By Michael Every of Rabobank

The Kobayashi Maru Scenario

Yesterday’s Global Daily by Ben Picton, ‘The Wrath of Kharg’, couldn’t help but get me thinking about the infamous Kobayashi Maru scenario in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. For those unfamiliar, back when Star Trek was a popular franchise based on serious ideas, not an unpopular one based on frivolous ones, Starfleet Academy tested its budding starship captains by making them try to rescue the simulated crew of a disabled freighter stranded in dangerous territory. Abandoning them was a failure; yet every attempt to retrieve them would be met by an ever-increasing number of attackers. Crucially, this no-win scenario was a key test of officer candidates’ characters, not their tactics or strategy.

The question today is if President Trump is himself caught in a Kobayashi Maru scenario given:

• If he retreats from Iran, it’s a geopolitical defeat the equivalent of the 1956 Suez Crisis; and he may not even be able to retreat if Iran refuses to stop the war regionally.

• If he continues to attack, energy markets will panic further. The Israeli press says the country is preparing to fight for another month vs Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, not the three weeks alluded to yesterday; and Iran is now targeting upstream oil and gas fields (such as Shah in the UAE), not just refineries and export terminals, threatening energy supply, not flow.

Yet in Star Trek II we hear that Captain Kirk, in his youth, found a novel solution to the no-win outcome: he reprogrammed the computer, so victory was possible, winning a commendation for original thinking. “I don’t like to lose,” he tells a logical Vulcan who had already failed the test. Indeed, even as the media are calling this war Operation ‘Epic Folly’ –and recalling that oil prices vs physical supply, and bunker fuel, jet fuel, and diesel are worse– the futures market continues to price for cheaper energy within a few months. Even with backwardation showing the current physical squeeze, which seems to suggest an inherent view there will be no long-run disruption to the region’s energy flows: and US assets are not tanking more than others on the suggestion this is due to a looming 1956 defeat. Or is that just the normal science fiction of mean-reverting “because markets” thinking? Let’s be clear: it’s very easy to see how things can get far worse. However, there are arguably ways things can also improve as a result.

On one hand, Treasury Secretary Bessent says the US is fine with some Iranian, Chinese, and Indian vessels having successfully made it through Hormuz. Why wouldn’t they be? If Iran starts letting everyone but the US and Israel through —neither of whom use it— then the blockade is effectively over. Yet that argues for Iran not to do so to any great extent.

If true that means blockade is effectively over https://t.co/wHQy1ksNWp pic.twitter.com/spl1c7fVTf

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 14, 2026

On the other, the underlying logic is that Trump also needs to reprogram the no-win scenario via further escalation of his own. As an example, Trump has announced his long-awaited looming trip to Beijing is unlikely to happen because of the war: he wants a delay of a month or so. In short, only if the war ends without a US retreat can Trump and Xi discuss the US-China relationship. The messaging is crystal clear. So is that China can get energy from the Western hemisphere to replace Iran and the GCC if needed. So is the US ability to then put a foot on the hosepipe in certain geopolitical circumstances – as it is now doing with Iran at far greater distance, risk, and cost. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t part of a future deal.

For those who can’t join those dots, note that after Trump blocked most oil exports to it after flipping Venezuela by force, the communist Cuban government has just embraced perestroika, allowing Cuban American exiles to return to the island and open private-sector businesses. That’s yet another Russian-Chinese-Iranian ally that seems in the process of being flipped into the US camp. The world is changing radically and rapidly – and it’s not something one just gets to sit out in splendid isolation.

Indeed, while NATO allies and Japan and South Kore (so far) won’t send ships to help reopen Hormuz despite Trump threats to NATO and even key Asian security alliances, the “It’s not our war” crowd must note that the longer this drags on, the more painful it risks getting for them. Moreover, they may also come to see that an angrier nuclear Iran with ballistic missiles, which can happen if the regime survives, would have huge implications for everyone. Japan’s PM Takaichi is reportedly ‘weighing her options’ and could agree to join a Hormuz coalition for freedom of navigation in principle, according to the Japan Times.

By contrast, the EU is saying “Don’t “blackmail” us’: but it arguably is being – in which case, who has the greater leverage and risks the larger fallout? Notably, Europe is also arguing ‘Not one molecule!’ and has ruled out relaxing a Russian gas ban, which logically only leaves the US as an LNG supplier. Via a transitive geopolitical process, that also places Europe on the same side as the US vs Iran, a key supporter of Russia vs Ukraine… and then vs China(?) Meanwhile, with India pushing to now deepen new EU ties even further, does that tie the EU to the US via that South Asian route too, or to pro-Russia India?

The first of the major central banks to have to try to grapple with this today was the RBA. They opted to raise rates 25bps to 4.10%, as expected. They also noted that sustained higher energy prices will add to inflation and that risks on that front have tilted further to the upside: indeed, Aussie inflation is seen staying above target for “some time” even as there are “material uncertainties” about the economic outlook. The Reserve Bank also added it “will do what’s necessary to deliver its price and jobs goals” – but, in the worst case, what if they run in opposite directions ahead? The Aussie 10-year yield, which managed to break through the psychological 5% level yesterday, is now back at around 4.92%. AUD softened slightly on the decision.

What will the other central banks say and do this week? And what will they say and do next month if this really is a Kobayashi Maru scenario for them rather than one they can simply reprogram with a new liquidity acronym? 

Authored by Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com,

The federal Iraqi government is in contact with Iran to persuade Tehran to allow some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq’s Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said on Tuesday. 

“There is communication with Iran regarding allowing the passage of some Iraqi oil tankers,” the minister said in statements carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA). 

Iraq, unlike Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), doesn’t have any options – even partial – to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed for over two weeks now, forcing Baghdad to slash oil production as storage sites and tankers available in the Gulf filled up.

Iraq was the first to announce more than a week ago it was slashing crude oil production amid the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. 

Last week Iraq said it would maintain crude oil production at roughly 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) as the war disrupting the Persian Gulf continues to cripple the country’s export routes.

Before the war, Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest producer behind Saudi Arabia, produced more than 4.4 million bpd. 

But with no way out of the Gulf for all these barrels, Iraq and the other major producers are forced to slash upstream production.

Initial losses of about 5 million bpd have already hit about 10 million bpd, according to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in its monthly report published last week. 

For Iraq, the situation is more critical than the other Gulf producers—its dependence on oil revenue is the highest in the region, and unlike Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, Baghdad doesn’t have a huge sovereign wealth fund to lean on.  

So Iraq is also scrambling to restore a northern oil export route that would send crude from the Kirkuk fields directly to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, as the southern export route via the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed for weeks.  

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won warned that the global high-bandwidth memory crunch, driven by AI data center buildouts, will last until the end of the decade.

Chey told reporters on the sidelines of Nvidia’s annual developer conference, ‘GTC 2026,’ at the San Jose Convention Center in California on Monday that the memory chip shortage could last another four to five years, with supply unlikely to catch up to demand until 2030.

He explained, “The supply shortage problem stems from a wafer shortage, and it takes at least four to five years to secure more wafers,” adding, “We expect the supply shortage (across the industry) to persist at over 20% until 2030.”

“I will do my best to stabilize prices,” he noted. “I understand that our CEO (Kwak No-jung) will soon announce a new plan to stabilize DRAM prices.”

Chey was asked by a reporter about plans to move manufacturing plants or production capacity to the US under President Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ industrial base buildout. He responded that, at the moment, intentions are mostly focused on facilities in South Korea.

He explained, “It is the same wherever we go, and even if we establish production capabilities outside of Korea, it takes the same amount of time. Since Korea already has an established foundation, we can respond much more quickly, which is why we are focusing on Korea.”

Chey’s timeline for how long the memory crunch will linger is set to cause a “tsunami-like shock” across the global smartphone industry, according to a recent report from the market research firm International Data Corporation. The shock is expected to spread to every consumer electronics company that heavily relies on memory, first squeezing margins and then forcing companies to raise prices for consumers.

Bloomberg Markets Live reporter Michael Ball warned the other week that the memory crunch is becoming yet another bottleneck for AI data center buildouts.

Last week, Goldman analyst Katherine Murphy told clients that a “structural supply crunch in the memory market” will “put constraints on the availability of PCs and drive vendors to raise prices in order to protect thin margins.”

Murphy forecast that shipments in 2026 will slide by about 12% year over year to 245 million units, with consumer PCs declining 15% year over year to 108 million units and commercial PCs down 9% year over year to 137 million units.

“As of March 2026, we expect PC unit shipments at DELL and HPQ will be down high single digits to low double digits year over year in C2026, with AAPL PC units up modestly year over year on new product launches, including the entry-level MacBook Neo,” the analyst noted.

Murphy said the soaring DRAM and NAND component costs, which typically account for 20% of a PC build’s total cost, will account for about 40% under the current pricing regime.

Professional subscribers can read much more about the memory crunch on our new Marketdesk.ai portal.

Authored by Steve Watson via modernity.news,

Rachel Rooney, once a celebrated children’s poet, has been forced to abandon her career after trans activists launched a vicious assault on her for simply stating biological truths. In a revealing new interview, she details the bullying that ended her time in publishing, all because she refused to bow to radical gender ideology pushed on kids.

The backlash highlights yet another example of the alphabet mob silencing anyone who deviates from their dogma, prioritizing activist agendas over free speech and child safeguarding in the UK.

“This is the book that ended my career,” Rooney told The Telegraph, referring to her 2018 title My Body is Me!, which encourages children to accept their natural bodies. The book was designed to counteract the “explosion” of books promoting radical gender ideology.

✍️ ‘Author @RooneyRachel made the mistake of speaking up for women and children’s rights in an industry dominated by rigid gender ideology’

Read the full story below 🖇️https://t.co/6OrvxjaGza pic.twitter.com/yVgNXV0FX9

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 16, 2026

Trans activists didn’t see it that way. They branded My Body is Me! as ‘terrorist propaganda’ and ‘transphobic,’ sparking a harassment campaign that included death threats, online abuse, and professional blacklisting. Rooney endured relentless vilification, leading her to announce she was “withdrawing from public life” as a writer.

“I’ve given up writing children’s books after being vilified by trans activists,” Rooney stated in the interview, describing the “traumatic cancellation” that followed her daring to speak up for children and women’s rights.

You can’t tell a child their body is wonderful while also encouraging them to believe they are the opposite sex.
It’s not rocket science.
I have a signed copy of My Body is Me! to give away – just put a ❤️ below ⬇️ & I’ll contact the winner by DM.
*UK ONLY* pic.twitter.com/iayawMBZkv

— Rachel Rooney (@RooneyRachel) February 9, 2024

The report notes that her publisher distanced itself, events were canceled, and the Society of Authors—supposed to defend writers—faced criticism for failing to support members against such cancel culture. Rooney’s experience echoes broader attacks on authors like J.K. Rowling, where expressing that sex is binary invites mob fury.

This is the book that led to @RooneyRachel losing her career in children’s publishing: a joyful, inclusive book encouraging children to feel at home in their bodies.

You can buy it here:
3/https://t.co/2HIv9ygg86 pic.twitter.com/cI46FipWD9

— TransgenderTrend (@Transgendertrd) September 5, 2024

Rooney told The Telegraph, “It is an inclusive and life-affirming book. I knew I’d probably get a little bit of stick for it, but I had no idea of what I would actually get. No idea.”

Children’s author hounded by other children’s authors because she’s against the unnecessary medicalisation of kids.

This is her charming book for 3-y year olds “My Body Is Me” https://t.co/JLNFJz8Oaj pic.twitter.com/VpDgCNaGYV

— 💚🤍💜Hoardosaurus 💚🤍💜 (@coccinellanovem) January 14, 2026

Rooney adds, “I expected the activists to attack me, but I didn’t expect it from the people I worked with. I noticed when publishers and other people in the industry who used to follow me [on social media] suddenly blocked me. It only takes one person in an organisation. I received an email from my publisher by mistake to another member of staff, apologising that my views had upset them. The activists were being pandered to because they caused trouble.”

Here is the full text of My Body is Me!
All 284 (some repeating) words of it.
Let me know if you have any issues with the message. pic.twitter.com/HTYQlgidj8

— Rachel Rooney (@RooneyRachel) November 21, 2021

A huge thanks to Jessica Ahlberg for her input, illustrations & bravery putting her name to the book #MyBodyisMe. Her illustrations of children are so warm and they’re such familiar characters, you keep spotting new little details every time you look. https://t.co/xY3QlGs55F pic.twitter.com/MGrNpRKjs8

— TransgenderTrend (@Transgendertrd) December 11, 2020

There has been a broader surge in ‘children’s books’ that tie into this indoctrination trend. Parents have called it “psychological warfare” on kids, while LGB Alliance CEO Kate Barker has labeled it “grooming in plain sight” and an “egregious safeguarding failure.”

One parent shocked by the display highlighted in the report above regarding the museum display said, “Kids should not tolerate grown men in the nude around them,” noting how such books normalize inappropriate themes under the rainbow flag. Shadow equalities secretary Claire Coutinho added, “It is madness that the children’s section… allows them to read about what it means to be ‘polyamorous’ or ‘pansexual’.”

The indoctrination also extended to children’s television programming. In excess of 650 families have charged that the BBC is providing a “constant drip-feed” of biased content promoting trans lifestyles in shows like Hey Duggee, which features “they/them” pronouns. A Bayswater Support Group spokesman warned, “The constant stream of propaganda about gender and trans activism the BBC has transmitted has played a significant role in creating a dangerous culture for children.”

The letter to Ofcom accused the broadcaster of leading “non-conforming children… to believe simplistic identity labels and extreme medical interventions can resolve complex feelings,” resulting in “a generation of teens and young adults who have come to severe harm.” The BBC’s defense? They’ve “updated the news style guide,” but parents see it as too little, too late.

Netflix children’s programming has also come under scrutiny for the same reasons.

.@Netflix is shamelessly distorting what it means to be gay.

Here is Barney Guttman, of Netfix’s animated series for children, ‘Dead End’.

Apparently Barney is a “trans boy” (we all know that really means female) who has a boyfriend, Logan.https://t.co/8bS3WZeKKH pic.twitter.com/O7QNGEC2Jx

— gender is harmful (@genderisharmful) January 25, 2026

OMG. Dead End Paranormal Park, a show on Netflix, is pushing pro-transgender on CHILDREN.

This show is advertised for 7-YEAR-OLDS

It’s being promoted on @netflix kids now.

Parents- BEWARE pic.twitter.com/gh5UZftKns

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 29, 2025

Netflix’s new children’s cartoon ‘Nimona’ features pro-trans messaging and follows the journey of an LGBTQI+ character who has been dubbed a ‘sadistic little shapeshifter’ by Rolling Stone magazine.

The shapeshifting character is a reference to being trans or non-binary… pic.twitter.com/XsR3dSFF9S

— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) August 17, 2023

https://t.co/m5qVf3JB48
Netflix Stocks Take Biggest Weekly Drop Since April as Trans Content Aimed at Children Drive Users Away

— woundsrus (@woundsrus19) October 6, 2025

WTF. This is a scene from a movie on @Netflix called “Strawberry Shortcake and the Beast of Berry Bog”

It promotes boys crossdressing as girls to “express” themselves.

This show is recommended for CHILDREN of ALL AGES.

CANCEL NETFLIX pic.twitter.com/4i0gssvBSQ

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 1, 2025

Watch @HawleyMO GRILL Netflix CEO over the massive amount of children’s content pushing gender ideology on their platform.

According to a recent study by @CWforA, over 41% of children’s shows on Netflix contain LGBTQ content.pic.twitter.com/J3CQSXlG2q

— Gays Against Groomers (@againstgrmrs) February 4, 2026

As we previously highlighted, the UK government now allows primary school children to socially transition with pronoun changes, despite warnings from experts like Helen Joyce that schools have been “indoctrinating children” with trans ideology for years. Joyce emphasized, “no child can change sex,” and called for de-radicalizing teachers influenced by groups like Stonewall.

Lobbyists continually push for gender-neutral bathrooms and non-disclosure to parents, undermining family rights. “Social transitioning in primary schools should happen very rarely,” the guidance claims, yet it still permits kids as young as four to “change their gender and adopt different pronouns.” Critics like Maya Forstater blasted it as “a dangerous fairytale.”

All of this is ongoing despite the UK Supreme Court’s 2025 decision that legal sex is based on birth biology.

Rachel Rooney’s ordeal underscores the chilling effect of this ideology on creative freedom. Trans activists’ tactics—smearing dissenters as bigots—stifle debate and harm the very children they claim to protect.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

More than one in three adults is obese in most U.S. states, according to the latest CDC data. In several Southern states, the rate now exceeds 40%.

This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Bruno Venditti, shows the percentage of adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

The Highest Obesity Rates Are Concentrated in the South

West Virginia tops the list, with 41.4% of adults classified as obese. Mississippi follow at 40.4%, while Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee each report rates of roughly 39%.

*Note: Data for Tennessee is from 2022.

Much of the Southeast and parts of Appalachia cluster near the top of the rankings. These regions have historically faced higher poverty rates, limited healthcare access, and lower levels of physical activity. Diet patterns and food accessibility also play a role, particularly in rural communities.

The West and Northeast Report Lower Rates

Colorado stands out with the lowest adult obesity rate at 25%, followed by the District of Columbia at 25.5%. Hawaii and Massachusetts both come in at 27%, while New Jersey posts 27.7%.

Western states tend to report lower rates overall, with many in the low 30% range. Higher levels of outdoor recreation, urban density, and public health initiatives may contribute to these comparatively lower figures.

Nearly Every State Is Above 30%

A striking pattern emerges from the data: obesity is widespread across the country. Aside from a handful of states and jurisdictions, most report rates of 30% or higher.

Midwestern states such as Ohio (36.9%), Wisconsin (37.4%), and Indiana (38.4%) also report elevated rates.

Rising obesity rates are closely tied to increased healthcare costs and higher risks of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

To learn more about healthcare, check out this graphic on America’s most common drugs.

New data from Anthropic reveals where its Claude AI chatbot is gaining the most traction worldwide.

While Israel tops the overall ranking, the United States leads among countries with at least 10,000 Claude conversations, scoring 3.69x on the index.

This visualization, via Visual Capitalist’s Tasmin Lockwood, maps which countries use it the most relative to their working-age population, according to the Anthropic AI Usage Index.

Where Claude Usage Is Highest by Country

Dive into the data below, which was collected across 116 countries in the week of Nov 13-20, 2025.

Each score represents usage relative to what would be expected based on a country’s working-age population.

Israel topped the Anthropic AI Usage Index at 4.9x, putting it well ahead of other countries. Israel has been labeled the “Start-up Nation” since a book of the same name charted its rapid growth and technological innovation.

Singapore has the second-highest uptake at 4.19x. The small city-state also performed well on last year’s Global Innovation Index, which ranks countries on research and entrepreneurship.

Because the index measures usage relative to workforce size, smaller tech-driven economies can rank highly even if their overall user base is smaller.

However, among countries with at least 10,000 conversations, the United States leads at 3.69x. It also dominates in share of actual usage, though raw usage numbers don’t necessarily equate to broad penetration, given that countries with larger populations would naturally rank higher.

Brazil ranks among the largest users of Claude in raw terms, but its score drops to 0.7x when adjusted for workforce size, showing how population size can inflate raw usage totals.

Asia fares well overall, as South Korea ranks among the top adopters per capita at 3.12x. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand occupy other top spots at 3.27x, 3.15x, and 3.11x respectively.

Most of the highest-ranking countries are in North America, Europe, Oceania, and parts of East Asia.

Malta and Georgia also made the top 20, with scores of 2.8x and 2.17x. Malta consistently punches above its weight as a European startup hub, despite being a tiny island in the Mediterranean, while efforts are underway to institutionalize AI use in Georgia.

At the bottom of the index were Tanzania and Angola, at 0.03x and 0.05x respectively.

Some smaller countries were not included due to an insufficient number of conversations over the observation period.

Uses For AI Vary

Claude usage also varies depending on economic conditions. In lower-income countries, the chatbot is commonly used for homework help and programming tasks, while wealthier countries show a broader mix of professional uses.

The dynamic could also reflect the ages of those using chatbots in different countries. In lower-income areas, there may be higher uptake among students.

To learn more about how AI, check out this graphic which charts the rise of AI chatbots.

Spain has quietly pulled its special forces out of Iraq after deteriorating security conditions made it impossible to continue operations safely, the Spanish Ministry of Defense confirmed Sunday. Spain currently has about 300 troops deployed in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition against ISIS.

The Special Operations Task Group had been training Iraqi counter-terrorism units in Baghdad and at bases in Kurdish-controlled areas in the north. Madrid said its Special Operations Task Group was relocated to undisclosed secure locations after the situation on the ground made training missions with Iraqi forces completely untenable.

It’s unknown where the commandos were moved to, but Turkey may be the safest regional country at this point, given that even American bases in Jordan have been hit by Iranian ballistic missiles and/or drone strikes.

American sites in Iraq are under attack from Iraq and local pro-Tehran militia groups, which has included the US Embassy in Baghdad being struck by a drone over the weekend, causing a broad withdrawal of Western coalition forces.

Spain’s withdrawal follows a deadly drone strike Thursday on a French military base near Erbil that killed Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion and wounded several other French soldiers. An Iranian-made Shahed drone hit the Mala Qara facility dozens of miles southwest of Erbil.

French President Emmanuel Macron slammed the attack as “unacceptable” – stressing that French forces are deployed strictly for counter-terrorism missions against ISIS. “The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks,” Macron said.

Italy has also begun quietly pulling personnel from Iraq, after Prime Minister Meloni essentially said Trump’s Iran war is not Italy’s fight. Military.com reports Monday:

Italy has also begun pulling back some of its military personnel stationed in the region. The Italian defense ministry confirmed that troops stationed at a base in Erbil in Iraq’s Kurdistan region were being withdrawn as the security situation deteriorated.

The base had hosted more than 300 Italian troops before the current escalation. Roughly 100 of those personnel have already returned to Italy, while around 40 others have been relocated to Jordan as part of the repositioning effort.

The decision to accelerate the withdrawal came after a drone strike hit the base in Erbil, highlighting the growing risks faced by foreign forces operating in the region as the war spreads. No Italian personnel were injured in that attack. Italian officials said the move was primarily intended to protect personnel as the regional security environment deteriorates.

Italian troops are expected to at least keep a light footprint in the region broadly, given that “Meloni has also stressed that tens of thousands of Italian citizens live across the Middle East and Gulf region, while roughly 2,000 Italian troops remain deployed across various missions in the area.” She has explained protecting those citizens and personnel remains a top priority, but also that Italy can’t be a party to the war.

Via Remix News,

The co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, is actively voicing his disapproval of the American and Israeli war against Iran.

He has gone so far as to warn that the war could lead to a third world war and indicates that Trump has broken his campaign promises by launching the war.

“I am extremely disappointed in Donald Trump when it comes to his campaign promises,” Chrupalla during an appearance on Markus Lanz, generally considered the most influential talk show host in Germany.

“During the election campaign, he also accused Kamala Harris, that she would start World War III. And now we are on the cusp of having probably started the Third World War with Donald Trump. And that’s a breach of his word, which I really resent and which the American people also resent, who incidentally reject this war in Iran at a much higher rate than Germans. So, 70 percent of Americans do not want this war and do not support it.”

Chrupalla also stated it was clear the United States was dragged into the war by Israel.

“And I think the Americans, as you can really see now if you look at all the events, were dragged into this war by Israel. There were serious negotiations where Oman, as a peacemaker, came to an agreement with Israel together with the USA, and they basically started bombing Iran on the same day. The Omani Foreign Minister has described this as a huge mistake. The entire Arab world has labeled it a mistake. The Norwegian Foreign Minister has described it as a mistake. It has also been labelled a mistake by Turkey. You can’t ignore all that. These are all countries in this region that are naturally extremely worried that this will escalate into a conflagration. And that’s what we’re seeing now. It’s a huge wildfire.”

The AfD co-leader also warned that thousands have already died in the conflict, but in the worst-case scenario, this could reach even into the millions. He further warned that another refugee crisis could ensue, not just from Iran, but also from Lebanon, where Chrupalla said that 700,000 people have already been displaced.

Chrupalla said the AfD party program remains against regime change in other countries, adding the end result is often worse, pointing to Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan — all of which have also fueled Europe’s migration crisis. He acknowledged there was internal division within his own party on the strike on Iran and on the topic of Israel, but said that the party can tolerate these divisions, as the AfD is a “pluralistic” party. Chrupalla indicated that if voters do not agree with his positions or the positions of others within the AfD, then they can be voted out or in.

Chrupalla noted that at the beginning of his presidency, he was convinced that Trump was ending wars. In fact, the AfD co-leader traveled to the United States specifically for Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 to show his support.

“Now, we are on the cusp of probably starting World War III with Donald Trump. These are broken words that I resent, that the American people also resent,” he said.

Now, he said that Trump has to “explain his line to the voters.”

Regarding the killing of Khamenei, Chrupalla stated: “So I think it’s difficult when you have a head of state, whether you like him or not. And Khamenei is certainly not a head of state who has done good things for his people. I want to make that very clear. Nevertheless, I think it is rare or unique for a head of state to be killed or eliminated in this way. And the question is: what is the purpose of this and what does it achieve?”

He further said that he does not “see any exit strategy in this whole war, which is against international law, no strategy at all as to what they actually want to achieve. Do you want to create a new regime? I just don’t see that. And the Americans and the Israelis themselves can’t say that. And sometimes they contradict each other.”

When asked about the war in Gaza, Chrupalla said, “If you look at the pictures from Gaza, then I don’t think my position was the wrong one either, namely that what happened there is also a war crime. I mean, in Gaza, in principle, if you go back to surgical warfare, I mean, there’s nothing more there. No stone is left standing on another. And once again, I also stand with the Israeli people. There is no discussion at all. But if you are a friend of Israel, and we are, you must also be allowed to criticize a government, the Netanyahu government. Otherwise, it’s not a friendship if you can’t back it.”

Read more here…

Via Middle East Eye

Israel is set to keep Al-Aqsa Mosque closed through the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr and beyond, Middle East Eye has learnt. Sources familiar with the occupied East Jerusalem mosque’s affairs said Israeli authorities informed the Islamic Waqf, the body responsible for administering the site, of the decision in recent days.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, deemed one of the holiest sites in Islam, was closed by Israeli authorities earlier this month, citing the “security situation” amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. The unprecedented closure, particularly during the month of Ramadan, has been condemned by Palestinians as the latest attempt by Israel to exploit security tensions to impose further restrictions and consolidate control over Al-Aqsa.

This has been the first Ramadan since Israel seized East Jerusalem in 1967 that Palestinians have been unable to perform Friday prayers at the mosque.

Last week, eight Muslim-majority countries condemned the “unjustified” closure, saying Israel has “no sovereignty” over the revered site and must lift the restrictions immediately.

However, the closure has continued unchecked. Friday prayers and Ramadan night prayers remain banned, and Palestinians have been barred from reaching the site, with a heavy presence of Israeli forces in the Old City.

Since the closure, no more than 25 Waqf staff members have been allowed inside the vast mosque complex per shift. A source told MEE that Israeli authorities even rejected a request for an additional staff member from the manuscripts department to enter the site.

Police reportedly told the Waqf that if any additional employee were allowed in, Israeli settlers would be permitted to resume their daily incursions into the mosque.

The source added that Waqf officials suspect Israeli forces have also installed cameras inside prayer halls within Al-Aqsa Mosque, including inside the Dome of the Rock, enabling constant surveillance of the site.

Old City shutdown

The closure of the mosque has been accompanied by a near-total lockdown of the Old City, where Al-Aqsa Mosque and dozens of normally vibrant Palestinian-run markets are located.

Only residents of the Old City have been allowed inside since the war with Iran began, leaving the area deserted. Meanwhile, life has continued largely uninterrupted just meters away outside the Old City’s ancient walls.

Sunday was the Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night in the Islamic calendar. Israel deployed hundreds of police to block routes to the mosque, forcing worshippers to pray on the streets under the threat of violence.

“Closing the Old City in this manner has never happened before,” said Dr Mustafa Abu Sway, a professor who teaches at Al-Aqsa Mosque and a member of the Islamic Waqf Council in Jerusalem. “There is an inconsistency when you compare what is happening inside the Old City with what is happening outside it, where people are moving freely, praying in mosques, and life in the city continues as normal.”

Abu Sway added that if the concern were people’s safety, worshippers could take shelter in the prayer halls beneath Al-Aqsa, which can accommodate thousands.

There’s actually another hot war in the Middle East which has been raging, quite apart from the Iran-US-Israel war. Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in a tense border conflict for weeks at this point. The Associated Press on Monday described the latest developments in the following:

Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Monday accused Pakistan’s military of targeting a Kabul hospital that treats drug addicts in airstrikes that killed four people and wounded several others.

The attack came hours after Afghan officials said the two sides exchanged fire along their common border, killing four people in Afghanistan, as the deadliest fighting between the neighbors in years entered a third week.

It was on Feb. 27 that Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared an “all-out war” on Afghanistan, and began bombing border regions as well as the capital of Kabul.

Pakistan’s army has total force domination; however, the Taliban can still inflict pain through acts of terrorism, which Pakistani cities have suffered immensely under.

Acts of terror by Islamist groups have become almost a regular occurrence in Pakistan – with many suspected of having support through Afghanistan, which is precisely what Islamabad has cited as a key rationale for the war.

But now, China is seeking to directly coordinate de-escalation, reportedly attempting to broker a ceasefire between the two neighbors.

Beijing confirmed Monday that Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held phone calls with both Pakistani and Afghan counterparts in recent days as the situation continues to deteriorate.

“The MFA Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs has been shuttling between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in a statement on X. “China’s embassies have been in close communication with both sides as well.”

“China hopes Afghanistan and Pakistan will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage face to face ASAP, achieve a ceasefire at the earliest opportunity, and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue,” Jian said.

China over the last several years has been making deeper diplomatic inroads in the Middle East and central Asia, while playing its hand at “peacemaker” – and trying to contrast itself from Washington’s history of regime change wars in the same region.