Today's Headlines: Trump Says U.S. Will Help Stranded Ships Leave Strait of Hormuz

May 4, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

World

‘The Death Zone’: How Russia Is Luring Africans to Ukraine

A growing number of men across the continent say they are being promised jobs in Russia, only to be forced into the war. Some go as mercenaries, but many more are drawn unwittingly.

China Seeks an Advantage With Both Trump and Iran as War Evolves

With President Trump’s visit to Beijing looming, China is pushing Iran to negotiate even as its companies export material that could be used by Iran’s military.

‘City of Glass’ Is Under Threat From Iran War

In India, Firozabad has depended on its glassmaking industry for centuries. Fuel prices are starting to shatter businesses already under pressure.

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U.S.

Did School Cellphone Bans Work? New Study Finds Mixed Results.

Cellphone bans got devices out of students’ hands, according to the first large study. But behavior and academics have not improved, at least so far.

Once Detained By ICE, Mariachi Brothers Open for Kacey Musgraves

The teenagers, who had faced deportation after a high-profile detention, took the stage on Sunday thanks to an invitation from one of country music’s biggest stars.

Blue and Tentacled, a Sea Creature Invades California Beaches

The brightly colored jellylike marine life, called “Velella velella,” show up every few years when strong winds blow in the right direction, scientists said.

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Politics

The Widow of the Firefighter Slain by a Would-Be Assassin Speaks Out

The conspiracy theories around the Butler, Pa., assassination attempt hurt Helen Comperatore, but in this age of distrust, partisanship and social media, she nurtures a conspiracy theory of her own.

Blanche Says Others Who Post ‘86 47’ Message Won’t Be Charged Like Comey

The acting attorney general said such messages were “posted constantly” and said the Justice Department had gathered other evidence against the former F.B.I. director, but declined to describe it.

Trump Faces the Complicated Reality of a Costly, Unpopular War in Iran

President Trump’s predictions of a relatively short-term conflict with minimal economic consequences appear to be crumbling.

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Business

These Countries Embrace E.V.s to Avoid Oil Price Shocks

People in Costa Rica and other Latin American, Asian and African countries are increasingly buying electric vehicles to avoid spiking fuel prices.

Defying the Censors Was Easy. Being a Good Comedian Is Harder.

Having gotten into trouble for making jokes critical of the Chinese government, the standup comic Chizi now lives in self-imposed exile. He’s finding that freedom imposes its own constraints.