Top World News

Mar 14, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump's military actions in Iran are effectively functioning as a hidden tax on American households, economists warn, as soaring energy costs threaten to erase anticipated benefits from larger tax refunds this filing season.Americans are poised to receive bigger refunds than last year, with the average federal tax refund reaching $3,742 as of late February—about 10.6% higher than 2025. However, the economic fallout from the Iran conflict is rapidly negating that windfall, according to a new report.Since the U.S. military actions in Iran began, oil prices have skyrocketed, sending gas and diesel costs surging. The average price of unleaded gasoline jumped to $3.64 per gallon on Friday, roughly $0.72 higher than the previous month's average. Mortgage rates have also climbed sharply to 6.41% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan, up from 5.9% before the conflict."The Iran war acts like a tax increase on the consumer, except nobody voted for it," said Paul Dietrich, chief investment strategist at Wedbush Securities.The burden falls disproportionately on lower-income Americans, who spend a larger percentage of their budgets on fuel and energy. As households redirect refund money toward gas and groceries rather than discretionary spending, the broader economy loses the boost that tax refunds typically provide.Experts caution that while tax refunds could help insulate consumers from immediate shocks, the economic damage from elevated energy costs and inflation pressures will likely persist throughout 2026, undermining household purchasing power across income levels.Read the full report here.

Mar 14, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump called for international cooperation on Iran policy in a Truth Social post, arguing that securing the Strait of Hormuz should be a collective responsibility rather than falling solely on the United States.Trump claimed that, "The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way," but emphasized that nations dependent on oil passing through the strategic waterway must share the burden of protecting it."The Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!" Trump stated, adding that the U.S. would coordinate with these nations to ensure operations proceed "quickly, smoothly, and well."Trump characterized the approach as a necessary shift in strategy, declaring "This should have always been a team effort, and now it will be." He suggested the collaborative framework would "bring the World together toward Harmony, Security, and Everlasting Peace."The statement reflects Trump's broader foreign policy approach of reducing unilateral American commitments while seeking greater burden-sharing from allies and partners regarding regional security concerns. It comes after Trump declared we already "won" in Iran.Read the full post here.

Mar 14, 2026 - World

Rwanda's foreign minister says the country's government will withdraw its counterinsurgency troops from Mozambique if the mission’s foreign backers don't maintain sustainable funding

Mar 14, 2026 - World

Thousands of people have protested in Italy against wars in the Middle East and proposed judicial reforms by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

Mar 14, 2026 - World

Rare action began peacefully but ‘degenerated into vandalism’ according to state-run newspaperFive people have been arrested in Cuba for acts of “vandalism” after a small group of protesters broke into a provincial office of the Cuban Communist party and set fire to computers and furniture.The incident, which also affected a pharmacy and another shop, took place in the town of Moron, a little more than 300 miles (500km) east of Havana. Continue reading...