03 World

Trump calls Giorgia Meloni ‘unacceptable’ after she rebukes his Pope Leo XIV remarks– www.foxnews.com

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Tensions between Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated Tuesday after the U.S. president publicly rebuked one of his closest European allies, accusing her of lacking “courage” and failing to support Washington’s efforts against Iran.

In a phone interview with Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, Trump called Meloni “unacceptable” and said he was “shocked” by her stance, according to the outlet’s English-language version.

The dispute with Trump was further fueled by Meloni’s criticism of his recent remarks targeting Pope Leo XIV, which she called “unacceptable,” prompting Trump to respond that “she is the one who is unacceptable.”

In a scathing rebuke of the Vatican’s call for Middle Eastern de-escalation, President Trump took to Truth Social to blast Pope Leo XIV. Labeling the pontiff “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy,” Trump warned him to “focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.” The post, which quickly went viral, accused the first American pope of “catering to the Radical Left” at the expense of global security.

Colombia will euthanize Pablo Escobar’s invasive ‘cocaine hippos’– www.scientificamerican.com

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Colombia will euthanize Pablo Escobar’s invasive ‘cocaine hippos’

After attempts at relocation and sterilization have failed, invasive hippos introduced by the infamous drug lord will be culled, the country announced

After two years of failed attempts at relocation and sterilization, Colombia’s government has decided it will euthanize 80 of the at least 169 “cocaine hippos” that were once owned by notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. The decision is triggering divided reactions among scientists and activists.

“Without this action it is impossible to control them,” said Colombia’s environment minister Irene Vélez at a press conference on Monday. Citing estimates that the population could reach at least 500 individuals by 2030, “affecting our ecosystems and native species,” she added that “it is our responsibility to take this action.”

Hungary Turns a New Page– warontherocks.com

pgnewser April 15, 2026 0

Hungary Turns a New Page– warontherocks.com
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat in a parliamentary election on April 12, ending his 16 years in power, after his Fidesz party lost its majority in parliament. The center-right Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, won and is projected to have a two-thirds supermajority. Orbán has been a prominent right-wing populist, with close ties to the Trump administration in Washington and warm relations with Moscow.

Magyar campaigned on promises to address corruption, improve the economy, and align more closely with Europe.We asked five experts to assess how the election results will shape Hungary’s role in Europe and its relationships with the European Union, NATO, Russia, the United States, and China.

Amazon workers told ‘back to work’ as ‘colleague lies dead on warehouse floor’ | US | News– www.express.co.uk

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An Amazon worker allegedly lay dead in a warehouse for more than an hour as his colleagues were told to carry on with their work, according to a new report. Workers in Amazon’s distribution centre in Troutdale, Oregon, were reportedly discouraged from helping a man dead on the floor in the warehouse, with one employee claiming a manager told them “just turn around and not look. Let’s get back to work”.

An employee, identified under the pseudonym Sam, said he saw a body lying “lifeless” at his workplace but was told by a supervisor to “please get back to work”.

Sam, who is trained in CPR, added that multiple workers wanted to help a woman who ran to the person to perform chest compressions, according to The Western Edge.

An investigation by the outlet alleged Amazon attempted to prevent news of the worker’s death on April 6 from becoming public.

Sam said: “I started sobbing and said, ‘I want to help, please.I know she’s going to get tired and need to be subbed out.”

Diplomats try to arrange second round of US-Iran talks during first day of American blockade– www.euronews.com

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Diplomats worked through back channels on Tuesday to arrange a new round of peace talks between the United States and Iran after Washington enacted its blockade of Iranian ports, while Tehran threatened to strike targets across the war-weary region.

US President Donald Trump said a second round of talks could happen “over the next two days,” telling the New York Post the negotiations could be held again in Pakistan’s capital.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concurred, saying it’s “highly probable” that talks will restart. He cited a meeting he had with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, Ishaq Dar.

“There is no military solution to this crisis. Peace agreements require persistent engagement and political will. Serious negotiations must resume,” he said.

Iran Can, ‘On Some Level of Truth,’ Maybe Say It Won War– www.breitbart.com

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On Tuesday’s broadcast of MS NOW’s “The Last Word,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said that the Iranian regime “can, on some level of truth, say, we just took on America and Israel and fought them to a tie, although maybe even more than a tie.” And argued that “anybody in history would know you cannot bomb an adversary into submission.”

Warner said, “Lawrence, we have spent 100,000 sorties against them. We have bombed them. But anybody in history would know you cannot bomb an adversary into submission.”

He added that “in so many ways, 46 days in, America is less strong. And the Iranian regime, which is, by the way, more radical than it was before, can, on some level of truth, say, we just took on America and Israel and fought them to a tie, although maybe even more than a tie. They have ballistic missile capabilities, they have closed the strait, their regime is more radical. And I can just say, as I mentioned earlier, if we were to go after their enriched uranium, it would take 10,000 soldiers guarding a perimeter for days, and then we are going to send our special operators in, and the Iranians could bomb that.”

Spanish government approves amnesty programme for undocumented immigrants | Migration News– www.aljazeera.com

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The plan, which could see 500,000 people apply, makes Spain an outlier as anti-immigration sentiments fester in Europe.

Spain’s government has approved an amnesty programme that will allow an estimated 500,000 undocumented immigrants to apply for legal status.

The measure, passed on Tuesday by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s administration, will open the way for applications on April 16. The decree makes Spain an outlier in Europe, as well as many other parts of the world, with anti-immigration sentiments festering.

Children shown homosexual porn by LGBT activists in Germany: report– www.lifesitenews.com

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(LifeSiteNews) — Two “non-binary“ leftist activists in Germany showed homosexual pornography to 14-year-old students during a school project week, according to a new report.

A high school in Schleife, Saxony, hosted a project week for students in the 9th grade (14 to 15 years of age) from March 16 to 20, during which two left-wing radicals were invited to lead the class.

According to a report by Junge Freiheit that caused political shockwaves in Germany, school Principal Jan Rehor sent “non-binary” activists to the class without any supervision. A girl from the class said, “The principal personally brought these people into the classroom and then left us alone with them.”

Iran war already taking a toll on the global economy, IMF says in new forecast – The Washington Post– news.google.com

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  1. Iran war already taking a toll on the global economy, IMF says in new forecast  The Washington Post
  2. Middle East War Will Slow Global Economic Growth, I.M.F. Warns  The New York Times
  3. Citing fallout from the Iran war, IMF cuts the outlook for global growth, expects higher inflation  San Francisco Chronicle
  4. Joint Statement on 13 April by the Heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank Group  IEA – International Energy Agency
  5. IMF warns global economy at risk of recession if Iran war persists  BBC

Pope Leo addresses ‘the arrogant’ in new message after Donald Trump’s tirade– www.mirror.co.uk

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Pope Leo has addressed “the arrogant” in another message about war after Donald Trump called him “weak” and refused to apologise.

The message comes amid a growing back and forth between the Pope and Trump, with the US president attacking the pontiff over his criticism of the Iran war, and the Pope responding that he has “no fear” of the Trump administration.

“God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies,” the Pope wrote on X today while on his first papal visit to Algeria. “But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant, or the proud. God’s heart is with the little ones and the humble, and with them He builds up His Kingdom of love and peace day by day. Wherever there is love and service, God is there.”

Student kills four, wounds 20 in Türkiye’s second school shooting in two days– www.channelnewsasia.com

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ISTANBUL: A student aged about 13 opened fire at random in a Turkish school Wednesday (Apr 15) killing four people and wounding 20, just one day after a shooter wounded 16 people and then killed himself in another school, officials said.

Kahramanmaras province governor Mukerrem Unluer said a teacher and three students were killed in the latest attack. The attacker was also dead.

“A student came to school with guns that we believe belonged to his father in his backpack. He entered two classrooms and opened fire randomly, causing injuries and deaths,” Unluer told reporters.

Four of the wounded were in serious condition and undergoing surgery, he said.

The attacker, an eighth-grade student, was the son of a former police officer, Unluer said, adding that the suspect was carrying five guns and seven magazines.

“We suspect he may have taken his father’s weapons,” the governor said.

EU doubles steel tariffs to 50% to curb surge of cheap Chinese imports– www.france24.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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EU lawmakers and countries agreed to double tariffs on foreign steel on Monday, to shield the bloc’s struggling industry from a flood of cheap Chinese exports.

European Union governments and parliament representatives reached a late evening deal to hike levies on steel imports to 50 percent and slash the volume allowed in before tariffs apply by 47 percent.

“The shape and global standing of Europe‘s steel sector are fundamental to our strategic autonomy and industrial strength. We therefore cannot afford to turn a blind eye to global overcapacity reaching critical levels,” commented the EU’s trade chief, Maros Sefcovic.

“Today’s outcome helps bring much-needed stability for our producers to thrive in Europe”.

China threatens Trump over Strait of Hormuz blockade: ‘Do not interfere’ | World | News– www.express.co.uk

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The strong warning reitrates that China has an energy agreement with Iran and therefore its ships will not be intercepted.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry said: “Chinese ships continue to move in and out of the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

“We have trade and energy agreements with Iran, which we will respect and abide by.

“We expect others not to interfere in our affairs.

“Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, and has opened it to us.”

Hezbollah official says group will not abide by any agreements from Lebanon-Israel talks– www.euronews.com

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Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged Lebanon on Monday to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington the following day, reiterating his group’s rejection of direct negotiations with Israel.

“We reject negotiations with the usurping Israeli entity…We call for a historic and heroic stance by cancelling this negotiating meeting,” Qassem, whose Iran-backed group has been at war with Israel since 2 March, said in a televised address.

The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States are scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday to discuss holding direct negotiations between the two countries.

Lebanese authorities have stressed that Beirut first wants to secure a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war, but Israel has dismissed that prospect, saying it prefers instead to focus on formal peace talks with Lebanon itself, with which it has technically been at war for decades.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that “we want the dismantling of Hezbollah’s weapons and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations.”

Magyar’s Tisza party wins majority in Hungarian parliament – World– tass.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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BUDAPEST, April 13. /TASS/. Hungary’s opposition Tisza party has won the parliamentary election, securing 138 out of 199 seats in the National Assembly (unicameral parliament) and a constitutional majority for the next four years, the National Election Commission said.

Party leader and member of the European Parliament Peter Magyar is expected to be elected prime minister at the first session of parliament in early May. The exact date will be set by President Tamas Sulyok. Magyar will replace Viktor Orban, who leads the Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Alliance party.

Chinese Tanker Flouts Hormuz Blockade In Potential Escalation– trendingpoliticsnews.com

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A Chinese-owned oil and chemical tanker slipped through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, becoming the first vessel to make the crossing since President Trump’s blockade on Iranian ports began Monday and raising fresh questions about how hard Tehran and its trading partners are willing to test U.S. pressure.

Fox News reported the tanker, Rich Starry, successfully transited the strait after being turned back on Monday. The ship made it through on its second attempt, the outlet said.

The Trump administration’s blockade is aimed at choking off traffic to and from Iranian ports, not shutting down the entire waterway. Fox News said the Rich Starry was traveling from the United Arab Emirates, not heading to or departing from Iran, and was therefore allowed to pass.

In Iran war, push to resume talks intensifies as U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports enters Day 2– www.cbsnews.com

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Tracking data appears to show a number of Iran-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after the U.S. blockade of the waterway began on Monday.

The U.S. military said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

Italy suspends defense pact with Israel over ‘the current situation’– www.washingtonexaminer.com

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Tuesday that she has suspended her country’s defense cooperation agreement with Israel over the conflicts throughout the Middle East.

Meloni said at an event in the northern city of Verona that her government “has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel in consideration of the current situation.”

Her announcement came about a week after the Israeli military fired warning shots at an Italian peacekeeping convoy outside Beirut, Lebanon. No one was injured in the incident, which Meloni called “completely unacceptable,” while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome for a third time since 2024.

The 2003 Memorandum of Understanding was ratified by Italy in 2005 and is renewed automatically every five years.

Iran war escalation could trigger global recession, IMF warns | Global economy– www.theguardian.com

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A further escalation in the Iran war could trigger a global recession, spiralling inflation and a sharp backlash in financial markets, the International Monetary Fund has warned.

Against an increasingly volatile backdrop, the Washington-based fund said the economic damage from the Middle East conflict was steadily rising as it cut its growth forecasts for 2026 based on the impact from the war so far.

In its half-yearly update, the IMF said the UK would suffer the sharpest growth downgrade and joint highest inflation rate in the G7 this year, even if the fallout from soaring energy costs can be contained by the middle of 2026.

However, under a worst-case “severe scenario,” involving a drawn-out war and persistently higher energy prices, it said the world would face “a close call for a global recession” for only the fifth time since 1980.

Oil prices jumped back above $100 (£74) a barrel on Monday amid choppy trading in global markets after crunch weekend talks between the US and Iran ended in stalemate and as a US blockade on the strait of Hormuz began. On Tuesday, Brent crude eased 0.9% to $98.5 a barrel on hopes of further peace talks.