World News Live Updates: Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz, top security official Rezaei says

Iran is ​preparing a list of conditions for reopening the Strait ‌of Hormuz after mediators asked Tehran to set them out, said Mohsen Rezaei.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” within the United States, a symbolic escalation in his deepening trade war with Canada. Signing the order at the Resolute Desk, with a map reading “Lake America” propped behind him, Trump said Canada had been difficult to deal with on trade, though the move carries no legal weight beyond US borders and cannot force Canada to adopt the new name. It lands days after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, prompting Ottawa to retaliate, and has drawn sharp pushback from Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

In Tehran, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said Iran is drawing up conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, insisting Washington must first take concrete steps to meet its demands. Qatar’s prime minister held related talks in Tehran, as hopes grew that stalled US-Iran dialogue could resume, even as a US source said the Gulf naval blockade remains in place with no talks scheduled.

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Meanwhile, Trump addressed Nepal’s flood crisis, where flash floods near the China border have killed hundreds and left over a thousand missing. He told reporters the destruction was devastating and confirmed the US has offered Nepal whatever help it needs, as officials work to account for Americans still unreachable in the disaster zone.

Key developments: 

• Trump signs the Lake Ontario order: Seated at the Resolute Desk with a map reading “Lake America” propped behind him, Trump said Canada was “the worst” to deal with on trade, adding that “they feel entitled and we can’t have that.”
• Canada pushes back sharply: Ontario Premier Doug Ford insisted the lake would remain “Lake Ontario to Canadians and the rest of the world,” while PM Mark Carney invoked its Indigenous roots, noting the name predates both Canadian Confederation and US independence.
• Iran drafts conditions for reopening Hormuz: Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran is compiling a list of demands that must be met before the Strait of Hormuz reopens, insisting Washington must first take practical steps to fulfill them.
• Rising toll, mass search operation: Nepal’s disaster management authority put the death count at 389, with around 910 people, including over 500 foreign nationals, still missing. Officials said 50 foreigners had been airlifted to safety so far, though the terrain is severely hampering rescue work.
• Trump addresses Nepal floods: Separately in the Oval Office, Trump said the US had offered Nepal “anything they want” after catastrophic flash floods, describing how “strong, well-built buildings were wiped out like they were toothpicks.”

Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.

Live Updates
Aug 28, 2026 11:05 AM IST
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A magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred in Longchang City, Neijiang, in China's southwestern Sichuan province, the China Earthquake Networks Center said.

More details awaited.

Aug 28, 2026 10:36 AM IST
Zohran Mamdani posts Tibetan message for Indians hit by Nepal border floods

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expressed solidarity with people from India affected by the devastating floods along the Nepal-China border, in a message written in Tibetan. The message came hours after he voiced support for Nepalese and Tibetan people hit by the disaster, which has claimed hundreds of lives and displaced many others.

The development comes as India’s Ministry of External Affairs said 290 Indian nationals are “not contactable” in the wake of the floods in Nepal. It also said 63 workers of the Trishuli-I project have been rescued, while 21 Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu, who had travelled for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, have also been rescued.

Aug 28, 2026 10:16 AM IST
Oil on track for weekly loss even as Iran tensions simmer

Oil prices fell on Friday and are on track to snap a two-week winning streak, despite settling higher in the previous session following a report that US President Donald Trump is not interested in returning to previous deal terms with Iran.

Brent crude futures were down 25 ⁠cents, ​or 0.3%, to $89.45 a barrel by 0035 GMT. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 22 cents, also 0.3%, to $83.31.

Both benchmarks were poised to end the ​week ​lower, with Brent down 5.3% and ⁠WTI falling 4.3%.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal report said ‌the Trump administration has repeatedly told mediators it has no interest in reviving the June memorandum of understanding, complicating diplomatic efforts to restart talks.

Aug 28, 2026 09:16 AM IST
Lake Ontario in Canada is now ‘Lake America’ — Trump’s renaming order is a ‘joke’ for Canadians

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’, deepening his trade war with Canada, according to Associated Press (AP). The executive order provides for renaming the lake within the United States. This means the order updates the lake’s designation for the US geographic naming service, though it carries no legal weight beyond American borders and cannot compel Canada, or the rest of the world, to follow suit. Read the full story here.

Aug 28, 2026 08:37 AM IST
Trump administration restricts internships for international students

Trump administration has issued a memo for universities that would restrict ​issuance of certain internship work authorizations for international students as the federal government warned that colleges ‌not complying with the regulations may lose certification to enroll foreign students.

The federal memo dated August 24 said the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which is part of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, has "observed a rise in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizations that appear to violate ​regulatory requirements which permit CPT only where the training is an integral part of an established curriculum."

Aug 28, 2026 06:48 AM IST
Qatar PM meets Iranian officials in Tehran amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts

Thursday marked another busy day of diplomacy in Tehran, centered on a visit from Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, later said Tehran and Oman have broadly agreed on the outline of a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, running partly through Omani and partly through Iranian waters. However, officials stressed this does not signal an easing of the threat to Hormuz or an imminent reopening, as mediators have asked Iran to spell out exactly what it wants in return before any deal moves forward.

Iran and Oman outline a shipping corridor: Rezaei said the two countries have largely agreed on a temporary route through the Strait of Hormuz, but cautioned this is separate from any broader reopening of the waterway.
Iran preparing a list of conditions: Mediators have pressed Tehran to clarify its demands, with officials indicating the list will likely include an end to the regional war, the lifting of US sanctions on Iranian ports, economic relief and compensation.
Qatar's mediation gains importance: Sheikh Mohammed met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials to discuss the shipping corridor, a route seen as vital for Gulf energy exports and as a potential opening for renewed US-Iran dialogue.

Aug 28, 2026 06:42 AM IST
Tehran prepares conditions to open Strait of Hormuz

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said that Tehran is drafting a list of conditions to open the Strait of Hormuz in response to mediator requests, adding that the US must first take practical steps to fulfill these demands before the waterway reopens.
Aug 28, 2026 06:23 AM IST
Haitians demand answers from police after gangs kill 47, kidnap more than 50

Haiti's National Police faced mounting criticism Thursday over why authorities failed to prevent a recent gang attack in which 47 people were killed and more than 50 kidnapped.

Police spokesperson Garry Desrosiers took only a handful of questions from journalists at a news conference Thursday, just days after gangs attacked Kenscoff, a once-peaceful farming community nestled in the hills near Port-au-Prince.

Asked what police are planning to do about those kidnapped, Desrosiers said he could not answer that question publicly.

"We cannot talk about any plans," he said.

One gang leader has threatened to execute all the hostages if any gang members are killed as police work to secure Kenscoff.

Aug 28, 2026 06:22 AM IST

Welcome to our World Live Blog. Follow the latest world news and major international developments right here. This live blog offers a rolling curation of the day's key global stories, with updates added continuously as events unfold and the news agenda shifts. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at any given moment.

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