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Mar 4, 2026 - World

Company promises ‘rapprochement discount’ for shoppers from country after decade-long action in EU courtThe UK supermarket chain Iceland has abandoned its decade-long trademark battle with Iceland and instead promised a “rapprochement discount” for shoppers in the country.After the budget grocery chain suffered its third legal loss last year, its executive chair, Richard Walker, said on Wednesday that it would draw a line under the dispute. Continue reading...

Mar 4, 2026 - World

UK’s FTSE 100 up by more than 50 points, while pan-European Stoxx 600 share index rises 1.2%Business live – latest updatesEuropean stock markets have rallied on a report claiming Iran is engaging in a “secret outreach” to end the war in the Middle East, after several days of heavy losses on indices around the world.The New York Times reported that a day after the attacks began, operatives from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence indirectly contacted the CIA with an offer to discuss terms for ending the conflict. Continue reading...

Mar 4, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump picked a fight with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over his opposition to the invasion of Iran — but Sanchez isn't backing down.According to The Guardian, Sanchez "responded to Donald Trump’s extraordinary threat to cut off all trade with Spain over his government’s refusal to facilitate the US’s ongoing attacks against Iran, comparing the growing conflict in the Middle East to playing 'Russian roulette with the destiny of millions'. Sánchez, who has been one of the most vociferous European critics of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, said his government’s position on the widening instability could be summed up in three words: 'No to war.'”Last night, Trump issued his threat at a White House event, blasting Spain as "terrible," telling an aide to "cut off all dealings with Spain," and bragging that he can use Spanish military installations to strike Iran whether or not Spain allows it.Sanchez's speech, however, makes clear he is undeterred.“You can’t play Russian roulette with the destiny of millions ... Nobody knows for sure what will happen now," said Sanchez. "Even the objectives of those who launched the first attack are unclear. But we must be prepared, as the proponents say, for the possibility that this will be a long war, with numerous casualties and, therefore, with serious economic consequences on a global scale.”So far, U.S. and Israeli operations in Iran have taken out the country's longstanding Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.According to reports, Trump was persuaded to take action by his close Senate ally, Rep. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who has consistently favored strong military aggression against American adversaries.

Mar 4, 2026 - World

Donald Trump's order to strike Iran had been pitched to him as a way to salvage his legacy by an unlikely ally. The president's administration carried out strikes on the Middle Eastern country earlier this week, confirming the death of ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the process. Six US military personnel have also been killed in counterstrikes carried out by Iran. The bombing campaign on Iran came to be when Lindsey Graham took Trump to task on what he wanted to be his legacy. Graham, who had previously condemned Trump as a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot" has since become a close ally of the president during Trump's second term. Speaking with Politico, Graham said, "We were thinking about this early, early on about how Iran is a spoiler for expanding the Abraham Accords and stability in the Mideast. I told him before he took office… if you can collapse this terrorist regime, that’s Berlin Wall stuff."Graham also claims he managed to cut through the naysayers on bombing Iran and convinced the president it was the right course of action to back Israel in their campaign. He said, "There was a real fight not to do it. Let Israel do it by itself, or just not do much. So we talked a lot about this: ‘Mr. President, you want to have your fingerprints on this. You want them to know America will fight.' He’s a hard sell, but when you sell him, he’s all in."Graham went on to suggest a regime change would ultimately benefit the US, and that if the new Iranian government takes the same stance as ayatollah Khamenei, the military may intervene again. "If they want to reconstitute their country, to build more nuclear weapons and more missiles to hit us, we’ll treat the new people like we did the old people," he said. "I just don’t believe it. I think they’re going to find a way to ... be a different country."'You break it. You own it.' That may be true for a consignment shop, but it's not true for foreign policy. If there's a threat, break it."

Mar 4, 2026 - World

Do you ever get the feeling we’re being played like an out-of-tune violin, every minute of each day?Take this war in Iran and its first week of airstrikes. Our clueless president and his even more bloodthirsty and incompetent Secretary of “War” are offended that people keep asking what the conflict is about and why we launched it when they don’t seem to have the first clue themselves.First, it was about stopping Iran from developing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S. Then it surrounded a need for “regime change,” that ridiculously benign euphemism used instead of “violent government overthrow,” which sounds so much messier. Then it was just basically, “They’re an evil, repressive country that’s the greatest state sponsor of terrorism.” Finally, it became, “We’re looking to bring liberation to Iranian citizens.”As if.The ever-changing series of justifications leaves me wondering what’s next. Maybe, “Israel was upset that Iran is positioned just in front of it alphabetically and sought help in bombing Iran until it agreed to change its name back to Persia.”It’s clear these morons had no plan, other than, “Blow up a lot of stuff because explosions are cool!” It’s as if Beavis and Butthead are running U.S. intelligence. There is no plan for the Iranian people. Basically, the marching orders are to bombard and eventually depart, leaving mass destruction and abandonment behind.Atta’ way to build global goodwill, America!Of course, attempting to distract from the Epstein files has to be near the top of any list of actual unstated rationalizations for this disaster, which is why I’ve dubbed the campaign, supposedly Operation Epic Fury, “Operation Epstein Suppression.” What’s really going on remains anyone’s guess. Whatever pops into Trump’s head becomes the defining rationale until the following minute/hour/day, when it becomes something else.This is what happens when you elect a sociopathic toddler with ADHD.Iran has supposedly been two weeks away from having enough enriched uranium to construct a nuke for the better part of four decades. It’s always what we hear.But back to Trump, our delusional and witless leader, now permitted to make unilateral decisions like which country to invade without much blowback from the increasingly compliant media, much less any explanation to the American people.So we’re clear: the Iran bombing occurred under the cover of darkness, on a weekend early morning, in flagrant violation of the U.S. Constitution.But wait! As I write, yet another justification slips through: the claim that Iran planned to preemptively strike American forces and therefore forced our hand. Gimme another 15 minutes — that will likely be refuted.Let’s put it on the record that if Trump really wanted to destroy Iran, he’d declare himself its president and take over for a couple of months. Much more effective than bombs.We must also remember that Trump was, per his 2024 campaign, the “Start No Wars President.” Then when that evaporated, he was the “No Extended Wars President.” Then early this week came the inevitable New York Times headline: “Trump Foresees Extended War on Iran as U.S. Adds to Forces.”So much for that.Uncertainty. Lies. Chaos. Corruption. The hallmarks of this administration in peacetime, now one in a war that will likely drag on long enough to both divert attention from Epstein (at least for a while) and toss the midterms into turmoil. Like everyone has predicted all along.(And wait, oh yes, it’s now been another 10 minutes, and it seems there was no confirmation of the Pentagon having feared a preemptive strike. Never mind.)On Sunday, the Save America Movement pointed out the following: “There has never been a military action in which the men leading it (overseen by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) have had less moral stature and integrity than this lot. “Together, they are the unfittest of the unfit. A Camelot of buffoons, warmongers, and liars. They are a team of losers and felons, pedophile protecters, fascists, weirdos, religious nutters, and weapons-grade hypocrites who are playing a deadly game with young Americans’ lives.”Add to this the fear that Iran is now highly motivated to lash out on our turf, leaving us concerned about terror attacks on land, sea, or air. On that score, the worst news is that a massive swath of our domestic security personnel is now more concerned with busting day laborers in Home Depot parking lots than defending the homeland. Priorities, people.I’d like to close with yet another possible incentive for when and why this war with Iran was launched: money.It surfaced on Monday that the gambling website Polymarket found $529 million traded on bets predicting the day when the U.S. and Israel would attack Iran. It turned out Feb. 28 was correct. Six newly created accounts made more than $1 million on that prediction. Note: Donald Trump Jr. sits on the Polymarket advisory board.Additionally, it’s instructive to note that the countries clamoring for government overthrow in Iran are the same ones that have enriched members of the extended Trump family, via direct gifts and shady deals.When the man running the country openly operates a criminal enterprise out of the White House, it’s hardly out of the realm of possibility that he might launch a war to enrich himself and those around him. In fact, it would be completely on brand.Ray Richmond is a longtime journalist/author and an adjunct professor at Chapman University in Orange, CA.