Iran says Strait of Hormuz remains closed until US lifts port sanctions, no talks date set
Tehran said on April 19, 2026 that no date has been set for talks with the United States and that the Strait of Hormuz will remain … Read more
World
Diplomacy, conflict, climate and global culture covered from on-the-ground correspondents across five continents.
North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast
North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Sunday, marking its seventh launch this year and the fourth in April. … Read more
Bulgarians Vote in Eighth Election in Five Years Amid Pro-EU vs Pro-Russia Divide
Bulgarians head to the polls on Sunday for their eighth parliamentary election in five years, a vote that could either break the cycle of political instability … Read more
Leningrad Oblast Recruits Veterans to Form Mobile Fire Groups Amid Ukrainian Drone Strikes
Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko declared his region a frontline on April 15, acknowledging Ukrainian drone strikes had turned a historically sheltered Russian rear into a … Read more
Trump declares victory in US-Israel Iran conflict, claims Strait reopened
Donald Trump declared a swift victory in the US-Israel war on Iran, claiming the Strait of Hormuz had reopened and major sticking points in a peace … Read more
U.S. fugitive Daniel Joseph Kinahan arrested in Dubai after six-year manhunt
Daniel Joseph Kinahan was arrested in Dubai on 17 April, ending a six-year manhunt for the alleged leader of one of Europe’s most violent drug trafficking … Read more
Trump Thanks Gulf States for Support Amid Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Opening
US President Donald Trump thanked Gulf states for their ‘tremendous’ support during a Turning Point USA event on April 18, 2026. Trump acknowledged Gulf states’ role … Read more
U.S. Destroyers Fail to Stop Iranian Oil Loading Despite Blockade Claims
Five empty tankers arrived at Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf in recent days and began loading millions of barrels of oil, according to satellite imagery … Read more
UN Warns South Sudan Faces Risk of Famine and State Collapse Amid Fighting and Peacekeeping Cuts
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned the Security Council on April 18 that South Sudan faces a risk of full-scale famine and state collapse as … Read more
Keir Starmer Faces Pressure Over Peter Mandelson’s Failed Security Vetting for US Ambassador Role Keir Starmer Faces Pressure Over Peter Mandelson’s Failed Security Vetting for US Ambassador Role
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced mounting pressure on Friday after revelations that his nominee for UK ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, had been … Read more
U.S. Blocks Iranian Tankers as Oil Exports Continue via Offshore Transfers and Gulf of Oman Vessels
On April 13, U.S. Forces began enforcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz after President Trump vowed to block any ship … Read more
Pakistan’s army chief leads US-Iran talks as civilian government sidelined
Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday evening with a new Washington-backed framework for renewed US-Iran talks, stepping directly from his plane into a … Read more