Jackie Northam

As the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports drags on, thousands of seafarers are stranded on ships and economic shockwaves ripple around the world.

As the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports drags on, thousands of seafarers are stranded on ships, and economic shockwaves ripple around the world.

The Iran war and closure of the Strait of Hormuz have damaged the global economy, but Iran's own economy has been faltering for years.

Oil tankers sit at anchor offshore in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Saturday, May 2, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA / AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The U.S. says it will guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz to break the deadlock.

The U.S military has begun an operation to end Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in an effort and re-open the waterway to global shipping traffic. The U.S. Navy says it came under fire Monday, but helped two commercial ships safely through the strait. Iran meanwhile, reaffirmed that it will attack any ships that try to go through the strait of Hormuz without its permission. We hear from two NPR reporters about what this development means for global trade and the ceasefire.

The Virginia Supreme Court has delivered a striking blow to Democrats in the redistricting battle they're waging against Republicans.

President Trump has been using a wide range of tactics in the war with Iran in an effort to force the country to bend to U.S. demands. But experts say the seesaw may be hampering efforts to reach a deal.And nearly all of Iran’s population has been cut off from the internet since the war began. But certain people have stayed connected this entire time. We look at Iran’s internet haves and have nots.

Iran has set up a new agency to collect tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz

As the global economy focuses on the Strait of Hormuz crisis, another shipping crisis looms in the region -- the return of Somali pirates.