03 World

WATCH: CNN Forced To Admit Trump Was Right, Iran Did Initiate Peace Talks– wltreport.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

I know you’re going to be shocked at this, but CNN was just forced to admit that Trump was right.  Again.

After spending most of the day yesterday claiming that President Trump was lying when he said Iran reached out to initiate talks on Sunday night, now they’ve just gone on the air to reverse that story.

See here:

Longer clip here:

Majority Of Republicans Say Israel Influences US Foreign Policy Too Much, Weeks Into Iran War– dailycaller.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

A bare majority of likely Republican voters say Israel has too much influence over U.S. foreign policy weeks into the Iran War, a poll shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation shows.

Just over half — 51% of Republicans — answered “yes” when asked “Does Israel have too much influence over American foreign policy?” compared to 43% who said “no,” according to a Democracy Institute national survey of U.S. likely voters released Monday. Meanwhile, 63% of all voters, including 74% of Democrats, agreed that Israel has too much influence.

The poll’s release came just under a month after the U.S. and Israel jointly launched strikes on Iran killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other officials of the Islamist regime.

The ongoing war in Iran has killed at least 13 U.S. service members and ranks among one of the least popular conflicts in modern U.S. history at its relative point in time. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released the day after the strikes found that only 27% of U.S. adults approved of them.

Several Middle Eastern Countries Giving Iranian Officials The Boot– dailycaller.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Lebanon kicked out Iran’s ambassador-designate Tuesday, making it the fourth Arab country in a week to oust Iranian officials as Tehran’s grip on the region rapidly weakens.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi announced on X that Mohammad Reza Shibani must leave the country by March 29. Beirut also ousted its Iranian ambassador Tuesday, the Washington Examiner reported.

Shibani took over the post earlier this year after his predecessor, Mojtaba Amani, suffered injuries during the September 2024 pager attack that devastated Hezbollah’s ranks. The Lebanese government had already banned Hezbollah military operations on March 2, Reuters reported. The government reportedly ordered the arrest of any IRGC members operating in the country days later.

Raggi appeared at a gathering of regional officials in Riyadh last week, where he accused Iran of exploiting Arab nations for its own strategic ends, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“By targeting Arab and Islamic countries, Iran is attempting to hijack their security and peace and trade them for its own opportunistic objectives,” Raggi said. Lebanon also voiced support for Kuwait and the UAE after both countries uncovered Hezbollah terror cells on their soil, the outlet reported.

UK Catholic bishops decry House of Lords vote to decriminalize abortion up until birth– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Catholic bishops in the United Kingdom are condemning a recent House of Lords vote on a proposal that would decriminalize abortion in certain cases, including up until birth.

The plan, which passed the House of Commons last summer, would remove criminal penalties for women who seek abortions beyond the legally permitted time frame.

Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the lead bishop for life issues in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, immediately condemned the vote, expressing his deep “distress.”

“I am deeply distressed by the decision by the House of Lords to reject Baroness Monckton’s amendment to remove clause 208 from the Crime and Policing Bill,” wrote Archbishop Sherrington.

“The clause decriminalises on-demand abortion up to birth in England and Wales in some circumstances. This move is likely to lead to more late-term abortions putting pregnant women and their babies at risk. Many women could likely also face even greater risks of isolation, coercion, and pressure.”

Iran Appoints Hardline Security Veteran To Key Post After Deadly Strike– trendingpoliticsnews.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Iran moved quickly Tuesday to install a new top security official, appointing Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council following the killing of Ali Larijani in last week’s strike.

The announcement, shared by the Iranian president’s deputy of communications on X, marks one of Tehran’s most significant leadership reshuffles in the wake of escalating turmoil at the highest levels of government.

Zolqadr, a longtime insider with deep roots in Iran’s security establishment, steps into a position that sits at the center of the country’s most critical decisions. A former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he is widely viewed as a hardline figure with decades of experience across multiple pillars of the regime.

His appointment comes at a moment when Iran’s leadership is under intense pressure, both internally and across the region. By elevating a figure closely tied to the Revolutionary Guard and the broader security apparatus, Tehran appears to be signaling a focus on continuity, discipline and control following a series of high-profile losses.

The Supreme National Security Council plays a central role in shaping Iran’s military and foreign policy strategy. Chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian, the council includes senior officials from across the government, military and intelligence sectors. While it helps coordinate key decisions, ultimate authority still rests with the country’s supreme leader.

Iran Threatens to Unleash ‘New, Secret Weapon’ to Immediately ‘End’ Conflict– slaynews.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Iranian regime is issuing a stark warning to the world, threatening to unleash a “new, secret weapon” that it claims will immediately “bring an end” to the conflict in the Middle East.

The threat comes after President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to U.S. strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure following what he described as “very good” peace talks with Tehran.

Regime Issues Ominous Warning

Iranian Major General Abdollahi delivered the regime’s warning in blunt terms:

“The use of a new, secret weapon will begin soon and it will bring an end to the enemy’s operations.”

The statement was amplified by Iran’s state-aligned Fars News Agency, which is closely tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

An Iranian official speaking to the outlet rejected any suggestion of diplomacy with President Trump:

“There is no direct or indirect contact with Trump.”

Iran war’s latest casualty: Christian celebrations of Holy Week in the Holy Land– www.theblaze.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

 

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem has announced that at least some traditional Holy Week observances have been canceled or postponed as the military conflict in the Holy Land rages on.

On Sunday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa issued a statement to note that the ongoing war in the region and the “restrictions” imposed as a result will not permit the faithful “to experience the traditional Lenten journey in Jerusalem.”

‘The empty tomb is the seal of the victory of life over hatred, of mercy over sin.’

In particular, the traditional Palm Sunday procession from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives has been canceled, he said. The Chrism Mass, a Mass traditionally offered during Holy Week, during which a bishop consecrates sacred oils, has been “postponed to a date to be determined.”

China is mapping the ocean floor as it prepares for submarine warfare with U.S.– japantoday.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

China is conducting a vast undersea mapping and monitoring operation across the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, building detailed knowledge of marine conditions that naval experts say would be crucial for waging submarine warfare against the United States and its allies.

In one example, the Dong Fang Hong 3, a research vessel operated by Ocean University of China, spent 2024 and 2025 sailing back and forth in the seas near Taiwan and the U.S. stronghold of Guam, and around strategic stretches of the Indian Ocean, ship-tracking data reviewed by Reuters shows. In October 2024, it checked on a set of powerful Chinese ocean sensors capable of identifying undersea objects near Japan, ‌according to Ocean University, and visited the same area again last May. And in March 2025, it criss-crossed the waters between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, covering approaches to the Malacca Strait, a critical chokepoint for maritime commerce.

‘The US Media Believes the Iranians’– www.newsbusters.org

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

The U.S. media instinctively trust Iran, instead of their own country’s president, Co-Host Jesse Watters said on Fox News Channel’s “The Five” on Monday.

Watters said he saw the reports earlier in the day after returning from “a news blackout”:

“And, I get back and I see that Trump’s announced he’s negotiating with the Iranians and the Iranians say, ‘No, we’re not.’”

“And, the U.S. media believes the Iranians. Just like that,” Watters said.

Saudi Arabia ‘ready to attack Iran’ with UAE ‘preparing troops’ to back Trump | World | News– www.express.co.uk

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to join the war against Iran and could even launch strikes as Tehran continues to target Gulf neighbours.

According to Israel-based Ynet News, Gulf states are helping the United States carry out airstrikes and are targeting Iran’s economy, though they have not yet deployed troops. The same outlet also said recently agreed to allow U.S. forces to use King Fahd Air Base, on the western side of the Arabian Peninsula, to strike Iran.

This marks a change in Saudi Arabia’s stance, as Ynet News added that “before the war, Riyadh said it would not allow its facilities or airspace to be used for attacks on Iran, in an effort to stay out of the conflict”. According to the Israeli outlet, however, that position shifted after Iran launched missiles and drones at key Saudi energy facilities.

Iran war a ‘disastrous mistake,’ says German president in rare rebuke – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Iran war is a “disastrous mistake” that breaches international law, Germany’s president said on Tuesday in an unusually blunt rebuke of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s foreign policy, which he said marked a rupture for German ties with its biggest post-war ally.

In a scathing verbal attack, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose largely ceremonial role allows him to speak more freely than politicians, took a far more critical line than Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has skirted questions on the war’s legality.

“Our foreign policy does not become more convincing just because we do not call a breach of international law a breach of international law,” Steinmeier, a former foreign minister from the center left Social Democratic Party, said in a speech at the foreign ministry.

Ukraine peace talks stall as Russia begins its spring offensive– www.euronews.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

After a few rounds of trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia, the diplomatic process aimed at putting an end to Moscow’s full-scale invasion has largely stalled with no clear progress in sight.

Kyiv’s delegation returned from two days of meetings in Miami with few tangible results, following what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a discussion over “the key points, opportunities and challenges”.

“The most important thing is to work out security guarantees in such a way that they bring us closer to ending the war. Security is the key to peace.”

China: Sichuan public security detain journalists Liu Hu and Wu Yingjiao– www.nchrd.org

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

On February 1, Chengdu Public Security Bureau officers detained renowned journalist Liu Hu while he was traveling to Beijing. On February 2, Liu’s family learned that Chengdu authorities had placed Liu under criminal detention on suspicion of “making false accusations” and conducting “illegal business operations,” according to Chinese-language site Rights Defense Network (RDN).

Also on February 1, Chengdu public security officers traveled over 1,300 kilometers to Hebei Province to detain Liu’s colleague, Wu Yingjiao. RDN reported that authorities could be targeting Liu and Wu over an article they published on January 29 on their WeChat public account. The article alleged abuse of power and corrupt behavior by a Sichuan county party secretary. Wu faces the same charges as Liu.

“The detentions illustrate a familiar pattern: instead of investigating allegations of official wrongdoing, Chinese authorities persecute the journalists who expose abuses,” said Shane Yi, researcher at CHRD. “Authorities should immediately release Liu and Wu, and investigate the allegations of corruption.”

Middle East crisis live: Iran dismisses Trump claim of talks; von der Leyen says global energy situation is ‘critical’ | US-Israel war on Iran– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Donald Trump has claimed the US and Iran have held talks in which the two sides had “major points of agreement”, and speculated that a deal could soon be done to end the war, a claim contradicted by Tehran.

Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) called Trump’s words “psychological operations” that had no impact on Tehran’s fight, while parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said it was “fake news … used to manipulate the financial and oil markets”.

Despite doubts about any direct negotiations, a European official said Egypt, Pakistan and Gulf states were relaying messages. On Tuesday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said it was time for negotiations with Iran, given the global energy situation was now “critical”.

Speaking in Australia at the conclusion of a new free-trade agreement between the EU and Australia, she said: “The situation is critical for the energy supply allies worldwide. We all feel the knock-on effects on gas and oil prices, our businesses and our societies, but it is of utmost importance that we come to a solution that is negotiated, and this puts an end to the hostilities that we see in the Middle East.”

Epic Games to cut more than 1,000 jobs as Fortnite usage falls– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

Epic Games said on Tuesday (Mar 24) it would cut more than 1,000 jobs after a drop in engagement for Fortnite, its flagship title, the latest cuts in the video-game industry whose growth has stalled amid economic uncertainty.

The cuts, along with more than US$500 million in savings from lower contracting and marketing spending and unfilled roles would put the company in “a more stable place,” Chief Executive Tim Sweeney said in a note to employees.

The cuts are the latest in the gaming sector, where companies have faced weaker growth as consumers have been sticking with proven titles amid economic uncertainty.

But even those, especially live services games, which depend on a steady stream of new content to keep players engaged, are now showing signs of cracks.

Watch Sen. Chris Van Hollen React After CNN Asks If He Trusts Iranian Officials Over Trump– dailycaller.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

Blurb:

CNN host Kasie Hunt asked Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen Monday whether he believes Iranian officials over President Donald Trump.

Trump said talks had started between the United States and Iran. Iran, however, denied any such negotiations have taken place. During a discussion on “The Arena,” Hunt asked Van Hollen whether he trusts Iranian officials over the president.

“So you believe the Iranian officials over the president of the United States?” Hunt asked.