Quote:President Donald Trump called his global tariff policy an "economic revolution" on Saturday, using his Truth Social platform to defend the sweeping trade moves that led China to announce retaliatory tariffs on Friday.
The president claimed that China "has been hit much harder than the USA" from the recently announced trade policies and urged Americans to "hang tough."
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Trump's mid-week announcement included new tariffs on all imported goods from 180 countries as well as a list of "reciprocal duties" targeting China and other countries, with Asian nations most hard hit, claiming to combat trade imbalances and restore America's manufacturing industry. He hailed the tariffs as the country's "declaration of economic independence."
China, the world's second-largest economy, will face a 34 percent reciprocal tariff, which will start on April 9, and is in addition to a 20 percent tariff that is already in effect. The list claims that China charges a 67 percent tariff on U.S. products. On Friday, China announced the same retaliatory tariff on the U.S. at 34 percent.
Trump's tariffs and shakeup of global trade has rattled global and domestic markets, with Wall Street tanking over the past few days, marking the worst days for the U.S. stock markets since 2020.
What To Know
Trump's universal, baseline 10 percent tariffs went into effect early Saturday. Announced April 2—which Trump dubbed "Liberation Day"—the tariffs have triggered market turmoil and drawn sharp criticism from world leaders who have also responded with retaliatory tariffs.
Meanwhile, many Americans, including some Republicans, have voiced concerns over the state of the economy following Trump's sweeping tariffs.
Quote:Major Japanese automobile company Nissan is considering moving some of its production to the U.S., according to a new report, in what could be one of the first indicators for President Donald Trump that his sweeping tariffs may have the impact the White House intends.
Why It Matters
The White House placed a 25-percent tariff on auto imports, which came into effect on Thursday, as part of a wide-ranging raft of measures that ripped through the global financial markets.
The Trump administration has said the taxes on imported goods will spur on domestic manufacturing, encourage U.S. consumers to buy American-made products and boost the economy. The U.S. automobile industry "has been undermined by excessive imports threatening America's domestic industrial base and supply chains," the White House said last month.
"Hang tough, it won't be easy, but the end result will be historic," Trump said on Saturday, calling the tariffs an "economic revolution." Experts say car prices are likely to rise for consumers.
What To Know
Japan-based business newspaper Nikkei reported on Saturday that Yokohama-headquartered car manufacturer Nissan was considering moving some of its domestic production of vehicles destined for the U.S. to America.
An unspecified chunk of the production for Nissan's Rogue SUV at the company's major factory in the southwestern Japanese city of Fukuoka would be switched to the U.S., according to the newspaper.
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Nissan sold roughly 920,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2024, with around 16 percent exported from Japan, Nikkei reported.
The White House said that U.S. consumers bought 16 million cars, SUVs and light trucks in 2024, half of which were imported. Approximately 1 million U.S. workers are employed in America's automobile and parts industries, according to the Trump administration. Fresh tariffs on imported vehicle parts are expected early next month.
Around 25 percent of the Rogue SUV is made in the U.S., while 40 percent of the vehicle is made in Japan, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Quote:Amassive lithium discovery beneath California's Salton Sea has set off a high-stakes push for what some have implied could be America's best shot at lithium self-sufficiency.
The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed in late 2023 that an estimated 18 million metric tons of lithium—often called "white gold" on account of its silvery-white appearance and economic importance—valued at roughly $540 billion is trapped in the geothermal brine beneath the Salton Sea, a shrinking lake in Southern California's Imperial Valley.
The find is one of the largest known lithium brine deposits in the world and could supply enough material for 375 million electric vehicle batteries, potentially making the U.S. self-sufficient in the critical mineral used in batteries, smartphones and renewable energy storage.
"The current geothermal power plants in the field have the capacity to produce 115,000 metric tons per year of [lithium carbonate equivalent], enough to make almost 4 million EVs annually Michael McKibben, of the University of California, Riverside's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, told Newsweek.
"The combination of lithium production from the Salton Sea geothermal field, the Nevada claystones of McDermitt Caldera, and the oil field brines of Arkansas' Smackover Formation could eventually enable the U.S. to become completely self-sufficient in its Li needs for the growing EV and battery electrical storage system (BESS) markets."
The Daily Galaxy cited McKibben as having said: "This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world. This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China."
The 120-year-old Salton Sea, accidentally created in 1905 when the Colorado River breached an irrigation canal, has long struggled with environmental degradation. Today, the lake's rapid evaporation and rising salinity threaten ecosystems and human health through dust pollution. The lithium discovery now promises a dual-edged transformation—economic revival and environmental risk.
Quote:Hungary will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office confirmed Thursday, coinciding with the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a multiday visit.
Netanyahu, who is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, was greeted in the Hungarian capital of Budapest with full military honors.
The Netherlands-based court issued a warrant in November for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC cited evidence they used "starvation as a method of warfare" and deliberately targeted civilians by restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israel has denied the allegations.
Why It Matters
Hungary's move marks a rare rebuke of the ICC from within its own membership as international scrutiny intensifies over Israel's actions in Gaza.
By hosting Netanyahu and rejecting the court's authority, Hungary further isolates itself from much of the European Union on issues of the rule of law and international justice.
Both Netanyahu and Orban are aligned with a broader anti-institutional movement led by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Their meeting is seen as a public rejection of the ICC's authority, which has issued only a handful of warrants against sitting world leaders. In March 2023, the ICC issued a similar arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over war crimes in Ukraine.
Quote:The U.K. has carried out a "major" test in its hypersonic weapons program in "close collaboration" with the U.S. government, the British Defense Ministry said on Sunday.
Why It Matters
Hypersonic weapons travel at speeds upward` of five times the speed of sound, also referred to as Mach 5 and roughly equivalent to over 3,800 miles per hour. The missiles are able to maneuver mid-flight, making them extremely hard to track or intercept.
They can be land-, sea- or air-launched, and are particularly suited to long-range strikes.
Russia has invested heavily in developing hypersonic missiles, storming ahead with its costly programs before hammering Ukraine with missiles like the Kinzhal and Tsirkon. Both were among the "super weapons" unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018.
While the Kremlin has flaunted its hypersonic weapons, Western experts have suggested the term is problematic—analysts often veer toward calling the Kinzhal an air-launched ballistic missile. Ukraine has said several times that it has intercepted Russia's hypersonic weapons using U.S.-made Patriot systems.
What To Know
The British government said on Sunday that scientists had completed testing on an engine for an in-development "cutting-edge" hypersonic cruise missile, able to travel thousands of miles per hour.
The engine "successfully" showed how a high-speed, air-breathing propulsion system would work, the U.K. ministry said, unlocking a greater range than a conventional rocket.
Airbreathing propulsion hinges on taking in air in the atmosphere which is then used to generate thrust, and can be more efficient than fuel-powered rocket engines.
Quote:British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has announced it is suspending all shipments of its vehicles from the U.K. to the United States for one month in response to President Trump's tariff policy, according to The Times of London.
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In late March, President Trump announced a new 25 percent tariff on all cars entering the United States, which went into effect on Thursday. He followed this up on Wednesday, which he dubbed Liberation Day, with a 10 percent "baseline" tariff on imports, though significantly higher "discounted reciprocal tariffs" were imposed on certain countries, not including the U.K.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday had said the tariffs were likely to boost inflation, as some companies increase prices to compensate for the tariffs while others, like Jaguar Land Rover, suspended exports to the U.S.
What To Know
The Times of London reported Jaguar Land Rover, which exports nearly 100,000 vehicles to the U.S. each year, has paused exports from its main factories in the U.K. to the U.S. for one month as it seeks to calibrate the impact of Trump's tariffs.
In 2024, Jaguar Land Rover sold 431,733 vehicles according to company figures.
Jaguar Land Rover employs 38,000 people in Britain, its main base of operations, along with around 6,000 in the rest of the world. Some of its most popular products in the U.S. are its Ranger Rover Sport and Rover Defender SUVs.
Quote:The United States has imposed sanctions on a Houthi network accused of procuring weapons and goods from Russia amid an ongoing military campaign against the Iranian-backed group's strongholds in Yemen.
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The sanctions may have little immediate impact but are another sign of the U.S. seeking to come down heavily on the Houthis while sending a warning to Iran and also to Moscow.
Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea threaten to disrupt global trade. Since 2023, the Houthis, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, have launched hundreds of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
What To Know
The U.S. Treasury Department said it had sanctioned a network of Houthi operatives for purchasing "tens of millions of dollars" in weapons, sensitive materials, and stolen Ukrainian grain from Russia, meant for delivery to Houthi-controlled Yemen, its website stated.
Moscow's growing ties with the Houthis, strengthened by its alliance with Iran, reflect its efforts to counter U.S. influence since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, although past Houthi misfires also targeted Russian vessels.
Key figures in the network identified by the United States include Sa'id al-Jamal, a senior Houthi financier linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, and two Afghan businessmen in Russia who facilitated arms shipments and the transport of stolen grain from Crimea aboard a Russian-flagged ship.
"The Houthis remain reliant on Sa'id al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group's terrorist war machine. Today's action underscores our commitment to degrading the Houthis' ability to threaten the region through their destabilizing activities," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was quoted as saying.
The new sanctions on Houthi operatives align with President Donald Trump's military actions against the group, including air strikes aimed at disrupting their operations in the region and restoring navigation safety.
Since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have been attacking commercial shipping and Western military vessels operating in the Red, Mediterranean Seas and Arabian Seas. The organization has vowed to continue and expand attacks unless Israel fully withdraws from Gaza.
Quote:The Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi group claimed a new attack on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and its accompanying warships in the Red Sea.
The U.S. Navy has not reported damage as American airstrikes continue against Houthi targets in Yemen.
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The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have claimed multiple attacks against the aircraft carrier since President Donald Trump launched a military campaign against the group on March 15.
The U.S.-designated terrorist group has carried out more than 100 missile and drone attacks on merchant vessels navigating the vital Red Sea corridor since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in October 2023, saying it acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.
What To Know
Ansar Allah said Thursday that its naval, missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) forces had targeted the USS Harry S. Truman with cruise missiles and UAVs.
"The engagement continued for long hours, and part of the attack on our country was thwarted," the group's military wing said in a statement on messaging app Telegram.
The U.S. has not reported any damages from this or previous attacks.
U.S. airstrikes have reportedly targeted the city of Sanaa and other parts of Yemen, as well as Houthi sites near the Hudaydah Port.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group would be joined in the (CENTCOM) area of responsibility by the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group on the orders of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a warning to Iran and its proxy groups in the region.
Quote:Beijing has delivered a pointed response after the U.S. State Department greenlit a nearly $5.6-billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to the Philippines.
The sale is in line with other U.S. moves that are "fueling the flames" of territorial disputes in the region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Why It Matters
The sale comes amid ongoing tensions between China and the U.S. defense treaty ally over the South China Sea, where Beijing's maritime forces have been seeking to normalize their patrols in waters hundreds of miles from Chinese shores and within the Philippines' internationally occupied maritime zone,
This pressure has driven President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to further strengthen security ties with Washington. His administration has committed to spending roughly $35 billion over the next decade to upgrade its aging defense systems and platforms.
What To Know
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday announced its approval of a proposed sale to the Philippines of 16 F-16C Block 70/72 fighter aircraft and four F-16D models, along with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, radar systems, spare parts, and training support.
The department said the sale would "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in Southeast Asia."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticized the deal during Wednesday's regular press conference, saying the U.S. and its ally "should not target any third party or harm their interests" or "threaten regional peace and security or escalate tensions."
Guo also questioned the motives behind recent regional moves: "Who exactly is fueling the flames? Who exactly is instigating military confrontation? Who exactly is turning Asia into a 'powder keg?' Regional countries are not blind."
Jonathan Malaya, a spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council, emphasized that the F-16 procurement is intended solely for defense and is not aimed at any specific country.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Quote:Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., chartered a private jet worth up to a staggering $15,000 an hour for several West Coast stops on their "Fighting Oligarchy" tour.
Sanders boarded the luxury Bombardier Challenger private jet at the Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday afternoon, according to a photo captured by a source on the ground and shared exclusively with Fox News Digital. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, whom the source also spotted boarding the private jet, spoke at their "Fighting Oligarchy" event in Bakersfield just hours earlier.
Flight records reveal the jet landed at Sacramento Mather Airport on Tuesday evening, which is about a 20-minute drive to Folsom, California, where the self-identified Democratic socialists hosted their second rally of the day. After publication Thursday, Fox News Digital obtained new footage of Sanders and AOC exiting the private jet in Sacramento Tuesday evening from California resident Matvei Levchenko.
The jet Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez were seen boarding and deplaning made stops in Salt Lake City and Boise prior to landing in Bakersfield, according to flight records. The arrival dates match the duo's "Fighting Oligarchy" events in Salt Lake City and Nampa, which is about a 25-minute drive from Boise Airport.
"Champagne socialists Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demand Americans surrender their pick-up trucks, air conditioning and meat from the luxe leather seats of their private jets that cost more per hour than most Americans earn in months. Their hypocrisy is staggering," National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesperson Ben Petersen said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The Bombardier Challenger private jet is operated by Ventura Air Services, which touts "one of the widest cabins of any business jet available today" and provides "superior cabin comfort for its passengers." According to their website, the private jet can cost up to $15,000 an hour.
Sanders has long been ridiculed for relying on luxury private planes while crisscrossing the country, warning Americans about climate change and the threats of billionaires seizing political power. Despite his Democratic socialist platform advocating for universal healthcare, the Green New Deal and ending wealth inequality, Sanders flying private has become infamous.
Sanders' campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, spent over $221,000 chartering private jets during the first quarter of 2025, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reviewed by Fox News Digital. The filing, which was released on Tuesday, shows that Sanders dropped the massive haul between three private jet companies: Ventura Jets, Cirrus Aviation Services and N-Jet.
Quote:The suspect in the arson at the Pennsylvania governor's mansion allegedly made a 911 call after he set fire to the residence in which he explained that he was motivated by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Cody Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism and related offenses for allegedly setting fire to Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro's residence on Sunday.
In a 911 call allegedly made by Balmer, he admits that he set fire to the residence because of what Shapiro, who is Jewish, "wants to do to the Palestinian people," according to audio obtained by Fox 29.
A dispatcher first asked for the address of the emergency before Balmer explained that there was no emergency.
"Well, I don't really have an emergency. I would like to apologize. Governor Josh Shapiro needs to know that Cody Balmer will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people," Balmer said in the call. "He needs to leave my family alone. He needs to get his eyes off of my daughters. And he needs to stop having my friends killed, like he had Manny killed two weeks ago, or last week on Saturday."
"Our people have been put through too much by that monster," Balmer told the dispatcher. "All he has is a banquet hall to clean up. I'm tired of offering extensions of peace. I only want to be able to provide for my children. I should not be taken to these extremes. It's not fair. I wish no harm onto anyone. But that man ... that man, he is doing serious, serious harm to probably yourself included. And I do wish you the best, sir."
Balmer added: "You all know where to find me. I'm not hiding, and I will confess to everything that I had done."
Similar to the 911 call, a search warrant for Balmer’s devices had revealed that Balmer targeted the governor for "what he wants to do to the Palestinian people," PennLive reported. According to the warrant, State Police Cpl. Benjamin Forsythe said the suspect targeted Shapiro over "perceived injustices to the people of Palestine." Forsythe also pointed to the governor’s Jewish faith as a possible motive behind the attack, without elaborating.
Another warrant details Balmer’s interview with state troopers in which he allegedly admitted to "harboring hatred towards" Shapiro. Balmer also reportedly admitted to a trooper that he was responsible for the arson attack and said he planned to attack Shapiro with his hammer if he were to find the governor in the mansion.
Quote:President Donald Trump is "hopeful" Russia and Ukraine can make a deal this week after a temporary Easter ceasefire between the two countries ended.
"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune!"
The war between the two countries has raged for more than three years and has cost the lives of tens of thousands of people on both sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of breaking their ceasefire agreement and said "the Russian army has violated Putin’s ceasefire more than two thousand times."
"The total number of violations by the Russian army of Russia’s own ceasefire promise throughout the day reached 2,935. The highest number of shellings and assaults occurred in the Pokrovsk," Zelenskyy wrote.
"The Russian promise of complete silence did not spread in the Kursk direction either. In total, there were 96 Russian assaults on the front, 1,882 shelling of our positions, and in particular 812 with heavy weapons, Russian FPV drones were used more than 950 times." — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine will remain a mirror-image and "will respond to silence with silence our strikes in defense of Russian strikes."
"Actions are always more eloquent than words," Zelenskyy said.
Putin ordered his forces to stop all military activity along the front line in the temporary Easter ceasefire until midnight, Moscow time, on Sunday.
Zelenskyy previously said that if the Easter ceasefire actually held up, he would propose extending it longer.
"That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions – because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures," he said. "Thirty days could give peace a chance."
Zelenskyy added that "there is no trust in words coming from Moscow" after one of his military leaders reported that Russia had seemed to break their truce.
"We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything. Ukraine’s Defense Forces will act rationally – responding in kind. Every Russian strike will be met with an appropriate response," Zelenskyy said.
Quote:Amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, the terror group is reportedly facing an unprecedented financial crisis.
Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that salary payments to many Hamas government employees have ceased, and even senior officials received only half of their usual pay during Ramadan. Terrorists, who once earned $200 to $300 a month, are struggling to get paid as the IDF tightens its grip, and the flow of humanitarian aid has been cut off since the collapse of the ceasefire.
Dr. Michael Milstein, head of the Forum for Palestinian Studies at Tel Aviv University, said that while financial difficulties are mounting, Hamas operatives are motivated more by ideology than money. "It’s not just about a paycheck," Milstein said. "Hamas provides essential supplies like food, water and medical care to families, which is crucial in today’s Gaza." Despite the squeeze, Milstein noted that Hamas has weathered similar financial crises in the past without collapsing.
"Two days ago, the IDF killed the battalion commander of the Sajia area for the fifth time. Today, there’s a new battalion commander. They fill the ranks. Hamas had 25,000 military operatives on October 7, and today it has a similar number, even though it lost twenty thousand. They manage with fewer experienced operatives, including children recruited from refugee camps, but manpower is always available in Gaza. As for weapons other than rockets, there is no problem—RPGs, explosives, and rifles are available," Milstein added.
Mkhaimar Abusada, a Gazan political analyst and currently a visiting scholar at Northwestern University, emphasized that Hamas will likely find ways to recover. "Hamas has survived despite external financial pressures for nearly two decades," Abusada said. "They’ve bypassed sanctions and continue to exploit black market activities and taxes on merchants." While money may not drive Hamas fighters, Abusada suggested that the financial squeeze would complicate their operations but not lead to the group's collapse.
Quote:The Trump administration announced sanctions against the International Bank of Yemen Y.S.C. (IBY) on Thursday for its financial support of Houthi terrorists.
Along with the bank, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning key leaders of IBY, like its Chairman of the Board of Directors Kamal Hussain Al Jebry; Executive General Manager Ahmed Thabit Noman Al-Absi and Deputy General Manager Abdulkader Ali Bazara. By sanctioning IBY, the U.S. hopes to stop Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
"Financial institutions like IBY are critical to the Houthis’ efforts to access the international financial system and threaten both the region and international commerce," Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender said. "Treasury remains committed to working with the internationally recognized government of Yemen to disrupt the Houthis’ ability to secure funds and procure key components for their destabilizing attacks."
Based in Sana’a, Yemen, the IBY is controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis and provides the group with access to the bank’s Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) network to make international financial transactions, the Treasury said.
The IBY, for instance, has allegedly aided Houthi businesses and officials to pursue oil on the SWIFT network, while also facilitating attempts by the terrorist group to evade sanctions oversight.
Under Thursday’s sanctions, all property and interests in property of the leaders named, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
Quote:The State Department has accused a Chinese firm of directly aiding Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen by providing satellite imagery used to target U.S. and international vessels in the Red Sea.
The news comes as U.S. airstrikes targeting an oil port held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed 74 people and wounded 171 others on Thursday, the group said.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited is helping the Houthis, who have been attacking commercial and military ships in the area since late 2023 as a means of showing solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. The Houthi attacks have included missile strikes, drone assaults and attempted hijackings.
Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited is a commercial group with ties to the People’s Liberation Army.
"We can confirm the reporting that Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited is directly supporting Iran-backed Houthi terrorist attacks on U.S. interests," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a regular news briefing.
"China consistently attempts ... to frame itself as a global peacemaker ... however, it is clear that Beijing and China-based companies provide key economic and technical support to regimes like Russia, North Korea and Iran and its proxies," she said.
"The fact that they continue to do this is unacceptable," she said, adding that the U.S. "will not tolerate anyone providing support to foreign terrorist organizations such as the Houthis."
Bruce said the assistance by the firm to the Houthis had continued even though the United States had engaged with Beijing on the issue.
President Donald Trump has prioritized addressing instability in the Red Sea, citing ongoing concerns that the Houthis remain a threat to the global economy.
The news comes as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched strikes on the Houthi controlled Ras Isa Fuel Port in Northwest Yemen on Thursday, marking the 34th consecutive day of U.S. strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
The strikes were aimed at eliminating the Houthis' fuel, a key source of revenue for the group.
The strikes, which sent massive fireballs shooting into the night sky, represented a major escalation for the American campaign by hitting oil facilities for the first time.
CENTCOM said that "U.S. forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists and deprive them of illegal revenue that has funded Houthi efforts to terrorize the entire region for over 10 years."
"The Houthis, their Iranian masters, and those who knowingly aid and abet their terrorist actions should be put on notice that the world will not accept illicit smuggling of fuel and war material to a terrorist organization," Central Command said.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Pope Francis led the Catholic Church for 12 years. The first Latin American in the office was as much a pastor as a pope, traditional as well as open to change. But he did not fulfill the many hopes for reform.
He was the first pope from Latin America, and the first Jesuit to head the Catholic Church. And never before had a church leader chosen this name: Francis, recalling Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology and of animals.
The choice was clearly meaningful. The son of a merchant, the original Francis renounced all riches, felt called by Jesus to a life of utter poverty and founded the Franciscan order. The pope's name did not evoke the pomp of papal palaces, nor the office of a head of church and state.
For the Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio, whom the cardinals elected pope in 2013, the choice of name was a program: Like no pope before him, he stood up for refugees and the homeless and fought for the protection of environment and the climate.
Now, after more than 12 years as head of the Catholic Church and the 266th bishop of Rome, Francis has died at the age of 88, making him the second-oldest pope in history.
Pope from the 'ends of the Earth'
Before his papal election in March 2013, Bergoglio spoke in a pre-conclave, in which the cardinals exchanged views on the state of the church. In what was later described as a "firebrand" address, he called for "bold freedom of speech" in the church. The Catholic Church, he said, should not revolve around itself.
The power of this speech could still be felt in the 2018 film "Pope Francis: A Man of His Word," by German director Wim Wenders. In the film, Francis spoke in a relatable way about the church's closeness to people on the margins. From the outset, the pope, who referred to himself as being from the "ends of the Earth" during his first public appearance in 2013, reached out to the marginalized.
All of this was in keeping with his demeanor. Unlike his predecessors, Francis did not move into the so-called Apostolic Palace, which towers high above St. Peter's Square. Instead, he stayed in two rooms in the Vatican guest house throughout his pontificate, dining with employees and guests at a simple buffet.
He repeatedly criticized globalization and capitalism, delivering his strongest political speeches in his early years in office. In doing so, he always appeared as an advocate for the poor and the Global South.
He addressed the European Parliament in 2014 and criticized "throwaway culture and an uncontrolled consumerism." Speaking before the US Congress and the United Nations in New York in 2015, he highlighted immigration and the refugee crisis. The phenomenon of US President Donald Trump, and what he stands for, remained alien to him.
Francis often called on the international community to implement rapid reforms, and to do more in terms of development aid and climate protection. He dedicated his most important encyclical letter, "Laudato Si," or "Praised Be" to this topic in 2015. This teaching letter for the preservation of creation reads like a political indictment — but it has rarely been heard. Francis followed up in 2023 with another strong letter on the subject, entitled "Laudate Deum." The longer he was in office, the more impatient this pope sounded.
Klaus Schwab has led the WEF — the organization behind the prestigious Davos conference — for over 50 years. But Schwab's life work has also been criticized as a symbol of the elites' detachment from ordinary people.
The founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Klaus Schwab, resigned on Monday as chairman of the forum's board.
"Following my recent announcement, and as I enter my 88th year, I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect," he said in a statement released by the WEF.
The German-born economist did not offer a reason for leaving the Geneva-based WEF, which organizes annual meeting of the international political and economic elite in the Swiss luxury ski resort of Davos.
Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe will serve as interim chairman, with the search for a new chair having begun after Schwab's resignation was accepted at an extraordinary meeting on April 20.
Davos summit as face of globalization
Schwab established the WEF in 1971 with the aim of creating a forum for policymakers and top corporate executives to tackle major global issues. The first conference was also held in Davos that year, with hundreds attending, including businesspeople, academics and politicians.
Over the decades, however, the WEF and the annual summit started drawing criticism from opponents on both left and right as being too elitist and detached from lives of ordinary people. Schwab himself was targeted by various conspiracy theorists in recent years. One viral controversy links him to the "You'll own nothing. And you'll be happy" quote which was published by the WEF in a 2016 video clip.
The video speculates on the ways the world could change by 2030. Schwab has never said or wrote the words shown on screen, which are actually based on an essay by Danish politician Ida Aukens about possible futures "for better and for worse." However, many have interpreted the video as proof of the WEF working to create a dystopian future without private ownership.
Russian president has previously spurned direct negotiations unless Ukraine holds elections; Ukrainian delegation headed to London. What we know on day 1,154
Vladimir Putin has said for the first time in years that he is open to bilateral talks with Ukraine – having previously demanded Volodymyr Zelenskyy be replaced before it could happen. Zelenskyy, whom Putin has falsely called an illegitimate president, meanwhile said Kyiv was prepared for any discussion to halt attacks on civilian targets. The Ukrainian president, in his nightly video address, said: “Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow. We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this.”
Putin, speaking to Russian state TV, said: “We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way.” However, Putin has previously stipulated that elections must be held in Ukraine to elect a new president who would be his interlocutor. Elections are not permitted under the Ukrainian constitution while the country is, unavoidably, in a state of martial law.
Putin and Zelenskyy face pressure from the Trump administration in the US which has threatened to walk away from its peace efforts unless some progress is achieved. There have been no direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks after Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
Luke Harding writes from Kyiv that Moscow appears to be deliberately stalling the peace talks, betting that continued battlefield gains will bolster its position and enable it to demand greater concessions at the negotiating table. Russian attacks on Monday killed at least three people in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, after an informal 30-hour Easter ceasefire declared by Putin that Kyiv said Moscow’s armed forces repeatedly violated. Zelenskyy said Russia had launched numerous attacks using artillery and drones, as well as infantry. The most active part of the Easter frontline was near the city of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, he said, while enemy forces also continued combat operations in Russia’s Kursk region where Ukrainian units hold a small amount of territory. Russia claimed Ukraine broke the ceasefire.
A Ukrainian delegation is due in London on Wednesday for talks with Britain, France and the US. Zelenskyy said on Monday: “We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible.” The talks are a follow-up to a Paris meeting last week where the US and European states discussed ways to end the war and the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, reportedly presented Washington’s plan for ending the war. Zelenskyy said the London talks “have a primary task: to push for an unconditional ceasefire. This must be the starting point.”
Leaks suggest the Trump administration is now pushing for a “peace deal” that heavily favours Russia. It would include a pause to the conflict along the existing 1,000km frontline; recognition that Crimea belongs to Moscow; and a veto on Ukraine’s Nato membership. There are also unconfirmed reports that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station – which Russia seized in 2022 – would be part of a “neutral” zone. Russia has maintained its maximalist demands, that Ukraine cede all the land Putin claims to have annexed and accept permanent neutrality. Ukraine says that would amount to surrender and leave it undefended if Moscow attacks again.
Because of Viktor Orbán’s intransigence and siding with Putin over the Ukraine war, Brussels is considering its “nuclear” option of removing Hungary’s voting rights under the European Union treaty, writes Jennifer Rankin. Under Orbán’s prime ministership, Hungary has repeatedly sought to block EU sanctions against Russia, though eventually backed down. It has vetoed the release of €6bn to reimburse EU countries providing military aid to Ukraine and refused to sign declarations in support of its invaded neighbour. The removal of voting rights from Hungary under the EU treaty’s article 7 would deliver a reckoning for Orbán just as he faces his toughest political challenger in years: Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party has extended its lead on Orbán’s Fidesz, with elections due next year.
A Russian journalist who faced up to 10 years in prison for criticising the army has escaped house arrest and is wanted by police, Russian state media has reported. Ekaterina Barabash, 63, was arrested in February. She had been an outspoken critic of Moscow’s war on Ukraine, writing on Facebook that Russia had “bombed the country” and “razed whole cities to the ground”. Putin has made it illegal to criticise the army and the “special military operation” against Ukraine. Former Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who protested against the Ukraine war during a live broadcast, escaped Russia in 2022 after fleeing house arrest.
Ekaterina Barabash, 63, facing up to 10 years in jail due to outspoken criticism of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine
A Russian journalist who faced up to 10 years in prison for criticising the army has escaped house arrest and is now wanted by police, Russian state media has reported.
Ekaterina Barabash, 63, had been arrested in February on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian armed forces in several posts she made on social media.
“The accused has been declared wanted,” the Moscow branch of Russia’s federal penitentiary service said, the state Tass news agency reported on Monday. Authorities were alerted to her disappearance on 13 April by an electronic monitoring system.
Since Russia launched its military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, authorities have launched thousands of cases against people accused of discrediting the army.
Barabash had written for several news outlets, including Republic and the Russian service of Radio France Internationale.
She had been an outspoken critic of Moscow’s military offensive on Ukraine, writing on Facebook in March 2022 that Russia had “bombed the country” and “razed whole cities to the ground”.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians, made it illegal to criticise the army and its military operations in Ukraine shortly after its offensive began.
Rights groups said authorities are using the law to wage an unprecedented crackdown on dissent reminiscent of the Soviet era.
Fleeing house arrest is risky in Russia, but not unheard of. Former Russian state TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, who protested against the Ukraine conflict during a live broadcast, escaped Russia in 2022 after fleeing house arrest.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
Quote:At least nine people were killed and more than 20 others injured when a man drove into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver on Saturday.
A 30-year-old man was arrested at the scene and Vancouver Police Department's major crime section is overseeing an investigation into the incident.
The Context
The Lapu Lapu Festival is a yearly Filipino Canadian celebration named after an Indigenous resistance fighter who fought against Spanish colonization in the 1500s. Advertised as a block party in southern Vancouver, the event took place on Fraser Street.
Vancouver had more than 38,600 residents of Filipino heritage in 2021, representing 5.9 percent of the city's total population, according to Statistics Canada.
What To Know
The vehicle entered the street at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday and struck numerous people attending the festival, the Vancouver Police Department said.
Video of the aftermath showed the dead and injured strewn along a narrow street lined by food trucks. The front of the driver's vehicle was smashed in.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a press conference on Sunday: "Nine people were killed and more than 20 were injured in what the Vancouver police are describing as a car ramming attack.
"An investigation is ongoing to determine how and why this horrific attack occurred. Authorities have confirmed one person is custody and it is believed they acted alone."
Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said that the suspect was arrested after initially being apprehended by bystanders. He added that the suspect was a "lone male" who was "known to police in certain circumstances."
The police department also said on Sunday: "At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism."
Witness Carayn Nulada said that she pulled her granddaughter and grandson off the street and used her body to shield them from the vehicle. She said her daughter had suffered a narrow escape.
It's extremely curious how the leftists always portray the perpetrators as lone wolves, even if they intentionally try to kill as many people as possible, as if they were strictly following a very specific ideology.
Quote:U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump's repeated suggestions and interest in annexing Canada during a Sunday interview on NBC News' Meet the Press.
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Trump has publicly called for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state multiple times throughout his 2024 campaign and since taking office on January 20. The comments have escalated tensions between the longtime allies, particularly as they come alongside new tariffs on Canadian imports.
What To Know
The origin of Trump's Canada annexation comments appears to trace back to conversations with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
When pushed by host Kristen Welker on whether the U.S. still wants to make Canada the 51st state, Rubio replied, "I think the president has stated repeatedly he thinks Canada would be better off as a state," adding that these comments stemmed from what "the previous prime minister" told Trump about Canada's trade relationship with the United States.
According to Rubio, Trudeau suggested Canada "couldn't survive as a nation-state" if the U.S. imposed tariffs on Canadian imports, to which Trump reportedly responded that Canada "should become a state."
Trump's 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports, plus the 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy imports, began in early March. On March 12, Trump then implemented 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
The Trump Administration on April 5 imposed a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports to the U.S., invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to address the national emergency posed by the persistent trade deficit.
Quote:In a narrow 5-4 decision on Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that immigrants who agree to leave the U.S. voluntarily are entitled to deadline flexibility when the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday.
Why It Matters
The ruling came in the case of Hugo Abisai Monsalvo Velázquez, a Mexican national who entered the country illegally as a teenager and lived in Colorado for nearly 20 years before receiving a removal order in 2021. The case was argued in November 2024, shortly after President Donald Trump's re-election and amid a renewed focus on immigration enforcement.
What To Know
Writing for the majority, conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch stated that standard legal principles apply, meaning a Saturday deadline to depart the country should extend to the next business day. He was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, also a conservative, and the court's three liberal justices.
"Here, as elsewhere, the term 'days' operates to extend a deadline that falls on a weekend or legal holiday to the next business day," Gorsuch wrote in the opinion.
The remaining four conservative justices dissented, arguing that the Court should have left the matter to a lower court to decide whether federal courts have jurisdiction in this case.
Justice Samuel Alito also wrote in a dissent joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh that the there is "no justification" in finding that Monsalvo Velázquez was entitled to a two-day extension.
What People Are Saying
Gorsuch, in the Supreme Court's majority opinion: "Who is right on this question of statutory interpretation matters greatly to people like Mr. Monsalvo. Not only does it affect the time one may have to reopen immigration proceedings. As we have seen, it also affects an individual's exposure to detention, removal, and fines, and carries with it serious ramifications for his ability to seek lawful status for years into the future."
Alito, in a dissenting opinion: "The Court is sympathetic to petitioner's plight, but the relevant statutory provision sets a deadline, and no matter how such a deadline is calculated, there will always be those who happen to miss it by a day or so."
What Happens Next
The Court's ruling reversed a decision made by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case was remanded for further proceedings consistent with the Court's opinion.
Quote:Pro-Ukrainian partisans said on Sunday they had "destroyed" equipment along a railway running through the eastern Ukrainian Luhansk region, in the latest of claimed attacks by Kyiv-aligned operatives against Russia.
Why It Matters
Russia annexed Luhansk, along with the neighboring Donetsk region and southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts, in fall 2022. Luhansk and Donetsk collectively make up the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, the country's traditional industrial heartland.
Moscow had seized Crimea, to the south of mainland Ukraine, from Kyiv in 2014 as it backed pro-Kremlin separatists in the Donbas.
Russia's grip on these five regions is not internationally recognized.
What To Know
Atesh, a pro-Ukrainian partisan group active in Crimea and other parts of Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory, said on Sunday its members had "destroyed" transformer equipment along the railway used by Russian troops to transport troops and supplies close to the town of Stanytsia Luhanska.
The town sits northeast of the regional capital, Luhansk City, roughly 11 miles west of internationally recognized Russian territory.
Russia controls the vast majority of Luhansk.
The "successful sabotage" disrupted Russian logistics and caused delays in Moscow's deliveries of equipment and spare parts, the partisans said.
Quote:Russia could be preparing to widely use motorbikes in front-line assaults in the next few months in a bid to dodge Ukrainian drones targeting armored vehicles, according to a new analysis.
Why It Matters
Information coming from the front lines has long suggested Russia is using civilian vehicles in assaults on Ukrainian positions, including motorbikes and golf buggies.
Large—and often slow—armored vehicles and tanks are easier targets for the hundreds of drones buzzing around close to the hotspots of battle each day.
What To Know
Russia is likely gearing up to "systematically integrate motorcycle usage" into its attacks along the Ukrainian battlefront for the summer and into the fall, the U.S.-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which tracks daily changes to the frontline, said in its latest analysis.
Russia's Defense Ministry published a brief clip on Saturday it said showed paratroopers at a training ground learning to "seize strongholds on cross-country motorbikes."
The soldiers were grouped in pairs and threes to practice "offensive and defensive" tactics, the Russian government said.
The footage likely showed soldiers belonging to Russia's 299th Regiment of paratroopers, and highlighted that Moscow could be preparing to "issue an increased number of motorcycles to Russian personnel in Ukraine," the ISW said.
Quote:Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow has claimed its forces have retaken the Kursk region, but Kyiv has denied any such gains. Meanwhile, a top Russian military official has admitted for the first time to deploying North Koreans into Ukraine.
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Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on a potential peace deal have grown increasingly frayed over the past few weeks, starting with a major blow-up in the Oval Office between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and culminated this week in Trump suggesting the United States would walk away from talks between the warring nations if a deal did not soon materialize.
However, Trump engaged in a surprise sideline conversation with Zelensky at the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday, reviving hopes of a push towards a real conclusion to the conflict.
Trump posted pictures of his meeting, in which he and Zelensky sat alone in an intimate conversation in St. Peter's Basilica, to his account on Truth Social and urged an end to the "cruel and senseless war."
Trump took aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in a Truth Social post about the war, saying the Kremlin leader may need to "be dealt with differently."
"There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?' Too many people are dying!!!" the president wrote.
What To Know
Putin declared on Saturday that his forces had liberated the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces and helped to bring "the defeat of the neo-Nazi regime closer," Russian news outlet Tass reported.
"The enemy's complete rout in the borderline Kursk Region creates conditions for further successful operations by our troops in other major frontline areas and brings the defeat of the neo-Nazi regime closer," Putin said during a meeting with his Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
"The Kiev regime's venture has failed completely while the huge losses suffered by the enemy, in particular, those among the most combat-fit, best prepared and equipped Ukrainian army units, including the formations provided with Western equipment - and these are assault units and special operations forces - will undoubtedly have their impact along the entire engagement line," the Russian leader said.
Ukraine invaded the Kursk region in the summer of 2024 in a surprise push that led to the capture of Russian territory by a foreign power for the first time in decades. Putin avoided discussing the matter for months until his claim to have retaken the territory.
However, Ukraine has disputed this report and pushed back on Putin's narrative, according to The Kyiv Independent.
"Ukrainian defensive operations in certain areas of Kursk Oblast continue," Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces said in a press release. "The situation is difficult, but our units continue to hold certain positions and carry out tasks as assigned."
Ukrainian forces face no threat of encirclement, with a military source telling The Kyiv Independent that their forces still hold Kursk.
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Putin each year has tried to mark the occasion and has revived his attempts to paint Ukraine and Zelensky, who is Jewish, as a regime of neo-Nazis and his invasion of Ukraine as a mission of denazification.
Gerasimov also said on Saturday that Russia has indeed deployed North Korean troops to the frontlines after Russian officials had avoided any public acknowledgements for months.
In his comments made during the meeting with Putin, Gerasimov hailed the North Korean soldiers for their "considerable assistance," saying that "soldiers and officers of the Korean People's Army were accomplishing combat objectives shoulder to shoulder with Russian servicemen and in the process of repelling the Ukrainian incursion showed high professionalism and displayed endurance, courage and heroism in combat."
Quote:Russian authorities have detained a "Ukrainian special services agent" accused of planting explosives in a car that killed a senior Russian general on Friday, Moscow's FSB security agency has said.
Why It Matters
Ukraine has been linked to the deaths of several high-profile Russian commanders since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago, including in operations in Moscow.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Friday that Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy chief of the main operational directorate of Russia's General Staff, was killed earlier in the day when a car exploded in the Balashikha suburb east of central Moscow.
A number of senior Russian commanders have been killed in Ukraine.
What To Know
Russia's FSB—the country's main domestic security service succeeding the Soviet-era KGB—said on Saturday it had detained Ignat Kuzin, described by the agency as a Ukrainian spy.
"There is reason to believe that Ukrainian special services were involved in the murder," Zakharova said on Friday.
Ukraine has not commented and Kyiv does not typically issue public statements indicating responsibility for targeted attacks outside of its territory.
Kuzin is a "resident of Ukraine," the FSB said, claiming he planted a homemade explosive device in a Volkswagen Golf which was then detonated remotely from Ukrainian territory, according to Russian media.
The FSB said Kuzin had been recruited by Ukrainian intelligence services in April 2023 in the area around the Ukrainian capital. He then traveled to Moscow in September 2023, the agency said.
Russia's investigative committee, which opened an investigation into Moskalik's death, said on Saturday Kuzin was "giving a confession," and had told Russian authorities he had acted on his handler's instructions.
Quote:...
Now, the College of Cardinals prepares to gather at the Vatican for a conclave that will shape the Church's future. Their choice won't just name the next leader of 1.37 billion Catholics—it will set the course for doctrine, transparency and the Church's outreach to its flock.
Will the next pope continue Francis's progressive reforms, or will the cardinals pivot back toward theological conservatism? The answer will be clear when the symbolic white smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel.
Francis's Influence on the Election
The next pope will face a Church shaped by Francis's appointments and reforms. His tenure saw major structural changes, including the decentralization of the Vatican's power and the appointment of more non-European cardinals than any of his predecessors.
However, his governance style has also left the College of Cardinals in an uncertain position. "He selected the majority of the cardinals who possess the right to vote," said Ulrich Lehner, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame.
"However, his approach to governance, characterized by unilateral decisions made without consultation with the College of Cardinals, has made it impossible to form interpersonal relationships among them."
A key issue for the conclave will be Francis's handling of sexual abuse cases, which has divided Church leaders. "Most importantly, can the voters trust that the person they elect is not a sexual predator who could be exposed?" Lehner asked.
According to Michelle Dillon, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of New Hampshire, "Francis was consistently trying to bring much greater transparency and professionalism to the Curia." Yet, she also noted that some cardinals remain skeptical about his openness to secular engagement, fearing that the Church could lose its unique identity.
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Who Are the Leading Candidates?
As speculation builds, several high-ranking cardinals have emerged as top contenders. According to Vatican observers and bookmakers, the following candidates have the strongest odds. Here is a closer look at each of them.
Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines)
Currently the betting favorite at 3:1 odds, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, is considered a strong contender to continue Pope Francis's progressive agenda. Tagle, an advocate for inclusion and evangelization, has significant experience leading the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and was a trusted figure in Francis's inner circle.
... Pietro Parolin (Italy)
At 4:1 odds, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, is one of the most experienced Vatican officials. In his role as the Vatican's Secretary of State since 2013, he has played a major part in diplomatic affairs, including sensitive negotiations with China and Middle Eastern governments.
... Peter Turkson (Ghana)
Currently at 5:1 odds in betting markets, Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, is a well-known figure in the Church's social justice circles. As former head of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Turkson has been vocal on issues such as climate change, poverty and economic justice.
... Peter Erdő (Hungary)
A leading conservative candidate, Cardinal Peter Erdő, 72, is currently at 6:1 odds. A respected canon law scholar, Erdő has been a strong advocate for traditional Catholic teachings and doctrine. He previously served as head of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences and has emphasized theological orthodoxy.
... Angelo Scola (Italy)
At 8:1, Cardinal Angelo Scola, 82, is a long-standing papal contender. He was among the favorites in the 2013 conclave that ultimately elected Pope Francis. Scola, a former Archbishop of Milan, has deep theological roots and appeals to those who support a more centralized and hierarchical Church.
Israeli sources also cite another possible candidate called Pierbattista Pizzaballa who has become the first cardinal of Jerusalem thanks to the late Pope Francis. Even so, I must note here that according to some other sources, all candidates are supposed to be under 80 years old if they want to partake in the process. This would mean that Scola would be disqualified any time soon.
Quote:The head of the Houthi-run Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, threatened further escalation against the United States in response to intensified airstrikes on Houthi strongholds in Yemen and the growing deployment of American weaponry in the region.
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The comments underscore an escalation in the Red Sea conflict and raise questions over the effectiveness of U.S. military pressure in deterring the Iran-backed Houthis—who threaten a vital global shipping route. President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against them last month.
The U.S. has recently expanded its military footprint across the Middle East in response to rising tensions with Iran, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and the Gaza conflict—deploying missile defenses, bombers, carriers, and strike groups from the Red Sea to Diego Garcia.
What To Know
"If the American escalates further, it means his weapons have failed and he's just offering more targets," Mashat said in a televised speech Sunday evening, dressed in military attire following a top-level military meeting. "Trump may have thought it would be a leisurely affair, but he landed in a strategic quagmire called Yemen."
The Houthis claimed attacks on two U.S. military aircraft as well as the shooting down of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones and the bypassing of advanced electronic warfare systems. U.S. officials have not commented on those claims.
The U.S. launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Sana'a, Hudeidah, and other regions last week, including a major raid on Ras Isa fuel port. Washington said the strikes destroyed key targets and killed dozens of Houthi fighters. Houthi media said there were dozens of civilian casualties.
Mashat said the group had avoided major losses thanks to intelligence gathered before the attacks. He did not identify the source or which operations. The U.S. recently accused China of providing satellite imagery to the Houthis—an allegation Beijing has denied.
Quote:At least eight U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft were tracked flying from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to Israel's Nevatim Airbase on Sunday.
According to flight tracking data and open-source intelligence monitors, the mission is part of a broader operation that has seen at least 25 C-17 flights land in Israel since April 10, making it one of the largest such deployments in years.
The operation comes as Israel signals possible military action against Iran. It also coincides with renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran to establish the framework for a new nuclear agreement.
Why It Matters
The scale of the U.S. deployment highlights mounting urgency amid escalating regional threats. While Israel reportedly weighs "limited strikes" on Iran and the U.S. pursues diplomacy, the buildup may serve broader purposes: deterring Iranian aggression, countering attacks from Tehran's regional proxies such as the Houthis in Yemen, reinforcing defenses amid continued conflict in Gaza, and preparing for instability along Israel's northern front with Hezbollah or in Syria.
What to Know
While the exact contents of the C-17 flights have not been confirmed, the volume and coordination suggest a significant reinforcement effort. The continued arrival of such aircraft to Nevatim Airbase—already a hub for joint operations—comes amid heightened threat perceptions from Iran and its regional allies.
The C-17s could have carried advanced air-defense systems, with THAAD and Patriot PAC-3 missiles among the top candidates, military analysts said. Both systems have been deployed to Israel in recent years.
A Reuters report said that Israel's current military planning focuses on limited operations targeting Iran's nuclear sites—actions that would require far less American support than previous proposals. The options include airstrikes and special forces raids, aimed at delaying Iran's nuclear advances. Last week, The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump had rejected a proposal from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for "extensive" strikes against Iran.
Diplomatic Talks Continue
Meanwhile, a second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks concluded in Rome, with further negotiations planned in the coming days.
Despite both sides agreeing to continue with further negotiations some Iranian officials remain skeptical. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran's National Security Committee said, "We still have serious doubts about the ideas and intentions of the Americans and their will to reach an agreement."
Quote:Iran's top diplomat sought to entice President Donald Trump's administration with up to tens of billions of dollars' worth of contracts to help revitalize the U.S. nuclear industry in a canceled speech.
The address was to be delivered virtually Monday by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Nuclear Policy Conference. The organizers mandated, however, that Araghchi then open up to questions, a condition that led to his team pulling out of the event.
The Iranian Mission to the United Nations later shared with Newsweek the transcript of the planned remarks, which in one notable section doubled down on Tehran's emphasis on the potential investment value of a new nuclear agreement with Washington as the two sides engage in talks.
"Iran has never stood in the way of economic and scientific collaboration with the United States," Araghchi was to say, according to the transcript. "The obstacle has been previous U.S. administrations, often acting under the influence of the same Special Interest groups. As I recently made clear in the pages of the Washington Post, the trillion-dollar opportunity that our economy presents may be open to U.S. enterprises."
"This includes companies which can help us generate clean electricity from non-hydrocarbon sources," the speech continued. "Iran currently operates one reactor at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. Our longstanding game plan is to build at least 19 more reactors, meaning that tens of billions of dollars in potential contracts are up for grabs. The Iranian market alone is big enough to revitalize the struggling nuclear industry in the United States."
Why This Matters
Despite their deep-rooted distrust and mutual escalations of military rhetoric, the U.S. and Iran have both reported progress following two rounds of indirect talks geared toward an agreement that would limit Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Such a deal would replace the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) abandoned by Trump during his first term in 2018. The U.S. leader argued that the agreement was unfair, as it did not do enough to serve U.S. interests.
Quote:China's first joint air force exercise with U.S. ally Egypt featured advanced fighter jets, radar aircraft, and aerial refueling planes, highlighting Beijing's push to project power far into the Middle East and North Africa in a challenge to the United States.
Why It Matters
China's deepening relationship with Egypt comes at a time that Egyptian ties with Washington have been strained by President Donald Trump's proposal for relocating Palestinians from the Gaza Strip — potentially to Egypt — in a plan that Cairo has strongly opposed.
The Middle East is a new location for Chinese rivalry with the United States as the two superpowers are also at odds elsewhere, not least over Taiwan and the South China Sea and with tensions rising there.
What To Know
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force deployed J-10C fighter jets, a YU-20 aerial refueling tanker and a KJ-500 radar aircraft, according to open-source flight-tracking data and security publications.
The PLA Air Force sent J-10C and J-10S fighters while Egypt fielded its MiG-29 jets for the exercise, China's state-run Global Times reported.
The KJ-500, an airborne early warning and control aircraft, participated in an international military exercise for the first time, according to the Belgium-based defense magazine Army Recognition.
This week, open-source flight data appeared to show multiple Chinese military aircraft arriving in Egypt via the United Arab Emirates, including at least five Y-20 transport planes and one KJ-500 radar aircraft, according to specialist outlet Aviation Week.
The joint exercise with the North African country comes as the United States increases its military presence in the Middle East and amid rising tensions with Iran. Egypt is also a potential market for Chinese weapons sales.
Egypt has received substantial military aid from the United States since signing a peace deal with Israel in 1979. Egypt was granted $1.3 billion in U.S. military aid in 2024, according to Reuters.
It is the second time the Chinese military has deployed to Egypt since last summer, when it sent seven J-10 fighter jets from an air force aerobatic team and a Y-20 transport aircraft to an air show.
Quote:U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are united on Iran, following a phone call amid renewed nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran.
"The call went very well – We are on the same side of every issue," Trump said on his social media platform, as American and Iranian diplomats prepared to resume negotiations this week.
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Trump's show of unity with Netanyahu comes at a pivotal time in U.S.-Iran relations. The decision to resume direct talks marks a significant diplomatic shift, but it also places pressure on America's closest Middle East ally.
Israel has repeatedly warned against concessions to Tehran, saying that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump's balancing act between advancing diplomacy and preserving strategic alliances will shape outcomes in the region.
What to Know
The Trump-Netanyahu phone call took place on Tuesday, with the U.S. president describing it as harmonious and far-reaching. Trump said the two leaders were aligned on every issue, including Iran and trade. Trump also told reporters on Monday that his administration had held "good meetings" with Iranian officials. The nuclear discussions, which began in Oman and continued in Rome, are expected to resume on Saturday.
Iran Accuses Israel of Undermining Talks
While Washington has signaled openness to diplomacy, Iran accused Israel of trying to "undermine" the talks. The charge reflects growing tensions between the two regional powers, even as the U.S. seeks to reestablish dialogue with Tehran. The New York Times reported last week that Trump had privately advised Israel to delay any potential military action targeting Iran's nuclear facilities in order to give diplomacy a chance.
Quote:President Donald Trump's decision to reduce the presence of U.S. forces in Syria has drawn mixed reactions among local factions, with U.S. partners expressing to Newsweek that threats remain and critics arguing the move does not go far enough.
After months of speculation over whether Trump would move to fulfill his first-term goal of pulling troops out of Syria, the Pentagon announced Friday that it would begin a "consolidation" of the U.S. military presence in the country. The process would reportedly shutter three bases and bring the number of troops down to less than 1,000, closer aligning to the number of troops deployed to Syria before then-President Joe Biden's increase to 2,500 personnel, announced in December.
The U.S. presence in Syria is largely divided between the self-proclaimed Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and a garrison in the southeastern desert region of Al-Tanf, manned by the Syrian Free Army rebel militia.
Both U.S.-backed groups have expressed their continued support for their ally's presence even as they've moved to integrate themselves into the Islamist-led coalition that toppled longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December.
But questions linger as to the goals of U.S. troops in the country, whose new rulers—as with the old government and its supporters—consider their presence to be an illegal occupation.
In light of the news of a U.S. drawdown, Sinam Mohamad, representative of the SDF's political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council, in Washington, pointed to the lasting value of the U.S. presence in the country, given the lingering threat posed by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).
"The presence of the American troops is essential when we see the resurgence of ISIS is a threat to the whole region and the prisons that hold thousands of ISIS fighters in addition to the camps that holds the families of ISIS is still a threat," Mohamad told Newsweek. "We believe that the U.S. troops will help toward any threat from ISIS."
The fate of these prisons remains in question after the SDF struck a deal last month to join the central government led by new Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, former head of Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Mohamad argued that the agreement "is going forward in a good way" thus far, and "we hope to have a decentralized system in Syria to keep a sustainable peace and stability."
The SDF has continued to clash, however, with other former opposition groups who helped to overthrow Assad, particularly the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army. The violence has come despite Ankara reaching a ceasefire deal last month with the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has ties to the SDF.
The Syrian Free Army, whose commander told Newsweek in January that U.S. troops continued to serve a key role in the fight against ISIS, had also announced its intentions to join the new government led by Sharaa in February, though it continues to train with U.S. troops.
While Sharaa has sought to improve ties with the U.S. since leading the charge to topple Assad, he has stated that the current presence of U.S. forces did not adhere to international law due to a lack of agreements between Damascus and Washington.
Quote:U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to May 16, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed late Tuesday.
The trip, which follows Trump's attendance at Pope Francis' funeral in Rome on Saturday, marks a continuation of his administration's focus on Middle Eastern diplomacy and regional security cooperation.
...
Trump's Gulf visit signals a renewed push to solidify U.S. alliances amid rising regional tensions. The trip follows months of quiet diplomacy and strategic coordination with key partners like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
It also comes as nuclear talks with Iran continue, prompting growing pressure from Israel a more aggressive U.S. posture. Israel views Tehran's nuclear ambitions and regional influence—particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen—as a direct threat, urging Washington to abandon hopes of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.
What to Know
Though originally planned as Trump's first overseas trip of his second term, the Middle East visit was delayed following the pope's death. Leavitt emphasized the trip's significance, especially with regard to Saudi Arabia, which also hosted Trump's first foreign visit during his first term.
Saudi Centerpiece
Saudi Arabia continues to serve as the centerpiece of Trump's Middle East diplomacy. The kingdom hosted early discussions in Trump's second term on mediating the war between Russia and Ukraine. Since February, several U.S. delegations led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Council Advisor Michael Waltz have visited Riyadh. They met with both Russian and Ukrainian officials, as well as with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Quote:U.S. President Donald Trump said he is willing to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the country's nuclear program.
In an interview with Time magazine, Trump also emphasized his preference for negotiation over conflict, even as he refused to rule out the possibility of military action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The comments come amid a renewed U.S. push to reach an agreement with Tehran.
...
Trump's openness to a face-to-face meeting with Iran's top leadership could represent a significant shift in tone and strategy, especially given decades of hostile rhetoric between the two nations.
While negotiations continue through diplomatic channels, the possibility of a direct encounter suggests that the White House is preparing to test the limits of its diplomatic outreach.
What to Know
Asked by Time magazine whether he would meet with Iran's President or Supreme Leader, Trump responded, "Sure." The brief but direct answer underscores an administration effort to present diplomacy as a credible alternative to conflict, even as pressure on Iran intensifies.
Diplomacy Over Military Action
Trump addressed reports that he blocked an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. "I didn't stop them," he said. "But I didn't make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack." While military action remains an option, Trump emphasized a preference for reaching a negotiated deal to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
A recently resigned New Mexico judge and his wife were arrested in a federal raid on their family home Thursday, after it was revealed they harbored an accused member of Tren de Aragua, according to a report.
Democratic former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, each face two charges of evidence tampering for allegedly harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez — an accused illegal migrant who federal officials say is a member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Fox News reported.
“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens — including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told the outlet.
On Feb. 28, Ortega-Lopez, 23, was apprehended during an ICE raid at the judge’s tony Las Cruces, NM, residence, where the suspected gangbanger lived in a guesthouse after first ingratiating himself as a handyman, Fox News reported, citing court documents.
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of New Mexico permanently barred Cano from serving on the bench due to the February arrest of Ortega-Lopez. The judge had resigned from the bench in March.
ICE investigators claimed Ortega-Lopez has Tren de Aragua-related tattoos, social media posts and clothing — and they used a search warrant to discover voicemails and text messages relating to alleged gang activity.
In a separate raid at the home of the couple’s daughter, April Cano, ICE investigators recovered four firearms — some of which allegedly belong to Ortega-Lopez, investigators said, citing social media evidence.
“Doña Ana County has been a hotbed of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, human smuggling for many, many years,” former ICE Field Office Director John Fabbricatore told WPMI.
“To see that a judge would allow this to happen. It’s very concerning. It’s concerning. What else has the judge been doing?” Fabbricatore said.
Ortega-Lopez allegedly entered the US unlawfully in 2023 — crossing the border near Eagle Pass, Texas, on Dec. 15 — and was released into the country three days later, pending removal proceedings, due to overcrowding at the prison, Fox News reported.
The alleged Tren de Aragua gang member was issued a Notice to Appear, which initiated formal removal proceedings, according to the outlet.
Ortega-Lopez faces up to 15 years in prison for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5).
A veteran Wisconsin judge was arrested Friday on charges of helping a Mexican illegal migrant evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in her courtroom.
Judge Hannah Dugan, who has been on the Milwaukee County bench for nearly a decade, is accused of obstruction of justice and concealing Eduardo Flores-Ruiz from arrest following a pre-trial hearing last week.
Dugan appeared briefly in Milwaukee federal court Friday morning before being released after prosecutors said they would not ask for her detention before trial. Her arraignment has been set for May 15.
She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted on both counts. It was not immediately clear whether Dugan would be placed on leave during her case.
“Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety,” her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, said during the proceeding.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by The Post, an ICE officer and a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official showed up outside Dugan’s courtroom April 18 with a warrant for Flores-Ruiz’s arrest for illegally entering the US, but were told by a security guard and a sheriff’s sergeant to wait outside until after the hearing.
The complaint noted that Flores-Ruiz, 30, had been deported from the US once before in 2013. It was not immediately clear when he crossed the border again, and there is no evidence he did so legally.
Flores-Ruiz was appearing before Dugan April 18 for a pre-trial conference on three misdemeanor battery charges stemming from a fight the previous month in which he was accused of punching another person 30 times after being accused of playing music too loudly, according to a police report obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The complaint states that while the team assigned to arrest Flores-Ruiz, which included FBI and DEA agents, waited for the hearing to conclude, they were photographed by a public defender, who informed Dugan’s clerk that “there appeared to be ICE agents in the hallway.”
After speaking with the clerk, Dugan “became visibly angry” and left the bench to confront the federal agents, according to an affidavit by a FBI special agent.
. . .
Flores-Ruiz and his attorney made it out of the courthouse before the suspect was arrested by a FBI and DEA agent following a brief foot chase.
“We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in an X post Friday morning.
“Thankfully our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”
. . .
Dugan’s arrest comes one day after a recently retired New Mexico judge and his wife were hauled away in cuffs for allegedly sheltering a suspected Tren de Aragua gangbanger at their home.
Ex-Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were accused of harboring Cristhian Ortega-Lopez in their guesthouse after initially hiring him as a handyman.
President Trump signed a memo Thursday ordering a probe of any illicit “straw donors” or foreign funding that flowed into federal elections following claims that the largest Democratic fundraising platform accepted fraudulent contributions in 2024.
The memo authorized Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether ActBlue allowed “dummy” accounts or foreign nationals to donate to Democratic causes — as well as any other suspicious online contributions.
“These activities undermine the integrity of our electoral process,” it stated, with the president mandating a report back from his AG in 180 days.
Trump had repeatedly pledged to “secure” US elections before his return to the White House — and signed an earlier executive order to that effect after taking office.
ActBlue approved “more lenient” standards during the last presidential campaign cycle, according to internal records obtained by The Post, which revealed hundreds of dubious contributions — including ones from “foreign IP” addresses, leading Republicans to cry foul.
“[D]espite repeated instances of fraudulent donations to Democrat campaigns and causes from domestic and foreign sources, ActBlue is not demonstrating a serious effort to deter fraud on its platform,” a 478-page report from members of the House Oversight and Administration Committees staff declared.
Until last year, the liberal fundraising juggernaut did not mandate a card verification value (CVV) for debit, credit or prepaid gift card transactions.
. . .
At least 237 overseas transactions using prepaid cards were flagged between September and October 2024, according to the documents, which has prompted concern from the Republican-led panels about how “widespread” fraudulent contributions might have been.
State-level investigations were previously launched, while Wisconsin GOP strategist Mark Block claimed in a bombshell racketeering lawsuit filed in October of last year that his identity was stolen to make 385 fraudulent donations to liberal groups — including then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ super PAC.
ActBlue has helped funnel $16 billion to lefty campaigns and causes since 2004 — and was a critical part of Harris’ ascent to the top of the 2024 Democratic ticket, amassing $46.7 million for her campaign to succeed former President Joe Biden.
A judge ruled Thursday that prosecutors could seek the death penalty against Bryan Kohberger if he is found guilty of the 2022 slaying of four University of Idaho students.
Judge Steven Hippler issued his decision after Kohberger's attorneys asked the court to bar the sentence due to his autism diagnosis.
Prosecutors previously indicated in court filings they intended to seek the death penalty with a conviction.
Defense attorneys in court documents argued Kohberger’s autism spectrum disorder (ASD) "reduces his culpability, negates the retributive and deterrent purposes of capital punishment, and exposes him to the unacceptable risk that he will be wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death," according to a report from The Associated Press.
They added it could be considered cruel and unusual punishment, which is outlawed by the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Hippler said Kohberger's attorneys failed to show that ASD is equivalent to an intellectual disability for death penalty exemption purposes, and there is no national consensus against subjecting individuals with ASD to capital punishment, the AP reported.
"ASD may be a mitigating factor to be weighed against the aggravating factors in determining if defendant should receive the death penalty, but it is not (a) death-penalty disqualified," Hippler said.
The 30-year-old is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Ethan Chapin, 20, who were stabbed to death at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, at about 4 a.m. Nov. 13, 2022.
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Up is down, left is right and sideways is straight ahead. - Cord "Circle of Iron", 1978 (written by Bruce Lee and James Coburn... really...)
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