Top World News

Mar 15, 2026 - World

A prominent ally of President Donald Trump's was roasted by political observers and analysts on Sunday after he reached a "new level of insanity" over the fallout from the Iran war. After the U.S. and Israel coordinated a bombing campaign against Iran, the regime retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz to U.S. and Israeli ships. The Strait is responsible for 20% of global liquefied natural gas and oil trade, and its closure is part of why energy prices have skyrocketed since the war began. AAA measured the U.S. average cost of a gallon of gas at $3.69 on Sunday. That represents a $0.24 increase from the previous week and a $0.77 increase compared to last month. Newt Gingrich, a fervent Trump supporter and former Speaker of the House, reposted a satirical article on his X page that called on Trump to "nuke us a canal" and create a new trade route if the Iranians continue to block the Strait of Hormuz. "The views expressed above do not necessarily represent those of anyone with brain cells," the article reads in part. Political analysts and observers shared their reactions on social media. "The new level of insanity -- let's drop a bunch of nukes!" lawyer Robert Barnes posted on X. "I wonder if he read all the way to the bottom," Jay Weisenthal, co-host of Bloomberg's "Odd Lots" podcast, posted on X. "Is this real life?" former Republican lawmaker Adam Kinzinger posted on X. "Thermonuclear detonations?" Tim Miller, host of "The Bulwark Podcast," posted on X. "Nothing to see here, just top Trump ally and former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich calling on Trump to use nukes in the Middle East," Mehdi Hasan, founder of Zeteo News, posted on X.

Mar 15, 2026 - World

Government reluctant to dispatch ships amid concerns complying with Trump’s demands could escalate Iran crisisMinisters are drawing up plans to send minesweeping drones to the strait of Hormuz amid concerns in Whitehall that complying with Donald Trump’s demand to send ships could escalate the crisis.The government is considering dispatching aerial minesweepers to help clear the vital waterway of mines in an attempt to allow the flow of oil exports to resume. However, officials said that sending ships, as requested over the weekend by the US president, could worsen the situation given the volatile nature of the war. Continue reading...

Mar 15, 2026 - World

Far-right and radical left parties likely to increase their local presence in advance of next year’s presidential raceThe first-round of the French municipal elections have seen a strong showing for Marine Le Pen’s far-right the National Rally (RN), as well as for Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s radical left, with both parties likely to increase their local presence ahead of next year’s French presidential race.The French local elections, which now go to a final round runoff on 22 March, are seen as a crucial test of the political temperature before next year’s presidential election. Emmanuel Macron’s two terms in office come to an end in spring 2027 and there is uncertainty about who will next lead the EU’s second-largest economy. Continue reading...

Mar 15, 2026 - World

An international law expert was astounded on Sunday as the Trump administration quietly "rewarded" a country for helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions. Last week, the Trump administration approved a settlement with Turkey's state-owned Halkbank, which laundered money from Iranian oil back to the Iranian regime while the country was under maximum sanctions by the U.S. In all, the fine for the case could have surpassed $40 billion, according to Sinan Ciddi, senior fellow and director of the Turkey Program at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Cinan argued in an op-ed for The Hill that the Trump administration was undermining the credibility of the U.S. by letting Turkey off the hook with such a lenient settlement. Cinan discussed the settlement with Adam Klasfeld on a new episode of the "All Rise News" podcast on Sunday. "I still continue to understand that the Turkish government is insisting that there will be no formal admission of guilt to the outcome of this," he said. "Basically, in common everyday language, they're walking away from this with zero or very minimal damage to reputation, or any sort of accountability for what they've done. And it's disappointing."Cinan described the settlement as a "reward" for Turkey, although it remains unclear what they're being rewarded for. Turkey is a NATO ally and may have been involved in returning the October 7 hostages to Israel, Cinan noted. "I don't necessarily think that Turkey should be rewarded for doing the bare minimum, which is the right thing," Cinan said. "But, if it is playing an outsized role in, for example, bringing the Iranian regime to its knees, or it's going to play a proactive role in securing a ceasefire in Iran or something that is of material value, I don't know necessarily if that meets the bar of letting off the hook a country that has done so much damage our sanctions regime on Iran."

Mar 15, 2026 - World

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on X after conspiracy theories circulated on social media claiming he had been killed in an Iranian strike.