Top World News

Mar 16, 2026 - World

Iran said it was ready to take the Middle East war "as far as necessary" as it launched strikes across the region Monday, while Trump urged nations to escort tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, warns refusal could hurt NATO's future.

Mar 16, 2026 - World

Abbas Araghchi demands clarification on reports Saudi crown prince urged Donald Trump to ‘hit the Iranians hard’Middle East crisis – live updatesSome Gulf states hosting US forces may be covertly encouraging the slaughter of Iranians, Iran’s foreign minister has claimed in a thinly-veiled attack on Saudi Arabia.Abbas Araghchi demanded clarification on reports that Mohammed bin Salman was in regular private conversations with Donald Trump, urging the US president “to continue hitting the Iranians hard”. Continue reading...

Mar 16, 2026 - World

Israeli defence minister says IDF instructed to destroy ‘terror infrastructure’ in southern villagesMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael’s announcement on Monday of a ground campaign in new areas of southern Lebanon is fuelling fears of a prolonged occupation among hundreds of thousands of displaced Lebanese.Concerns intensified after Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, drawing comparisons with Gaza, warned displaced Lebanese forced from their homes would not be allowed to return until the safety of Israelis near the border was guaranteed, remarks that appeared to suggest the presence of Israeli troops could become prolonged. Continue reading...

Mar 16, 2026 - World

For decades, Banksy kept the world guessing. The Bristol-born graffiti artist, whose works have sold for millions, built an empire on anonymity. Now, a detailed investigation hints that the mystery might be over.

Mar 16, 2026 - World

Disgraced crypto executive Sam Bankman-Fried is betting that Trump's well-documented willingness to pardon allies who lavish praise on his administration will extend to him, even as influential Republicans urge the president to reject his bid for freedom.Bankman-Fried, 32, is currently serving a 25-year sentence handed down in March 2024 for orchestrating a multibillion-dollar fraud scheme through his now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX.According to Politico, the jailed executive's legal team is aggressively lobbying Trump and his crypto-friendly inner circle for a pardon — a move that's already drawing pushback from Republicans who built their political brands on cryptocurrency advocacy."The guy's a piece of s--t," said Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), a longtime crypto enthusiast who has championed industry-friendly legislation. "The guy shouldn't be pardoned. The guy should go to jail for a long, long time."From behind bars, Bankman-Fried has mounted a calculated charm offensive on X. His account has lauded the Trump administration's drug pricing initiative, praised Trump's economic stewardship, and positioned the president as crypto's savior. He's also given a jailhouse interview to Tucker Carlson, where he blamed his conviction on "Biden's lawfare machine," drawing a parallel to the federal indictments Trump faced after leaving office."I hope the president doesn't fall for that," said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican known as the Senate's "crypto queen." "He hurt a lot of people. He should have to spend some time contemplating that."Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska, a rising Republican voice on the House Financial Services Committee, expressed disbelief at the brazenness of Bankman-Fried's pardon campaign."He crashed the car, man. He engaged in massive fraud," he said. "Wall Street's not needing him back to fix any problems. He helped us identify a problem by committing a massive amount of fraud — and we rewarded him with a long stay in a federal prison."Trump has already demonstrated a willingness to pardon controversial crypto figures. He granted clemency to Changpeng Zhao, former CEO of the crypto exchange Binance, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to money laundering-related charges. On his second day back in office, Trump also fulfilled a campaign promise by freeing Ross Ulbricht, founder of the dark web marketplace Silk Road.Still, a pardon for Bankman-Fried faces long odds. Trump told The New York Times in January he has no plans to pardon Bankman-Fried, with no indication his stance has shifted. That said, the aggressive lobbying campaign reflects a broader pattern: Trump has handed out pardons to numerous white-collar criminals, many of whom orchestrated costly influence operations. The White House declined to comment on whether a Bankman-Fried pardon remains a possibility.You can read more here.