(2026-04-15). Vance says to push for 'grand bargain' as fresh U.S.-Iran talks loom. ecns.cn U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday he will push for a "grand bargain" with Iran as he is expected to lead potential fresh in-person U.S.-Iran talks which U.S. President Donald Trump has said could happen this week in Pakistan.
(2026-04-15). Trump announces complete blockade of Strait of Hormuz. ummid.com U.S. President Donald Trump Sunday April 12, 2026 announced complete blockade of Strait of Hormuz, hours after Pakistan mediated talks between Iran and the United States collapsed.
(2026-04-15). Trump says Iran war is 'close to over' amid optimism about next round of talks in Islamabad. tribune.com.pk 
US President Donald Trump, in an interview to be aired on Wednesday, said the US-Israeli war on Iran is "close to over." | "I think it's close to over, yeah. I mean, I view it as very close to over," Trump told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo when asked if the war is "over." A video excerpt of the interview was shared on X. | US President Donald Trump says the war with Iran is "close to over." | pic.twitter.com/VCt6OC9Ata | — Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) April 15, 2026 | "You know what, if I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country, and we're not finished. W…
(2026-04-15). As US blockade 'fails' on day 1, Trump gets desperate for Iran to reply to his new…. hindustantimes.com After enforcing a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump has signalled a possible diplomatic pivot, hinting at a second round of talks with Iran. The shift comes as questions emerge over the blockade's effectiveness. While United States Central Command claims tight enforcement with ships turned back, reports suggest vessels may have bypassed restrictions, raising doubts about Washington's leverage.
(2026-04-15). One man lightly wounded after dozens of Hezbollah missiles target northern Israel. haaretz.com
(2026-04-15). Trump seeking 'grand bargain' with Iran: JD Vance. tribune.com.pk 
US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump was pursuing a sweeping agreement with Iran rather than a narrower deal. | Speaking at an event in the state of Georgia, Vance described ongoing negotiations as part of a broader strategy tied to a fragile ceasefire that has been in place for nearly a week. | "What's interesting about this is that we have this ceasefire that's in place. I think it's six or seven days old right now. The ceasefire is holding," he said. | Vance said Trump does not want to make "a small deal." | "He wants to make the grand bargain. And what he's basically off…
(2026-04-15). Facing Heckler, Vance Brags About Gaza "Ceasefire" That Groups Say Is a Failure. truthout.org Facing an anti-war heckler on Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance bragged about the Trump administration's role in implementing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza — a "ceasefire" that human rights groups said this week is an overwhelming failure, as Israel continues to bomb Palestinians on a near-daily basis. As the vice president absurdly warned Pope Leo XIV to "be careful when he talks about… |
(2026-04-15). 6 weeks of war has pushed millions of Iranians into poverty. responsiblestatecraft.org For ordinary Iranians, the tenuous ceasefire that began last week has offered a desperately needed reprieve from death and displacement. For analysts, it has provided an opportunity to evaluate the damage that this war has wrought.The conclusion is clear: In six weeks of fighting, the U.S. and Israel have dealt a devastating blow to Iran's economy, placing 50% of Iranian jobs at risk and pushing an additional 5% of the population into poverty.President Donald Trump marketed the war at the outset as a campaign to support the Iranian people. "America is with you. I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that pr…
(2026-04-15). Everyone Knows Israel is Sabotaging The Iran Ceasefire—Even The Trump Administration. scheerpost.com Marc Steiner Show Real News Network Hours after a temporary ceasefire deal between the US and Iran was announced last week, Israel unleashed a massive, deadly bombing campaign on Lebanon. In this episode of The Marc Steiner Show, Marc speaks with award-winning Iranian-Canadian journalist Samira Mohyeddin about the reality that Israel is a rogue state …
(2026-04-15). Iran has last laugh as Trump's army fails to block Hormuz on day 1 of siege | Israel, IRGC, USA. hindustantimes.com On day one of Trump's much‚Äëtouted naval blockade, Iran‚Äëlinked and Chinese ships reportedly sail through Hormuz, prompting Quds Force chief Esmaeil Qaani to sneer that the US and Israel will "pull out…without any achievement." As Tehran warns all enemy vessels and ports are now fair game, Washington's strategy looks badly exposed.
(2026-04-15). Genocidaire JD Vance heckled while criticising the Pope. thecanary.co 
As we've reported, Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance have been laying into Pope Leo. This is because the Pope made the case that the US and Israel's war on Iran goes against the teachings of Christ — an argument which is demonstrably obvious to everyone. Now, a heckler has targeted Vance during the […] | By
(2026-04-15). Iran trolls Trump with AI-generated LEGO video now 'banned'. asiapacificreport.nz Pacific Media Watch The war on Iran is not only being fought on the battlefield, reports France24 — it is also playing out online. Iran's state media recently took a leaf out of the White House's own social media playbook, mocking US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an AI-generated propaganda…
(2026-04-15). Trump and the Illinois governor keep feuding over an invasive fish. grist.org 
An invasive fish has become an unlikely flashpoint between President Donald Trump and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, drawing them into their latest political standoff. | The Asian carp were first brought to the United States some 50 years ago to control algae growth in ponds and wastewater facilities, but they escaped into the Mississippi River and have been spreading ever since. With the aquatic pests now threatening to infiltrate the Great Lakes, the Army Corps of Engineers has developed a $1.15 billion barricade to keep the carp out by lodging a series of deterrent technologies — including an electric…
(2026-04-15). Big Oil Brings in Extra $30 Million an Hour in Windfall Profits Due to Iran War. truthout.org U.S. President Donald Trump's unprovoked war of choice in Iran has been a goldmine for the fossil fuels industry, which is earning massive windfall profits thanks to the rise in the price of petroleum. An analysis published by The Guardian on Wednesday estimated that the 100 biggest oil and gas companies have collectively raked in an extra $30 million per hour since Trump launched his war… |
(2026-04-15). Democrats Submit Articles of Impeachment Against Pete Hegseth. truthout.org Democrats in the House of Representatives are planning to file five articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Wednesday. The measure, which has virtually no chance of passing given the current Republican majority in the legislative chamber, is likely a symbolic move as the Trump administration's unpopular war in Iran continues, and Americans' views of Hegseth have… |
(2026-04-15). KMT chief shows way forward to avoid blind confrontation with Beijing. scmp.com Taiwan's political pendulum is reversing. The government led by Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) William Lai Ching-te is increasingly discredited, not least for selling out the jewel of its semiconductor industry to the United States under pressure from President Donald Trump. | The Legislative Yuan is controlled by the opposition led by the Kuomintang (KMT). Party politics is now institutionalised into a sustained confrontation between the island's presidency and its legislature. Now, budgets…
(2026-04-15). Trump claims Iran war 'very close' to completion. ecns.cn U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that the war against Iran is "very close" to completion.
(2026-04-15). South Africa appoints former apartheid-era negotiator as US ambassador. aljazeera.com Roelf Meyer will replace the South African ambassador who was expelled from the US by President Donald Trump in 2025.
(2026-04-15). Rattled by Trump, US allies eye Japan's biggest arms opening since WW2. tribune.com.pk 
Japan's imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain US weapons supplies. | Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's ruling party approved the changes this week as she tries to invigorate the pacifist country's military industrial base. Her government will formally adopt the new rules as soon as this month, three Japanese government officials told Reuters. | Despite largely isolating itself from global arms markets since World War Two, Japan spend…
(2026-04-15). Britain's King Charles to charm Trump on state visit overshadowed by US-UK rift. scmp.com Britain's King Charles will have tea and a private meeting with ‚Å President Donald Trump during his US state visit later this month, as the UK government hopes his "soft power" can heal a damaging rift between the allies caused by the Iran war. | The monarch and his wife Queen Camilla head across the Atlantic on April 27, a four-day trip ostensibly to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence from Britain but one that now has far greater significance amid a growing spat between Trump and ‚ÄåPrime…
(2026-04-15). Susan Watkins: Trump Abroad. newleftreview.org In which direction is America heading, amid the strategic cacophony of Trump's second term—counter-revolution in the Caribbean, onslaught on Iran, somersaults on China? Analysis of the political logics at stake as the US ratchets up from covert to overt assassinations; from wars of attrition to wars of overthrow.
(2026-04-15). 52 Senators Vote Against Reining In Trump's War on Iran Despite Genocidal Threat. truthout.org The first attempt by Senate Democrats to pass a war powers resolution since President Donald Trump's genocidal threat against Iran last Tuesday has failed, despite the vast unpopularity of the war among the public and a looming deadline for the administration. Senators failed to advance the resolution, introduced by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), in a 47 to 52 vote. |
(2026-04-15). Hungary: Orbán defeated — An autopsy of sixteen years of illiberalism. links.org.au 
Adam Novak analyses the structural dynamics of the Orbán regime and assesses the effects of his defeat on Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and European far-right parties.
(2026-04-15). White House offers no hint of Iran war cost as it seeks military funding surge. al-monitor.com By Nolan D. McCaskill and David MorganWASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) – White House budget director Russell Vought said on Wednesday he could not estimate the cost of the Iran war, as he defended President Donald Trump's request for a massive $1.5 trillion annual military budget against bipartisan criticism from U.S. lawmakers who cited the Pentagon's historic lack of financial accountability.
(2026-04-15). Outrage as Trump disguises himself as Jesus Christ, mocks Pope. ummid.com A massive outrage erupted on Sunday April 12, 2026 — the Orthodox Easter Day, after U.S. President Donald Trump disguised himself as Jesus Christ and mocked Pope Leo XIV.
(2026-04-15). Trump's NLRB rules against Henry Ford Genesys Hospital nurses as strike enters 8th month. wsws.org The struggle against the hospital's strike-breaking and refusal to address staffing issues requires a fight against management and the Teamsters union bureaucracy, which has isolated and diverted the fight into the dead end of appeals to the NLRB and the Democratic Party in Lansing.
(2026-04-15). Rohana Kuddus: Prabowo's Year One. newleftreview.org A critical-analytical portrait of Southeast Asia's answer to Trump, as the Indonesian President—formerly the Suharto dictatorship's crown prince and chief butcher in East Timor—re-centralizes power in the archipelago, strengthening the Army's place within the civil administration.
(2026-04-15). Nausicaa Renner: Party and Class. newleftreview.org Nausicaa Renner on Paul Heideman, Rogue Elephant. Hollowed-out parties and capitalist sectoralization said to underlie the Trumpian capture of the GOP.
(2026-04-15). Trump doubles down in criticising Pope Leo over Iran. geo.tv 
This collage shows Pope Leo and US President Donald Trump. — ReutersUS President Donald Trump, whose war and immigration policies have been condemned by Pope Leo, reiterated his criticism of the religious leader on Tuesday night.In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged that…
(2026-04-15). Why Americans Need to Get Much Angrier About Donald Trump. bylinetimes.com When I became a US citizen in 2022, I believed I was ready to fully embrace being an American. I only applied for citizenship when I felt I could swear the oath of allegiance, and genuinely mean every word. I felt lucky to have the chance to do this, without having to foreswear my British citizenship. The US and the UK were such historic close allies, with shared values and a similar outlook on the world, such that I would never be forced to choose loyalties between them. When I married my husband, there were lots of jokes about us consolidating "the special relationship." | Trump's slurs against Britain are p…
(2026-04-15). US Senate Republicans block bid to rein in Trump Iran war powers, voting continues. al-monitor.com WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) – A majority of the U.S. Senate backed President Donald Trump's military campaign against Iran on Wednesday, voting to block a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop the war until hostilities are authorized by Congress.As voting continued, the tally was 51-47 to block the war powers resolution, as almost all of Trump's fellow Republicans voted against it. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chris Reese)…
(2026-04-15). China is happy; Xi will give me a big fat hug; we are working together: Trump. coastaldigest.com
(2026-04-15). Second ship breaks US' Hormuz siege: Trump's blockade unsuccessful Vs Iran & its allies? | China. hindustantimes.com
(2026-04-14). Trump risks war backlash from the heartland: American farmers. responsiblestatecraft.org The already fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared to give way over the weekend, after talks in Islamabad collapsed and President Donald Trump
(2026-04-14). IRGC's plan to break Trump's naval blockade scares US military after 1 month of 'failed' ops? | Hormuz. hindustantimes.com U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 12 that the U.S. Navy would move to lock down the Strait of Hormuz after negotiations with Iran failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump also declared that U.S. forces would intercept, on global seas, any ship that continued to pay transit tolls or fees to Iran, signalling a bid to choke off Tehran's maritime revenue. Later, the U.S. military announced that a naval blockade on Iran would formally begin from 10 a.m. Eastern Time on April 13, setting a precise start time for the operation. American commanders stated that they would seek to blockade all maritime traffic…
(2026-04-14). Facing a Tuesday deadline, Hamas still opposes Board of disarmament plan. haaretz.com A Board of Peace representative met with Hamas' chief negotiator to discuss phase two of Trump's Gaza plan, but sources tell Haaretz no breakthroughs were made. Hamas officials said without guarantees that Israel implements phase one of the cease-fire plan, disarmament is not on the table…
(2026-04-14). Iran criticises YouTube ban on LEGO-style war satire channel. tribune.com.pk 
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the ban imposed on the YouTube account making popular LEGO propaganda videos against Trump and Netanyahu's war on Iran, Al Jazeera reported. He said the ban was a move to suppress "the truth" about the US-Israel war on Iran. | In a land that proudly hosts Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and The Walt Disney Company, an independent animated YouTube channel — which had organically grown by depicting U.S. aggression & warmongering, and garnered millions of viewers — was abruptly shut down!! | Why?! | Simply to… pic.twitter.com/uCznwWgeNr…
(2026-04-14). Trump And Netanyahu: twin autocrats leading the war on Iran. onlineopinion.com.au Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu—mirror images of arrogance and deceit—have subverted democratic norms in pursuit of personal power.
(2026-04-14). China Just HUMILIATED Trump's Blockade Plan Iran Takes FULL Control of Hormuz. thealtworld.com China Just HUMILIATED Trump's Blockade Plan — Iran Takes FULL Control of Hormuz…
(2026-04-14). Tomgram: Douglas H. White, 250 Years of American Racism, Up Close and Personal. warisacrime.org This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Just keep in mind, as a start, that the administration of Donald Trump has been attempting to restrict immigration to this country almost exclusively to — yes, of course! — White South Africans. In fact, between the end …