IMF warns Trump’s Iran struggle might set off international recession
Donald Trump’s struggle on Iran dangers triggering a worldwide recession, the International Monetary Fund has warned within the newest damning evaluation of the battle’s influence on the world financial system.
The influential monetary physique stated the worldwide outlook had “abruptly darkened” because of the struggle, which threatens to throw the worldwide financial system “off course” and will trigger an power disaster on an unprecedented scale.
As oil and fuel costs proceed to rise, a worldwide recession could possibly be a “close call” in a extreme state of affairs in which there’s additional turmoil, the physique warned.
Of the key economies, the UK faces the largest hit to progress, with forecasts slashed for the subsequent two years. In an additional blow to Sir Keir Starmer, the IMF warns that inflation and unemployment may even rise.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 06:03
Trump criticises Nato
Donald Trump has repeated his criticism of Nato for not becoming a member of in his struggle on Iran, writing in a publish on Truth Social that “NATO wasn’t there for us”, including: “And they won’t be there for us in the future”.
The US president has stepped up his criticism of the 32-member bloc in current months and accused members of failing to fulfill their obligations.
Nato’s founding treaty states that international locations are required to come back to the defence of any member whether it is attacked – such an obligation doesn’t apply to offensive operations.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 05:55
Trump says Iran struggle is ‘very close to being over’
The Iran struggle is “very close” to ending, based on President Donald Trump, with peace negotiations anticipated to proceed later this week.
“I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over,” Trump informed Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo in an interview the community plans to launch in full Wednesday morning.
“If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we’re not finished,” he added. “We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly.”
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 05:40
Oil costs fall and Asian shares hit six-week excessive
Asian shares climbed to their highest degree in six weeks on Wednesday and oil costs prolonged their decline under $100 a barrel after Donald Trump stated US-Iran peace talks might resume in Pakistan inside days, calming markets rattled by weeks of conflict-driven volatility.
Mr Trump stated negotiations might restart within the subsequent two days after weekend talks collapsed, prompting Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports.
Pakistani and Iranian officers additionally stated that negotiations might restart.
The indicators of renewed diplomatic engagement pushed Brent crude futures down 0.7 per cent to $94.13 a barrel, having already slumped nearly 5 per cent in a single day.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 05:30
Length of ban on Iran’s nuclear exercise a political determination, says Grossi
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog says the size of a moratorium on Iran’s uranium enrichment was a “political decision”.
IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi was talking after talks between American and Iranian officers ended with out an settlement, with key variations together with how lengthy Tehran can be prohibited from enriching uranium.
The US and the West are involved that Iran might use enriched uranium to construct nuclear weapons, whereas Tehran says it’s wanted for its nuclear power programme.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 05:15
Trump says he isn’t desirous about extending ceasefire
US president Donald Trump informed ABC News he was not desirous about extending the ceasefire with Iran.
“It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild,” Trump stated.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 05:14
Oil costs fall for a second day
Oil costs fell for a second day this morning on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran could resume and ultimately launch provide from the important thing Middle East producing area trapped by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures fell 52 cents, or 0.55 per cent, to $94.27 a barrel after falling 4.6 per cent within the earlier session.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was down $1.04, or 1.1 per cent, to $90.24 after dropping 7.9 per cent the session earlier than.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 05:00
Just In | Trump targets Pope Leo once more in a brand new rant
US president Donald Trump has escalated his confrontation with Pope Leo XIV by his newest publish on Truth Social.
In a midnight publish, Trump wrote: “Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable.
“Thank you on your consideration to this matter. AMERICA IS BACK!!!”
Trump has been routinely targeting the Pope after he criticised the US president’s war on Iran. Pope Leo had earlier said that Trump’s warning that an “entire civilization will die tonight,” in reference to Iran, was “unacceptable”.
The pope has additionally urged {that a} “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the struggle between the United States and Iran.
Since then, Trump has branded Pope Leo as “weak” on crime and “terrible” on overseas coverage, earlier than importing an AI-generated picture of himself dressed as Jesus. The US president later deleted the picture and claimed it depicted him as a “doctor” and never as Jesus.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 04:59
US army will function blockade in Gulf of Oman – report
A US official stated the technique is to watch vessels topic to the blockade depart Iranian services and clear the Strait of Hormuz earlier than intercepting them and forcing them to show round.
The official informed the Associated Press that the army depends on extra than simply automated monitoring beacons that each one service provider ships are required to hold, known as AIS, to find out that service provider ships have been coming from a port in Iran however wouldn’t go into extra element, citing the necessity for operational safety.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 04:45
Israel-Lebanon maintain first direct talks in 30 years
Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in a long time in Washington following greater than a month of struggle between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who was part of the talks, known as it a “historic opportunity” however made clear that no breakthrough settlement would occur immediately.
Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter hailed what he known as a convergence of opinion about eradicating Hezbollah’s affect from Lebanon, saying he was inspired by a “wonderful exchange”.
Nada Hamadeh Moawad, the Lebanese ambassador to the US, “reaffirmed the urgent need” for an finish to the Israel-Hezbollah battle, “underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty”.
At least 2,124 folks have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the nation’s well being ministry stated. More than 1 million persons are displaced.
The deadliest day of the struggle happened final week, when Israel launched 100 airstrikes throughout Lebanon in 10 minutes, together with within the coronary heart of the capital, killing over 350 folks.
Alisha Rahman Sarkar15 April 2026 04:40
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-live-trump-strait-of-hormuz-israel-lebanon-b2957846.html