Hormuz Today, Taiwan Tomorrow
By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has handed the Trump administration a practice test. To pass-and preserve deterrence against a Chinese invasion or blockade of Taiwan-the United States must reopen the Strait decisively and visibly with escorts, minesweepers, and strikes on launch sites.
Todd G. Buchholz / Project Syndicate | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:04:32
The pope vs Trump
This confrontation pits a global faith against a vision of America alone
FT | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:00:09
Trump administration launches tariff refund system as first step in paying back billions - US politics live
Trump administration launches online portal on Monday after supreme court struck down tariff policy earlier this year Sign up for the Breaking News US email Oil prices have risen sharply and European stock markets have fallen after the US seizure of an Iranian vessel dented hopes for a peace deal. ...
now / Guardian | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:45:06
US intelligence warns Trump of threat from Pakistani military chief - TV
The intelligence agencies said that Field Marshal Asim Munir is "playing a double game" in efforts to resolve the situation in the Middle East
Tass | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:08:55
Billion-dollar tariff refund process kicks off in US
US businesses can finally start applying for tariff refunds following the US Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that President Donald Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing them. Also in this edition: oil prices surge again after Iran vows to block the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is causing ...
Camille KNIGHT / France 24 | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:02:30
Trump's Fed Pick to Face Senate Grilling
"Kevin Warsh has for years accused the Federal Reserve of losing its way and said it's in desperate need of 'regime change,'" Bloomberg reports. "Now, as President Donald Trump's pick to be the next Fed leader, Warsh will have the opportunity to map out his plans to remold the world's ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:55:09
The trade resilience that's doing Trump a favour
Absence of freight shipping crisis gives US time to pursue stand-off with Iran
FT | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:31:08
Trump Begins Refunding Tariffs
New York Times: "The Trump administration on Monday is set to take its first steps toward returning more than $166 billion collected from tariffs that were struck down in February. Just over a year after imposing many of the duties, the government is expected to begin accepting requests for refunds, ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:19:53
The Pope's English Fuels a Trump Feud
"Escalating tensions between Pope Leo XIV and President Trump may hinge on something unusually simple: the pope doesn't need a translator," Axios reports. "Leo's native-level English removes a long-standing Vatican buffer - ambiguity in translation - that has historically softened or clarified papal critiques of U.S. leaders." "Without that layer, ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:15:43
Pete Hegseth's spiritual leader explains his radical faith
War is nothing new for America - but the way Pete Hegseth talks about it is. President Donald Trump's secretary of defense often styles the US's actions in Iran as being blessed by God. As being holy. He likened the recovery of a downed Air Force member in Iran on ...
Noel King / Vox | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:15:00
Tanker diplomacy: Trump faces tests from Havana to Hormuz
From Cuba to the Persian Gulf, Trump is expected to face fresh challenges across a new arc of tanker diplomacy.
CNBC | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:45:18
Transcript: Trump Accidentally Reveals His Contempt for MAGA Voters
The following is a lightly edited transcript of the April 20 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here . Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic , produced and presented by the DSR Network. I'm your host, Greg Sargent. Is MAGA shrinking before ...
The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent / New Republic | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:38:33
The Supreme Court will decide when the police can use your phone to track you
Check your pocket. You're probably carrying a tracking device that will allow the police - or even the Trump administration - to track every move that you make. If you use a cellphone, you are unavoidably revealing your location all the time. Cellphones typically receive service by connecting to a ...
Ian Millhiser / Vox | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:30:00
Environmental activists stage demonstration at Trump golf course in UK
Environmental activists staged a renewable energy demonstration at one of US President Donald Trump's golf courses in Scotland.
Sky | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:25:00
Day 52
Playbook: "We're in week eight of Trump's 'little excursion' in Iran. It now looks certain the fallout will dominate world politics for months - perhaps years - to come." "Across Europe, Asia and Africa, governments are preparing for a sustained energy shock, with related fallout likely to include jet fuel ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:20:24
Trump Tramples on Tax Cut Message
"Senate Republicans have one big, beautiful problem on their hands as they struggle to streamline messaging about the party's tax cut law and overcome President Donald Trump's international spats, which are casting a long shadow and doing little favor to the extended sales pitch," NOTUS reports. "Even amid a worsening ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:12:15
Why a Democratic Senate Is a Real Possibility
Nate Cohn: "At the start of the 2026 election cycle, the Senate looked far out of reach for the Democrats. The House always seemed competitive, but retaking the Senate would require flipping at least four Republican-held seats - including at least two seats in states that President Trump won by ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:03:49
The President Is Coming to the White House Correspondent's Dinner
A president who relishes attacking the news media is set to break his boycott of an event celebrating the news media. What could go wrong?
Michael M. Grynbaum / NY Times | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:19
Did Donald Trump Promise Iran
Last Friday morning, Axios published a scoop about the Trump administration's negotiations with Iran. The administration, according to four sources, wants Iran to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium, of which it possesses about 2.2 tons in various underground facilities. In return, the United States would release to Iran ...
Michael Tomasky / New Republic | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:00
What does the US and Iran's 'fight-talk' dynamic mean before their ceasefire expires?
Risks of conflict in the Gulf of Oman are rising after the US Navy fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, though analysts say both Washington and Tehran have shown a reluctance to prolong the war. US President Donald Trump on Sunday confirmed that the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance opened fire ...
Cao Jiaxuan / South China Morning Post | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:55:42
Uncertainty Reigns at Justice Department
"Since President Donald Trump tapped Todd Blanche, his former defense attorney, to temporarily lead the Justice Department this month, the message from those familiar with the president's thinking has remained consistent: A permanent shot at the job of attorney general is Blanche's to lose," the Washington Post reports. "But that ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:55:35
Trump's $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Could Be Political Suicide for Republicans
In so many ways, this budget is a fantasy.
Fred Kaplan / Moneybox | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:45:00
How Trump Is Wooing Joe Rogan
"President Trump and his administration officials are working aggressively behind the scenes to court Joe Rogan, even as the podcast titan torches the president over the Iran war," Axios reports. "Rogan's backing, and his pull with young male listeners, helped power Trump to a second term. The president knows that ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:43:19
Trump Demand for Ballot Info Rebuffed by Michigan
"Michigan officials are pushing back on a demand from the Trump administration that the state provide election materials - including ballots, ballot receipts and ballot envelopes - to prove election fraud did not occur in November 2024," the New York Times reports. "The Department of Justice, in a letter last ...
Taegan Goddard / Taegan Goddard | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:40:00
Relations with Putin, Europe's reluctance to go to war: Lukashenko speaks to RT
The Belarusian leader opined that US President Donald Trump could come to Russia as a peacemaker via Belarus
Tass | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:27:28
Reform UK says it will deport at least 200,000 refugees
Nigel Farage's party has looked to Donald Trump's immigration crackdown as a model
FT | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:24:00
Why International Law Can't Stop Trump
Deserving or not, Pete Hegseth's probably not going on trial in The Hague.
Mary Harris / Moneybox | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:20:00
Trump Administration to Begin Refunding $166 Billion in Tariffs
The government will debut a system to repay importers two months after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs at the heart of the president's trade policy.
Tony Romm and Ana Swanson / NY Times | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:04:03
Psychedelic stocks rally after Trump orders faster PTSD research; Compass Pathways, Atai lead gains
Seeking Alpha | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:03:54
Can Trump Export Zambia's HIV Success?
Years of investment made certain provinces resilient to aid cuts, but replicating that system is another story.
Andrew Green / Foreign Policy | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:32
Rural naysayers must not torpedo high-speed rail project | Opinion
Mohammed Adam: If individual interests were allowed to trump the national interest, there will never be progress anywhere.
Aaron Hutchins / Ottawa Citizen | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:14
Trump Pardoned a Nursing Home Owner Who Owed Almost $19 Million to a Grieving Family
The post Trump Pardoned a Nursing Home Owner Who Owed Almost $19 Million to a Grieving Family appeared first on ProPublica .
Jeremy Kohler / ProPublica | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:00
'Vacate your engine room': US seizure of Iranian ship risks shutting down peace talks
With two days left before the 10-day ceasefire between US, Iran and Israel expires, US President Donald Trump and the Iranian regime are not on the same page on the next round of negotiations.
Munir Ahmed, Jon Gambrell, David Rising / Sydney Morning Herald | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:44:32
Even for trans adults, care is hard to find: 'I could not do it on my own'
State restrictions, Trump administration policies, and waning public support are further limiting adults' access to transgender care
Theresa Gaffney / Stats | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:30:00
US-Iran war live updates: Trump says US seized Iranian ship in Strait of Hormuz; US delegation will head to Pakistan for second round of negotiations; Tehran rejects US peace talks
Follow our live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East and related developments in Australia.
Emily Kaine, Ellen Connolly, Adam Carey / Sydney Morning Herald | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:29:34
Australians turn on 'unreliable, erratic' Trump as Iran war drags on
The Resolve Political Monitor found that Trump's popularity has plunged to new lows while Australians were torn on the wisdom of sending ships to a peacekeeping mission.
Matthew Knott / Sydney Morning Herald | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:00:00
TMID Editorial: A voice for peace should not be mocked
The public clash between Pope Leo XIV and United States of America President Donald Trump is more than a personal spat between two global figures. It is a revealing moment that lays bare a deeper divide between the language of power and the language of principle. In this case, the ...
Malta Independent | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:52:00
US releases video of forces seizing Iranian ship
The US has intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf as part of its naval blockade, Donald Trump has said.
BBC | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:29:42
Why the Next Generation of Republicans Might Be More Extreme Than MAGA
President Trump could come to represent the restrained, reasonable wing of the GOP.
Julian E. Zelizer / Foreign Policy | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:11:43
Why and how is US blockading Iranian ports in Strait of Hormuz?
Donald Trump says that the US is blockading the Strait of Hormuz. What does this mean in practice?
BBC | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:46:03
Baby America's hegemony is no match for old worlds
When US President Donald Trump said, "A Whole Civilization Will Die Tonight," he hardly knew the profundity of his words. Iran, formerly Persia, has a history that goes back at least 7,000 years, and has a long list of great contributions to the world. Among these achievements are the development ...
Michael Wong / Asia Times | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:21:25
Trump Once Again Threatened War Crimes On The Eve Of Iran Peace Talks - And His Lackey Has An Interesting Interpretation
Kelby Vera / Huffington Post | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:14:15
The insider trading suspicions looming over Trump's presidency
The BBC has found a pattern of spikes in trades ahead of public announcements by the US president.
BBC | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:13:58
US stablecoins pose danger to emerging markets, say central bankers
Growth of dollar-pegged crypto assets under Donald Trump risks accelerating dollarisation and enabling criminal misuse
FT | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:06
Stock market today (April 20, 2026): Nifty50 opens below 24,300; BSE Sensex down over 200 points as oil prices rise on Hormuz closure
Stock market today: Sensex and Nifty opened in red on Monday on weak global cues as the closure of Strait of Hormuz led to an increase in oil prices. While Nifty50 went below 24,300, BSE Sensex dropped over 200 points.
TOI Business Desk / Times of India | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:18:46
Kevin Warsh: Trump's next fall guy at the Fed?
The nominee to lead the world's most powerful central bank wants big changes. But there's risk of confrontation with the president over interest rates
FT | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:00:04
Don't Kid Yourself – No Easy Iran Fix
Trump's war with Iran is not popular - and that's no surprise. Critics of the war are correct about one very important thing: It is messy. The Strait of Hormuz remains dangerous. Oil markets are volatile. The risk of escalation has not disappeared. Even after weeks of air strikes - ...
Frank Miele / Real Clear Politics | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:04:25
Oil prices rise after Trump says Iranian ship seized
Energy markets have seen wild swings since the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.
BBC | Mon, 20 Apr 2026 02:29:04