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Apr 15, 2026 - World

US president will need to show heavy costs of war were worthwhile while Iran must choose between instant and delayed gratification Middle East crisis – live updatesIf talks between Iran and the US reconvene within the next few days in Islamabad, Donald Trump will have two major political hurdles to overcome – first showing that any deal he secures is better than the one signed by Barack Obama in 2015 and from which he withdraw in 2018, and secondly proving the deal is more favourable than the one on offer in Geneva in February before he launched his war.Otherwise he will have inflicted massive damage on the world economy when alternatives were available that were less costly in blood and treasure. He will also have to show that Iran has made no permanent gain by taking control of shipping passing through the strait of Hormuz. These are the yardsticks, or tests, around which his negotiating team will be keeping an anxious eye. Continue reading...

Apr 15, 2026 - World

The United States UN ambassador was facing a tough line of questioning from lawmakers on Wednesday over the ongoing Iran war and President Donald Trump's dire threat to destroy "a whole civilization." Mike Waltz was testifying to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on American foreign policy amid the ongoing military conflict, as the ceasefire between the United States and Iran was just days away from ending. His responses around the president's threats last week reportedly caught the lawmakers off guard. Kyle Griffin, executive producer of The Weeknight on MS NOW, described on X how Waltz reacted when he "was asked by senators about Trump's threat to obliterate Iran — when he posted 'a whole civilization will die tonight.'"Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) posed a question for Waltz, describing how the United Nations and the United States have historically been involved in developing laws of war to prevent unnecessary civilian deaths in military conflicts. "But President Trump has said that if Iran does not comply with his demands that he will 'end Iran's civilization' with specific threats to target civilian infrastructure," Murphy said. "This looks to a lot of us, and to the world, like a promise by the president of the United States to commit war crimes. I'm sure you don't agree with that assessment, but we've never had a president before threaten to 'end an entire civilization,' and double down on that claim, if that country does not accede to the demands of the United States." "So what does the president mean when he says that if these negotiations don't work out, he will 'end Iran's civilization'?" Murphy asked.Waltz defended Trump's comments, citing Iran's previous actions. "Senator, it was some tough talk," Waltz said, claiming that Trump's comments had led to a ceasefire and prompted ongoing negotiations. Murphy pushed back on Waltz. "I guess it's an open question whether we should pursue our aims by threatening another nation with mass civilian casualty," Murphy said. "I don't know if that's something we should celebrate that we are able to cow nations to our demands by threatening to kill civilians." Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) pressed Waltz to explain why the U.S. should continue fighting in a "deeply unpopular war.""It might be some mean tweets, it might be some tough love, but they got the message," Waltz said, defending Trump's decision to post the threat on his Truth Social platform. Users on social media commented on Waltz's response about "mean tweets." "We are all in Middle School," former Republican and political commentator Nancy Ruth Gorelo wrote on X."Mike Waltz's response is totally unacceptable for a UN ambassador," Artist and commentator Art Candee wrote on X."Well, mean tweets are typical from Trump and JD Vance, the meanest p---- a-- b------ hanging with the other mean girls in the cafeteria," political commentator Robert Johnson wrote on X, sharing two photos of "Mean Girls" with Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Apr 15, 2026 - World

Dr Thomas Shaknovsky is indicted for manslaughter after removing the patient's liver instead of the spleen in a fatal surgery.

Apr 15, 2026 - World

Donors exceed funding target at Berlin conference but prospects for ceasefire remain distantMore than £1bn (€1.15bn) has been pledged for war-ravaged Sudan at a conference in Berlin, eclipsing the funding target organisers had set to help mitigate the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.The financial commitments made on Wednesday will also help offset a chronic humanitarian funding shortfall in a country devastated by three years of conflict, where two-thirds of its population – 34m people – require assistance. Continue reading...

Apr 15, 2026 - World

‘Palestine’s Mandela’ suffers three recent attacks including assault where prison guards set a dog on him, lawyer saysThe jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti is at immediate risk in Israeli jails, where he has been attacked three times in as many weeks, including in one assault last month where prison guards set a dog on the 66-year-old, his lawyer has said.Barghouti is often called Palestine’s Nelson Mandela. He is respected across otherwise feuding Palestinian factions, has broad popular support across occupied Palestine, repeatedly engaged with Israeli officials before his detention and long backed a two-state solution. Continue reading...