2) God shall not be mocked https:\/\/t.co\/GViHqWeDEr<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Megan Basham, a writer at the conservative publication Daily Wire, called the post \u201cOUTRAGEOUS blasphemy\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this,\u201d she wrote on X. <\/p>\n She demanded Trump \u201ctake this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and then from God\u201d.<\/p>\n In a separate post<\/a>, Basham said she had \u201cno problem\u201d with Trump saying Pope Leo XIV was \u201cweak\u201d on crime and \u201cterrible for foreign policy\u201d, adding: \u201cIt\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy. But he needs to take this down immediately and ask for forgiveness from the American people and\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/scsXaj6Rey<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Megan Basham (@megbasham) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u00d3rla Ryan – 24 minutes ago<\/p>\n US blockade of Iranian ports begins<\/p>\n Donald Trump\u2019s blockade of Iranian ports has begun, deepening the global economic impact from the Middle East crisis.<\/p>\n The \u200cUnited Kingdom Maritime \u200cTrade Operations (UKMTO) agency said \u200bit has been informed that effective \u200bfrom 3pm (Irish time), maritime access \u200crestrictions \u200care \u200bbeing enforced affecting Iranian \u2060ports \u200band coastal \u200bareas, including \u200clocations along the Gulf, \u200bGulf of Oman, \u2060and \u2060Strait \u200bof Hormuz.<\/p>\n \u201cAccess restrictions apply without distinction to vessels of any flag \u200cengaging with \u2060Iranian ports, oil terminals, \u200cor coastal facilities,\u201d it added. – Reuters<\/p>\n \u00d3rla Ryan – 27 minutes ago<\/p>\n Pakistan PM says \u2018full effort\u2019 still on to resolve US-Iran conflict<\/p>\n Full \u200cefforts are still being \u200bmade to resolve the \u200bconflict between \u2060the US \u200cand \u200cIran, Pakistani \u200bPrime Minister \u2060Shehbaz \u200bSharif said \u200bon \u200cMonday, a \u200bday after talks \u2060between \u2060the \u200btwo sides, held in Islamabad, ended without \u200cagreement. – Reuters <\/p>\n \u00d3rla Ryan – 38 minutes ago<\/p>\n Wall St\u2019s main indexes open lower<\/p>\n Wall \u200cStreet\u2019s main indexes opened lower \u200con Monday.<\/p>\n The Dow Jones \u200cIndustrial Average fell \u200b198.4 points, or 0.41 per cent, at \u2060the \u2060open \u200bto 47,718.21. The S&P 500 fell 10.4 points, or 0.15 per cent, to 6,806.47, while \u200cthe Nasdaq \u2060Composite dropped 53.7 points, or 0.23 per cent, to \u200c22,849.23. – Reuters <\/p>\n Red Cross \u2018gravely\u2019 concerned by attacks on medical workers in Lebanon The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said it is deeply concerned about attacks on medical workers in Lebanon after a Red Cross centre was struck by Israel on Monday, and the killing of a health worker on Sunday. <\/p>\n \u201cThe loss of those who dedicate their lives to saving others is gravely concerning, given the impact on the civilians who depend on their help,\u201d said Agnes Dhur, head of delegation of the ICRC in Lebanon. <\/p>\n \u201cSaving lives must never cost a life. Humanitarian and medical personnel must be protected. They must be allowed to reach and help the wounded and return unharmed.\u201d <\/p>\n The ICRC called on all parties to the fighting to \u201cuphold their obligations under international humanitarian law\u201d. <\/p>\n Red Cross paramedic Hassan Badawi was killed in an Israeli strike on Sunday. His funeral has taken place, and his family and colleagues are in mourning. – The Guardian<\/p>\n Wall St set for subdued open as failed peace talks fuel investor angst<\/p>\n Wall Street\u2019s main indexes were set to open lower on Monday after weekend talks between the US and Iran failed \u200cto deliver a deal to end the war, threatening a nascent recovery in equities and risking a renewed bout of volatility.<\/p>\n The declines indicate that any relief from the ceasefire reached \u200blast week could be fleeting, underscoring the risks of leaning too heavily into bullish bets when the geopolitical environment remains uncertain.<\/p>\n The main US stock indexes had logged their second consecutive week of gains on Friday on hopes that the peace talks in Pakistan would bear fruit.<\/p>\n On Monday, however, Dow E-minis fell 509 points, or 1.06 per cent, S&P 500 E-minis dropped 43.25 points, or 0.63 per cent, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis slipped 157.5 points, or 0.62 per cent.<\/p>\n Adding to the unease, the US military will soon begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, in a move aimed \u200cat \u200cramping \u200bup pressure on Tehran.<\/p>\n The CBOE Market Volatility Index, the market\u2019s fear gauge, climbed to 21.29 points. – Reuters <\/p>\n Indian tankers that have transited through the Strait \u200cof Hormuz did not pay tolls to Iran, Tehran\u2019s \u200bambassador to New Delhi said on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can ask \u2060the Indian government if we have \u200ccharged anything \u200cup \u200bto now,\u201d Ambassador Mohammad Fathali told reporters at a briefing at \u2060Iran\u2019s \u200bembassy.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this difficult time, \u200bwe have good relations. We believe Iran \u200cand India share common \u200binterests and a common fate,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n India \u2060has repeatedly denied \u2060paying \u200bany toll to secure the exit of nine ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through the strategic waterway since Iran effectively barred transit following the outbreak of the Iran war.<\/p>\n India \u200csays 15 \u2060India-flagged vessels remain stuck in the Persian Gulf. About half of India\u2019s crude \u200coil and LPG supplies pass through the Strait of \u200bHormuz. – Reuters <\/p>\n Israel presses assault on Lebanon border town ahead of US-hosted talks Israeli troops launched an attack to seize a key south Lebanon town from Hizbullah \u200cfighters holed up inside on Monday, pressing the war on the Iran-backed group on the eve of historic talks between Israeli and Lebanese government envoys.<\/p>\n With the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States set \u200bto meet on Tuesday in Washington, Lebanon\u2019s foreign minister said Beirut would use face-to-face negotiations to press for a ceasefire in the war that has complicated wider diplomacy to halt the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n But the outlook for the meeting — a rare, face-to-face encounter between countries formally in a state of war — has been overshadowed, with Israel saying it won\u2019t discuss a ceasefire while Hizbullah has objected to \u200bnegotiations with Israel, reflecting sharply worsening political tensions in Lebanon.<\/p>\n On the ground in south Lebanon, the Israeli military completed its encirclement of the town of Bint Jbeil just over the border and had begun a ground \u2060assault there, an Israeli military spokesperson and Lebanese security sources said.<\/p>\n The Lebanese sources said Hizbullah fighters holed up inside were ready to fight to the \u200cdeath, \u200cciting \u200bthe strategic and symbolic significance of Bint Jbeil, a Hizbullah stronghold, provincial capital, and gateway to surrounding villages. – Reuters<\/p>\n US military to enforce blockade in Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, note to seafarers says<\/p>\n The US military will enforce a blockade \u200cin the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea east \u200bof the Strait of Hormuz and it will apply to all vessel traffic regardless of flag, the US \u200bCentral Command said in a note to seafarers seen \u2060by Reuters on Monday.<\/p>\n The note said the \u200cblockade \u200cwould \u200bcome into effect at 3pm (Irish time) on Monday (5.30pm local time).<\/p>\n \u201cAny vessel entering or \u2060departing the \u200bblockaded area without authorization is \u200bsubject to interception, diversion, and capture,\u201d the note \u200csaid.<\/p>\n \u201cThe blockade will not \u200bimpede neutral transit passage through the Strait of \u2060Hormuz to or \u2060from \u200bnon-Iranian destinations.\u201d<\/p>\n The blockade \u201cencompasses the entirety of the Iranian coastline to include but not limited to ports and oil terminals\u201d, the note said, adding that humanitarian shipments including food, medical supplies, and other essential goods would \u200cbe permitted, subject \u2060to inspection.<\/p>\n Tehran has threatened to retaliate against ports of its Gulf neighbours, after \u200cweekend talks failed to reach a deal to \u200bend the war, leaving a ceasefire \u200bin jeopardy. – Reuters <\/p>\n Israel supports Trump\u2019s naval blockade of Iran <\/p>\n Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel\u2019s prime minister, said on Monday that Israel supports Donald Trump\u2019s decision to impose a naval blockade on Iran.<\/p>\n Tel Aviv is coordinating with Washington on the situation, AFP reports. <\/p>\n \u201cIran violated the rules (of the peace talks in Pakistan), President Trump decided to impose a naval blockade,\u201d Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting, according to a video statement released by his office. <\/p>\n \u201cWe, of course, support this firm position, and we are in constant coordination with the United States.\u201d <\/p>\n US Central Command said it would begin a blockade of all Iranian Gulf ports and coastal areas on Monday at 3pm (Irish time), effectively seizing control of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. – The Guardian<\/p>\n Von der Leyen worried Israeli strikes in Lebanon could \u2018derail\u2019 ceasefire<\/p>\n More from Jack Power on von der Leyen\u2019s press conference:<\/p>\n Pressure on the world\u2019s supply of oil and gas would continue, even if the \u201cfragile\u201d ceasefire between the US and Iran held up, von der Leyen said. <\/p>\n The German politician said she was worried continuing Israeli strikes in Lebanon could \u201cderail\u201d the entire process. <\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot have stability in the Middle East or the Gulf while Lebanon is in flames, so we call on all parties to respect the sovereignty of Lebanon and to implement a complete cessation of hostilities,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat we are seeing in the Middle East is not some distant crisis, but in a world in which everything is connected, the effects are direct and they are immediate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Von der Leyen says emergency relief should be \u2018targeted and temporary\u2019 European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said emergency relief provided by governments to help people or businesses cope with steep energy costs should be \u201ctargeted and temporary\u201d, Europe Correspondent Jack Power reports from Brussels. <\/p>\n The energy crunch has inflated Europe\u2019s bill for fossil fuel imports by an extra \u20ac22 billion since the start of the war in Iran. <\/p>\n The EU\u2019s executive arm is drawing up a package of energy reforms, part of which will involve giving extra flexibility to governments. The proposals will be published next Wednesday, a day before EU leaders meet in Cyprus for a summit now likely to be dominated by the energy crisis and Iran war. <\/p>\n The European Commission plans to relax state-aid restrictions to give governments \u201cmore space\u201d to intervene and financially subsidise the \u201cmost exposed\u201d sectors of the economy, von der Leyen told a press conference in Brussels.<\/p>\n The plan will also include a mechanism to try to avoid all EU states going to the market at the exact same time when buying gas, in effect competing against each other. Any release of strategic stocks of oil reserves will be coordinated at EU level, to maximise impact on the market. <\/p>\n Broad economic interventions should be kept to a minimum to avoid governments\u2019 debt levels ballooning, von der Leyen said. <\/p>\n State support schemes would need to be time limited. \u201cYou have to make sure that you get out of the measures in a timely manner,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n The Irish Government\u2019s additional reductions in taxes charged on petrol and diesel at the weekend went below minimum excise rates set for the EU countries. <\/p>\n Ireland is far from the only country looking for forgiveness rather than permission from Brussels, in its response to the energy crisis. The commission recently chastised Poland and Spain for slashing Vat charged on fuel, asking both governments to consider reductions in excise duties instead. <\/p>\n A significant energy package in Spain included a cut to Vat on fuel from 21 per cent to 10 per cent. Poland similarly more than halved Vat on fuel from 23 per cent to 8 per cent, and cut excise duty to the minimum allowed under EU law.<\/p>\n The conditions necessary to allow national capitals to temporarily break rules limiting government debt levels were \u201ccurrently not met,\u201d von der Leyen said on Monday. <\/p>\n Farage refuses to say if UK should support Trump\u2019s blockade<\/p>\n Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has refused to say if the UK should be supporting Donald Trump\u2019s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. When asked that question at a press conference on Monday, he sidestepped it.<\/p>\n Farage said he was pleased the UK was going to send minesweepers, but added: \u201cWe can\u2019t get involved \u2013 we haven\u2019t got a navy. Even if we wanted to help with the blockade, we do not have the means to do so.” – The Guardian<\/p>\n EU\u2019s bill for fossil fuels has increased by \u20ac22bn since start of war<\/p>\n Today we discussed the Middle East crisis and its impact on Europe.<\/p>\n The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is greatly damaging.<\/p>\n The restoration of freedom of navigation is of paramount importance \u2193 https:\/\/t.co\/wfZFwEjoJS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The EU\u2019s bill for fossil fuels has increased by \u20ac22 billion since the start of the Iran war, president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are paying a very high price for our global dependency on fossil fuels, and the grim reality \u200cfor our continent \u2060is fossil fuel energy will remain the most expensive option in the years to come,\u201d von der Leyen \u200csaid.<\/p>\n During an ongoing press conference, she said that measures to ease energy prices should be targeted to vulnerable groups, timely and temporary. <\/p>\n Von der \u200bLeyen also said coordination of member states\u2019 gas storage activities \u200cwas under \u2060consideration. – Reuters<\/p>\n Physical oil in Europe hits record high near $150 a barrel <\/p>\n European crude oil prices climbed to a record high near $150 (\u20ac128.33) a barrel on Monday as the US plan to blockade the Strait of \u200bHormuz added to concern about tight supplies.<\/p>\n The price of Brent crude \u2060futures for June delivery rose 6 per cent to more than $100 (\u20ac85.55) a \u200cbarrel \u200cas \u200bthe US navy prepared to block ships to and from Iran via the Strait \u2060of Hormuz in \u200ba move that could restrict \u200bIranian oil exports after Washington and Tehran failed to reach \u200ca deal to end \u200bthe war.<\/p>\n This is far short of Brent\u2019s all-time high \u2060of $147 (\u20ac125.76) a barrel set in \u20602008.<\/p>\n However, \u200bthe price of physical crude cargoes for immediate delivery is significantly higher as the effective closure of Hormuz has sent buyers in Europe and Asia scrambling to secure supplies. <\/p>\n The outright price of North Sea Forties crude reached $148.87 (\u20ac127.36) a barrel on Monday, \u200cLSEG data showed, \u2060exceeding its 2008 peak. <\/p>\n Repsol CEO Josu Jon Imaz commented on the premium at which physical cargoes are \u200ctrading to the prices fetched on financial markets at an event \u200bon Monday. \u201cPhysical transactions are under a lot \u200bof strain,\u201d he said. – Reuters <\/p>\n UK and France to co-host talks on possible defensive naval mission for Hormuz<\/p>\n Britain and France will this week co-host talks \u200caimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including discussions \u200bon what President Emmanuel Macron described as a possible strictly defensive naval mission.<\/p>\n The talks are intended to bring together Britain, France and other countries willing \u200bto join a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation \u2060in the strait.<\/p>\n No effort must be spared to swiftly reach, through diplomatic means, a strong and lasting settlement to the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Such a settlement must provide the region with a robust framework enabling all to live in peace and security.\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis strictly defensive mission, which will be \u200cseparate from \u200cthe \u200bwarring parties, is intended to be deployed as soon as the situation allows,\u201d Macron said \u2060in a post \u200bon X.<\/p>\n Tensions in the Gulf \u200bhave intensified after the United States said it would begin \u200ca blockade of maritime traffic entering \u200band exiting Iranian ports, while Iran has effectively shut the \u2060strait, a route that \u2060carries \u200babout a fifth of the world\u2019s oil consumption.<\/p>\n The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is deeply damaging. Getting global shipping moving is vital to ease cost of living pressures.<\/p>\n The UK has convened more than 40 nations who share our aim to restore freedom of navigation. <\/p>\n This week the UK and France will co-host a\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz was deeply damaging global shipping and was adding to cost-of-living pressures.<\/p>\n \u201cThis week the UK and France will co-host a summit to advance work on \u200ca coordinated, independent, \u2060multinational plan to safeguard international shipping when the conflict ends,\u201d Starmer posted on X.<\/p>\n Britain has previously convened representatives \u200cof more than 40 countries that share the aim of restoring freedom \u200bof navigation. The United States was not involved \u200bin those talks. – Reuters <\/p>\n Kremlin criticises Trump\u2019s plan to blockade Iranian ports<\/p>\n The Kremlin on Monday criticised \u200bTrump\u2019s announcement that the US would blockade the Strait of \u200bHormuz, saying this would hurt \u2060global markets.<\/p>\n The US military \u200csaid \u200cit \u200bwould block shipping traffic in and \u2060out \u200bof Iran\u2019s ports \u200bstarting at 3pm \u200bon Monday (Irish time), a move that \u2060would \u2060prevent roughly \u200btwo million barrels of Iranian oil a day from entering the world\u2019s markets, further tightening \u200cglobal supply.<\/p>\n \u201cSuch actions will likely continue to negatively impact international markets. This can be assumed with a high \u200cdegree of certainty,\u201d \u2060Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.<\/p>\n He declined to comment further, \u200csaying many details of the US plan \u200bremained unclear. – Reuters<\/p>\n Israeli fire kills three in Gaza following new ceasefire talks As the fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US hangs in the balance, the ceasefire in Gaza has been dealt yet another blow.<\/p>\n An Israeli airstrike killed at least three Palestinians \u200cin the Gaza Strip, health officials said on Monday, as mediators met leaders from Hamas in an effort to shore up a US-brokered ceasefire deal.<\/p>\n Medics said \u200bthe strike had hit a group of men outside a school in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. There was no immediate comment by the Israeli military.<\/p>\n At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, the bodies of those killed lay on the ground in white shrouds outside the morgue as relatives and \u200bfriends arrived to bid them farewell. Some kissed the victims\u2019 foreheads before holding special prayers.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t a truce; it\u2019s a trap for our young men. Every day \u2060there are martyrs, every single day. How long can this continue?\u201d said Umm Hussam Abu El-Rous, a female \u200crelative \u200cof \u200bone of the victims.<\/p>\n \u201cIsn\u2019t it unjust that a three-year-old child is afraid of seeing his (dead) father? He says, \u2018My father went to bring me something from the shop,\u2019\u201d she added. <\/p>\n The ceasefire that began last \u2060October halted two years of full-blown war but \u200bleft Israeli troops in control of a depopulated zone demarcated by \u200byellow-painted blocks that comprises well over half of Gaza, with Hamas in power in a narrow coastal strip and Israeli airstrikes continuing.<\/p>\n More \u200cthan 750 Palestinians have been killed since the \u200bdeal took effect, while militants have killed four Israeli soldiers. Israel and Hamas have traded blame for ceasefire violations. – Reuters <\/p>\n Questions over cost of \u2018social tariff\u2019 proposed to help poorer households with energy bills in UK<\/p>\n Former British chancellor Jeremy Hunt has argued that if the UK introduces a new \u2018social tariff\u2019 to help poorer households with their energy bills, other households could stump up the cost. <\/p>\n The Conservative MP told today\u2019s Resolution Foundation event that the UK Treasury are \u201cmindful of our fiscal position\u201d, so they will say \u201cwe want the people who are not on the social tariff to have slightly higher bills, to pay for lower bills for people on the social tariff\u201d. That, Hunt argues, would kill the policy \u201cstone dead\u201d. <\/p>\n Hunt said: \u201cIt is definitely politically easier for Rachel Reeves to say, \u2018This is something I\u2019m going to deal with when I come to the budget in November\u2019. But if the moment she announces a social tariff, she announces that bills for the 80 per cent are going to go up in order to fund lower bills for the 20 per cent of poorer households, that is a way to kill a policy stone dead from the outcome. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t really duck that because people are going to ask, \u2018How are you going to pay for this?\u2019 And that, I think, is why in the end, the quantum is very, very important. I mean, are we talking about a \u00a35bn (\u20ac5.7bn) package for one year, or are we talking about a \u00a325bn (\u20ac28.7bn) package for five years?” – The Guardian<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s and \u200cSaudi Arabia\u2019s foreign ministers \u200bdiscussed Iran-US talks in \u200bIslamabad during \u2060a phone call, \u200cIran\u2019s \u200cforeign \u200bministry said \u2060on \u200bMonday.<\/p>\n The phone \u200bcall \u200ccomes after \u200bweekend talks \u2060failed \u2060to \u200breach a deal to end the war, \u200cjeopardising \u2060a fragile two-week ceasefire. – Reuters <\/p>\n \u2018I will continue to \u2060speak out loudly against \u200bwar\u2019 – Pope Leo Pope Leo has said he plans to \u200ccontinue speaking out against the war after Trump\u2019s criticism.<\/p>\n In comments aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where the first US pope is starting a 10-day tour to four African countries, the pontiff also said the Christian \u200bmessage was being \u201cabused\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to get into a debate with him,\u201d Leo told Reuters \u2060as he greeted journalists on the plane. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think that the \u200cmessage \u200cof \u200bthe Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.<\/p>\n \u201cI will continue to \u2060speak out loudly against \u200bwar, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue \u200band multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to \u200cproblems,\u201d he said, speaking on English.<\/p>\n \u201cToo \u200bmany people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent \u2060people are being killed. \u2060And I think someone \u200bhas to stand up and say there\u2019s a better way.”<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cThe message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: blessed are the peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Leo, originally from Chicago, has emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war \u200con Iran in recent \u2060weeks and decried the \u201cmadness of war\u201d in a peace appeal on Saturday. – Reuters <\/p>\n Trump\u2019s attack on pope shows he has \u2018no boundaries\u2019<\/p>\n Donald Trump\u2019s stinging criticism of Pope Leo XIV shows the US president has \u201cno boundaries\u201d, Katie Rogers writes.<\/p>\n Trump last night said the pontiff was \u201cweak on crime\u201d and \u201cterrible for foreign policy\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cLeo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise,\u201d he wrote in a lengthy social media post<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cHe wasn\u2019t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn\u2019t in the White House, Leo wouldn\u2019t be in the Vatican.\u201d<\/p>\n Rogers writes: \u201cThe antagonistic post showed that there were really no boundaries when it comes to people Trump might target \u2013 the leader of the world\u2019s 1.4 billion Catholics is apparently fair game…<\/p>\n \u201cTrump\u2019s angry counterpunch to the soft-spoken Leo, who was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, illustrated how differently two of the world\u2019s most powerful Americans handle conflict. One pleads for resolution, while the other reflexively increases the temperature.\u201d<\/p>\n Read her full analysis here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Starmer says UK is \u2018not supporting the blockade\u2019 UK prime minister Keir Starmer on Monday reiterated his government\u2019s position that the UK will not be involved in any blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n In an interview with BBC\u2019s Radio 5, Starmer said all British efforts at the moment are focused on getting the strait fully open.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the time the strait is shut or not free for navigation in the way it should be, that means oil and gas is not getting to market, that means the price is going up and everybody listening to this is facing higher energy bills,\u201d Starmer said. \u201cI don\u2019t want that to happen. I want their energy bills to be stabilised and lower.\u201d <\/p>\n He added: \u201cWe\u2019re not getting dragged into the war. The UK is not getting dragged in. That\u2019s not in our national interest, because I\u2019m not going to act unless there\u2019s a clear, lawful basis and a clear thought through plan.\u201d – The Guardian<\/p>\n Gas prices rise after US-Iran talks fail to reach deal<\/p>\n Dutch and British gas prices rose on Monday after US-Iran talks over \u200cthe weekend failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardising a fragile two-week ceasefire.<\/p>\n The benchmark Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub was up 8.8 per cent at \u20ac47.50 per megawatt hour (MWh) this morning, data \u200bfrom the Intercontinental Exchange showed.<\/p>\n The British contract for April was up 9.2 per cent at 119.83 pence per therm.<\/p>\n Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee, said: \u201cThe market is \u2060now largely back to conditions before \u200bthe ceasefire. The key remaining question is if the \u200bUS renews strikes on Iran, raising the risk of strikes on energy infrastructure across the region which \u200ccould have a further lasting impact beyond the \u200bduration of the war.”<\/p>\n European gas \u2060prices will rise on the geopolitical developments. Gains \u2060will probably be \u200bbigger than for oil, given the higher volatility over recent weeks in reaction to such news updates, another analyst said. – Reuters <\/p>\n US blockade of Iranian ports to start The US military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, a step down from president Donald Trump\u2019s earlier vow to entirely block the Strait of Hormuz as early reports indicated that ships had stopped crossing the waterway.<\/p>\n The move came after marathon US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, and it set the stage for a showdown as Iran responded with threats on ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n \u201cSecurity in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for NO ONE,\u201d according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.<\/p>\n \u201cNO PORT in the region will be safe,\u201d the Iranian military said.<\/p>\n US Central Command announced the blockade would involve all Iranian ports, beginning on Monday, to be \u201cenforced impartially against vessels of all nations\u201d.<\/p>\n It would still allow ships travelling between non-Iranian ports to transit the strait, a step down from the president\u2019s earlier threat to blockade the entire waterway. <\/p>\n The announcement of the blockade halted the limited ship traffic that resumed in the strait since the ceasefire, said an early report from Lloyd\u2019s List intelligence. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire, down from roughly 100 to 135 vessel passages per day before the war. – AP<\/p>\n Message from the Editor<\/p>\n Thanks for reading. If you\u2019re interested in world news, The Irish Times has the largest network of foreign correspondents of any Irish news organisation. <\/p>\n Our team provides sharp reporting, in-depth analysis and thought-provoking commentary. Receive our Global Briefing newsletter<\/a> in your inbox every morning to enjoy Denis Staunton\u2019s guide to understanding world events; what\u2019s happening, why it matters and how it affects you.<\/p>\n At The Irish Times, our journalism is free of any personal, political or commercial control. Unlike most publishers, we have no shareholders to satisfy, no media baron owner in the background telling us what we can and cannot publish.<\/p>\n We are owned by a Trust that mandates us to uphold a set of public-interest values. Those values describe a worldview that is outward-looking, tolerant, curious, interested in divergent views and attentive to the needs of minorities.<\/p>\n Our watchwords are fairness and accuracy. Our goal is to enable you to make informed and independent judgments. And any profit we make goes towards supporting our journalism. <\/p>\n Ruadh\u00e1n Mac Cormaic<\/p>\n Editor <\/p>\n To join Ireland\u2019s biggest community of news subscribers, sign up here<\/a>UK to announce support package for businesses <\/p>\n Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said she would set out a support package this week to help businesses in the UK struggling with soaring energy costs as a result of the Iran war. <\/p>\n Like other countries, the UK is exposed to the economic fallout from the Iran war, which has driven oil and gas prices sharply higher on world markets, thereby increasing energy bills and fuel prices for households and businesses. <\/p>\n Writing in The Sunday Times<\/a>, Reeves said: \u201cThe war in Iran will come at a cost to British families and business\u2026 We don\u2019t yet know the full scale of those costs, but the immediate priority must be to ensure that the ceasefire holds.\u201d <\/p>\n She added: \u201cThat is the best protection we have against higher costs at home and at the IMF meetings in Washington this week I will be working with allies on the action we can take to guarantee freedom of navigation, including the Strait of Hormuz, to keep energy supplies moving again.\u201d. <\/p>\n Reeves and other finance ministers along with central bankers are heading to Washington for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank\u2019s spring meetings starting on Monday. – The Guardian<\/p>\n FTSE 100 and airline shares drop<\/p>\n London\u2019s stock market has opened with a bump, as traders react to the lack of progress in the US-Iran peace talks. The FTSE 100 index of blue-chip shares has lost 0.6 per cent at the start of trading, falling by 67 points to 10,533 points. <\/p>\n AB Foods (the grocery, sugar, agriculture, ingredients and retail group) are the top faller, down 2.7 per cent, with airlines, miners, banks and housebuilders all lower. Energy companies are rallying, though; BP and Shell are both up more than 1 per cent. <\/p>\n Shares in European airlines are dropping in early trading. IAG, British Airways\u2019 parent company, is down over 2 per cent this morning, with budget rivals Wizz Air (down 6.5 per cent) and EasyJet (down 3.8 per cent) falling more sharply. In Germany, Lufthansa has dropped by 4 per cent. – The Guardian<\/p>\n Nine people killed in Israeli strike in Lebanon<\/p>\n Nine people were killed and 13 wounded in an Israeli attack on the town of Tefahta in southern Lebanon on Sunday, the state-run National News Agency said. <\/p>\n Since March 2nd, at least 2,055 people have been killed and 6,588 wounded in the conflict in Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Public Health. – The Guardian<\/p>\n Fuel protests continue as protesters criticise \u20ac505m package <\/p>\n The Government has unveiled a \u20ac505 million package<\/a> of supports for farmers, hauliers and others impacted by the fuel crisis caused by the war. <\/p>\n The measures were dismissed by some central figures in the recent protests as \u201cinsulting\u201d and \u201cnot enough\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n Blockades at fuel depots in Cork, Limerick and Galway were stopped over the weekend and O\u2019Connell St in Dublin city centre fully reopened this morning, but rolling protests could slow traffic on a number of roads around the country today.<\/p>\n Read the latest updates in our live story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n German coalition announces fuel price relief worth \u20ac1.6bn<\/p>\n Germany\u2019s governing coalition on Monday \u200cannounced a fuel price \u200brelief for consumers and businesses worth \u20ac1.6 billion, following a spike \u2060in oil prices \u200cdue \u200cto \u200bthe Iran war.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will \u2060reduce \u200bthe energy \u200btax on diesel \u200cand petrol by approximately \u200b17 cents gross \u2060per \u2060litre, \u200bfor a period of two months,\u201d a joint paper by the Conservatives and \u200ctheir centre-left \u2060coalition partners said. – Reuters<\/p>\n World Bank chief sounds alarm about looming jobs crisis even after war ends<\/p>\n The Middle East war will dominate global finance officials\u2019 talks this week in Washington, but World Bank President Ajay Banga is sounding the alarm about a bigger, \u200clooming crisis: a huge gap in jobs for the 1.2 billion people who will reach working age in developing countries in the next 10 to 15 years.<\/p>\n At current trajectories, those economies will generate only about 400 million \u200bjobs, leaving a deficit of 800 million jobs, Banga told Reuters.<\/p>\n The former Mastercard CEO admits that focusing people on the long-term is daunting, given a series of short-term shocks that have buffeted the global economy since the Covid-19 pandemic, the most recent being the war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n He says he\u2019s determined to ensure that finance officials stay focused on those longer-term challenges like creating jobs, connecting people to the electricity grid and ensuring \u200baccess to clean water. \u201cWe have to walk and chew gum at the same time. Short-velocity cycle is what we\u2019re going through. Longer velocity is this jobs circumstance or water,\u201d Banga said in an interview taped on Friday. – Reuters <\/p>\n Australian PM calls for Lebanon to be included in ceasefire Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has called for the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and free navigation for all countries.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to see the strait of Hormuz opened and with freedom of navigation taking place, so obviously, the lack of a resolution in the negotiations that took place on the weekend were disappointing,\u201d Albanese said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to see de-escalation and we want to see those negotiations resumed.\u201d<\/p>\n Albanese stressed that the Australian government\u2019s view was that the ceasefire should extend to Israel\u2019s fighting with Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n Lebanon and Israel have agreed to hold their first meeting on Tuesday at the US state department, to discuss a possible ceasefire and broader peace talks. – The Guardian<\/p>\n ASEAN foreign ministers \u200con Monday urged the United \u200bStates and Iran to continue negotiations for \u200ba permanent end to \u2060their conflict, as \u200cwell \u200cas \u200bthe full and effective \u2060implementation \u200bof the \u200bceasefire.<\/p>\n Ministers from the 11 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who met virtually \u200bto discuss the \u2060war \u2060in \u200bthe Middle East, called for the restoration of safe, unimpeded and continuous \u200ctransit passage \u2060of vessels and aircraft in \u200cthe Strait of Hormuz. – Reuters <\/p>\n The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, due to begin at 3pm on Monday (Irish time), is a blow to the 20,000 seafarers who have been trapped in the Gulf for the last six weeks. <\/p>\n One said last week: \u201cI gave my notice exactly one month ago. I\u2019ve informed the master, I\u2019m not willing to sail through the strait. It\u2019s about safety, it\u2019s all about safety.\u201d – The Guardian<\/p>\n Starmer refuses to join Trump\u2019s Hormuz blockade<\/p>\n Keir Starmer has refused to join Donald Trump\u2019s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which could compound economic pain for Britons with higher petrol costs.<\/p>\n The US president threatened stop tankers from entering or leaving the key oil and gas shipping lane, a move that is expected to further drive up oil prices.<\/p>\n The British prime minister will discuss cost-of-living pressures with local people on a visit to Greater Manchester on Monday.<\/p>\n And Chancellor Rachel Reeves will travel to Washington for International Monetary Fund meetings this week, after warning that \u201cthe war in Iran will come at a cost to British families and business\u201d.<\/p>\n MPs return to Westminster from the Easter recess on Monday with no resolution to the Middle East crisis in sight and the fate of a shaky two-week ceasefire uncertain. – PA<\/p>\n Oil prices rise again after Trump blockade comments<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard warned that \u201capproaching military vessels to the strait of Hormuz is considered a violation of the ceasefire\u201d. <\/p>\n Oil prices rose in early market trading after Trump\u2019s blockade announcement. The price of US crude oil rose 8 per cent to $104.24 (\u20ac89.16) a barrel and Brent crude oil \u2013 the international standard \u2013 rose 7 per cent to $102.29 (\u20ac87.50). <\/p>\n Australia\u2019s share market dropped sharply on Monday morning. <\/p>\n Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’, Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4\u2013$5 gas.<\/p>\n \u0394O_BSOH>0 \u21d2 f(f(O))>f(O) pic.twitter.com\/rVxlC6vFWG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \u0645\u062d\u0645\u062f\u0628\u0627\u0642\u0631 \u0642\u0627\u0644\u06cc\u0628\u0627\u0641 | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Iran\u2019s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Tehran\u2019s negotiators at the weekend talks with Washington, taunted Trump on X, saying in a post: \u201cEnjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called \u2018blockade\u2019, Soon you\u2019ll be nostalgic for $4\u2013$5 gas.\u201d (about \u20ac3.42 to \u20ac4.27)<\/p>\n Earlier he said Trump\u2019s new threats would have no effect on the Iranian nation: \u201cIf you fight, we will fight \u2026 We will not bow to any threats.\u201d – The Guardian<\/p>\n Trump orders naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks break down<\/p>\n As our Washington correspondent Keith Duggan reports, <\/a> Donald Trump<\/a> ordered the US navy to impose a full blockade on the Strait of Hormuz following the breakdown of peace talks with Iran<\/a> after a marathon meeting in Pakistan<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,\u201d the US president stated in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid on the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!\u201d<\/p>\n Trump was attending an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event in Miami on Saturday night, along with his secretary of state Marco Rubio<\/a>, when US vice-president JD Vance<\/a> decided to conclude what had been the highest level direct US-Iranian talks for half a century<\/a>.<\/p>\n A clearly frustrated Vance exited the negotiations with Iranian officials, held in Islamabad and brokered by Pakistan, after 20 hours. While he made few comments, it was apparent that the breakdown hinged on the future capacity of Iran to develop a nuclear capability.<\/p>\n Why did Trump choose Vance to negotiate difficult peace talks with Iran?<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve made very clear what our red lines are,\u201d Vance told reporters before leaving Pakistan, \u201cand what things we\u2019re willing to accommodate them on. They have chosen not to accept our terms.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump confirmed that in his social media post and, in a later phone interview with Fox News, he elaborated on the purpose of the blockade, saying it was to place a chokehold on Tehran\u2019s access to oil revenues.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s called all in and all out. There\u2019ll be a time when we\u2019ll have them all come in and all come out. But it won\u2019t be a percentage, it won\u2019t be a friend of yours like a country that\u2019s your ally,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not gonna let Iran make money selling oil to people that they like and not people that they don\u2019t like. You saw what we did with Venezuela<\/a>. It will be something similar to that but at a higher level.\u201d<\/p>\n Spanish PM urges China to \u2018do more\u2019 to end wars<\/p>\n Spain\u2019s prime minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez began his trip to China on Monday by calling on Beijing to leverage its influence internationally and help bring the wars in Iran and Ukraine to an end.<\/p>\n \u201cChina can do more \u2014 for example, by demanding, as it is already doing, that international law be upheld and that conflicts in Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, the West Bank, and Ukraine come to an end,\u201d S\u00e1nchez said during a speech at Tsinghua University in Beijing.<\/p>\n China, which is preparing to host a visit by US president Donald Trump next month, has condemned as \u201cunacceptable\u201d the US and Israeli strikes against Iran. <\/p>\n President Xi Jinping, who is scheduled to meet S\u00e1nchez during his visit, has so far stayed silent on the conflict engulfing a major Chinese friend.<\/p>\n The war now entering its seventh week has lifting oil prices and raised the prospect of further economic pain around the globe.<\/p>\n Spain has been one of the European countries most strongly opposed to the military operations, which S\u00e1nchez openly considers \u201cillegal.\u201d The country has closed its airspace to flights by US warplanes participating in the conflict and is preventing Washington from using its two bases on Spanish territory for that purpose.<\/p>\n But Spain has also condemned Iran\u2019s response to the US and Israeli attack and the destabilisation of the entire region. <\/p>\n S\u00e1nchez believes that Beijing can contribute more to halting the conflicts in the Gulf and Ukraine by using the influence China still exerts over Iran and Russia \u2014 two countries with which it has extensive ties.<\/p>\n \u201cInternational law is the foundation of everything,\u201d he said in the Chinese capital.<\/p>\n Spain has strengthened relations with Beijing in recent years, presenting itself as China\u2019s closest ally in Europe. S\u00e1nchez, who\u2019s making his fourth trip to China in just over three years, plans to meet political and business leaders \u2014 in addition to Xi.<\/p>\n Embracing China is an approach that has come with considerable risks for Spain, as Trump\u2019s return to the White House has triggered upheaval both in Europe\u2019s ties with Washington and in the US-China relationship.<\/p>\n Last year, S\u00e1nchez traveled to Beijing days after US tariffs were imposed on nearly every country. It was a move seen as a provocation in Washington, with US treasury secretary Scott Bessent calling it \u201ccutting your own throat.\u201d – Bloomberg<\/p>\n US to begin blockade of Iranian ports<\/p>\n The US military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports on Monday, tempering Donald Trump\u2019s earlier vow to entirely block the strategic Strait of Hormuz as early reports indicated that ships had stopped crossing the waterway.<\/p>\n The move came after marathon US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, and it set the stage for a showdown. Iranian leaders vowed to counter the blockade.<\/p>\n US Central Command announced the blockade would involve all Iranian ports, beginning on Monday, to be \u201cenforced impartially against vessels of all nations\u201d.<\/p>\n It would still allow ships travelling between non-Iranian ports to transit the strait, a step down from the president\u2019s earlier threat to blockade the entire waterway.<\/p>\n The announcement of the blockade halted the limited ship traffic that resumed in the strait since the ceasefire, said an early report from Lloyd\u2019s List intelligence. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire, down from roughly 100 to 135 vessel passages per day before the war.<\/p>\n The blockade is likely intended to add pressure on Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil since the war began, much of it likely carried by so-called \u201cdark\u201d transits that evade western government sanctions and oversight.<\/p>\n Trump also hopes to undercut Iran\u2019s control over the Strait of Hormuz after demanding that it reopen the waterway where 20 per cent of global oil transited before fighting began. A US blockade could further rattle global energy markets.<\/p>\n Oil prices rose in early market trading after the blockade announcement.<\/p>\n Iranian officials threatened retaliation. Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser and a former Revolutionary Guard Commander, wrote on X that the country\u2019s armed forces had \u201cmajor untouched levers\u201d to counter a Hormuz blockade. He said Iran would not be coerced by \u201ctweets and imaginary plans\u201d.<\/p>\n Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran\u2019s side in the talks in Pakistan, addressed Trump in a statement on his return to Iran: \u201cIf you fight, we will fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard later said the strait remained under Iran\u2019s \u201cfull control\u201d and was open for non-military vessels, but military ones would get a \u201cforceful response\u201d, two semi-official Iranian news agencies reported. – AP<\/p>\n Iran war could plunge 32 million into poverty, says United Nations<\/p>\n More than 32 million people worldwide could be plunged into poverty by the economic fallout from the Iran war, with developing countries expected to be hit hardest.<\/p>\n In a report issued amid doubts over a fragile ceasefire, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said the world was facing a \u201ctriple shock\u201d involving energy, food and weaker economic growth.<\/p>\n The agency tasked with tackling poverty said the conflict was reversing gains in international development, with the impact expected be felt unevenly across regions.<\/p>\n Alexander De Croo, administrator of the UNDP and former prime minister of Belgium, said: \u201cA conflict like this is development in reverse. Even if the war stops, and a ceasefire is obviously very, very welcome. But the impact is already there.<\/p>\n \u201cYou will see an enduring impact, especially in the poorer countries, where you push people back into poverty. That\u2019s the most heartbreaking element. The people being pushed into poverty are very often the people who used to be in poverty, got out of it, and are now being pushed back.\u201d<\/p>\n Energy prices have surged in the six weeks since the first US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, as Iran\u2019s closure of the strait of Hormuz chokes oil and gas supplies to the world economy. With a knock-on impact on fertiliser supplies and global shipping, experts warn that a \u201cfood security timebomb\u201d has been set for the developing world.<\/p>\n Even if a durable peace in the Middle East can be sustained, the head of the International Monetary Fund has said the \u201cscarring effects\u201d from the conflict have permanently damaged the global economy.<\/p>\n Publishing its report as world leaders gather in Washington for the IMF\u2019s spring meetings, the UNDP said a global response was required to support countries hardest hit by the economic fallout.<\/p>\n It said targeted and temporary cash transfers were needed to protect the most vulnerable households in developing nations, at a cost of about $6 billion (\u20ac5.1 billion) to neutralise the shocks for those falling below the poverty line.<\/p>\n De Croo said international agencies and development banks could provide the financial support. \u201cThere is a positive economic payout for giving short-term cash transfers to avoid people getting back into poverty,\u201d he said. Second-best interventions could include temporary subsidies or vouchers for electricity or cooking gas.<\/p>\n However, the UNDP warned against blanket subsidies because they would unnecessarily support wealthier households, and would be financially unsustainable over time. – The Guardian <\/p>\n Trump attacks Pope Leo over Iran war criticisms Donald Trump<\/a> has attacked Pope Leo XIV for his criticisms of the US-Israeli war on Iran, <\/a>calling the leader of the Catholic Church \u201cWEAK on crime\u201d.<\/p>\n The American-born pope has issued a series of rebukes to his leadership, most recently challenging the administration\u2019s argument that God is on the side of the US in the conflict with Iran.<\/p>\n![\"Relatives](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DCIF4IMCNKXW3ZQ2JRJ37OEYLQ.jpg\")
Relatives of Hassan Ali Badawi, a paramedic with the Lebanese Red Cross who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, mourn at their home in the Bchamoun area south of Beirut on April 13th. Photograph: Anwar Amro\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"Colleagues](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/AV67VWDGEVRYW6NBFH7GEIPGQ4.jpg\")
Colleagues of Hassan Ali Badawi, a paramedic with the Lebanese Red Cross who was killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike, mourn as the family receives condolences at their home in Zaldeh, south of Beirut, on Monday. Photograph: Anwar Amro\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"European](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/FE626KCGBJWWXAN6MEABX2DBBY.jpg\")
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said emergency relief provided by governments to help people or businesses cope with steep energy costs should be \u201ctargeted and temporary\u201d. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/JZPTSW6A6NCZXM7COFMNFJXPUI.JPG\")
The port in Galway was among the sites blocked by fuel protesters in recent days. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni\/The Irish Times <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WXGBPCQTQPLPCGNML2XZUKICL4.jpg\")
A Palestinian man kisses a shrouded body during the funeral of Palestinians who, according to a medic, were killed in an Israeli strike at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Photograph: Eyad Baba\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"Pope](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4IFX5TEAY726ABCUT2RADPQJIQ.jpg\")
Pope Leo XIV addresses journalists on a flight heading to Algiers on Monday. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"UK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4K2E767JH5AGTOGBSYKY4FMNNE.jpg\")
UK prime minister Keir Starmer, pictured with US president Donald Trump in February, said the UK will not be involved in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Photograph: Carl Court\/Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"Oil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/JOHGMGKWYQE4H3IJTOY6XATLIY.jpg\")
Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Photograph: Altaf Qadri\/AP <\/p>\n![\"Ruadhan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776090494_439_O4NJECCKSVBETH7XC64SI52AQY.jpg\")
Irish Times Editor Ruadh\u00e1n Mac Cormaic <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NWGPP7J23VHSU7ZHQN2735P4H4.jpg\")
A bulldozer clears the rubble of a destroyed building on Sunday after an Israeli airstrike targeted a building in the Ain Mreisseh neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon, on April 8th. Photograph: Wael Hamzeh\/European Pressphoto Agency <\/p>\n![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WILJTALMLW3W47LNZCLCFHYUOE.jpg\")
US vice president JD Vance arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, after peace talks in Pakistan collapsed. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin\/AFP <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/VLBS6DMRIPJGYEYCRAWC5YJE5Y.jpg\")
The national flag of Spain hangs in front of the portrait of late communist leader Mao Zedong at Tiananmen Gate during a visit by Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez to Beijing. Photograph: Pedro Pardo\/AFP <\/p>\nOil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Photograph: Altaf Qadri\/AP <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7O7KUFJPBRAPZAVOSGQGZ7UZFI.jpg\")
A mother and child get medicine from a United Nations-run pharmacy at a reception centre for refugees returning from Iran, in the border town of Islam Qala, Afghanistan. Photograph: Jim Huylebroek\/The New York Times <\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/F262SG6OE5G2TAPBN4AKCR7Y2M.jpg\")
An image posted by Donald Trump on his Triuth Social platform depicting himself as Jesus Christ <\/p>\n