April 22, 2026

03 World

Iran Galvanizes Anti-American European Movement

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As 10,000 more U.S. troops head to the Persian Gulf, Trump promises the war will soon be over. The Senate failed again to check the President’s military actions. China looks to pry America’s allies loose, accusing the U.S. of destabilizing the world. Macron and Starmer followed China’s lead, holding a joint conference on the Strait of Hormuz.

The French president wrote on X that the gathering would include “non-belligerent countries ready to contribute, alongside us, to a multilateral and purely defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait when security conditions allow.”

Iran war ‘close to over’, says Trump. Sends 10k new troops– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the war he launched with Israel on Iran was “close to over”, even as 10,000 additional US troops move into West Asia, and Pakistan army chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran with a mediation team to try to prevent a renewal of the conflict. Quoting current and former US officials, The Washington Post reported that the US was sending the additional troops before the end of April as Washington tries to increase pressure on Tehran.

These include forces aboard the USS George H W Bush and the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. It was previously announced that roughly 50,000 troops had been involved in operations in the war on Iran.The build-up comes amid efforts to extend the two-week ceasefire between US and Iran. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Munir, who mediated the last round of talks, was in Iran “to narrow gaps” between the two sides. “I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead,” Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, according to a post by the reporter on X, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend the ceasefire. “I think it’s close to over, yeah. I mean I view it as very close to over,” Trump said in an interview on Fox Business Network conducted Tuesday and broadcast Wednesday. “We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly.”

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China’s Xi says rule of law must be upheld for Middle East peace – channelnewsasia.com

The international rule of law must be upheld for peace and stability to prevail in the Middle East, China’s President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday (Apr 14), in a rebuke of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

While Beijing has repeatedly criticised the US-Israeli campaign as illegal, Xi has made few public comments about the conflict. He will hold talks with US President Donald Trump in an expected meeting in Beijing next month.

The rule of law cannot be “used when convenient and discarded when not”, Xi told Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the visiting crown prince of Abu Dhabi, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Xi vowed that China would play a “constructive role” in promoting peace talks in the Middle East, according to Xinhua.

His comments were part of four proposals he had put forth as a way to encourage peace in the region, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

“The sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf countries in the Middle East should be sincerely respected,” Xi said.

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Trump snubbed from Macron’s Iran talks as Europe plans Strait of Hormuz mission – mirror.co.uk

US President Trump risks being sidelined by an angry Europe tomorrow over his “belligerent” Iran position.

French President Emmanuel Macron revealed that France will host a diplomatic summit with the UK in Paris on Friday to tackle the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

This summit will exclude Trump. Macron wrote on X, calling for the strait to be opened ‘as soon as possible.’

After speaking with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Macron announced the gathering would include ‘non-belligerent countries ready to contribute, alongside us, to a multilateral and purely defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait when security conditions allow.’, reports the Express.

The summit arrives as Trump begins to be shut out by multiple European nations from post-war Middle East discussions.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated: “The United States doesn’t need help from any other country – the blockade is working perfectly, implemented by the greatest Navy in the world, while Iran’s navy is at the bottom of the ocean.”

As Iran War Winds Down, Lebanon Heats Up

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Israel is accelerating its war in Lebanon even as talks continue between the two countries. Israel wants a disarmed Hezbollah while Lebanon may not have the capacity to do the job.

IDF Launches Massive Coordinated Strike Across Lebanon– trendingpoliticsnews.com
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Israel dramatically escalated its campaign in Lebanon this week, carrying out one of the largest coordinated strikes of the ongoing regional conflict, as the fragile ceasefire continues to teeter on the edge of collapse.

According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces, more than 180 Hezbollah operatives were killed in a rapid, large-scale operation targeting multiple targets across Lebanon. The strikes were executed “within a minute,” hitting roughly 100 targets simultaneously in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.

The IDF said the operation relied on “precise and high-quality intelligence” and focused on key Hezbollah infrastructure, including command centers, military compounds, and facilities used by senior operatives. Israeli officials described the targets as central to Hezbollah’s operational capabilities in the region.

EU Wins in Hungary?

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After Victor Orban’s ouster in Hungary’s elections, his replacement, Péter Magyar, a former member of the Orban government, might not be on the EU’s side after all. The election was characterized as the EU versus national sovereignty movements, with Magyar representing the EU. But soon after winning, Magyar announced plans to double down on blocking immigration to the country.

EU must demand change under Péter Magyar before releasing billions in frozen funds– rmx.news
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During a briefing on Hungary’s frozen EU funds, left-wing Dutch MEP Tineke Strik indicated that Brussels would not be in any rush to lift the punitive measures. The new Hungarian government, led by Tisza’s Péter Magyar, must first take concrete measures to restore what she claims are democracy, fundamental rights, freedom of speech, and legal certainty.

Strik’s comments were affirmed by German MEP Daniel Freund, also a member of the Greens, who was famously a vocal critic of the Hungarian government under Fidesz. At stake are Hungary’s voting rights, €35 billion, and millions in fines.

To unlock this money, the EU has already issued a 27 demands that Hungary must meet to receive its frozen funds, however, many of these demands already contradict campaign promises made by Magyar during his campaign, including his vow to restrict immigration.

At the press conference, Strik emphasized that it is not yet time to withdraw the punitive measures against Hungary, and she believes that the ongoing Article 7 procedure against Hungary should also not be withdrawn, meaning Hungary’s voting rights in the EU could still be withdrawn.

“We didn’t launch Article 7 because of Orbán, but because of the shortcomings of the system,” she told press.

Airstrike by Nigeria, U.S. ally against Islamist militants, kills scores– www.washingtonpost.com

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First came the thunderous boom. Then the air billowed with thick black smoke. Fires were “everywhere,” survivors said. Scores of people lay dead.

The Nigerian military, with whom the U.S. military is fighting a growing Islamist threat, initially declared the attack on a weekend market in the remote desert village of Jilli a successful strike “on a known terrorist enclave.” But eyewitnesses describe a starkly different scene: The more than 100 people killed, they say, were traders and other members of the community, and included women and children.

Claudia Sheinbaum vows to ‘defend Mexicans at every level’ – National– globalnews.ca

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed Tuesday to take a harder line against the U.S. over the deaths of Mexican migrants in its immigration detention centres.

Sheinbaum had previously responded to U.S. President Donald Trump‘s anti-immigration provocations by defending Mexico’s sovereignty while meeting his requests to crack down on drug cartel activity. At the same time, the threat of tariffs and other economic or military-style sanctions loomed.

Peru’s Sanchez to face Fujimori in runoff as rival signals protests over fraud– www.france24.com

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Left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez climbed to second place in Peru‘s presidential election on Wednesday, positioning himself to face conservative Keiko Fujimori in a June runoff, while his nearest challenger threatened protests over alleged voter fraud.

With more than 90 percent of ballots tallied, the daughter of divisive former President Alberto Fujimori has garnered nearly 17 percent of the vote, followed by Sanchez with 12 percent. Ultraconservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga was third with 11.9 percent.

Sunday’s election ran into Monday in parts of the capital Lima because of delays in the delivery of ballots and other materials.

U.S. Navy Destroyer Prevents Two Oil Tankers from Leaving Iran– www.breitbart.com

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The U.N. Navy is aggressively enforcing the blockade against Iran, according to a U.S. official who said two oil tankers attempting to leave Iran were intercepted and turned back by an American destroyer on Tuesday.

The unnamed U.S. official told Reuters that two tankers departed from Iran’s port of Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman, only to be intercepted by a U.S. Navy destroyer that instructed them by radio to turn around. Both ships complied with the order.

Chabahar is a port city on the southeastern coast of Iran. It was originally constructed in 1983, to give Iran alternatives to shipping through the Persian Gulf during the long and bloody Iran-Iraq War.

In recent years, the Indian government made about $500 million in investments to expand the two major port complexes at Chabahar, giving them more deep-water berths for large cargo vessels.

Zelenskyy hails Magyar’s win over Orbán as ‘the victory of light over darkness’ in Hungary – Europe live | World news– www.theguardian.com

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Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed the opposition win in Hungary as “the victory of light over darkness,” as he called for “pragmatic, friendly” relations with the new administration.

Speaking alongside the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy said that he hoped for “pragmatic” and “friendly” relations with the new Magyar government – in sharp contrast with hostile Orbán administration.

“I am sure we will cooperate with Hungary,” he said, expressing hope Ukraine will be able to “build our relations” with the new government based on “cooperation” and “respect for each other.”

He said that the damaged Druzhba pipeline which has been at the heart of tensions between Ukraine and Hungary in recent months will be repaired by the end of April. “Not completely, but enough to function,” he said.

Zelenskyy also briefly commented on the outcome in the Hungarian election, saying:

“The elections when the Hungarian people made their choice were on Sunday, 12 April. In

Israeli NGO Files War Crimes Complaint Against Spain’s PM Alleging Iran Aid Enabled the Regime’s ‘Terror Machine’– www.breitbart.com

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Spain’s prime minister is facing a complaint at the International Criminal Court alleging his government enabled Iran’s “terror machine” through dual-use exports, with the legal group behind the filing arguing that responsibility for war crimes extends to those who provide the means.

The complaint, filed Tuesday by Israeli legal advocacy group Shurat HaDin under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, calls on prosecutors in The Hague to open a criminal investigation — and consider issuing an arrest warrant — against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and other senior officials.

The complaint alleges that Spain’s socialist government approved the transfer of approximately €1.3 million in dual-use components to Iran in 2024 and 2025, including materials linked to detonators and explosive systems.

According to the filing, the items were not benign industrial goods but “critical components that enable explosive devices to function,” transferred under circumstances in which their use in attacks against civilians was foreseeable.

At the core of the case is the allegation that materials classified as civilian “dual-use” goods function as essential components in weapons systems.

Claude puts up a wall as ID checks complicate access for Chinese users– technode.com

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AI tool Claude, developed by Anthropic, suddenly announced the rollout of a new identity verification system requiring users to complete a real-time selfie check while holding a government-issued ID.

The move has drawn global attention, but for Chinese users in particular, it feels like a heavy blow that erects a difficult-to-cross “wall” in AI access.

This verification is not being applied universally to all users at once. Instead, it is being introduced gradually in specific scenarios. When users attempt to access certain advanced features, or as part of routine platform integrity checks and other safety and compliance measures, a verification prompt may appear.

The process itself appears simple and typically takes no more than five minutes. However, users must prepare a government-issued photo ID—such as a passport, driver’s license, or national ID card—and use a camera-enabled device to capture a real-time selfie.

For Chinese users, the impact of this mechanism is both broad and profound. The barrier to entry has been significantly raised: individuals without passports are excluded from using Claude.

Even for those who do have passports, older accounts may become valuable assets, while new users face hurdles due to real-name verification requirements, making normal access increasingly difficult.

Finland’s president on why he believes Canada could — eventually — be part of the EU– www.cbc.ca

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Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he exchanges messages with Prime Minister Mark Carney almost every day.

“We’re tight,” Stubb said with a smile.

Now, Stubb and Carney have the opportunity to talk in person.

Stubb is in Ottawa for his first official bilateral meetings with Canada’s prime minister. The pair are working to develop trade and defence ties, according to Carney’s office.

“With shared interests, values and a commitment to international security, I look forward to hosting President Stubb to deepen our partnership to create stability, security and prosperity for both our peoples,” Carney wrote in a statement.

One of the ways Stubb said he maintains that partnership is through regular communication.

He said that being the leader of a “small country” means that “information is power.”

DAVID BLACKMON: Chevron’s And Shell’s Venezuela Deals Vindicate Trump Strategy– dailycaller.com

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Don’t look now, but Big Oil is making big moves to secure positions in the expanding Venezuelan oil industry as part of the Trump Administration’s plans to revitalize the country’s economy.

On Monday, Chevron officials signed a pair of deals to expand the company’s footprint in the prolific Orinoco Belt as Shell prepares to ink a major deal of its own later this week.

Make no mistake: These deals didn’t happen in a vacuum. They are the direct result of the Trump administration’s bold decision to remove Nicolás Maduro in January, launch a $100 billion reconstruction plan for the country’s shattered energy sector, and push through sweeping reforms to Venezuela’s hydrocarbon law. After years of socialist mismanagement that turned one of the world’s richest oil nations into an economic basket case, sanity is finally returning.

Who is Péter Magyar? Meet the new prime minister of Hungary– www.foxnews.com

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Péter Magyar has gone from political outsider to Hungary’s most powerful politician almost overnight.

The 44-year-old lawyer and former insider in former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling party swept to victory in Hungary’s 2026 election, ending Orbán’s 16-year rule and stunning Europe.

“Thank you to every Hungarian at home and around the world!” he wrote on X. “It is an immense honor that you have empowered us to form a government with the most votes ever received, and to work for the next four years for a free, European, functioning, and humane Hungary.”

Iran capable of sinking all US naval ships in Persian Gulf, official says – World– tass.com

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TEHRAN, April 16. /TASS/. The Iranian armed forces can sink all US naval ships in the Persian Gulf, which are within range of the country’s missiles, Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council, said.

“An extension of the ceasefire is not in our interests at all. That’s my personal opinion. Pressure has to be increased. Our launchers are aimed at these ships at the moment, and we would sink them all. None would escape, ” he told Iran’s state broadcaster in an interview.

According to Rezaei, there are currently reasons to maintain the ceasefire and hold talks simultaneously. “However, it’s a military lull, not a permanent ceasefire. This is how the supreme leader describes it,” he added.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit.

Uk Doctor Suspended: UK doctor struck off for working while suspended after asking Muslim patient to remove niqab three times | World News– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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A UK doctor who repeatedly asked a Muslim patient to remove her veil during a consultation and later continued working despite being suspended has been struck off the medical register.Dr Keith Wolverson was previously suspended for nine months after being found guilty of multiple misconduct charges linked to incidents between January and May 2018 while working as a locum at urgent care centres in Derby and Stoke.

Doctor urges support for bill to halt euthanasia expansion in Canada– www.lifesitenews.com

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(LifeSiteNews) — A Montreal doctor called on the Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney to support a private members’ bill that will stop a planned expansion of euthanasia to those with mental illness in Canada.

In a Monday press conference on Parliament Hill on Monday, members of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC), including Dr. Peter Blusanovics, who has treated many with mental illnesses, urged support of Conservative Private Members Bill C-218.

Blusanovics, who is a family doctor based in Montreal, said he spoke to be a voice to “provide a voice for our most vulnerable — those who have and are suffering from mental illness.”

“Bill C-218 needs to pass to put a stop to euthanasia for people with mental illness,” said the doctor, adding, “Basic needs are currently not being met in our health care system.”

“Without this bill, we are condoning a bypass towards suicide and blatantly admitting defeat. Mental illness needs to be properly identified and treated,” he said.

El Salvador’s Bukele signs reforms allowing life prison sentences for people as young as 12– abcnews.com

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SAN SALVADOR — Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Wednesday signed into law constitutional reforms to permit life prison sentences for people as young as 12, a contentious reform that follows other heavy-handed measures pushed through by the populist leader.

The change was passed last month by the Legislative Assembly, which is controlled by Bukele’s party, and would apply to people convicted of committing or acting as an accomplice to crimes including homicide, femicide, rape and gang membership. The measure was pushed forward by Bukele’s cabinet.

Previously, the maximum sentence in El Salvador was 60 years for adults and less for youths. The reforms slated to take effect April 26 would create new criminal courts to try cases. They also stipulate a mandatory review of life terms decades into the sentences, depending on the age of the convict and the gravity of their crimes.

The Cross They Still Bear: Nigeria and Syria’s Christians Endure Bloody Massacres– www.cbn.com

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International communities like Nigeria and Syria are experiencing seasons of bloodshed. Islamist militants are attacking churches, villages, and Christian neighborhoods while governments do little to stop them.

Ancient Christian communities that have survived for centuries now face extinction.

In parts of Nigeria, being a Christian can be a death sentence. During Easter week, Islamist gunmen unleashed a wave of terror on Christian communities, slaughtering more than 60 believers in villages, businesses, and churches—turning sacred days of celebration into unimaginable horror.

On Palm Sunday alone, armed militants stormed Angwan Rukuba, a predominantly Christian neighborhood in the city of Jos. That night, they fired on villagers, killing at least a dozen innocent people.

Attacks by Trump and Vance fuel debate over ‘Just War’ doctrine– www.washingtonexaminer.com

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IS IRAN A ‘JUST WAR’? Pope Leo XIV has posted another provocative statement on X, calling for the world to “reject the logic of violence and war, and embrace peace founded on love and justice.”

“Enough of war and all the pain it causes,” he pontificated. It is just the kind of thing one might expect from the leader of the Catholic Church, but to President Donald Trump, it’s left-wing, liberal claptrap.

“Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable?” Trump posted on Truth Social late Tuesday night.

The fact that Trump just won’t let it go has alienated Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, once considered one of Trump’s closest allies, irked Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) among others in Congress, and started a debate over whether Iran is a “just war.”

Will Earth really lose gravity on August 12, 2026? The shocking viral claim and the scientific reality behind it |– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Rumours that Earth’s gravity suddenly disappeared for a few seconds have circulated widely on the Internet lately. This rumor is associated with 12 August 2026 and is based on an alleged link between Project Anchor and the temporary disappearance of Earth’s gravity. Although this might sound impressive, scientists have stated that this information is absolutely false. According to NASA and other relevant institutions, there is not a single scientific reason to believe in this conspiracy theory. It can be helpful to investigate the origin of this rumor and examine the nature of gravity.

What does the August 12 gravity theory actually claim

The statement was never made by a scientific organisation, nor was it backed up by any study in the field. The statement originated online, where creative content can easily attract the interest of netizens if it is bizarre or sensational enough. The case at hand had elements that sounded believable because of the inclusion of a supposed “leaked document” and an alleged “secret program” of NASA.As reported by The New York Post, there is also no record in history of any scientific venture named “Project Anchor.” There have been no documents authenticated for it, and no scientists or agencies have ever endorsed the idea. This is a classic example of viral misinformation in the age of the internet.

North Korea’s ‘very serious’ nuclear weapons threat to Washington and NYC | World | News– www.express.co.uk

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(FILES) North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump cross south of the Military Demarcation Line that divides North and South Korea, after Trump briefly stepped over to the northern side, in the Joint Security Area (JSA) of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized zone (DMZ) on June 30, 2019. A new push to lift aid sanctions on North Korea could kickstart efforts to lure Kim Jong Un into nuclear negotiations with US President Donald Trump, analysts told AFP. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images) (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has warned that North Korea has made “very serious” advances in its ability to produce nuclear weapons.

This comes at a time when nuclear warfare is firmly in the public consciousness, amid ongoing Middle East tensions surrounding what the US claims are Iran’s nuclear capabilities.