Iran threatens ships that take up U.S. offer on Strait of Hormuz transit

What to know about the Iran war today:Iran has threatened to attack any vessel that tries to transit the Strait of Hormuz without permission from its military, challenging aplan announced by President Trumpfor the American military to "guide" commercial ships through the narrow waterway.The U.S. military says 15,000 forces and more than 100 aircraft are involved in the effort, which he called "Project Freedom."The Iranian regime says it has received a U.S. response to its latest 14-point peace proposal, which it says is aimed at ending the war, not extending the current ceasefire. Mr. Trump said over the weekend that he'd likely reject the Iranian proposal, as "they have not paid a big enough price." CENTCOM denies Iranian claim to have struck U.S. warship with missiles near Strait of Hormuz

A spokesperson for the U.S. military's Central Command, Captain Tim Hawkins, told CBS News on Monday that claims by Iranian media outlets that an American warship had been struck by two missiles near the Strait of Hormuz were not true.

Hawkins did not provide any further detail, but he rejected the report by Iran's Fars news agency, which is associated with the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard forces, that U.S. Navy frigate was struck on Monday amid an increasingly tense standoff between the countries in the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. military said it launched an operation Monday under the name "Project Freedom," under which President Trump says commercial vessels stuck in the Gulf can be guided out by the U.S. military via the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has warned that any ship trying to navigate the narrow strait without its explicit permission will be targeted.

CENTCOM later issued a briefstatement on social mediareiterating Hawkins' rejection of the Iranian report, saying: "No U.S. Navy ships have been struck. U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports."

Macron calls on U.S., Iran to coordinate to open Strait of Hormuz, says France won't join "unclear" military operation

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the U.S. and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a "coordinated" way, indicating that his country won't join an effort announced by President Trump to "guide" commercial vessels out of the Persian Gulf under the threat of Iranian attack.

"What we want above all is a coordinated reopening by the United States and Iran — that is the only solution for reopening the Strait of Hormuz," Macron told fellow European leaders during a meeting on Monday in Armenia.

"We are not going to take part in any military operation in a framework that to me seems unclear," he said.

France and the U.K. have led efforts to build a coalition of nations to deploy military assets to the region to ensure the strait remains open and safe for shipping once peace is secured, but European countries have declined to take up those efforts until a deal is reached to end the war.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard warns ships trying to transit Strait of Hormuz without permission "will be stopped with force"

Brigadier General Mohbi, a spokesman for Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned Monday that any vessel trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz without adhering to the regime's "transit protocols," which require coordination for passage "through designated routes with coordination," will "face serious risks."

"Violating vessels will be stopped with force," said Mohbi in a message shared byIranian state media.

It was the latest direct challenge from the Iranian regime to a plan announced by President Trump for a "humanitarian" military operation for American warships to "guide" commercial vessels out of the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz.

Dozens of tankers and cargo ships have been stuck in the Gulf for months as Tehran, in retaliation for the joint U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, has declared the strait — long an open international waterway vital to the transport of gas and oil — under its control, and attacked ships that don't get its permission to use it.

While an ongoing ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has ended American strikes on the country, the U.S. has imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, which Tehran considers a breach of the truce. Iran has responded by maintaining its threat to commercial shipping, which has kept oil and gas prices high and fueled inflation around the globe.

U.S. military tells ships safe corridor established to transit Strait of Hormuz, with "high traffic volume" expected

The United States kicked off an effort to "guide" stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, as it tries to counter economic disruptions that outlasted the peak of fighting with no peace deal in sight.

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A day after President Trump announced what he called "Project Freedom," the Joint Maritime Information Centersaid Mondaythat the U.S. had set up an "enhanced security area" south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities "due to anticipated high traffic volume." The strait sits between Iranian and Omani territory.

The center warned that passing close to the usual routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, "should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated."

The U.S.-led maritime task force's announcement marked the start of the effort to revive traffic and restore confidence among commercial vessels transiting the strait.

The disruption of the waterway through which roughly one‑fifth of the world's oil typically passes has become one of the most enduring consequences of the war that the U.S. and Israel launched Feb. 28. It has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf supplies and added new volatility to energy prices for households and businesses worldwide.

Iran military says U.S. forces will be attacked if they enter Strait of Hormuz

Iran's military said Monday that U.S. forces would be attacked if they entered the Strait of Hormuz, after President Trump announced Washington would begin escorting ships through the blocked waterway.

"We warn that any foreign armed force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, will be targeted and attacked," said Major General Ali Abdollahi of the Iranian military's central command, in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB.

"We have repeatedly stated that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is under the control of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and under all circumstances, any safe passage must be coordinated with these forces," he added.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards say U.S. faces stark choice

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Sunday the United States faced a choice between an "impossible" military operation or a deal with Tehran, after President Trump disparaged Iran's latest peace proposal.

Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran had submitted a 14-point plan "focused on ending the war" and that Washington had already responded to it in a message to Pakistani mediators, which Iran was reviewing.

Project Freedom to include guided-missile destroyers, 15,000 service members, CENTCOM says

Project Freedom, the effort announced by President Trump to help merchant vessels get through the Strait of Hormuz, will include "guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members," U.S. Central Command said Sunday night.

Further details on what the operation would involve were not provided.

Trump announces effort to guide ships out of Strait of Hormuz

President Trump on Sunday said an effort to guide ships from countries not involved in the war with Iran safely out of the Strait of Hormuz, dubbed Project Freedom, will begin Monday.

"For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business," Mr. Trump wrote onTruth Social.

"In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation," Mr. Trump wrote.

The president said the effort is a "Humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran," noting that the ships are running low on food and other essential supplies.

"If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully," Mr. Trump concluded.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 05, 2026

Iran threatens ships that take up U.S. offer on Strait of Hormuz transit

What to know about the Iran war today:Iran has threatened to attack any vessel that tries to transit the Strait of Hormuz without permi...

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Vietnamese hiker survives 37-hour ordeal by eating popular chocolate snack

A 19-year-old Vietnamese student has become aviral sensationafter surviving nearly two days alone in a remote mountain by snacking on a box of the popular sweet treat Choco Pies.

Nguyen Tuan Anh, a student at Dai Nam University, had set out on 19 April with friends for a hike up Tam Dao mountain, about 70km north ofHanoi.

The group of 10, accompanied by a guide, reached the summit early in the afternoon after a seven-hour climb and began their descent shortly after.

Mr Anh, who had limitedhiking experience, became exhausted in the heat and got separated from the group after stopping to rest.

Believing there would be only one path down, he soon found himself lost as the trail seemed to disappear and his phone lost signal, Vietnamese outlet VnExpress reported.

What followed was a disorienting ordeal in one of the region’s more treacherous landscapes. Tam Dao is known for its rugged terrain, dense forests, and rapidly changing weather, with year-round thick fog often reducing visibility.

Mr Anh continued trying to find his way until evening, but as night fell, the fog thickened and darkness quickly set in. He eventually took shelter in a rocky crevice beside a stream.

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He carefully rationed the only food he had with him – the popular South Korean snack Orion Choco Pies which are often gifted during the Lunar New Year – and drank water from the stream to stay hydrated.

Back in the village, his companions reported him missing to the police at around 6pm after realising he had not yet returned, triggering a large-scale search. Hundreds of officers, soldiers and rescue teams frantically searched for him for two days.

Mr Anh was found at 7.15am on 21 April after rescuers called out his name and finally received a response. He was exhausted but in stable condition.

Interestingly, he was still left with four packets of Choco Pies in his backpack.

Images from the rescue showed his mother in tears of relief as he was brought down the mountain by emergency personnel.

The unusual detail of his survival quickly drew attention online, with many users joking about Choco Pies as an unlikely survival essential.

“The secret to survival, Choco Pie,” a user said.

The attention prompted Orion to visit Mr Anh and gift him six boxes of snacks.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 02, 2026

Vietnamese hiker survives 37-hour ordeal by eating popular chocolate snack

A 19-year-old Vietnamese student has become aviral sensationafter surviving nearly two days alone in a remote mountain by snacking on a...

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Royal recruits boost volunteers as the Netherlands builds up its military reservists

HAVELTE, Netherlands (AP) — Their faces daubed with camouflage, the troops emerge almost silently from a forest with Colt C7 rifles slung across their chests. They scan their surroundings for potential threats.

Netherlands New Recruits

The soldiers are members of the 10th Infantry Battalion Guard Security Corps National Reserve on a weekend exercise to hone their skills as the Netherlands bolsters its military with new recruits and volunteers. The Dutch government and top brass have committed to raising military personnel from its current 80,000 to 120,000 by 2035 — plans that have broad political support.

The recent enlistment by the country's queen and her eldest daughter as reservists look to be helping, with authorities now scrambling to arm and train new recruits.

The recruitment drive in the Netherlands reflects moves across Europe to expand and modernize militaries as leaders warily eye the grinding war launched byRussia against Ukraineand thedisenchantmentexpressed by U.S. President Donald Trump with theNATOalliance that has been the cornerstone of the defense and security architecture of the continent since World War II laid ruin to much of it.

A corporal in the reserve battalion, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the nature of her service, said she's seen a shift in priorities as the global security outlook has gotten more volatile and less predictable.

“When I first joined, there was almost no risk or almost no threat ... and now it’s changing so we are more aware of it," she said. That has meant a mindset shift toward “more what we call ‘green things,’ infantry things.”

She added: “We are here to defend our country and to make sure to keep the threat down.”

The threat is very real, according to European Union and NATO officials, who believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could be ready to launch an attack elsewhere in Europe in three to five years, especially if he wins the war in Ukraine.

New NATO plans aimed at countering that threat require allies to prepare their armies for big battles, focused on more mobile forces that can be quickly deployed.

Getting the House of Orange into military green

Dutch recruitment got a significant boost when Queen Maxima and her eldest daughter and heir to the throne Amalia, Princess of Orange, enlisted as volunteer reservists. Photos of Maxima in training and aiming a pistol on a shooting range were published around the world.

That royal seal of approval, together with recruiting campaigns running everywhere from newspapers and billboards to social media, has proven so successful that the military is now working overtime to arm, train and accommodate all the newcomers.

At the Defense Ministry, it's known as “the Amalia effect.”

“It's really a thing, yes,” State Secretary for Defense Derk Boswijk told The Associated Press. “It’s very inspiring to see how members of our royal family inspired people to join our armed forces.”

Boswijk said there are about 9,000 reservists in the Netherlands, and recruiters aim to have at least 20,000 in 2030.

“We have more applications than we can handle,” Boswijk said. Now the military has to battle “a lack of training capacity, a lack of housing. You have to give them all uniforms, you have to give them weapons.”

But, he added: “It’s a luxury problem.”

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Other nations boost recruitment

German lawmakers are considering a government plan to offers better pay and conditions for people who join up on a short-term basis, along with better training and more flexibility on how long recruits must serve.

The aim is to draw sufficient recruits without reviving conscription that was suspended for men in 2011. The plan leaves the door open for limited compulsory recruitment if not enough people volunteer.

Like the Netherlands, France is leaning into voluntary service to boost the military. A program starting in September seeks to recruit 3,000 volunteers aged 18-25. They will serve in uniform for 10 months in France’s mainland and overseas territories only. The plan seeks to attract up to 50,000 volunteers per year by 2035.

In northern and eastern Europe, where the threat from Russia is felt most keenly, some nations still have some conscription.

Finland has a draft for all males and a voluntary system for women. Sweden reinstated a gender-neutral partial military service in 2017. If not enough people volunteer,a lottery is held to select people for the remain slots. Neighboring Denmark has a similar system, as does Latvia since it revived its draft in 2023 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Netherlands never fully abolished its draft, but call-ups have been suspended since 1997 and there are no immediate plans to reintroduce them. Instead, the Defense Ministry is seeking to make the military more attractive to a broad cross-section of society.

Threats have expanded from traditional battlefields into cyberspace and the digital world, he added, “so we need all kind of skills, to keep our society, our country, our allies safe. So, yes, we need also people wearing hoodies, having blue hair, who can game perfectly.”

Motivated by Dutch history and modern instability

For some among the new generation of answering their country's call to arms, a bitter lesson from Dutch history is motivating them.

“When I was in primary school, we were taught that in the Second World War it took (German forces) five days to take over Holland," Lisette den Heijer said at a recent information evening run by the Dutch military for reservist volunteers, adding that she doesn't want history to repeat itself.

At the exercise in the eastern Netherlands, a private first class in the reserve battalion who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he works for a defense-related company, said he too has seen a shift in recent years.

“So where we were just focused on peaceful operations in 2018, we’re now more focusing on protecting vital infrastructure,” he said. That included duty in the massive security operation to guard last year’s summit of NATO leaders in The Hague.

A weekend mission accomplished

Reservists in the Netherlands commit to 300 hours of service each year, including regular weekend exercises. Traditionally they are deployed to secure and guard domestic sites and are not sent to combat missions overseas. They also can be used in national emergencies, such as piling up sandbags in cases of severe flooding.

Back in the forests of the eastern Netherlands, the reservists suddenly stop and point their weapons at an innocent-looking mound of earth covered in dry leaves and wood.

A soldier — a member of their unit — crawls out of the foxhole where he was hiding and surrenders. The volunteers exchange high-fives before preparing to break down their camp and return to their day jobs.

Associated Press reporters across Europe contributed.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 01, 2026

Royal recruits boost volunteers as the Netherlands builds up its military reservists

HAVELTE, Netherlands (AP) — Their faces daubed with camouflage, the troops emerge almost silently from a forest with Colt C7 rifles slu...

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Trump rails against ‘dirty cop’ James Comey over 8647 post: ‘It’s a mob term for kill him’

PresidentDonald Trumphas lashed out at formerFBIdirectorJames Comey, again calling him a “dirty cop” and insisting hisnow-notorious seashell Instagram postwas an assassination threat.

Writing on Truth Social late Wednesday, the president declared: “‘86’ is a mob term for ‘kill him.’ They say 86 him! 86 47 means ‘kill President Trump.’

“James Comey, who is a Dirty Cop, one of the worst, knows this full well! EIGHT MILES OUT, SIX FEET DOWN! Didn’t he also lie to the FBI about this??? I think so!”

Trump had earlier made the same argument in the Oval Office when confronted byCNNcorrespondent Kaitlan Collins over whether he really believed his life was in danger because of Comey’s post.

“Well if anybody knows anything about crime, they know ‘86,’” the president answered her. “You know what ‘86’ – it’s a mob term for ‘kill him.’ You know?

“You ever see the movies? ‘86 him,’ the mobster says to one of his wonderful associates. ‘86 him.’ That means kill him. I think of it as a mob term.”

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When Collins pressed again on whether he sincerely believed Comey meant to encourage violence against him, he said: “Probably, I don’t know. Based on what I’m seeing out there, yeah. The people like Comey have created tremendous danger, I think, for politicians and others.”

TheDepartment of Justicefiled a two-count indictmentagainst the ex-official Tuesday over the contested post, insisting it amounted to “a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the president of the United States.”

Comey reacted wearily to the development in a video posted on Substack, protesting his innocence and commenting: “Nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go.”

The ex-director wasalso targeted by the DOJ last year, when the then-U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,Lindsey Halligan, accused him of lying to Congress. He denied the charges before the case was tossed without reaching trial when Halligan was ruled to have overstayed her term in office.

Legal experts covering the new case against Comey have beenquick to disparage it.

Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb called it “specious” and a “vindictive prosecution,” ex-deputy assistant attorney general Tom Dupree called it “skeletal,” and even conservative constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley labelled it “weak” on Fox News. All expected it to prove a dead end.

Acting AGTodd Blanchewas quizzed Wednesday on whether a popular MAGA influencer, Jack Posobiec, wouldface the same charges after posting an equivalent messagein 2022, which could be interpreted as a threat against Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 30, 2026

Trump rails against ‘dirty cop’ James Comey over 8647 post: ‘It’s a mob term for kill him’

PresidentDonald Trumphas lashed out at formerFBIdirectorJames Comey, again calling him a “dirty cop” and insisting hisnow-notorious sea...

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King Charles and Camilla leave flowers and handwritten message at 9/11 memorial

King Charles and QueenCamillahave shared a message of "enduring solidarity" with the American people,commemorating the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Their words of sympathy were inscribed on a handwritten note accompanying a bouquet of flowers,placed at the poignant memorial in New York.

The tribute honours the thousands who tragically lost their lives almost 25 years ago.

Penned in the King’s distinctive black script, the message read: "We honour the memory for those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001.

“We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people and in the face of their profound loss. Charles RCamilla."

Thememorial, known as Reflecting Absence, immortalises those who perished.

It features twin waterfall pools situated precisely where the World Trade Centre’s north and south towers once stood, brought down by terrorists flying passenger planes into the buildings.

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They are nestled among skyscrapers in a space filled with dozens of swamp white oak trees, with the sound of cascading water creating a feeling of tranquillity away from bustling Manhattan.

The King and Queen laid the bouquet of white roses at the edge of the south pool during a sombre and poignant moment of reflection.

The couple were joined by media mogul and formerNew YorkmayorMichael Bloomberg, chairman of the 9/11 memorial museum, who took up office just a few months after the terrorist attack.

Surrounding the waterfalls, which plunge almost 10 metres into a large basin before the water drops again, six metres into a central void, are the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing.

According to the memorial’s architect, Michael Arad, the pools represent “absence made visible” and although water flows into the voids, they can never be filled.

King Charles and QueenCamilladeparted the 9/11 memorial just before 2pm on Wednesday to head off to separate events.

The King will be in Harlem visiting a grassroots community organisation that works with children and young people impacted by food insecurity.

Meanwhile, the Queen will attend an event at theNew YorkPublic Library’s main branch to celebrate both countries’ shared love of literature.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 30, 2026

King Charles and Camilla leave flowers and handwritten message at 9/11 memorial

King Charles and QueenCamillahave shared a message of "enduring solidarity" with the American people,commemorating the victim...

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A journey through the jewels of Uzbekistan – how the Central Asian country is revealing itself to tourists

No other far-flung city has so fired the imagination of English poets over the centuries as much asSamarkand– exotic, magical and mystical, a fairytale architectural citadel in the heart ofCentral Asia. Uzbekistan has been the playground and battleground of Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Emperor Temur and Peter the Great who laid the groundwork for Russian control a century later.

Today this ancient citadel is something of a tourism secret, withUzbekistannow undergoing a renaissance having freed itself from the Soviet yoke through Gorbachev’s Perestroika revolution in 1991. It is remarkably undersold as a stunningly attractive and safe destination. It is also a flourishing trade hub, its economy turbocharged by copious gas and gold mining, making it a surprisingly alluring ancient and modern tourist hot spot.

It is also one of the few places where every visitor almost immediately becomes a millionaire. It's not just because Uzbekistan is prosperous, which it is, but because of its currency the Som – £100 of sterling is worth 1,630,000 Som! Even better, these rather eye-watering sums find tremendously good value with accommodation and shopping compared to European prices.

And there are so many shopping opportunities – from sourcing silk dressing gowns, which can be tailor-made in an hour, to scouting the vast emporium of the seventh generation carpet dealer Sabina Burkhanova, whose speciality is a particular silk design and weave specific to the Bukhara region.

Uzbekistan is in so many ways an Aladdin's Cave of treats and treasures, from amethyst necklaces to fabrics and fashion. Beating the path to shop here are London and Paris interior designers who come for the fabrics. High on their list to see is the Queen of Uzbekistan Embroidery, Madina Kasimbayeva, who has revived the traditional Tashkent school of Suzani hand embroidery. Her signature is coats – she has exhibited in museums and has a couture clientele. During her catwalk show in Tashkent this month the chicness of her designs on 23 sashaying models was matched by that of her high society and fashionista guests who all wore white. Her clothes are considered works of art. "Buy for investment. This is not just a coat," said a fashion expert from Seattle flown in for the show.

Kasimbayeva is considered the Muccia Prada of Central Asia. She may be high-end but everyday shopping here – from trinkets to silk scarves and souvenirs – is fun but also completely hassle-free. This is one of the most easy and friendly places for a tourist to navigate. Or even wind down with a meal and drink. It is relaxed about alcohol in restaurants: Uzbekistan has a mainly Muslim population but is a secular country.

For many years Uzbekistan, nestled along the legendarySilk Road, has been the chosen territory of adventurous English travel writers, from Robert Byron to Colin Thubron and Wilfred Blunt. They tempted readers through their courageous exploits on horseback, train, camel and foot to discover what were once truly wild and remote tribal territories.

Today Uzbekistan is an easy six hour flight from London to Tashkent. The capital has a flavour of Paris with its wide boulevards, tree-lined avenues and verdant parks. There are many brand newfive-star luxury hotels– some with a sushi bar on the penthouse floor – as well asboutique hotelsnestling next door to marble monuments and galleries. It seems a haven of peace away from the world’s many trouble spots.

Uzbekistan likes its very local food and customs and has deliberately kept out fast food franchises.That said, the shopping malls in Tashkent compete with Oxford Street in terms of big name brands – and Rolls Royces and Maybachs for sale are displayed in the hallways of the malls.

Samarkand has always been intoxicating as an exotic fantasy and idyll, even for those who never actually visited it like Christopher Marlowe, the Elizabethan dramatist, who had much to say about the romantic and remote city in his playTamburlaine. Milton was also seduced by the idyll of Samarkand, while Keats described the city as “silken”. Oscar Wilde was won over too:

“The almond groves of Samercand,

Bokhara, where red lilies blow,

And Oxus, by whose yellow sand,

The grave white-turbaned merchants go”

But it was James Elroy Flecker, the late Romantic poet, who surpassed them all in 1913 with his famous poem “The Golden Journey to Samarkand”, where the desert city is presented as a distant and mythical destination. His repeated line "We are the Pilgrims … we shall go, always go a little further" suggests a longing for exploration and the pursuit of an ideal world. Oxford University's Bodleian Library recently acquired the manuscript of this highpoint romantic poem. The university's Centre for Islamic Studies is also about to stage an exhibition of key historic artefacts from Uzbekistan.

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Milan Fashion Week has just featured Uzbek designs as the most potent source of fashion inspiration with the best interior design magazine Cabana having a pavilion dedicated to Uzbek textiles. The standout influences are the ikat techniques, blurred flame-like patterns, which have covered a million sofas and lampshades in textiles, from Oscar de la Renta to Missoni and Dries Van Notem. On catwalks all over the world designs include ikat prints and Suzani embroidery, whose bold deep blues, saffrons and reds combine exotically with their hand-made clothes. As a savvy marketing slogan might say: “Art, Literature, History & Fashion r UZ!”

For over 2,700 years, Samarkand has stood at the crossroads of trade, art, religion, battles and scientific invention. The term Silk Road was not used until 1877 by Ferdinand Richthofen, uncle of the Red Baron, to describe the essential trade road from China through to Europe.

My journey began in Samarkand, which is dominated by the vast Registan. As one of the most iconic architectural public spaces, which anchors the city, its trio of madrasahs glow with intricate tilework in shades of blue and gold. Nearby, the necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda offers a more intimate, spiritual atmosphere, where narrow lanes are lined with exquisitely decorated tombs. Samarkand feels grand and ceremonial, a place where the scale of empire is written into every façade. Intriguingly, the 15th-century mausoleum of Amur Timor – known as Gur-e-Amir - with its ribbed turquoise dome on a cylindrical drum and decorated with deep blue tiles gives off a luminous and almost celestial quality. Maybe we should not be surprised at its connection to the ultimate edifice of magical serenity, India's Taj Mahal in Agra, which was built by Timor's great great grandson.

Traveling onward to Bukhara, the mood shifts from imperial spectacle to lived-in history. The city’s Old Town is a maze of narrow streets, trading domes and hidden courtyards that seem largely unchanged for centuries. At its heart stands the Poi Kalyan Complex, where the towering Kalyan Minaret has guided travellers for nearly a millennium. Bukhara invites slower exploration – sipping tea by a pond, browsing artisan workshops, and absorbing the rhythms of a city that once thrived on the Silk Road.

Further west lies Khiva, a destination that feels almost like stepping into a living open-air museum. The walled inner city, Itchan Kala, is compact yet dense with architectural treasures – mosques, madrasahs and palaces rising behind earthen walls. Yet it is also home for many. Children play football in the public spaces, students wear the traditional sheep helmet hats to mark their graduation. Like medieval Italian cities it is full of the noise and heartbeat of its locals. But always history is felt. The unfinished turquoise tower of the Kalta Minor Minaret stands as a striking symbol of Khiva’s distinct character. Unlike Samarkand’s grandeur or Bukhara’s lived-in charm, Khiva offers a sense of immersion, as if history has been carefully sealed within its walls.

Taken together, the route from Samarkand to Bukhara to Khiva reveals a rich progression of experiences along the Silk Road. From monumental ambition to intimate continuity and finally to preserved heritage, each city offers a different lens on Central Asia’s past. The journey is not just geographical but atmospheric, shifting from awe to reflection to a kind of timeless stillness that lingers long after leaving Khiva’s gates.

Each of these cities share a dazzling architectural splendour comparable in drama and aesthetic impact to Jaipur’s Pink City or Delhi’s Red Fort. This is the stuff of dreams for anyone wanting to find a modern day Grand Tour. Samarkand's central square, Registan, for instance is as defining here as St Mark's Square is in Venice. Epic and mesmerising, this majestic plaza is surrounded by three grand madrasas – Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-KorI – each towering and epic, covered in stunning majolica tilework. It is sculptural and splendid, seeming to carve time out of the desert's open space.

And of course no one forgets Uzbekistan's food or its endless hospitality, be it from the courtesy of the ticket inspectors on the train, the ubiquitous tourist police or the cafe waitresses. Sit down anywhere in Samarkand or Tashkent and before you can say “just something light,” a table mysteriously fills with bread, salads, tea, and at least three dishes you didn’t order. The star, of course, is plov – a heroic mound of rice, carrots, and meat that arrives looking like it could feed a small cavalry unit. You start bravely, insisting you’ll only have a little, and somehow end up finishing enough for two people while your host watches with quiet satisfaction, as if you’ve passed an unspoken test.

What makes it truly delightful is the warmth wrapped into every bite. Meals stretch out, not because they’re slow, but because no one is in a hurry to leave – tea keeps appearing, bread keeps being broken, and conversation keeps circling back to “just one more taste”. Even something as simple as their delicious “non” bread feels ceremonial. Non, round loaves baked in a clay oven, is sacred in Uzbek culture and should never be served upside down. It is stamped with beautiful patterns and treated with respect (dropping it would feel like a social crime).

Samsa are oven-baked pastries filled with pumpkin or potatoes, and green tea is served wherever you go along with delicious pomegranate and strawberry juices. (Helpfully many restaurants have photographs of their dishes on the menu.) Uzbek food has a way of turning a simple meal into a cheerful negotiation between you and your appetite. By the end, you’re full, slightly overwhelmed, and deeply appreciative – convinced that Uzbek cuisine isn’t just about food, but about generosity disguised as a feast.

The capital Tashkent is emblematic of the entrepreneurial energy of this city, much rebuilt in the last ten years. It is a modernist capital, which has cherrypicked some of the best modern architects from all over the world. It has seen a stampede of glimmering new glass and steel buildings layered on top of Soviet era architecture. A terrible earthquake in 1966 led to major recasting of the city. Care has been taken to make changes to the cityscape with style and elan. A notable landmark is the Soviet art deco Metro with its ornate chandeliers and mosaics: each station as clean as if it had been set ready for a royal visit. Litter is strikingly absent.

This is a country that prides itself on being full of entrepreneurs and small businesses. Boutique stores include Qand, a chocolate factory and shop, which makes the president's wife's favourites – luxurious and decadently delicious. Their signature recipe uses pistachios grown wild in the mountains and moulded into truly seductive rich chocolate. Their stylish packaging with multi-coloured foil wraps gives Tiffany a run for its money. They are looking to expand and export to Harrods and Selfridges, positioning themselves as Central Asia's greatest master chocolatiers. The name Qand, they explain, rhymes with cand with a “y”!

Invest in the best is the mantra of Gayane Umerova, the key cultural figure in the arts, cultural preservation and innovation. This is why the capital’s classical music concerts now have world-class performers like Helene Mercier, the Canadian pianist, playing at the new concert hall, which makes the Wigmore Hall seem like a duty provincial town hall. A new contemporary art gallery, being built by Japanese architects and supported by the Arts and Culture Development Fund, shows how Umerova is serious about putting culture at the heart of Uzbekistan’s development

There are so many surprising cultural treats to discover here. Antony Gormley was commissioned to take over a square in Bukhara with a stunning show of sculptures responding to the ruins of Khoja Kalon mosque, originally built in the 16th century, attracting global attention. There is a clear ambition to combine the arts and entrepreneurship to match and supplement the country’s economic achievements. And in a way this is a return to its romantic roots when it caught the imagination of the greatest writers.

A trip to Uzbekistan demands the lightness of touch of a butterfly to navigate and alight on its many silk dream wonders. Its three major centres of ancient art and architecture each have the capacity to stir the imagination and imprint an indelible picture of beauty and history. The massive turquoise domes and iridescent blue-tiled mosaics have the same resonance and magic they had when they were first created. They are poetry in motion, an intoxicating journey from the past to the present, and a powerful magnet for modern travellers.

How to get there

Uzbekistan Airwaysflies direct from London Heathrow or Gatwick to Tashkent. Flight time is round six hours.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 29, 2026

A journey through the jewels of Uzbekistan – how the Central Asian country is revealing itself to tourists

No other far-flung city has so fired the imagination of English poets over the centuries as much asSamarkand– exotic, magical and mysti...

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Tucker Carlson admits he doesn’t ‘hate’ Trump, but feels ‘betrayed’ by the president’s policies

Tucker Carlsonsays he doesn’t hate his former close friend, PresidentDonald Trump, but feels “betrayed” by the administration’s recent military actions in theMiddle East.

Carlson, the formerFox Newshost and one of the most influential conservative media voices in America, was once closely aligned with Trump and even served as an informal adviser.

Now, Carlson has become one of Trump’s mostvocal conservative critics, especially over the president’s foreign policy and military actions in the Middle East.

He recentlyapologized for helping Trumpget elected, saying Trump has moved away from his earlier “America First” promise to avoid foreign wars and has instead taken a more aggressive approach.

“I don’t hate Trump. I hate thiswarand the direction that the U.S. government is taking,” Carlson toldThe Wall Street Journalin an interview released Saturday. “I feel betrayed.”

Carlson said he believed Trump’s campaign promise of “no new wars,” especially in the Middle East, was sincere. He now argues that Trump has since been influenced by neoconservatives and Israel, and has moved away from that original anti-war position.

“Why can’t the U.S. government act on behalf of its own citizens?” Carlson asked theWSJ. “This is a generational problem that didn’t start with Trump. If anything, Trump just proved the system was stronger than him.”

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Carlson has also faced his own criticism. Last October, he hosted Nick Fuentes, a known Holocaust denier, on his podcast and accused some U.S. politicians who support Israel of being overly influenced by a “brain virus,” which led to accusations of antisemitism and calls from some conservatives to distance him from the movement.

At the same time, Carlson had been privately and publicly urging Trump for months not to enter another war in the Middle East. He reportedly visited the White House three times to speak with Trump directly and stayed in frequent contact with him.

Despite those efforts, Carlson told theWSJhe failed to change Trump’s direction. He points to “February 28” as the breaking point, the day U.S. and Israeli airstrikes onIrankilled Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a move that, in his view, deeply divided conservatives who believed Trump’s “America First” stance meant avoiding new wars.

Carlson described the man he helped elect to a second term as “charming, intelligent, and an existential threat to self-government.”

“Trump has proven his own point, unfortunately, which is that the people running your government are only about themselves,” he said. “You can run an authoritarian system that way. You cannot run a liberal democracy that way.”

On his end, Trump has dismissed Carlson andother former MAGA alliesas having a “low IQ” for criticizing his handling of the Iran war. Carlson responded to that remark earlier this month in an interview withNewsmax, calling Trump a“slave”who “can’t make his own decisions.”

"I’ve always liked Trump and still feel sorry for him, as I do for all slaves,” Carlson said April 10. “He’s hemmed in by other forces. He can’t make his own decisions. It’s awful to watch."

The Independenthas contacted the White House for comment.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 28, 2026

Tucker Carlson admits he doesn’t ‘hate’ Trump, but feels ‘betrayed’ by the president’s policies

Tucker Carlsonsays he doesn’t hate his former close friend, PresidentDonald Trump, but feels “betrayed” by the administration’s recent ...

Read More