The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its global growth outlook, warning that the ongoing Iran conflict could push the world economy toward recession if energy disruptions intensify and inflation pressures worsen.

The U.S. may return to the negotiating table with Iran soon, as thousands of American service members assist in the blockade of Iranian ports.

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian shipping showed early signs of effectiveness in its first 24 hours, according to U.S. Central Command, as no vessels departing Iranian ports successfully passed through the restricted zone.

European nations are preparing a post-war naval coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, potentially excluding the United States, according to a The Wall Street Journal exclusive.

Hungary’s election winner, Péter Magyar, said Monday his government could be formed within weeks and re-establish relations with the European Union, including introducing the euro currency in 2031, after he ousted longtime pro-Russia strongman Viktor Orbán in the largest victory since the collapse of communism in 1989.

Iran executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, marking the highest number of executions since 1989, according to a joint report by the Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights and the Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that China could face steep economic consequences if it is found to be supplying weapons to Iran, escalating tensions as conflict in the Middle East continues to reverberate globally.

A blockade on Iranian ports is set to go into effect at 10 a.m. eastern Monday as President Donald Trump attempts to turn up the heat on the Iranian regime after the latest round of peace talks were unsuccessful.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has ruled the country continuously since returning to power in 2010, has admitted defeat in Sunday’s parliamentary election and congratulated his rival Péter Magyar.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States will begin a sweeping naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, following failed negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed extending the Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Russia, which also saw the exchange of hundreds of prisoners of war.

Hungarians prepared to vote Sunday in what could be the country’s most important election in a generation, potentially ending nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s tenure, after hundreds of thousands watched a marathon “regime change” concert in the heart of Budapest.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared in a Truth Social post that U.S. military forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until a “real agreement” is fully honored, signaling continued pressure on Tehran despite a temporary pause in hostilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine during Orthodox Easter, raising cautious hopes for a brief pause in fighting, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the United States of ignoring evidence of Moscow’s military cooperation with Iran.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte tried to prevent his military alliance from falling apart Thursday telling an audience he understood U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s disappointment with some allies who declined to support the American-Israeli war effort against Iran.