Trump does to Iran what Putin did to Ukraine, progressively tightening the rope around its neck. That's why he wants Hormuz so bad.

The Greek Courier

As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran enters its eleventh day, President Trump casually addressed the killing of 178 schoolgirls by a US missile and emphasized his belief that the military operation is progressing "very far ahead of schedule." He claimed the Iranian military is devastated, stating they have "no navy, no communications," and warning of severe repercussions if they block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump knows that control of the Strait is the key to unlocking Iran and forcing it to surrender. Not only because bombing Iran's infrastructure will be easier, but mainly because the U.S. will be able to restrict Tehran's oil export capabilities, which could severely damage Iran’s economy and pressure the regime to the brink of collapse.

Politicizing the State is what corrupt governments do. And Trump's is one of them

The Greek Courier

March 9 , 2026

In a foreseeable maneuver signaling a transition toward the politicization of federal employment, the Trump administration, aided by Elon Musk's prior involvement, has shifted from extensive job cuts to hiring personnel aligned with Republican ideals. This change marks yet another departure from administrative meritocracy, transforming the hiring process into a mechanism of political patronage that favors MAGA supporters within the bureaucracy.

Nobel laureate Joe Stiglitz says not only can AI take your job, it’ll make the ‘tech bro’ class richer while doing so

Catherina Gioino
Economist Joseph Stiglitz fears not only will AI cause greater economic inequality, but it will lead to a worsening of political inequality as well.

Fri, March 6, 2026 

As professor Joseph Stiglitz sees it, AI is not just another technology wave—it’s a force that can erode jobs and hardwire a new era of inequality. That is, unless governments and institutions deliberately push it in a different direction.

Greek peninsula reveals remarkably preserved medieval ancestry

03-05-2026
By Raquel Brandao
Earth.com staff writer

Follow Earth on Google

Men in a remote corner of southern Greece have preserved paternal lineages that trace directly to the early medieval era, with more than half of them descending from a single ancestor who lived in the seventh century. That continuity has effectively frozen a fragment of southern Greece’s pre-migration genetic landscape inside one peninsula.

‘The Air is Unbreathable’: Tehran Shrouded in Cloud of Toxic Smoke After Israel Strikes Fuel Depots

by Rebecca Schneid, Kay Armin Serjoie and Fatemeh Jamalpour
Mar 8, 2026 9:57 AM PT
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Iran’s capital was engulfed in a cloud of toxic smoke that unleashed black rainfall dozens of miles away on Sunday after overnight Israeli strikes on several fuel depots caused fires to burn for hours.

USA TODAY Exclusive: Trump eyes surprise economic deal with Cuba

Francesca Chambers
USA TODAY
Updated March 8, 2026

• What sectors are included in the Trump-Cuba economic deal?
• How does Trump's Cuba strategy differ from Obama's?
• How did the U.S. oil strategy impact Cuba's fuel crisis?

DORAL, FL – The Trump administration is preparing an economic deal with Cuba that could be announced soon, two sources with knowledge of the administration’s plans said.

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new supreme leader?

The 56-year-old is expected to continue the hardline rule of his father
BBC Persian
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed in US-Israeli strikes, has been chosen as his successor.

The Dawn of New Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is Shrouded in Chaos as Title Equals a Death Row Sentence. But an allied ground invasion could meet the same fate as his.

The Greek Courier

By Yiannis Damellos

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has ascended to the position his father held for nearly four decades, which ended with his death during US-Israeli air strikes. He now inherits an electric chair at the top of a system significantly weakened after the 88-member Assembly of Experts made a decision many Iranians feared—transforming the Islamic Republic into a dynasty. The uncertainty surrounding this new leadership, including potential consequences, adds complexity to an already unstable situation. 

At the same time, analysts suggest that any ground attack against Iran by American, Israeli, or Kurdish forces could be countered by robust Iranian defensive strategies, especially in challenging terrains like the Zagros and Alborz mountain ranges, as well as in the vast deserts of Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut. While the U.S. has the capability to deploy bunker busters, operating in this rugged terrain may prove hazardous and could lead to higher American casualties.

If Medical Needs Are Key for Nancy Guthrie's Survival, Why Not Focus the Investigation There?

The Greek Courier

Vancouver, BC - In the case of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, maintaining medical needs is crucial for survival. Unless the motives of those who abducted her are more sinister than extortion, keeping her in good health requires considerable attention. It also offers critical insights into the identity of the abductor and her potential fate. 

NASA successfully kicks asteroid off course in Earth defence test

NASA knocked an asteroid off course in 2022 in a pioneering test of humanity's ability to defend Earth. Its spacecraft's impact pushed the space rock into a slightly different orbit around the Sun, according to new research published Friday.

07/03/2026 

By: FRANCE 24

The narrow corridor planes are being pushed through to avoid the Middle East just got even narrower

Transportation

By Pete Syme

Mar 6, 2026, 3:21 AM PT

• More airplanes have been re-routing through the Caucasus since Saturday's strikes on Iran. 
• Azerbaijan closed part of its airspace after an airport was hit by a drone on Thursday. It's the latest country to be dragged into the conflict. 
• A narrow flight corridor that's become vital to airlines is shrinking as the Iran conflict expands.

How Russia Emerged as an Early Winner of the Iran War

Rebecca Schneid
Sat, March 7, 2026 

The war in Iran has killed hundreds of civilians, displaced hundreds of thousands more, sent global oil prices skyrocketing, created a political crisis for President Donald Trump and shaken the stability of the Gulf. But for one nation at least, the chaos has created opportunity. Russia has emerged from the first week of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran as an early winner, seemingly able to profit from the secondary economic and geopolitical effects of the war while others bear the costs.

Iran fires at Gulf neighbours as president’s apology draws criticism at home

MIDDLE EAST
Issued on: 07/03/2026 - 22:54

Modified: 07/03/2026 - 23:03

By: FRANCE 24

Iran's president apologised on Saturday for attacks on "neighbouring countries" even as its missiles and drones continued to target US bases in Gulf Arab states and hardliners in Tehran asserted that the country's war strategy would not budge. Iran also traded blows with Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to pursue the war "with all our force" and to "eradicate the Iranian regime".

Oil and gas prices rapidly rise as Iran war shows no signs of letting up

Business
By CATHY BUSSEWITZ
Updated 2:21 PM PST, March 7, 2026
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil surged higher and showed no signs of halting its rapid climb a week after the U.S. and Israel launched major attacks on Iran that escalated into a war in the Middle East.

Documents Reveal a Web of Financial Ties Between Trump Officials and the Industries They Help Regulate

Trump Administration

ProPublica is releasing a trove of disclosure records that detail the finances of more than 1,500 Trump appointees, including former lobbyists, industry executives and at least a dozen officials who declined to identify former clients.

by Corey G. Johnson, Brandon Roberts and Al Shaw

March 5, 2026, 5:00 am

Is The Shield of Americas an Ultra Conservative Block designed for regime change and Empire? Does it pose a threat to Canada?

The Greek Courier
March 7, 2026

Vancouver, BC - The recent formation of what is being termed the "Shield of the Americas" reflects President Trump’s vision of a strategic coalition aimed primarily at countering both local resistance to his plans in the Americas and Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere. While the war in Iran rages on, this ideological league raises critical questions about the potential for military enforcement and regime change in countries that resist their lead.

Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence

Mar 5, 2026
ANTHROPIC
Key Findings

• We introduce a new measure of AI displacement risk, observed exposure, that combines theoretical LLM capability and real-world usage data, weighting automated (rather than augmentative) and work-related uses more heavily
• AI is far from reaching its theoretical capability: actual coverage remains a fraction of what's feasible
• Occupations with higher observed exposure are projected by the BLS to grow less through 2034
• Workers in the most exposed professions are more likely to be older, female, more educated, and higher-paid
• We find no systematic increase in unemployment for highly exposed workers since late 2022, though we find suggestive evidence that hiring of younger workers has slowed in exposed occupations

Live Updates: Trump demands Iran's "unconditional surrender" as Russia gives Tehran intel on U.S. positions

By Tucker Reals, Kathryn Watson, Lucia I Suarez Sang

Updated on: March 7, 2026 / 1:28 AM EST / CBS News

What to know on the eighth day of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran

• Israel announcing a "new phase" in the joint war launched almost a week ago with the U.S., heavily bombing Iran's capital, Tehran, as well as Lebanon.  
• President Trump appeared to rule out negotiations with Iran, calling for its "unconditional surrender" in a social media post. Mr. Trump has said he wants to be involved in picking Iran's next leader.
• Russia is providing intelligence on U.S. positions to Iran, three sources, including a senior U.S. official with direct knowledge, confirmed to CBS News.