politics

US–Iran conflict: Donald Trump threatens heavier bombing if deal fails

US President Donald Trump posted on social media that the war could soon end, alluding to a single-page memorandum that is currently under Iranian review. The memorandum’s provisions include a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, a lifting of US sanctions and the distribution of frozen Iranian funds and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for ships. In response to the positive sounding news, Wall Street stocks climbed on Wednesday. Israel’s army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, meanwhile, is maintaining a harsh line on the country’s row with Hezbollah Follow our live blog for the latest updates.

09:04 PM, 6 May 2026

US stops Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker

US forces operating in the Gulf of Oman enforced blockade measures by disabling an Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port at 9am ET, May 6, tweeted US Central Command (CENTCOM).

It reported observing M/T Hasna as it transited international waters enroute to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the US blockade.

After Hasna’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, US forces disabled the tanker’s rudder by firing several rounds from the 20mm cannon gun of a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Hasna is no longer transiting to Iran.

08:18 PM, 6 May 2026

A deal with Iran would require Tehran to send enriched uranium stockpile to US: Trump

US President Donald Trump told PBS News today that the terms of a potential deal with Iran would include Tehran shipping its enriched uranium stockpile to the United States and pledging not to operate its underground facilities, reported CNN.

07:35 PM, 6 May 2026

Iran’s top negotiator says US aiming to force Tehran’s ‘surrender’

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Wednesday that Washington was seeking Tehran’s surrender through various means, including a naval blockade.

“The enemy, in its new design, is seeking, through a naval blockade, economic pressure and media manipulation, to destroy the country’s cohesion in order to force us to surrender,” Ghalibaf said in a voice message published on his official Telegram channel.

06:44 PM, 6 May 2026

Iran FM says seeking China’s support for ‘new post-war’ regional framework

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that Tehran was looking forward to China’s support for a “new post-war” regional framework following its conflict with the United States.

Reiterating Iran’s trust in China, Araghchi said his country “looks forward to” Beijing “supporting the establishment of a new post-war regional framework that can balance development and security”, in a post on X.

06:14 PM, 6 May 2026

Iran says US proposal to end war ‘under review’: local media

Iran foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Wednesday that a US proposal to end the war is still “under review” by Tehran, local media reported.

“The US plan and proposal are still under review by Iran,” Baqaei told ISNA news agency, adding Tehran will convey its views to key mediator Pakistan after “finalising its views”.

US President Donald Trump said earlier Wednesday that he wanted the war to be “at an end”, while vowing more intensive attacks on Iran if it did not agree to conditions.

06:03 PM, 6 May 2026

US stocks jump on hopes of end to Mideast war

Wall Street stocks climbed Wednesday amid market hopes of a potential resolution to the war in Iran after US President Donald Trump said a deal was on the table.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average bounced 0.9 per cent to 49,736.85 minutes after trading started, while the broad-based S&P 500 added 0.8 per cent to 7,314.21.

The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.8 per cent to 25,535.35.

US news outlet Axios reported that the United States and Iran were close to agreeing on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.

05:57 PM, 6 May 2026

France deploys aircraft carrier to Red Sea

CNN said, quoting France’s defence ministry, the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to prepare for a future mission to restore free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The aircraft carrier and its escort vessels will transit the Suez Canal today, en route to the southern Red Sea, the ministry reportedly said.

05:50 PM, 6 May 2026

Israel army chief vows in Lebanon to seize opportunity to dismantle Hezbollah

Israel’s army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir visited troops in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, vowing to dismantle Hezbollah and saying the military was prepared to launch a new offensive against Iran if needed.

“We will seize every opportunity to deepen the dismantling of Hezbollah and continue weakening it,” Zamir told soldiers in the area of the Lebanese town of Khiam.

He added that the military was also “on high alert to return to a powerful and broad operation that will enable us to deepen our achievements and further weaken the Iranian regime”.

05:42 PM, 6 May 2026

Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill 4 despite ceasefire

An Israeli strike in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley killed four people on Wednesday, while the Israeli army said it struck Hezbollah targets in the south, after warning residents of a dozen towns to evacuate.

Israel and Hezbollah have been trading accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement in force since April 17. Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for several operations targeting Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, as well as attacks on northern Israel.

An Israeli airstrike on the town of Zellaya, in the West Bekaa region, left at least four people dead, including two women and an elderly man, the health ministry said.

Lebanese state media said the attack struck the house of the town’s mayor, killing him and three members of his family.

04:57 PM, 6 May 2026

Iran reacts to pause of Project Freedom

CNN, quoting Iranian media, reported that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is possible under “new procedures” following the pausing of a short-lived US military operation in the waterway, the Revolutionary Guards’ Navy said on Wednesday.

This appears to be Iran’s first reaction to Washington suspending “Project Freedom”. The US launched the mission on Sunday but halted it on Tuesday, citing progress in peace talks.

04:06 PM, 6 May 2026

Trump threatens ‘higher level’ bombing Iran if deal not agreed

US President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to restart bombing on Iran if it does not agree to a deal to end the war.

“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump said in a social media post.

03:54 PM, 6 May 2026

Commodity ship transits in Hormuz hit lowest level since start of war

Commodity ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell this week to its lowest level since the beginning of the war despite a brief US attempt to reopen the strategic waterway, according to data from marine analytics firm Kpler.

Kpler, which tracks only commodity-carrying vessels, recorded just one transit on Monday and none on Tuesday, the fewest seen since the start of the war triggered by a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

Around 120 vessels transit the strait daily in peacetime, according to maritime news outlet Lloyd’s List.

Before the war, the strait handled roughly one-fifth of global hydrocarbon exports, alongside other key commodities.

But traffic has been hammered by Iran’s chokehold on the strait – which was imposed at the start of the war and has allowed only limited passage – as well as a retaliatory US blockade of Iranian ports.

The Nooh Gas, the only commodity vessel to transit the strait on Monday, was carrying 11,357 tons of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas.

The cargo was transferred ship-to-ship from the Tania Star off Dubai on May 1, and its final destination remains unknown.

The Tania Star had loaded the cargo at the Iranian port terminal of Bandar Mahshahr on April 25.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the suspension of “Project Freedom” – a military operation launched on Monday to free vessels stranded in the strait.

Washington said that two US-flagged merchant vessels had successfully crossed the strait, a claim denied by Tehran.

03:30 PM, 6 May 2026

China steps up Iran war diplomacy days before Trump’s summit with Xi

China’s diplomatic role in the Iran war has come into sharper focus following talks between Chinese and Iranian foreign ministers on Wednesday, days before US President Donald Trump is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Beijing’s profile in international diplomacy has risen in recent years. Long reluctant to get involved in conflicts far from its borders, it has nevertheless emerged as a major player with attempts to mediate conflicts from Southeast Asia to Europe.

Beijing is not an official mediator in the Iran war, but all parties – including Washington and Tehran – say it has played an important role in efforts to de-escalate the conflict. The Trump administration is pressing China to use its influence with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.

During Wednesday’s meeting with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a “comprehensive ceasefire,” saying his country is deeply distressed by the war.

“The international community shares a common concern for restoring normal and safe passage through the Strait, and China hopes the relevant parties will respond as quickly as possible to the strong calls from the international community,” China’s official news agency Xinhua quoted him as saying.

03:07 PM, 6 May 2026

Brent oil price drops under $100 on US-Iran deal hopes

Oil prices dived on Wednesday, with international benchmark Brent sliding under $100 a barrel, on fresh hopes for an end to the Middle East war.

Brent North Sea crude slumped 9.3 per cent to $99.64 a barrel, while the main US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate, plunged 10.7 per cent to $91.33.

Washington believes it is close to reaching an agreement with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, according to US news outlet Axios.

02:51 PM, 6 May 2026

Israeli strike kills 4 in east Lebanon: health ministry

An Israeli strike in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley on Wednesday killed four people, Lebanon’s health ministry said, with local media reporting the attack took place before the Israeli army issued a warning to evacuate the area along with 11 other towns.

“An Israeli enemy raid on the town of Zellaya in West Bekaa resulted in four martyrs, including two women and an elderly man,” the ministry said.

Lebanese state media said the attack struck the house of the town’s mayor, killing him and three members of his family.

02:41 PM, 6 May 2026

Israel army says striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon

Israel’s army said Wednesday it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas of Lebanon, despite a truce with the neighbouring country intended to halt fighting with the Iran-backed militant group.

“The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites in several areas in Lebanon,” a military statement said.

It came shortly after the army reported “several incidents” during which drones exploded near Israeli soldiers operating in Lebanon’s south. The strikes also follow a new Israeli evacuation warning for a dozen villages in south Lebanon issued earlier on Wednesday.

01:46 PM, 6 May 2026

Washington believes close to deal with Iran: Axios

Washington believes it is close to reaching an agreement with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, US news outlet Axios reported Wednesday, citing two US officials.

According to Axios, the two sides are close to agreeing on a “one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.”

It said the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment and the United States agreeing to release billions of dollars of frozen Iranian funds.

Washington is reportedly awaiting a response from Tehran on several key points in the next 48 hours.

“Nothing has been agreed yet, but the sources said this was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began,” Axios said.

01:16 PM, 6 May 2026

Pakistan PM ‘hopeful’ current momentum will bring Mideast peace

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif – a key mediator in the war between the Iran and the United States and Israel – said Wednesday he was “hopeful” the current momentum on negotiations would lead to peace in the Middle East.

“We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond,” he said in a post on X.

01:07 PM, 6 May 2026

Oil prices tumble over 5% on Mideast peace hopes

Oil prices plunged on Wednesday on fresh hopes of the United States and Iran reaching a peace deal to end the Middle East war.

International benchmark Brent North Sea crude dived 6.2 percent to $103.04 per barrel.

The main US contract West Texas Intermediate slid 6.4 percent to $95.68 per barrel.

12:17 PM, 6 May 2026

China calls for ‘complete’ and immediate cessation of hostilities in Middle East

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Wednesday for an end to hostilities in the Middle East and for the United States and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible”, during talks with his Iranian counterpart.

“China considers that a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay, that it is even more unacceptable to restart hostilities, and that continuing to negotiate remains essential,” he said, according to a statement from his ministry after the talks with Abbas Araghchi in Beijing.

People

David Attenborough, ‘the voice for nature,’ turns 100

Britain’s David Attenborough, who has for decades been the world’s most authoritative voice on the natural world and whose documentaries have been watched by hundreds of millions, will on Friday celebrate his 100th birthday.

After more than 70 years of film-making, Attenborough’s instantly recognisable voice is synonymous with the story of ‌nature. He is still at the vanguard of efforts to protect the environment and has produced some of his most impactful work in recent years.

Counting Britain’s royal family, Barack Obama and pop star Billie Eilish among his admirers, Attenborough’s charisma, humour and warmth, alongside the depth of his knowledge and his flair for storytelling, have made him a broadcasting superstar.

“Your ability to communicate the beauty and vulnerability of our natural environment remains unequalled,” was how the late Queen Elizabeth summed up his achievements in 2019.

‘LONESOME GEORGE’ AND THE FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT

Attenborough’s films have communicated the wonder and also the tragedies of the natural world to viewers across the globe.

Standout scenes include his encounter with two playful young mountain gorillas who clambered onto him ⁠during his landmark 1979 series “Life on Earth”.

He also made his audience marvel at the teamwork of a pod of orcas hunting a seal by creating waves to break up ice, and his telling in 2012 of the story of “Lonesome George”, the last surviving Pinta Island tortoise, moved people to tears.

“He’s about 80 years old, and getting a bit creaky in his joints – as indeed am I,” Attenborough, then 86, said.

George’s death, two weeks after he was filmed, marked the extinction of his species.

“He’s focused the attention of the world on the fragility of our environment,” Attenborough said at the time.

While Attenborough has topped numerous national popularity polls, being named the country’s most admired man and the greatest living British cultural icon, friends say he rolls his eyes when he is labelled a “national treasure”.

“What he feels is that he’s a public servant. He feels that he had the unique opportunity to be the voice for nature, to tell everybody about the wonders of nature,” Mike Gunton, a television producer who has worked with Attenborough many times, told Reuters.

As climate change has accelerated and the threat to much of the world has become more urgent, Attenborough devoted much of ‌his 90s ⁠to raising public awareness.

His 2017 blockbuster “Blue Planet 2”, which highlighted the scourge of plastic in the ocean, achieved some of the highest viewing figures on British television before being sold to broadcasters around the world.

Albatrosses unwittingly feeding their chicks plastic fished from the ocean jolted public opinion and led the British government and major retailers to announce measures to reduce the use of plastics.

“I think every single person who’s seen anything that Sir David has done has been inspired to care about nature,” said Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum in London.

SPECIAL BBC BROADCASTS AND EVENTS

In Britain, Attenborough’s centenary is being marked with a week of ⁠special broadcasts on the BBC, a live concert at the Royal Albert Hall, events at museums, nature walks and tree planting.

The broadcasts include his new series “Secret Garden”. At 99, he remains heavily involved in programme-making, say BBC colleagues, driven by his enduring curiosity and joy of storytelling.

“That’s typical David. He makes everything really enjoyable,” said Mike Salisbury, who has worked as a producer on several Attenborough documentaries.

Born on May 8, 1926, Attenborough spent ⁠his childhood collecting fossils, insects and dried seahorses.

His BBC career took off in 1954 when he presented “Zoo Quest”, which involved him travelling to far-flung parts of the world and bringing animals back to London Zoo.

By the 1970s he had risen to be programme controller at the broadcaster but decided he wanted to return to making nature documentaries.

Screened in 1979 when he was 52, “Life on Earth” ⁠made him a household name. He wrote the entire 13-hour script and travelled the world for three years to tell the story of evolution from simple organisms to humans.

Dozens of documentaries followed, including “Blue Planet,” “Frozen Planet” and “Dynasties”. As the decades passed, his sense of the need to act only increased.

“How could I look my grandchildren in the eye and say I knew what was happening to the world and did nothing?” Attenborough said.

Reuters

politics

UAE, Saudi report drone incidents as Iran war drags on

A drone strike caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, officials there said on Sunday, while Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three drones, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran must act “fast” after efforts to ‌end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran appeared to have stalled.

Emirati officials said they were investigating the source of the strike and that the UAE had the full right to respond to such “terrorist attacks.” A diplomatic adviser to the UAE president said it represented a dangerous escalation, whether carried out by “the principal perpetrator” or one of its proxies.

The UAE defense ministry said two other drones had been “successfully” dealt with, and that the drones had been launched from the “western border.” It did not elaborate.

Saudi Arabia said the three drones it intercepted entered from Iraqi airspace and warned that it would take the necessary operational measures to respond to any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security.

While hostilities during the Iran conflict have largely been scaled down since a ceasefire came into effect ⁠in April, drones have been launched from Iraq towards Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

The drone that got through the UAE’s defenses hit an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. Radiological safety levels were unaffected and there were no injuries, it said. UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation later confirmed that the plant remained safe, with no radioactive material released from the strike.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said emergency diesel generators were providing power to the plant’s “unit 3,” and called for “maximum military restraint” near any nuclear power plant, adding that it was following the situation closely.

During the war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, Iran has repeatedly targeted the UAE and other Gulf states that host U.S. military bases, hitting sites that include civilian and energy infrastructure.

Iran stepped up such attacks on the UAE earlier this month after Trump announced a naval mission to try to open the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump suspended after 48 hours.

DIPLOMATIC DEADLOCK

More than five weeks after a tenuous ceasefire in the conflict took effect, U.S. and Iranian demands remain far apart despite diplomatic efforts to end the war and reopen the strait, the world’s most important ‌shipping route for ⁠oil and gas.

Washington has called for Tehran to dismantle its nuclear program and lift its hold on the strait. Iran has demanded compensation for war damage, an end to a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and a halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where Israel is battling Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Trump, whose harsh rhetoric has failed to break the stalemate, said in a post on Truth Social: “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

Trump is expected to meet top national security advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for military action regarding Iran, Axios reported.

Trump held talks with Chinese President ⁠Xi Jinping this week without securing an indication from China that it would help resolve the conflict and has previously threatened to resume attacks if Iran does not agree to a deal.

A senior spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces, Abolfazl Shekarchi, said on Sunday that if Trump’s threats were carried out, the U.S. would “face new, aggressive, and surprise scenarios, and sink into a self-made quagmire”.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the U.S. and Israel had ⁠tried to shift the blame for destabilizing energy markets following their “unprovoked military aggression against Iran”.

RIVAL BLOCKADES

The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has caused the biggest oil supply crisis in history, pushing up prices. The U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports, and said that as of Sunday it had redirected 81 commercial vessels and disabled four vessels to ensure compliance.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian ⁠parliament’s national security committee, said on Saturday that Tehran had prepared a mechanism to manage traffic through the strait along a designated route that would be unveiled soon.

Thousands of Iranians were killed in the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Thousands more have been killed in Lebanon in fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Israel and Lebanon agreed on Friday to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire there, though the truce has failed to end clashes.

Reuters

politics

What if disruption in Strait of Hormuz never ends?

For months, governments, businesses and financial markets treated the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz as a temporary crisis that would eventually ease through diplomacy or military de-escalation.

Moody’s Ratings is now warning the world may need to think differently.

In a new report, the ratings agency said the disruption to one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes is increasingly looking less like a short-term shock and more like a structural risk that could reshape global trade, energy markets and economic planning well beyond 2026.

The warning marks a shift in tone from earlier assessments that viewed the crisis mainly as a temporary supply disruption.

“We now have a single, central scenario which assumes a prolonged and significant disruption to the Strait of Hormuz through autumn,” Moody’s said.

Strait still vital to the world

The Strait of Hormuz handles around one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows, making it one of the world’s most critical trade chokepoints.

But shipping through the route has fallen by more than 90 per cent from pre-conflict levels as insurers raise premiums, shipping companies avoid the area and concerns over sea mines continue to disrupt navigation.

The conflict itself may dominate headlines, but Moody’s said the larger issue is what happens if the disruption simply drags on for months.

That could mean permanently higher shipping costs, more expensive energy, slower trade flows and new supply chain strategies as companies and governments adjust to prolonged instability in the Gulf.

“Global shipping routes are being structurally rewired,” Moody’s said. The agency said countries are increasingly turning to non-Gulf suppliers, alternative pipeline routes and regional trade systems to reduce reliance on the Strait.

Higher oil prices now a norm?

Moody’s now expects Brent crude prices to remain between $90 and $110 a barrel for much of this year, significantly above earlier expectations.

For consumers, that could mean prolonged pressure on fuel prices, airfares, transport costs and inflation. “Persistently higher energy prices will lead to increases in inflation and production costs, limiting household purchasing power,” Moody’s said.

The agency warned that even if a ceasefire or political agreement is reached, a return to normal conditions would still take time because shipping backlogs, tanker repositioning and insurance systems would need months to stabilise.

The report also suggested that some changes triggered by the crisis may not reverse at all. “Some structural shifts in supply chain design, risk premiums and defense spending will probably be permanent,” Moody’s said.

Airlines, manufacturing risks

Industries that rely heavily on fuel and transport are among the sectors most exposed if elevated oil prices continue.

Moody’s identified airlines, chemicals and building materials companies as facing the “most acute pressure” because of high operating costs and limited ability to pass rising expenses onto customers.

Consumer sectors including retail, hospitality and manufacturing could also come under strain if households reduce spending in response to higher living costs.

“Airlines, building products and chemicals face the most acute pressure,” Moody’s said. At the same time, some sectors could benefit from the changing environment.

Energy producers outside the Gulf region and aerospace and defence companies are expected to gain from higher oil prices and increased geopolitical tensions.

Asia faces the biggest challenge

The report said Asian economies remain among the most vulnerable because of their dependence on Middle Eastern energy imports.

India was identified as one of the most exposed major economies because around 46 per cent of its crude oil imports come from the Middle East.

Japan and South Korea were also described as highly vulnerable despite holding large emergency reserves, while China could face pressure on industrial profitability even with state-controlled pricing and large stockpiles.

“At sustained Brent prices of $90–$110/bbl, we estimate real GDP growth reductions of 0.2–0.8 percentage point for several major economies,” Moody’s said.

Crisis world may have to adapt to

Perhaps the biggest message from the Moody’s report is that the global economy may no longer be waiting for the Strait of Hormuz crisis to end quickly.

Instead, governments, businesses and investors are increasingly preparing for the possibility that disruption, higher costs and geopolitical risk in one of the world’s most important trade routes could become part of the global economic landscape for the foreseeable future.