Rafael Sims

 Iran has told International Maritime Organization member states that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing a letter. The US-Israeli war against Iran has all but halted shipments of about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz, causing oil supply disruption. In the letter circulated among IMO members on Tuesday, Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran had "taken necessary and proportionate measures to prevent the aggressors and their supporters from exploiting the Strait of Hormuz to advance hostile operations against Iran," the newspaper said. Tehran said in the letter that vessels linked to the US and Israel, as well as "other participants in the aggression, do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage," the FT said. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The London-based UN shippin...

  Democrat Emily Gregory will win a special state House election in a Palm Beach district that includes President Donald Trump’s Florida home of Mar-a-Lago, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, adding another special election win to a recent string of victories around the country for Democrats. Tuesday’s election was a prime opportunity for Democrats in the ruby-red Sunshine State to notch a win in a state where the party is often short of them, in a district with political resonance. Gregory, a business owner and military spouse running for office for the first time, will defeat Republican Jon Maples, a former council-member of nearby Lake Shores who first received Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement” in January. She was leading Maples by just under 800 votes. “When we started this, nobody thought it was possible. They thought we were crazy,” Gregory said to her supporters at her election night party. “I knew my community. I knew we deserved better. We deserve a leader who will fight...

 The United States will continue its strikes on Iran, with the pause applying only to attacks on Tehran's energy sites, Semafor reported on Monday, citing a US official, during what President Donald Trump has described as "productive" talks with unidentified Iranian officials. Earlier on Monday, Trump had postponed for five days a plan to hit Iran's energy grid. Iran later denied that it had engaged in negotiations with the United States. "The stop on attacks for five days is only on their energy sites," a US official told Semafor. "It is not on the military sites and the navy, and the ballistic missiles, and the defense industrial base. The initial initiatives of (Operation) Epic Fury will continue," he told the news agency. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House, the US State Department and the Pentagon and the did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular hours. The Semafor report also added that ...

 The Rajya Sabha polls have exposed the Congress faultlines, with the seniors raising questions over Rahul Gandhi’s tightening grip as the party heads into crucial elections Rapid Read Rapid Read Logo Rapid Read Summarized by AI. + Rajya Sabha polls have exposed Congress divisions, with senior leaders questioning Rahul Gandhi’s growing control. Snubbed veterans like Anand Sharma and Bhupinder Hooda push back, highlighting tensions as the party faces crucial upcoming elections. While the party will obviously shield Rahul Gandhi, the question is for how long. (AFP) While the party will obviously shield Rahul Gandhi, the question is for how long. (AFP) One Take The Rajya Sabha polls may be done and dusted, but the hits and misses give an insight into what’s brewing in the Congress. First, let’s begin with the denial of tickets. When Anurag Sharma was chosen from Himachal Pradesh as the Congress candidate, it left Anand Sharma sulking and upset. In fact, sources say he was waiting in S...