POLITICS & POLICY

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday as Washington launched an ambitious operation to escort stranded commercial vessels through the vital waterway, testing a shaky ceasefire and sending oil prices surging toward four-year highs.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Tensions erupted in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday as the United States launched "Project Freedom" to guide stranded commercial vessels through the vital waterway, only for conflicting claims of attacks to surface within hours. The UAE accused Iran of drone strikes on an oil tanker, while Iranian media alleged a missile hit on a U.S. warship — a claim swiftly denied by American forces.

CHENNAI — Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has delivered a seismic shock to Tamil Nadu politics, emerging as the single largest party and poised to form the next government after a landslide performance in the 2026 Assembly elections.

WASHINGTON — Iran issued fresh warnings Monday that it would attack U.S. forces entering the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump announced a new American escort mission for stranded commercial ships, escalating tensions in the critical waterway even as a fragile ceasefire holds following weeks of conflict. At the same time, progressive activists aligned with Sen.

LONDON — Buckingham Palace announced Monday that Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank are expecting their third child together, due this summer, delighting royal watchers and marking another joyful chapter for the extended Windsor family.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil chokepoint, remained highly volatile Monday as President Donald Trump announced the start of a U.S.-led escort mission dubbed "Project Freedom" to guide hundreds of stranded commercial vessels through the narrow waterway, even as Iran warned that any American interference would violate the fragile ceasefire and a fresh attack on a bulk carrier raised new maritime security alarms.

NEW DELHI — Vote counting began Monday across five key Indian states and a union territory in a major electoral test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, with early trends showing the BJP-led NDA surging ahead in Assam while locked in tight battles in West Bengal and navigating complex triangular contests in Tamil Nadu.

CHENNAI — Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) surged to a commanding lead across Tamil Nadu on Monday as vote counting progressed for the 234-seat Assembly elections, positioning the debutant party to potentially break the decades-old Dravidian duopoly of the DMK and AIADMK in a historic political shift.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump shared a provocative post on Truth Social late Friday, presenting a side-by-side comparison of America "before and after TRUMP" that quickly ignited discussion across political lines as the nation navigates his second term. The post, featuring imagery or text highlighting perceived improvements during his leadership, underscores Trump's continued reliance on the platform to communicate directly with supporters and shape narratives.

MELBOURNE — Early counting in the Nepean state by-election on May 2, 2026, showed Liberal candidate Anthony Marsh leading independent Tracee Hutchison as voters in the marginal Mornington Peninsula seat chose a successor to resigned MP Sam Groth. Polling stations across the district closed in the afternoon, with results trickling in throughout the evening in a contest that tested local priorities and major party strategies.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport partially reopened this week following a two-month closure triggered by regional conflicts, marking a significant step toward restoring normal air travel in the Gulf nation as limited commercial flights resumed from Terminals 4 and 5 starting late April. The phased reopening brings relief to travelers and businesses after airspace suspension that disrupted thousands of journeys amid heightened security concerns.

NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, citing his Indian heritage, called for the return of the legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond to India just hours before meeting King Charles III at a solemn ceremony honoring victims of the September 11 attacks, reigniting a long-standing international dispute over one of the world's most famous gemstones.

LOS ANGELES — Conservative commentator and influencer Erika Kirk posted a heartfelt message from her husband on Instagram Friday, urging Americans to maintain human connections across political divides as national tensions remain high following a contentious election cycle and ongoing cultural debates.

NEW YORK — May Day, observed worldwide on May 1 as International Workers' Day, stands as a powerful reminder of the labor movement's historic struggles and ongoing fight for workers' rights, drawing millions to rallies, marches and cultural events even as economic pressures and geopolitical tensions shape its 2026 observances.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday lauded retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold for his "smart and insightful" comments on Iran during a Fox News interview with Jesse Watters, continuing his administration's hardline stance on the ongoing Middle East crisis that has disrupted global oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

NEW YORK — World oil prices climbed sharply on Friday as the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continued to threaten global supply, with Brent crude hovering near $111 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate trading around $105 amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday celebrated the federal government's decision to defer an additional $91 million in Medicaid funding to Minnesota, framing the move as a key victory in the Trump administration's "War on Fraud" and building on earlier withholdings totaling more than $250 million earlier this year.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Nearly two months into the 2026 Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to most commercial traffic as a US naval blockade clashes with Iranian threats, driving oil prices above $120 per barrel and stranding thousands of seafarers while threatening global energy security.

ARLINGTON, Va. — A ceremonial visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday was overshadowed by a notable protocol error when the United Kingdom's Union Jack was carried upside down by a U.S. service member during the solemn wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

BURLEIGH HEADS, Australia — Queensland Police declared a crime scene and seized items from a luxury beachfront apartment owned by prominent weight-loss surgeon Dr. Vahid Reza Adib on Thursday, thrusting the long-term partner of former Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk into the spotlight of an active investigation.

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump unleashed a fiery accusation on Truth Social Wednesday, claiming that former FBI Director James Comey used "86" — a mob term for "kill him" — in a veiled threat against him, interpreting the phrase "86 47" as a coded call to assassinate the sitting or former president.

DUBAI — The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil chokepoint, continued operating under severe restrictions on Thursday, April 30, 2026, with daily transits hovering at just 5-8% of normal levels as the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and Iranian countermeasures keep commercial shipping at a near-standstill more than two months into the regional conflict.

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iran on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, posting on Truth Social that the country "can't get their act together" and warning Tehran to "get smart soon" on signing a non-nuclear deal, as tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt global oil markets and shipping routes.

DUBAI — The Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments, continued operating under severe restrictions on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, with maritime traffic at just 5% of normal levels as the ongoing Iran conflict and U.S.-led blockade limited commercial transits to a handful of vessels daily.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department will issue a limited number of commemorative passports featuring President Donald Trump's portrait on the inside cover as part of nationwide celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary of independence this summer.

LONDON — Kate Middleton is reportedly deeply concerned about Prince William's mental health as rumors swirl about a potential reconciliation with Prince Harry, according to multiple sources close to the royal family. The Princess of Wales is said to be "worried sick" that any return of the Sussexes to royal duties could reopen old wounds and place additional strain on her husband during an already challenging period.

PHOENIX — A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit seeking Arizona's full, unredacted voter registration database, delivering another significant legal defeat to the Justice Department's nationwide effort to obtain detailed voter information from states ahead of the 2026 midterms.

WASHINGTON — A simple handshake between King Charles III and U.S. President Donald Trump has exploded into a viral sensation, with social media users declaring the British monarch the clear winner in what many are calling a subtle but unmistakable power struggle during their formal meeting at the White House.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport is operating on a limited basis today, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, with Terminals 4 and 5 handling restricted commercial flights as part of a carefully managed phased reopening following nearly two months of closure due to regional conflict and security concerns.