live U.S. set to block Iran's ports, Tehran warns of harsh response - Monday 13 April
Maritime traffic in and out of Iran will be controlled by the U.S. military Washington said. Iran warns of harsh response to the blockade. A two-we...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Hungary’s long-time Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after 16 years in power, as opposition leader Peter Magyar won a decisive landslide victory on Sunday. Magyar’s Tisza Party secured a strong parliamentary majority, signalling a major political shift towards closer alignment with the European Union and NATO. The result could reshape Hungary’s role in Europe and unlock previously frozen EU funding.
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz at Iran's ports is set to be blocked by U.S. navy ships later today. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the move on social media. Washington says the move aims to enforce pressure on Tehran, while Iran has warned of a harsh response, raising the risk of renewed escalation despite the existing ceasefire framework. Markets are reacting to renewed uncertainty in global energy supply.
Direct talks between Iran and the U.S. aimed at ending six-weeks of war failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of discussions in Pakistan. There were major disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme, regional influence and control of maritime routes.
Oil tankers are steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz as the United States prepares to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports following failed talks with Tehran. Shipping data shows vessels turning away or delaying transit, highlighting rising uncertainty in one of the world’s most critical energy routes. While Washington says freedom of navigation will remain for non-Iranian destinations, Iran has warned any military presence near the strait will be treated as a ceasefire violation. The disruption signals renewed pressure on global oil supply chains.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating a 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire, with both sides reporting attacks and drone strikes. Despite the temporary ceasefire, hostilities appear to have continued across multiple fronts, underscoring the fragility of any short-term pause in the conflict.
Hungarians vote in elections on Sunday that could see the end of hard right nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s more than 15 year rule. Opinion polls show Orbán’s Fidesz party trailing 45-year-old Péter Magyar’s centre-right opposition Tisza party.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators held their highest-level talks in half a century in Pakistan on Saturday in an effort to end their six-week war, as President Donald Trump said the U.S. military had begun the process of clearing the Strait of Hormuz.
At least 30 people were killed on Saturday in a stampede at Haiti’s Laferrière Citadel World Heritage Site, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.
Israel has reprimanded Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv after a giant effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was blown up in a Spanish town.
Nine suspects were arrested on Saturday (11 April) in connection with a terror attack targeting a police post in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district.
Pope Leo XIV is set to make history this April, becoming the first pontiff ever to visit Algeria. The trip forms part of a wider African tour, taking him to Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon from 13–23 April, and marks his first major overseas trip of 2026.
Centre-right Peter Magyar's Tisza Party has won a landslide in Hungary after a night of counting in the Hungarian election. Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after 16 years in power. "We have done it. Tisza and Hungary have won this election", Magyar said to cheering supporters in Budapest.
Hungary’s opposition Tisza party is on course for a decisive election victory, with partial official results indicating it could secure a two-thirds parliamentary majority and end Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule.
Millions of Orthodox Christians across the globe celebrated Easter, known as Holy Pascha, on Sunday (12 April) with midnight liturgies, candlelight processions and deeply rooted local traditions reflecting centuries of faith.
Israel has reprimanded Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv after a giant effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was blown up in a Spanish town.
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