Friday, April 10, 2026

Israel bombed Gaza on 36 of the past 40 days while the war raged in Iran




Israel bombed Gaza on 36 of the past 40 days while the war raged in Iran


In that short time, Israel killed at least 107 people, permitted only 8 percent of medical evacuations, and admitted just 20 percent of trucks




By Alia Chughtai and Marium Ali
Published On 9 Apr 2026


The United States and Iran agreed on Wednesday to a two-week ceasefire following 40 days of war, with talks set to begin on Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan.

But since February 28, when Israel and the US began bombing Iran, Israel has also, on a near-daily basis, launched attacks on Lebanon, Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

While much of the world’s attention has been on Iran, here are three main things that you may have missed in Gaza.


Israel bombed Gaza on 36 of the past 40 days

Since the declaration of a “ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip six months ago, Israel has violated the agreement thousands of times, with attacks on a nearly daily basis.

Over the past 40 days, Israel has not only continued bombing Gaza, but has also closed the Rafah crossing and withheld life‑saving food and medical supplies.

According to an analysis by Al Jazeera, Israel has attacked Gaza on 36 out of the past 40 days, meaning there were only four days on which no violent attacks, deaths or injuries were reported in the Strip.


How many people has Israel killed in that time?


Between February 28 and April 8, Israeli attacks killed at least 107 people in Gaza and injured 342 others.

Since the “ceasefire” in Gaza took effect six months ago, Israeli attacks have killed at least 738 people and injured more than 2,000.

In total, since launching its genocidal war on Gaza, Israel has killed or injured at least 10 percent of the Strip’s population, killing more than 72,000 people, the majority of them women and children, and injuring at least 172,000 others, with thousands more buried under the rubble and presumed dead.


[Al Jazeera]


On Wednesday, as the world awaited the much-anticipated pause in attacks between the US, Israel and Iran, Israel killed another journalist in Gaza – Al Jazeera’s correspondent Mohammed Wiswash, who was killed in a targeted drone strike.



‘Heinous crime’: Al Jazeera condemns Israeli killing of journalist


On the same day, Israel launched one of its largest-ever attacks on Lebanon in a single day, launching a wave of strikes that killed at least 254 people and injured 1,165.


Only 8 percent medically evacuated

On February 28, the day Israel and the US began strikes on Iran, Israeli authorities closed all crossings into Gaza, halting the transfer of wounded patients abroad and suspending medical evacuations.

Among them was Rafah crossing, Gaza’s sole gateway to the outside world through Egypt, which was supposed to open under the US-brokered 20-point ceasefire plan for the Strip. Based on the agreement, 50 patients per day, plus their companions – typically one or two per patient – were supposed to be allowed out of the enclave for treatment.

More than two years of Israeli attacks have left thousands injured and in need of urgent medical treatment. According to OCHA, more than 18,500 critical patients, including 4,000 children, require medical evacuations.

On March 19, Israeli authorities announced the resumption of limited medical evacuations through Rafah.

According to the Gaza Media Office, since February 28, 625 out of 7,800 travellers have been permitted to leave Gaza for treatment – about 8 percent of the agreed number.

[Al Jazeera]


Twenty percent of trucks allowed to enter Gaza

Israel has continued to limit urgent food and medical supplies, exacerbating severe shortages and deepening a humanitarian crisis.

According to the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC), the global hunger monitor, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of the population in Gaza are facing high levels of acute food insecurity.

Of the 1.6 million people analysed by IPC:475,000 people are in Phase 2, food stress.
1,027,790 people are in Phase 3, food crisis.
570,980 people are in Phase 4, food emergency.
1,885 people are in Phase 5, famine.

According to the Gaza Media Office, since the US-Israel war on Iran began, Israel has allowed only 4,999 of the 23,400 trucks stipulated in the ceasefire agreement into the Strip – just one-fifth of the promised deliveries.





Strait still shut and Lebanon fighting strains truce as US and Iran aim for first talks





By Parisa Hafezi, Maya Gebeily, Maayan Lubell and Ariba Shahid
April 10, 2026, 11:12 AM GMT+10
Updated 51 mins ago



Summary


  • Iran says ceasefire must include Lebanon; Israel says it is not covered
  • Israel offers direct talks with Lebanon, wants Hezbollah to disarm
  • Islamabad locked down to host talks


DUBAI/BEIRUT/JERUSALEM/ISLAMABAD, April 10 (Reuters) - The Strait of Hormuz remained shut on Friday and Israel traded fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, which the United States and Iran each described as violations of their ceasefire deal on the eve of their first peace talks of the war.

The two-day-old ceasefire ​has halted the campaign of U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran. But it has so far done nothing to end the blockade of the strait, which has caused the biggest-ever disruption to ‌global energy supplies, or to calm a parallel war waged by Israel against Iran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon.

Iran was doing a "very poor job" of allowing oil to go through the strait, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a social media post overnight. "That is not the agreement we have!"

In a separate post, he said oil would start flowing again, without saying how.


PAKISTANI CAPITAL LOCKED DOWN FOR TALKS

Iran, for its part, described the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon as a violation of the truce. Israeli forces launched the biggest attack of the war hours after the ceasefire was announced, killing ​more than 250 Lebanese in sudden surprise strikes on heavily populated areas.

Iran says the truce was meant to apply to Lebanon, a position initially supported by Pakistan, which mediated it. Israel and the United States say ​Lebanon is not covered by the U.S.-Iranian ceasefire. But in a shift on Thursday, Israel said it would open separate talks with the Lebanese government aimed at ending the war there ⁠and disarming Hezbollah.

The rival accusations of violations appeared unlikely to derail the first planned U.S.-Iranian peace talks, set to begin in the Pakistani capital Islamabad from Saturday.

The centre of Islamabad was placed under complete lockdown for a hastily announced public holiday, ​with a security perimeter thrown up for a 3-km (2-mile) "red zone" around a luxury hotel where all guests were ordered out to make room for both delegations.

Pakistani officials were tight-lipped about the exact timing of the arrival of the Iranian delegation to be ​led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. A source involved in the talks said the Pakistani air force would escort the Iranians' plane.

The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, is due in time for the start of the talks on Saturday.


US INFLATION DATA TO SHOW WAR'S EARLY IMPACT

The ceasefire has brought an expectation that Middle East oil will resume flowing, and curbed benchmark oil prices based on delivery a month in the future. But the prices for present-day spot delivery have yet to fall and some refineries in Europe and Asia are ​paying record prices close to $150 a barrel.

March U.S. consumer price figures are due on Friday, the first official American statistics to show the war's early impact on inflation.

In the first 24 hours of the ceasefire, just a single oil products tanker ​and five dry bulk carriers sailed through the strait, which typically carries 140 ships a day.

Although Trump has declared victory, the war did not achieve the aims he set out at the start: to deprive Iran of the ability to strike its neighbours, dismantle its ‌nuclear programme and ⁠make it easier for its people to overthrow their government.

Iran still possesses missiles and drones capable of hitting its neighbours and a stockpile of more than 400 kg (900 pounds) of uranium enriched near the level needed to make a bomb. Its clerical rulers, who faced a popular uprising just months ago, withstood the onslaught with no sign of organised opposition.

Iran's agenda at the talks now includes demands for major new concessions, including the end of sanctions that crippled its economy for years, and acknowledgment of its authority over the strait, where it aims to collect transit fees and control access in what would amount to a huge shift in regional power.

Its new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, yet to be seen in public since taking over ​from his father who was killed on the war's first ​day, released a defiant statement on Thursday saying Iran ⁠would demand compensation for all wartime damage.
"We will certainly not leave unpunished the criminal aggressors who attacked our country," he said.

The United States, for its part, wants Iran to relinquish the uranium, forgo further enrichment, give up its missiles and end support for regional allies - years-old demands left over from talks Trump abandoned two days before launching the war.


FRESH ATTACKS IN LEBANON

Israeli ​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement on Thursday that he had given instructions to start peace talks with Lebanon as soon as possible marked a shift after he rebuffed Lebanese ​calls last month for direct talks.

"The ⁠negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon," Netanyahu said.

Israel invaded Lebanon last month in pursuit of Hezbollah after the group fired into Israel in support of Iran. Around a fifth of Lebanese have been forced from their homes by the Israeli invasion, with troops aiming to occupy the entire southern swathe of the country.

Israel's military said early on Friday it had struck 10 launchers in Lebanon that fired rockets toward northern Israel on Thursday evening, and that Iran-allied armed group Hezbollah ⁠had launched a ​missile at Israel, triggering air sirens.

Hezbollah said it had targeted Israeli military infrastructure in the northern city of Haifa. The armed group had initially ​indicated it would pause attacks in line with the ceasefire, but said it would resume fighting after Wednesday's Israeli strikes.

A senior Lebanese official told Reuters Lebanon had spent the day pushing for a temporary ceasefire to allow for broader talks with Israel, describing the effort as a "separate track but the ​same model" as the U.S.-Iran truce.

A U.S. State Department official confirmed the U.S. would host a meeting next week to "discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations".


Two Nobel Prizes For Trump: Will U.S. President Become 1st Person With 2 Medals Despite Never Winning It?



Friday, April 10, 2026


Two Nobel Prizes For Trump: Will U.S. President Become 1st Person With 2 Medals Despite Never Winning It?


By Sumit Ahlawat
-April 9, 2026




In 2025, US President Donald Trump lobbied hard for the Nobel Peace Prize, repeatedly emphasizing that he had stopped eight wars and that no candidate was more deserving than him.

Trump’s campaign for the Nobel Peace Prize was even endorsed by multiple world leaders, including Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Gabon Brice Oligui Nguema, and numerous other leaders.

However, one of the most forceful endorsements came from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize on multiple platforms and said that Trump’s intervention in the India-Pakistan War in May 2025 helped avert a nuclear crisis and saved millions of lives.

However, when Trump failed to win the prize despite multiple endorsements, something snapped inside him. In October 2025, the Nobel Committee announced that Venezuela’s María Corina Machado was the winner of the coveted award.

After the announcement, Trump told reporters: “The person who actually got the Nobel Prize called today, called me and said, ‘I’m accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it.’”

Trump avoided expressing his disappointment directly, but in January this year, he could no longer hold back.

Trump tied his demand for Greenland to not getting the Nobel Peace Prize.

In a message to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump blamed the country for not giving him the prize.

“Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America,” Trump wrote.


File Image


Many dismissed Trump’s message to Jonas as hyperbole or outbursts of a sore loser. However, subsequent events have shown that not getting the Nobel Peace Prize has deeply scarred Trump’s impressionable mind (pun intended).

Since then, Trump has gone to war with two countries, first with Venezuela and then with Iran.



Trump got away with the Venezuela War, winding up the operation in less than three hours with no casualties; however, the war with Iran, as security experts had been warning for months, stretched for more than a month, spread to the whole Middle East, and caused widespread economic turmoil throughout the world.


A fragile ceasefire has been worked out, though the chances of long-term peace remain slim. Furthermore, energy prices could remain elevated for years, and the world might be standing at the doorstep of an impending food crisis.

Worse still, no one bought into Trump’s logic of war. NATO countries abandoned Trump. One by one, many NATO countries, among them Spain, France, and Italy, refused the use of their military bases for offensive operations against Iran; the UK, Japan, and South Korea refused to join the US’s war effort, and Trump’s domestic approval ratings plunged to a historic low, with over 60% Amercians strongly disapproving of his decisions.

Experts said that for Iran, it was a ‘war of survival,’ for Israel, it was a ‘war of choice,’ but for Trump, it was a ‘war of whims.’


After this disastrous war, clearly, Trump has sabotaged his chances of winning a Nobel, at least for the foreseeable future.


However, that does not mean Trump has abandoned his desire to have another Nobel medal, at least the physical medal, even if he does not officially win the award.

In January 2026, President Donald Trump accepted the physical Nobel Peace Prize medal from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado during a White House meeting. Machado presented the medal to Trump as a gesture of gratitude for his support of Venezuelan democracy.

Trump described it as a “wonderful gesture of mutual respect” and said he intended to keep the medal, adding that “nobody in history deserves the prize more than him”.

Now, following Pakistan’s mediation in the Iran-US War, there are murmurs that Islamabad’s efforts towards mediation and achieving a ceasefire deal should be rewarded with a Nobel Prize.


Pakistani media and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on April 3 called for the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to initiate a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

In an opinion piece for The Nation, Lt. Col (Retd) Sayed Ahmad Nadeem Qadri said: “Pakistan’s recent actions align with these principles in several ways: it prevented a potentially devastating war, acted as a trusted intermediary for both sides (the USA and Iran), contributed to global stability by helping stabilise energy routes and international markets, and encouraged diplomacy over military action, resulting in the promotion of dialogue.”


“Such contributions reflect the core spirit of the Nobel Peace Prize, rewarding those who actively work to reduce conflict and foster peace. Pakistan’s mediation between the United States and Iran demonstrates the power of diplomacy in resolving even the most complex conflicts,” he added.

In fact, Trump could return the favor to Pakistan PM Sharif by nominating or endorsing him for the Nobel Peace Prize, just like Sharif endorsed Trump for the award multiple times last year.

If Sharif manages to win the award, Trump could be sure that, just like Machoda last year, Sharif would gladly gift his Nobel medal to Trump, calling him the more deserving candidate.

It is worth recalling that last year, Sharif repeatedly credited Trump with the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, even though New Delhi firmly rejected all reports of US mediation, saying that India agreed to the ceasefire after the Pakistani DGMO reached out to India with a ceasefire proposal.

Since then, Islamabad has signed a crypto deal with Washington and a critical minerals deal, and the US has greenlit a crucial IMF bailout package for Islamabad, which was on the verge of bankruptcy.

Given Islamabad’s critical dependence on the US and PM Sharif’s eagerness to cross all boundaries of sycophancy to appease Trump, he could be sure that Sharif would be more than willing to issue a statement similar to Machoda’s, saying he is receiving the award in honor of President Trump.

In fact, Sharif would be more than willing to read a statement drafted in the White House itself.

We have just witnessed a short trailer of Pakistan and its Prime Minister, Sharif’s subservience to Trump.


On April 4, the New York Times reported that the text of Sharif’s ceasefire announcement posted on the social media platform X was vetted by the White House.

“Sharif, adopting Trumpian parlance, said in a post on X Tuesday afternoon that diplomacy was “progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully” and that he was requesting that Mr. Trump extend the deadline for two weeks. He then tagged Mr. Trump and other top advisers. But behind the scenes, the White House had already seen and signed off on the statement before Mr. Sharif posted it,” the NYT reported.

Some people even speculated that the message was not only vetted but written by the White House, as Sharif initially posted the statement with the header: “*Draft – Pakistan’s PM Message on X*”.

Given this bonhomie, Trump can be sure that Sharif will have no hesitation in reading out a statement written by the White House if he manages to win the Nobel for its mediation efforts and would gladly gift the physical medal to Trump in front of the cameras.

President Trump, then, can boast of becoming the first person ever to have not one but two Nobel medals, without winning even a single one, a fitting tribute to Trump’s remarkable efforts towards world peace.



Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK.


***





This is what has driven Trump mad with jealousy




Israel attacks Lebanon again on eve of US-Iran truce talks




Israel attacks Lebanon again on eve of US-Iran truce talks


Focus on economy first, Anwar says amid calls for action against Rafizi


FMT:

Focus on economy first, Anwar says amid calls for action against Rafizi


2 hours ago
Mohamad Fadli

The PKR president calls on members to remain calm in response to the party's outspoken MP


PKR president Anwar Ibrahim meeting members of the public after attending Friday prayers in Kg Cheras Baru, Pandan, Kuala Lumpur, today. (Bernama pic)


KUALA LUMPUR: PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has urged party members calling for action to be taken against former deputy president Rafizi Ramli to remain calm.

Anwar, the prime minister, said he would rather focus on issues affecting the country’s economy.

“They (issues affecting the economy) are far more serious than a personal problem.


“So I advise them to remain calm,” he told reporters after attending Friday prayers in Kg Cheras Baru, Pandan.

Rafizi has been openly critical of the government and PKR since he lost the race for the party’s deputy presidency and relinquished the economy minister’s post in May last year.

Five days ago, PKR central leadership council member A Kumaresan called on the party to take action against Rafizi, accusing the Pandan MP of weakening the party.

Earlier today, Rafizi challenged PKR to sack him when defending several statements he made against the party leadership, listed in a second show-cause letter issued yesterday.

In July last year, 19 PKR divisions in Johor called for the suspension of nine MPs from the party, including Rafizi, who had pushed for a royal commission of inquiry into judicial appointments and alleged interference in the judiciary.

The division chiefs said the MPs’ actions not only breached party discipline and ethics, but also cast a negative light on the prime minister’s leadership and opened the door to political manipulation by rivals.


Al Fatihah Din Merican



Murray Hunter
Apr 10, 2026


Al Fatihah Din Merican






I just got news that the legendary DJ Blogger Din Merican passed away at 11.05 am in Kuala Lumpur.

Din was a good friend and supporter of me for the last twenty-years. I was a young and inexperienced writer, but Din often posted my work from the Asia Sentinel on his blog Din Merican: The Malaysia DJ Blogger. Din knew people from all sides of politics and took his blog very seriously in putting out the cases and opinions of the day. Din’s blog in its day was a go to site for all those interested in Malaysian politics and other Asian issues relevant to Malaysia.

Din was an Alor Setar boy and went to school locally and then onto University of Malaya to study economics. Later, Din went to study at the George Washington School of Business at George Washington University. Din also studied at INSEAD in France. Din went into the Malaysian foreign service and later Bank Negara Malaysia. He then went on to work in a Sime Darby subsidiary.

In later life Din became and academic, becoming a visiting senior research fellow of the Penang based Socio-Economic Research Institute which later became the Penang Institute. Din then began his relationship with the University of Cambodia moving through several positions until he became the head of the School of Government and International Relations.

Many Malaysians made it a mandatory task to go and meet with Din when they travelled to Cambodia.

Unfortunately, Din suffered a stroke in 2016 and returned to Malaysia to live with his brother for the last 10 years. For many years he was married to Dr Kamsiah Haider.

Din’s blog is still available and acts as a reference point for many researchers in political science. Din’s commentary was often very influential.

Although Din has not been active as a blogger on Malaysian affairs for a decade, he will be missed by the generation who experienced Malaysian political evolution with him. I personally miss his advice which I often asked for. I was last in contact with him a couple of months ago when he made one of his rare calls to me.

Din was very much part of our gaining of political maturity in Malaysia. His comments are missed and now his spirit goes out into the universe.

Din was conferred with Darjah Dato Setia DiRaja Kedah (DSDK) by DYMM Sultan of Kedah on DYMM Tuanku’s 83rd birthday. Din also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Cambodia for his services to international relations.

I guess the last words for Din Merican should be what he said in his blog:


Vitaques mancipio nulli datur, omnibus usu. - lucretius


This roughly translates as “To none is life given in freehold; to all on lease." This is a last piece of wisdom to ponder on.


***


Rest in peace dear Din





Trump's Achievements


From the FB page of:


Nury Vittachi




Pakistan minister brands Israel ‘curse for humanity’ amid Lebanon strikes





Pakistan minister brands Israel ‘curse for humanity’ amid Lebanon strikes



Khadija, who was wounded in an Israeli strike that killed her father in Hay el-Sellum, a densely populated district of Beirut, is escorted by her uncle Kheir Hamiyeh, and her mother, as they prepare for the burial of Khadija’s father, at Rafik Hariri University Hospital, in Beirut, Lebanon, April 9, 2026. — Reuters pic

Friday, 10 Apr 2026 12:34 PM MYT


HYDERABAD, April 10 — Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday strongly criticised Israel Zionist regime, accusing it of committing attacks on civilians across the region while peace talks are underway in Islamabad.


Israel is evil and a curse for humanity, while peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon,” Asif said in a post on X on Thursday.


“Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel, first Gaza, then Iran and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated,” he added.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday demanded that hostilities must stop immediately and international law must be respected.

“I unequivocally condemn the massive strikes by Israel across Lebanon on April 8 that resulted in hundreds of civilians being killed and injured, including children,” he said.


Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon killed 24 people over the past 24 hours, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Thursday, as strikes hit at least 52 towns and areas across the country’s south, a local media reported.

The attacks came as the Israeli army continued its widened assault on Lebanon since Wednesday, killing over 303 people and injuring 1,150 others, according to the Lebanese Civil Defence.


The offensive continued despite a two-week ceasefire announced on Tuesday by the United States and Iran, brokered by Pakistan.

The two-week ceasefire is part of efforts to reach a broader agreement to halt a conflict launched by Washington and Tel Aviv against Tehran on February 28 that has left thousands killed and wounded.

While Islamabad and Tehran said the ceasefire includes Lebanon, Washington and Tel Aviv denied that.

Iranian and US officials are set to start talks in Islamabad on Saturday to reach a peace agreement. — Bernama


***


SATANYAHU SABOTAGED THE CEASEFIRE BY DELIBERATELY ATTACKING LEBANON DESPITE THE CEASEFIRE BEING ANNOUNCED. TRUMP COULD DO NOTHING EXCEPT SQUEEZE HIS BLARDY BALLS - ISRAEL IS HIS LORD AND MASTER


Obsession with PM post hinders Malay unity, says Saifuddin


FMT:

Obsession with PM post hinders Malay unity, says Saifuddin


Ex-Bersatu man says national interests must always take precedence over party and personal interests


Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah said efforts to build Malay-Muslim unity must be centred on a new political culture based on knowledge, wisdom, and service, with a moderate, balanced, and progressive outlook.


PETALING JAYA: The obsession of certain politicians with becoming prime minister stands in the way of efforts to establish Malay-Muslim political unity, says an opposition MP.

Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah said national interests must always take precedence over party and personal interests, adding that preoccupation with chasing the top post would wreck unity.

“We cannot become obsessed with wanting to become prime minister or the top leader,” he said in his Merentas Ruang column published by Sinar Harian.


The former Bersatu leader also said efforts to build Malay-Muslim unity must be centred on a new political culture based on knowledge, wisdom, and service, with a moderate, balanced, and progressive outlook.

The former federal minister said these efforts must be led by a new line-up of leaders who were credible and respected by Malay figures across various sectors, whether politics, business, academia, or public service.

“It cannot be led by someone who does not have the respect of the majority of Malay leaders,” said Saifuddin.

He added that unity was not about political survival or the supremacy of the majority. “Instead, it is about a wise and inclusive majority who want to shape a political configuration that crosses all spectrums for a better Malaysia.”


Truce with Tehran, war with MAGA: Trump goes off on ‘low IQ’ loyalists over Iran criticism






Truce with Tehran, war with MAGA: Trump goes off on ‘low IQ’ loyalists over Iran criticism



US President Donald Trump speaks to the press upon arrival at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, June 20, 2025. — AFP

Friday, 10 Apr 2026 9:57 AM MYT


WASHINGTON, April 10 — The coalition that propelled Donald J. Trump back to the White House is facing a historic internal collapse.

In a vitriolic social media broadside, the US president has declared war on his most prominent media allies, labelling them “low IQ” and “nut jobs” for opposing his administration’s ongoing military conflict with Iran.

The outburst, posted on Truth Social today, signals a total rupture between President Trump and the alternative media vanguard — including Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones — who have become increasingly vocal critics of the US-Israel strikes launched against Tehran last month.


‘Stupid people’

Trump, who defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 election to reclaim the presidency, did not mince words regarding the pundits who once formed his ideological backbone. He accused the group of being “stupid people” who have “one thing in common: Low IQs.”


“I know why Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones have all been fighting me for years,” Trump wrote, claiming they are only seeking “cheap publicity” for their “third-rate podcasts.”

The president saved his sharpest barbs for Carlson, calling the former Fox News host a “broken man” who “should see a good psychiatrist.”


He also targeted Candace Owens, mocking her legal disputes with the First Lady of France and disparagingly comparing her appearance to that of the French First Lady.

The "MAGA" civil war appears rooted in the unpopularity of the March 2026 military intervention in Iran.

While Trump sought to frame the conflict as a matter of “winning and strength” to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, his former media allies have warned that the war is a betrayal of the “America First” non-interventionist platform.

In the post, Trump, who spent years deriding CNN as “Fake News”, boasted that the network had given him a “100% Approval Rating,” while accusing his former allies of being “hailed” by the “Radical Left” for their anti-war stance.

Trump also referred to his formerly staunch defender, Marjorie Taylor Greene, as “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown,” suggesting the former congresswoman’s opposition to the Iran strikes has made her an enemy of the administration.

The deepening instability within the US executive branch adds a layer of volatility to an already tense global situation.

The March strikes on Iran have already sent shockwaves through global energy markets, and a fractured US administration could lead to further unpredictability in the Persian Gulf, a critical region for the world and Malaysia’s oil interests and trade routes.

Despite the backlash from his base, Trump remained defiant.

“MAGA is about WINNING and STRENGTH in not allowing Iran to have Nuclear Weapons,” he asserted, concluding that the United States remains the “hottest” country in the world under his leadership.


Pakistani sexual offence suspect escapes Sungai Buloh Prison, manhunt on

 




Pakistani sexual offence suspect escapes Sungai Buloh Prison, manhunt on



Police are searching for a 24-year-old Pakistani man suspected of child sexual crimes, among others, who escaped from the Sungai Buloh Prison on April 9, 2026. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Friday, 10 Apr 2026 9:27 AM MYT


SUNGAI BULOH, April 10 — Police are tracking a Pakistani remand detainee who escaped from Sungai Buloh Prison yesterday.

Sungai Buloh district police chief Superintendent Mohd Hafiz Muhammad Nor said the suspect, identified as Muhammad Hassan, 24, is wanted in connection with several serious offences, including sexual crimes involving a child.

He is facing charges under Sections 377C and 392 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, along with additional immigration-related offences, local Malay daily BH reported today.

The suspect was last seen wearing an orange T-shirt and black long pants, according to the senior police officer.


Given the nature of the offences, police advise the public to exercise caution while the suspect remains at large.


Anyone with information on the suspect’s whereabouts are advised to contact investigating officers Inspector Muhendran at 010-4304383 or Inspector Azamuddin at 016-5661597, or reach out to the nearest police station.

Police also reminded the public not to circulate unverified information or speculation that could disrupt investigations or cause public alarm.

KL police: Suspended Bukit Aman officer under probe in Kepong RM4.4m robbery spree





KL police: Suspended Bukit Aman officer under probe in Kepong RM4.4m robbery spree



Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus (pictured) confirmed the investigation of one of their own is suspected of masterminding the spate of Kepong luxury home robberies. — Bernama pic

Friday, 10 Apr 2026 9:11 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — Police have confirmed that a suspended senior officer arrested over a string of armed robberies in Kepong was previously attached to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

City police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said the suspect, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had been serving in the Commercial Crime Investigation Department prior to his suspension on January 23, the New Straits Times reported today.

“The suspect is believed to have played a central role in orchestrating the group’s operations, including planning and coordinating their movements,” Fadil was quoted as saying.

The DSP was among six suspects — including two bodyguards — detained over multiple break-ins targeting expatriate homes in Kepong, Fadil previously said.


The group, aged between 31 and 51, allegedly posed as police officers to gain entry into the homes, with one suspect wielding a pistol-like object to intimidate victims.


Investigations indicate the syndicate made off with high-end vehicles — including a Toyota Alphard, Rolls-Royce and Bentley — as well as a safe, RM24,200 in cash, US$1,200, jewellery and two gold bars, bringing total losses to over RM4.4 million.

Police also found that the bodyguards involved had used legally licensed firearms during the robberies.


Fadil described the case as a serious breach of integrity within the force, stressing that such misconduct undermines public trust and violates the core duty of police personnel.

He added that authorities will take firm action regardless of rank, and that investigations into the case are ongoing.

Shipping in Strait of Hormuz still at a trickle despite US-Iran ceasefire




Shipping in Strait of Hormuz still at a trickle despite US-Iran ceasefire


Washington and Tehran accuse each other of not honouring truce agreement


A boat sails in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz off Khasab in Oman's northern Musandam peninsula in June 2025 [File: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP]



By John Power
Published On 10 Apr 2026


Shipping remains at a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz despite the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, dampening hopes for a resolution to one of the worst global energy disruptions in history.

Only a handful of vessels have transited the critical strait since Washington and Tehran on Tuesday announced a two-week pause in fighting, according to ship tracking data.

Five vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, down from 11 the previous day, and seven transited on Thursday, according to data from market intelligence firm Kpler.

More than 600 vessels, including 325 tankers, are still stranded in the Gulf due to the blockage of the strait, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

“While some vessel movement has resumed, traffic remains very limited, compliant shipowners are likely to stay cautious, and safe transit capacity is expected to remain constrained at maximum 10–15 passages a day if the ceasefire holds, without consideration of tolls applied,” Kpler trade risk analyst Ana Subasic said in an analysis on Thursday.

The waterway, which usually carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, typically handled about 120-140 transits before the US and Israel launched their attacks on Iran on February 28.





On Thursday, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of failing to live up to its part of the ceasefire agreement, which includes a commitment to allow “safe passage” through the waterway for two weeks.

“Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of 


“That is not the agreement we have!”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier accused the US of not honouring the deal, warning, in reference to Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon, that it had to choose between a ceasefire or “continued war” via its ally.

“The world sees the massacres in Lebanon,” Araghchi said in a post on social media.

“The ball is in the US court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”

After plummeting on the back of the ceasefire announcement, oil prices have begun to tick up as markets digest the reality that maritime traffic remains effectively halted despite the truce.

“This moment requires clarity. So let’s be clear: the Strait of Hormuz is not open,” Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state-run oil company, ADNOC, said in a social media post on Thursday.

“Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled. Iran has made clear – through both its statements and actions – that passage is subject to permission, conditions and political leverage. That is not freedom of navigation. That is coercion.”

Brent crude, the international benchmark, stood at $96.39 as of 02:00 GMT on Friday, after falling below $95 a barrel on Wednesday.

Asia’s main stock markets opened higher on Friday, following overnight gains on Wall Street driven by hopes of a resolution to the war.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was up 1.8 percent in early trading, while South Korea’s KOSPI and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index were up about 2 percent and 1 percent, respectively.