2026-05-01
3 分钟The Economist.
Mushtaba Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, vowed in a statement to maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz and put an end
to the, quote, enemies' abuses of the waterway,
although Mr. Khamenei has not been seen in public since he succeeded his father in March.
Iran said America's regional bases would face long and painful strikes should hostilities resume.
On Thursday, America's top brass will brief Donald Trump on potential military action in Iran.
America's Congress passed a bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shut for 75 days.
The bill does not provide new money for immigration enforcement agencies.
The omission had been a sticking point for some House Republicans.
The party instead hopes to fund them, using a legislative tool that lets the Senate
pass spending measures with a simple majority.
America's economy grew at an annualised rate of 2% in the first quarter of 2026,
slightly below the expectations of economists.
Business investment rose sharply as firms ramped up spending on AI infrastructure,
offsetting a slowdown in consumer spending.
But the report also showed inflation picking up,
as high energy prices linked to the Iran war began to feed through to the economy.
Israeli strikes killed at least four Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health officials.
Hamas officials met mediators in Cairo to try to revive a fragile ceasefire that has stalled in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Israel's navy intercepted an aid flotilla in international waters near Greece,