Top World News
Trump gets blunt fact check from oil experts on 'explosive' claim: 'Not how it works'
President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Iran by predicting that the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will soon cause catastrophic damage to Tehran's oil infrastructure, but energy experts and analysts widely dispute these claims as unrealistic.Trump told reporters at the White House last Thursday: "If they don't get their oil moving, their whole oil infrastructure is going to explode." During a Fox News appearance Sunday, he escalated the rhetoric, stating that Iranian oil pipelines "both mechanically and in the earth" would "explode from within" if exports don't resume soon. "They say they only have about three days left before that happens. And when it explodes, you can never rebuild it the way it was," Trump said.However, energy scholars and industry analysts strongly challenge these predictions, reported the Washington Post. Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program at the Defense Priorities think tank, stated flatly: "That is not how it works. Nothing is going to self destruct." Mark Finley, a fellow in energy and global oil at Rice University's Baker Institute, countered that "Iran has proven it knows how to keep its system operating," noting that abundant empty tankers and domestic refining networks provide viable alternatives to strait exports.Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy concluded in a Tuesday analysis that even if Iran exhausts storage capacity, it "will not cause catastrophic, or even very serious, damage" to its oil industry. While shut-in operations — where water and gas contaminate reservoirs — can cause long-term damage, explosions are not a known consequence.Shipping data from TankerTrackers.com shows approximately 45 million barrels of storage capacity exists in empty tankers within the blockade perimeter, equivalent to six weeks of Iran's usual export production. Iran also maintains millions of barrels in inland storage capacity, according to analytics firm Kpler.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed Monday that Iranian production was already slowing, writing on X: "Iran's creaking oil industry is starting to shut in production thanks to the U.S. BLOCKADE." A Treasury Department spokesperson stated that Kharg Island, Iran's primary export hub, was approaching storage capacity at a cost of roughly $170 million daily in lost revenue.Despite expert skepticism, Trump's predictions represent the latest in a series of shifting administration claims about ending the conflict. As gas prices have surged to $4.23 per gallon from under $3 before the February war's onset, Americans face mounting economic pressures from the ongoing Strait of Hormuz closure.
Shock in India after man takes remains of his sister to bank to prove her death
Jitu Munda says he was refused access to money in case highlighting ‘lack of humanity’ in Indian bureaucracyThe sight of a man bringing the remains of his dead sister to a bank in India after officials had refused to let him withdraw money without proof of her death has caused shock in India.Jitu Munda, 52, from the Indian state of Odisha, was captured on video carrying the remains of his recently deceased sister through the streets of Keonjhar and placing them outside the local bank. Continue reading...
Jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai wins free speech award in Germany
Media tycoon honoured in absentia as critics decry his 20-year sentence under national security lawThe jailed media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai has been awarded Deutsche Welle’s freedom of speech award for his contribution to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.The German public broadcaster said on Thursday that Lai would be presented in absentia with the 12th iteration of the award on 23 June at the DW Global Media Forum in Bonn. Continue reading...
Christchurch gunman fails in bid to appeal against guilty pleas in New Zealand court
Australian white supremacist who murdered 51 Muslims said poor mental health made him admit to crimesThe Australian white supremacist who murdered 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch in 2019 has been prevented from appealing against his guilty pleas, after one of New Zealand’s highest courts said his bid was “utterly devoid of merit”.Brenton Tarrant, who is responsible for the worst mass shooting in New Zealand’s history, asked the court of appeal in February to allow him to appeal against his guilty pleas, claiming harsh prison conditions had affected his mental health and compelled him to admit to the crimes. Continue reading...
Fuming Dem armed with bullhorn derails red state legislative proceedings
A Florida Democratic lawmaker interrupted state House proceedings in protest to the approval of a redistricting map that could give the GOP four congressional seats. "You're destroying our democracy," state Rep. Angie Nixon, who's also running for Senate, could be heard in videos yelling into a bullhorn on the Florida House floor. "This is a violation of the Constitution! It is!"The GOP-controlled Florida Legislature approved Gov. Ron DeSantis' map to redistrict the Sunshine State. The move is the latest counterattack in the redistricting wars, after the Democrats won a battle in Virginia to persuade voters to approve a gerrymandered map that waters down Republican power there.Although the Florida House speaker tried to talk over Nixon's shouting and move forward, Nixon continued. "This is out of order," she kept repeating. Nixon defended her actions in a Facebook post on Wednesday."I'm so upset because I had to disrupt the House proceedings," Nixon said. "They were trying to push through illegally drawn maps that diminish representation in the Black community."She added that it threatens the representation of Florida's Latino and Jewish communities as well. “This is a slap in the face of voters everywhere in our state," Nixon said. "Republicans are only doing this so that they can look out for Donald Trump and allow him to have unfettered power."
Ex-GOP chair abruptly ends Senate campaign — and gives no reason for dropping out
Another Republican has decided to drop out of a key race — even before voting starts — as former Republican Party of Minnesota Chair and Minnesota Senate Minority Leader David Hann announced on Wednesday that he had suspended his campaign for Senate. The Republican primary in Minnesota was slated for Aug.11. Hann did not give a reason for dropping out of the race. Hann had reportedly entered the primary "when Republicans were struggling to attract high-profile candidates," according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. "Even as I share today that I am suspending my campaign, I have hope that Minnesotans will elect common sense, conservative leadership in November," Hann said. "I encourage Republicans — and all Minnesotans — to stay involved and active. If I have learned anything over the course of my career in public service in this great state, it's that Minnesota is worth fighting for, and Anne and I plan to do just that going forward." Even as I share today that I am suspending my campaign, I have hope that Minnesotans will elect common sense, conservative leadership in November. pic.twitter.com/hkJfOyA1Ga— David Hann (@davidhann) April 29, 2026
King Charles hailed by observers for 'damning' jab he took at Trump: 'Quite something'
King Charles III has been praised by onlookers for an unlikely comparison made between President Donald Trump and a moment in US history. During a speech given at a state dinner, the visiting King noted the long-running relationship between the US and the United Kingdom. King Charles said, "You recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French."Some analysts picked up on the subtle jab at Trump, with King Charles seemingly making reference to the War of 1812. The British Army burnt down the Capitol, the President's house, and other public buildings in Washington in 1814.Journalist Annette Dittert wrote, "I am not sure whether Trump understood how damning that allusion was, well hidden under a thick layer of British humor and self-deprecation. But to compare Trump's ballroom plans with the English destroying Washington during a war over trade in 1814 is quite something."Zeteo founder Mehdi Hasan added, "The best part of this joke is that Trump is laughing but I bet he doesn’t understand it."A separate speech from King Charles has been praised by CNN senior vice president David Chalian. He said, "He comes in with his position to be above it a bit and in his, you know, very British, stiff upper lip kind of way. "It's not that he was trying to get in a fight with President Trump, but he couldn't have seized the opportunity more to really stand clear on the importance of these things with a value system underneath it that is in contrast to a lot of what Donald Trump has been presenting on the world stage as it comes to these alliances."Trump's administration sparked widespread embarrassment when black lampposts outside the White House were adorned with Australian flags instead of British flags ahead of King Charles III's state visit. The blunder occurred as hundreds of national banners welcomed the King and Queen Camilla for a four-day visit to Washington, New York, and Virginia to commemorate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.The i Paper's Victoria Richards wrote: "The US, meanwhile, can't even remember what our flag looks like... there's only 'king' who matters in Washington – and his name is Donald Trump." The error was quickly corrected by the DC Department of Transportation.
Trump signals major war move with violent AI image overnight: 'No more Mr. Nice Guy!'
President Donald Trump issued Iran a warning Wednesday by demanding that they “better get smart soon” as it relates to reaching a deal with the United States on de-nuclearization, posting an image of himself appearing to have been created with generative artificial intelligence holding an AR-15-style rifle in front of a barrage of explosions.“Iran can’t get their act together,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social at 4:05 AM Eastern. “They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!”The image posted with his remarks depicts Trump holding a rifle and wearing a black suit and sunglasses. Behind him is mountainous terrain similar to Iran’s, with multiple explosions hitting what appear to be military compounds or buildings.“NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” reads text plastered on the image.Peace talks between Washington and Tehran have stalled, with one of the major sticking points being Israel’s refusal to halt its strikes against Lebanon, a key demand of Iran, and in spite of Trump explicitly ordering Israel to cease its attacks on its northern neighbor.
Calls for humanitarian corridor through strait of Hormuz as Iran war hits vital aid
Soaring oil prices and the blockade are preventing food, fuel and medicine being delivered to millions of people in desperate need, say NGOsThe volatility of global oil prices caused by the US and Israel’s war on Iran is taking a toll on the most vulnerable people, by slowing or blocking food and medical aid from reaching them.Now aid organisations are calling for a “humanitarian corridor” to be opened through the strait of Hormuz amid rocketing transportation costs. Continue reading...
Indian billionaire’s son offers to house Pablo Escobar’s hippos at his private zoo
Anant Ambani revives offer to transport 80 animals, all descendants of Colombian drug kingpin’s pets, to IndiaIt remains one of the strangest conundrums in modern zoological history – what to do with the descendants of Pablo Escobar’s hippos?The animals – herbivores native to sub-Saharan Africa – were originally imported into Colombia by the drug kingpin for his own entertainment. But the beasts and their offspring were left to roam free after his death in 1993. Continue reading...
King Charles just delivered a pointed message to Trump in 'very British' way: CNN analyst
An analyst was surprised after King Charles III directed comments at President Donald Trump in his address to Congress on Tuesday. David Chalian, senior vice president, Washington bureau chief and political director for CNN, commented that King Charles encouraged Trump to support Ukraine, praised his country's Navy and military after Trump had questioned it, and reinforced his dedication to preserving the world's environment, areas where Trump has disagreed with the monarch. Chalian described the significant moment in a conversation with CNN anchor Jake Tapper. "And did not hide from them at all," Chalian said. "I mean, I think a speech that was putting democratic values, the rule of law, the power of alliances, even a specific — on the support of Ukraine's defense — these stand in complete opposition. And in fact, some of them are the very things that Donald Trump sort of rails against when he's complaining about Europe or the UK, specifically."The move highlights the ideological differences between the two leaders, Chalian explained. "Now, King Charles doesn't come in here itching for a fight on it," Chalian added. "He comes in with his position to be above it a bit and in his you know, very British, stiff upper lip kind of way. It's not that he was trying to get in a fight with President Trump, but he couldn't have seized the opportunity more to really stand clear on the importance of these things with a value system underneath it that is in contrast to a lot of what Donald Trump has been presenting on the world stage as it comes to these alliances."
Justice Amy Coney Barrett poses unique problem for Trump in immigration case: WaPo
A pivotal Wednesday Supreme Court hearing on the limits of Donald Trump’s immigration policies will contain a wild card in the form of how Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett will vote due to personal considerations.According to a report from the Washington Post, the case in question will dig deep into Donald Trump’s efforts to end temporary immigration protections for Haitians and if it holds up under constitutional scrutiny.For Barrett, she will have to weigh her personal feelings when deciding which side of the argument she agrees with.The justice and her husband, Jesse, adopted a child from Haiti in part because, as Barrett later recounted, “There were so many children in need," the Post is reporting before adding, "Vivian, then 14 months old, became Barrett’s second child around 2005. John Peter, flown out of Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake, became her fourth oldest. Barrett’s other kids — she has seven in all — are her biological children.""The Supreme Court will decide whether Trump can revoke temporary protected status for Haitian migrants, all of whom received that designation specifically because of the 2010 earthquake and its devastating aftermath," the report added.Legal scholars argue her personal connection to Haiti is impossible to ignore. "She's a human being, and it's hard to imagine it not spilling over in some fashion," said Neal Devins, a professor at William & Mary Law School who has researched Supreme Court justice behavior, told the Post.Devins cautioned, "Barrett's connection to Haiti is likely to be just one of an array of factors playing into her thinking, including her allegiance to originalist legal interpretation and the conservative legal tradition from which she comes."International adoption experts say personal bonds to a child's home country run deep, the report notes, adding that the adoption process itself requires extensive bonding visits with children in their native countries. "Adoptive parents typically build a strong connection with their child's native country," adoption experts explained to the Post's Julian Mark.Devins suggested Barrett may be conflicted between her judicial philosophy and her personal experience. "I think she wants her legacy to be one of being a law-oriented justice. That said, she may appreciate this case differently."The report notes Barrett has previously discussed Haiti's severe conditions. While she declined to comment on the pending case, the justice has publicly spoken about the difficult circumstances her adopted children endured in Haiti and the challenges they faced.
