Global tensions escalate over Iran's Strait of Hormuz amid US policy shifts, while regional conflicts and humanitarian crises intensify across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

US President Trump reversed course on imposing a 20% transit fee through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the waterway "open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran" as European markets fell and oil prices spiked, amid ongoing US-Iran military confrontations.

The UK designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, citing links to violent plots on British soil and escalating tensions with Tehran over regional security threats.

Mexico initiated legal action against the US over the death of migrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo killed by ICE agents in Houston, with President Sheinbaum demanding criminal complaints and expressing national outrage.

India-Bangladesh border tensions heightened as India deported Bangladeshi immigrants deemed illegal, leaving people stranded at the border and prompting diplomatic pushback from Dhaka.

China purged top official Ma Xingrui, a former Xinjiang leader and space program chief, on corruption and sex charges—the third Politburo member purged since 2022, signaling internal political realignment.

Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir visited Turkey to strengthen strategic and defence cooperation, while PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan's support for Saudi Arabia following Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

A UNESCO report revealed that 113 developing countries spend more servicing foreign debt than on education, with 18 nations allocating five times more resources to loan repayment than child education.

Nigeria's military killed over 300 bandits and cattle rustlers in Zamfara state during all-night operations involving vigilantes, addressing escalating kidnapping and organized crime in the northwest.

Ukraine pursued development of its own antimissile system beyond imported Patriots, with domestic firm Fire Point advancing weapons technology to reduce dependency on Western military aid.

Venezuela faced growing social unrest as public anger mounted over inadequate earthquake response and fallout from US military intervention threats, raising risks of political instability.