The US has deployed dozens of KC-135 and KC-46 tankers with fighters to the Middle East. They’re now at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. This was previously the first sign of air strikes against Iran. There are other potential targets — the Houthis, Afghanistan — but nations in the region believe Israel is on the brink of launching another attack against Iran
The pro-European PAS party secured an overall majority in Moldova’s elections. This came despite massive Russian interference in the electoral process and may signal a depowering of Putin’s influence in the former Soviet states as everyone is now acutely aware of his tactics. Attention will now turn to the Hungarian elections in April and whether Putin can save his puppet Viktor Orban who is behind in polling
.
Spain blocked US planes and ships carrying weapons to Israel from stopping at bases in Cadiz and Seville
.
In his latest attempt to turn back the clock to the bad old days of the twentieth century, Trump has made a $625 million to boost the US coal industry. The aim is to keep coal plants open. Energy Secretary Christopher Wright said: “Coal has been under assault for years but it is critical for America’s industrial might. It’s the backbone of steel production, critical for cement production and necessary to feed the AI boom.” And obviously a huge driver of the climate crisis
.
We achieved peak irony when Reform UK leader Nigel Farage accused Labour of inciting violence against his followers by pointing out the truth of Reform’s racist policies
