THE NEW YORK TIMES: Mientras el presidente Trump aumenta la presión sobre la isla, otros países latinoamericanos, incluso los de izquierda, permanecen callados. Aquí vemos por qué.
Uno pensaría que el gobierno de Donald Trump está muy ocupado con Irán, pero parece estar tan enfocado en Cuba como siempre. El lunes, en una conferencia de prensa, el presidente Trump afirmó: “Creo que tendré el honor de tomar Cuba”.
Mi colega Frances Robles dio la noticia de que el gobierno estaba en conversaciones con funcionarios cubanos para apartar del poder al presidente Miguel Díaz-Canel (lee aquí su artículo en español), pero dejando en pie el régimen represivo del país. Parece que Trump está contemplando una versión cubana de lo que hizo en Venezuela e Irán —destituir al líder—, pero esta vez sin recurrir a la fuerza militar.
Lo sorprendente es lo poco que otros países latinoamericanos, incluso los de izquierda, han salido en defensa de Cuba. Este boletín explica por qué. » | Por Katrin Bennhold | Soy la presentadora de The World.| 18 de marzo de 2026
Read in English.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
GB News Faces Complaints after Commentator Claims ‘Genocide’ against White People in UK
THE GUARDIAN: Thomas Corbett-Dillon, who claims to have advised Boris Johnson, says immigrants could ‘turn’ on white population
GB News is facing a backlash after a commentator on one of its shows suggested there is “a genocide happening” against white people in England and that immigrants could “turn” on the white population.
Ofcom, the media regulator, has received a series of complaints about the comments by Thomas Corbett-Dillon.
Corbett-Dillon, who worked on Penny Mordaunt’s unsuccessful Conservative party leadership campaign and who also claims to have advised Boris Johnson, appeared on GB News’s US-based Late Show Live last week.
During a discussion about the UK government’s anti-extremism strategy, Corbett-Dillon said: “I hate this idea that England is just a no man’s land. No, there is an indigenous population that have lived on that island for thousands of years.
“If this was happening in any other place around the world, everyone would be defending and saying: ‘Wow, there’s a genocide happening in this island because it is being taken over by different people that are not indigenous to that land.’” » | Michael Savage | Media editor | Wednesday, March 18, 2026
GB News is facing a backlash after a commentator on one of its shows suggested there is “a genocide happening” against white people in England and that immigrants could “turn” on the white population.
Ofcom, the media regulator, has received a series of complaints about the comments by Thomas Corbett-Dillon.
Corbett-Dillon, who worked on Penny Mordaunt’s unsuccessful Conservative party leadership campaign and who also claims to have advised Boris Johnson, appeared on GB News’s US-based Late Show Live last week.
During a discussion about the UK government’s anti-extremism strategy, Corbett-Dillon said: “I hate this idea that England is just a no man’s land. No, there is an indigenous population that have lived on that island for thousands of years.
“If this was happening in any other place around the world, everyone would be defending and saying: ‘Wow, there’s a genocide happening in this island because it is being taken over by different people that are not indigenous to that land.’” » | Michael Savage | Media editor | Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Europe Must Prepare for Drone Strikes by Terrorists and Criminals, Warns Zelenskyy
THE GUARDIAN: Ukraine’s president says mass attacks on civilians are no longer the preserve of a ‘madman like Putin’
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Keir Starmer welcomes Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed defence partnerships. | Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty Images
European nations should prepare for attacks by non-state actors including criminal networks, terror groups and lone attackers as drone technology advances, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned.
The Ukrainian president said it was no longer just “a wealthy madman like Putin” who could afford mass attacks as he demonstrated the latest technology to British MPs and peers.
Zelenskyy said the regimes in Moscow and Tehran were “brothers in hatred”, with Russia using Iranian-designed Shahed drones, as well as its own variants of them, to attack critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
His UK visit came as Keir Starmer said the west must not “lose focus” on Ukraine amid concerns that the Iran conflict had revived Russia’s ailing economy by increasing oil revenue and Kyiv could miss out on air defence systems being deployed to the Middle East instead. » | Pippa Crerar | Political editor | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
European nations should prepare for attacks by non-state actors including criminal networks, terror groups and lone attackers as drone technology advances, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned.
The Ukrainian president said it was no longer just “a wealthy madman like Putin” who could afford mass attacks as he demonstrated the latest technology to British MPs and peers.
Zelenskyy said the regimes in Moscow and Tehran were “brothers in hatred”, with Russia using Iranian-designed Shahed drones, as well as its own variants of them, to attack critical infrastructure in Ukraine.
His UK visit came as Keir Starmer said the west must not “lose focus” on Ukraine amid concerns that the Iran conflict had revived Russia’s ailing economy by increasing oil revenue and Kyiv could miss out on air defence systems being deployed to the Middle East instead. » | Pippa Crerar | Political editor | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Trump’s Delusion: "Everyone Loves the Chaos" While America Crumbles
An Iranian Professor’s Viewpoint on This War on Iran
Salvador : le Parlement adopte la prison à perpétuité pour les « meurtriers, violeurs et terroristes »
LE FIGARO : Les parlementaires du Salvador ont approuvé mardi une réforme constitutionnelle qui instaure la prison à perpétuité pour les «meurtriers, violeurs et terroristes», un texte voulu par le président Nayib Bukele, connu pour sa fermeté dans la lutte contre les gangs.
Le Salvador du président Nayib Bukele, critiqué par les organisations de défense des droits humains, a durci mardi sa guerre contre les gangs avec l’adoption d’une réforme constitutionnelle instaurant la prison à perpétuité pour les « meurtriers, violeurs et terroristes ».
Le président Bukele, qui exerce le pouvoir au Salvador de manière presque absolue, renforce ainsi l’arsenal d’une politique sécuritaire admirée par plusieurs dirigeants latino-américains mais dénoncée par diverses ONG pour ses dérives. « Notre guerre sans merci contre les terroristes ne s’arrête pas (...) C’est pourquoi nous demandons la prison à perpétuité pour ce type de criminels », a déclaré le ministre de la Sécurité, Gustavo Villatoro, en présentant mardi l’initiative au Parlement unicaméral, dominé par le parti de Nayib Bukele. Il a également évoqué une peine similaire pour les « meurtriers et violeurs ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 17 mars 2026
Le Salvador du président Nayib Bukele, critiqué par les organisations de défense des droits humains, a durci mardi sa guerre contre les gangs avec l’adoption d’une réforme constitutionnelle instaurant la prison à perpétuité pour les « meurtriers, violeurs et terroristes ».
Le président Bukele, qui exerce le pouvoir au Salvador de manière presque absolue, renforce ainsi l’arsenal d’une politique sécuritaire admirée par plusieurs dirigeants latino-américains mais dénoncée par diverses ONG pour ses dérives. « Notre guerre sans merci contre les terroristes ne s’arrête pas (...) C’est pourquoi nous demandons la prison à perpétuité pour ce type de criminels », a déclaré le ministre de la Sécurité, Gustavo Villatoro, en présentant mardi l’initiative au Parlement unicaméral, dominé par le parti de Nayib Bukele. Il a également évoqué une peine similaire pour les « meurtriers et violeurs ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 17 mars 2026
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
‘Trump Is Aiming for Dictatorship’. That’s the Verdict of the World’s Most Credible Democracy Watchdog
THE GUARDIAN — OPINION: weden’s V-Dem Institute warns that the US is no longer a liberal democracy. And autocracy is creeping across Europe too
The US is no longer a democracy. One of the most credible global sources on the health of democratic nations now says this outright. The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute at Gothenburg University reaches the alarming conclusion in its annual report, that the US is hurtling towards autocracy at a faster rate than Hungary and Turkey.
“Our data on the USA goes back to 1789. What we’re seeing now is the most severe magnitude of democratic backsliding ever in the country,” says Staffan Lindberg, founder of the institute.
Since 2012, Lindberg has led his small group of researchers in Sweden to become the world’s leading source for analysis of the health of global democracy. In their latest report, published on Tuesday, they conclude that the US, for the first time in more than half a century, has lost its long-term status as a liberal democracy. The country is now going through a rapid process of what the report’s authors call “autocratisation”.
“For Orbán in Hungary, it took about four years, for Vučić in Serbia, it took eight years, and for Erdoğan in Turkey and Modi in India, it took about 10 years to accomplish the suppression of democratic institutions that Trump has achieved in only one year,” Lindberg says. » | Martin Gelin | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
The US is no longer a democracy. One of the most credible global sources on the health of democratic nations now says this outright. The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute at Gothenburg University reaches the alarming conclusion in its annual report, that the US is hurtling towards autocracy at a faster rate than Hungary and Turkey.
“Our data on the USA goes back to 1789. What we’re seeing now is the most severe magnitude of democratic backsliding ever in the country,” says Staffan Lindberg, founder of the institute.
Since 2012, Lindberg has led his small group of researchers in Sweden to become the world’s leading source for analysis of the health of global democracy. In their latest report, published on Tuesday, they conclude that the US, for the first time in more than half a century, has lost its long-term status as a liberal democracy. The country is now going through a rapid process of what the report’s authors call “autocratisation”.
“For Orbán in Hungary, it took about four years, for Vučić in Serbia, it took eight years, and for Erdoğan in Turkey and Modi in India, it took about 10 years to accomplish the suppression of democratic institutions that Trump has achieved in only one year,” Lindberg says. » | Martin Gelin | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Is Trump's Base Getting Uneasy about the War in Iran? | DW News
Related article here.
Trump Is Lashing Out at Allies because the US Has a 'Real Mess' | Lieutenant General Ben Hodges
Mar 17, 2026 | "I’m willing to be understanding when European allies are reluctant."
Trump’s allies are right to be hesitant when the President "hasn’t even explained to Congress" what the end state is, says former commanding general of the United States Army in Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
Trump’s allies are right to be hesitant when the President "hasn’t even explained to Congress" what the end state is, says former commanding general of the United States Army in Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges.
Trump critique le refus de l’Otan de s’engager dans le golfe Persique
LE FIGARO : Le président américain a accusé les alliés des États-Unis de leur refuser leur aide dans une opération à laquelle ils n’ont pas été associés, justifiant ainsi son ancienne hostilité envers l’Otan et ouvrant une nouvelle période de tensions transatlantiques.
Trump a fait du détroit d’Ormuz un nouveau sujet de contentieux avec ses alliés. Leur peu d’enthousiasme à obéir à ses mises en demeure de participer aux opérations pour maintenir ouverte cette voie maritime, a ravivé son hostilité de longue date envers l’Alliance atlantique. « Tous nos alliés de l’Otan ont vivement approuvé notre action pour éliminer la menace nucléaire iranienne, mais ils ne veulent pas nous aider, malgré le fait que nous les aidions énormément, que nous ayons des milliers de soldats dans différents pays partout dans le monde, ce qui est incroyable », s’est indigné Trump mardi dans le bureau ovale. « Je n’ai pas mis la pression à fond parce que je pense que si je l’avais fait, ils auraient probablement cédé, et parce que nous n’avons pas besoin de leur aide ».
« Mais les responsables de l’Otan commettent une erreur très stupide », a-t-il ajouté. « Voici longtemps que je doute qu’ils viennent à notre aide en cas de besoin. C’est donc un excellent test, car nous n’avons pas besoin d’eux, mais ils auraient dû être là… C’est assez dur à avaler. Donc tout le monde est d’accord avec notre action, mais ils ne veulent pas nous aider. Et les États-Unis devront s’en souvenir, parce que c’est très grave ».
Le président avait étendu sa colère aux alliés asiatiques des États-Unis. « Il faut garder à l’esprit que nous avons 45.000 soldats au Japon. Nous avons 45.000 soldats en Corée du Sud. Nous avons entre 45.000 et 50.000 soldats en Allemagne », a dit Trump. « Nous défendons tous ces pays, et quand on leur demande, avez-vous des dragueurs de mines?, ils répondent : serait-il possible de ne pas nous impliquer? » » | Par Adrien Jaulmes | mardi 17 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Trump a fait du détroit d’Ormuz un nouveau sujet de contentieux avec ses alliés. Leur peu d’enthousiasme à obéir à ses mises en demeure de participer aux opérations pour maintenir ouverte cette voie maritime, a ravivé son hostilité de longue date envers l’Alliance atlantique. « Tous nos alliés de l’Otan ont vivement approuvé notre action pour éliminer la menace nucléaire iranienne, mais ils ne veulent pas nous aider, malgré le fait que nous les aidions énormément, que nous ayons des milliers de soldats dans différents pays partout dans le monde, ce qui est incroyable », s’est indigné Trump mardi dans le bureau ovale. « Je n’ai pas mis la pression à fond parce que je pense que si je l’avais fait, ils auraient probablement cédé, et parce que nous n’avons pas besoin de leur aide ».
« Mais les responsables de l’Otan commettent une erreur très stupide », a-t-il ajouté. « Voici longtemps que je doute qu’ils viennent à notre aide en cas de besoin. C’est donc un excellent test, car nous n’avons pas besoin d’eux, mais ils auraient dû être là… C’est assez dur à avaler. Donc tout le monde est d’accord avec notre action, mais ils ne veulent pas nous aider. Et les États-Unis devront s’en souvenir, parce que c’est très grave ».
Le président avait étendu sa colère aux alliés asiatiques des États-Unis. « Il faut garder à l’esprit que nous avons 45.000 soldats au Japon. Nous avons 45.000 soldats en Corée du Sud. Nous avons entre 45.000 et 50.000 soldats en Allemagne », a dit Trump. « Nous défendons tous ces pays, et quand on leur demande, avez-vous des dragueurs de mines?, ils répondent : serait-il possible de ne pas nous impliquer? » » | Par Adrien Jaulmes | mardi 17 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Steve Schmidt: Trump Will Go Down for These Wars
Revealed: Nigel Farage Cameo Videos Show Support for Neo-Nazi Event and Far-right Slogans
Joe Kent, a Top U.S. Counterterrorism Official, Resigns Over the Iran War
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Mr. Kent is the highest-ranking Trump administration official to quit in opposition to the conflict. He is also known for his support of conspiracy theories.
One of the United States’ top counterterrorism officials resigned on Tuesday, citing his opposition to the war in Iran and what he said was Israel’s influence over the Trump administration’s policies, a sign of emerging divisions in the Republican coalition.
The official, Joe Kent, is the first senior member of the administration to quit over the war.
The seemingly open-ended nature of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has created strong divisions among Mr. Trump’s supporters. An anti-interventionist wing of the coalition, which supported President Trump because of his criticism of long overseas conflicts, has quickly become uneasy with the war, which has lasted 18 days with no immediate sign of ending.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Mr. Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, wrote in a letter to Mr. Trump. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Mr. Kent’s resignation came as a surprise. The top ranks of Mr. Trump’s administration have been remarkably stable, and no senior leader has quit while laying out a sharp policy difference with the president.
Unsurprisingly, Mr. Kent’s stance earned a sharp rebuke from Mr. Trump. » | Julian E. Barnes, Robert Draper and Luke Broadwater | Reporting from Washington | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Leer en español.
One of the United States’ top counterterrorism officials resigned on Tuesday, citing his opposition to the war in Iran and what he said was Israel’s influence over the Trump administration’s policies, a sign of emerging divisions in the Republican coalition.
The official, Joe Kent, is the first senior member of the administration to quit over the war.
The seemingly open-ended nature of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has created strong divisions among Mr. Trump’s supporters. An anti-interventionist wing of the coalition, which supported President Trump because of his criticism of long overseas conflicts, has quickly become uneasy with the war, which has lasted 18 days with no immediate sign of ending.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Mr. Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, wrote in a letter to Mr. Trump. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Mr. Kent’s resignation came as a surprise. The top ranks of Mr. Trump’s administration have been remarkably stable, and no senior leader has quit while laying out a sharp policy difference with the president.
Unsurprisingly, Mr. Kent’s stance earned a sharp rebuke from Mr. Trump. » | Julian E. Barnes, Robert Draper and Luke Broadwater | Reporting from Washington | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Leer en español.
Report from Havana as Trump Threatens to "Take" Cuba & Pushes for Ouster of Cuban Leader
Now that the Soviet Union no longer exists, were Ronald Reagan to be alive today, which country would he have to refer to as the “Evil Empire”? Presumably, the empire that causes most damage to property and infrastructure, the most deaths, and the most pain. And, of course, the empire which has the most despicable president leading it. — © Mark Alexander
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
Trump Risks Impeachment as Iran War Backfires
This gentleman says that Trump is unpopular in many European countries. Unpopular? He's hated! — © Mark Alexander
SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn Accuses US of ‘War Crime’ in Iran | BBC Politics Live
Mar 17, 2026 | Stephen Flynn, leader of the SNP in the House of Commons, has accused the US of war crimes in Iran.
Speaking on the BBC's Politics Live, Flynn discussed the US handling of the war, highlighting the strike on a primary school that Iranian officials say killed 168 people, including about 110 children.
“If this war killed children at a school I think that’s a tragedy and the US has to investigate that," Fred Fleitz, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, told the programme. “It’s not a tragedy, it’s a war crime," Flynn replied.
Politics Live presenter Vicki Young was also joined by Labour MP Sarah Smith and Conservative MP Joe Robertson.
Speaking on the BBC's Politics Live, Flynn discussed the US handling of the war, highlighting the strike on a primary school that Iranian officials say killed 168 people, including about 110 children.
“If this war killed children at a school I think that’s a tragedy and the US has to investigate that," Fred Fleitz, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, told the programme. “It’s not a tragedy, it’s a war crime," Flynn replied.
Politics Live presenter Vicki Young was also joined by Labour MP Sarah Smith and Conservative MP Joe Robertson.
Iran Challenges US Dollar, Demanding Oil Be Sold in Chinese Yuan, as It Targets US Corporations
Mar 17, 2026 | In response to the US-Israeli war, Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the most important oil chokepoint on Earth, causing energy prices to skyrocket.
However, Tehran is allowing Chinese tankers through, and says other ships can pass if they agree to sell oil in China's currency, the renminbi (aka yuan).
Iran is also targeting offices of major American corporations, and wants to force them out of the Middle East (West Asia), while trying to expel US military bases.
Ben Norton explains how this war affects the petrodollar system, and the dominance of the dollar as the global reserve currency.
INVESTOPEDIA: Yuan vs. Renminbi: What’s the Difference? »
However, Tehran is allowing Chinese tankers through, and says other ships can pass if they agree to sell oil in China's currency, the renminbi (aka yuan).
Iran is also targeting offices of major American corporations, and wants to force them out of the Middle East (West Asia), while trying to expel US military bases.
Ben Norton explains how this war affects the petrodollar system, and the dominance of the dollar as the global reserve currency.
INVESTOPEDIA: Yuan vs. Renminbi: What’s the Difference? »
Trump Panicking as It Becomes Clear He’s LOSING the War to Iran
Mar 17, 2026 | It’s becoming increasingly evident that Trump’s impromptu invasion of Iran isn’t going as he expected it to; and as a result, he’s panicking and lashing out.
Trump is accusing media outlets of “treason” for portraying the US as weak. Trump’s tyrannical FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, has even threatened to revoke the broadcasting licenses of media outlets that don’t cover the war to Trump’s liking.
In this video we’ll talk about how Trump’s public comments about his illegal Iran war do not reflect reality, and why he’s going to get even more dangerous as he grapples with the reality that he’s not going to be able to win this war.
Strong language alert!
Unfortunately, Americans must now be starting to ask themselves a very uncomfortable question: namely, how many Americans will be killed, seriously injured, or maimed as result of Trump’s poor judgment in deciding to start this major war with Iran? One thing these Americans will be able to be sure of: no member of the Trump family will! — © Mark Alexander
Trump is accusing media outlets of “treason” for portraying the US as weak. Trump’s tyrannical FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, has even threatened to revoke the broadcasting licenses of media outlets that don’t cover the war to Trump’s liking.
In this video we’ll talk about how Trump’s public comments about his illegal Iran war do not reflect reality, and why he’s going to get even more dangerous as he grapples with the reality that he’s not going to be able to win this war.
Strong language alert!
Unfortunately, Americans must now be starting to ask themselves a very uncomfortable question: namely, how many Americans will be killed, seriously injured, or maimed as result of Trump’s poor judgment in deciding to start this major war with Iran? One thing these Americans will be able to be sure of: no member of the Trump family will! — © Mark Alexander
Aaron Parnas: Trump Suggests Making Venezuela the 51st State!
Iran: Between Fear and Fury | ARTE.tv Documentary
Mar 17, 2026 | The US has named their attack on Iran “Operation Epic Fury”. Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have called on the Iranians to overthrow the regime. But how can this be done when bombs are raining down on the country and the Iranian people are still traumatised by the brutal state violence that put down the mass protests in January?
Iran: Between Fear and Fury | ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until: 24/02/2029
Iran: Between Fear and Fury | ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until: 24/02/2029
Lindsey Graham BEGS Americans to Send Their Kids to War
Trump, America’s New Einstein, Thinks that People with Learning Disabilities Should Never Become President!
Allies Abandon Trump over Iran War, Tariffs and a Year of Abuse
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Trump Is Trying to Pull the UK into War | Michael Martins
Mar 17, 2026 | “I think [Trump's] going to want to save face in this, and I think that's where the landing zone is.”
The UK now has an opportunity to de-escalate tensions with the US by “finding the avenue” to abate Trump’s rhetoric toward Starmer, says former political and economic specialist at the US Embassy in the UK during Trump's first term, Michael Martins.
I am no Starmer fan, but Starmer is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT not to allow Britain to be dragged into this war by Goldilocks. Goldilocks should do his own DIRTY WORK. He got America into this war, so let him get America out of it. — © Mark Alexander
The UK now has an opportunity to de-escalate tensions with the US by “finding the avenue” to abate Trump’s rhetoric toward Starmer, says former political and economic specialist at the US Embassy in the UK during Trump's first term, Michael Martins.
I am no Starmer fan, but Starmer is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT not to allow Britain to be dragged into this war by Goldilocks. Goldilocks should do his own DIRTY WORK. He got America into this war, so let him get America out of it. — © Mark Alexander
Trump Says He Will Have the ‘Honor’ of ‘Taking Cuba’
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump’s words came amid a nationwide blackout and as a top Cuban official said his country would move to open the economy to foreign investors.
President Trump raised the possibility of the United States “taking” Cuba on Monday, telling reporters at the White House, “I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba.”
“Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it,” he said. “They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
The president’s words came on the same day as Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout, amid diminishing fuel supplies. On Monday evening, Cuban officials had also planned to announce that the country’s Communist government would open itself to foreign investment, including from the United States, Cuba’s deputy prime minister, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, told NBC News.
“Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies, also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants,” the deputy prime minister said in a clip of an interview posted by the network on Monday morning.
It is unclear how widely Cuba intends to open its economy, or how the moves compare with those made a decade ago under President Barack Obama. But the scheduled announcement coincides with a severe humanitarian and energy crisis, with some experts saying the island could run out of fuel within weeks because of a de facto blockade by the Trump administration. » | Annie Correal, Jack Nicas and Frances Robles | Reporting from Mexico City and Florida. | Published: Monday, March 16, 2026. Updated: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Watch the NYT video here.
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President Trump raised the possibility of the United States “taking” Cuba on Monday, telling reporters at the White House, “I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba.”
“Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I can do anything I want with it,” he said. “They’re a very weakened nation right now.”
The president’s words came on the same day as Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout, amid diminishing fuel supplies. On Monday evening, Cuban officials had also planned to announce that the country’s Communist government would open itself to foreign investment, including from the United States, Cuba’s deputy prime minister, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, told NBC News.
“Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with U.S. companies, also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants,” the deputy prime minister said in a clip of an interview posted by the network on Monday morning.
It is unclear how widely Cuba intends to open its economy, or how the moves compare with those made a decade ago under President Barack Obama. But the scheduled announcement coincides with a severe humanitarian and energy crisis, with some experts saying the island could run out of fuel within weeks because of a de facto blockade by the Trump administration. » | Annie Correal, Jack Nicas and Frances Robles | Reporting from Mexico City and Florida. | Published: Monday, March 16, 2026. Updated: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Watch the NYT video here.
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Iran’s Security Chief, Ali Larijani, Killed in Airstrike, Israel Says
THE GUARDIAN: If confirmed, death would make Larijani the most senior Iranian figure to be killed since Ali Khamenei on first day of war
Israel says it has killed a linchpin of Iranian politics, the national security chief, Ali Larijani, in overnight strikes, a claim that if confirmed would make him the most senior Iranian figure to die in the war since the supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed on its first day.
Iran has yet to comment on either claim. If confirmed, Larijani’s death would remove a pivotal figure at the heart of the regime’s political and security establishment at a moment of acute crisis and represent devastating blow.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said a separate strike killed the Basij paramilitary force commander, Gholamreza Soleimani, along with other senior Basij figures.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” Katz said on Tuesday.
Iranian state media published a handwritten note by Larijani, who was in effect leading the politics behind Iran’s war effort, commemorating sailors killed in a US attack whose funeral is expected on Tuesday, but it did not represent proof that he was alive since it was most likely written before Israel bombed.
The twin deaths, if confirmed, show Israel still retains intelligence on the movements of Iran’s top leaders inside Tehran, and can use it and the US’s near complete control of Iranian airspace to strike at will. » | Patrick Wintour in London and Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Israel says it has killed a linchpin of Iranian politics, the national security chief, Ali Larijani, in overnight strikes, a claim that if confirmed would make him the most senior Iranian figure to die in the war since the supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed on its first day.
Iran has yet to comment on either claim. If confirmed, Larijani’s death would remove a pivotal figure at the heart of the regime’s political and security establishment at a moment of acute crisis and represent devastating blow.
Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said a separate strike killed the Basij paramilitary force commander, Gholamreza Soleimani, along with other senior Basij figures.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation programme, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” Katz said on Tuesday.
Iranian state media published a handwritten note by Larijani, who was in effect leading the politics behind Iran’s war effort, commemorating sailors killed in a US attack whose funeral is expected on Tuesday, but it did not represent proof that he was alive since it was most likely written before Israel bombed.
The twin deaths, if confirmed, show Israel still retains intelligence on the movements of Iran’s top leaders inside Tehran, and can use it and the US’s near complete control of Iranian airspace to strike at will. » | Patrick Wintour in London and Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Zionism's Biggest Mistake in 300 Years. End of Project. | Professors J. Sachs & Y. Rabkin
Steve Rosenberg: "Iran's Got Trump by the Throat" Declares Russian Newspaper
Monday, March 16, 2026
In Choosing ‘Epic Fury,’ Trump Names a War and Defines His Presidency
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The branding of the U.S. military operation against Iran is a quintessentially Trumpian choice for a leader whose tenure has been marked by anger.
By his own account, President Trump was asked to personally pick the name of the military operation against Iran and was bored by all the choices presented to him. “They gave me, like, 20 names, and I’m like, falling asleep,” he said last week. “I didn’t like any of them.”
Then at last he was offered another option: Operation Epic Fury. That woke him up. “I like that name,” he told supporters at a rally in Kentucky. “I like that name.” And so it was selected.
After all, Epic Fury captures the Trump presidency in its essence. Everything Mr. Trump does, at least as he sees it, is epic — the biggest, the most, the first, “like we’ve never seen before,” as he likes to say. And much of what he does seems to be driven by fury, a deep and abiding enmity toward the forces arrayed against him or those he blames for what he considers the downfall of the country under other presidents.
Operation Epic Fury, therefore, is a quintessentially Trumpian choice for the name of a war. Not for him an Operation Just Cause (Panama), Operation Restore Hope (Somalia), Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti) or Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). While other military operation names in modern times have evoked broader American values or uplifting sentiments like freedom and hope, Mr. Trump prefers rage.
This is in a way the Anger Presidency. Anger defines Mr. Trump’s decade on the political stage. Anger at foreigners who come to this country and change its nature. Anger at allies who take advantage of America. Anger at Democrats who cross him. Anger at Republicans who cross him. Anger at appointees he deems insufficiently loyal. Anger at prosecutors, F.B.I. agents, judges, journalists, law firms, elite universities, cultural figures, corporate leaders, pollsters, central bankers and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. » | Peter Baker | Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, covered Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq during the early months of those wars. He reported this article from Washington. | Monday, March 16, 2026
Trump will go down in history as the warmonger non plus ultra. As the president who was lacking in compassion and who was full of anger and bile. The president who destroyed democracy. The president who caused chaos and who turned the world upside down. In fact, he will be remembered for all the Cs: cruelty, corruption, chaos, callousness, carelessness, catastrophy, censoriousness, cheesiness, and childishness. – © Mark Alexander
By his own account, President Trump was asked to personally pick the name of the military operation against Iran and was bored by all the choices presented to him. “They gave me, like, 20 names, and I’m like, falling asleep,” he said last week. “I didn’t like any of them.”
Then at last he was offered another option: Operation Epic Fury. That woke him up. “I like that name,” he told supporters at a rally in Kentucky. “I like that name.” And so it was selected.
After all, Epic Fury captures the Trump presidency in its essence. Everything Mr. Trump does, at least as he sees it, is epic — the biggest, the most, the first, “like we’ve never seen before,” as he likes to say. And much of what he does seems to be driven by fury, a deep and abiding enmity toward the forces arrayed against him or those he blames for what he considers the downfall of the country under other presidents.
Operation Epic Fury, therefore, is a quintessentially Trumpian choice for the name of a war. Not for him an Operation Just Cause (Panama), Operation Restore Hope (Somalia), Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti) or Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). While other military operation names in modern times have evoked broader American values or uplifting sentiments like freedom and hope, Mr. Trump prefers rage.
This is in a way the Anger Presidency. Anger defines Mr. Trump’s decade on the political stage. Anger at foreigners who come to this country and change its nature. Anger at allies who take advantage of America. Anger at Democrats who cross him. Anger at Republicans who cross him. Anger at appointees he deems insufficiently loyal. Anger at prosecutors, F.B.I. agents, judges, journalists, law firms, elite universities, cultural figures, corporate leaders, pollsters, central bankers and the Norwegian Nobel Committee. » | Peter Baker | Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent, covered Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq during the early months of those wars. He reported this article from Washington. | Monday, March 16, 2026
Trump will go down in history as the warmonger non plus ultra. As the president who was lacking in compassion and who was full of anger and bile. The president who destroyed democracy. The president who caused chaos and who turned the world upside down. In fact, he will be remembered for all the Cs: cruelty, corruption, chaos, callousness, carelessness, catastrophy, censoriousness, cheesiness, and childishness. – © Mark Alexander
Donald Trump Demands Other Countries Bail Him Out of His Biggest Mistake Yet
Steve Schmidt: Trump Has No Way Out
Watch and listen to those muppets cheering on their know-nothing leader! It really is unbelievable just how stupid many Americans are. — © Mark Alexander
Ex-Christian Fundamentalist, Tia Levings, Exposes Trump's HOLY WAR on Iran
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Gulf States May Be Covertly Encouraging Attacks by US, Iran’s Foreign Minister Says
THE GUARDIAN: Abbas Araghchi demands clarification on reports Saudi crown prince had urged Donald Trump to ‘hit the Iranians hard’
Some Gulf states hosting US forces may be covertly encouraging the slaughter of Iranians, Iran’s foreign minister has claimed in a thinly-veiled attack on Saudi Arabia.
Abbas Araghchi demanded clarification on reports that Mohammed bin Salman was in regular private conversations with Donald Trump urging the US president “to continue hitting the Iranians hard”.
Araghchi was responding to the second US media report in a week claiming the Saudi crown prince’s public opposition to the US attacks on Iran did not reflect his private position. “Stances should be promptly clarified,” he said in a post on X.
Iran’s foreign minister said hundreds of civilians had been killed in US-Israeli attacks, including more than 200 children.
Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, issued an appeal directed at Muslim populations in the Gulf states urging them to ask themselves which side were they on in the war and why no Islamic country had stood by the Iranian people.
Defending Iran’s attacks on Gulf states, he said: “Are we being asked to stand idly by while US bases in your countries are being used to attack us? The confrontation today is between America and Israel on the one hand, and the Muslim Iran and the forces of resistance on the other.” » | Patrick Wintour | Monday, March 16, 2026
Some Gulf states hosting US forces may be covertly encouraging the slaughter of Iranians, Iran’s foreign minister has claimed in a thinly-veiled attack on Saudi Arabia.
Abbas Araghchi demanded clarification on reports that Mohammed bin Salman was in regular private conversations with Donald Trump urging the US president “to continue hitting the Iranians hard”.
Araghchi was responding to the second US media report in a week claiming the Saudi crown prince’s public opposition to the US attacks on Iran did not reflect his private position. “Stances should be promptly clarified,” he said in a post on X.
Iran’s foreign minister said hundreds of civilians had been killed in US-Israeli attacks, including more than 200 children.
Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, issued an appeal directed at Muslim populations in the Gulf states urging them to ask themselves which side were they on in the war and why no Islamic country had stood by the Iranian people.
Defending Iran’s attacks on Gulf states, he said: “Are we being asked to stand idly by while US bases in your countries are being used to attack us? The confrontation today is between America and Israel on the one hand, and the Muslim Iran and the forces of resistance on the other.” » | Patrick Wintour | Monday, March 16, 2026
« Une odeur qui exhalait le feu » : au Liban, des hôpitaux ciblés par Israël
LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE - Trente-six médecins, infirmiers et ambulanciers ont été tués depuis la reprise de la guerre contre le Hezbollah.
Le cratère béant qui entaille le centre médical de Bourj Qalaqwiye, village du Sud-Liban, crachote encore des filets de fumée noire éparse. Il ne subsiste du bâtiment qu’un fragile squelette de colonnes dévorées par les flammes et quelques murs suspendus à des tiges métalliques. Sous les pas trébuchants de Mohamed Mheri, représentant d’une localité voisine, les gravats crissent, entremêlés aux seringues et aux registres médicaux calcinés. Sa lente procession s’arrête devant une longue tache brune, étirée sur la chaussée : « Voilà tout ce qu’il reste de mon ami, résume-t-il, le visage terni par le chagrin. Du sang. »
Mohammed Maatouk, 40 ans, infirmier volontaire auprès de l’Autorité sanitaire islamique, une association de protection civile affiliée au Hezbollah et agréée par les autorités libanaises, a été tué ici, vendredi 13 mars, à 20 h 43, peu après l’heure de l’Iftar. Il venait d’allumer une chicha lorsqu’une roquette israélienne s’est écrasée sur le toit du bâtiment. Douze des treize médecins, infirmiers et secouristes présents sur place sont morts sur le coup. Le nombre de victimes du corps médical s’élève à 36 depuis la reprise de la guerre entre Israël et le Hezbollah, allié de l’Iran au Liban. Un chiffre qui rappelle les heures sombres du précédent conflit, entre 2023 et 2024, où près de 163 médecins et secouristes avaient péri sous les feux de l’artillerie israélienne. » | Par Manon Chapelain | Envoyée spéciale à Bourj Qalaqwiye (Liban) | lundi 16 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Le cratère béant qui entaille le centre médical de Bourj Qalaqwiye, village du Sud-Liban, crachote encore des filets de fumée noire éparse. Il ne subsiste du bâtiment qu’un fragile squelette de colonnes dévorées par les flammes et quelques murs suspendus à des tiges métalliques. Sous les pas trébuchants de Mohamed Mheri, représentant d’une localité voisine, les gravats crissent, entremêlés aux seringues et aux registres médicaux calcinés. Sa lente procession s’arrête devant une longue tache brune, étirée sur la chaussée : « Voilà tout ce qu’il reste de mon ami, résume-t-il, le visage terni par le chagrin. Du sang. »
Mohammed Maatouk, 40 ans, infirmier volontaire auprès de l’Autorité sanitaire islamique, une association de protection civile affiliée au Hezbollah et agréée par les autorités libanaises, a été tué ici, vendredi 13 mars, à 20 h 43, peu après l’heure de l’Iftar. Il venait d’allumer une chicha lorsqu’une roquette israélienne s’est écrasée sur le toit du bâtiment. Douze des treize médecins, infirmiers et secouristes présents sur place sont morts sur le coup. Le nombre de victimes du corps médical s’élève à 36 depuis la reprise de la guerre entre Israël et le Hezbollah, allié de l’Iran au Liban. Un chiffre qui rappelle les heures sombres du précédent conflit, entre 2023 et 2024, où près de 163 médecins et secouristes avaient péri sous les feux de l’artillerie israélienne. » | Par Manon Chapelain | Envoyée spéciale à Bourj Qalaqwiye (Liban) | lundi 16 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Kuba will Kubanern im Ausland Investitionen und Firmenbesitz auf der Insel ermöglichen
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Erstmals sollen im Ausland lebende Kubaner offiziell Firmen auf der Insel gründen und besitzen dürfen. Doch es gibt Zweifel an der Wirksamkeit der Pläne.
Kubas Regierung will im Ausland lebenden Kubanern – darunter Hunderttausende in Miami –, künftig erlauben, auf der Insel Unternehmen zu besitzen und in den Privatsektor zu investieren. Das kündigte der stellvertretende Ministerpräsident Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga in einem Interview mit NBC News in Havanna an.
„Kuba ist offen für fließende Handelsbeziehungen mit US-Unternehmen“ sowie „mit in den Vereinigten Staaten lebenden Kubanern und deren Nachkommen“, sagte Fraga, der zugleich Außenhandels- und Investitionsminister ist. Die Öffnung gehe über den reinen Handel hinaus und umfasse auch Großinvestitionen, insbesondere in die Infrastruktur, so Fraga gegenüber NBC News. » | Lea Brüggemann | Montag, 16. März 2026
Kubas Regierung will im Ausland lebenden Kubanern – darunter Hunderttausende in Miami –, künftig erlauben, auf der Insel Unternehmen zu besitzen und in den Privatsektor zu investieren. Das kündigte der stellvertretende Ministerpräsident Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga in einem Interview mit NBC News in Havanna an.
„Kuba ist offen für fließende Handelsbeziehungen mit US-Unternehmen“ sowie „mit in den Vereinigten Staaten lebenden Kubanern und deren Nachkommen“, sagte Fraga, der zugleich Außenhandels- und Investitionsminister ist. Die Öffnung gehe über den reinen Handel hinaus und umfasse auch Großinvestitionen, insbesondere in die Infrastruktur, so Fraga gegenüber NBC News. » | Lea Brüggemann | Montag, 16. März 2026
Rudolf Nureyev, Biography of a Russian Icon
May 29, 2025 | An exceptional dancer, Rudolf Nureyev changed his destiny in 1961 by fleeing the USSR to seek asylum in France. He was 23 years old, and this bold move would separate him from his family for more than 25 years.
Brilliant and uncompromising, he conquered the West and became a ballet icon. In 1983, he became head of dance at the Paris Opera.
This documentary, combining rare archival footage and intimate testimonies, traces the dazzling career of a free artist, who passed away in 1993 at the age of only 54.
Brilliant and uncompromising, he conquered the West and became a ballet icon. In 1983, he became head of dance at the Paris Opera.
This documentary, combining rare archival footage and intimate testimonies, traces the dazzling career of a free artist, who passed away in 1993 at the age of only 54.
Guerre au Moyen-Orient : l’Iran menace de cibler des entreprises américaines dans la région
LE FIGARO : « Les employés des entreprises américaines sont priés de quitter immédiatement ces zones » ont déclaré les gardiens de la révolution. La semaine dernière, les bureaux d’Amazon et Google situés au Moyen-Orient étaient affichés sur la liste de potentielles cibles pour l’Iran.
Les Gardiens de la Révolution iraniens ont menacé lundi de cibler des entreprises américaines au Moyen-Orient, appelant le personnel à évacuer. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 16 mars 2026
Les Gardiens de la Révolution iraniens ont menacé lundi de cibler des entreprises américaines au Moyen-Orient, appelant le personnel à évacuer. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 16 mars 2026
Trump Faces a ‘Personal Vietnam’ in Iran
THE GUARDIAN — OPINION: He is stuck in a quagmire. His goals are elusive. His bombing does not force a surrender. He has no exit strategy. Good morning, Vietnam
Donald Trump is lost in his fog of war. He compounds confusion with improvised fabrications as his naive expectation of a lightning victory has been sunk in the strait of Hormuz. Iran, he felt certain, would easily follow the “perfect scenario” of Venezuela, accede to naming a leader who would instantly do his bidding, and there would be no disruption of the oil markets – “a strong gameplan”, stated Karoline Leavitt, his White House press secretary, who defends each of his changeable excuses with equal ferocity.
There may be few if any facts underlying the delusions upon which Trump constructs his vapid explanations and evanescent strategies. The belief that coherent sense can be made out of Trump’s shuffling words is a weakness of the rational mind that refuses to accept the impulses of the inveterate demagogue for what they are. Searching for reason in the jungle of Trump’s tales may compel hopelessly sensible people to superimpose logic where there is none in order to satisfy the need for some semblance of soundness.
Trump’s erratic efforts to reframe his rationale further expose his incompetence and unintelligibility, utterly predictable but now lethal on a global scale. His stream of sputtering remarks has, however, clearly established the ground that should be explored by congressional inquiries into the war’s origins, planning and conduct. » | Sidney Blumenthal | Saturday, March 14, 2026
Donald Trump is lost in his fog of war. He compounds confusion with improvised fabrications as his naive expectation of a lightning victory has been sunk in the strait of Hormuz. Iran, he felt certain, would easily follow the “perfect scenario” of Venezuela, accede to naming a leader who would instantly do his bidding, and there would be no disruption of the oil markets – “a strong gameplan”, stated Karoline Leavitt, his White House press secretary, who defends each of his changeable excuses with equal ferocity.
There may be few if any facts underlying the delusions upon which Trump constructs his vapid explanations and evanescent strategies. The belief that coherent sense can be made out of Trump’s shuffling words is a weakness of the rational mind that refuses to accept the impulses of the inveterate demagogue for what they are. Searching for reason in the jungle of Trump’s tales may compel hopelessly sensible people to superimpose logic where there is none in order to satisfy the need for some semblance of soundness.
Trump’s erratic efforts to reframe his rationale further expose his incompetence and unintelligibility, utterly predictable but now lethal on a global scale. His stream of sputtering remarks has, however, clearly established the ground that should be explored by congressional inquiries into the war’s origins, planning and conduct. » | Sidney Blumenthal | Saturday, March 14, 2026
U.S. Allies Rebuff Trump’s Appeal for Help in Strait of Hormuz
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Germany and other nations rejected President Trump’s call for warships to reopen the vital oil route. The Israeli military escalated ground attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump is expected to speak soon.
American allies around the world have responded coolly to — or outright rebuffed — President Trump’s call to send warships to escort merchant vessels in and out of the Persian Gulf, illustrating the consequences of his dismissive approach to global alliances.
The sharpest refusal came Monday from Germany, whose defense minister, Boris Pistorius, said, “This is not our war; we did not start it.” Top officials of Japan, Italy and Australia said Monday that their countries would not participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Others were noncommittal, including France, South Korea and Britain, whose prime minister, Keir Starmer, said his country would not be “drawn into wider war.”
Mr. Trump’s call on social media on Saturday for other nations to join the United States in an escort effort came just a week ago, he turned down Mr. Starmer’s offer to send two British aircraft carriers to the region. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” Mr. Trump said at the time.
As Iran blockades most traffic through the oil shipping choke point, Mr. Trump’s appeal was the first time he had sounded eager to build a broad coalition against Iran. But he was asking for backup from allies who were not consulted ahead of the U.S.-Israeli decision to go to war, and who were derided by Mr. Trump in the past.
The American-Israeli air war against Iran, now in its third week, has killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and has drawn in much of the Middle East, as Iran has launched rockets and drones at neighboring countries and at ships in the Gulf. Global energy prices have skyrocketed with tanker traffic all but stopped through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for around a fifth of the world’s oil shipments. The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, briefly reached $106 on Monday.
The United States appears to have been unprepared for the extent of that retaliation and the need to escort ships through the strait — something that administration officials have discussed publicly since the first week of the war, but has not yet begun.
Mr. Trump said NATO member nations should help, and told The Financial Times on Sunday, “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.” He called on China to send naval escorts, too, but Beijing has little incentive to cooperate; Iran, which sells oil to China, is letting its ships pass safely. Mr. Trump has threatened to postpone a planned summit meeting with Xi Jinping, China’s leader, as he focuses on the war. Iran War Live Updates » | David E. Sanger, Christopher F. Schuetze, Megan Specia and Aaron Boxerman | Monday, March 16, 2026
Goldilocks started this war, so let Goldilocks finish it! — © Mark Alexander
American allies around the world have responded coolly to — or outright rebuffed — President Trump’s call to send warships to escort merchant vessels in and out of the Persian Gulf, illustrating the consequences of his dismissive approach to global alliances.
The sharpest refusal came Monday from Germany, whose defense minister, Boris Pistorius, said, “This is not our war; we did not start it.” Top officials of Japan, Italy and Australia said Monday that their countries would not participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Others were noncommittal, including France, South Korea and Britain, whose prime minister, Keir Starmer, said his country would not be “drawn into wider war.”
Mr. Trump’s call on social media on Saturday for other nations to join the United States in an escort effort came just a week ago, he turned down Mr. Starmer’s offer to send two British aircraft carriers to the region. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” Mr. Trump said at the time.
As Iran blockades most traffic through the oil shipping choke point, Mr. Trump’s appeal was the first time he had sounded eager to build a broad coalition against Iran. But he was asking for backup from allies who were not consulted ahead of the U.S.-Israeli decision to go to war, and who were derided by Mr. Trump in the past.
The American-Israeli air war against Iran, now in its third week, has killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and has drawn in much of the Middle East, as Iran has launched rockets and drones at neighboring countries and at ships in the Gulf. Global energy prices have skyrocketed with tanker traffic all but stopped through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for around a fifth of the world’s oil shipments. The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, briefly reached $106 on Monday.
The United States appears to have been unprepared for the extent of that retaliation and the need to escort ships through the strait — something that administration officials have discussed publicly since the first week of the war, but has not yet begun.
Mr. Trump said NATO member nations should help, and told The Financial Times on Sunday, “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.” He called on China to send naval escorts, too, but Beijing has little incentive to cooperate; Iran, which sells oil to China, is letting its ships pass safely. Mr. Trump has threatened to postpone a planned summit meeting with Xi Jinping, China’s leader, as he focuses on the war. Iran War Live Updates » | David E. Sanger, Christopher F. Schuetze, Megan Specia and Aaron Boxerman | Monday, March 16, 2026
Goldilocks started this war, so let Goldilocks finish it! — © Mark Alexander
La desesperación en Cuba provoca actos de desafío poco habituales
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Una protesta en la ciudad de Morón, en el centro de Cuba, terminó con un intento de incendio en la sede local del Partido Comunista.
Los manifestantes aparecieron en las calles de Morón, ciudad del centro de Cuba, la noche del viernes. Lo que comenzó como una concentración pacífica, informó la prensa estatal cubana, se intensificó cuando un grupo de personas arrojó piedras contra la sede local del Partido Comunista, única fuerza política gobernante en el país. Después irrumpieron en el edificio, arrastraron algunos muebles al exterior y les prendieron fuego.
Videos que circulan por las redes sociales muestran al grupo acercándose al edificio con objetos en llamas y arrojándolos al interior. ”¡Quémenlo todo!”, dijo un hombre. Otros se unieron a él, gritando: ”¡Libertad!” Un análisis de las imágenes realizado por el New York Times confirmó su autenticidad y concluyó que los videos fueron filmados muy probablemente durante la madrugada del viernes al sábado.
En uno de los videos se oye lo que parece ser un disparo. “Le dieron”, dice un hombre mientras la cámara muestra a una persona cojeando y luego desplomándose, mientras otros se reúnen a su alrededor pidiendo ayuda. En el video no queda claro si realmente dispararon al hombre. » | Por Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | 15 de marzo de 2026
Read in English
Los manifestantes aparecieron en las calles de Morón, ciudad del centro de Cuba, la noche del viernes. Lo que comenzó como una concentración pacífica, informó la prensa estatal cubana, se intensificó cuando un grupo de personas arrojó piedras contra la sede local del Partido Comunista, única fuerza política gobernante en el país. Después irrumpieron en el edificio, arrastraron algunos muebles al exterior y les prendieron fuego.
Videos que circulan por las redes sociales muestran al grupo acercándose al edificio con objetos en llamas y arrojándolos al interior. ”¡Quémenlo todo!”, dijo un hombre. Otros se unieron a él, gritando: ”¡Libertad!” Un análisis de las imágenes realizado por el New York Times confirmó su autenticidad y concluyó que los videos fueron filmados muy probablemente durante la madrugada del viernes al sábado.
En uno de los videos se oye lo que parece ser un disparo. “Le dieron”, dice un hombre mientras la cámara muestra a una persona cojeando y luego desplomándose, mientras otros se reúnen a su alrededor pidiendo ayuda. En el video no queda claro si realmente dispararon al hombre. » | Por Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | 15 de marzo de 2026
Read in English
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