Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 30th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has warned that the ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports will fail, asserting that Tehran possesses the means to bypass the restrictions and is prepared for direct confrontation if American pressure persists. The stark warning comes as a fragile, extended ceasefire remains in place following weeks of deadly fighting across the region. With the vital Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed, the standoff over the blockade continues to stall diplomatic negotiations, keeping global energy markets on edge.
U.S. President Donald Trump has met with oil executives to discuss strategies for mitigating the impact of a potential months-long naval blockade of Iranian ports. With diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict deadlocked and global oil prices spiking more than 6%, Washington is urging international allies to join a new naval coalition, dubbed the "Maritime Freedom Construct," to force the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Tehran warned of "unprecedented military action" if the blockade continues, rejecting U.S. demands to abandon its uranium enrichment programme.
A senior Pentagon official has confirmed that the ongoing U.S. military campaign in Iran has cost American taxpayers $25 billion so far. Delivering the first official estimate of the conflict's financial toll to lawmakers, the official noted that the vast majority of the expenditure has been allocated to munitions. The revelation comes just hours after President Donald Trump publicly claimed that the United States had successfully "militarily defeated" Tehran.
European airlines are facing their most severe crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic as the ongoing Iran war drives jet fuel prices up by nearly 84%, threatening the peak summer holiday season. Willie Walsh, Head of the International Air Transport Association, warned of potential fuel rationing across Europe and Asia, whilst airlines report a sharp decline in bookings as passengers fear severe disruption and exorbitant fares. The crisis has hit Gulf carriers particularly hard, with connecting flights through Middle Eastern hubs down more than 40%, exacerbating the divide between weaker and stronger players in the global aviation sector.
Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla have concluded their historic state visit to the U.S. by commemorating the victims of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Centre memorial in New York City. Accompanied by former mayor Michael Bloomberg, the King laid a bouquet of white spring flowers upon the bronze parapet before meeting with victims' families and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port o...
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad sayin...
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction. ...
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
A Russian strike on a gas station in Kyiv has killed two people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram. In Russia, online marketplace Ozon has suspended operations in Saratov, southwestern Russia, following a drone strike on a warehouse in the region.
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks drew the U.S. into Afghanistan, the Taliban is seeking a new relationship with Washington built on diplomacy, investment and trade, despite deep divisions between the former enemies.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday.
Dubai’s property market has spent years climbing. Now, for the first time since 2021, prices are moving in the opposite direction.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad saying the strike originated from Iraq.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella has formally ended all government peace negotiations with illegal armed groups, marking a dramatic shift in the country's security strategy and delivering on a central pledge from his election campaign.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used a series of high-level meetings ahead of the BRICS summit in New Delhi to reinforce Moscow's political and economic partnerships with countries across Africa and Asia. He also received backing from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral cooperation.
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