“Jürgen Habermas, whose work on communication, rationality and sociology made him one of the world’s most influential philosophers and a key intellectual figure in his native Germany, has died. He was 96. Habermas’[s] publisher, Suhrkamp, said he died on Saturday, March 14, in Starnberg, near Munich. Habermas frequently weighed in on political matters over several decades. His extensive writing crossed the boundaries of academic and philosophical disciplines, providing a vision of modern society and social interaction. His best-known works included the two-volume ‘Theory of Communicative Action.'” (03/14/26)
“Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, on Saturday issued a threat to broadcasters’ licenses over ‘hoaxes and news distortions — also known as the fake news.’ Carr is the latest member of the Trump administration to weigh in on what it calls false reporting by major news organizations, including news networks, about the two-week old war in Iran. … ‘The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not. And frankly, changing course is in their own business interests since trust in legacy media has now fallen to an all time low of just 9% and are ratings disasters,’ he said.” (03/14/26)
“Exiled [former] Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi said Saturday he is ready to lead Iran’s transition ‘as soon as the Islamic Republic falls.’ As the war in Iran entered its third week, Pahlavi — the son of the late [deposed] Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — said he has been working in recent months to develop a transition plan should the Iranian regime collapse to ensure the country does not experience a disruption in governance. Pahlavi said in a social media post that ‘capable individuals’ have been identified both inside and outside Iran to lead what he called a ‘transitional system.’ … Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled Iran’s monarchy and established the Islamic Republic.” (03/15/26)
“Protesters in central Cuba have torched a local communist party office, as conditions on the island continue to deteriorate under severe restrictions from the United States meant to squeeze the economy. Authorities said on Saturday that five people were arrested amid what the government called ‘vandalism acts’ in the city of Moron. … Protests are relatively rare in Cuba, given the threat of government repression. But in recent weeks, Cubans have expressed growing frustration with food and electricity shortages. Some have taken to banging pots and pans at night — a protest tradition called ‘cacerolazo’ — to express anger over the lack of food. Students, meanwhile, at the University of Havana held a sit-in on Monday after their classes were suspended due to energy restrictions.” (03/14/26)
“Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, Carlon Augustus remembers reading the newspapers his grandparents bought daily. Now 32, he says he turns to social media for the latest news. For him, it’s about getting news in real time. ‘Everything is on social media now. Whatever happens today, you don’t have to wait to get the papers tomorrow,’ he said. Media owners point to shifting reading habits like Augustus’ as the primary reason two legacy newspapers have folded in the Caribbean so far this year: Guyana’s Stabroek News and Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday. Stabroek News printed its final edition on Sunday and halted its online publication. It was established in November 1986, a year after its founder asked Guyana’s then-president if he would accept the creation of an independent newspaper. At the time, Guyana was six years away from its first free and fair elections in nearly 30 years.” (03/15/26)
“Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer on Friday acknowledged that she is continuing to seek a pardon from President Donald Trump in the wake of the release of the Epstein files. The remarks from Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, came during an on-stage conversation at an American Bar Association conference with Barry Pollack, the attorney for another high-profile defendant, deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. During a discussion about their media strategy in which Markus derided reporting about Maxwell’s prison transfer to what some outlets have described as a ‘country club’-like prison facility, Pollack suggested one goal in talking to reporters might be to alter the public perception of a defendant in hopes of leniency from the president.” (03/13/26)
“An American aerial refueling tanker that was involved in the U.S. military operation in Iran crashed in western Iraq. The status of the plane’s crew is unknown. Iranian state media released the first public statement attributed to new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country continued attacking U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf and ships in the region. … Iran’s relentless assaults have fueled an apparent lack of investor confidence, with oil prices topping $100 a barrel and stock prices sliding despite President Trump’s repeated assertions that he’ll end the war soon and announcements of major oil reserve releases.” (03/13/26)
“Donald Trump has issued a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea to stabilise global energy markets roiled by the Iran war. Earlier on Wednesday, Washington announced it would be releasing 172 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to curb skyrocketing oil prices. That release was part of a broader commitment by the 32-nation International Energy Agency (IEA) to release 400 million barrels of oil. Meanwhile, Ukraine struck a vital Russian oil hub on Thursday, causing a large fire and damaging Moscow’s logistics in the latest attack on energy infrastructure, according to a source in Ukraine’s security service.” [editor’s note: As if it was ever any of the US regime’s business where other countries get their oil from – TLK] (03/13/26)
“Bitcoin is holding near $71,000 and trading at the upper end of a monthlong consolidation range, even as global stock markets wobble and oil prices climb. The broader crypto market, with a capitalization around $2.4 trillion, has remained in a tight band since late January, with major tokens like Ether, Solana, XRP and BNB posting modest gains. Analysts say Bitcoin’s resilience reflects a stabilization phase that may require new capital for a sustained rally, as institutions increasingly explore Bitcoin-native financial infrastructure and so-called Bitcoin DeFi.” (03/13/26)
“Senate Democrats on Thursday defeated a motion to proceed to a House-passed bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security and end the 27-day shutdown that has hampered the functions of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other critical agencies. The motion failed by a vote of 51 to 46. Centrist Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans to advance the funding bill. It needed 60 votes to advance. It marked the fourth time since Feb. 12 that Democrats have voted to block Homeland Security funding legislation.” (03/12/26)
