Events

Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned, effective immediately, @CHueyBurns reportsThe House Ethics Committee will hold a public hearing to determine whether any punishment is warranted for Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, three weeks after concluding she was guilty of more than two dozen charges stemming from an alleged campaign finance scheme

Oil prices climbed about 3% on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not want to extend a soon-to-expire ceasefire in the Iran war and that the U.S. military was "raring to go" if negotiations do not succeed

A member of Iran's National Security Commission says that Iran has concluded that the US is using Iranian participation in negotiations as a tool to control energy markets

EU countries have agreed to widen sanctions against Iran to include those responsible for blocking the Strait ‌of Hormuz, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday. Kallas also said she had asked foreign affairs ministers at their meeting in Luxembourg to bolster the EU's naval mission in the Middle ‌East, which is currently protecting ships from attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebel group in the Red Sea

Ukraine has repaired the damaged section of the Druzhba oil pipeline damaged by Russian shelling — Zelensky

Trump says administration is weighing a currency swap with UAE to help bolster finances of Mideast ally rattled by war

Pentagon: Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.
As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran—anywhere they operate.

International waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels. The Department of War will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain

Etoile / Texas A massive oil rig/well explosion has occurred in Eastern Texas. All crews are accounted for

US companies eye Congo mining assets, including Rubaya, State Dept official says

Large smoke column at the Tuapse oil refinery

Multiple fires at Tuapse oil refinery after drones strikes

"NO MORE MR. NICE GUY.": President Trump says in a new post on Truth Social that Iran committed a "total violation" of the ceasefire agreement by firing at ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also said U.S. representatives are traveling to Islamabad, Pakistan for negotiations, while warning that failure to reach a deal could result in renewed U.S. military action targeting "every single power plant and every single bridge" in Iran. He added that ongoing tensions in the strait are impacting global shipping, while asserting the U.S. stands to benefit economically and hurt Iran to the tune of $500 million a day

US Central Command: The naval blockade on Iran has completely paralyzed Iranian trade and economic operations.

Ukraine’s General Staff reports strikes on four Russian oil-sector sites. Fires are burning at the Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran refineries in Samara region, the RPK Vysotsk “Lukoil-2” oil terminal in Leningrad region, and the Tikhoretsk pumping station in Krasnodar region

Smoke rising near Syzran oil refinery as result of drone strikes

Drones have attacked Vysotsk port in Leningrad region

The U.S. Treasury is extending sanctions relief on Russian oil for another month, until May 16. Just two days ago, @SecScottBessent assured there would be no further exemptions

Oil refinery in Novokuybyshevsk of Samara region of Russia is on fire as result of drone strike

Hormuz is open, but US Naval Blockade will remain in full force says US President Donald Trump

Iranian Foreign Minister: In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran

Power blackout at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear power plant for the 2nd time in several days

Another fuel reservoir exploded in Tuapse

Oil depot was attacked in Bakhchysarai overnight

Substation "Yuzhnaya" is on fire near Belgorod

Fire at the oil refinery in Tuapse after explosions overnight

Bessent says U.S. won't be renewing waivers for Iranian and Russian oil

Russia's GDP contracted by 1.8% in January-February, -Putin said

North Korea is showing a "very serious increase" in its ability to produce nuclear weapons, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sent a letter to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong, China, and Oman advising them of banks within their jurisdiction that have allowed, potentiated, and benefited from Iranian illicit activity and asked them to take swift action against them and cease these activities. The letter, shared by Al-Monitor’s diplomatic correspondent Elizabeth Hagedorn, is the latest in a slew of Treasury actions relating to Iran

The Trump administration eased financial sanctions on Venezuela to stabilize its struggling economy and address protests against low wages. This change allows major state banks, including the Banco Central de Venezuela, to use U.S. dollars, access oil revenues