Iranian authorities have announced the re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, warning that any ship approaching it will be targeted. This decision follows reports of Iran targeting a tanker and other vessels in or near the strait on Saturday, escalating tensions in a critical global shipping chokepoint that handles about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) transit.
Rabat, Morocco – Amir Ali, a 17-year-old Sudanese refugee, stood on a narrow strip of land between two countries. Ahead, Moroccan guards moved through the darkness with flashlights and dogs; behind, Algerian security forces waited. Ali, who lost his parents and seven siblings in the war in Sudan, had been traveling for over a year, attempting to reach Morocco via Libya and Algeria, facing repeated detentions, beatings, and extortion along the way.
The US Navy's Southern Command has resumed attacks on vessels allegedly used by drug cartels to transport narcotics from South America to the United States, with over 50 ships reportedly sunk since September 2025 and at least 177 suspects killed, according to media reports. The US government, under President Donald Trump's administration, claims these are 'drug boats' but has not provided evidence of illicit cargo or disclosed the identities of those killed, raising significant legal and ethical questions.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at accelerating the review process for a number of psychedelic drugs, including the controversial ibogaine. The signing ceremony in the Oval Office on Saturday featured podcaster Joe Rogan, who is considered one of the most influential podcasters in the country and a leading proponent of ibogaine, a substance derived from a plant native to West Africa. Rogan recounted how he had previously texted information about ibogaine to Trump, with the president purportedly responding quickly: “Sounds great. Do you want FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval? Let’s do it.”
Venezuela's main opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, stated she has "no regrets" about presenting her Nobel medal to US President Donald Trump. Machado gave the medal to Trump during a meeting at the White House in January, two weeks after he allegedly ordered US special forces to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from Caracas.
In Dallas, Texas, 50-year-old Michael Watkins approaches a stranger's door under a scorching sun. He works for the Recovery Resource Council, arriving within 72 hours of a reported fentanyl overdose to provide the victim or their family with substance abuse resources and the life-saving medication Narcan. His organization's grassroots method, termed 'uninvited interventions,' has contributed to a decline in fentanyl deaths in Dallas County from 280 in 2023 to 203 in 2024.
British counter-terrorism police are investigating an arson attack on a shop in Hendon, northwest London, an area with a large Jewish population, which occurred late Friday. Authorities reported that a man approached a row of shops with a plastic bag containing three bottles of fluid, placed it next to the building, and lit it, but the bottles failed to fully ignite, after which the perpetrator fled the scene. The attack caused minor damage to the business, but no injuries were reported.
In Germany, diesel prices have surged by up to 40% compared to pre-Iran war levels, marking a significant spike in global fuel costs. According to the website Clever Tanken, average diesel prices across Germany's 100 largest cities exceeded €2.43 per liter in April, while Super E10 gasoline cost over €2.18 per liter. These figures, adjusted for purchasing power, surpass those seen during the 1970s oil crisis, highlighting the severity of the current situation.
On March 25, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Proposed by Ghana, the resolution recognized the transatlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” and called for reparations. A total of 123 countries supported the resolution; three, including the United States and Israeli regimes, opposed it, while 52, including Britain and several European Union member states, abstained.
More than 120,000 people joined Pope Leo XIV in Cameroon for an open-air Mass, marking the largest crowd so far during his 11-day Africa tour. Arriving in the economic city of Douala on Friday, the Pope reiterated his message of peace after visiting the country's Anglophone region, which has been hit by a decade-long rebellion the day before.
Beirut, Lebanon – Tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese families are returning home despite ongoing reports of Israeli shelling and demolitions of homes near the country’s southern border. Cars loaded with mattresses, bags, and salvaged belongings continued streaming south on Saturday as families went back to assess if their homes remained intact. “There’s destruction and it’s unliveable. We’re taking our things and leaving again,” said Fadel Badreddine, displaced from Nabatieh, highlighting the precarious situation for returnees.
The Iran war has introduced complex economic challenges for Turkey, as the country is still recovering from one of the worst financial crises in its history, which began in 2018. The conflict has driven up fuel prices and forced authorities to dip into precious foreign currency reserves to defend the lira. However, this situation has also presented Turkey with an opportunity to promote itself as a model of security and stability in the region, capitalizing on the fallout affecting other Middle Eastern business hubs.