Top World News

Mar 15, 2026 - World

Kazakhs are voting Sunday in a referendum on a new constitution that analysts say could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to extend his hold on power beyond his current term

Mar 15, 2026 - World

Exclusive: Queensland Performing Arts Centre board nominated Oodgeroo as preferred name in 2024 but it was not one of four options put to public vote by LNPFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Queensland government minister intervened to ensure that a new theatre would not be named after the Aboriginal poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal, overriding the theatre’s board, according to documents obtained under right to information laws.The late artist’s name is also set to be stripped from a state electorate, in draft electoral boundaries released by the state’s redistribution commission this week. The Liberal National party lobbied for the change. Continue reading...

Mar 15, 2026 - World

Economists predict RBA will raise interest rates this week and in May – days before treasurer unveils budgetFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHouseholds can expect significant additional cost-of-living pressures because of the war in the Middle East, with Jim Chalmers confirming that the government expects inflation to rise beyond 4.5% in Australia.But the treasurer said he did not expect the economy to fall into recession because of the war sparked by US and Israeli bombings in Iran. Continue reading...

Mar 15, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump has stumbled into a geopolitical trap that previous administrations deliberately avoided, according to analysis by political show host David Pakman comparing Trump's approach to Iran with policies pursued by the Obama and Biden administrations.Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that both the Obama and Biden administrations spent years resisting pressure from Israeli leadership to launch preemptive military strikes against Iran. Obama refused repeated calls for action, instead pursuing diplomacy that produced the Iran nuclear agreement. Biden similarly rejected pressure for escalation after the October 7 attacks, reportedly coming within thirty minutes of authorizing a preemptive strike before deciding against it.Trump took a different path, with his administration launching military action against Iran—the exact scenario his predecessors had worked strategically to avoid.The danger lies in an asymmetric cost dynamic. Iran can wage conflict far more cheaply than the United States, deploying $20,000 drones while the U.S. responds with $4 million Patriot interceptors. This imbalance allows weaker adversaries to drain resources from stronger ones over time, Pakman noted.Experts warn that Trump may have succumbed to the same pattern that characterized his first term—believing flattering foreign leaders who promised dramatic breakthroughs, as happened with Putin and Kim Jong Un. The administration now faces a painful choice: commit to prolonged costly conflict or execute a politically humiliating exit.Read more here.

Mar 15, 2026 - World

President Donald J. Trump spurred a variety of alarmed reactions on Saturday after he asked other countries to help the U.S. with the Iran war amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz."The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way," Trump wrote, before shifting to call for international cooperation. He urged countries reliant on oil transit through the strait to "take care of that passage," promising substantial U.S. assistance and coordination to ensure "everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well." Trump framed the effort as a long-overdue "team" approach that would foster "Harmony, Security, and Everlasting Peace!"The post drew immediate online backlash, with critics highlighting what they saw as a glaring contradiction: claiming total Iranian defeat while seeking help to secure the vital waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil flows.Professor Phillips P. O'Brien, a noted historian and strategist, described the message as "a work of art" worthy of preservation. He pointed out the irony: if Iran's military capability is "100% destroyed," why plead with frequently insulted allies to intervene in the Gulf?Online reactions spread rapidly. PatriotTakes, which monitors right-wing extremism, quipped that Trump was "sending out invitations to WWIII."MS NOW's Chris Hayes called it an "instant classic."Detractors mocked the pivot as evidence of overreach in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, where recent airstrikes—including on Kharg Island's military targets—have disrupted shipping but not fully neutralized threats like mines or asymmetric attacks. Supporters, however, viewed it as pragmatic leadership, emphasizing U.S. dominance and the need for shared burden in global security.The statement also underscores broader challenges in Trump's foreign policy approach: bold claims of triumph paired with appeals for multilateral support in a region where unilateral action has proven costly. As oil prices surge and tanker traffic remains vulnerable, the post highlights the delicate balance between projecting strength and acknowledging real-world limitations in securing critical chokepoints.