Top World News

Apr 30, 2026 - World

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the conflict in Iran was seen by President Trump as a historic "opportunity" -- and tap-danced away from his previous statements that he sought $200 billion in supplemental funding for the war.

Apr 30, 2026 - World

The U.N. Security Council voted Thursday to reduce the ceiling for the peacekeeping force in conflict-torn South Sudan from 17,000 to 12,000 troops with a mandate to prevent a return to civil war in the world's newest nation.

Apr 30, 2026 - World

Four months after US capture of Nicolás Maduro, officials hail repairing of ties as airliner touches down in CaracasUS and Venezuelan officials have hailed a new era in diplomatic relations as the first direct commercial flight between the two countries in more than seven years landed in Caracas.Nearly four months ago, US special forces attack helicopters and planes swept into the skies over Venezuela’s capital after Donald Trump ordered the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro. Continue reading...

Apr 30, 2026 - World

Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s ability to grill Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during her five minutes of questioning during a Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing was hampered by his raising his voice and loudly talking over her on Thursday afternoon.The Massachusetts Democrat got under Hegseth’s skin when she cited a Financial Times report that the Pentagon chief’s stockbroker attempted to make a “multimillion-dollar investment” in defense stocks before the invasion of Iran.After pressing him about growing concerns about insiders at the Pentagon possibly being involved in massive purchases on the stock market related to the war, which he dismissed out of hand, she brought up his personal finances.“I'm also concerned about recent reporting on your own financial dealings with regard to profiting from the war in Iran,” she began. “The Financial Times reported that your broker tried to buy hundreds of shares in a BlackRock fund invested in defense companies just before the war began. The law clearly prohibits the secretary —.”"That entire story is false!” Hegseth shouted. “[It] has been from the beginning and was made up out of whole cloth. And anybody that looks at it sees how it was worded from the beginning to make it look like I was involved in something I had nothing to do and never have.”As Warren tried to speak, he continued to talk over her, insisting, “So any insinuation that I've ever profited other than serving this nation, what I give, what you give, what others give. I'm not looking for money. I don't do it for money. I don't do it for profit. I don't do it for stocks. And that's part of the reason why I'm able to be effective in this job, because no one owns me.”“No one owns this department, no one owns this president. And we can execute for the American people. And we do,” he added.“So, I'd like to hear you say, did you, through your broker at Morgan Stanley or otherwise, seek to invest in any defense-related funds right before Trump started the Iran war?” she finally asked.“I'll give it to you as a big fat negative,” Hegseth shot back. - YouTube youtu.be

Apr 30, 2026 - World

Podcaster Joe Rogan expressed the view that President Donald Trump's war with Iran would be to blame if a nuclear weapon were used on New York City.During a discussion with comedian Ari Shaffir on Thursday, Rogan lamented Israel's bombardment of Gaza following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack."They've destroyed Gaza," he explained. "Gaza's just a wasteland now. I mean, someone posted a recent video of Gaza, like what it looked like now.""It's crazy. It looks like they dropped a nuke. They just did it slowly instead of dropping one nuke," he continued. "But guess what? Those kids that live in Gaza, they didn't do October 7th. They didn't do it."Rogan speculated that a similar scenario could take place in New York City."It's like what we did to Iran. What if Iran nukes New York City?" he asked. "Those kids that live in the Bronx, they had nothing to do with what happened in Iran, and so, like, is that okay?""Like what are we talking about, this is it's [expletive] nuts," he added. "We gotta start figuring out a peace thing, and then that's all that's all gone now," Shaffir remarked. "It's all gone," Rogan agreed.