Former US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on NATO allies, labeling them "cowards" for their failure to support the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, and vowing that this will be "remembered." In a post on his Truth Social platform, he criticized the allies for refusing to join the fight while allegedly complaining about high oil prices.
Washington, DC – The Trump administration in the United States has allegedly presented a carousel of contradictory final objectives for the war with Iran: destroying its regional military might, decapitating its leadership, fomenting internal dissent, and eliminating its nuclear program. Beyond the rhetoric, military targets over three weeks of fighting illustrate how the US and Israel are prioritizing these goals, while raising further questions about Washington's purported endgame and its potentially diverging ambitions from Israel.
Russian oil is emerging as a primary beneficiary of the US-Israeli war on Iran, as countries scramble to charter tankers following United States President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily ease sanctions, analysts say. This move purportedly aims to alleviate shortages caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which in peacetime carries 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas from Gulf producers.
The Swiss government has declared it will not issue new licenses for the export of war materiel to the United States, citing the country's longstanding principle of neutrality, which prohibits arms sales to states involved in the international armed conflict with Iran. In a statement, the government emphasized that "the export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict," highlighting a firm stance amid escalating tensions.
The military government in Niger has firmly rebuffed a European Parliament resolution demanding the release of former President Mohamed Bazoum, warning the European Union to cease interference in the country's internal affairs. Authorities summoned the EU ambassador to convey their protest. The resolution, passed recently, called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of Bazoum and his wife by April 2, the date his constitutional mandate was originally set to end, and condemned their continued detention.
Acclaimed author Salman Rushdie engaged audiences at the LIT:potsdam literary festival in Germany, speaking about his latest book, "The Eleventh Hour." Despite surviving a near-fatal assassination attempt in 2022 and remaining under heavy police protection, Rushdie took the stage with wit and humor, admitting that his persistent optimism is "a kind of stupidity." He noted that friends mock him because there is little in the world to be hopeful about currently, but he continues to hold onto this outlook, showcasing his resilience in the face of global challenges.
▪️ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Friday that Kyiv will push for a clear timeframe for negotiations with Russia, emphasizing the need for "clear dates – at least approximate ones" as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have been paused due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. He claimed that the Middle East situation is affecting the postponement of talks, highlighting the broader geopolitical distractions undermining peace initiatives.
Intelligence briefings in the United States have warned of potential attacks by extremists and criminals targeting the FIFA World Cup 2026, as delays in distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in approved security funds have caused U.S. preparations to fall behind schedule. The warnings come amid heightened tensions and logistical challenges for the global sporting event.
The world still discusses the Strait of Hormuz as if the central question is whether Iran will attempt to close it. However, this is now the wrong question. Iran's most effective military option is not to mine the strait itself or its narrow, internationally scrutinized traffic corridor, but to mine the approaches to the strait, particularly the entrance zones where commercial traffic converges before entering the constrained transit system. This is where disruption can be generated most efficiently, over the widest possible maritime area, while remaining under Iranian surveillance and command-and-control coverage.
German authorities have shut down two of the world's largest "botnets" as part of a joint three-nation operation involving the United States and Canada. These networks hijacked millions of compromised everyday devices to participate in large-scale cyberattacks, posing a significant threat to global IT infrastructure.
Israel's military announced on Friday that it carried out overnight strikes on Syrian army camps, purportedly in response to what it claimed were attacks against the Druze community in the south of the country. In a post on Telegram, the Israeli military stated: "This was in response to yesterday's events, in which Druze civilians were attacked in the [Suwayda] area."
Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit expressed regret over her ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a Friday interview, stating, "I was manipulated and deceived." She emphasized that she wishes she had never met him and clarified that she has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing, maintaining that she did not personally witness any illegal behavior during her dealings with Epstein.