Escalating Tensions, Uncertain Outcomesactive

Iranian officials did not confirm most of Mr. Trump’s claims and disputed several of them.

If Trump’s claims of concessions are true, the blockade is working. But keep the pressure on.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would appoint academics and players in chemical and other industries and additional scientists to its Science Advisory Board (SAB). The new appointments come more than a year after the administration “reset” the board, dismissing the scientists who were on it. This board is made up of outside scientists who provide scientific…

On Friday, optimism and confusion were intertwined as President Trump suggested that an end to the conflict in Iran was within reach, even as many of his claims were met with silence or murmurs of dissent from Tehran. The war is at a critical juncture, seven weeks after it was launched by the United States and…

Iran has rejected suggestions by Donald Trump that it has agreed to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) on Thursday referenced a previously deleted image of President Trump resembling Jesus Christ when she criticized the impact that the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran has had on costs in the U.S., prompting her to say the president could "f**k his a**." Kamlager-Dove said this in a video recorded by MediasTouch reporter Pablo…

The White House responded to reports concerning the deaths or disappearances of 10 scientists and officials associated with nuclear and space research.

Seres' plans demonstrate how the intense competition in the electric vehicle sector is putting pressure on automakers to innovate.

The war-torn country wants to reconstruct in a way that is environmentally, socially, and geopolitically more sustainable.

Iranian officials did not confirm most of Mr. Trump’s claims and disputed several of them.

President Trump and his family are suing federal agencies over leaks of their tax information. Court filings say they’re in talks to find a solution instead of heading to trial.

Tehran's announcement on Friday that the critical Strait of Hormuz was reopen to commercial shipping for the remainder of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was followed by a flurry of social media posts by US President Donald Trump suggesting that a peace deal with Washington could be reached "soon". But Iranian officials said the two sides still needed to overcome serious differences.

Day 5 in Africa for Pope Leo the 14th. In the midst of a pause in the ongoing violence in Cameroon, the Pope headed to Douala after the city of Bamenda, to celebrate a Mass. Also It's now more than 48 hours since Million Beyene disappeared without a trace. And Literature takes centre stage in the French capital as Paris hosts the fifth edition of its Book Festival, among the standout voices, Cameroonian writer Djaïli Amadou Amal.

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Italy's former head of state offers a deep, insightful, and thought-provoking perspective on contemporary geopolitics, European cohesion, and leadership ethics. Speaking from the perspective of a former leader of a major European country, he reflects on instability in global alliances, energy vulnerability in Europe, and the evolving nature of political leadership. His analysis is characterized by a tension between pragmatism and principle, where shifting allegiances are both criticized and, at times, cautiously supported.

The Governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, began assembling a photo album that he had gone to Spain to acquire, as part of the World Progressive Movement gathering. In the afternoon, in Barcelona, the Governor of Buenos Aires met with the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro. The Colombian leader suggested that Kicillof "might be the President of Argentina," to "pull it out of the crisis." They met in the Gabriel García Márquez library. Kicillof traveled to Spain on Thursday and will return to Argentina on Saturday. Invited by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, it was expected that the Governor would participate in the panel "Progressive Action and Multilateralism in a Fragmented World: EU-Latin America Relations in Times of Disruption," organized by FEPS. However, due to scheduling conflicts, the Governor of Buenos Aires did not attend. Aloizo Mercadante, President of the Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development and former Minister of Justice of that country, expressed his regret. "It's a shame that Kicillof didn't have time to participate, but regardless of his absence, the important thing is to defeat Milei," he concluded the panel. Kicillof went to Spain to present himself as one of the figures that the progressive movement – or, as Kicillof himself put it, the "national and popular" movement – has to challenge the government of Javier Milei in the upcoming elections. He was seeking support. Although in the interviews...

Amid conflicting reports about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, European leaders gathered on Friday to coordinate a plan to guard it.

"The war could slow down growth in the short term."

Former President Obama is increasing pressure in Virginia to encourage voters to support the state's redistricting measure and give Democratic candidates a stronger chance in the November midterm elections, telling Virginians "we're counting on you." ABC News obtained a new video of Obama reminding voters in Virginia that "early voting is underway" and emphasizing the importance of turnout.

A coalition of nonbelligerent states led by France and the UK has said it is ready to lead an international mission to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. But that won't be deployed before the Iran war is over.

Lebanon and Israel are holding first direct talks in decades.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that the Trump administration is looking into whether there may be a link between the nearly a dozen American scientists who have reportedly died or gone missing in the past almost three years. Leavitt wrote in a post on the social platform X that the White House is…

President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo arrived in Barcelona, Spain, where she was welcomed by the Mexican community residing in the city. Upon her arrival, dozens of compatriots gathered to welcome her with banners, the Mexican flag, and traditional Veracruz music. The gathering, according to the Mexicans present, reflects the strong bond that Mexicans abroad maintain with their country and with what is known as the "Fourth Transformation." "Is this visit to Spain historic?" the federal leader was asked. "Yes, thank you," she replied. What is Mexico's message in Spain? "Long live peace always," she responded. Also read: Sheinbaum to participate in the IV Summit for the Defense of Democracy in Barcelona; plans to meet with Mexican residents in Spain. 🇲🇽 🇪🇸 This is how President Claudia Sheinbaum is being welcomed in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the IV Summit for the Defense of Democracy. #VIDEO: @elkizz_ | EL UNIVERSAL 📸 pic.twitter.com/Z2Jifal4iD — El Universal (@El_Universal_Mx) April 17, 2026 Also read: "Welcome, President Claudia Sheinbaum"; Mexicans in Spain express their support for her visit. Join our channel! EL UNIVERSAL is now on Whatsapp! Stay informed about the most important news of the day, opinion pieces, entertainment, trends, and more, all from your mobile device. nro

Tense negotiations are set to resume in an effort to end a dispute that is costing the United States more than a billion dollars each month.

The message from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to his fellow economic policymakers a year ago came as a welcome surprise — that “America First does not mean America alone” and that the US is “doubling down on our engagement with the international economic system.”

Adnan at-Tamimi says that another reason is related to Washington's actions towards Israel and a possibility of suspending the war in Lebanon

Proprietary systems were less risky, U. S. officials assumed. That turned out to be a dangerous premise.

Trump may get a nuclear agreement on paper, but the world’s larger success is a return to energy realism.

A closer agreement, but "significant differences" remain. According to the Wall Street Journal: "Negotiations in Pakistan may take place as early as Monday."

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told state television that Iran's enriched uranium remains under its control and will not be moved abroad.

BARCELONA – This weekend, Barcelona is becoming the "global capital of progressivism," as declared by the socialist mayor, Jaume Collboni, as it hosts a summit of world leaders from the left, sponsored by Pedro Sánchez. Among the leaders attending the summit are the Brazilian president, Lula da Silva, the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and the Mexican Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be making her first visit to Spain after years of bilateral tensions stemming from Madrid's refusal to apologize for the colonization. Some people carry the history of a continent in their voices. @LulaOficial is one of them. In a world that doubts and fragments, Spain and Brazil are opening a new chapter, convinced that our countries have something the world needs: the strength to build bridges where... pic.twitter.com/VdOAiyLKNv — Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 17, 2026 Also attending the conclave, which aims to present a programmatic alternative to the reactionary wave led by Donald Trump, are the governor of Minnesota, Tim Kaine, the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, the Vice-President of the European Commission, Teresa Ribera, and the President of the Party of European Socialists, the Swede Stefan Löfven. However, before attending the summit, Sánchez and Lula da Silva held a bilateral meeting at the Pedralbes Palace in the city. The meeting was attended by a delegation of...

Tehran’s decision to fully open the strait "guarantees that about twenty tankers will be able to sail from Iraq already in the near future, which are capable to transport about 23 mln barrels of oil produced in Basrah to the global market," the news portal said

The Financial Stability Board is gathering information from members about potential risks posed by Anthropic’s Mythos model as it look to share such insights more broadly among its network of regulators and central bankers to help them judge the risks of autonomous cyber attacks. Bloomberg's Jake Bleiberg reports. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, who heads the FSB’s key committee for monitoring risks, said officials have “work to do” as they assess the severity of the risks posed by the artificial intelligence model relative to other budding dangers like private credit and the global energy crisis. The topic has featured heavily in conversations at this week’s IMF and World Bank meetings. It was discussed at a meeting of FSB representatives on Wednesday amid concerns that financial systems beyond the US are disadvantaged because they have little access to the model created by San Francisco-based Anthropic. (Source: Bloomberg)

The ambassador also noted that along with the security aspects, the economic side of the issue also occupies an important place in navigation through the strait

The Celestyal Discovery, a Maltese-flagged cruise ship, crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, becoming the first vessel to transit this strategically important waterway since its reopening. The MarineTraffic ship tracking service reported that the passenger ship, which apparently was sailing without passengers and headed for Oman, departed from Dubai on Friday after being docked for 47 days. The Celestyal Discovery is expected to arrive in Oman on Saturday, according to Euronews. Approximately 2,000 ships were stranded in the Gulf region after Iran closed the strait following U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Friday that the waterway is now "completely open." He added that the U.S. naval blockade against Iran will remain in place, applying only to Iranian ports until transactions with Tehran are "100% complete." The Celestyal Discovery is operated by the Greek company Celestyal Cruises.

According to Joseph Aoun, the talks do not mean a waiver of rights

President Trump is headlining Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) event in Arizona on Friday afternoon, as Republicans seek to bolster support ahead of November. The “Build the Red Wall” event comes at a time when Trump’s backing among young voters is slipping as the conflict in Iran persists and as affordability concerns continue to mount. A…

The Portuguese Parliament approved a measure this Friday that prohibits the display of flags considered "ideological, partisan, or associational" in public buildings, including those that support the LGBTQ+ community or Ukraine. The bill, approved with the votes in favor of the conservative Social Democratic Party (PSD), the far-right party Chega, and the Christian Democratic CDS-Popular Party, prohibits flags that are "ideological, partisan, or associational" in public buildings, regardless of their legal nature. The measure, which also includes a ban on insignias of "foreign origin, except in the context of official diplomatic or protocol events," will apply to public buildings, monuments, flagpoles, facades, and official interiors, according to the news agency Lusa. In cases of non-compliance, fines ranging from 200 to 2,000 euros are foreseen for negligence, and from 400 to 4,000 euros for intentional violations. However, the legislation excludes private spaces and cultural, sporting, or associational events that "do not involve official representation of the State."

Trump tells AFP 'no sticking points' left for deal with Iran

A meeting led by the United Kingdom and France was held to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The leaders of both countries welcomed Iran's announcement that it would open the strait, and stated their intention to further accelerate the development of specific plans, including providing support for mine removal.

Visit to the Western Wall, meetings, ceremonies and the nation’s highest honour – Milei’s schedule in Israel; Presidential delegation departs this Saturday at 11am. Leer más

The Stellantis group announced a significant shift in its industrial strategy in Europe, confirming the end of vehicle production at its historic plant in Poissy, France. The facility, which currently assembles models such as the DS3 and the Opel Mokka, will cease automobile manufacturing by 2028 and will be transformed into a center focused on the circular economy. This decision is a response to a complex scenario for the European automotive industry, characterized by overcapacity, a decline in demand compared to pre-pandemic levels, and the emergence of new global competitors, particularly from China. The restructuring is the result of a sustained decline in vehicle production at the Poissy plant: from 145,000 units in 2023, production is projected to fall to 65,000 units in 2027. Instead of completely closing the plant, Stellantis opted to restructure it through an investment of approximately 100 million euros. The goal is to transform Poissy into an industrial hub focused on new activities related to the vehicle lifecycle, aligning with its sustainability strategy. Among the main functions that the facility will assume are the production of parts and components for other models within the group, as well as the development of after-sales activities. In addition, key circular economy processes will be implemented, such as the dismantling of vehicles at the end of their useful life, the recovery and reuse of parts, and the recycling of materials. Furthermore, the center i…

Prime Minister Keir Starmer appears to have been kept in the dark repeatedly over Peter Mandelson, the Jeffrey Epstein associate — fueling an image of weakness.

Defensive mission contingent on a ceasefire. E4 divisions, Rome and Berlin are cautious about ruling out U.S. involvement.

After departing from Mexico City International Airport (AICM) near midnight, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo arrived at Madrid Airport, where she made a stopover to participate in a summit of progressive governments in Barcelona. Amid selfies, kisses, and hugs, Mexican nationals in Spain welcomed the President of the Federal Executive. Videos shared on social media show the President interacting with people who approached her in the waiting area. Also read: Sheinbaum reveals itinerary during her trip to Spain; she will meet with heads of state and visit a supercomputer center. In connection with President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo's participation in the IV Summit in Defense of Democracy in Barcelona, Spain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) announced that the President will hold meetings with various heads of state. It was explained that Sheinbaum Pardo will meet with Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, President of Spain; Gustavo Petro Urrego, President of Colombia; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Yamandú Orsi, President of Uruguay; and Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. Furthermore, it was detailed that during her working trip, the President will also meet with the Mexican community residing in Spain and will visit the National Supercomputing Center, where she will tour the facilities of the complex and meet with academics and officials. Also read: Shein…

Defensive mission contingent on a ceasefire. E4 divisions, Rome and Berlin are cautious about ruling out U.S. involvement.

The US leader emphasized that the Irainian side wanted to make a deal

Iran said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened to international shipping following an Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement, prompting thanks from President Donald Trump – who then said the US naval blockade on Iranian ports will continue. “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is […] The post Iran, not US, cancels Hormuz blockade after Israel-Lebanon truce appeared first on Asia Times.

The US delegation to the last weekend’s round of negotiations with Iran was led by Vice President JD Vance

Maria Zakharova recalled that from the very beginning of the large-scale escalation in the Middle East, Moscow had called for an end to the armed confrontation and a transfer of the conflict to a political and diplomatic settlement

Russian fish imports from Turkey in January - February amounted to $63 mln

Iran and the US said the strategic waterway, which has been effectively closed since the beginning of the war, will be fully open to commercial traffic for the remainder of the ceasefire

Democrats want to grill the top immigration officials in a hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee. But the White House did not say if they’ll participate.

Meanwhile, as a new 10-day truce in Lebanon enters its first full day, Trump claims that Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear program. Iran's foreign minister has stated that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East and causing oil prices to plummet, despite analysts' warnings that there will be no immediate widespread resumption of passage through the vital waterway. In a series of social media posts, Donald Trump claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed never to close the strategic waterway again, hailing "A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!"

Minutes after a ceasefire in Lebanon went into effect at midnight, heavy gunfire was heard in Beirut. Hezbollah supporters were celebrating in the southern suburbs of the capital, which have been pounded by weeks of Israeli strikes.

Following the ceasefire in Lebanon, Tehran has issued a statement. The tycoon continues to criticize NATO. Axios reports: "New talks are likely to take place on Sunday. The United States is considering a deal: $20 billion in exchange for uranium."

France and Britain said on Friday that they would lead a multinational mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive and only deployed once lasting peace in the region was agreed. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the force was being set up as they co-chaired international talks in Paris focused on ensuring free-flowing trade through the critical shipping corridor. The...

As the clock runs down on a two-week ceasefire agreed to by the US and Iran, the key question is whether they can reach a deal to end a war that has killed thousands of people and sparked a global energy crunch.

BARCELONA — The EU’s revised merger guidelines will not offer a free pass for European industries to consolidate, the bloc’s competition chief Teresa Ribera told POLITICO. The European Commission has nearly completed its revamp of the bloc’s merger rules, which is due to be published on May 2. Departmental consultations of the 100-page draft guidelines began this week. “We cannot use merger operations as a substitute for market integration,” Ribera said in an interview on the sidelines of the Global Progressive Mobilization summit in Barcelona on Friday. Ribera, who as executive vice president ranks second to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, enforces antitrust policy across the 27-nation bloc. Her comments contrast with her boss’ calls to nurture European business “champions” that can hold their own against China’s world-beating exporters and U. S. tech titans. The Spanish commissioner said that the industrial restructuring of sectors like telecoms was impeded by the fragmentation of national markets, and not the bloc’s merger rules. “It needs to be proven that there are benefits we will be enjoying in the time to come. And not just: I want to be big,” she said. Ribera also issued a pointed warning to member countries tempted to use the guidelines’ new resilience and security exceptions to pick domestic winners. “We also invite national competition authorities and national governments to make a very self-restrained understanding of what this could mean,” she said. Her remarks follow Italy’s intervention in Milan-based UniCredit’s bid for local rival Banco BPM, and the conditions set by the Spanish government on BBVA’s attempts to acquire Sabadell. Both triggered Commission legal proceedings on the grounds that the respective governments were breaching EU rules on the freedom of establishment and movement of capital. Ribera said that in order for resilience, sustainability and innovation arguments to be accepted, upfront criteria would apply. Each would have to be demonstrated concretely, she added. The commissioner also promised more, earlier structured engagement between companies and officials. The progressive summit at which Ribera spoke brought together left-wing parties and movements from more than 100 countries for its inaugural gathering in Barcelona. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are due to address a plenary session on Saturday.

In a letter addressed to the Association of Career Diplomats of Chile (ADICA), the former New Zealand ambassador, Manahi Pakarati, accused that efforts are being made to remove her from the diplomatic service and denounced workplace harassment against her. Manahi, who was removed from her position in the Oceanic country on January 6th, after the diplomat allegedly supported the self-determination and self-governance of the Rapa Nui people, made serious accusations. In her letter to ADICA, the former ambassador stated: "I have felt the threat that my diplomatic career could eventually be cut short. I have no official communication to this effect, but if that were to happen, it would mean my separation from the Foreign Service after 29 years of service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which would set a dangerous precedent for all of us." In the text, the diplomat accuses that her situation arose "from the unauthorized circulation, by the counselor Francisco Devia Aldunate, who currently holds a position at the Chilean embassy in Spain. He used a private image obtained from my personal phone, taken during a vacation period in Rapa Nui, my place of origin." She adds that: "This image was interpreted by the colleague Devia in a malicious and biased manner on his social media and in the media, publicly accusing me of allegedly..."

Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about President Trump’s mental fitness Friday, pressing him about some of Trump’s recent social media posts. During a Friday hearing in the House Education and Workforce Committee about the budget of the Department of Health and Human Services, Takano presented large…

The UN chief reiterated his full support for the diplomatic efforts "to find a peaceful path forward out of the current conflict in the Middle East"

PARIS — European leaders pledged to rapidly increase a multinational effort to secure the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said it would reopen the vital waterway to maritime traffic, even if Donald Trump doesn't want their help. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the prime ministers of Italy and the United Kingdom, Giorgia Meloni and Keir Starmer, jointly announced Friday that they would be leading what Starmer called a "defensive" mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas travels. "We agreed to accelerate the military planning, and I can confirm that France and the U.K. will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of passage as soon as conditions allow," said Starmer, adding that details would be shared at a military planning conference in London next week. The United States, however, does not appear inclined to accept that assistance. After announcing that Tehran had agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following Israel and Lebanon's agreement on a 10-day ceasefire, Trump wrote Friday on his Truth Social account that his NATO allies were "useless" and weren't needed. "I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL," he wrote. Trump and other top U.S. officials have expressed deep frustration in recent weeks with allies who have refu…

Former White House strategist Steve Bannon said he believes artificial intelligence company Anthropic “had it right” in demanding its technology not be used in fully autonomous lethal weapons, setting off a conflict with the Pentagon. The Pentagon has insisted it be allowed to use Anthropic’s Claude for “all lawful uses,” last month labeling the company…

The trade treaty, known as USMCA, is up for a formal review in the coming months, and Trump administration officials are expected to seek changes to the pact.

Brent crude oil prices plummeted by 10% after Iran announced that the shipping lane remains completely open to commercial vessels during the ceasefire.

After weeks of bombardments in southern Lebanon that have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million residents Israel has announced a ten-day ceasefire with Lebanon, prompting Iran to declare the Strait of Hormuz “completely open” – although US President Donald Trump said the US blockade “will remain in full force” until […] The post Israel-Lebanon ceasefire no tidy end to fighting, Hormuz shutdown appeared first on Asia Times.

Ukraine is interested in a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership with Sweden and is ready to share its experience and technologies, as well as expand cooperation in the defense-industrial sector.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE), headed by Roberto Velasco Álvarez, announced that President Claudia Sheinbaum will participate in the IV Summit for the Defense of Democracy this Saturday, April 18th, along with various heads of state, as part of her visit to Barcelona, Spain. In a statement, the SRE detailed that, during her visit, the federal leader will meet with the following heads of state: Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Gustavo Petro Urrego, President of Colombia; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Yamandú Orsi, President of Uruguay; and Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. It is also anticipated that the President will meet with the Mexican community residing in Spain, and subsequently, on Sunday, April 19th, President Sheinbaum will visit the National Supercomputing Center, where she will have a meeting with academics and officials, and will take a tour of the facilities. Also read: "Welcome, President Claudia Sheinbaum"; Mexicans in Spain express their support for her visit. According to the SRE, the President is accompanied on this working trip by Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco; the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, Alicia Bárcena Ibarra; the Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic, Lázaro Cárdenas Batel; and the Mexican Ambassador to Spain, Quirino Ordaz Coppel. The President addressed the public yesterday…

More than a million civilians in Lebanon have been displaced since the war in the Middle East erupted at the end of February. Among them are thousands of young mothers and pregnant women, many forced to give birth in makeshift camps or other inadequate conditions. This report from our colleagues at France 2, by Camille Nedelec, takes a closer look.

In 1926, migrant workers in Paris formed a small political group named North African Star, the first movement to call for Algerian independence and freedom from French rule – decades before decolonisation became a reality.

BRUSSELS — There is “no indication” of jet fuel shortages causing widespread flight cancellations in Europe, Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said Friday, speaking hours before Iran lifted its Strait of Hormuz blockade. Jet fuel prices in Europe have more than doubled since the U. S. and Israel launched their war against Iran on Feb. 28; Tehran retaliated by blocking most shipping through a strait responsible for about a fifth of the world’s crude oil imports. The aviation industry warned of a looming kerosene supply crunch and International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol told the AP on Thursday that Europe has “maybe six weeks or so of jet fuel left.” But the EU doesn’t agree. “There have been some reports in these two previous days suggesting Europe could be close to running out of jet fuel. That is not an accurate reflection of the situation,” Tzitzikostas said during a press conference in Nicosia. Some European airlines like Lufthansa, KLM and SAS have cut back on flights, while ticket prices are rising in response to the fuel price surge. Airlines “have chosen in these past days to cancel some of their lines because they were already not profitable,” Tzitzikostas said. Even if Iran’s Friday announcement restores normal shipping out of the Gulf, it could take “a period of months” for normal fuel levels to be restored, Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, said earlier this month. Birol, who spoke a day before the Iranian decision, based his comments on the IEA’s latest oil market report, which looks at jet fuel supply risks in EU member countries. France and Germany were identified as the most exposed among big EU countries. Birol warned that “if we are not able to open the Strait of Hormuz … I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.” Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the European Commission’s transport spokesperson, said Friday that if fuel flows from the Gulf don’t resume, Brussels “will be preparing to launch possible coordinated action as regards to jet fuels.” Lennart Roos contributed to this report.

Iran announced on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain “fully open” until the end of the ceasefire with the United States, which is in effect until April 22 and could be extended depending on the outcome of negotiations scheduled for this weekend. The government of the Islamic Republic justified the decision to open one of the key maritime routes for the global supply of hydrocarbons on the entry into force of the truce in Lebanon, which has led to a significant drop in oil prices and a major relief in the markets. However, the U. S. naval blockade against Iranian ports will remain in place. Seguir leyendo

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, recommended this Friday that NATO allies stay "away" from the Strait of Hormuz "unless they only want to load their oil tankers," after Iran announced the complete reopening of the waterway. "Now that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has ended, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need help. I told them to stay away, unless they only want to load their oil tankers," he wrote on his Truth Social platform. The Republican leader added that the allies were "useless when they were needed, a paper tiger." In other posts, he thanked the "help" of his partners from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as well as Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. Trump has been very critical of the Atlantic Alliance for its refusal to join Washington in a military coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil trade that was blocked by Iran in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli offensive, a conflict from which Europeans distanced themselves, claiming it was not their war. Iran announced this Friday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain "completely open" until the end of the ceasefire with the United States, next Wednesday, as a result of the beginning of the truce in Lebanon announced on Thursday. Trump thanked this announcement, but then...

The war in Iran and a spat between two of the world's most influential Americans has forced Giorgia Meloni to choose sides, potentially pushing the Italian prime minister to align herself with Europe's center-right.

President Donald Trump said Iran agreed to suspend its nuclear program indefinitely, and will not receive any frozen funds from the US.

Meeting in Paris, the leaders said that a neutral mission may still be needed to safeguard shipping and prevent renewed disruption in the vital trade route.

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, announced this Friday the launch of a naval mission with a "neutral" character that will "escort and protect" merchant ships transiting the Persian Gulf, as part of a diplomatic effort by a group of allies to contribute to the freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Following a meeting organized by Macron at the Élysée Palace, which brought together nearly 50 world leaders, mostly via video conference, to discuss the crisis in Hormuz, the French President announced the launch of this naval operation, coinciding with the reopening of navigation to merchant ships announced by Iran, a move that the United States has welcomed, although it has stated that it will maintain its perimeter closure until an agreement is reached with Tehran to end the conflict. "We will strengthen and accelerate the planning work that we have already begun, in coordination with the United Kingdom, to enable the implementation of a neutral mission, clearly distinct from a belligerent mission, with the aim of escorting and protecting merchant ships transiting the Gulf," said the French President, who noted that a further planning meeting in London will advance the structure of the mission. Macron emphasized that this work will be accompanied by "diplomatic efforts and coordination" with the United Kingdom...

Gabriel Boric Font will make his international debut as former President of Chile this Saturday in Barcelona, at the event "In Defense of Democracy," convened by Spain in its capacity as the 2026 host country. This event follows a previous edition held in Santiago in July 2025, during the previous administration, which brought together various progressive intellectuals and politicians, including the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez; the President of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi; the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva; and the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro. The former head of state's attendance was announced on April 8th, when he sent a letter to the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Jorge Alessandri (UDI), requesting permission to leave Chile and begin his first international engagement after handing over power to José Antonio Kast. The objective of the forum is to foster "a democratic diplomacy that promotes cooperation among leaders with shared principles, such as respect for the rule of law, human rights, and the strengthening of multilateralism." This initiative has had three significant milestones: the First High-Level Meeting within the framework of the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA) in 2024; the preparatory meeting "Democracy Always," which took place in Santiago; and the Third High-Level Meeting at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations in September of the same year. Boric will participate as a co-founder and will moderate the …

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday urged the United States and Iran to guard against any provocations by Israel and use their current ceasefire to push for lasting peace. “We must not allow weapons to again replace words,” he told the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. “Let it not be forgotten, the shortest path to peace is dialogue and diplomacy. Peace is not a one-winged bird.” His remarks came as Washington and Tehran weighed the next steps after a temporary halt in fighting,...

Oil prices dropped dramatically on Friday as Iran announced that it was opening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping lane. International benchmark Brent crude plummeted 12 percent while U. S. benchmark WTI fell an even more dramatic 14 percent as of Friday morning. The war in Iran and subsequent closure of the Strait sent oil prices skyrocketing in…

The EU is prepared to send additional warships as part of a mission to protect shipping in the Middle East and keep the Strait of Hormuz open "once a ceasefire takes hold," the bloc's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said Friday. Dozens of European leaders, including those of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, convened in person and by video call to discuss organizing a joint maritime force to secure the strategically vital waterway, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas is transported and which Iran has effectively closed in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes launched in February. "Europe will play its part in restoring the free flow of energy and trade, once a ceasefire takes hold," Kallas said on social media after the meeting. "The EU's Aspides naval mission is already operating in the Red Sea and can be quickly strengthened to protect shipping across the region. This could be the fastest way to provide support." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called fully reopening the strait "an urgent, shared priority," adding that the EU could contribute by "reinforcing Operation Aspides," the EU's naval mission in the Middle East. The mission's mandate covers the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman but stops short of the Strait of Hormuz. EU leaders rejected expanding it at a summit in March, and Kallas and von der Leyen did not say Friday whether doing so now was under consideration.

China's President Xi Jinping has broken a six-week silence about the war in Iran, vowing to take a "constructive" role in efforts to end the conflict. Beijing is wary of being drawn into a war it took no part in, and faces a delicate balancing act between its long-term partnership with Iran and its strategic interests in the Middle East and beyond. Yuka Royer speaks with Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, about what's behind Beijing's calculations.

The Turkish leader noted that "the international system is undergoing a crisis of legitimacy and has become incapable of resolving conflicts"

Trump envoy Morgan Ortagus says Antoun Sehnaoui is a committed Zionist, even as Israel attacked Lebanon.

Pakistan's civilian and army leaders shuttle between key capitals as Trump says he may visit Islamabad to sign a deal.

Keir Starmer is facing fresh calls to resign as the Peter Mandelson scandal roars back to life. Alex Morgan explains what it means for the prime minister and UK bonds. (Source: Bloomberg)

Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, from France, and Bill Ross, from the United States, met when they were young, in the 1950s. She was a secretary, and he was a soldier in the U.S. Army, stationed at a NATO base in France at the time. In 1966, Bill had to return to his country. They then lived separate lives: they met other people, got married, and even started families. However, a couple of years ago, when they were both widowed and in their 80s, they decided to reconnect. After several visits and a long-distance relationship, the French woman decided to move to Alabama, USA, to marry him in April 2025. What seemed like a legendary love story ended in tragedy. In January 2026, Ross passed away unexpectedly from natural causes. The woman decided to stay in the country to resolve her immigration status, and also because she became embroiled in a legal battle over her late husband's inheritance with his two children. Things worsened when, on an unthinkable day in April, a group of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents violently broke into her home and arrested her. She didn't even have time to change out of her pajamas. According to a probate judge in the county overseeing the former soldier's estate, it was one of Ross's children who reported Marie-Thérèse to the immigration authorities. The arrest of the 80-year-old French woman by ICE in the United States. After the arrest, Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, the French woman, was…

A new technical paper, “Emulation-based System-on-Chip Security Verification: Challenges and Opportunities,” was published by researchers at University of Florida. Abstract “Increasing system-on-chip (SoC) heterogeneity, deep hardware/software integration, and the proliferation of third-party intellectual property (IP) have brought security validation to the forefront of semiconductor design. While simulation and formal verification remain indispensable, they often struggle to expose vulnerabilities that emerge only under realistic execution conditions, long software-driven interactions, and adversarial stimuli. In this context, hardware emulation is emerging as an increasingly important pre-silicon verification technology because it enables higher-throughput execution of RTL designs under realistic hardware/software workloads while preserving sufficient fidelity for security-oriented analysis. This paper presents a comprehensive survey and perspective on emulation-based security verification and validation. We organize the landscape of prior work across assertion-based security checking, coverage-driven exploration, adversarial testing, information-flow tracking, fault injection, and side-channel-oriented evaluation. We provide a structured view of emulation-enabled security verification workflows, including instrumentation, stimulus generation, runtime monitoring, and evidence-driven analysis. We also examine practical challenges related to observability, scalability, property specification, and the definition of security-oriented coverage metrics for emulation-based verification. Finally, we discuss emerging directions such as AI-assisted emulation, digital security twins, chiplet-scale security exploration, automated vulnerability assessment, and cloud-scale secure emulation. Overall, this paper positions emulation as a promising foundation for the next generation of pre-silicon hardware security assurance.” Find the paper here. April 2026. arXiv:2604.15073. Authors: Tanvir Rahman, Shuvagata Saha, Ahmed Y. Alhurubi, Sujan Kumar Saha, Farimah Farahmandi, Mark Tehranipoor The post Emulation-based SoC Security Verification (U. of Florida) appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

Claudia Curiel Icaza, Secretary of Culture, celebrated the approval of the Film and Audiovisual Law and the amendments to the Federal Copyright Law, stating that "these laws have a broader framework based on cultural rights." During the morning press conference in the Treasury Hall of the National Palace, Curiel Icaza pointed out that "more than ever, filmmaking takes place in different locations; filming can occur in one place, special effects can be created in another part of the world, and post-production can be completed elsewhere. This chain of events needed an update to the law." In this regard, she explained that the film industry needed a law based on cultural rights, not solely focused on the market, "but one that includes the rights of the public, promotes equity, and strengthens each sector." Also read: "Cine México," a book that offers new perspectives on the industry. The official highlighted the progressive increase in funding for the film industry, "which reflects the interest and relevance of this industry within various communities and the importance of film as a tool for national sovereignty." She added that the law maintains the 10% quota for films shown in theaters, "which is increased for Mexican films, and the minimum period for films in theaters is extended from 7 to 14 days. This will be monitored on a semi-annual basis to ensure greater visibility for national films compared to major international productions." Additionally...

Friday’s statements that the strait is now open raised investors’ hopes that oil and gas would start flowing out of the Persian Gulf in significant volumes again.

The tanker is expected to take two million barrels of oil on board and sail to India

WASHINGTON, April 17 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President Donald Trump on Friday thanked I...

The discussion touched on the geopolitical situation in the world, the situation in individual countries, including the conflict in the Middle East

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Marie-Thérèse Ross in Alabama on April 1st. The 86-year-old woman had overstayed the 90-day validity of her visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She is currently being held in a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana. Her arrest has prompted a reaction from the French government, which has mobilized to secure her release. The French Consul General in New Orleans, Rodolphe Sambou, has visited Ross on two occasions, and efforts are underway to pressure U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to repatriate her to France, according to the AP news agency. "Given her age, we really want her to get out of this situation as soon as possible," a French official told the Politico news outlet. The French citizen, originally from the town of Le Pouliguen in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, was arrested violently at her residence, according to information provided by her family to French media. "She was handcuffed like a dangerous criminal," her son told the Ouest-France newspaper. [Image of a tweet from Le Parisien about a 86-year-old French woman arrested by ICE due to lack of a green card.]