The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has left roughly 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf, with at least 22 civilian ships struck and eight crew members killed since the conflict began.

One sailor said they were “stuck and there were missiles firing over and blasts everywhere.”

Although shipping groups agreed crews would get bonus pay, a “right to refuse sailing,” and employer-paid repatriation, unions say only “30 to 40 per cent” of ships are complying.

Some sailors allege owners are “forcing us to continue to do cargo operations” despite safety concerns.

Source: FT

Trump on Iran:

Saudi Arabia is fighting back hard. Qatar is fighting back. UAE is fighting back. Kuwait’s fighting back. Bahrain’s fighting back. They’re all fighting back.

We’re in very strong communication with all of those countries, and they’ve all been fighting.

Deadly Blow from Iran to Kuwait’s Critical Energy Facility

An Iranian attack struck a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait. An Indian worker was killed and significant structural damage was reported.

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UK activist group Led By Donkeys used a speedboat to approach billionaire Larry Ellison’s $160 million superyacht Musashi off the French Riviera and renamed it “The Trump Propagandist.”

Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), called for a “complete withdrawal” of U.S. troops from Germany.

NEW footage of PSA Airlines CRJ700 colliding midair with a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the Potomac River.

All 67 people died.

CRJ700 made a last-second nose-up pull about one second before impact, while the helicopter showed no major evasive change.

Another RSF Massacre in Sudan, 14 Killed Including 5 children in Dilling

RSF & its ally SPLM-N shelled Dilling in South Kordofan Saturday killing at least 14 people including 5 children, according to Sudan Doctors Network. The UAE-backed RSF massacre has been claiming civillian life amid the UN claiming its massacres bear genocidal hallmark.

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Trump Signals Iran Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has been in direct and indirect contact with Iran and described its current leadership as “very reasonable,” as Pakistan prepares to facilitate potential peace talks amid escalating regional tensions.

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Iran has officially confirmed that Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, was killed.

He was killed in an Israeli airstrike near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

Israel has tripled interceptor and munitions production—soon to rise to 4× normal levels.

More than 200 U.S. cargo planes have delivered supplies, yet both countries are reportedly running low on interceptors.

Source: Haaretz

Spain will donate five Patriot PAC-2 missiles to Ukraine.

The €15 million “gift” was confirmed after PM Pedro Sánchez met Zelensky in Madrid.

Source: El País

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US Busy with Iran War - China Tightens Grip on Congo Minerals

DR Congo & China have deepened mining ties with a new deal despite U.S. push on a rival pact, with Congo holding major cobalt reserves amid intensifying global competition for critical minerals.

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Iran managed to damage the oil refinery in Haifa, Israel.

BREAKING: Spain closed its airspace to aircraft involved in Iran War and barred use of its Rota and Morón air bases for related combat or refueling flights.

The move led Washington to drop plans to deploy B-52 and B-1 bombers to Morón after consulting Madrid.

Source: El País

NEW: Zelensky says Ukraine will reciprocate if Russia stops striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

He also says Kyiv has received signals from allies about scaling back strikes on Russia’s oil sector.

Zelensky responds to German Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger:

If every Ukrainian housewife can produce drones, then any of them could become CEO of Rheinmetall.

Hartmut Ebbing, former German FDP member of Parliament and longtime pro-Israel advocate, served as treasurer of the Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft (DIG), was caught with child sexual abuse videos.

In 2025, he was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material and received a 10-month suspended sentence.

Parts of the proceedings were held non-public at his request, citing potential damage to DIG and pro-Israel work.

In March 2026, a regional court convicted him of child sexual abuse involving his partner’s young son, sentencing him to 2 years and 10 months in prison (not suspended).

He resigned from DIG only after the 2026 charges became public.

Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin delivered 100,000 tons of crude oil to Cuba despite the ongoing U.S. blockade.

The U.S. Coast Guard did not attempt to stop it.

The tanker was reportedly escorted to the Atlantic by the Russian Navy corvette Soobrazitelny.

Kremlin says Russia considers it a duty to help Cuba and will continue supplying oil to the island.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei:

The U.S. proposals conveyed to Tehran were “excessive and unreasonable.”

Iran is not involved in Pakistan-led meetings.

19-year-old IDF soldier Liran Ben Zion was killed in southern Lebanon.