen Armee Europas“ machen. Pistorius präsentierte eine neue Militärstrategie, ein „Fähigkeitsprofil“ der Bundeswehr und einen „Plan zum personellen Aufwuchs“.
In der Strategie wird klar: Deutschlands erster Feind ist Russland. Laut dem Papier hat sich das Ministerium „detailliert“ mit dem „internationalen Handlungs- und Bedrohungsumfeld“ beschäftigt und „daraus Folgerungen für die Bundeswehr“ gezogen. Die Bundeswehr kommt ohne Wenn und Aber auf den Punkt: „Ihr Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf Russland als für die deutsche, europäische und transatlantische Sicherheit auf absehbare Zeit größte und unmittelbare Bedrohung.“ Russland stelle „eine gesamtstaatliche und umfassende militärstrategische Bedrohung dar“: Russland agiere „bereits heute unterhalb der Schwelle des Krieges“. Daher seien „alle Elemente des Staates gefordert“. » | Michael Maier | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
Schah-Sohn Pahlavi in Berlin: Bundesregierung verweigert Empfang
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Der Sohn des 1979 gestürzten Schahs trifft in der Hauptstadt nur Bundestagsabgeordnete. Regierungssprecher Kornelius verweist auf die fortbestehenden Kontakte zu Teheran.
Reza Pahlavi, Sohn des 1979 gestürzten letzten Schahs von Iran, ist zu einem Besuch in Berlin eingetroffen. Vertreter der Bundesregierung werden ihn dort nicht empfangen.
Die Bundesregierung sehe „keinen Anlass, mit ihm das Gespräch zu suchen“, sagte Regierungssprecher Stefan Kornelius am Mittwoch in Berlin. Pahlavi sei „ein Privatmann, der natürlich für eine Bewegung steht oder von einer Bewegung getragen wird“. Die Erwartung der Bundesregierung sei, „dass das iranische Volk die freie Entscheidung hat, über seine Führung zu bestimmen“. » | Stephanie Lehner | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
LESEN SIE AUCH:
Schah-Sohn Pahlavi besucht Berlin: Hier sind Demonstrationen geplant: Der umstrittene iranische Oppositionspolitiker Reza Pahlavi kommt am Donnerstag nach Berlin. Dabei gibt es in der Stadt Proteste, aber auch unterstützende Kundgebungen. »
UND:
Bei Berlin-Besuch: Schah-Sohn Pahlavi wird mit Tomatensauce beworfen: Der Sohn des gestürzten Schahs wird nicht von der Bundesregierung empfangen. Mit anderen Politikern will er sich trotzdem treffen. »
Reza Pahlavi, Sohn des 1979 gestürzten letzten Schahs von Iran, ist zu einem Besuch in Berlin eingetroffen. Vertreter der Bundesregierung werden ihn dort nicht empfangen.
Die Bundesregierung sehe „keinen Anlass, mit ihm das Gespräch zu suchen“, sagte Regierungssprecher Stefan Kornelius am Mittwoch in Berlin. Pahlavi sei „ein Privatmann, der natürlich für eine Bewegung steht oder von einer Bewegung getragen wird“. Die Erwartung der Bundesregierung sei, „dass das iranische Volk die freie Entscheidung hat, über seine Führung zu bestimmen“. » | Stephanie Lehner | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
LESEN SIE AUCH:
Schah-Sohn Pahlavi besucht Berlin: Hier sind Demonstrationen geplant: Der umstrittene iranische Oppositionspolitiker Reza Pahlavi kommt am Donnerstag nach Berlin. Dabei gibt es in der Stadt Proteste, aber auch unterstützende Kundgebungen. »
UND:
Bei Berlin-Besuch: Schah-Sohn Pahlavi wird mit Tomatensauce beworfen: Der Sohn des gestürzten Schahs wird nicht von der Bundesregierung empfangen. Mit anderen Politikern will er sich trotzdem treffen. »
« C’est une humiliation » : en Israël, Benyamin Netanyahou forcé à la trêve par Donald Trump
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Imposée par Washington pour relancer les négociations avec Téhéran, la trêve de dix jours avec le Hezbollah est massivement rejetée par l’opinion israélienne. Dans le nord du pays, exposé aux tirs, elle ravive un sentiment d’abandon.
Benyamin Netanyahou n’en voulait pas, Donald Trump le lui a imposé. Neuf jours après le cessez-le-feu en Iran, c’est au tour du Liban de voir les canons se taire. Jeudi, le président américain a annoncé unilatéralement une pause dans les affrontements commencés le 2 mars. La décision s’est immédiatement imposée en Israël. La trêve a pris effet jeudi à minuit, heure israélienne, elle doit durer 10 jours.
Déjà, les Israéliens fustigent une trêve dont ils ne veulent pas. « Ce n’est pas une victoire – c’est une humiliation, une capitulation totale à l’Iran et aux États-Unis », réagit Eitan Davidi, le président du mochav Margaliot, village situé à la frontière libanaise. Vendredi, dans un message posté sur son réseau social Truth, le président américain a rappelé de façon très humiliante qui était décideur : « Israël ne bombardera plus le Liban. Ils ont INTERDICTION de le faire de la part des États-Unis. Ça suffit!!! »
Depuis l’annonce du cessez-le-feu en Iran, et alors que la République islamique exigeait l’arrêt des combats au Liban, Benyamin Netanyahou promettait aux Israéliens que la guerre continuerait coûte que coûte pour éradiquer le Hezbollah, le très puissant groupe armé chiite libanais inféodé à l’Iran. Quelques heures auront suffi pour balayer cette ligne. » | Par Stanislas Poyet, correspondant à Jérusalem | jeudi 23 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Benyamin Netanyahou n’en voulait pas, Donald Trump le lui a imposé. Neuf jours après le cessez-le-feu en Iran, c’est au tour du Liban de voir les canons se taire. Jeudi, le président américain a annoncé unilatéralement une pause dans les affrontements commencés le 2 mars. La décision s’est immédiatement imposée en Israël. La trêve a pris effet jeudi à minuit, heure israélienne, elle doit durer 10 jours.
Déjà, les Israéliens fustigent une trêve dont ils ne veulent pas. « Ce n’est pas une victoire – c’est une humiliation, une capitulation totale à l’Iran et aux États-Unis », réagit Eitan Davidi, le président du mochav Margaliot, village situé à la frontière libanaise. Vendredi, dans un message posté sur son réseau social Truth, le président américain a rappelé de façon très humiliante qui était décideur : « Israël ne bombardera plus le Liban. Ils ont INTERDICTION de le faire de la part des États-Unis. Ça suffit!!! »
Depuis l’annonce du cessez-le-feu en Iran, et alors que la République islamique exigeait l’arrêt des combats au Liban, Benyamin Netanyahou promettait aux Israéliens que la guerre continuerait coûte que coûte pour éradiquer le Hezbollah, le très puissant groupe armé chiite libanais inféodé à l’Iran. Quelques heures auront suffi pour balayer cette ligne. » | Par Stanislas Poyet, correspondant à Jérusalem | jeudi 23 avril 2026
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A New Era and New Leadership: The Generals Who Are Running Iran
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ushered in a new form of collective leadership in the country, with more power for the Revolutionary Guards.
When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran as the supreme leader, he exerted absolute power over all decisions about war, peace and negotiations with the United States. His son and successor does not play the same role.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son, is an elusive figure who has not been seen and whose voice has not been heard since he was appointed in March. Instead, a battle-hardened collective of commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and those aligned with them are the key decision makers on matters of security, war and diplomacy.
“Mojtaba is managing the country as though he is the director of the board,” said Abdolreza Davari, a politician who served as senior adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he was president and knows Mr. Khamenei.
“He relies heavily on the advice and guidance of the board members, and they collectively make all the decisions,” Mr. Davari said in a phone interview from Tehran. “The generals are the board members.”
This account of Iran’s new power structure is based on interviews with six senior Iranian officials, two former officials, two members of the Revolutionary Guards, a senior cleric familiar with the inner workings of the system and three individuals who know Mr. Khamenei well. Nine other individuals with ties to the Guards and the government also described the command structure. They all spoke on the condition they not be identified because they were discussing sensitive matters of state. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has covered Iran for three decades. For this article, she interviewed 23 people in Iran, including senior officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards and individuals with ties to Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei. | Thursday, April 23, 2026
When Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran as the supreme leader, he exerted absolute power over all decisions about war, peace and negotiations with the United States. His son and successor does not play the same role.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son, is an elusive figure who has not been seen and whose voice has not been heard since he was appointed in March. Instead, a battle-hardened collective of commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and those aligned with them are the key decision makers on matters of security, war and diplomacy.
“Mojtaba is managing the country as though he is the director of the board,” said Abdolreza Davari, a politician who served as senior adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he was president and knows Mr. Khamenei.
“He relies heavily on the advice and guidance of the board members, and they collectively make all the decisions,” Mr. Davari said in a phone interview from Tehran. “The generals are the board members.”
This account of Iran’s new power structure is based on interviews with six senior Iranian officials, two former officials, two members of the Revolutionary Guards, a senior cleric familiar with the inner workings of the system and three individuals who know Mr. Khamenei well. Nine other individuals with ties to the Guards and the government also described the command structure. They all spoke on the condition they not be identified because they were discussing sensitive matters of state. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has covered Iran for three decades. For this article, she interviewed 23 people in Iran, including senior officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards and individuals with ties to Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei. | Thursday, April 23, 2026
King Charles Will Not Meet Epstein Victims During U.S. State Visit
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Representative Ro Khanna had asked Buckingham Palace for a private meeting between the victims and King Charles during his planned visit to the U.S. next week.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Lawyers representing King Charles said he will not meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse when the monarch visits the U.S. next week.Credit...Ben Stansall/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
During his state visit to the United States next week, King Charles III will not meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein, according to a letter from lawyers representing King Charles and Queen Camilla in response to a request from Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California.
Mr. Khanna had asked Buckingham Palace to arrange a private audience between the monarch and victims of Mr. Epstein who are seeking accountability.
“The king and queen have consistently made clear their support for all victims of abuse, wherever and however perpetrated,” the letter said. It added that because of “ongoing police inquiries” in the United Kingdom, King Charles was “unable to meet survivors or comment directly on the matters under inquiry.”
In Britain, the Epstein scandal has centered on the king’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his relationship with Mr. Epstein; he was arrested in February over accusations of misconduct in public office and has denied wrongdoing.
Mr. Khanna, who has been among the most vocal advocates in Washington for broader disclosure of records tied to Mr. Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, initially framed the request as a chance for survivors to speak directly to one of the world’s most visible heads of state about the abuse they suffered. » | Robert Jimison | Reporting from the Capitol | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
During his state visit to the United States next week, King Charles III will not meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein, according to a letter from lawyers representing King Charles and Queen Camilla in response to a request from Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California.
Mr. Khanna had asked Buckingham Palace to arrange a private audience between the monarch and victims of Mr. Epstein who are seeking accountability.
“The king and queen have consistently made clear their support for all victims of abuse, wherever and however perpetrated,” the letter said. It added that because of “ongoing police inquiries” in the United Kingdom, King Charles was “unable to meet survivors or comment directly on the matters under inquiry.”
In Britain, the Epstein scandal has centered on the king’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his relationship with Mr. Epstein; he was arrested in February over accusations of misconduct in public office and has denied wrongdoing.
Mr. Khanna, who has been among the most vocal advocates in Washington for broader disclosure of records tied to Mr. Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, initially framed the request as a chance for survivors to speak directly to one of the world’s most visible heads of state about the abuse they suffered. » | Robert Jimison | Reporting from the Capitol | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
EU Risks Fallout with US over Trump-linked Balkans Pipeline Plan
THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Brussels seeks to stall awarding of contract to firm fronted by US president’s lawyer in letter seen by Guardian
The EU risks a confrontation with Donald Trump after it sought to stall the awarding of a lucrative Balkans pipeline contract to a company fronted by his personal lawyer, documents seen by the Guardian show.
Brussels has clashed with Trump over trade, Ukraine and military spending, but the intervention in the Southern Interconnection pipeline project appears to mark the first time it has challenged a commercial venture by those close to the president.
The pipeline will run through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under what Bosnian sources say have been months of pressure from US officials, its leaders have been moving quickly to award the contract to a previously little-known company based in Wyoming.
AAFS Infrastructure and Energy was incorporated in November last year and has not disclosed its owners. It is fronted by two leading members of Trump’s campaign to overturn his 2020 election defeat: Jesse Binnall, a lawyer who defended him against allegations of inciting the Capitol riots after his defeat, and Joe Flynn, the brother of the president’s former national security adviser.
Despite lacking any apparent track record, AAFS is planning to invest $1.5bn in the pipeline and other Bosnian infrastructure projects, its local representative has said.
In March, lawmakers approved legislation that Transparency International said would set a “dangerous precedent” by stipulating that the contract must go to AAFS without a tender. » | Tom Burgis I Sarajevo | Thursday, April 23, 2026
The EU risks a confrontation with Donald Trump after it sought to stall the awarding of a lucrative Balkans pipeline contract to a company fronted by his personal lawyer, documents seen by the Guardian show.
Brussels has clashed with Trump over trade, Ukraine and military spending, but the intervention in the Southern Interconnection pipeline project appears to mark the first time it has challenged a commercial venture by those close to the president.
The pipeline will run through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under what Bosnian sources say have been months of pressure from US officials, its leaders have been moving quickly to award the contract to a previously little-known company based in Wyoming.
AAFS Infrastructure and Energy was incorporated in November last year and has not disclosed its owners. It is fronted by two leading members of Trump’s campaign to overturn his 2020 election defeat: Jesse Binnall, a lawyer who defended him against allegations of inciting the Capitol riots after his defeat, and Joe Flynn, the brother of the president’s former national security adviser.
Despite lacking any apparent track record, AAFS is planning to invest $1.5bn in the pipeline and other Bosnian infrastructure projects, its local representative has said.
In March, lawmakers approved legislation that Transparency International said would set a “dangerous precedent” by stipulating that the contract must go to AAFS without a tender. » | Tom Burgis I Sarajevo | Thursday, April 23, 2026
Lawrence: Tucker Carlson, Virginia Voters, and the Rest of America Are Turning on Trump
The German Officer Who Saved One of Poland's Greatest Pianists | Wilm Hosenfeld
The Messianic Maniac Pushing for Holy War in Iran
Apr 22, 2026 | Radical Muslims. Messianic mullahs. Religious nutjobs.
Sound familiar?
That’s how the Trump administration has described the rulers of Iran over the last few months in an effort to justify starting an illegal war that has now destabilized the entire Middle East.
But, as Mehdi points out, it’s not the Iranians who are pushing for a holy war in the Middle East — it’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, covered in crusader and Islamophobic tattoos, who has repeatedly called on Jesus Christ himself to help US forces unleash “overwhelming violence” on Iranians and deliver their souls to “eternal damnation.”
Mehdi takes a deep-dive into Hegseth’s open Christian nationalism and messianic militaristic agenda, and reframes the narrative of who actually wants a holy war in the Holy Land.
Sound familiar?
That’s how the Trump administration has described the rulers of Iran over the last few months in an effort to justify starting an illegal war that has now destabilized the entire Middle East.
But, as Mehdi points out, it’s not the Iranians who are pushing for a holy war in the Middle East — it’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, covered in crusader and Islamophobic tattoos, who has repeatedly called on Jesus Christ himself to help US forces unleash “overwhelming violence” on Iranians and deliver their souls to “eternal damnation.”
Mehdi takes a deep-dive into Hegseth’s open Christian nationalism and messianic militaristic agenda, and reframes the narrative of who actually wants a holy war in the Holy Land.
Entre États-Unis et Iran, les risques d’une stratégie de « ni guerre ni paix »
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Après la prolongation du cessez-le-feu, chacun des belligérants s’estime en position de force, plongeant le monde dans une incertitude pesante face à la menace d’une nouvelle escalade.
Reprise de la guerre ou pause dans les négociations ? En faisant entrer le conflit irano-américain dans une phase de « ni guerre, ni paix », la prolongation du cessez-le-feu pour une durée « indéterminée », annoncée mardi soir par Donald Trump, plonge le monde dans une incertitude pesante. Téhéran et Washington continuent de s’estimer l’un et l’autre en position de force, les États-Unis conservant leur liberté d’action militaire et l’Iran montrant sa détermination à contrôler le détroit d’Ormuz.
Quelques heures après l’annonce de Donald Trump, la force navale des gardiens de la révolution a annoncé avoir intercepté deux navires qui tentaient de franchir le détroit d’Ormuz, désormais soumis à un double blocus, américain et iranien. Ils ont été dirigés vers les eaux territoriales iraniennes. Téhéran a rappelé que les navires doivent obtenir une autorisation pour quitter ou entrer dans cette voie maritime, qui en temps de paix, voit passer un cinquième des exportations mondiales de pétrole et de gaz. » |Par Georges Malbrunot | mercredi 22 avril 2026
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Reprise de la guerre ou pause dans les négociations ? En faisant entrer le conflit irano-américain dans une phase de « ni guerre, ni paix », la prolongation du cessez-le-feu pour une durée « indéterminée », annoncée mardi soir par Donald Trump, plonge le monde dans une incertitude pesante. Téhéran et Washington continuent de s’estimer l’un et l’autre en position de force, les États-Unis conservant leur liberté d’action militaire et l’Iran montrant sa détermination à contrôler le détroit d’Ormuz.
Quelques heures après l’annonce de Donald Trump, la force navale des gardiens de la révolution a annoncé avoir intercepté deux navires qui tentaient de franchir le détroit d’Ormuz, désormais soumis à un double blocus, américain et iranien. Ils ont été dirigés vers les eaux territoriales iraniennes. Téhéran a rappelé que les navires doivent obtenir une autorisation pour quitter ou entrer dans cette voie maritime, qui en temps de paix, voit passer un cinquième des exportations mondiales de pétrole et de gaz. » |Par Georges Malbrunot | mercredi 22 avril 2026
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Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Bessent Backs Financial Support for Oil-Rich U.A.E.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Treasury secretary said that currency swap line would benefit both the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he backed the idea of providing economic support in the form of a currency swap to the United Arab Emirates, an oil-rich ally that has been contending with economic fallout from the war in Iran.
Speaking at a Senate hearing, Mr. Bessent said that the Emirates, along with several other countries in the Persian Gulf and Asia, had inquired about the possibility of a swap. He said such a maneuver would prevent the disorderly sale of U.S. assets as nations look to secure access to dollars. The war in Iran has damaged oil and gas infrastructure throughout the Middle East, dealing a blow to economies such as the Emirates that rely on the Strait of Hormuz to transport crude around the world.
The Treasury secretary said that providing a currency swap to the Emirates could benefit the United States by stabilizing foreign exchange markets and protecting American assets around the world. He added that it could be provided by the Federal Reserve or by the Treasury Department, which can deploy its Exchange Stabilization Fund to buy another nation’s currency.
“Swap lines, whether it’s from the Federal Reserve or the Treasury, are to maintain order in the dollar funding markets and to prevent the sale of the U.S. assets in a disorderly way,” Mr. Bessent said. “The swap line would both benefit the U.A.E. and the U.S.” » | Alan Rappeport | Reporting from Washington | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
This is astonishing indeed! No money can be found to help hard-pressed Americans, but billions can be found to help an oil-rich nation. It is more especially astonishing given the fact that the USA is on its uppers and this illegal war, in addition, is costing billions per week. Trump and his chums in the regime appear to have very queer priorities. Of course, if this illegal war had not been started, the UAE’s economy wouldn’t be suffering today. That the country now needs help is only because of Trump’s illegal and unnecessary war on Iran. It’s a war that should never have been started and waged. — © Mark Alexander
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he backed the idea of providing economic support in the form of a currency swap to the United Arab Emirates, an oil-rich ally that has been contending with economic fallout from the war in Iran.
Speaking at a Senate hearing, Mr. Bessent said that the Emirates, along with several other countries in the Persian Gulf and Asia, had inquired about the possibility of a swap. He said such a maneuver would prevent the disorderly sale of U.S. assets as nations look to secure access to dollars. The war in Iran has damaged oil and gas infrastructure throughout the Middle East, dealing a blow to economies such as the Emirates that rely on the Strait of Hormuz to transport crude around the world.
The Treasury secretary said that providing a currency swap to the Emirates could benefit the United States by stabilizing foreign exchange markets and protecting American assets around the world. He added that it could be provided by the Federal Reserve or by the Treasury Department, which can deploy its Exchange Stabilization Fund to buy another nation’s currency.
“Swap lines, whether it’s from the Federal Reserve or the Treasury, are to maintain order in the dollar funding markets and to prevent the sale of the U.S. assets in a disorderly way,” Mr. Bessent said. “The swap line would both benefit the U.A.E. and the U.S.” » | Alan Rappeport | Reporting from Washington | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
This is astonishing indeed! No money can be found to help hard-pressed Americans, but billions can be found to help an oil-rich nation. It is more especially astonishing given the fact that the USA is on its uppers and this illegal war, in addition, is costing billions per week. Trump and his chums in the regime appear to have very queer priorities. Of course, if this illegal war had not been started, the UAE’s economy wouldn’t be suffering today. That the country now needs help is only because of Trump’s illegal and unnecessary war on Iran. It’s a war that should never have been started and waged. — © Mark Alexander
Iran Again Tightens Its Grip on Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Traffic in the strait has all but halted as Iran renews its attacks, striking two vessels on Wednesday. More than 300 ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait since the war began.
The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has become a barometer of how the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is affecting the global economy.
On Tuesday, after nearly eight weeks of war, that number was one, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Then Wednesday, more ships tried and Iran attacked two cargo vessels in the strait.
“They are reminding us that their threats to attack ships are genuine, and that’s enough to suppress traffic through the strait,” said Rosemary Kelanic, a director at Defense Priorities, a research organization focused on foreign affairs. Ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait, ship tracking data shows.
The latest attacks show that Tehran still has a stranglehold on the strait that allows it to ratchet up the pain on the global economy, even though the U.S. military has struck some 13,000 targets in Iran and set up a naval blockade against it. This strategic move gives Iran leverage in any talks with the United States to end the war. » | Peter Eavis | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has become a barometer of how the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is affecting the global economy.
On Tuesday, after nearly eight weeks of war, that number was one, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Then Wednesday, more ships tried and Iran attacked two cargo vessels in the strait.
“They are reminding us that their threats to attack ships are genuine, and that’s enough to suppress traffic through the strait,” said Rosemary Kelanic, a director at Defense Priorities, a research organization focused on foreign affairs. Ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait, ship tracking data shows.
The latest attacks show that Tehran still has a stranglehold on the strait that allows it to ratchet up the pain on the global economy, even though the U.S. military has struck some 13,000 targets in Iran and set up a naval blockade against it. This strategic move gives Iran leverage in any talks with the United States to end the war. » | Peter Eavis | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
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