The New York Times-The Evening Newsletter
"Iran says it seized two ships, China is quietly building an island, A quiz about British insults."
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Russ Roberts (https://trendsingeopolitics.blogspot.com).
 April 22, 2026 |
Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.
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| In the Strait of Hormuz off Musandam, Oman, on Wednesday. Reuters |
Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said today that it had seized two cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic choke point through which 20 percent of the world’s oil flowed before the war. Both ships came under fire before they were seized, maritime officials said. Here’s what we know about the vessels.
The Iranian attacks came as the U.S. enforces a blockade of Iran’s ports. Neither side appears to be shying away from trying to exert control over the strait, even as a cease-fire is still in effect. As a result, traffic through the waterway has all but halted, straining the global energy supply.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, downplayed the ship seizures. She said that President Trump did not view them as violations of the truce, which he extended yesterday, because they are not U.S. or Israeli ships. For weeks, Trump had threatened to bombard Iran if it blocked the strait.
For more:
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| A crisis line specialist in Houston in 2022. Brandon Thibodeaux for The New York Times |
Youth suicides declined after the national 988 hotline was created
The rate of suicides among young people in the U.S. dropped 11 percent below projections in the two and a half years after the 2022 rollout of the national suicide prevention hotline.
That finding, from a study published today, indicated that the 988 hotline had helped result in 4,372 fewer suicides than expected. The suicide rate dropped much more significantly in states with the highest number of calls, compared with those that had the least.
In other health news:
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| Kash Patel in March. Kenny Holston/The New York Times |
F.B.I. investigated a Times reporter
The F.B.I. began investigating a Times reporter last month after she wrote about the bureau’s director, Kash Patel, using bureau personnel to provide his girlfriend with government security. (Read her article here.)
Agents queried databases for information on the reporter, Elizabeth Williamson, and recommended moving forward to determine whether she broke federal stalking laws. Those actions prompted concerns among some Justice Department officials who saw the inquiry as retaliation.
In other Trump administration news:
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| Planet Labs |
China has been quietly building an island in disputed waters
The images above show Antelope Reef, a large artificial island that China has been quietly and quickly building in disputed waters off the coast of Vietnam. Parts of it that were underwater a few months ago now have buildings, a helipad and jetties.
The outpost appears to be part of China’s effort to dominate the South China Sea, a key waterway for global shipping. Analysts say it is likely to become one of Beijing’s largest military outposts in the region. Watch it take shape.
More top news
- West Virginia: Two people died and more than 30 others needed medical treatment after a chemical accident at a refinery.
- Supreme Court: The justices unanimously sided with Michigan over an oil company in a dispute about decommissioning an aging section of pipeline.
- Congress: David Scott, a House Democrat from Georgia and an advocate for Black and farming communities, died at 80.
- Hungary: After Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s electoral loss, the country dropped its opposition to a $106 billion E.U. loan to Ukraine.
- Virginia: Voters in the state narrowly passed a new congressional map. Here’s what it looks like now, and where the national gerrymandering battle stands.
- Britain: With the goal of raising a “smoke-free generation,” the country banned the sale or supply of tobacco and vape products to anyone born in 2009 or after.
- College: Utah Valley University, where Charlie Kirk was killed, canceled a graduation speaker because of social media posts she had made about his rhetoric.
- Recycling: More companies are offering to recycle old clothes. Here’s what that really means.
- Space: In the remote Big Bend region of West Texas, the biggest dark-sky reserve on the planet lets astronomers search for dark energy (and enthusiasts celebrate star parties).
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TIME TO UNWIND
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| George Etheredge for The New York Times |
An opera voice unlike any other
At the Metropolitan Opera’s performance of “Innocence” tonight, one voice will stand out. I’m talking about the bright, youthful voice of Vilma Jää, a folk and pop singer from Finland, in a role written for her.
My colleague Joshua Barone says it’s unlike anything else in opera. “She sings in phrases of pure tone that end with an upward whip, or of scooping melodies punctuated by a yodel-like vocal break that is stark and so moving,” he writes. “It feels impossible to focus on anything else.” Listen to Jää’s singing, which is rooted in traditional Finnish music.
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| Minh Connors for The New York Times |
Can A.I. run a store?
A shop in San Francisco bills itself as the world’s first retail boutique run by artificial intelligence. It has human workers, but they are managed by a bot named Luna. The experiment was designed to see how far we are from a future where A.I. agents are running everyday companies.
That future may still be far away. Luna has struggled with employee schedules, ordered 1,000 toilet seat covers for the employee bathroom and lost roughly $13,000. It also can’t seem to stop ordering candles.
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| Jason Keen |
Dinner table topics
- Domestic design: A Detroit family decided to built a “home extension,” pictured above, seven minutes away from their house.
- A 350-year-old brewery in Japan still makes sake the hard way — with wild yeast, ancient songs, and a mixture of muscle and finesse. They showed us how.
- Age tech: There’s a rising industry of tools designed to help you grow old at home.
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WHAT TO DO TONIGHT
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| Mark Weinberg for The New York Times |
Cook: Pomegranate sauce adds some tang to this tender baked fish dish.
Watch: “My Brother the Minotaur” is a stunning animated series from the maker of “The Secret of Kells.”
Listen to the latest LP from Nine Inch Nails and six other songs our critic recommends.
Wear boots in warm weather with these tips from our fashion critic.
Clean just about anything with dish soap. Here’s why.
Play: Here are today’s Connections, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
ONE LAST THING
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| Christopher Testani for The New York Times |
Can you tell real British insults from fakes?
We speak the same language as the British, but in my experience, they are far more creative with their insults. Some are so delightfully obscure that a team of British researchers is mapping out swear words and put-downs from across the country.
Their list so far includes many terms I’ve never heard before, such as “bampot.” To learn what that means, and test your knowledge of British insults, take our quiz. Start here by identifying the genuine insult: In London, you might despair of your brother Rodney being a _____.
Have an inventive evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow — Matthew
Eli Cohen was our photo editor.
We welcome your feedback. Reach us at evening@nytimes.com.
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Writer: Matthew Cullen Editor: Whet Moser |
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Welcome to my geopolitics blog site. This is a Hawaii Island news site focusing on geopolitical news, analysis, information, and commentary. I will cite a variety of sources, ranging from all sides of the political spectrum.