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President Donald Trump opened the traditional Easter Egg Roll on the White House South Lawn alongside a child dressed in a giant bunny costume, before turning the event into a platform for a stark Iran warning to a room of reporters. Hours later, the president entered a packed briefing room flanked by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. The press conference highlighted the recent rescue of a U.S. airman whose jet was downed by Iran, a mission Trump praised as "genius" and likened to a Hollywood production. Amid the celebration, Trump shifted focus to a $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request he had submitted the previous week, emphasizing military spending while domestic programs face cuts. In a chilling turn, the president warned that the United States could "take out the entire country in one night" by targeting Iran’s bridges and power plants, a threat he framed as a potential path to freedom for the Iranian people. He claimed, without evidence, that Iranians would accept such suffering to topple their regime. When a reporter cited the Geneva Conventions, Trump dismissed the concern, questioning the journalist’s affiliation and mocking the New York Times for its declining circulation. Trump also hinted at personal profit, stating, "I'm a businessman first" when asked about seizing Iranian oil, and invoked a quasi‑religious narrative, saying, "God was watching us" during the Easter festivities. Defence Secretary Hegseth, known for his ties to Christian nationalism, likened the rescue to a resurrection, describing the timeline from the aircraft’s downing on Good Friday to its recovery on Easter Sunday as a "pilot reborn". Critics on social media and within Congress have labeled Trump’s rhetoric as "insane" and "dangerous," urging the cabinet to consider the 25th Amendment to assess his fitness for office. The president brushed off mental‑health concerns, suggesting that if his condition were an issue, "you’ll need more people like me." Recent weeks have seen Trump make contradictory statements: first denying the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, then threatening escalation; first boasting of air superiority after a U.S. fighter was shot down, then claiming the war is already won. These erratic pronouncements have heightened worries that the nation’s nuclear launch authority may be in the hands of a leader whose public behavior resembles the "Mad Hatter" of Lewis Carroll’s classic.

A federal appeals court has ruled that New Jersey gaming regulators cannot prevent Kalshi from allowing people in the state to use its prediction market to place financial bets on the outcome of sporting events. The decision marks a significant victory for Kalshi and similar prediction market operators.The three-judge panel of the Philadelphia-based third US circuit court of appeals ruled 2-1, finding that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has exclusive jurisdiction over the sports-related event contracts that Kalshi allows people to trade on its platform.This ruling is a major setback for states like New Jersey, which had argued that firms like Kalshi were operating without required state licenses, in violation of gaming laws, including bans on wagers by those under 21. New Jersey had sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter last year, stating that its listing of sports-related event contracts on its platform violated state gambling laws.Kalshi had sued the state, arguing that its event contracts qualify as “swaps”, a type of derivative contract, that under the Commodity Exchange Act can only be regulated by the CFTC, which had granted the company a license to operate a designated contract market (DCM).The ruling was in line with the position advanced by the CFTC under Donald Trump’s administration. The regulator sued Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois last week to prevent them from pursuing what it called unlawful efforts to regulate prediction markets.“Congress gave the CFTC exclusive jurisdiction over trades on DCMs, and this decision affirms the goals of Congress,” said Brooke Nethercott, a CFTC spokesperson.However, US circuit judge Jane Richards Roth dissented, saying Kalshi was facilitating gambling and that its “offerings were virtually indistinguishable from the betting products available on online sportsbooks, such as DraftKings and FanDuel”.The New Jersey attorney general's office said it was evaluating its options, including potentially asking the full third circuit to rehear the case.

President Donald Trump’s recent proclamation that Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face a combined "Power Plant Day" and "Bridge Day" has thrust senior U.S. officers into a stark ethical quandary: obey a presidential directive that could breach international law, or risk court‑martial for insubordination. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned that failure to comply would result in an unprecedented strike on Iran’s civilian energy infrastructure, a move that legal scholars agree would amount to a war crime against 93 million civilians. Two former judge‑advocate general officers, Margaret Donovan and Rachel VanLandingham, emphasized that such rhetoric, if acted upon, would place service members on a “path of no return,” directly contradicting the extensive legal training that defines permissible orders. Historical precedent underscores the gravity of the situation. During the Vietnam War, officers who participated in the My Lai massacre were ultimately held accountable, with the court rejecting the “just following orders” defence as the orders were deemed “palpably illegal.” Professor Charli Carpenter of the University of Massachusetts Amherst notes that while many troops can identify manifestly unlawful commands in surveys, translating that awareness into real‑time refusal is far more challenging, especially when the military culture heavily emphasizes obedience to the chain of command. Since assuming office, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reshaped the Pentagon’s legal advisory structure, dismissing senior JAG officials and dismantling the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response unit created under the previous administration. Consequently, service members now rely on a “GI rights hotline,” whose usage has reportedly surged under the current leadership. Beyond conventional strikes, Trump’s escalating rhetoric has raised alarms about the potential use of nuclear force. Under U.S. protocol, the president alone can initiate a nuclear launch, with the “nuclear football” – a briefcase containing strike options and authentication codes – handed to a close aide. The only safeguard is for senior commanders to deem such an order illegal, a step that experts fear may never occur. Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, during the previous administration, reportedly instructed senior officers to stay involved in any nuclear decision due to concerns about Trump’s volatility. Nuclear weapons scholar Jeffrey Lewis now warns that confidence in any contemporary intervention is essentially nonexistent, citing Trump’s pattern of purging dissenting military personnel. As the deadline looms, the United States faces a precarious balance between upholding international humanitarian law and navigating a command structure that may be unwilling or unable to challenge the commander‑in‑chief’s most extreme directives.

Article 52 of the first Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions bars attacks on civilian targets. The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Russian officers involved in strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, a precedent that would apply to the United States if President Donald Trump’s threats to bomb Iran were carried out. Trump, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has adopted a tone that resembles a “blood‑thirsty fever dream.” Hegseth framed the proposed Operation Epic Fury as a 21st‑century crusade, while Trump unleashed a profanity‑laden tirade demanding the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day… Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.” This rhetoric, emerging just before the United States’ 250th independence anniversary, undermines the credibility of the presidency and the nation’s moral standing. The editorial notes that, in a more restrained political climate, senators like Chris Murphy might explore constitutional avenues to remove Trump, but the current cabinet’s “craven complicity” makes such prospects remote. The international community now watches anxiously, fearing that a broader escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran could trigger “unknowable and spiralling consequences.” Iran has signaled it could widen its attacks across the region, and the recent closure of the Hormuz Strait demonstrates that Trump’s threats are not merely rhetorical. NATO allies have declined to endorse Trump’s approach, citing the absence of a coherent strategy and a lack of legal justification. They hope the president’s apocalyptic language masks a genuine search for a rapid de‑escalation, especially as global economic pressure mounts. Trump later claimed there was a “good chance” of a cease‑fire with Iran before his deadline, yet hours later Israel bombed a key petrochemical plant in Iran’s largest gas field, contradicting any notion of imminent peace. During a White House press briefing, Trump and Hegseth highlighted the rescue of a missing U.S. fighter crew shot down over Iran, a moment that starkly contrasted with the looming threat to thousands of lives and the stability of the global economy, now hanging on the whims of a president driven by self‑aggrandizement and an echo chamber of advisers.

USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang was forced to leave Derby County's match on a stretcher after sustaining an apparent non-contact injury. The incident occurred in the 37th minute when Agyemang rose to settle a ball with his chest, landed awkwardly, and collapsed to the ground.Photographs from Pride Park showed Derby medical staff tending to his left ankle. Play was stopped for five minutes before Agyemang was stretchered off and replaced by Jaydon Banel, who scored the opening goal to boost Derby's chances of promotion.Derby manager John Eustace provided an update on Agyemang's condition, stating that he had gone off for a scan and that the team would wait for the results. "It's not [nice to see]. We don't want to lose any players. We don't want to see any players coming off on a stretcher. Hopefully, it's not as bad as what it might be. Until we get the scan results, we'll have to wait and see."The injury comes at a critical time for Agyemang, who debuted for the United States under manager Mauricio Pochettino. The 25-year-old had a strong first season in the Championship after joining from Charlotte FC in July, scoring 10 goals and adding three assists in 36 league appearances.Agyemang had also been a regular in Pochettino's squads, joining Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi on the roster for the recently concluded March window. He was the only striker of the trio to score in the US's 5-2 rout against Belgium after a Pepi interception.

Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, used his highly‑watched annual letter to shareholders to press the White House to strengthen economic cooperation with U.S. allies, warning that a decline in shared prosperity could produce "truly adverse consequences" for democratic nations.His message arrives as the Iran‑Israel conflict enters its sixth week, a war that has already rattled global energy markets. Economists cited in the letter caution that prolonged fighting could push oil prices above $170 a barrel, a level capable of triggering a worldwide recession.Dimon’s appeal is widely read as a thinly‑veiled rebuke of President Donald Trump. Earlier this year, Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against Dimon and JPMorgan, accusing the bank of “de‑banking” him. The timing of Dimon’s comments—just days after Trump’s aggressive rhetoric urging foreign governments to "go get your own oil"—underscores the growing rift between the bank’s leadership and the administration."Economic weakening of the world’s democracies or a fragmentation of their economic bonds could lead to truly adverse consequences," Dimon wrote. He warned that adversarial states aim to make allies less dependent on the United States, potentially turning them into economic “vassals” of hostile regimes.Beyond geopolitics, Dimon highlighted the broader macro‑economic outlook. He warned that the war could generate "sticky" inflation, higher commodity prices, and disrupted supply chains, which together may force interest rates higher than markets currently anticipate. He echoed other economists in warning that inflation could rise rather than fall in 2026.Despite these challenges, Dimon expressed optimism about the U.S. economy, affirming his belief that "the American Dream is alive." He also turned to emerging technology, noting that artificial intelligence could deliver breakthroughs in healthcare, manufacturing, and safety, ultimately shortening the work week and extending life expectancy.Dimon’s annual letter—spanning nearly 50 pages and more than 20,000 words—remains a barometer for Wall Street sentiment. In it, he also critiqued the administration’s tariff policy, arguing that while tariffs have forced renegotiations, a comprehensive foreign‑economic strategy should promote growth both for the United States and its partners.As transatlantic relations strain under soaring energy costs and divergent trade policies, Dimon’s call for a coordinated economic front underscores a pivotal moment: the United States must decide whether to lead a cohesive democratic coalition or risk ceding influence to autocratic powers.

Utah has enacted a law that effectively shields fossil fuel companies from legal accountability for climate damages. The legislation, signed by Republican Governor Spencer Cox, limits the ability of residents to sue these companies for their role in contributing to climate change. The new law is part of a broader effort by the fossil fuel industry and its allies to secure legal immunity in statehouses and Congress. This push is aimed at countering a wave of litigation filed by states, subnational governments, and individuals who claim that fossil fuel companies knew their products would cause climate damages but sold them anyway. Critics argue that the law prioritizes profits for the biggest polluters over communities already suffering from climate impacts. The law requires challengers to provide 'clear and convincing evidence' that damage or injury has resulted directly from a violation, making it virtually impossible to successfully sue polluters for climate damages. The legislation was sponsored by Republican Representative Carl Albrecht, who has received funding from oil and gas interests. Albrecht's ties to the industry have raised concerns about the bill's motivations. The law closely mirrors a model policy called the Energy Freedom Act, circulated by the conservative group Consumers Defense, which has financial ties to a group linked to Leonard Leo, a key figure in the far-right takeover of the Supreme Court. The passage of Utah's law comes as climate lawsuits against big oil companies are inching closer to trial. Seventy cities, states, and individuals have sued energy majors for allegedly deceiving the public about the climate crisis. New York and Vermont have also passed climate 'superfund' laws requiring major polluters to pay for damages caused by their past planet-heating pollution. Lawmakers and advocates have amassed evidence that oil companies intentionally covered up the climate harms of their products. Climate science continues to warn that fossil fuels are the primary cause of dangerous global warming. Critics argue that the fossil fuel industry is pushing for immunity because it knows it cannot win on the merits of its case.

Two weeks after the United States and Israel entered a direct conflict with Iran, the White House faced mounting criticism that the war would drive up fuel costs and anger voters. Former President Donald Trump attempted to calm concerns on Truth Social, noting that the United States is the world’s largest oil producer and that higher prices translate into higher revenues for American companies. Now, five weeks into the hostilities, the reality is becoming clear: defense contractors and oil companies are the primary beneficiaries of the escalating energy market. The Department of Defense announced that Boeing will partner with Lockheed Martin to triple U.S. production of missile seekers, a move that sent Lockheed Martin’s stock up 25% since the start of the year. The announcement also lifted Boeing’s share price, underscoring how wartime procurement is boosting aerospace valuations. At the same time, Iran’s continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one‑fifth of global oil and gas flows—has pushed U.S. crude from $65 to over $110 per barrel in just a month. Pump prices have mirrored this surge, breaking the $4‑a‑gallon barrier for the first time since 2022. Oil majors have responded with sharp stock gains; ExxonMobil, Shell and Chevron have each risen more than 20% year‑to‑date. According to market‑research firm Rystad Energy, U.S. oil producers stand to earn an additional $63 billion as barrels trade above $100. “Oil prices in March have been materially higher than anyone expected, delivering a windfall for the vast majority of U.S. energy companies,” said Leo Mariani, senior analyst at Roth Capital Partners. The last comparable price shock occurred in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when U.S. gasoline peaked at $5 per gallon and inflation surged to 9%. That episode generated $916 billion in global oil‑and‑gas profits, with U.S. firms accounting for $281 billion. Chevron’s subsequent $75 billion stock‑buyback program—seven times its prior year’s amount—illustrates how quickly companies can translate price spikes into shareholder returns. Research by economists Gregor Semieniuk and Isabella Weber revealed that in 2022, 50% of oil‑company profits went to the top 1% of Americans, while the bottom half of the wealth distribution captured just 1% of those gains. Analysts warn that the current conflict could generate even larger windfalls because it has damaged actual production capacity in the Middle East, not merely reshuffled supply. “You’re benefiting a lot more from higher prices than you are from lost production,” Mariani noted, emphasizing the outsized profit potential. Even if hostilities cease, restoring pre‑conflict output in the region may take months, prolonging the supply crunch. As senior fellow Clay Seagle of the Center for Strategic and International Studies explains, the current situation differs from 2022: “Now we’re dealing with a much more severe supply event because the oil has been actually removed from the market.” Prolonged high prices could eventually curb demand, as consumers and businesses seek alternatives—a shift seen after the 1970s oil shocks when the U.S. moved away from oil‑generated electricity. Nonetheless, many sectors remain vulnerable: diesel, a key fuel for trucks and aircraft, has risen 40%, and airline stocks such as United and American have fallen more than 15% since the year began. Moreover, disruptions to liquefied natural gas (LNG) production threaten fertilizer supplies essential for agriculture. Semieniuk cautions that “we’re approaching the kinds of disruption levels we saw in 2022, and with that, the kinds of profits that we saw there. If this takes longer, it’s going to surpass that.”

The United Kingdom’s new inheritance tax framework for agricultural holdings and family enterprises takes effect on Monday, and accountants warn it will create significant challenges for those affected.After the government’s October 2024 proposal to impose inheritance tax on farms sparked nationwide protests, ministers responded in December 2025 by raising the tax‑free threshold from the originally planned £1 million to £2.5 million per individual.Under the revised rules, the first £2.5 million of combined farm and business assets will continue to enjoy 100 % relief from inheritance tax, while any value exceeding that amount will receive only 50 % relief. Each heir is allocated a personal allowance of £2.5 million.Elsa Littlewood, private‑client partner at BDO, described the rollout as a watershed moment for the farming and family‑business community. She acknowledged the “welcome concessions” but stressed that the new regime represents a “significant departure” from previous policy, demanding earlier and more intensive succession planning.Littlewood highlighted that many farms are “asset‑rich but cash‑poor,” meaning the revised tax structure could force beneficiaries to liquidate land or other assets to meet inheritance‑tax liabilities. This risk underscores the need for owners to engage in proactive estate planning to preserve the long‑term viability of their enterprises.While the threshold increase was applauded by some sector representatives, critics argue the changes remain insufficient to quell rural anger, noting that only the largest estates will now face higher tax bills.