Sri Lanka struggles to avert economic collapse over Mideast war

(The Center Square) – An education group has uncovered that teacher’s union the National Education Association has given nearly two million dollars in donations since 2020 to an organization that trains for May Day school “walk-in” protests, as well as demands agendas such as “tax the rich” and the removal of ICE.

Defending Education – the organization that released the report – director of research Rhyen Staley told The Center Square that “teachers unions turning children into far-left political pawns is a betrayal of the public trust.”

“Gone are the days of these public sector unions simply fighting for better wages, insurance, and working conditions,” Staley said. “They are leftwing political activist organizations who benefit fiscally from taxpayer dollars.”

Staley made the point that “roughly 70% of American students are not proficient in reading and math, yet the teachers unions are using their influence and positions of power and authority to train children to protest and agitate for far-left causes.” 

“This reinforces that the unions’ priorities are about advancing a radical political agenda, not the education of America’s children,” Staley said.

The National Education Association has not yet responded to The Center Square’s request for comment.

Defending Education’s report revealed that “a May Day 2026 Host Toolkit includes training information for a ‘coordinated day of action’ that demands taxing the rich, removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and ‘expanding democracy.’”

The toolkit additionally “promotes tactics such as a school ‘walk-in’ where participants enter a building to ‘protest harmful school conditions and policies.’”

Defending Education’s report showed that the National Education Association (NEA) has provided “$1,735,000 in funding to one of the organizations behind the training efforts” since 2020.

Staley told The Center Square “it should be deeply concerning that one of the suggested tactics is to enter schools to protest against policies they don’t like.”

“Putting children's education and safety at risk for political gain is unethical and immoral,” Staley said.

“This is yet another example of how activists and teachers unions view schools as a tool to advance their political agenda,” Staley said.

The May Day 2026 Host Toolkit uncovered by Defending Education states that May 1 will be a “coordinated day of action” where “tax the rich” will be demanded, along with “ICE Out” and “expand democracy, not corporate power” – the latter in the name of defending “free and fair elections, not a rigged disaster.”

May Day is also known as International Workers’ Day and commemorates “workers and the history of labor organizing” with demonstrations as UCLA explained.

The May Day toolkit uncovered by Defending Education said that “thousands of organizations across the country are calling for a day of ‘No School, No Work, No Shopping’ to disrupt the violent billionaire takeover of our country and to put working families first.”

“We are excited for you to join us in making this day a reality, and hosting an action where your neighbors can gather to make our voices heard,” the toolkit said.

The toolkit contains a section entitled “Hosting a Corporate Action,” where it’s stated that “corporate actions give us a chance to stand up to the billionaires who are directly causing us harm – and profiting from it.”

According to Defending Education, “actions include wide awake, or all night noise, campaigns, boycotts, and protests” and “corporate targets” for the actions include Hilton Hotels, Chevron & Citgo, and Enterprise Car Rentals.

The toolkit’s complaints against Hilton and Enterprise spring from both organizations allowing ICE officers to use their services.

Meanwhile, the toolkit claims that Chevron and Citgo have played a “critical role in supporting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and ongoing displacement of Palestinians.”

The toolkit provides a link to a map of Chevron stations directly owned by the company in order to take action.

A pet ostrich went for a speedy jaunt down a busy Thai highway on Tuesday, before being returned safe and sound to its enclosure at an animal-themed cafe.

The six-month-old male ostrich raced along a three-lane highway in Thailand's coastal Chonburi province as cars and trucks sped by the flightless bird, according to a video posted by a man who was driving directly behind it.

"Who lost an ostrich on the road? Come get him. He runs so fast," the motorist, Chairat Sompong, is heard saying in the video.

Chairat, 33, later told AFP that he was driving home when he came upon a traffic jam.

"At first, I thought it was an accident but when I drove close, I saw an ostrich running in the middle lane," he said.

The ostrich "looked afraid and panicked", Chairat said, adding that he tried to make it move to the left lane, where it eventually stopped running.

Adult ostriches are the fastest running birds, with top recorded speeds of around 70 kilometres (43 miles) per hour.

The ostrich, named B1, was finally corralled around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from its pen in resort town Pattaya, said the animal's owner, Itsara Boriboon.

"I was mortified and worried," Itsara, 43, told AFP. "I was concerned he might have had an accident."

He said he had bought B1 and a female ostrich called B2 five months ago for 15,000 baht ($460) and neither had fled their enclosure before.

Itsara, who owns a cat cafe that also features the pair of ostriches, said his employees told him B1 had escaped after noise from a truck delivering construction materials frightened off the big bird.

The man who later caught B1 contacted Itsara, who drove to a neighbouring province to pick up his pet.

"I will have to take care of them very well from now on so that this kind of incident will not happen again," he said.

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(The Center Square) – “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” President Donald Trump warned the Iranian regime as the clock ticks toward the 8 p.m. Eastern time deadline Tuesday for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” the president continued. “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

Trump's warning comes as multiple reports indicate the U.S. targeted several Iranian military sites on Kharg Island, striking ammunition storage, radars and bunkers on the vital Iranian island. The island, located in the Persian Gulf off the southwest coast of Iran, hosts up to 90% of the nation’s oil exports.

The president has been issuing stern warnings to the Islamic Republic over the past week as Trump gave Iran a 10-day deadline to make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to the threats, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said that “restraint is over,” telling the U.S. not to cross “red lines.”

Kanye West on Tuesday offered to meet members of the British Jewish community amid a backlash over the US rapper's previous antisemitic outbursts.

The offer from the disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star -- now known as Ye -- came as drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo pulled out of sponsoring a festival in the British capital where West is due to headline.

Asked if the government would intervene to ban West appearing, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "all options remain on the table".

West is booked to play all three nights at the Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park, London in July as part of a European comeback tour.

In an advert in the Wall Street Journal headlined "To Those I've Hurt", West said he knew he had to make amends.

"My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music," he said.

"I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person."

In May 2025, West released a song called "Heil Hitler" to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. 

"I know words aren't enough -- I'll have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here," he added.

- Bipolar excuse -

West has previously expressed regret over his antisemitic rants, which he blamed on his bipolar disorder.

But British government minister Wes Streeting told UK broadcasters he regarded West using bipolar disorder "to justify his actions" as "appalling".

Starmer said earlier it was "deeply concerning" that West had been booked despite "his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism".

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the group would be willing to meet West if he pulled out of Wireless.

"The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival," he said.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has faced calls from politicians and the Campaign Against Antisemitism to intervene to stop West from coming to the UK, on the grounds that his presence would not be "conducive to the public good".

As tickets went on sale on Tuesday, the PA news agency reported that West's permission to enter the UK was being reviewed by ministers.

West's European tour has already provoked controversy. In France, the mayor of Marseille said the rapper was "not welcome" for a concert there in June.

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Russian artillery and aerial attacks killed nine people in Ukraine -- including a child -- in strikes across the country on Tuesday, officials said.

Those strikes came as Moscow, which invaded Ukraine more than four years ago, said a Ukrainian drone had hit a house in Russia, killing a child and his parents.

Russia's invasion has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and forced millions of people from their homes in the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.

The two sides have stepped up deadly long-range drone and missile attacks in recent months, mainly targeting energy infrastructure, with Moscow aiming to dent Ukrainian resolve and Kyiv targeting Russian energy revenues.

Russian shelling in the southern city of Kherson -- captured by Russia and then liberated in 2022 -- killed four people and wounded several others, a regional official said.

The official, Oleksandr Prokudin, likened the Russian shelling on Kherson to "hell" and posted video showing bodies strewn on the street and bloodied victims.

The attack in Kherson came just hours after a Russian drone attack on a passenger bus in the frontline city of Nikopol killed four people, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

"The Russians continue their deliberate terror against people in Nikopol and other cities and communities near the front," Zelensky added, describing such Russian attacks as "human safaris".

Regional officials posted photos showing a yellow mini-bus ripped open in the attack and remains of those killed lying on the street.

Nikopol, which had a pre-war population of around 100,000 people, lies on the banks of the Dnipro river, which cuts through Ukraine and forms a de facto front line in the south of the country.

The city is in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where Russian ground forces are battling to advance.

Moscow's army has been regularly attacking civilians in their cars or in public transport with drones over the Dnipro.

The strike in Nikopol is the latest in a series of deadly attacks in recent days that have spurred Ukrainian officials to warn that the situation in the city could further deteriorate.

Overnight, a separate Russian drone strike on the Dnipropetrovsk region killed an 11-year-old boy and wounded five others when a house caught fire, the governor said.

In Russia, a Ukrainian drone strike on a residential building killed a boy, born in 2014, and two adults in the Russian region of Vladimir, east of Moscow, said Governor Alexander Avdeev.

The couple's five-year-old daughter was taken to hospital with burns.

The region is more than 500 kilometres (300 miles) from the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

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(The Center Square) - U.S. small businesses reported reduced spending and hiring amid concerns over military strikes against Iran and looming inflation data, according to a new report.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce found business owners across the country are slightly more concerned about the health of their businesses as the U.S. military continues its operations in Iran. Small business owners reported a decline in planned hiring and investments.

The Chamber of Commerce’s survey was conducted from Feb. 25 - March 11, 2026. The survey sampled 751 small business owners in the United States.

In quarter one of 2026, 16% of businesses reported increasing their staff over the past year, down from 23% in Quarter 4 of 2025. Similarly, 37% of business owners planned to increase investments in the next year, a decrease from 44% in quarter four of 2025.

The Chamber of Commerce found some business owners reported concerns with rising costs, which is contributing to a greater investment in artificial intelligence use.

Overall, the Small Business Index was 67 in quarter one of 2026, down from 68.4 in quarter four of 2025. The business owners reported feeling less comfortable with their cash flow over the previous quarter. About 28% of small business owners said the economy is in “good health,” down by 10% from the previous quarter.

Neil Bradley, executive vice president, chief policy officer and head of strategic advocacy at the chamber of commerce, said the data show clear concerns about the military conflict in Iran.

“The data show a clear downturn in public sentiment that shouldn’t be overlooked,” Bradley said. “This suggests small business owners are worried about the future state of the economy, but it remains to be seen if this will translate into changes in their current operations.”

The report also found 61% of small business owners planned to increase revenue, down from 65% last quarter and 69% in quarter one of 2025. About 19% of owners reported increasing concerns over providing employees with healthcare and other benefits.

The Chamber of Commerce said concerns over affording employee benefits were the highest since tracking began in quarter one of 2023.

“Businesses are navigating higher operating costs and more conservative spending behavior,” said Kate Strickland, founder of Wander Media Company. “There is opportunity, but decision cycles are noticeably longer.”

Inflation represented a top concern for most small business owners. 53% of owners surveyed said inflation was their top concern, up from 45% in the previous quarter. With rising inflation, fewer owners were willing to say they are “very comfortable” with their cash flow.

About 20% said they were “very comfortable” with their businesses cash flow, compared to 24% in the last quarter.

“The biggest challenge facing our businesses right now is financial uncertainty in the economy, which is causing tightening on discretionary spending,” said Chris Barber, a member of the National Small Business Council in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

(The Center Square) – The U.S.-Israel led attack against Iran continues to impact the global oil supply by cutting off Persian Gulf crude production and distribution. It’s not only impacting the global energy supply, it also is facilitating a supply chain and food stability crisis with ripple effects throughout the economy, experts warn.

After three weeks of conflict, President Donald Trump has imposed a Tuesday night deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. Industry experts argue that although reopening the strait is imperative, extensive damage has been done that will take years to fix and consumers can expect costs to go up and stay up.

The U.S.-Israel attack on Iran has resulted in a net loss of 13.5 million to 14.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil being transported through the Strait, Andrew Lipow, with Houston-based Lipow Oil Associates, said in a statement. Another nine to 10 million bpd of crude oil production has been shut off in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudia Arabia and the UAE.  

From Feb. 27 to April 6, the conflict has caused gasoline futures on the West Texas Index (WTI) to increase by 42% and diesel futures to increase by 69%. This translates to American consumers paying about $830 million more a day for transportation fuel than before the Iran conflict, Lipow estimates.

The WTI already reached $120 a barrel in March, The Center Square reported. Last week, oil futures were at $112 a barrel and the Dallas Fed highlighted how the conflict was creating uncertainty for the U.S. oil and natural gas industry. In January, the Texas oil and gas industry reported another month of extraction job losses as rig counts continued to decline, The Center Square reported. 

A $120 WTI price translates to more than $4 a gallon for gasoline and more than $5 a gallon for diesel. Ports are charging fuel surcharges, which are being passed on to consumers in the form of higher costs for goods and groceries. Petrochemical prices have also increased by nearly 50%, impacting all plastic goods, Lipow adds.

“Even if the conflict were to end tomorrow and the Strait of Hormuz were to reopen, oil prices would not return to pre-conflict levels of $67 per barrel,” Lipow reiterated. “The damage to energy infrastructure is done and will take months if not years to repair the more extensively damaged facilities.” 

Middle East jet fuel exports total 600,000 bpd through the Strait, or nearly 8% of the global demand. Middle East diesel fuel exports totaled 1.2 million bpd through the Strait, or roughly 4% of world demand.

“To make up for the jet shortfall, refiners around the world would have to increase their crude oil throughput by 6 million bpd,” Lipow said, which is unlikely to happen. “Even if the conflict ended tomorrow, almost 3 million barrels per day of refinery capacity has been damaged in the Middle East from missile and drone attacks and needs to be repaired.”

One way to solve the jet fuel shortage is to cut flights, which several airlines have already announced. They’re also increasing fees, including on checked baggage. This is after U.S. airlines have already been grappling with problems stemming from the longest federal shutdown of national security agencies in U.S. history. After two months of Congress failing to reach an agreement to fund TSA agent salaries, Trump issued an executive order to provide emergency funding. 

Aluminum, helium and fertilizer shortages are also increasing due to Iranian retaliatory strikes and the Strait’s effective closure. The price of aluminum has reached a four-year peak after Iran attacked two major smelters in Bahrain and UAE, Reuters reported. It could take years to rebuild Qatar’s helium production, which was damaged after Iran struck Qatar’s largest liquefied natural gas facility, the New York Times reported. 

Roughly one-third of the global fertilizer supply shipped through the Strait is at risk. “While the United States is both a fertilizer producer and importer, those same global supply dynamics play a role in determining input costs for American farmers,” the Fertilizer Institute says. “The full extent of impacts [of the conflict] to the U.S. fertilizer market remains uncertain.” While the USDA has begun distributing up to $12 billion in subsidies to eligible farmers, it’s only seen as an expensive stop gap measure.

Iran isn’t expected to comply with Trump’s demands. Meanwhile, Yemeni Houthis have opened up another front in the conflict after attacking Israel. “Their actions could impact southbound traffic in the Red Sea through the Baba al Mandeb Strait. Northbound, the Su-Med Pipeline has a capacity of 2.5 to 3 million barrels per day,” Lipow said.

Last March, Trump launched Operation Rough Rider to target the Houthis. It was the first U.S. military operation in the Middle East of his second term. He claimed targeted air and naval strikes obliterated Houth rebels in Yemen who’d been targeting ships in the Strait. One year later, they launched attacks against Israel. 

A gunman was killed and two others wounded in a shootout Tuesday with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, the local governor said, adding two officers were lightly wounded.

Turkish public broadcaster TRT had previously reported that two of the three attackers had been killed.

Authorities have identified the assailants.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said they arrived in Istanbul by a rental vehicle from Izmit and one of the assailants was affiliated with an "organisation that exploits the region".

Turkish officials would not immediately reveal the group the attacker was linked to but Turkish media said it could be Islamic State group, whose members clashed with Turkish police in Yalova -- which lies on the shores of the Sea of Marmara about 90 kilometres (55 miles) southeast of Istanbul.

IS militants opened fire on police in Yalova in December, killing three officers and wounding nine others.  

One of the two assailants in Tuesday's shootout-- who are brothers -- has a drug record, the minister said. 

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American hedge fund Pershing Square, led by the activist investor Bill Ackman, announced Tuesday that it had offered to buy Universal Music Group in a merger, saying it believed the music giant was undervalued by stock markets.

Pershing Square said its cash and stock offer to Universal shareholders was worth 30.40 euros ($35.15) a share, valuing Universal with its stable of top artists including Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and Lady Gaga at around 55 billion euros.

Pershing Square said in a statement that it had submitted the offer to Universal's board, hoping to close the deal by the end of 2026.

After a merger with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, an acquisition company, the new entity would be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

"UMG's stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business," Ackman said in a statement.

The company pointed to uncertainty about French conglomerate Bollore's plans for its 18 percent stake in Universal, a delay in listing on the US stock market, and "underutilisation of UMG's balance sheet" among concerns that have held back the shares' performance.

Pershing Square bought 10 percent of UMG from the French media giant Vivendi, also owned by Bollore, in August 2021.

If the merger goes ahead, the new company would aim to increase its dividend payouts by two percent each year and maintain borrowing of 2.5 times its operating profit (EBITDA), Pershing Square said in a letter to Universal's Board.

"All free cash flow after required investments in the business will be used for share repurchases," the letter added.

Universal shares were up on the Amsterdam stock exchange following news of the offer, adding more than 11 percent to trade at just over 19 euros around 0950 GMT.

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A French high-speed train crashed into a truck carrying military equipment in northern France on Tuesday, killing the driver of the TGV and critically injuring two people, officials said.

The train, which was travelling from the northern city of Dunkirk to Paris and carrying 243 people, collided with a lorry at a level crossing in the town of Bully-les-Mines, the prefecture said.

The accident occurred at around 7:00 am (0500 GMT).

Two people were in critical condition, while 11 others sustained less serious injuries, the prefecture said in an updated tally. Officials had earlier reported that 27 people were injured.

Large numbers of emergency responders and technical crews were deployed at the crash site, where personnel were seen inspecting the mangled nose of the TGV train.

According to a spokesperson for the prefecture, the truck was carrying military equipment. The lorry driver was in police custody, a judicial source told AFP. 

- 'Railway workers in shock' -

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said on X he was heading to the scene with the head of the SNCF.

"Railway workers are in shock following this tragic accident," the Sud-Rail trade union posted on X.

"The SUD-Rail union is demanding complete transparency regarding this tragedy and a firm commitment from the authorities."

The prefecture said 88 firefighters were mobilised along with 10 police officers and dozens of other personnel.

Neither the SNCF nor the prefecture were able to specify the circumstances of the accident.

The SNCF said rail services would be suspended between Bethune and Lens until late Tuesday.

Fabien Villedieu of the Sud-Rail trade union said it was "the second special convoy in a week to become stuck at a level crossing".

On March 25, a regional train collided with a truck at a level crossing in the southeastern town of Saint-Raphael, killing the 60-year-old truck driver.

In March 2025, two soldiers died after their vehicle was struck by a regional train at a level crossing near the northern town of Arras.

In France, serious accidents involving high-speed rail lines are rare compared to traditional railways.

A high-speed train in November 2015 derailed after taking a corner much faster than the recommended speed during a test between Paris and the eastern city of Strasbourg, killing 11 people. 

It was the deadliest such accident involving a high-speed train in France.

On Christmas Eve 2024, a TGV driver with personal troubles killed himself by throwing himself out of the train while it was moving. An automated response brought the train to a halt and no one else was hurt.

France's first high-speed train or Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) shattered world speed records when it came into service in 1981.

The first generation of the TGV reached a top speed of 380 kilometres (236 miles) per hour, cutting the journey time between Paris other French cities to just a few hours, as opposed to the full-day, or even overnight, trip required previously.

Hailed as a prime example of French engineering and industrial prowess, TGV technology has been exported to several countries including South Korea, Spain, the United States and Italy.

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