POLITICS & POLICY

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military's naval blockade of Iranian ports along the Strait of Hormuz entered its second full day Wednesday with Pentagon officials claiming near-total compliance, even as ship-tracking data showed limited vessels slipping through and global oil markets braced for prolonged disruption in the strategic waterway that carries about one-fifth of the world's oil supply.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle touched down in Melbourne on Tuesday, kicking off a four-day Australian tour that blends charitable visits with paid speaking engagements and has quickly ignited debate over security costs borne by Australian taxpayers.

ATHENS, Ga. — Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA and widow of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk, canceled her planned appearance at a campus event with Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday after receiving what organizers described as "very serious threats," highlighting the ongoing dangers facing high-profile figures in the conservative movement less than a year after her husband's killing.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday the conflict with Iran is "very close to being over," even as the U.S. Navy enforced a naval blockade of Iranian ports for a second day and diplomats eyed a possible second round of face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport stayed shuttered to commercial passenger flights on Wednesday as authorities continued to assess damage from regional conflict and denied persistent rumors of an imminent reopening.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday he deleted an AI-generated image from his Truth Social account that many interpreted as depicting him as a Jesus-like figure because it caused "confusion" among viewers, while insisting the artwork simply showed him as a doctor healing the sick.

SYDNEY — Australia's immigration system is undergoing a significant recalibration in 2026, with the Albanese government introducing stronger border controls, replacing key temporary work visas and adjusting student intake targets while maintaining the permanent migration program at 185,000 places.

WASHINGTON — The United States imposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and coastal areas Monday, escalating a high-stakes confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz after marathon peace talks with Iran collapsed without agreement, sending oil prices surging and raising fears of broader conflict in the Middle East.

SYDNEY — Australian motorists are grappling with the nation's worst fuel crisis in decades, as petrol prices surge past A$2.40 a litre and diesel climbs toward A$3 amid ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz triggered by the U.S.-Iran conflict.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military's blockade of Iranian ports took full effect Tuesday, choking off shipping around the Strait of Hormuz and sending oil prices surging above $100 a barrel as geopolitical tensions in the critical waterway escalated to a dangerous new phase.

LONDON — Britain declared Monday it will not support or participate in the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisting the U.K. has no intention of being "dragged in" to the escalating conflict with Iran even as President Donald Trump ordered American forces to begin enforcing restrictions on shipping.

BEIRUT — Intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants erupted again in southern Lebanon on Monday, with rocket barrages, drone strikes and ground operations raising fears that the fragile regional ceasefire could collapse and draw Iran back into direct confrontation.

ROME — Pope Leo XIV pushed back firmly Monday against President Donald Trump's blistering personal criticism, declaring aboard the papal plane that he has "no fear of the Trump administration" and will continue speaking out for peace rooted in the Gospel message.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ignited fresh controversy Sunday night by sharing an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ healing a patient in a hospital bed, just minutes after launching a blistering attack on Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, marks a historic milestone as the first U.S.-born leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

MELBOURNE, Australia — A Victorian libertarian MP has issued a blunt challenge to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, demanding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally reimburse police for any extra security provided during their upcoming private visit to Australia this week. David Limbrick said the wealthy couple should "pay for it in full" rather than risk Australian taxpayers subsidizing protection amid their tour of Melbourne and other cities.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait International Airport stayed shuttered Monday with no commercial passenger flights operating, as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation continued to deny rumors of an imminent reopening and cited persistent security concerns tied to the broader U.S.-Iran conflict. Travelers hoping to fly in or out of the Gulf nation on April 13, 2026, faced continued disruption more than six weeks after the facility first suspended normal operations.

CANBERRA, Australia — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday that Lieutenant General Susan Coyle will become the first woman to lead the Australian Army in its 125-year history, marking a landmark shift for the nation's defense forces amid efforts to boost female representation and modernize military leadership.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, calling the first American-born pontiff "a very liberal person" and declaring "I'm not a fan of Pope Leo" after the Chicago-born leader condemned the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran as driven by a "delusion of omnipotence."

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared Sunday that the United States Navy will begin blockading ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz "effective immediately," escalating tensions with Iran after marathon peace negotiations in Pakistan collapsed without agreement on Tehran's nuclear program.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, calling the first American-born pontiff "a very liberal person" and declaring "I'm not a fan of Pope Leo" after the Chicago-born leader condemned what he described as a "delusion of omnipotence" fueling the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

NEW YORK — U.S. stock futures tumbled sharply early Monday after President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of marathon peace talks with Iran, sending oil prices surging above $104 a barrel and reigniting fears of a major disruption to global energy supplies.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — The Trump administration has openly backed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Hungary's fiercely contested parliamentary election, with President Donald Trump pledging U.S. economic might to support the longtime leader and Vice President JD Vance campaigning alongside him in Budapest just days before polls opened.

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.