The World Today

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says a new U.S. military mission in the Strait of Hormuz is temporary and separate from earlier operations against Iran. Iran's top diplomat is heading to Beijing, highlighting China's diplomatic efforts to help end the crisis. The number of deaths from an explosion at a fireworks factory in central China has risen.

A string of claims and denials has emerged between the U.S. and Iran, with the two sides giving sharply different accounts of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. Passengers are stranded on a cruise ship following an outbreak of a rare and dangerous virus that has left three dead and several others ill. Young players are trying to revive Hungary's table tennis legacy in a sport long dominated by China.

Tehran says Washington has responded to Iran's peace proposal, which includes a 30-day deadline for the U.S. to end its naval blockade. The Israeli military has ordered more evacuations from southern Lebanon despite the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. Middle East tensions are weighing on American voters, with six months to go before the midterm elections.

The U.S. and Iran are in a tense standoff in the Persian Gulf as oil prices hit a four-year high. Israel intercepts an aid flotilla to Gaza, detaining over 170 activists near Crete. Britain raises its threat level after two Jewish men were stabbed in an attack.

U.S. lawmakers have grilled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over issues related to the conflict with Iran, including budget, strategy and the direction of the war. Iran's social media campaign is garnering millions of views, with viral Lego-style videos shaping narratives around the war and challenging America's longstanding policies. Meanwhile, authorities have lifted protection for endangered wildlife in the name of U.S. energy security.

Iran's latest proposal has fallen short with the Trump administration, raising new questions about the path to peace. Fears of a wider war are growing as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon shows signs of crumbling. Meanwhile, consumers worldwide are feeling the economic impact of the Middle East conflict, particularly in food and energy.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg as nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain in limbo. New questions are emerging following a major security breach at a Washington gala attended by the U.S. president, journalists, and politicians. Meanwhile, Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla are in the U.S. for a rare state visit amid heightened security concerns and strained transatlantic relations.

A gala for White House correspondents has turned into chaos after a gunman tried to storm the event, with President Donald Trump and other officials evacuated. Iran's top diplomat returns to Pakistan after a brief stop in Oman, amid remaining uncertainty about another round of peace talks with the United States. Meanwhile, reports say that separatist fighters have killed the defense minister of Mali.

Israel and Lebanon agree to extend a ceasefire that hasn't ended. U.S. President Donald Trump orders the Navy to shoot and kill any boat laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The Chinese foreign minister continues his Southeast Asia tour after visiting Cambodia, with the next stop in Thailand. Two correspondents put their skills to test against world-class athletes ahead of a major table tennis competition.

Iran fires on cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump offers a new timeline for talks as the diplomatic standoff drags on. A dispute is growing in Mexico over the future of some of its most iconic masterpieces. Meanwhile, breakthroughs by Brazilian and Chinese scientists are helping save endangered coral reefs.

China and Mozambique have upgraded bilateral ties following high-level talks in Beijing. A second round of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran is now on hold after a request from Pakistan, with U.S. President Donald Trump extending the fragile ceasefire. Meanwhile, Apple has announced a successor to CEO Tim Cook.

Iran has vowed to retaliate after the United States fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz. A second round of talks between Tehran and Washington is now in limbo. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has taken the first step toward refunding more than 100 billion dollars in tariffs, two months after a Supreme Court decision declared them unconstitutional.

Oil tankers remain stranded as the Strait of Hormuz stays closed. Iran has rejected a second round of peace talks in Islamabad. In Louisiana, a domestic dispute has resulted in the deaths of eight children. Meanwhile, a robot breaks the half marathon record in Beijing.

A 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has begun, marked by fireworks and celebratory gunfire in Beirut. Hezbollah and Israeli officials are urging displaced civilians not to return to southern Lebanon. A former Pakistani ambassador to Iran has shared insights on Islamabad’s ongoing peace efforts. In Turkiye, shock is growing after nine students were killed in the country's second school shooting in two days.

The Chinese president has held talks on international and regional challenges with leaders and senior officials from two of China's neighbors. Iran threatens to halt trade in the Gulf if the United States continues to block its vessels. A Pakistani delegation is also in Tehran ahead of a second round of expected peace talks. At least eight students and a teacher have been killed in a school shooting in southern Turkiye.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, calling for closer bilateral ties to resist the law of the jungle. Abu Dhabi's crown prince is also in Beijing, deepening ties between China and the United Arab Emirates in the wake of the Iran war. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump says ceasefire talks with Iran could resume in the next couple of days, as historic Lebanese-Israeli talks begin in Washington for the first time in decades.

A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has taken effect. The Spanish prime minister is in China in an effort to secure deeper ties with Beijing amid the Middle East conflict. Peru’s election has entered a second day as more than 27 million Peruvians vote for members of both houses of Congress and a new president.

Hungary is undergoing a major political shift, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban conceding defeat in the parliamentary elections. A new escalation is looming after peace talks between Tehran and Washington failed, as the U.S. president threatens to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the Chinese community in Spain is calling for stronger ties between the two countries, as the Spanish prime minister makes his fourth trip to China for talks on trade and technology.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked his cabinet to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israel’s ongoing attacks in the region are raising tensions, as the country insists Lebanon is not included in recent ceasefire discussions involving the U.S. and Iran. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has denied any connection to Jeffrey Epstein.

Iran and the U.S. are sending mixed signals over a ceasefire, as Tehran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has intensified attacks across Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire. Meanwhile, more than a year after President Donald Trump introduced new tariffs aimed at reshaping global trade, the U.S. economic landscape continues to shift.

Civilians have gathered at key infrastructure sites in Iran, while U.S. President Donald Trump has postponed his ultimatum for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran rejects a new ceasefire proposal as Israel strikes major petrochemical facilities in Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to decimate Iran's infrastructure if Tuesday's deadline passes without a deal. Meanwhile, NASA's Artemis II crew breaks the record for the farthest human spaceflight.

U.S. President Donald Trump warns he may escalate the conflict with Iran, threatening strikes on power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The U.S. reports a second airman has been rescued from a downed warplane in Iran. Meanwhile, the U.S. economy shows warning signs following an immigration crackdown.

The United States and Israel have stepped up attacks on Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bring the country "back to the Stone Age," with Tehran warning of broader and more severe retaliation. The U.S. president says the country is close to completing its objectives without providing a clear timeline for an end to the conflict. Meanwhile, the global economy has shifted since the White House launched its trade war last April.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is considering pulling the U.S. out of NATO over the alliance's reluctance to intervene in the war with Iran. Protesters have rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court as justices hear arguments in a high-stakes case on birthright citizenship. NASA has successfully launched its first lunar mission in 50 years.

The Chinese foreign minister meets his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to push for talks between Washington and Tehran. Massive explosions rock the Iranian city of Isfahan, as the Pentagon says U.S. military firepower is increasing. Mexico urges the U.S. for answers after more than a dozen of its nationals die in immigration detention.

The U.S. president threatens Iran's energy facilities if a deal is not reached soon, as new attacks are reported in Iran, Israel, and Lebanon. U.S. warplanes have been heavily damaged in an Iranian missile and drone strike, while Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in strikes over Iran. Meanwhile, concerns grow over a looming water crisis in one of the cities set to host this summer's World Cup.

Iran says it will rain fire on troops attempting to enter its territory as thousands more U.S. soldiers arrive in the region in preparation for a possible ground operation. Hundreds gather in Beirut for the funeral of three Lebanese journalists killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike while Palestinians bid farewell to six people, including a child killed in Israeli strikes in Khan Yunis. And airport chaos lingers across the U.S. despite an executive order to pay security screeners on Monday. It’s unclear how many agents will return to work.

U.S President Donald Trump says he'll push the date for planned attacks on Iranian energy plants to April 6th. He says Iran's government requested this delay. Protesters called for the release of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro as he returns to a New York courtroom to fight drugs and weapons charges. And at the Boao Forum, we take a look into the future: humanoid robots may be just for fun now, but their move into the workforce is just around the corner.

New attacks on Iran amid lingering questions about the prospect of talks between Washington and Tehran. Iran rejects the ceasefire offer, laying out its own set of conditions. Much needed humanitarian aid arrives in Cuba as the island struggles under USA oil blockade, a dire energy crisis, prolonged blackouts and worsening living conditions. And in Los Angeles, a jury finds Meta and Google negligent in a social media addiction case, holding them liable for how their platforms affect young people. Both tech giants vow to appeal.

Amid U.S. claims of negotiations, new attacks on Iran and Israel, children among those pulled from the rubble of a residential building in Tehran. An explosion rocked Tel Aviv after an Iranian missile strike. The death toll is climbing as the search for answers continues after the crash of a military plane in Colombia. And a new chief at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Markwayne Mullin, a Trump loyalist taking over the agency responsible for immigration enforcement.

A sharp reversal from U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed to have had productive talks with Iran on ending hostilities just days after threatening to blow up the country’s power plants. Iran disputed Trump’s claim, casting it as a ploy to calm the markets. Oil prices did fall amid a big rally on Wall Street. A military air disaster in Colombia: a transport plane with more than 100 people on board crashed during takeoff.

Iran threatens retaliation if the U.S. attacks its power plants. Tehran warns it may completely block the Strait of Hormuz and do irreversible damage to critical infrastructure in the Middle East. Iran launches missiles into Tel Aviv a day after dozens were wounded in southern Israel. And Chinese Premier Li Qiang gives the opening address at the China development forum. Dozens of global business leaders are gathered in Beijing to learn about new investment opportunities.

Qatar has condemned an Iranian strike on a major gas hub, calling it a dangerous escalation. Iran says the attack was retaliation for an Israeli strike on its gas facility, the largest in the world. President Donald Trump says Washington had no prior knowledge of the Israeli operation. Meanwhile, days after a deadly strike in Kabul, Afghanistan and Pakistan have announced a temporary pause in fighting to mark a Muslim holiday.

Confirmation out of Iran following another high-profile assassination: the country's intelligence chief was killed in an overnight strike by Israel. Oil prices are spiking as the conflict intensifies. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, top intelligence officials faced a grilling on global threats to the United States.

Israel says it killed a top Iranian security official, days after he was seen in public in Tehran. The war with Iran has triggered the first major defection in the Trump administration as the top counter terrorism official resigned, saying Iran poses no imminent threat to the United States. And accusations from Afghanistan, denials from Pakistan after a horrific attack on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul killed hundreds.

China and the U.S. wrap up two days of trade talks in Paris, the latest on the high level meetings that were closely watched around the world. U.S. President Donald Trump demands global help in securing the Strait of Hormuz after a string of attacks on oil tankers and cargo ships. Iran insists that the critical waterway in the Persian Gulf is only closed to its "enemy." And a major search and rescue operation in Tehran, as another residential building was reduced to rubble.

Delegations from China and the U.S. hold economic and trade talks in Paris. Israel and U.S. strikes on western Iran continue, while Tehran retaliates with attacks on Tel Aviv. And the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed for fuel tankers.

China's national legislature has concluded its annual session in Beijing. Lawmakers approved a development blueprint for the 2026-2030 period. Iran's new supreme leader has made his first public statement vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and warning of new strikes on U.S. bases across the region. And as more cargo ships came under attack in the Persian Gulf, oil prices jumped again, rattling investors and financial markets.

China is shaping its path forward for the year ahead and beyond, highlights from the annual political gathering in Beijing. A Thai cargo ship goes up in smoke in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the three commercial vessels attacked as Iranian retaliation shuts down one of the world's most critical shipping transit. And the International Energy Agency says member countries have agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves, the largest ever in a bid to ease soaring oil prices.

China's national legislature reviews its work from the past year and outlines priorities for this year. We take a closer look at the global initiatives laid out by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the “two sessions.” Iran names a new supreme leader amid escalating regional tensions. And oil prices are soaring, increasing fears of supply disruptions and volatility in the financial markets.

China's top diplomat has held a press conference at the two sessions. Wang Yi describes Beijing as key to peace and security among global tensions. And Iran names Ali Khamenei son as the new supreme leader. We have reports from Iran and Washington.

Proactive and pragmatic. That’s how China describes its economic strategy and growth target for the year ahead—projections announced at the largest annual political gathering, known as the two sessions. In an escalating conflict with no end in sight, U.S.-Israeli attacks have destroyed Iran’s biggest sports stadium. And for the first time, Azerbaijan is accusing Iran of striking its territory.

Ahead of the opening of China's annual political season, we look at some of the issues on the agenda for the two sessions. U.S. President Donald Trump claims that everything's been knocked out in Iran and that the strikes have left a leadership vacuum while Iran vows to respond with more crushing attacks. And the conflict is causing markets to tumble and energy prices to soar.

Plumes of smoke over Tehran and growing casualties: it is now day four of a widening conflict after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Iran launched counter-attacks across the region as Israel and Hezbollah traded fire. U.S. President Donald Trump says the military campaign could last weeks and warns Iran of larger strikes. And China gears up for its two sessions, the country's biggest and most important political event, setting the agenda for economic and social priorities.

Iran launches counter attacks following U.S.-Israeli strikes. More than 200 people have been killed in Iran, at least 11 in Israel and 3 U.S. servicemen as well. Iran is now governed by an interim leadership council after the killing of the country's supreme leader.