The Trump administration has called off a planned trip by US envoys to Pakistan, where they were expected to hold talks related to a potential US-Iran conflict. The cancellation follows Iran's public statement that it had no plans to meet directly with a US delegation that was to be led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. No reason for the cancellation was given in the available reporting. The aborted trip removes one potential back-channel route for diplomacy between Washington and Tehran at a time when tensions remain high. Pakistan had apparently been considered as a neutral venue or intermediary location for the talks. With both sides publicly walking away from this particular format, the path to any near-term direct engagement between the US and Iran narrows. Investors and policymakers tracking oil prices and Middle East stability will be watching for any alternative diplomatic channels or further escalation signals from either government.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has reached 1,430 with the US Geological Survey warning fatalities could top 10,000, placing it among Latin America's deadliest in a century. US military planes are landing in Caracas, Washington is mobilising $150 million in aid, and rescue teams from 17 countries are on the ground.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
