Top World News

Mar 25, 2026 - World

Growing numbers of young voters are signing up to the Māori electoral roll as debate flares over the need for dedicated seats ahead of November’s electionMore young people have signed up to vote in Māori electorates, new figures from the electoral commission show, as New Zealand prepares for an election this year.The rise comes after years of tense relations between Indigenous New Zealanders and the centre-right coalition government. The latest figures show 58% of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds have registered for the Māori roll, up from 50% in 2023. Continue reading...

Mar 25, 2026 - World

Academics and human rights experts were aghast on Tuesday as President Donald Trump condemned an advocate to what amounts to a "civil death." Francesca Albanese, who worked as a special rapporteur for the United Nations in Palestine, has faced significant public pressure from the Trump administration since she recommended that the International Criminal Court issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's defense minister Yoav Gallant, and three leaders of Hamas for committing war crimes during the war in Gaza, five experts wrote in a new op-ed for The Guardian. The Trump administration has imposed sweeping sanctions against Albanese for her recommendation, the experts noted. For instance, she can't open a bank account or draw a salary from the university where she teaches. "As the U.S. Supreme Court recognized 60 years ago, the threat of sanctions can deter speech as effectively as the sanctions themselves – and this violates both the U.S. Constitution and international human rights law," they wrote in the op-ed. "Trump’s retribution against Albanese should concern far more than those focused on Israel’s human rights record," they added. "It should trouble anyone who believes in free speech. Today, the target is a UN expert. Tomorrow it could be journalists, scholars, peaceful protesters – or any citizen who challenges those in power. When a government claims the authority to police ideas, everyone’s liberty is on the line."

Mar 24, 2026 - World

Political analysts and observers were astounded by a new report on Tuesday that included leaked details about a potential peace deal for the war in Iran. Phil Stewart, chief national security correspondent at Reuters, posted a few details leaked to Israel's Channel 12 on X. The 15-point plan includes stipulations that Iran agree not to enrich uranium, close three nuclear facilities, stop funding regional proxies, and agree to a "free trade zone" in the Strait of Hormuz. The details were released at a time when the Trump administration is facing significant scrutiny for its shifting story about why the war was started and the fallout from rising energy prices due to the Iranian regime effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Political analysts and observers shared their reactions on social media. "With what leverage, sir?" military veteran John Jackson posted on X. "Iran promised Obama the same thing," Pradheep Shanker, National Review contributor, posted on X. "I have no idea why anyone thinks that #Iran will agree to this. Feels like the White House is negotiating with itself," Nadav Pollak, lecturer on the Middle East at Reichman University, posted on X. "Big question will be, how many of these 15 points are recycled from Trump 1.0’s 12-points on Iran. And if so, what are the 3 new ones, as well as how much have these points been adjusted to account for the new regional/domestic reality," Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran program senior director for FDD, a nonpartisan think tank, posted on X.

Mar 24, 2026 - World

A 15-point document containing terms of a potential peace deal for the war in Iran was leaked to Israel's Channel 12 on Tuesday, according to a report. Phil Stewart, chief national security correspondent at Reuters, posted four of the deal terms on X. They include Iran agreeing not to enrich any uranium in the country, agreeing to decommission the Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow nuclear plants, stopping funding of proxies in the region like Hezbollah, and agreeing to a "free maritime zone" in the Strait of Hormuz. The terms were released at a time when President Donald Trump was facing significant scrutiny for the administration's decision to start the war by coordinating a bombing campaign with Israel in late February. Global oil markets have also been rocked by the war. Over the last month, the price of a barrel of crude oil has increased by nearly 30%, reaching $88.70 at the end of trading on Tuesday. While that price is the lowest since March 11, some economists are increasingly concerned that the war could tip the U.S. economy into a recession.

Mar 24, 2026 - World

Iranian officials have apparently refused to continue talks with President Donald Trump's two closest allies behind key negotiations in the Middle East, according to reports on Tuesday. Negotiations involving Iran, Pakistan and the United States were expected to take place in Islamabad as early as this week or next; however, Trump's picks to discuss the ongoing military conflict were reportedly not wanted at the table, The Guardian reported.Instead, another top Trump administration official was under consideration to join the talks: Vice President JD Vance. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suggested his country would be willing to help "facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks" and end the conflict. "Pakistani sources said the US vice-president, JD Vance, was being put forward as a probable chief negotiator from the US side if talks went ahead," according to The Guardian. "Iranian sources have said they would refuse to sit down with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, or Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who led the nuclear negotiations with Iran before the war."Kushner and Witkoff were involved in talks with Iran prior to the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that launched on Feb. 28. Since the war started, Iranian officials have reportedly decided they do not want to engage with the two men. Iran has suggested that the two knowingly misled Iranian officials during prior negotiations and were planning the attack all along, despite the closed-door conversations. "With the previous negotiating team, there’s no chance," one diplomatic source told The Guardian. "The Iranian side regards the request for negotiations as another round of deception for the US-Israeli regime to find out a loophole to aggravate the strikes again."