POLITICS & POLICY

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the U.S. Navy will immediately begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz after marathon peace talks with Iran in Islamabad ended without a deal, escalating tensions in a conflict that has already disrupted nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies for more than six weeks.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies normally flow, remained effectively restricted Sunday as a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran failed to restore full commercial shipping traffic despite official claims that the waterway is open.

President Donald Trump sat ringside at UFC 327 on Saturday night, watching fighters trade blows at the Kaseya Center while Vice President JD Vance announced in Islamabad that marathon negotiations with Iran had ended without an agreement to end the conflict or guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

SYDNEY — A humorous yet pointed Australian job interview has gone viral on YouTube, capturing the moment an apparent North Korean agent posing as an IT professional is toyed with during a video call, ultimately losing his composure when pressed on sensitive topics including leader Kim Jong Un. The short clip, uploaded April 7, 2026, has racked up more than 750,000 views in days, highlighting ongoing efforts by Western nations to detect and deter Pyongyang's covert overseas workers.

LONDON — More than 500 people were arrested Saturday during a peaceful sit-down demonstration in Trafalgar Square against the British government's ban on the direct-action group Palestine Action, as organizers accused officials of complicity in what they called Israel's genocide in Gaza.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport (KWI) remained closed to all regular commercial passenger flights as of Sunday, April 12, 2026, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) continuing to deny widespread rumors of an imminent reopening.

DUBLIN — Fuel protests gripping Ireland entered a fifth day Saturday as farmers, hauliers and truckers maintained blockades at key infrastructure sites, causing fuel shortages at hundreds of petrol stations and prompting the government to finalize a substantial support package for affected sectors.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Senior U.S. and Iranian officials gathered Saturday in Pakistan's capital for direct ceasefire negotiations, marking the first high-level talks between the longtime adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and offering a potential off-ramp after 43 days of devastating conflict.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport stayed shuttered Saturday with no commercial passenger flights operating, as authorities continued to cite persistent security concerns and infrastructure repairs following months of regional instability that first forced the closure on Feb. 28.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungarians head to the polls Sunday in a parliamentary election that could end Viktor Orban's 16-year grip on power, with the opposition Tisza Party holding a clear lead in the latest polls over the longtime prime minister's Fidesz party amid widespread discontent over corruption, ties to Russia and stalled European Union funds.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump took to Truth Social early Saturday with a single emphatic word — "GREAT!!!" — accompanied by an image of empty supertankers steaming toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, signaling apparent relief as maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz normalized following weeks of high-stakes tensions with Iran.

President Donald Trump said Friday he did not know in advance about or recommend First Lady Melania Trump's surprise White House statement on Jeffrey Epstein, in which she forcefully denied any personal relationship with the late sex offender and called for congressional hearings for his victims.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply, remained severely restricted Saturday as Iran continued to control access and limit transits more than three days after a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire took effect.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued a series of increasingly stark warnings to Iran this week as the United States sought to pressure Tehran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz and accepting a fragile ceasefire in the ongoing Middle East conflict, blending apocalyptic rhetoric with offers of potential peace.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday welcomed a temporary Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin while reiterating his call for a broader halt to strikes on energy infrastructure, as the grinding war entered its fifth year amid shifting global tensions including conflicts in the Middle East.

WASHINGTON — First Lady Melania Trump, known for her poised presence and independent streak, delivered a rare public statement from the White House Grand Foyer on April 9, 2026, directly addressing rumors linking her to Jeffrey Epstein while calling for congressional hearings for survivors of his sex trafficking network.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — High-level U.S. and Iranian delegations gathered in Pakistan's capital Saturday for the first direct negotiations aimed at turning a shaky two-week ceasefire into a lasting end to the 2026 Iran war, with both sides deeply divided over core issues including Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and regional influence.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, seething over what he calls NATO allies' failure to support U.S. efforts in the Iran conflict and stalled plans for Greenland, has discussed with advisers the possibility of withdrawing some American troops from Europe, a senior White House official said Thursday.

WASHINGTON — First Lady Melania Trump delivered a rare and pointed public statement from the White House Grand Foyer on Thursday, April 9, directly addressing long-circulating rumors about her relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and forcefully denying any improper connection.

BEIRUT — Israeli forces unleashed one of the heaviest barrages of the 2026 conflict on Lebanon on April 8, launching more than 100 airstrikes in a matter of minutes and killing at least 250 to 300 people, officials said, dealing a severe blow to a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire just hours after it was announced.

Ivanka Trump grew visibly emotional in a wide-ranging new interview released this week, fighting back tears as she reflected on the death of her mother, Ivana Trump, and the lasting impact of her guidance while discussing life in the spotlight, family resilience and stepping away from full-time politics.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained at a virtual standstill Friday, with just nine vessels transiting the critical waterway in the past 24 hours despite a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement, as Iran maintained tight control and enforced restricted routes amid lingering regional tensions.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday highlighted a major shift in global energy geopolitics, sharing a news report on Truth Social claiming his administration's interventions in Iran and Venezuela have dismantled China's long-standing strategy of importing billions of dollars worth of discounted sanctioned oil.

WASHINGTON — Nearly all young men in the United States will soon be automatically added to the military draft database without lifting a finger, as the Selective Service System prepares to shift from self-registration to government-driven enrollment using federal data sources by December 2026.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — More than 24 hours after a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect, the strategic Strait of Hormuz — through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes — remains effectively closed to most commercial traffic, with shipping data showing only a handful of vessels transiting under strict Iranian control amid ongoing tensions and accusations of ceasefire violations.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that U.S. military forces will remain positioned around Iran and stand ready to resume combat operations if Tehran fails to fully comply with what he called the "real agreement" reached in a fragile two-week ceasefire, as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing regional strikes threaten to unravel the delicate truce.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea's ballistic missile program continues its relentless pace in 2026, with frequent short-range launches, upgrades to solid-fuel engines for intercontinental systems and a clear focus on survivable, nuclear-capable weapons that can threaten South Korea, Japan and the U.S. mainland.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the sea Wednesday in its second launch in two days, South Korea's military said, hours after a senior Pyongyang official derided Seoul as "world-startling fools" for clinging to hopes of improved ties with the nuclear-armed neighbor.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint that carries roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, is no longer fully closed but remains heavily restricted as a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect Tuesday, allowing selective "safe passage" for approved vessels while thousands of ships sit idle nearby.