International relations, geopolitics, wars, major global shifts
Iranian Vice President Esmail Saghab Esfahani warned Gulf nations on X that Iran would retaliate fourfold if their territory is used to attack Iran. The threat raises risks for Gulf states hosting US bases and puts pressure on regional energy and oil markets.
The UAE has decided to leave OPEC, ending its long membership in the oil producers' cartel. Experts say the move reflects frustration with production quotas that limited Abu Dhabi's output ambitions, compounded by geopolitical pressure from the US-Iran conflict reshaping alliances across the region.
China called for urgent steps to preserve a ceasefire involving Iran, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Fu Cong rejecting US claims of Chinese-Iranian military cooperation as false. The stance reflects Beijing's economic stake in regional stability, given China's heavy reliance on Iranian oil.
Trump said he expects no early end to the Iran conflict and is unhappy with Tehran's offer, even as the White House formally told Congress that hostilities have "terminated." U.S. troops remain in the Middle East, leaving the real status of the conflict unclear.
President Trump formally told Congress that U.S.-Iran hostilities have ended, even as 50,000 troops remain deployed in the Middle East and a naval blockade continues to hurt the Iranian economy.
Iran delivered a new peace proposal to Washington via Pakistan, but President Trump said Friday he was unsatisfied and gave no sign a deal was close. Trump simultaneously told Congress the ceasefire had "terminated" hostilities, using it to sidestep the 60-day War Powers Resolution deadline that expired Friday.
President Trump announced in a social media post that he has raised tariffs on EU automobile imports to 25%, claiming the EU failed to comply with an agreed trade deal. The move could raise costs for European automakers and trigger retaliatory measures from the EU.
President Trump announced a 25 percent US tariff on EU cars and trucks, set to take effect next week, citing EU non-compliance with a prior trade deal. The move threatens margin pressure on major European automakers and raises the risk of EU retaliation targeting US exports.
Oil rose above $110 a barrel in London, a three-week high, as traders waited for the US to respond to an Iranian proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The outcome directly affects global energy supply, with India among the most exposed major importers.
President Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on EU-made cars and trucks, citing the EU's non-compliance with an existing trade deal. European automakers with large US sales exposure face immediate cost pressure, with buyers potentially seeing higher prices.
The US Federal Reserve's FOMC begins its two-day meeting on April 28, with the rate decision due at 2:00 PM ET on April 29 followed by Jerome Powell's press conference at 2:30 PM ET.
President Trump said he is "not satisfied" with a new Iranian proposal for talks and warned he could "blast them to hell" if no deal is reached. The threat keeps military pressure alive and could unsettle oil markets given Iran's role in global crude supply.
The US has warned shipping firms not to pay tolls or "donations" demanded for Hormuz passage, raising sanctions exposure for any company that complies. The alert comes as Iranian state media reports Tehran has submitted a new peace proposal to Washington, adding diplomatic complexity to an already tense waterway.
Iran delivered a new peace proposal to the US via Pakistan, but President Trump publicly rejected it, saying he was "not satisfied" with what Tehran offered. The ceasefire brokered by Pakistan remains in place, but talks are stalled with no date set for a second round.
The Trump administration declared the U.S.-Iran war "terminated" via ceasefire on Friday, just as a 60-day War Powers Resolution deadline arrived requiring congressional authorization. The move lets the White House sidestep a congressional vote, but lawmakers could still challenge the framing.
President Trump announced a 25% tariff on EU cars and trucks, exceeding the 15% ceiling agreed under a recent transatlantic trade deal. The move threatens major European automakers with higher export costs and could prompt EU retaliation against US goods.
The Pentagon has signed deals with seven AI companies to deploy artificial intelligence systems inside classified environments. The move comes as the department navigates a standoff with Anthropic and growing concern about AI use in potential conflict with Iran.
The UAE, where non-oil sectors now generate about 75% of GDP, is weighing an exit from OPEC as production quotas clash with Abu Dhabi's economic ambitions. A departure could lift UAE output, add global oil supply, and weaken OPEC's ability to manage prices.
Iran has sent a negotiation proposal to the US via Pakistan, acting as a back-channel mediator. The move comes as US naval forces block Iranian crude exports and a sea-channel blockade cuts off roughly 20 percent of global oil and gas supplies.
UK exports to the US dropped 25% after President Trump's 'liberation day' tariffs, tipping the UK into a trade deficit with its largest trading partner. The reversal squeezes UK exporters and removes a key source of foreign earnings at a difficult moment for the British economy.