Saturday, April 04, 2026

Hegseth Says U.S. Troops Are Fighting for Jesus. The Pope Disagrees.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s calls for Christian prayers for the war effort, Pope Leo XIV says military domination is “entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.”

Pete Hegseth, the U.S. defense secretary, has asked the American people to pray “every day, on bended knee” for a military victory in the Middle East “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, has a starkly different take on what should be done in Jesus’s name.

In a homily during a Mass on Thursday morning before Easter, the pope said that the Christian mission has often been “distorted by a desire for domination, entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.”

Since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran in late February, the pope has consistently called for an end to the violence and a return to dialogue to resolve the conflict. But without naming Mr. Hegseth, he has also pointed out the ways in which Christianity has been marshaled for purposes that the pope says do not align with Catholic teaching.

“We tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared,” the pope said in a homily during a Holy Thursday rite at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the bishop of Rome. “God has given us an example — not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it.”

In late March the pope warned against invoking the name of Jesus for battle, saying in a Sunday homily that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” » | Motoko Rich | Reporting from Rome | Friday, April 3, 2026

Pete Hegseth seems to be off his trolley. Perhaps he is punch-drunk. Or, perhaps, just drunk! — © Mark Alexander

Evergreen — Love Theme from "A Star Is Born"

February 13, 2015 | Views on YouTube: 5,787,371

Is Iran Winning?

April 3, 2026 | OPINION — Why Iran Believes It Has the Upper Hand – The Iran expert Suzanne Maloney explains how Iran views the war, and why the United States is losing. — By Ezra Klein. Produced by Rollin Hu

Watch the NYT video here.

Read the accompanying article here.

Friday, April 03, 2026

Der letzte iranische Schah im Exil | Herrscher des Irans

Der letzte iranische Schah im Exil - Lüften Sie das Geheimnis um das Exil des letzten Schahs von Iran während der iranischen Revolution von 1979, seine Krankheit, Fehldiagnose, Misshandlung und seinen letztendlichen Tod sowie die Auswirkungen auf den Nahen Osten, die Vereinigten Staaten und die Welt.

Der letzte iranische Schah im Exil (2017)
Regisseur: Bobak Kalhor
Drehbuchautoren: Bobak Kalhor
Stars: Amir Aslan Afshar, Robert Armao (Archivmaterial), Jerry Berlin
Genre: Dokumentarfilm Land: Vereinigte Staaten
Sprache: Deutsch
Release Date: November 10, 2017 (Vereinigte Staaten)
Drehort: Los Angeles, Kalifornien, USA

Synopsis:
Am 16. Januar 1979 verließ der damalige Schah von Iran den Iran und begann eine 19-monatige Odyssee ins Exil nach Ägypten, Marokko, auf die Bahamas, nach Mexiko, in die USA, nach Panama und wieder zurück nach Ägypten, wo er verstarb. Sein Tod hatte tiefgreifende Folgen für die Zukunft des Nahen Ostens und der Welt, doch die unerzählte medizinische Geschichte des verstorbenen Schahs von Iran ist bis heute ein rätselhaftes Geheimnis geblieben. Dieser Dokumentarfilm führt den Zuschauer zu den wichtigsten Ursachen der iranischen Revolution, der Geiselkrise und dem Stand der Beziehungen zwischen den USA und dem Iran.


Trump Announces ‘Fraud’ Crackdown in Democratic States as Arrests Begin in California

THE GUARDIAN: US president makes baseless claims about fraud in blue states and says JD Vance will lead clampdown as ‘fraud czar’

Donald Trump announced a fresh crackdown on “fraud” in Democratic states and tapped JD Vance to lead the charge. Officials swiftly announced a string of arrests in California.

In a Truth Social post on Friday, the US president announced that his vice-president was now “in charge of ‘fraud’ in the United States”, claiming the problem is “massive and pervasive” and that Vance’s new role as “fraud czar” will be “a major factor in how great the future of our country will be”.

Without citing evidence, Trump said that Vance would focus on “everywhere but primarily in those blue states where crooked Democrat politicians … have had a ‘free for all’ in the unprecedented theft of taxpayer money”.

He pointed to California, Illinois, Minnesota, Maine and New York, and alleged fraud was “so large that, if successful, we would literally be able to balance our American budget”, without providing evidence. » | Maya Yang in New York and Dani Anguiano in Los Angeles | Friday, April 3, 2026

Relationship with Trump May Be beyond Repair, Keir Starmer Told

THE GUARDIAN: PM gets widespread backing after president’s mocking impersonation takes US-UK relationship to new low

Keir Starmer has been warned his relationship with Donald Trump may be beyond repair after the US president derided the prime minister for consulting his team about military decisions, in a mocking impersonation.

In a new low for UK-US relations, Trump appeared to imitate Starmer in a weak voice during an Easter lunch speech at the White House, and said the UK was “not our best” ally.

The episode is Trump’s latest broadside at Starmer and the UK’s “old” aircraft carriers after the prime minister declined to let the US use British military bases for its initial strikes on Iran.

Following the latest attack on Starmer, diplomatic and political figures said he was right to brush off the criticism but added that the relationship was very damaged and he would need to redouble efforts to built [sic] international relations elsewhere. » | Rowena Mason | Whitehall editor | Friday, April 3, 2026

Trump Ally and Her Cross-dressing Husband | Gerard Baker & Katy Balls

Apr 3, 2026 | From shooting a puppy to a cross-dressing husband, controversy seems to follow former Trump administration official Kirsty Noem. Reports say Bryon Noem had chatted online with women who are part of the “bimbofication scene,” a roleplaying kink centred around exaggerated hypersexual femininity. The Wall Street Journal's Editor-at-large, Gerard Baker, and The Times' Washington Editor, Katy Balls, discuss the scandal and its implications for the Trump administration.

Warum verlieben wir uns? | 42 - Die Antwort auf fast alles Reupload | ARTE

Apr 3, 2026 | Sie ist wunderschön, aber macht auch richtig Stress: die Liebe. Spätestens seit der Pubertät kennen die meisten von uns diese bittersüße Kombination aus Glück und Herzschmerz. Aber empfinden wir alle dasselbe, wenn wir von der Liebe sprechen? Jede Kultur und jede Epoche darauf eine etwas andere Antwort. Die Hormone im Körper funktionieren allerdings überall gleich.

Zwei Personen treffen aufeinander und Zack, Blitzeinschlag: Liebe! Und die beiden schweben zusammen auf Wolke sieben, bis dass der Tod sie scheidet. Nach diesem Strickmuster funktionieren bei uns im Westen unzählige Liebesgeschichten. Jedoch war das nicht immer so. Liebe ist Interpretationssache und hat ganz viel mit der Kultur und der Epoche zu tun, in der wir leben.

Aber es gibt etwas, was wir alle gemeinsam haben: die Hormone. Wenn wir richtig verliebt sind, ist bei uns die Hölle los. Das Herz rast, die Hände schwitzen, der Mund wird trocken und das Gehirn schaltet auf "glücklich-unzurechnungsfähig". Liebe kann wie eine Droge wirken, die süchtig macht. Doch warum dieses Begehren? Nur, damit wir ein Kind in die Welt setzen? Das Kinderkriegen funktioniert auch in nüchternen Verbindungen zwischen Mann und Frau. Viele Kulturen sind überzeugt davon, dass eine arrangierte Ehe sogar eine bessere Grundlage für eine langfristige Beziehung ist als dieser Hormonrausch.

Gibt es so etwas wie ein natürliches Liebesleben der Menschen? Ja, sagt der Evolutionsbiologe Thomas Junker. Um herauszukriegen, warum wir in der Evolution so etwas wie die Liebe entwickelt haben, schaut er sich das Sozialleben von Gorillas oder Schimpansen an, die mit uns eng verwandt sind. Denn körperliche Merkmale und das Beziehungsleben sind eng gekoppelt. Sind wir in der Liebe also eher wie Schimpansen, die in größeren Gruppen zusammenleben, in denen alle Weibchen mit allen Männchen Sex haben? Oder doch eher Gorillas, mit einem dominanten Männchen an der Spitze eines kleinen Harems?


A Turning Point Ahead? Columbia's Prof Sachs on Iran War

Apr 3, 2026 | Gulf states and European allies are starting to realize the dangers of betting all their fortunes on an unreliable United States, says Jeffrey Sachs, the director of Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development. In Sachs' view, the world is facing a fundamental shift, and the next few weeks could reshape it entirely

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

April 3, 2026

The Passion of the Christ (2004) | Full Movie | 4K Ultra HD | English Subtitles

Nov 13, 2025 | Experience Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ like never before – fully remastered in breathtaking 4K Ultra HD.

This powerful and emotional masterpiece depicts the final 12 hours of Jesus of Nazareth’s life, capturing his suffering, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph of love and faith.


How Much Is the War with Iran Costing the US? | BBC News

Apr 3, 2026 | The US war with Iran is into its second month and there's growing tension on how much money the US is spending on the conflict.

Recently, the Trump administration signalled that it would be requesting more funds, but there are demands for more transparency on how much the war is costing.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world is feeling the impact of the war with rising fuel and oil prices and Trump axes Pam Bondi as Attorney General.


Dimitra’s Dishes: Easter Bread Recipe — Greek Tsoureki

April 2, 2026


Click here for the recipe and for Dimitra’s ultimate guide to baking tsoureki.

The Vatican Rejects the MAGA Movement

April 3, 2026

Epstein Files: How the DoJ Could Be Covering Up Links between Trump and Russia | FourSight Interview

Apr 3, 2026 | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse recently gave a speech on the floor of the Senate criticising Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice for failing to investigate alleged links between President Trump, Jeffrey Epstein and Russia. It was watched millions of times.

Senator Whitehouse claims Epstein could have passed Vladimir Putin or other key Russia figures so-called kompromat - compromising material - on Trump. And that, he claims, could explain the President’s relationship with Putin - particularly throughout the Ukraine war.

President Trump has called claims of kompromat “fake news”, and previously said allegations of links to Russia are “a hoax” and a “witch hunt” instigated by his political opponents. Vladimir Putin has also denied Russia having any compromising material on the US President.

We wanted to hear from Senator Whitehouse just what it’s been like for politicians in the US as they try to wade through the Epstein Files and deal with the Department of Justice - which has been widely criticised for its handling of the files.


Hegseth Sacks US Army’s Chief of Staff

THE TELEGRAPH: Pete Hegseth has fired America’s most senior Army officer one month into the war with Iran.

The dismissal is the latest in a succession of senior individuals being axed by the US defence secretary amid claims they had clashed over his vision for the military.

Gen Randy George, the US army chief of staff, was asked to retire immediately, CBS News reported.

A US department of defence source told the channel Mr Hegseth wanted to install someone who was trusted to realise Donald Trump’s vision for the army. » | Natasha Leake. Jörg Luyken. Connor Stringer, Chief Washington Correspondent. Benedict Smith, US Reporter. Emily Blumenthal. Andrew Buncombe | Friday, April 3, 2026

Iran, Russie, Algérie : huit procédures relevant du « terrorisme d’État » actuellement ouvertes, annonce le procureur national antiterroriste

LE FIGARO : Au lendemain des mises en examen dans le dossier de l’attentat déjoué à la Bank of America à Paris, le procureur national antiterroriste a décrit une menace mêlant mineurs recrutés en ligne, criminalité organisée et soupçons d’ingérences étrangères.

Vendredi 3 avril sur Franceinfo, le procureur national antiterroriste, Olivier Christen, a affirmé que huit procédures relevant du « terrorisme d’État » étaient aujourd’hui ouvertes par le Pnat (parquet national antiterroriste). Cette prise de parole intervient après la mise en examen, cette semaine, de quatre personnes soupçonnées d’avoir participé au projet d’attaque visant le siège parisien de Bank of America : un majeur et trois mineurs, tous placés en détention provisoire. » | Par Aldric Meeschaert | vendredi 3 avril 2026

Trump Mocks Starmer in Fresh Attack

THE TELEGRAPH: US president impersonates PM, mocking him over aircraft carriers at White House lunch

Donald Trump has mocked Sir Keir Starmer as weak over his response to the war with Iran.

The US president impersonated the Prime Minister, claiming he had told him he had to “ask his team” about sending “two old broken-down aircraft carriers” to the Middle East.

Speaking at an White House Easter lunch, Mr Trump said Britain “should be our best” ally, but had not been during the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The president said: “I asked [the] UK, who should be our best. In fact the King is coming over here in two weeks, he’s a nice guy, King Charles.

“But should be our best but they weren’t our best. I said ‘you have two, old broken-down aircraft carriers, do you think you could send them over’?”

Impersonating Sir Keir with a weak voice, Mr Trump added: “‘Ohhh, I’ll have to ask my team’. » | Telegraph Reporters | Friday, April 3, 2026

There's plenty of material for us to mock Trump; in fact, the supply is limitless!

What a crass man Trump is! Totally unworthy of the office he holds. Is this man really the best man Americans could kick up to lead them? Is America so short of talent that they have to elect/re-elect a man of this low calibre for the highest office in the land? — © Mark Alexander

Iran Strikes Water and Power Plant in Kuwait

THE TELEGRAPH: Iran struck a water desalination and power plant in Kuwait hours after hitting an oil refinery.

Tehran launched strikes on the Gulf state’s energy infrastructure after the US attacked Iranian civilian infrastructure on Friday.

Donald Trump boasted about destroying bridges outside Tehran and threatened to bomb power plants next.

Kuwait relies on desalination, which removes salt from seawater, for 90 per cent of its drinking water. Iran also targeted a desalination plant in the Gulf state on Monday.

The Kuwait army said its air defences were attempting to intercept “hostile missile and drone attacks” on Friday.

Also on Friday, Iran launched strikes on Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf conflict has already sent oil prices well above $100 a barrel, with Brent crude reaching $141 on Thursday. » | Tim Sigsworth, News Reporter. Andrea Hamblin. Emily Blumenthal | Friday, April 4, 2026

Israel's Death Penalty Is an 'Apartheid Law' Says Knesset Member Aida Touma-Suleiman

Apr 3, 2026 | In an interview with MEE’s Carolina Pedrazzi, member of the Israeli Knesset Aida Touma-Suleiman says the passing of Israel’s death penalty law for Palestinians was “a celebration of blood, a celebration of fascism and apartheid.”

“History has shown that the more oppression of occupation exists, the more resistance there is … We understand that the minute that international law vanishes, then it is a wild world and there is no other way to protect those who are violated in the world,” she added.

The new law passed by the Israeli parliament on Monday makes the death sentence the default punishment for Palestinians convicted of a deadly attack through military courts.

It has been widely condemned by rights groups for exclusively targeting Palestinians, enshrining separate legal rights based on national identity.


Trump envisagerait de limoger d’autres hauts responsables de son administration, dont le directeur du FBI

LE FIGARO : Selon The Atlantic, le président américain n’a pas encore tranché, mais des discussions sont en cours sur le sort de Kash Patel, à la tête du FBI depuis plus d’un an, du secrétaire à l’Armée de terre et de la secrétaire au Travail.

Le ménage pourrait se poursuivre au sommet de l’État fédéral américain. Selon les informations du magazine The Atlantic, des discussions sont en cours à la Maison-Blanche sur le départ de plusieurs hauts responsables nommés par Donald Trump à des postes clés de son administration. Parmi les noms évoqués : Kash Patel, directeur du FBI, Daniel Driscoll, secrétaire à l’Armée de terre, et Lori Chavez-DeRemer, secrétaire au Travail.

Le calendrier de ces éventuels remaniements reste flou. Et pour cause : toujours selon The Atlantic, qui cite des sources proches de la Maison-Blanche, le président américain ne s’est pas encore décidé.

Le cas de Kash Patel est sans doute le plus scruté. Nommé à la tête du FBI en dépit de vives controverses, ce fidèle de longue date de Donald Trump avait été confirmé de justesse par le Sénat en février 2025. » | Par Le Figaro avec Reuters | vendredi 3 avril 2026

How Giorgia Meloni Fell to Earth

Screenshot taken from this NYT guest essay. | Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy has positioned herself as someone who can curry favor with President Trump. Credit...Kenny Holston/The New York Times

THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: For more than three years, Giorgia Meloni’s leadership of Italy has seemed unshakable. As the country’s first female prime minister, she shed a far-right past to govern with a pragmatic, steady hand, stable ratings and just the occasional scandal — a rarity in a country accustomed to volatile politics.

Since the beginning of Mr. Trump’s second term, she has positioned herself as someone who can curry his favor and avoid his retaliations — which Italy can ill afford — while steering clear of a clash with the E.U. institutions that service Italy’s enormous public debt. A delicate balance that she has maintained remarkably well.

But as Mr. Trump’s popularity craters to new lows in Europe, and the continent begins to find a backbone in its dealings with him, Ms. Meloni is discovering that being a favorite of the U.S. president can be a liability, too.

Ms. Meloni was elected in 2022, six months after Russia’s full-scale invasion into Ukraine, on a far-right platform and in a coalition that included lawmakers who sounded decidedly pro-Russia. But she quickly dispelled any concerns among mainstream European politicians that they would be dealing with another Viktor Orban, Hungary’s Russia-friendly prime minister. Italy has sent military aid to Ukraine and is a member of the so-called coalition of the willing, a group of around 30 countries that have signaled their commitment to security guarantees for Ukraine after a cease-fire. » | A NYT GUEST ESSAY by Anna Momigliano | Ms. Momigliano is an editor for the Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper. She wrote from Milan. | Friday, April 3, 2026

Ist Trump ein Russischer Einfluß-Agent? "Erdrückende Indizien"

Apr 2, 2026 | Sandra Navidi hält Trump für ein Asset, einen Einfluss-Agenten, Putins. Sie nennt Angriffe auf Justiz, Medien und Fed sowie den Ausstieg aus der NATO und Ukraine als Muster.

Owen Jones: “I Went to Cuba. It's Worse Than They're Telling You.”

April 2, 2026

The US Is a Religious Fundamentalist Regime

April 2, 2026

Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 · Krystian Zimerman · Frédéric Chopin

July 29, 2018

Khatia Buniatishvili Plays Liebestraum No. 3 from Franz Liszt | Verbier Festival 2011 | Reupload

May 6, 2021 | …The ‘Dream of Love’ that is Liebestraum No. 3 in A-flat major is not only the most recognizable work for solo piano by Franz Liszt (1811 - 1886), it’s also one of the most famous piano pieces of all time. Liszt published it in 1850, alongside two more such ‘love dreams’ (S. 541). …

Thursday, April 02, 2026

The Women Who Believe That Women Should Lose the Right to Vote

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Adherents to biblical patriarchy support household voting: One household, one vote — the husband’s. They say the idea is catching on.

When they prayed on the Sunday after Valentine’s Day, as on other Sundays, most of the women at King’s Way Reformed Church in the old mining town of Prescott, Ariz., wore dainty kerchiefs knotted over their hair to show devotion to God. Marybelle East, 36, wore hers all the time, she said — seven days a week — “for him to see that I submit to his authority.” Her husband’s authority, that is.

Her head scarf is a physical reminder of biblical patriarchy, the kind of marriage the church preaches. “It keeps me from running my mouth,” she said.

To her and the other women, patriarchy also means ceding their political voices to their husbands. They believe America would be better off if women could not vote.

The Easts and their children had driven two hours from the Phoenix area to hear Dale Partridge, the 40-year-old pastor based on the outskirts of Prescott, in a brick-and-glass events space set between a regional airport and a modest golf course.

On social media, the pastor has attracted a following by posting incendiary commentary: railing against feminists, Catholics and gay people, describing immigration as “national suicide,” and labeling Islam and Hinduism “demonic.” He also calls for erasing women’s suffrage, which he lists as one reason “the world is falling apart.”

The 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment, the landmark legislative achievement of the movement to make women equal citizens, made it possible for women across America to vote. But for Mr. Partridge and a growing number of like-minded Christians, it drove America into national decline. Instead, they support “household voting.” One household, one vote — the husband’s. » | Vivian Yee | Reporting from Prescott, Ariz. | Thursday, April 2, 2026

Chopin: Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2 · Maurizio Pollini · Frédéric Chopin

September 15, 2018

Trump Increasingly Desperate over Iran War Failures, Threatens NATO Alliance with Withdrawal

Apr 2, 2026 | Trump told The Telegraph he is strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after it failed to join his war on Iran. He labelled the alliance a “paper tiger” and said removing America from the defense treaty was now “beyond reconsideration”.


ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.

Ungarn: Europas Populistenschmiede | Doku HD | ARTE

Apr 2, 2026 | In vielen EU-Ländern prägen rechtspopulistische und nationalkonservative Parteien die politische Landschaft. Giorgia Meloni regiert Italien, der Rassemblement National scheiterte in Frankreich knapp an der Macht, die FPÖ wurde in Österreich stärkste Kraft, und Vox etablierte sich in Spanien. Als Vorbild gilt Ungarns Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán – seit 2010 unangefochten an der Macht.

Zur Sicherung seines Machterhalts änderte Ungarns Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán Verfassung und Wahlgesetz, zentralisierte die Medien. Befreundete Oligarchen ʺkauftenʺ die meisten unabhängigen Journalistinnen und Journalisten, die seither regierungstreu berichten. Zu den neuen Ultrareichen in Ungarn zählt auch Orbáns Freund aus Kindertagen, der frühere Klempner Lőrinc Mészáros, der dank zahlreicher öffentlicher Aufträge mit undurchsichtigen Vergabebedingungen zum reichsten Mann des Landes avancierte.

Orbáns autoritärer Regierungsstil, die sogenannte "illiberale Demokratie", dient gleichgesinnten europäischen Amtskollegen inzwischen als Blaupause. Im alle zwei Jahre stattfindenden "Budapester Demographie-Gipfel" – eine Veranstaltung gegen Einwanderung und zur Förderung des völkischen Nationalismus – vereint er die großen rechten Stimmen Europas um sich und stützt deren Wahlkampagnen.

Ungarn, mit Orbán an der Spitze, gilt als Herzstück eines großen paneuropäischen Rechtsbündnisses, das sich in Brüssel mit den "Patrioten für Europa" eine eigene Fraktion geschaffen hat. Als unverhohlene Anlehnung an die Politik des US-Präsidenten Donald Trump lautet deren Slogan: "Make Europe Great Again".

Untermauert von Zeitzeugenaussagen und Expertenmeinungen, einige davon ehemalige Verbündete Viktor Orbáns, analysiert die Dokumentation, wie es dem starken Mann in Ungarn gelang, an die Macht zu kommen und diese seit mehr als 15 Jahren an sich zu binden. Wie wurde seine Methode nach Italien, Frankreich, Österreich und Brüssel exportiert? Und warum könnte die "illiberale Demokratie" langfristig die führende Politikform in Europa werden?

Dokumentation von Feurat Alani (F 2025, 53 Min) Video verfügbar bis zum 04/10/2026


Trump Is in a Pickle

David Cay Johnston explains why.

I wrote something similar to this back in late March, stating that Trump has got himself into a fine pickle, and I added that he has no idea of the Sunni-Shia divide. It’s all written here in gold font. — © Mark Alexander

Steve Schmidt: The World Is Watching Trump Fail

Apr 2, 2026 | Yesterday, Artemis II launched toward the moon, reminding us we share one planet. Steve Schmidt argues that Trump’s actions put the United States and American dignity in jeopardy, and it’s time to unite as a country.


Hasn’t the time come for ‘the men in grey suits’ to do their work? – © Mark Alexander

Democracy Now! "This War Is Already Lost": Spencer Ackerman & Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi on Trump's Iran Debacle

President Donald Trump gave a primetime televised address Wednesday to discuss the war on Iran, his first since the United States and Israel launched attacks on February 28. Trump gave few clues about when or how the war could end, but he boasted about killing top Iranian leaders and degrading the country’s military. He threatened to bomb Iran “back to the stone ages, where they belong.”

Despite the grandiose claims, built on “lies and delusions,” Trump “did not add anything new,” says Iranian American scholar Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi, who calls Trump’s shifting justifications an admission of “defeat in the war of narratives.”

We also speak with journalist Spencer Ackerman, who says the U.S. has already lost the war. “Iran has changed the entirety of this conflict,” he says. “It has pivoted this conflict onto its own territory and its own goals, and the United States does not have a military mechanism to redress that, primarily the throttling of the Strait of Hormuz.”



Democracy Now! can be supported here.

États-Unis : Donald Trump limoge sa ministre de la Justice Pam Bondi et la remplace par son ancien avocat Todd Blanche

LE FIGARO : « Pam Bondi est une grande patriote américaine et une amie fidèle, qui a servi avec loyauté en tant que ma ministre de la Justice au cours de l’année écoulée », a écrit Donald Trump sur Truth Social.

Le président américain Donald Trump a limogé Pam Bondi de ses fonctions de ministre de la Justice, a-t-il annoncé ce jeudi. La procureur générale était une fidèle parmi les fidèles du locataire de la Maison-Blanche. Donald Trump reproche à sa ministre sa gestion du dossier du criminel sexuel Jeffrey Epstein ainsi que de ne pas avoir suffisamment fait inculper de personnalités qu’il considère comme des ennemis personnels, affirme CNN. » | Par Le Figaro avec Reuters | jeudi 2 avril 2026

‘You Have to Be Serious’: Macron Criticises Trump’s Mixed Messages about Nato and Iran

THE GUARDIAN: Speaking in South Korea, the French president defended the transatlantic alliance and called for return to peace

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said of Donald Trump on Thursday: ‘There is too much talk … and it’s all over the place.’ Photograph: Jintak Han/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticised Donald Trump’s inconsistent and often contradictory pronouncements on the Iran war and Nato, saying if “you want to be serious” it was better not to come out with a something different every day.

“There is too much talk … and it’s all over the place,” the French president said on Thursday during a state visit to South Korea. “We all need stability, calm, a return to peace – this isn’t a show!”

Macron added: “You have to be serious. When you want to be serious, you don’t go around saying [say] the opposite every day of what you just said the day before. And perhaps you shouldn’t talk every day.”

Macron also mounted a strong defence of Nato, accusing Trump of undermining the transatlantic defence alliance through repeated remarks questioning the United States’ commitment to its continued membership.

“I believe organisations and alliances like Nato are defined by what is left unsaid – that is, the trust that underpins them,” he said. “If you cast doubt on your commitment every day, you erode its very substance.” » | Jon Henley | Thursday, April 2, 2026

Thomas kocht: Forelle Müllerinnen Art - der vergessene Klassiker

Apr 2, 2026 | Forelle Müllerin Art ist ein echter Klassiker der deutschen Küche – und völlig zu Unrecht in Vergessenheit geraten. In diesem Video zeige ich dir Schritt für Schritt, wie du eine Forelle perfekt zubereitest: knusprige Haut, saftiges Fleisch und voller Geschmack. Außerdem lernst du, woran du frischen Fisch erkennst und welche Fehler du unbedingt vermeiden solltest.

Prof Sachs on Iran War: How the World Is Paying for US Delusion

Apr 2, 2026 | US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard over the next two to three weeks" in his first prime-time speech since starting the war on Iran. In a one-hour conversation with CGTN host Tian Wei, Jeffrey Sachs, the director of Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development, warns of a worsening global energy shock, rising oil prices, and the risk of a deeper economic crisis. He questions the credibility of US policy and argues the world may already be shifting toward a new multipolar order. National address met with market skepticism

US-Israel War on Iran: Trump Declares Victory in a War Still Unfolding

Apr 2, 2026 | As tensions rise and costs mount, questions grow over whether the US can truly claim victory in its war with Iran. Can a war be brought to an end by declaration alone? Are Americans beginning to feel the real price of prolonged conflict at home?

In this edition of The Hub, Wang Guan speaks with guests to explore what US President Donald Trump implied in his Wednesday night primetime address on the war with Iran. They discuss rising energy prices, shifting public opinion, and the strategic uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. The conversation also examines a five-point peace initiative proposed by China and Pakistan, and looks into whether it offers a credible path toward de-escalation and regional stability.

The guests panel includes Ben Norton, editor-in-chief of Geopolitical Economy Report, Saeed Khan, associate professor of Near East & Asian Studies and Global Studies at Wayne State University, Brandon Andrews, entrepreneur and former Hill staffer, and Liu Baocheng, dean of the Center for International Business Ethics at the University of International Business and Economics.


Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

April 2, 2026


Democracy Now! can be supported here.

Trump eskaliert gegen den Iran: Kommt jetzt der große Finanz-Crash?

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Donald Trump zieht gegen den Iran nicht zurück. An den Börsen steigt die Nervosität. Der gefürchtete „perfekte Sturm“ braut sich zusammen.

Seit dem US-Angriff auf den Iran wird immer öfter von einem „perfekten Sturm“ gesprochen, wird der „schwarze Schwan“ gesucht – also ein unvorhergesehenes Ereignis, das einen Absturz auslöst. Spekulanten mit Insider-Wissen beschleunigen Entwicklungen. Irgendwann erreicht der Irrsinn dann auch Haushalte, Familien und die reale Wirtschaft.

Donald Trump hat mit seiner Rede am Donnerstag klargemacht, dass er nicht daran denkt zu deeskalieren. Der amerikanische Präsident kündigte an, den Iran in den kommenden Wochen „extrem hart“ zu treffen. Er machte damit die Hoffnung auf ein Ende des Kriegs im Nahen Osten zunichte.

Mehrere US-Geheimdienste sollen laut New York Times in den vergangene [sic] Tagen zu dem Schluss gekommen sein, dass die iranische Regierung nicht bereit sei, substanzielle Verhandlungen aufzunehmen. Trump sagte, Washington werde seine Kriegsziele „sehr bald“ erreichen. Und weiter in der ihm eigenen unflätigen Sprache: „Wir werden sie in den nächsten zwei bis drei Wochen extrem hart treffen. Wir werden sie in die Steinzeit zurückversetzen, dorthin, wo sie hingehören.“ Zugleich sagte er den amerikanischen Verbündeten, sie müssten „die Führung übernehmen“, um die Straße von Hormus wieder für Öllieferungen zu öffnen. Frankreichs Präsident Emmanuel Macron erteilte der Forderung Trumps am Donnerstag postwendend eine Abfuhr. Es sei nicht möglich, die Straße mit militärischer Gewalt offenzuhalten, sagte Macron während eines Staatsbesuchs in Südkorea. » | Michael Maier | Donnerstag, 2. April 2026

’No Credibility’: Sachs on Trump’s Speech

Professor Sachs explains.

Vlad Vexler: Trump's Iran Speech - Health-event Level Bad

April 2, 2026


I started watching Trump's speech, but it was too painful to watch; in fact, it was embarrassing to watch as well. Therefore, I quit watching it after only a few minutes. And it is for this reason that I am not going to post the full primetime speech. It really beggars belief that this is the best the leading nation of the so-called free world, the West, can come up with. Sadly, the bar for becoming POTUS has been set very low indeed. Clearly, we are living in diminished, strange times. — © Mark Alexander

Steve Rosenberg: A Newspaper Headline the Kremlin Will Love

Apr 2, 2026 | A Russian headline the Kremlin will love: “Trump declares he’s ready to pull America out of Nato.” Another paper today concedes “US law limits [Trump’s] ability to take a unilateral decision” on this, but suggests he can still “cause a lot of problems for the Alliance.

Trump Claims Iran War ‘Nearing Completion’ and Seeks to Justify Conflict in Prime Time Address

THE GUARDIAN: Markets sink after president offers little detail on how he intends to wind down conflict over next two to three weeks

Donald Trump used a prime time address to the nation on Wednesday evening to declare the month-long war in Iran a success “nearing completion”, despite a spiraling conflict that has caused economic turmoil across the globe, fractured transatlantic alliances and eroded the president’s approval ratings.

In remarks from the White House, Trump argued that the US’s “little journey” to Iran had nearly accomplished “all of America’s military objectives”, but offered little clarity on how he planned to wind down the conflict over the next “two to three weeks”.

“We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s sinister threat to America and the world,” Trump said in the 19-minute speech, delivered from Cross Hall of the White House. “We have all the cards. They have none.”

Acknowledging the economic pain caused by the conflict, he blamed a “short-term” rise in gas prices on Iran’s actions, and insisted the US had become energy independent.

Oil prices rose and Asian stocks traded lower immediately after Trump’s address, which did little to soothe investor concerns over the closure of the strait of Hormuz. The US president reiterated his call for other nations to help secure the global oil chokepoint: “Grab it and cherish it.” » | Lauren Gambino | Thursday, April 2, 2026

«Aucune nouveauté», «non-événement», «copier-coller» : l’allocution de Trump sur la guerre en Iran n’a pas convaincu la presse internationale : REVUE DE PRESSE - À l’occasion de sa première intervention en direct depuis le début du conflit en Iran, le président américain n’a su dissiper ni les craintes des marchés ni celles de l’opinion publique, selon un consensus quasi unanime dans les médias internationaux ce jeudi. »

No Kings (2026)

Apr 1, 2026 | The Lincoln Project is a leading pro-democracy organization in the United States — dedicated to the preservation, protection, and defense of democracy. Our fight against Trumpism is only beginning. We must combat these forces everywhere and at all times — our democracy depends on it.

Tariq Ramadan : 18 ans de prison pour viols mais un exil doré en Suisse

LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Reconnu coupable par la justice française la semaine dernière, le prédicateur de 63 ans, réfugié dans son pays, ne semble pas prêt à purger sa peine.

Voilà donc Tariq Ramadan condamné pour la deuxième fois. Reconnu coupable, en 2024, par la justice helvète, d’un viol sur une femme en 2008, le prédicateur suisse de 63 ans a été condamné, la semaine dernière, à 18 ans de réclusion par la cour criminelle départementale de Paris, jugé par défaut et à huis clos pour des viols commis sur trois femmes. À titre de peine complémentaire, « compte tenu du risque de réitération des faits », le petit-fils du fondateur des Frères musulmans, Hassan al-Banna, se voit astreint à un suivi socio-judiciaire de huit ans, privé de ses droits civils et civiques pendant dix ans et définitivement interdit du territoire français.

« Il y a eu l’affaire Dreyfus . Aujourd’hui, il y a l’affaire Ramadan, ose publier, sur X, son compte de soutien Justice pour Ramadan. Allons-nous laisser-faire ? » En attendant, le multicondamné, visé par un mandat d’arrêt, coule des jours paisibles près de Genève, soigné en psychiatrie à la Clinique du Grand-Salève, un « établissement privé de standing », avec vue sur la montagne. » | Par Stéphane Kovacs | mercredi 1 avril 2026

Réservé aux abonnés