May 21, 2026
Iran has declared a “controlled maritime zone” in the Strait of Hormuz, requiring all ships to obtain authorization from a newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority. The IRGC said it coordinated safe passage for 26 cargo ships and tankers, including the first Middle East oil shipment to South Korea since U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran nearly three months ago. Iran is reportedly charging tolls up to $2 million per vessel, payable in Chinese yuan or bitcoin. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry is reviewing the latest U.S. peace proposal after President Trump said he would delay planned attacks on Iran for “a few days” while awaiting Iran’s response. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly left a call with Trump urging him to abandon diplomacy and resume bombing.
Beijing is holding up a planned visit by U.S. Under Secretary of Defence Elbridge Colby until the Trump administration decides whether to proceed with a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan, according to a report. The package includes Patriot missiles and Nasams air defence systems. China’s foreign ministry has not confirmed the hold but described arms sales to Taiwan as a “serious violation” of Beijing’s core interests. ThePentagon declined to comment. The timing is sensitive: Taiwan has reported intensified Chinese military activity near the island in recent weeks.
The Trump administration has blocked refugee resettlement for nationals from a broad range of countries, with a notable exception: white South Africans affected by the country’s land reform policies. A State Department memo viewed by multiple news outlets outlines the differential treatment, raising sharp criticism from refugee advocacy groups. “Clear racism,” said one humanitarian official. The administration has framed the exemption as a humanitarian response to documented persecution of Afrikaner farmers, though critics note the broader policy directly contradicts U.S. refugee protection obligations.
A new study has found a direct correlation between the Trump administration’s gutting of USAID and escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. Researchers at a leading humanitarian think tank report that the withdrawal of U.S. aid has created security vacuums in both countries, empowering armed groups and undermining peace processes that American funding previously supported. The study says aid disruptions have been especially severe in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels have seized new territory, and in Sudan, where the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces shows no signs of abating.
A Rhode Island Superior Court judge has approved a $133 million bid for Providence Place Mall by a consortium led by developer Sylvestro Paolino and Pyramid Management Group. The deal ends years of legal battles over the long-struggling mall, which has sat largely vacant since its 2019 closure. Pyramid, one of the region’s largest shopping centre operators, says it plans a mixed-use redevelopment including housing, retail and public space. The sale still requires final court approval, expected within 30 days.