Global oil prices surged despite pledges from the United States and other countries to release reserves. Airstrikes shook Beirut and Tehran, and more ships were attacked in the Persian Gulf.

China’s plan to raise pensions for farmers by less than $3 a month prompted rare criticism from lawmakers about the country’s threadbare social safety net.

British officials told Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Peter Mandelson’s close ties to Jeffrey Epstein before Mr. Mandelson was appointed U.S. ambassador.

U.S. officials say the country’s weapons have been diminished, slowing its attacks on Gulf nations and Israel. Iran may also be holding some weapons in reserve in case the conflict is prolonged.

The Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a fifth of the world’s oil, is all but closed as war in the Middle East expands. A British agency said three ships were hit by unidentified projectiles in or near the strait.

Trump’s agenda for the high-stakes meeting remains unclear to Beijing, Chinese analysts say, while American executives say they haven’t been invited along.

The police in London interviewed Virginia Giuffre three times over her allegations about Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Ghislaine Maxwell, but never began a criminal investigation.

The conflict is reshaping travel patterns, energy dependencies, living costs, trade routes and diplomatic alliances.

The country has prioritized self-sufficiency in producing a crucial battlefield weapon, though weaning itself fully off cheaper Chinese components is difficult.

Four men are accused in South Florida of plotting to kill President Jovenel Moise in 2021. His death plunged Haiti into chaos that continues today.