Articles from ‘Independent News Roundup’

Europe is heading towards one of “the most severe economic crises in its history,” the Hungarian PM has warned · Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a campaign rally, Pecel, Hungary, March 28, 2026. © Getty Images / Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto · The EU is facing a looming energy crisis and the only way to survive is to lift sanctions on Russian oil and gas, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on X…

The US president has threatened to halt arms supplies to Ukraine after European leaders refused to join the campaign · US President Donald Trump, Washington, DC, March 26, 2026. © Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images · US President Donald Trump has lashed out at NATO and key European leaders, deepening tensions within the bloc over the war against Iran. According to the Financial Times, Washington has also threatened to curb weapons…

Supply chain disruptions have reportedly led to shortages of silicone oil and ammonia needed to produce contraceptives · FILE PHOTO. ©  Getty Images · India’s massive condom industry is facing major disruptions due to material shortages and soaring production costs linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East, local media reports, citing manufacturers. · India produces over 6 billion condoms annually in a high-volume,…

Four astronauts embarked on a historic ten-day journey on Wednesday · NASA’s Artemis II mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, 2026. ©  RT · NASA launched Artemis II, its first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years, on Wednesday. · After a brief delay due to technical issues, a rocket carrying NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canada’s Jeremy…

On the latest episode of Sanchez Effect, renowned Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs has a reality check for Washington. He argues that Iran, with its vast, mountainous territory, large population, advanced missiles and intricate underground tunnels, is no easy target, especially under the tight deadlines set by Trump. · Sachs questions whether the US president, with his hubristic claims about America’s role in the…

Iran's president addresses the citizens of America, questioning the true purpose of Washington's war, which he says is driven by Israel. That's as Trump threatens continued bombing if Tehran doesn't agree to a deal. As transit through the Hormuz Strait is under Tehran's control, the world searches for alternatives. The Northern Sea route along Russia's Arctic coast is one of them, with shipping traffic spiking 15 percent higher…

The Iran war is ending on Trump's schedule, backed by a pre-planned economic and energy strategy that is breaking the transatlantic energy-control system while exposing states and nations that rejected Drill, Baby, Drill. · Barbara Boyd · Barbara Boyd argues the Iran war is being compressed toward a defined endpoint determined by President Trump and key Arab allies in the Abraham Accords, who want Iran no longer to pose a military…

Never before has the US had the dual incentive for radically reforming NATO after the bloc refused its request to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the US now officially prioritizes restoring its dominance in the Western Hemisphere and containing China over containing Russia. · Andrew Korybko · Trump raged against NATO last week after it refused his request to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was analyzed here as throwing the bloc…

The combined effect of the UAE and Saudi Arabia exerting pressure on Russia could really harm its interests. · Andrew Korybko · Zelensky dispatched drone experts and interceptor drones to the Gulf Kingdoms last month to aid them in thwarting Iranian attacks of the sort that Ukraine became accustomed to over the past four years due to Russia using Iranian drones (or domestically produced variants) in its own attacks. It was assessed…

US President Donald Trump will decide what to do regarding the bloc after ending the war with Iran, the Pentagon chief has said · US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. © Getty Images / Win McNamee · US War Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to NATO’s collective defense, pointing to the bloc’s refusal to assist or participate in the American-Israeli war on Iran.  · Speaking at a Pentagon…