France is ready to help Lebanon prepare negotiations with Israel, Macron tells Salam – Ya Libnan
Share: France’s President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Élysée presidential palace in Paris, April 21, 2026. © AFP Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace late on Tuesday, with the »»»
War with Pakistan halts school for Afghan border children
BARIKOT, Afghanistan: There are no children in the Afghan border village of Barikot, where the school has been smashed by shells and the playground sits deserted after weeks of war with Pakistan. Almost all of the 8,000 residents fled after the conflict erupted in late February, but AFP journalists»»»
US tells Afghans to choose Taliban home or DR Congo: activist
WASHINGTON, United States: The United States is looking to give former Afghan allies stuck in Qatar a choice between emigrating to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo or returning to their Taliban-ruled homeland, an activist said Tuesday. President Donald Trump’s administration, which has mad»»»
Pulisic says US team strongest yet ahead of 2026 World Cup
LOS ANGELES: Christian Pulisic believes the current US team is the strongest he has been part of, with the AC Milan forward saying the squad’s quality and depth should give Americans plenty of reason for optimism ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Pulisic, long the face of US football, said »»»
German police launch raids against Syrian trafficking ring
BERLIN: German police launched mass raids Tuesday targeting a trafficking ring accused of fraudulently using Syrian refugees’ residency documents to enable compatriots to come to Germany. Around 1,000 officers were deployed to search more than 50 residential and business premises in and around the »»»
Mbappé and Vinícius lift Real Madrid out of a 4-game slump with a 2-1 win over Alaves
MADRID: Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior each scored as Real Madrid ended a four-game winless streak by defeating Alaves 2-1 on Tuesday to move closer to Spanish league leader Barcelona. The victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium left Madrid six points behind Barcelona, which hosts sixth-placed »»»
Gun used to kill 8 children was stolen from truck, Louisiana man tells investigators
A man who previously had the assault-style gun used to kill eight children in Louisiana told investigators he believes Shamar Elkins stole it from his truck in the weeks before the rampage in a Shreveport neighborhood, according to court documents released Tuesday. Charles Ford told investigators h»»»
Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial opens in New York for the third time
NEW YORK: Prosecutors once again portrayed Harvey Weinstein as a onetime Hollywood power player who used his sway as a tool of sexual assault, repainting a familiar but fraught picture Tuesday at a rape retrial nearly eight years after the former movie tycoon’s arrest. “This case will come down to »»»
London hosts military talks on France and UK’s Hormuz mission
LONDON: Britain will host military planners from over 30 countries for two days of talks starting Wednesday on a multinational mission led by the UK and France to protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the defense ministry said. The ministry said the meeting would “advance detailed planning” o»»»
Most serious cyberattacks against the UK now from Russia, Iran and China, cyber chief will say
GLASGOW, Scotland: The most serious cyberattacks in the UK are now carried out by hostile nations including Russia, Iran and China, the head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) will say in a speech Wednesday. Richard Horne, the head of the NCSC — part of the U.K’s signals intelligence»»»
Trump: Government of Iran 'seriously fractured'
The government of Iran is "seriously fractured", the reason cited by US President Donald Trump for the US delaying a potential strike on Iran indefinitely. The US leader stated that the decision was also made after a request from Pakistan’s leadership. Meanwhile, the US Navy is keeping the Iran blo»»»
The 15-minute city: Dubai’s next urban shift explained
The “15-minute city” has gone from urban-planning buzzword to a rather sensible idea: if people can get to work, school, shops and parks without embarking on a daily expedition, cities become healthier, happier and less exhausting places to live. Before cities were carved up by zoning codes and lon»»»
UK SAS troops resigning amid Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, and Syria war crimes probe – media
Soldiers from the UK’s elite SAS force are resigning in significant numbers over fears of prosecution following human rights investigations into alleged war crimes, British media reports. The probe largely focuses on British special forces operations in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2013, as well as mis»»»
Florida AG opens criminal investigation into OpenAI, ChatGPT over FSU shooting - UPI.com
Flowers are shown near the scene after a gunman shot multiple people April 17, 2025, at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. On Tuesday, Florida's attorney general announced a criminal investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT for the app's alleged role in the shooting. File photo by Done Haye»»»
Trump extends ceasefire, says giving Iran time to negotiate
President Donald Trump on Tuesday extended the US ceasefire with Iran to allow more time for talks, just hours before hostilities were set to resume, but he vowed to maintain a blockade of Tehran's ports. Trump indefinitely pushed back the end of the truce, crediting a request from mediator Pakista»»»
Crude oil spikes, Brent near $100 as US announces indefinite extension of ceasefire with Iran
Crude oil futures spiked early on Wednesday, with Brent jumping 3.14% to $98.48 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rising 1.1% $90.66 as of 8.58 am Tokyo time on Wednesday (April 22, 2026). The rise is US crude oil futures coincides with Washington’s announcement of an indefinite extensio»»»
Developing countries skip landlines and go straight to mobile phones - OWID
The concept of “leapfrogging” is popular in development. It suggests that, as they develop, lower-income countries can skip intermediate technologies or systems and go straight to the modern equivalent, Our World in Data (OWID) reports. »»»
Middle Corridor in play
Squeezed by a sanctioned Russia to the north and a war prone Middle East to the south, the Middle Corridor that runs through Central Asia and the Caucasus is back in play as the main route connecting Europe to Asia by land and is already the only functioning corridor connecting the two by plane. »»»
Europeans fear Washington more than Beijing for the first time, Politico reports
For the first time in the history of transatlantic polling, more Europeans view the United States as a threat to their continent than view China in the same light, a seismic shift in public sentiment. A Politico Europ»»»
Argentina's Milei cements Israel alliance as self-declared world's most Zionist president
Argentine President Javier Milei signed a sweeping bilateral framework agreement with Israel and declared his unequivocal support for the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran during a three-day state visit to Jerusalem, as he received the country's highest civilian honour and planned to overse»»»
Panama Canal auction prices quadruple as Hormuz closure reshapes global energy flows
A Chinese-controlled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker paying $4mn to jump a queue is not the sort of detail that ordinarily surfaces in shipping intelligence reports. Yet the transit of the Gas Virgo, a Singapore-flagged vessel operated by Wanhua Chemical, through the Panama Canal on April 15 h»»»
US and Cuba talk in Havana but cannot agree on what was said
Cuba has confirmed that senior officials from Havana and Washington held face-to-face talks on the island in early April, in the highest-level diplomatic encounter between the two governments in nearly a decade, as the Trump administration's pressure campaign against the communist-run island shows »»»
Developing countries skip landlines and go straight to mobile phones - OWID
The concept of “leapfrogging” is popular in development. It suggests that, as they develop, lower-income countries can skip intermediate technologies or systems and go straight to the modern equivalent, Our World in Data (OWID) reports. »»»
Nigeria fintech Flutterwave denies $75mn government investment, imminent IPO plans
Nigerian fintech Flutterwave has denied reports that the country’s federal government plans to invest $75mn in the company, pushing back against claims that the move was linked to a potential initial public offering. Local»»»
Argentina eases glacier protection in $40bn mining push despite environmental fears
Argentina’s Congress has approved a reform to the country’s glacier protection law, relaxing restrictions on mining in high-altitude regions in a move aimed at attracting billions in investment, while drawing criticism from environmental groups concerned about water security. »»»
Brazil bets on AI data hub ambitions as companies pour billions into smart logistics
Brazil's government unveiled plans to position the country as a major global hub for artificial intelligence data processing and storage, just as Brazilian and multinational companies race to automate their logistics networks in a sign of the country's broader digital transformation ambitions. »»»
Panama Canal auction prices quadruple as Hormuz closure reshapes global energy flows
A Chinese-controlled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker paying $4mn to jump a queue is not the sort of detail that ordinarily surfaces in shipping intelligence reports. Yet the transit of the Gas Virgo, a Singapore-flagged vessel operated by Wanhua Chemical, through the Panama Canal on April 15 h»»»
Panama Canal auction prices quadruple as Hormuz closure reshapes global energy flows
A Chinese-controlled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker paying $4mn to jump a queue is not the sort of detail that ordinarily surfaces in shipping intelligence reports. Yet the transit of the Gas Virgo, a Singapore-flagged vessel operated by Wanhua Chemical, through the Panama Canal on April 15 h»»»
ISTANBUL BLOG: Message for the CHP. The number of jailed opposition mayors in Turkey has reached 24
The number of jailed main opposition party mayors in Turkey reached 24 as of April 18, according to data compiled by Intellinews. Official statistics covering the wide-scope operations are not available. (See sta»»»
UAE affirms importance of freedom of navigation, facilitating supply chains to secure agricultural inputs, stability of regional, global food security
DUBAI: The UAE reaffirmed that food security is a sovereign pillar and fundamental to national security, calling for "proactive and adaptive strategies" that strengthen supply chain resilience and shield regional and global food systems from the shocks of a volatile geopolitical and climatic landsc»»»
Truth or Fake - Was Donald Trump 'blocked' from using the nuclear codes against Iran?
Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson alleged on a podcast this week that President Donald Trump wanted to use the nuclear codes against Iran during an emergency White House meeting, but that he was stopped by General Dan Caine, Chairman of his Joint Chiefs of Staff. He described the interaction as "qui»»»
Saudi ambassador presents credentials to Kyrgyz President
BISHKEK: Saudi Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Iyad Hakim presented his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic. During the reception, Iyad Hakim conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and their wishe»»»
IRGC Aerospace Force: West Asia Oil Production to Be Crippled if Neighbors Aid US Attacks
The Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warns that if Iran’s southern neighbors aid potential American attacks against the Islamic Republic, the country’s retaliation will rob them of the capacity to continue producing oil. “And let the southern neighbors know: If their te»»»
European airline Lufthansa cuts 20,000 flights to save money, fuel - UPI.com
1 of 2 | A Lufthansa Airbus A330-300 is filled with supplies as it waits in June 2022 to leave St. Louis-Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. Lufthansa announced Tuesday that it will cut 20,000 flights because of the price of jet fuel. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo April »»»
Iran signals new military options amid talks uncertainty
Iran says it has new “cards to play” on the battlefield if the war resumes, while uncertainty remains over whether it will attend talks in Pakistan, as the US prepares to send the vice president to Islamabad. Delano D’Souza reports on internal divisions in Iran, highlighted by mixed messages over t»»»
Iran's participation in US talks unclear
Mediator Pakistan has yet to receive a formal response from Iran on whether it would send a delegation for a second round of talks with the United States, Islamabad's information minister said."Formal response from Iranian side about confirmation of delegation to attend Islamabad Peace Talks is sti»»»
US-Iran talks are in doubt as ceasefire nears an end
US officials have announced that Vice President JD Vance's trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran is on hold, as a two-week truce was set to expire and both countries warned that, without a deal, they were prepared to resume fighting. Iran said on Tuesday it had still yet to decide whether to a»»»
More than $71 billion needed over next decade to rebuild Gaza: UN, EU
More than $71 billion will be needed over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction in war-ravaged Gaza, according to an EU-UN assessment published Monday. In their final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), the United Nations and the European Union said that more than two years of »»»
A propos - More than $71 billion needed over next decade to rebuild Gaza: UN, EU
More than $71 billion will be needed over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction in war-ravaged Gaza, according to an EU-UN assessment published Monday. In their final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), the United Nations and the European Union said that more than two years of »»»
Nigeria charges six people with treason for plan to overthrow president
Nigeria on Tuesday charged six people with terrorism and treason over an alleged coup attempt intended to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. The six, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, are all in custody. Nigerian authorities have charged six people, including a retired»»»
Focus - Last remaining perpetrators of Rwandan genocide return to villages
Thirty-two years after the genocide in Rwanda, the country is undetaking its most sensitive task yet: reintegrating the last remaining perpetrators into the very heart of the lands where they once committed murder. Those walking out of prison today are often those who have served their full 30-year»»»
Why supporters of Burkina Faso’s junta leader are campaigning against a Sky News journalist
Yousra Elbagir, a journalist with British TV channel Sky News, has become the target of a smear campaign by supporters of Burkina Faso's junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré after she raised questions about security in the country and the repression of free speech. Supporters of Burkina Faso's»»»
Why France’s far right is dining with the country’s business elite
France’s far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella sat down for lunch Monday with the country’s leading employer federation, marking the latest step in a years-long campaign to woo business leaders in the lead-up to next year’s presidential election – and once again revealing th»»»
France is ready to help Lebanon prepare negociations with Israel, Macron says
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace late on Tuesday, with the president reaffirming his support for the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, three days after a French peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon. French President Emmanue»»»
Press Review - 'Lame excuse': British papers not convinced by PM Starmer's Mandelson defence
PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, April 21: British broadsheets and tabloids mock Prime Minister Keir Starmer's address to the House of Commons, in which he defended himself over the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal. In France, former PM Gabriel Attal talks about "the love of his life", but a conflict of inte»»»
EU court finds Hungary's anti-LGBTQ legislation violates bloc's rules
The European Court of Justice on Tuesday found that Hungary's 2021 anti-LGBTQ law breached EU rules. The judgment provides a test for Hungary's new leader Peter Magyar, who ended Prime Minister Viktor Orban's 16-year domination with a landslide victory in an April 12 election. Hungary's outgoing g»»»
Full suspension of trade relations with Israel requires EU unanimity
Germany on Tuesday rejected calls from other EU member states to suspend the bloc's cooperation agreement with Israel due to concerns over Israel's conduct in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank. Spain and Ireland led proposals to suspend the deal, but Germany said doing so would be "inappropriate". Da»»»
Jet fuel prices flying sky high
The war in Iran is having wider consequences for the aviation sector, with rising jet fuel prices putting pressure on airlines and even raising concerns about possible shortages. France and Europe more broadly are looking for solutions to prevent such a scenario. Bryan Quinn reports.»»»
UK police make eight further arrests after arson attacks on Jewish sites
British counter-terrorism officers have made a total of 23 arrests over a wave of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites and an Iran-critical media outlet in London, the Metropolitan police said Tuesday. Police are investigating whether Iran paid "criminal proxies" to carry out the attacks. UK counte»»»