The Iranian government has allowed a number of foreign vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, with some reports stating that a one-month permit had been granted to certain ships. Once a conduit for much of the world’s oil supply, the strait was effectively closed by Tehran in response to US and Israeli attacks. At least six Bangladeshi cargo ships and two Chinese vessels have reportedly passed through the key waterway this week, while Turkey’s Anadolu news agency noted that a one-month permit was issued for “certain vessels” on Wednesday, though offered few details about the...

A planned meeting between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will be delayed by “five or six weeks,” the US leader said. His trip to China’s capital was set to occur later this month, but was called off amid ongoing hostilities with Iran. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said the much-anticipated summit with Xi would be put off for more than a month, noting that “Because of the war [with Iran], I want to be here. I have to be here.” “We’re resetting the meeting, and it looks like it’ll take place in about five weeks,” the president continued, adding that he...

President Donald Trump has said that Venezuela’s airspace will soon be reopened to commercial flights from the United States, claiming the country was under “very strong control” and that Americans would be safe to travel there. Trump announced the decision during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, saying he had instructed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, as well as the US military, to reopen Venezuelan airspace to US flights. “I just spoke to the president of Venezuela, informed her that we’re going to be opening up all commercial airspace over Venezuela,” the president said. “American...

The US military has carried out at least 23 airstrikes on Somalia so far this month, part of a major surge in the Trump administration’s bombing campaign on the African nation. Last year saw a record number of strikes on Somalia, though data on civilian casualties is not always forthcoming. US Africa Command (ARICOM) has announced a flurry of recent strikes allegedly targeting ISIS and al-Shabaab militants, including at least four in the last week alone. The latest operations took place in Godane – north of the capital city, Mogadishu – as well as around the Golis Mountains in the northern...

Mexico’s state oil company, Pemex, has backed out of a planned oil shipment to Cuba, the country’s president appeared to confirm. The move comes after President Donald Trump insisted that “zero” oil would be sent to the island, and follows reports that Washington plans regime change there by the end of the year. Speaking during her daily press conference on Tuesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not deny earlier reports about the canceled Pemex shipment, which was originally scheduled for sometime in January. “It is a sovereign decision, and it is made at the time deemed...

President Donald Trump has vowed to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian goods should Ottawa strike a new trade deal with Beijing, after Canada agreed to slash duties on Chinese electric vehicles earlier this month. Trump made the threat from his Truth Social account on Saturday, taking a jab at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who he dubbed a “governor” – likely a reference to his previous suggestion to make Canada the next US state. “If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the USA,” the president...

The Donald Trump administration hopes to execute a regime change in Cuba by the end of 2026, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal. The report comes just weeks after the US military kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on dubious drug charges. The newspaper said Washington is now “searching for Cuban government insiders who can help cut a deal to push out the Communist regime by the end of the year,” with senior US officials holding regular meetings with Cuban exiles and pressure groups in recent months. The administration believes the Cuban government is more...

The Canadian military has developed a theoretical model for how it would combat an American invasion, envisioning mujahideen-style insurgency tactics and other forms of unconventional warfare, according to the Globe and Mail. While Canadian officials told the outlet that such a scenario is “unlikely,” the move reflects growing tensions between the two neighbors, with President Donald Trump having repeatedly floated the idea of making Canada the 51st US state. On Monday, he shared an edited photo depicting both Canada and Greenland as American territories. “The Canadian Armed Forces have...