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May 4, 2026 - World

The author of a definitive examination of the Iranian Revolution is warning that Donald Trump's unprovoked war on Iran was not only a catastrophic strategic failure — it has also exposed America and its allies to a terrifying new vulnerability that terrorist groups and hostile regimes now know how to easily exploit.In a column for the New York Times, Scott Anderson, author of "King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation," argues that the Pentagon's Operation Epic Fury should be relabeled "Operation Colossal Blunder."Rather than sparking a popular uprising against Tehran's regime or forcing its capitulation, the American and Israeli bombing campaign backfired spectacularly," Anderson wrote, Instead, Iran discovered it could weaponize its geographic advantage by threatening to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a vital global shipping lane — and send the world economy into chaos."There are now only two outcomes to the conflict: either the kind of wholesale destruction of Iran that Mr. Trump posited, or a settlement that will leave the government intact and empowered, and a blustering American president humiliated," Anderson wrote.The standoff has revealed a devastating reality about modern warfare. While critical sites like the White House can be made drone-proof through defensive measures, large-scale defensive shielding is impossible — as Israel has discovered with its much-vaunted Iron Dome air defense system, which has proven repeatedly vulnerable to Iranian attacks.Trump's demonstration of American military limits has effectively handed hostile actors a blueprint for future blackmail. Every geographically strategic chokepoint in the world — the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar, and even airspace over New York — is now vulnerable to attack by any hostile force capable of building a weaponized drone and willing to accept the consequences.According to Anderson, "Alarmist? Think of some of the apocalyptic regimes or murderous guerrilla groups of the recent past — the Baader-Meinhof Gang in West Germany, or the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, or bin Laden’s Al Qaeda — and imagine what they might have done with a $2,000 weaponized drone."The conflict has fundamentally altered the calculus of global power, giving small actors outsized leverage over world commerce and security.

May 4, 2026 - World

US president’s post follows flurry of mixed signals including concern Tehran had not ‘paid big enough price’. Plus, could Santa Marta climate talks mark ground zero in push to ditch fossil fuels?Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.Donald Trump has announced this morning that the US will “guide” ships trapped in the Gulf by the Iran war through the strait of Hormuz, and claimed his representatives were having “very positive” discussions with Iran.What has Iran said? The head of the Iranian military’s unified command has said US and foreign armed forces will be attacked if they enter the strait. It told US forces to stay out of the area and said its forces would respond harshly to any threat. It also told commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from any movement in the absence of coordination with Iran’s military.What did Comey say about the post? Comey deleted the post and apologized. He said the hadn’t known what the expression meant and condemned violence. He has said he is innocent and denies any wrongdoing. Continue reading...

May 4, 2026 - World

No arrests made, police say, and site of shooting – a heavily wooded area – is slowing search for evidence and suspectAt least 13 people were hurt in a mass shooting during a party at a campground in Oklahoma on Sunday night, authorities said.The shooting took place at Spring Creek Park on Arcadia Lake about 15 miles north-east of downtown Oklahoma City, when gunfire erupted during a gathering of young people at about 9pm. Continue reading...

May 4, 2026 - World

A retired Army colonel and former dean of the U.S. Army War College is calling for the removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing that his combative and factually questionable performance before congressional committees has raised serious doubts about his fitness to lead the Pentagon during a period of unprecedented global instability.In a column for MS NOW, Jeff McCausland, now a visiting professor at Dickinson College, laid out a damning case against Hegseth, noting that the nation faces an escalating conflict with Iran, an ongoing war in Ukraine, rising Chinese threats, and a potential energy crisis — none of which can be effectively managed by an unprepared secretary of defense."The American people are threatened by an ongoing conflict that could easily escalate and is already having a dramatic effect on the global economy. The nation is potentially facing its greatest energy crisis in history, and Hegseth's testimony cast doubt on his fitness for the position of secretary of defense," McCausland wrote.According to McCausland, Hegseth's testimony was "disturbing from the onset" for his "combative and argumentative style," as he immediately lashed out at lawmakers from both parties rather than engaging seriously with their concerns about a proposed 45% increase in the Pentagon budget — a massive jump that would worsen the nation's already dire fiscal crisis with national debt exceeding $39 trillion.Hegseth's strategic analysis of the Iran war revealed even deeper problems. Last June, he claimed that Operation Midnight Hammer strikes against Iran had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities. When questioned about conflicting media reports during his testimony, Hegseth attempted to have it both ways, stating that facilities had been destroyed but that Iran still possessed "nuclear ambitions."During his testimony, Hegseth claimed the United States is "winning" the war with Iran, apparently failing to grasp that successful military strategy requires far more than "a target list," noted McCausland.McCausland also cited Hegseth's troubling record since taking office, including his role in the "Signalgate" scandal, where his use of unclassified communications risked placing American military personnel in harm's way. He has also fired more than two dozen senior officers without justification — actions questioned by both Democratic and Republican members of Congress."Even the most loyal supporter of President Donald Trump must look at Hegseth's record and agree that he is in over his head," McCausland wrote. "He was selected for this critical post not for his expertise but, rather, for his fealty to Trump."McCausland concluded that at a moment of unprecedented global danger, the nation cannot afford incompetence in Pentagon leadership.

May 4, 2026 - World

Hangings are latest in wave of near-daily killings as authorities seek to instil fear amid war with US and IsraelMiddle East crisis – live updatesIran has executed three men charged in connection with political protests this January, authorities have said, the latest in a wave of hangings against the backdrop of the war against the US and Israel.Iranian authorities have carried out executions on a near-daily basis in recent weeks in what activists have denounced as a bid to instil fear in society at a time of international and domestic tension. Continue reading...