BBC News

A US naval blockade of Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz is in effect after both countries failed to reach a deal during peace talks in Pakistan at the weekend.

Speaking at the White House, US President Donald Trump says Iran wants a deal "very badly" and he warned in a social media post that any Iranian "fast attack ships" caught trying to approach the blockade "will be immediately ELIMINATED".

Earlier, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the country would not "surrender under threats".

Meanwhile, the Pope has responded to criticism levelled at him by President Trump, saying he has "no intention to debate" the war with the US president - Trump had accused the pontiff of being "terrible for foreign policy".

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#Iran #US #DonaldTrump #StraitOfHormuz #BBCNews

Iran's Lego-style AI videos have been a viral success story. 

Featuring dying children, fighter jets and President Trump, they have defined the so-called 'slopaganda war', colouring the narrative around the US and Israel's conflict with Iran.

In this interview, Explosive Media admit for the first time that the Iranian government is a direct "customer" of theirs.

Their representative - known as Mr Explosive - tells Matt Shea they remain editorially independent, despite evidence that they are being fed key military information and their access to internet inside Iran.

When challenged on the factual inaccuracies featured in their content, he says they are acting defensively, "resisting against a hyper-reality Trump is using against us."

#US #Iran#BBCNews

President Donald Trump has imposed a naval blockade of Iran, after Washington and Tehran failed to reach a peace deal at their talks over the weekend. US Central Command has said it encompasses "the entirety of the Iranian coastline" including, but not limited to, ports and oil terminals.

For much of the war with the US and Israel, Iran has conducted its own effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway for oil and gas tankers. But Tehran has granted passage to a few ships from countries which are on good diplomatic terms with Iran, including China. Recently, Iran said it would charge a fee for ships crossing the strait, in what analysts have described as a "tollbooth" system.

President Trump has now decided to try to inflict economic pressure on Iran's leaders. He said he has "instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in international waters that has paid a toll to Iran". In the hours after that announcement, the price of oil once again rose above $100 per barrel.

We ask the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale about the logistics and strategy of the US blockade, and what it could mean for Iran — and its trading partner China.

New episodes of the Global News Podcast are published twice a day. You can listen here: https://link.mgln.ai/GNP-YT

And you can find more of our Youtube episodes here: https://bbc.in/GlobalNewsPodcast

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#BBCNews

Elections in Hungary have ended Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power in a landslide victory for Péter Magyar.

Budapest was filled with supporters celebrating the win as Magyar promised to tackle corruption, restore judiciary independence and reverse Orbán-era changes to education and health.

Preliminary results put his Tisza party on course for 138 seats, with Orbán's Fidesz on 55 and the far-right Our Homeland on six.

The 45-year-old former Fidesz party insider convinced the majority of Hungarians to bring an "electoral autocracy" to an end, allowing Hungary to reset global relationships and overturn domestic policies.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#Orbán #Magyar #Hungary #BBCNews

The Southport murders could have been prevented if the killer's parents and authorities had acted in the years leading up to the attack, an inquiry found.

It is "highly likely" the attack would not have occurred if various agencies had dealt with the killer's behaviour earlier, the inquiry also found.

Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, were killed during an indiscriminate knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on 29 July 2024.

UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer who called the inquiry’s findings “harrowing” has promised to make “fundamental changes” to keep the pubic safe.

The killer, who was 17 at the time, seriously wounded eight other children and two adults in the attack. He has since been sentenced to at least 52 years in prison.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#Southport #BBCNews

A US military blockade of maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports is due to begin in a matter of hours on Monday 13 April.

The US says ships coming or going from elsewhere would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway Iran effectively closed in response to US-Israeli strikes.

It comes after negotiators from both sides failed to reach a deal to end the war, which began on 28 February but is currently under a two-week truce.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#US #Iran #StraitOfHormuz #BBCNews

Péter Magyar has won the Hungarian election, ending Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power.

Preliminary election results, based on more than 98% of counted votes, put his Tisza party on course for an extraordinary 138 seats, with Orbán's Fidesz on 55 and the far-right Our Homeland on six.

The landslide will not only allow Magyar to overturn Orbán's increasingly unpopular domestic policies, but reset Hungary's global relationships.

Orbán has been a close partner of both US President Donald Trump - earning an in-person appearance from US Vice-President JD Vance in the final week of the campaign - and Russia's Vladimir Putin, and he had become a big thorn in the side of the EU and Ukraine.

In this podcast, the BBC's Europe Editor, Katya Adler explains: who is Péter Magyar? Is right or left wing and what does his party stand for?

She also discusses what Viktor Orban's loss means for President Trump and J D Vance.

New episodes of The Global Story are released daily. If you’re in the UK, listen on BBC Sounds. If you live outside the UK, listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

LINK: https://app.magellan.ai/listen_links/the-global-story-ytl

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#Hungary #Trump #BBCNews

Chapters:

00:00 Péter Magyar defeats Viktor Orbán

01:57 Who supported Viktor Orbán?

03:27 Why did Trump endorse Viktor Orbán?

06:00 How did Viktor Orbán rule in Hungary?

07:39 Why was Viktor Orbán controversial for the EU?

10:00 Who is Péter Magyar and what does he stand for?

11:35 Why was the election so controversial?

13:40 How is Putin's Russia involved with Hungary?

16:00 How important is Orbán's loss?

Pope Leo has said he has "no fear" of the Trump administration and will continue to speak out against war after the US president launched an unusual and scathing attack over his stance on the Iran conflict.

Donald Trump accused the pontiff of being "WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy" in a Truth Social post, later telling reporters he was "not a big fan".

The Pope told reporters en route to Algeria that he did not want to get into a debate with Trump but would continue to promote peace.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#BBCNews

Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power is over, defeated by a 45-year-old former party insider who convinced a majority of Hungarians to bring it to an end.

"We did it," Péter Magyar told a crowd of cheering supporters in a square beside the River Danube, overlooking Budapest's magnificent parliament on the other side.

"Together we overthrew the Hungarian regime."

Preliminary election results, based on more than 98% of votes counted, put Péter Magyar's Tisza party on course for an extraordinary 138 seats, with Orbán's Fidesz on 55 and the far-right Our Homeland on six.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#Hungary #BBCNews

Donald Trump has said the US will blockade the strait of Hormuz, in order to take control of the key shipping lane from Iran, after the failure of peace negotiations between the two countries in Pakistan.

US Central Command announced the operation would begin on Monday morning, stating:

“Centcom forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10am ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation. The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas”.

The head of Iran’s navy called the US blockade threat “ridiculous and funny”, according to state TV.

President Trump also repeated earlier threats to bomb Iran’s power plants, water treatment facilities and bridges, if Tehran does not agree to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

It follows the collapse of high level peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan. The US vice president JD Vance, who led the US team, said Iran had refused to agree that it could never develop nuclear weapons.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood and Lyse Doucet.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://bbc.in/bbcnews

For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit BBC.com/news

#BBCNews