US to blockade Iran after talks fail to yield a deal

April 13, 2026 9:39 AM

US to blockade Iran after talks fail to yield a deal

The U.S. military said it will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday after weekend talks failed to reach a deal to end the war with Iran, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire. The talks in Islamabad, which ran from Saturday into early Sunday, were the first direct U.S.-Iranian meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level discussions since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. The negotiations came days after a ceasefire beg...

90% cargo backlog cleared at major ports amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Sarbananda Sonowal

April 10, 2026 10:32 PM

90% cargo backlog cleared at major ports amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Sarbananda Sonowal

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said that nearly 90% of cargo backlog at India’s major ports has been cleared following swift government intervention amid disruptions linked to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials and port authorities, the minister said timely monitoring and coordinated action helped restore normal port operations and minimise the impact on trade. “We acted swiftly and in a...

Hormuz shipping remains restricted despite ceasefire, thousands of vessels still stranded

April 10, 2026 9:16 PM

Hormuz shipping remains restricted despite ceasefire, thousands of vessels still stranded

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted despite a two-week ceasefire between Tehran and Washington that began on April 8, with shipping activity still far below normal levels. Industry estimates indicate traffic has dropped by nearly 95 percent compared to pre-crisis levels, with only a limited number of vessels moving under tight Iranian supervision. Most ships currently transiting are Iranian-linked, part of the so-called dark fleet, or flying flags of countries Tehran...

India assures energy stability amid West Asia tensions, steps up fuel supply, maritime safety and citizen support

April 10, 2026 7:45 PM

India assures energy stability amid West Asia tensions, steps up fuel supply, maritime safety and citizen support

The Centre on Friday said the country’s energy systems remain stable and resilient despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, while outlining a series of measures to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply, safeguard maritime operations, and protect Indian nationals abroad. At an inter-ministerial media briefing held at the National Media Centre, officials from key ministries, including Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power, External Affairs, and Ports, Shipping and Waterways, highlighted India...

‘We are not some piece of ice’: Greenland hits back at Trump’s Arctic insult

April 9, 2026 10:42 PM

‘We are not some piece of ice’: Greenland hits back at Trump’s Arctic insult

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called on NATO allies to stand together to defend international law as he pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump's latest comments about the Arctic island. Trump vented his frustration with NATO's unwillingness to get involved in the war on Iran that he launched with Israel, saying in a social media post that the military alliance was not around when needed and would not be there "if we need them again. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POOR...

IMF’s Georgieva expects war to trigger demand for up to $50 bln in Fund support

April 9, 2026 10:37 PM

IMF’s Georgieva expects war to trigger demand for up to $50 bln in Fund support

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday said the global lender expected near-term demand for IMF financial support to rise to between $20 billion to $50 billion as a result of spillovers from the war in the Middle East. Georgieva said the now-paused war was testing the global economy, with a 13% cut in the daily flow of the world's oil and a 20% cut in liquefied natural gas triggering a supply shock that had sent energy prices soaring, while disrupting supply chains. ...

NATO’s Rutte told allies Trump wants Hormuz commitments within days, diplomats say

April 9, 2026 10:35 PM

NATO’s Rutte told allies Trump wants Hormuz commitments within days, diplomats say

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has briefed some capitals that U.S. President Donald Trump wants concrete commitments within the next few days for help securing the Strait of Hormuz, three European diplomats told Reuters on Thursday. Rutte met with Trump in Washington on Wednesday, amid tensions within the alliance over the Iran war. "The Secretary General is in contact with Allies about his discussions in Washington," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said on Thursday. "It’s clear that the U...

Govt ensures fuel, medicine supply amid West Asia crisis; 2,170 Indians evacuated from Iran

April 9, 2026 6:46 PM

Govt ensures fuel, medicine supply amid West Asia crisis; 2,170 Indians evacuated from Iran

The Centre on Wednesday said fuel supplies, pharmaceutical production and maritime operations remain stable despite disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis, while confirming that over 2,170 Indian nationals have been moved out of Iran to neighbouring countries for onward travel to India. The updates were shared during an inter-ministerial briefing at the National Media Centre involving officials from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, External Affairs, Ports, Shipping and W...

Trump says US-Iran talks will be behind closed doors

April 8, 2026 10:58 PM

Trump says US-Iran talks will be behind closed doors

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said talks on the Iran crisis would be held behind closed doors, and that "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS'" were acceptable to the United States, but gave no other details about the negotiations. "These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE. It is something that is reasonable, and can easily be dispensed with," he said in a social media post. Trump separately told ABC News in an interview that he expects talks to begi...