China's President Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday that his country would play a "constructive role" in promoting peace talks in the Middle East, Chinese state media reported, after a first round of discussions between the United States and Iran ended without agreement

Iran slammed a US blockade around its ports on Monday as a "grave violation" of its sovereignty, as Washington and Tehran's belligerent rhetoric rattled a fragile truce.

US President Donald Trump warned Monday that any Iranian attack boats that approach the American naval blockade around Iran's ports would be destroyed, despite international calls for a ceasefire to be respected and negotiations to resume

Congratulations from across Europe poured in yesterday for Hungarian political newcomer Peter Magyar, who defeated nationalist Viktor Orban in elections seen as a blow to right-wing populism worldwide.

The US military began a blockade of ships leaving Iran’s ports yesterday, President Donald Trump said, and Tehran threatened to retaliate against ports of its Gulf neighbours after weekend talks on ending the war broke down.

AI‑generated picture on Truth Social depicted Trump in robes with light shining from his hand and head

Dozens of people in northeastern Nigeria died in airstrikes by the military, which claimed to be targeting jihadists, local residents, Amnesty International and a UN security report said Sunday.

Iran has resumed rail services on key routes after repairing sections of track damaged during the war with Israel and the United States, state media said yesterday.

An Israeli airstrike killed at least three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip yesterday, health officials said, as mediators met leaders from Hamas in an effort to shore up a US-brokered ceasefire deal.

A phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to US Vice President JD Vance made in the middle of negotiations derailed what could have been a breakthrough in the Iran-US standoff, Tehran has claimed.

India’s Supreme Court (SC) has declined to grant interim voting rights to those whose names were deleted during the voter roll clean-up process special intensive revision (SIR) and whose appeals are still pending before the appellate tribunals.

Ukraine and Russia renewed overnight drone strikes yesterday, after the end of a 32-hour Orthodox Easter truce marred by accusations of mass violations, both countries said.

Australia yesterday said a woman would lead its army for the first time in history, as part of a reshuffle of the country’s defence force leadership.

Pope Leo blasted violations of international law by “neocolonial” world powers in a forceful speech yesterday during an Africa tour, hours after US President Donald Trump’s direct attack on the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church.

A US naval blockade of Iran is a major, open-ended military endeavor that could trigger fresh retaliation from Tehran and put tremendous strain on an already fragile ceasefire, experts say.

UK-French initiative appears to be separate from Trump's announced blockade

Lafarge had finished building a $680 million factory in Jalabiya in 2010, just before Syria's civil war erupted in March

Conference aims to form “strictly defensive” multinational effort to restore freedom of navigation

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warns Israel could act as spoiler, flags nuclear dispute and Hormuz tensions as key hurdles

Here are details on the planned blockade and its implications for oil markets.