An Hoang
International Affairs Correspondent
International affairs correspondent covering US-China relations, ASEAN diplomacy, and Middle East conflicts. MA in International Relations from NUS Singapore. Fluent in English, Vietnamese, and working Mandarin. Covers events through the lens of Vietnamese strategic interests.
Recent articles
Iran Ceasefire on Brink: US Seizes Ship, Hormuz Tense
2-week ceasefire expires April 22. USS Spruance seized Iranian ship. Islamabad talks stall. Oil surges.
geopolitics
Cuba Power Grid Status March 2026: Nationwide Blackout Crisis
Cuba's nationwide blackout crisis in March 2026 — power grid collapse causes, duration, impact on 11M people. Latest status updates and recovery timeline.
geopolitics
Oklahoma Principal Shot While Tackling Armed Gunman at School
Marlow High School principal shot in leg while wrestling gun from student. Saved students' lives. Video shows heroic act.
world
Israel-Lebanon First Direct Talks in 34 Years — Trump Brokers
Netanyahu and Lebanese PM to speak directly for first time since 1993. Ambassador-level talks at State Dept April 14.
world
Russia Launches 703 Drones and Missiles at Ukraine — 16 Dead
Russia's largest 2026 attack: 659 Shahed drones + 44 missiles. Ukraine intercepted 95%. 16 killed in Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro.
world
Trump Declares Naval Blockade of Hormuz After Iran Talks Fail
After 21 hours of failed talks in Islamabad, Trump orders US Navy blockade of Strait of Hormuz. Oil surges 8%.
world
Vance Heads to Pakistan for April 10 Iran Peace Talks
VP JD Vance travels to Islamabad April 10 for talks brokered by Pakistan. Agenda: permanent ceasefire, Lebanon, Hormuz, nuclear program, sanctions.
geopolitics
Iran Ceasefire: 2-Week Deal — Trump Suspends Strikes
Trump announces 2-week ceasefire with Iran contingent on Strait of Hormuz reopening. Iran accepts 10-point peace plan; talks begin in Islamabad Friday.
geopolitics
IRGC Intelligence Chief Khademi Killed in Israeli Strike — I
Major General Majid Khademi, head of IRGC intelligence, was killed in Israeli airstrikes on April 6, 2026 — marking one of Iran's highest-profile military
world
Cuba Uprising 2026
Since March 6, 2026, Cubans have protested every day. Cubalex documented 156+ protests and 47 arrests by March 17. Communist HQ torched in Moron. US-Cuba backchannel talks confirmed, intensifying rather than calming protests.
geopolitics
Oil Price Spike 2026: War Premium at the Pump
The Iran-US war has triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history. As of April 7, 2026: Brent crude $110.05/barrel, WTI $113.42. Iran announced a partial Hormuz reopening for Iraq on April 5, potentially releasing 3M bpd. OPEC+ agreed to a 206K bpd quota hike for May. JPMorgan warns $150+ if disruption persists past mid-May.
geopolitics
Iran War Week 6: F-15 Shot Down, Oil Hits $111, US Army Generals Fired
Day 36 of US-Iran war: downed F-15 crew missing, oil surges to $111/barrel, Trump fires top Army generals. Full week 6 breakdown.
world
Iran War Day 35: Kuwait Refinery Burns, 2 US Jets Downed, Oil Hits $119
Day 35 of US-Israel-Iran war: Iran drones set Kuwait refinery ablaze, US loses two F-15 jets, crude oil spikes to $119/barrel.
world
Iran War Day 33: Bridge Strike Kills 8, Tehran Rejects US Peace Plan
Day 33 — US-Israeli strike collapses Iran's tallest bridge during Nature Day, killing 8. Iran rejects 15-point US peace plan and demands Lebanon ceasefire.
geopolitics
SCOTUS IEEPA Tariff Ruling 2026: Can Trump Tax by Decree?
SCOTUS weighs if a 1977 emergency law lets Trump impose trillions in tariffs without Congress. The ruling could void $800B in existing tariffs in 2026.
geopolitics
Trump-Xi Summit April 2026: Trade War Reset or False Hope?
Trump visits Beijing March 31-April 2 for first US-China summit of 2026. Key issues: tariffs, rare earths, tech exports. What's at stake for global trade.
world
Trump Tariffs 2026: How the Trade War Hits Vietnam Exports | ZestLab
Track Trump's 2026 tariff war: SCOTUS IEEPA ruling, 20% Vietnam rate, Section 301 probes, $1,500 household tax. Updated analysis and impact data.
geopolitics
US-Iran War Day 30: Diplomacy Push as Hormuz Crisis Peaks
Day 30 of the US-Israel war on Iran: Pakistan-brokered talks begin as Hormuz blockade drives Brent crude 50% higher and 3,500 US Marines deploy.
world
Vietnam E10 Biofuel 2026: Green Fuel Starts June 1
Vietnam mandates E10 bioethanol from June 1, 2026. Fuel price impact, engine compatibility, and what 5M+ motorcycle owners need to know before the switch.
geopolitics
VN-Index Crash 2026: 6.51% Drop — Worst Day in History
VN-Index fell 6.51% on March 9, 2026 — worst single-day drop in market history. 1,000 VCB shares lost ~5.4M VND. Causes, recovery path, and what's next.
geopolitics
Balendra Shah Sworn In: Nepal's Rapper PM and Reform Vision
Balendra 'Balen' Shah, 35, takes oath as Nepal's 47th PM after RSP wins 182/275 seats. Engineer-turned-rapper-turned-politician promises to end corruption.
world
India-EU Free Trade Deal 2026: What the $27T Market Means
India and EU signed the world's largest free trade zone on Jan 27, 2026 - 2 billion people, $27T market. Winners, losers, and what it means for Vietnam and Asia.
world
22 Nations Join 2026 Coalition to Break Iran Hormuz Blockade
UAE, Australia & 20 nations mobilize as tanker traffic collapses and Iran levies $2M per ship. Here's how the Hormuz coalition plans to reopen shipping.
geopolitics
Iran-US War 2026: Oil at $107, Gold -6%, Bitcoin Crashes
Brent crude hit $107, gold dropped 6.3%, and Bitcoin fell 18% as Iran-US conflict escalated in 2026. Live price tracker and market impact analysis inside.
geopolitics
Sudan 2026: Airstrike Kills 64 at Hospital, 13 Were Children
64 dead including 13 children after an airstrike hit Al Daein Hospital in Darfur in 2026. RSF denies responsibility as international pressure mounts.
geopolitics
UN: Iran War Could Push 45 Million into Hunger by 2026
45 million more people risk acute hunger by June 2026 warns the UN World Food Programme as Strait of Hormuz closure drives up fuel and fertilizer prices globally. Here is the full crisis map.
geopolitics
US-Iran Conflict
Track the latest developments in the US-Iran conflict and its global impact.
geopolitics
Afghanistan-Pakistan Eid Ceasefire 2026: 1st Pause in Months
After months of cross-border clashes Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to a 3-day Eid al-Fitr ceasefire in 2026 — a rare de-escalation in South Asia. We break down what triggered the truce.
world
Hormuz Crisis 2026: $82 Oil, 18,000 Flights Cancelled
Iran choked Strait of Hormuz after US-Israel strikes — Brent oil hit $82+, 18,000 flights cancelled globally. Full timeline and what investors watch next.
geopolitics
Israel-Lebanon War 2026: Escalation After Ceasefire
Israel launches ground operations into Lebanon in March 2026 after Hezbollah missile attacks. The 2024 ceasefire collapses amid regional escalation.
geopolitics