World News Live Latest Updates Donald Trump Hormuz Iran Russia Ukraine Karoline Leavitt White House Exit

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will step down and leave the administration by the end of this month, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday. “Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect! Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections,” Trump announced on Truth Social. 28-year-old Leavitt also served as a press aide during Trump’s first term and has been one of the most visible advocates of his “Make America Great Again” movement.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Washington was “very involved” in efforts to end the settler siege on Palestinian homes in Qusra in the West Bank, asserting on X that “the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.”

Iran dismissed President Donald Trump’s claim asserting that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the strategic waterway will not be opened until Washington accepts Tehran’s conditions. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said, “The successive claims and tweets by American officials about lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz do not change reality; the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.”

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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei called for environmental protection to be central to the future of the Strait of Hormuz administration after oil pollution. In a post on X, Baqaei referred to the videos that showed oil pollution along the shores of Qeshm Island. "In recent days, videos have circulated showing oil pollution along the shores of Qeshm Island. This pollution drifted toward the coast from the Persian Gulf, and preliminary evidence indicates a foreign bulk carrier as the source. Contamination has been documented at three coastal sites and across portions of the sea surface," he said.

Baqaei further added, "This incident is only one visible example of the extensive pollution, both overt and concealed, that has degraded the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, as well as the region's marine ecosystem, over recent decades, imposing trillions of dollars in damage on Iran's coastal areas. Who bears responsibility for compensating these damages?"

Iran dismissed President Donald Trump's claim asserting that the United States has a "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the strategic waterway will not be opened until Washington accepts Tehran's conditions.

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said, "The successive claims and tweets by American officials about lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz do not change reality; the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will step down and leave the administration by the end of this month, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.

“Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect! Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections,” Trump announced on Truth Social.

28-year-old Leavitt, also served as a press aide during Trump’s first term and has been one of the most visible advocates of his “Make America Great Again” movement.

Izmail, a key grain and commodities port near Romania in Ukraine’s Odesa region, was struck a day after Ukraine attacked Novorossiysk in Russia.

Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, scrambled two fighter jets, its defence ministry said on X, adding that an aerial target spent about 10 minutes in national airspace before leaving for Ukraine.