Iran decried the seizure as an act of piracy, saying it has no plans to participate in talks with the US. Plus, how Maui residents are rebuilding Lahaina for locals, not touristsGood morning.The US military has attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged container ship that tried to evade its blockade near the strait of Hormuz. It is the first such interception since the US began blocking Iranian ports last week.When does the ceasefire end? It is set to expire by Wednesday.Where does the US public stand on the war? An NBC poll on Sunday estimated 67% and 68% of adults “somewhat” or “strongly” disapproved of the way Trump was handling the Iran war (as well as inflation and the cost of living domestically).Stay up to date on developments with our liveblog.Was the suspect known to the authorities? Police said he had been arrested in 2019 in a firearms case. Continue reading...
• The US Navy fired upon and seized an Iranian-flagged vessel amid escalating tensions in the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which began with airstrikes on February 28, 2026, targeting Iranian leadership and nuclear sites.
• President Trump confirmed the action, occurring as Iran's retaliatory strikes hit Israel and US bases, compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting global oil supplies.
• Oil prices have exceeded $100 per barrel, prompting IEA nations to release strategic reserves; the incident dims prospects for peace talks and amplifies economic fallout worldwide.
FTSE 100 slides and UK gas prices up amid fears strait of Hormuz will be closed for extended periodBusiness live – latest updatesOil prices rose sharply and European stock markets fell on Monday, after the US seizure of an Iranian vessel hit hopes for a peace deal.Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose by as much as 5% on Monday to $95.50 (£70.75) a barrel. Continue reading...
Donald Trump said on Sunday that US marines had taken custody of a vessel that tried to get past the American blockade on Iranian portsTehran has ‘no plans to participate’ in new talks, state media reports, as it accuses US of violating ceasefireJust to recap the latest peace talks news, and whether or not Iran will attend negotiations in Pakistan.State broadcaster IRIB on Sunday cited Iranian sources as saying “there are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks”.Iran has reportedly rejected participation in a second round of peace talks with the US in Pakistan, citing “Washington’s excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire”, according to the official IRNA news agency.Hours before Iran’s statement, Trump said his negotiators would arrive in Islamabad on Monday evening. A White House official said the delegation would be led by vice-president JD Vance and include Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.Donald Trump said in a post on Sunday that the US marines have taken custody of a vessel that tried to get past the American blockade on Iranian ports, adding that US forces stopped the ship by blowing a hole in its engine room.The US military confirmed that the US destroyer fired “several rounds” towards an Iranian-flagged ship that was attempting to pass through its naval blockade. In a statement released on Sunday, US Central Command said the USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged Touska ship as it travelled towards an Iranian port “in violation of the US blockade.”The US blockade of Iran’s ports is a violation of the ceasefire agreement and is “both unlawful and criminal”, Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said on Sunday.Oil prices jumped, the US dollar rose and stock futures fell on Monday as investors dealt with conflicting messages about the Iran war and news that the strait of Hormuz was closed again. In early Asian trading Brent crude futures jumped about 7% to $96.85 a barrel and S+P 500 futures fell about 0.9%. The euro was down 0.3% at $1.1735 and the yen eased about 0.2% to 158.95 per dollar. Continue reading...
Trump says cargo ship tried to get past US naval blockade near strait of Hormuz ‘and it did not go well for them’The US military took custody of an Iranian-flagged container ship that attempted to get past an American blockade near the strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump announced on Sunday.In a social media post, Trump said that an “Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA” tried to get past the US naval blockade, “and it did not go well for them”. Continue reading...
The prime minister’s leadership is still in the spotlight after Mandelson was appointed US ambassador after he failed security vettingLiz Kendall has repeated David Lammy’s claim the prime minister would have stopped Peter Mandelson’s appointment if he had known the peer had failed security vetting.Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday, the science and technology said Keir Starmer was a “man of integrity”. Continue reading...
• The US Central Command issued an urgent alert Saturday concerning Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles operating in coordinated formations near major shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf, marking an escalation in regional tensions.
• US Navy destroyers and coalition partners have increased surveillance operations, with officials reporting at least 15 drone incidents detected in the past 48 hours targeting commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
• The escalation follows recent US military movements in the region and threatens global oil supply routes, with shipping insurance rates rising 12% since Friday morning.
• Netflix's new limited series "Echoes of Tomorrow," starring Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac, premiered April 17 and garnered 68 million views in its first 24 hours.
• The eight-episode psychological thriller explores alternate timelines and has already been renewed for a second season despite its standalone narrative structure.
• Critics praised the series' cinematography and performances, with The New York Times calling it "a haunting meditation on choice and consequence."
Current and ex-officials at the CDC warn Americans’ health security in danger under RFK Jr’s directionFourteen months after Robert F Kennedy Jr was sworn in as US health secretary, the country’s prime public health agency over which he presides is in a state of disarray.Eighty per cent of the top director positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stand vacant, with no permanent leader to drive policies affecting the health of millions of Americans. No one is in place to coordinate the agency’s day-to-day work fighting infectious disease, combatting heart conditions or screening for cancer. Continue reading...
• Disney+ launched the full six-episode 'Marvel's Ironheart' series on April 16, starring Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, pulling 12 million views in premiere day.
• The show explores post-Wakanda tech genius clashes with Sacha Baron Cohen's villain, earning 95% Rotten Tomatoes from 200 reviews.
• Analysts project it boosts MCU Phase 6 hype, with Disney stock up 2% amid streaming subscriber gains to 155 million.
How much fuel does Australia have left today, and when could we run out? Track how much petrol and diesel prices have risen near you in Sydney, Melbourne and across the country.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has released fuel reserves, cut fuel excise taxes and rolled out a national fuel security plan as Australia battles a fuel crisis.While we know there have been outages and price increases, it can be difficult to get a full picture of what is happening – this is partly due to the thousands of independent businesses and different governments involved. We have brought together the latest data on prices, outages and oil tanker deliveries. Continue reading...
• The United States has deployed more than 10,000 American personnel, 12 warships, and multiple aircraft in a naval blockade around Iranian ports that began Monday, according to US Central Command.
• The blockade represents a significant military escalation in the region, with no ships crossing Iranian ports in the first 24 hours of the operation.
• The deployment underscores heightened US-Iran tensions following recent military exchanges and reflects the Trump administration's aggressive posture toward Tehran.
• Ben Jealous has publicly opposed the NAACP board's decision to terminate his leadership, characterizing the move as "disheartening" and signaling his intent to challenge the removal.
• The termination represents internal conflict within the nation's oldest civil rights organization over strategic direction and governance.
• The leadership dispute within the NAACP reflects broader debates within civil rights organizations about activism, funding, and political alignment.
Kepner’s body was found concealed under bed in a room she shared with two teens, including 16-year-old stepbrotherSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in Florida in the 6 November death of his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival cruise ship, the US justice department said Monday.Timothy Hudson was initially charged in February and subsequently indicted on 10 March. But the breadth of the case was not known until a seal was lifted Friday, weeks after US district judge Beth Bloom in Miami said he would be prosecuted as an adult at the request of the government.Guardian staff contributed Continue reading...
Having received assurances from Singapore over refined fuels, diesel supply will surely be next on the prime minister’s agendaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese isn’t coming back from Singapore with a shipload of diesel in his checked baggage. That doesn’t mean his whistle-stop visit wasn’t a success, or that it won’t be seen in future as a pivotal moment if fuel stocks continue to be choked by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The government never expected that the quick whip to Singapore, with just one full day on the ground, would elicit a new supply of petrol or diesel. Singapore already supplies 55% of Australia’s unleaded, 22% of jet fuel and 15% of diesel. Continue reading...
• Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions persist post-ceasefire, exacerbating the largest global oil supply crisis since the 1970s amid US-Iran war.
• Iran's effective closure followed retaliatory strikes after US-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February 2026 targeting Iranian nuclear sites and leadership.
• Ceasefire fails to resolve key stumbling blocks to lasting US-Iran agreement, threatening continued economic impacts on US energy security.
Adams was granted citizenship and a passport from Balkan country by a special decree from the republic’s presidentFormer New York City mayor Eric Adams has obtained citizenship and a passport from Albania, according to reports on Friday from the Balkan country which received effusive compliments from him during a visit months earlier.The Albania Daily News first reported that Adams had requested both and was granted them by a special decree from the republic’s president, Bajram Begaj. Euronews Albania also reported the same development, and it was evidently chronicled in the nation’s official government journal. Continue reading...
• Michigan, fresh off its first NCAA men's basketball title since 1989 with a 69-63 victory over Connecticut on Monday, secured transfer J.P. Estrella from Tennessee on Thursday.
• Estrella confirmed his move to the Wolverines via Instagram, with ESPN first reporting the addition to bolster the roster for next season.
• The transfer portal opened this week, with over 1,200 college basketball players already entering amid teams retooling post-championships.
How much fuel does Australia have left today, and when could we run out? Track how much petrol and diesel prices have risen near you in Sydney, Melbourne and across the country.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHundreds of service stations across Australia have run empty, fuel prices are elevated and oil shipments have been cancelled.Australia is battling a fuel crisis as Iran’s closure of the strait of Hormuz continues to bite. The federal government has released fuel reserves, cut fuel excise taxes and rolled out a national fuel security plan. Continue reading...
Do No Harm activist group alleges ‘racial discrimination’ in program designed to support under-served communitiesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxConservative campaigners are targeting a decades-old federal scholarship program designed to provide Native Hawaiian students with funding to pursue healthcare careers and place practitioners in the state’s most medically under-served communities.Do No Harm, a Virginia-based advocacy group for healthcare clinicians “focused on keeping identity politics out of medical education, research, and clinical practice”, filed its federal lawsuit challenging the US health department’s Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) last week. Continue reading...
First lady denies being ‘Epstein’s victim’ and says convicted sex offender did not introduce her to Donald TrumpUS politics – live updatesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMelania Trump, the first lady, told reporters on Thursday that she “never had a relationship” with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.It was unclear which specific accusations spurred the first lady to respond publicly. She delivered her scripted remarks at a podium in the same room Donald Trump used to address the nation on the war in Iran last week. Continue reading...
How much fuel does Australia have left today, and when could we run out? Check how much petrol and diesel prices have risen near you in Sydney, Melbourne and across the country since the US and Israel’s war on Iran began in late FebruaryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHundreds of service stations across Australia have run empty, fuel prices are elevated and oil shipments have been cancelled.Australia is battling a fuel crisis as Iran’s closure of the strait of Hormuz continues to bite. The federal government has released fuel reserves, cut fuel excise taxes and rolled out a national fuel security plan. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Survey published days before election in which anti-EU Viktor Orbán risks being ousted after 16 yearsEurope live – latest updatesHungary elections: what is at stake and who is likely to win?After years of relentless EU-bashing by their nationalist, illiberal prime minister, an overwhelming majority of Hungary’s voters back its membership of the bloc, and most – including many of Viktor Orbán’s voters – now want a new approach to Brussels.Days before elections at which Orbán, who has consistently painted the EU as an enemy of the Hungarian people, risks being ousted after 16 years in power, a poll has shown a huge appetite for a recalibration of the country’s relations with the bloc. Continue reading...
As Keir Starmer continues his Gulf visit, foreign secretary says laws of the sea prevent Tehran from charging for passage of ‘international transit route’Good morning. Keir Starmer is still in the Gulf, and Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, has been doing a round of interviews this morning, ahead of delivering a speech on foreign policy this evening.As Jamie Grierson reports, Cooper has been arguing forcefully that Lebanon must be included in the US-Iran ceasefire.The starting point here is this is an international transit route. It’s international shipping that uses this. This is part of the international law of the sea. This is a a route between the high seas; it is a trading route.As part of the international maritime law, this is a transit route between the high seas.And whether you talk about Dover or Gibraltar or other straits around the world, there may be territorial waters there, but there’s also an international shipping route and an international transit route, which means that freedom of navigation principles apply and that countries cannot simply hijack those kinds of international transit routes and unilaterally apply tolls. They cannot do that as part of the laws of the sea and the United Nations conventions. Continue reading...
• The US Navy sent two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers through the Taiwan Strait on April 8, 2026, in a freedom of navigation operation challenging Chinese claims.
• Beijing scrambled 20 fighter jets in response, with state media labeling it 'provocation'; no collisions reported.
• This escalation underscores US commitment to Taiwan's defense, critical for semiconductor supply chains worth $500 billion annually.
• The top-20 ranked University of San Diego men's tennis team heads to the NCAA championships, captained by senior Oliver Tarvet who recently competed at Wimbledon.
• Tarvet's leadership positions USD as a contender in the national tournament.
• This marks a significant milestone for the program's season performance.
Analysts say doubts over stability of the ceasefire and damage to production sites mean the energy crisis is far from overMiddle East crisis – live updatesIf the US-Israeli ceasefire with Iran holds, it could offer the clearest hope of an end to the energy crisis since Iran’s Revolutionary Guards assumed control of the strait of Hormuz after the conflict began 40 days ago.But analysts fear that for hundreds of tankers stranded in the Gulf, any detente between the White House and Tehran will not be enough to return the flow of oil, gas, chemicals and other vital items to pre-crisis levels. Continue reading...
Estimated 2,000 ships, including oil and gas tankers and cruise liners, remain trapped in the Persian Gulf since start of warThere will be no “mass exodus” of ships through the strait of Hormuz, according to shipping analysts, despite the agreement of a two-week conditional ceasefire between the US and Iran and provisions for a temporary reopening of the crucial maritime channel.The ceasefire agreement “doesn’t change the situation in the sense that Iran is still in control,” said Richard Meade, the editor-in-chief at maritime data provider Lloyd’s List Intelligence. “It still requires ships to essentially seek permission, and that’s the key. That means that nothing has changed – no permission, no transit.” Continue reading...
• A norovirus outbreak struck five cruise lines departing from US ports between April 6-7, 2026, sickening 1,237 passengers and 157 crew with vomiting and diarrhea.
• Ships including Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas and Carnival's ships reported attack rates up to 12%, with Florida and California ports most impacted.
• CDC attributes surges to post-winter travel rebound; experts warn of 20 million annual US cases costing $5.5 billion, urging hand hygiene.
How much fuel does Australia have left today, and when could we run out? Check how much petrol and diesel prices have risen near you in Sydney, Melbourne and across the country since the US and Israel’s war on Iran began in late FebruaryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHundreds of service stations across Australia have run empty, fuel prices are elevated and oil shipments have been cancelled.Australia is battling a fuel crisis as Iran’s closure of the strait of Hormuz continues to bite. The federal government has released fuel reserves, cut fuel excise taxes and rolled out a national fuel security plan. Continue reading...
