Morning Briefing: April 29, 2026

Rabia Ali

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Wednesday, including US President Donald Trump hosting a state dinner for King Charles III, the US Senate blocking a bid to rein in Trump’s war powers on Cuba, and UAE withdrawing from OPEC, OPEC+, along with Kosovo heading for snap elections.

TOP STORIES

• Trump claims Iran ‘militarily defeated,’ says it will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons

US President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that Iran had been “militarily defeated,” without providing further details, and reiterated his administration’s opposition to any Iranian nuclear capability.

“We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever — Charles agrees with me even more than I do — we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

During a state dinner honoring the British monarch, Trump referenced ongoing Middle East tensions and US operations in the region, saying his administration was “doing a little Middle East work right now” and that the situation was “going very well.”

He said that King Charles III shares his position on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to respond with strikes on what it described as US interests across the region, many of them in Gulf countries.

• US Senate blocks bid to rein in Trump’s war powers on Cuba

The US Senate on Tuesday failed to pass a War Powers Resolution aimed at preventing unauthorized US military action in Cuba.

The senators voted 51-47 on the resolution, which was introduced by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Cuba is “next” after the military operation against Iran and that the Caribbean island nation will fail soon.

Ahead of the voting, Kaine said on the Senate floor that Trump’s war against Iran has been a “disaster.” “Now, he wants a new war with Cuba. My colleagues and I are firm: no new, unnecessary wars,” he said.

• UAE to withdraw from OPEC, OPEC+

The United Arab Emirates announced its decision to withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and OPEC+.

The decision will be effective as of May 1, according to the state-run Emirati News Agency (WAM) on Tuesday.

The report said the decision is in line with the country’s long-term strategic and economic vision and the development of its energy sector.

The decision also reinforces the UAE’s commitment to its role as a responsible and reliable producer that looks to the future of global energy markets, it added. The UAE joined OPEC in 1967.

• Kosovo fails to elect new president, country heads for snap elections

The Kosovo Assembly failed to elect a new president within the constitutional deadline due to a lack of the required number of votes, which puts the country on the verge of snap parliamentary elections.

Only representatives of the ruling Self-Determination Movement and representatives of non-Serb minorities participated in the vote, who met four times during the day, but their 64 votes were not enough to elect a head of state, which requires a two-thirds majority of 120 representatives.

Assembly Speaker and acting President Albulena Haxhiu said that invitations had been extended to opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo, but that they had refused to participate in the sessions. In the coming days, Haxhiu is expected to call early parliamentary elections, which, according to the constitution, must be held within 45 days.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Israel must not expand its construction of settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, the UN said Tuesday.
• Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council have rejected any fees on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and called for a secure and free navigation in the waterway, the bloc’s secretary-general said on Tuesday.
• US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that King Charles III shares his position on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
• At the UN Security Council, Britain on Tuesday denounced escalating occupier violence in the West Bank, warning that attacks against Palestinians are rising and undermining prospects for peace.
• The Lebanese Civil Defense said Tuesday evening that three members were trapped under rubble after an Israeli strike during a rescue mission in southern Lebanon.
• Trump alleged Tuesday that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz finds it acceptable for Iran to possess nuclear weapons, further straining ties between the allies.
• After a lengthy and politically charged debate, British MPs on Tuesday rejected a motion calling for the prime minister to face a parliamentary inquiry into whether he misled the House of Commons.
• US Marines operating in the Arabian Sea boarded and later released a commercial vessel on Tuesday suspected of attempting to reach blockaded Iranian ports, according to the US Central Command.
• France on Tuesday condemned attacks by Israeli occupiers targeting EU- and French-funded infrastructure in the West Bank, urging Israeli authorities to hold those responsible accountable and halt escalating violence.
• A US federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration cannot detain immigrants indefinitely without providing a bond hearing, marking a significant legal setback for its immigration enforcement agenda.
• The EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations urged the US and Iran on Tuesday to end the war through peaceful means, stressing maritime safety and security via the Strait of Hormuz.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday announced his country is preparing a sanctions package after Kyiv said another vessel allegedly carrying “stolen” grain from Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine arrived in Israel.
• The year 2025 ranked as the third-warmest globally since records began, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization, underscoring a continued trend of rising global temperatures and persistent climate extremes.
• The UN human rights office on Tuesday warned of growing risks to civilians in southern Syria amid expanding military operations by the Israeli army.
• Eleven commercial vessels traversed the Strait of Hormuz during the 24-hour period ending at 1200GMT Tuesday as diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran remained stalled.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Ship traffic through Strait of Hormuz down more than 95% amid Iran war: UN

The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz is down more than 95% since the US and Israel initiated a war against Iran, the UN said Tuesday.

“Ship transits related to the Strait of Hormuz have decreased by 95.3% since 28th February, while commodity food prices has risen by 6% and crude oil prices for Europe have risen by 53%,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at the UN’s New York headquarters.

• US crude oil tops $100 again as Hormuz closure keeps supply fears elevated

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures jumped more than 3.8% on Tuesday to again hit $100 per barrel as the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz kept supply concerns at the center of global energy markets.

WTI extended gains for a seventh consecutive session, reaching its highest level since early April, as traders assessed the risk of prolonged disruptions in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

Meanwhile, international benchmark Brent crude oil futures also jumped 2.8% to reach $111.3 per barrel as of 1410GMT.