Which airlines are cutting flights amid Hormuz fuel disruption? European and Asian airlines have been most impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is throttling jet fuel supplies. Iran
Analysis China gets around Iran blockade as Gulf courts Beijing Beijing is responding to the Iran war on two fronts: economically, sustaining Iranian oil flows and its Strait of Hormuz routes despite the US blockade; and diplomatically, deepening ties with Gulf states. By Joyce Karam
Breaking | Last Updated: April 23, 2026, 10:55 am Kuwait acquits journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin after 7 weeks in detention The American-Kuwaiti journalist is expected to be released after 52 days in custody over posts about wartime damage. Kuwait
Split over Maliki, Iraq’s Shiite bloc delays PM vote as deadline nears: What to know Two other candidates have emerged as alternatives to Coordination Framework nominee and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is openly opposed by the Trump administration. Iraq
Analysis As Iran's power struggle deepens, US talks stall, who’s calling the shots in Tehran? By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Iran advances diplomacy with Switzerland, India as US maintains 'maximum pressure' In yet another diplomatic push to ease mounting pressure from the United States, Iranian officials were busy hosting two visiting foreign ministers to talk solutions for economic relief. Iran
US seizes websites of Iraqi militia-affiliated news outlet The US Justice Department says the domain names of Aletejah TV's websites were owned and operated by a US company and affiliated with the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia. Iraq
Iran’s nuclear deal and the US presidential election The deal’s fate depends on the outcome of US elections, not the UN. United States
Intel: House Democrats want answers from Saudi ambassador over jailed female activists A group of seven congressional Democrats laid into Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States on Wednesday for failing to respond to their repeated requests to discuss the kingdom’s continued detention of female rights activists. Saudi Arabia
Israeli airstrikes target T4 base, Syrian regime says Israel continues to strike targets in Syria, Assad's state-run news agency says. Israel
Niger's envoy reaffirms rejection of Iran snapback sanctions as UN Security Council president The African state's UN ambassador, who is chairing the Security Council for September, said the United States cannot trigger the return of UN sanctions on Iran. United States
Iran nuclear deal members agree on preserving landmark pact Iran and representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom met in Vienna as Washington presses on with its bid to restore sanctions on Tehran. Russia
US government seizes control of websites allegedly involved in Iran-Venezuela oil deal The seizure follows the US interception of fuel tankers from Iran en route to Venezuela this month amid increased US pressure on both countries. United States
Is Syria’s eastern front about to boil over? Another tough week for US-Turkey relations as Erdogan accuses US of "sick mentality." Syria
Intel: US plans to reduce troops in Iraq The Pentagon plans to reduce its current troop presence in Iraq by about one-third as President Donald Trump heads for November's vote on his reelection amid a campaign promise to end US military involvement in conflicts abroad. Iraq
Trump talks Israel-UAE deal, Biden’s Middle East record at last night of Republican convention The president slammed his Democratic rival for voting for the 2003 Iraq war, but there's no record Trump opposed the invasion at the time. United States
As Iraqi PM balances ties with US, Iran and Arab states, Tehran weighs next move Although Iran supports Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, there are signs it has concerns about his rapprochement with the United States and the Arab world. Iraq
