Heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz with US and Iran trading threats, affecting shipping safety and global energy markets, as Iran executes anti-regime protesters and faces an escalating economic crisis.

• Iran War Live Updates: Uncertainty Over Strait Escalates as U.S. and Iran Trade Threats — New York Times World -
• Middle East crisis live: US denies report that warship trying to pass through strait of Hormuz was hit by Iran — The Guardian -
• Iran Threatens Ships Over Trump Plan to Break Hormuz Blockade — New York Times World -

• Shipping firms question safety in strait of Hormuz despite Trump plan — The Guardian -
• Nigerian refinery accused of sacking union members is key to UK plan to tackle jet fuel shortage — The Guardian -
• China Seeks an Advantage With Both Trump and Iran as War Evolves — New York Times World -
• Pakistan Says It Helped Iranian Crew From Ship That U.S. Seized — New York Times World -
• First Thing: Trump says US navy will ‘guide’ trapped ships through strait of Hormuz — The Guardian -
• Iran executes three men in relation to January anti-regime protests — The Guardian -
• Labor extends EV tax break to encourage cheaper vehicles amid soaring fuel prices — The Guardian -
• Iran says ships being ‘guided’ by US through Hormuz must work with its armed forces — The Guardian -
• UK food prices on track to rise by 50% since start of cost of living crisis — The Guardian -
• Why U.S. Officials Are in Venezuela Right Now — New York Times World -
• With World Distracted by Iran War, Israeli Settlers Intensify Attacks in West Bank — New York Times World -
• Australia and Japan commit to ‘support the flow’ of energy – as it happened — The Guardian -
• Could Iran’s escalating economic crisis weaken negotiating position with US? — The Guardian -
• Jim Chalmers rules out fuel excise extension and downplays hopes for tax relief in ‘most responsible’ budget yet — The Guardian -

Europe prepares for a more dangerous world amidst strained alliances with the US, Nigeria's shifting political landscape, and India's significant state elections, while Austria expels Russian diplomats and African recruits are lured into Russia's war in Ukraine.

• What to Know About Elections in West Bengal and Other Indian States — New York Times World -
• Europeans Prepare for a More Dangerous World in a Time of Economic Upheaval — New York Times World -
• Reform UK plan to set up migrant detention centres in Green-voting areas condemned by other parties – UK politics live — The Guardian -

• Democrats aim to reclaim House majority by boosting eight ‘top-tier candidates’ — The Guardian -
• New alliances shakes up Nigerian political landscape — BBC World -
• Mark Carney Pulls Canada Closer to Europe as Both Struggle With Trump — New York Times World -
• Louisiana Republicans eliminate elected office won by Democratic exoneree — The Guardian -
• Germans Are Not Panicking Over Trump’s Troop Threats — New York Times World -
• Austria expels three Russian embassy staff after ‘forest of antennae’ discovered — The Guardian -
• Rubio to Visit Rome After Trump’s Feud With the Pope and Meloni — New York Times World -
• Europe must face up to ‘tensions’ with Donald Trump, Keir Starmer says — The Guardian -
• How the Kremlin Lures Africans Into Russia’s War in Ukraine — New York Times World -
• Marco Rubio to meet pope this week after Trump’s broadside against Leo — The Guardian -
• Drone Hits a Moscow High-Rise Days Before a Major Military Parade — New York Times World -
• France’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon announces 2027 presidential bid — The Guardian -
• Republicans split with Trump and back Haitians – to save their seats — The Guardian -
• Modi's BJP conquers Bengal, one of India's toughest political frontiers — BBC World -
• Europe will not submit to an ‘insular and brutal world’, says Carney — The Guardian -
• Nigeria plans to repatriate nationals willing to leave South Africa after attacks — BBC World -
• Trump administration claims food aid fraud but critics say ‘there’s no evidence’ — The Guardian -
• New alliances shakes up Nigerian political landscape — BBC World -
• Ukrainian drone hits upmarket Moscow high-rise ahead of Victory Day celebrations — BBC World -
• Nigeria plans to repatriate nationals willing to leave South Africa after attacks — BBC World -
• Inside The Old Skydiving Plane Hunting Drones in Ukraine — New York Times World -
• Why Are Africans Fighting in Russia’s War in Ukraine? — New York Times World -
• Japan sees largest protest in support of pacifist constitution as PM Takaichi pushes revisions — The Guardian -
• Security or justice? Syria faces post-Assad reckoning after string of arrests — The Guardian -
• Labour MPs say ‘endless drama’ of leadership speculation must stop — The Guardian -
• EU forging closer ties with Armenia as it sends experts to help counter Russian interference — The Guardian -
• Taiwan president visits Eswatini days after blaming China for cancelled trip — BBC World -

Tragic incidents include cars driven into crowds in Germany and monster trucks in Colombia, a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship leading to deaths and docking refusals, and British activists reporting abuse after an intercepted Gaza flotilla, alongside a deadly Hong Kong apartment fire inquiry.

• Two killed after car driven into crowd in German city Leipzig, mayor says — BBC World -
• Three dead in suspected virus outbreak on Atlantic cruise ship — BBC World -
• Car runs into crowd in German city of Leipzig, with fatalities reported — The Guardian -

• British Gaza flotilla activists say they needed hospital care after Israeli forces’ abuse — The Guardian -
• What to Know About the Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on an Atlantic Cruise Ship — New York Times World -
• Cruise ship at centre of suspected hantavirus outbreak blocked from docking in Cape Verde — The Guardian -
• Watch: Moment United Airlines flight strikes vehicle during landing — BBC World -
• Driver injured after truck was struck by United plane landing at Newark airport — The Guardian -
• At least 13 hurt in shooting at Oklahoma campground party — The Guardian -
• What an Inquiry into Hong Kong’s Deadly Apartment Fire Has Revealed — New York Times World -
• Monster Truck Drives Into Crowd in Colombia, Killing 3 — New York Times World -
• After the Hong Kong Fire Killed 3 Generations of His Family, A Son Searches for Justice — New York Times World -
• Three dead after monster truck crashes into crowd — BBC World -
• Baby found dead at Wagga beach homeless encampment as mother and another infant taken to hospital — The Guardian -
• 3 Dead in Hantavirus Outbreak Aboard Cruise Ship, W.H.O. Says — New York Times World -

Australian property investor borrowing surges despite interest rate hikes, humanities students face long loan repayments, and the New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level rise, while UK food prices are projected to rise significantly, and Just Eat couriers pursue legal action for workers' rights.

• AI platforms reference Nigel Farage more than other leaders when prompted on UK politics, study shows — The Guardian -
• Weather tracker: Cold spells in Greece and Turkey, and storms in Bangladesh — The Guardian -
• Australia’s property investor borrowing rises at fastest rate in a decade - despite interest rate rises — The Guardian -

• Thousands of Just Eat couriers launch legal action to improve workers’ rights — The Guardian -
• One in four humanities students in Australia to take more than 25 years to pay off student loans, treasury finds — The Guardian -
• Albanese won’t bring in a gas export tax next week – but he’ll struggle to hold off pressure forever — The Guardian -
• NSW to criminalise secret GPS tracking after report highlighting number of devices bought by DV offenders — The Guardian -
• Kirsty, 11, seeks more Kirstys to help raise money for brain tumour research — The Guardian -
• Reform government could cause Truss-style chaos, says renewables industry — The Guardian -
• Jeremy Bamber banned from communicating with media from prison — The Guardian -
• Shropshire council staff met with rising ‘abuse and intimidation’ over removal of flags — The Guardian -
• Saplings in prisons and bogs on military ranges: Labour’s plans for nature-friendly state land — The Guardian -
• ‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds — The Guardian -
• Coalition accused of secretly giving big tobacco lobbyists private platform in parliament — The Guardian -
• London schools trialling VR to relieve pupils’ stress — The Guardian -
• Queensland government in ‘integrity crisis’ over alleged undisclosed affair between two ministers, opposition says — The Guardian -
• BBC uncovers the scammers exploiting dogs to elicit donations from animal lovers — BBC World -
• Flaws in Kenya’s AI-driven health reforms driving up costs for the poorest — The Guardian -
• ‘Wake-up call’: methane emissions from Australian coalmines more than double official estimates, report finds — The Guardian -
• Antisemitism 'allowed to come into the open' says Bondi victim's daughter — BBC World -
• Bondi beach was where her parents met – and where her father died defending his people — The Guardian -
• ‘Increasingly unsafe’: Australia’s in-home childcare program under threat from rising costs, advocate warns — The Guardian -

The US Supreme Court temporarily restores access to abortion pills by mail, a breakthrough fertility trial produces sperm from frozen tissue, GameStop makes a significant takeover offer for eBay, and a new immunotherapy jab benefits cancer patients in England, with cultural highlights like the Met Gala and "The Devil Wears Prada 2" box office success.

• US supreme court temporarily restores access to abortion pills by mail – live — The Guardian -
• US supreme court temporarily restores full access to mifepristone abortion pill — The Guardian -
• GameStop makes $55.5bn takeover offer for eBay — BBC World -

• The ‘Gates to Hell’ Are Dimming. That May Not Be a Good Thing. — New York Times World -
• Man produces sperm from testicular tissue frozen as a child in breakthrough trial — The Guardian -
• Vine video-sharing app is back – and battling AI slop — The Guardian -
• GameStop makes $55.5bn takeover offer for eBay — The Guardian -
• Chasing Stardom in Korea Nearly Destroyed Ejae. Then Came ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’ — New York Times World -
• Met Gala 2026: How to watch, the price of tickets and this year's theme — BBC World -
• Wikipedia founder brands Australia’s social media ban an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and ‘embarrassment’ — The Guardian -
• North Korean side to make rare trip to South Korea — BBC World -
• DeepSeek’s Sequel — New York Times World -
• Thousands of cancer patients in England to benefit from new immunotherapy jab — The Guardian -
• ‘It’s a world heritage site, but it’s my home’: the last resident of Casa Milà on life in Gaudí’s masterwork — The Guardian -
• Rare comet to flash through New Zealand skies – before it disappears for 170,000 years — The Guardian -
• The Devil Wears Prada 2 struts to stunning $233m opening weekend at box office — The Guardian -