22:36

Middle East conflict

live Iran says it has no trust in U.S. as nuclear tensions and talks continue- Middle East conflict

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. 

15:45

U.S.-Cuba relations

U.S. prepares to indict Raúl Castro over 1996 aircraft shootdown

A U.S. Department of Justice official said Washington was preparing to indict former Cuban president Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 downing of aircraft operated by "Brothers to the Rescue", a Miami-based exile group that conducted search-and-rescue flights for Cuban migrants.

03:09

Middle East Conflict

Tehran warns over ‘collusion’ as Iran pushes BRICS stance on war - Middle East conflict

The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran loomed over U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China, as signs emerged that the conflict is causing a shift in alliances across the Middle East.

10:32

UK-U.S. relationship

'Two Kings' of the West: U.S.-UK strategic friendship and the future of the alliance

King Charles III’s latest visit to the U.S. offered more than diplomatic symbolism. It highlighted the evolving tensions, shared history and strategic uncertainties shaping the modern Anglo-American alliance.

09:29

Hantavirus

Hantavirus risk to public remains very low, U.S. health official says

The risk from hantavirus to the general public remains very low, and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more than 100 staff members actively working on the outbreak, a governmental health official said on Wednesday.

02:59

Middle East Conflict

Tehran tightens grip on Hormuz; Trump says 'we don't need any help with Iran' - Middle East conflict 13 May

U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.

21:41

View from China

Trump brings sanctioned Rubio to Beijing in unusual U.S. delegation

When Donald Trump boarded Air Force One for Beijing on Tuesday, he brought two cabinet members whose presence in China would have seemed unlikely a year ago, highlighting an unusual moment in U.S.–China relations.  

13:37

Explainer

Trump–Xi summit: What’s at stake in U.S.–China talks in Beijing

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Beijing on 14–15 May 2026 for a high-stakes summit aimed at managing rising tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan and the Iran conflict.

03:03

Middle East Conflict

Kuwait arrests IRGC-linked agents; Iran widens definition of Strait of Hormuz - Middle East conflict 12 May

Kuwait arrested four members of an IRGC-linked group as they tried to enter the country by sea, the Gulf state's KUNA news agency reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a senior IRGC officer said Iran had expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz to include a far wider area. 

18:31

View from China

China and U.S. trade officials meet in Seoul ahead of leaders summit

Senior economic officials from China and the U.S. are holding two days of trade talks in Seoul this week ahead of a summit in Beijing, where Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are set to meet face to face for the first time this year.

02:58

Middle East Conflict

Trump says ceasefire is on ‘life support’ after calling Iran’s reply a ‘stupid proposal’ - Middle East conflict 11 May

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal as a “stupid proposal,” saying Tehran failed to commit to abandoning its pursuit of a nuclear weapon, while warning the fragile ceasefire was on “massive life support”.

10:19

Israel-U.S.

Netanyahu says Israel aims to end reliance on U.S. military

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel aims to eventually end its reliance on U.S. financial military support within the next decade. The decision signals a long-term shift in the country’s defence policy as it seeks to deepen ties with Gulf states.

08:06

Hantavirus

Australia confirms evacuation of nationals from hantavirus-hit cruise ship; U.S. passengers isolated after outbreak

Australia confirmed it will repatriate citizens from the MV Hondius cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with quarantine on arrival. Spain, France are evacuating nationals as three deaths are confirmed. In the U.S., two passengers have been isolated after testing positive for the virus.

08:34

Top Secret

Trump-backed UFO file release fuels debate over government secrecy

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.

07:40

Deadly Strike

U.S. military says Pacific vessel strike kills two narco-terrorism suspects

The U.S. military said on 8 May that it struck a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people and leaving one survivor, in the latest in a series of controversial maritime operations targeting suspected drug trafficking routes.

07:19

Middle East Conflict

Hezbollah claims attacks on Israel; Pentagon shows footage of strikes on Iranian tankers - Middle East conflict on 9 May

Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.

18:21

Middle East Conflict

Iranian FM says missile capacity at 120%; Deadly Israeli strikes hit Lebanon - Middle East conflict on 8 May

The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.

13:52

Expert View

Türkiye seeks lasting Iran-U.S. ceasefire as Ankara pushes diplomacy

Türkiye is urging Washington and Tehran to turn their fragile truce into a permanent ceasefire, as analysts say Ankara is seeking to use its geopolitical position to prevent a wider regional conflict.

08:35

DOGE

U.S. judge rules Trump-era DOGE grant cuts unconstitutional

A federal judge on 7 May ruled that the Trump administration’s cancellation of hundreds of humanities grants under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was unconstitutional and amounted to “blatant viewpoint discrimination”.

20:47

U.S.-Iran

How a U.S.–Iran deal could reshape Israel’s regional security strategy

As diplomatic talks over a possible U.S.–Iran framework agreement continue, analysts are assessing how any deal could alter security dynamics across the Middle East.

19:16

Middle East Conflict

U.S. launches 'retaliatory strikes' on Iran as Tehran's military says ceasefire breached - Middle East conflict on 7 May

The U.S military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday (7 May). Meanwhile, Iran's Joint Military Command accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire, by striking an Iranian oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on several Iranian cities. 

11:01

Middle East Conflict

Tehran reviews U.S. peace plan as Trump pushes for deal

U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted a swift end to the war with Iran, as Tehran considers a U.S.-backed peace proposal that sources say could formally end the conflict but leaves several core disputes unresolved.

10:30

Markets

Asian stocks surge to record highs on Middle East peace hopes

Asian stocks surged to record highs on 7 May as investors priced in growing hopes of a potential Middle East peace deal, while oil prices eased and the U.S. dollar weakened amid shifting global risk sentiment.

09:17

Global Debt

Record global debt hits $353 trillion as investors shift from U.S. Treasuries

Global investors are showing early signs of diversification away from U.S. Treasuries as worldwide debt levels climbed to a record $353 trillion by the end of March of 2026, according to a new report from the Institute of International Finance (IIF) published on 6 May.