Oil prices jump: Brent rises to $96.30, WTI at $90.22 as Tehran rejects 2nd round of US-Iran talks
Oil prices jumped during early Monday (April 20, 2026) trading in Asia, with WTI crude at $90.22/barrel, up $6.37 or 7.60%, and Brent crude at $96.30/barrel, $5.92 or 6.55% higher, as of 8:36 am Tokyo time [or 11:36 pm GMT Sunday]. The gains came as markets tracked renewed geopolitical risk, while »»»
Calif. woman arrested on charges of trafficking arms for Iranian gov't - UPI.com
Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, Calif., was charged with acting as a broker for the sale of banned Iranian arms to Sudan, federal prosecutors said Sunday. Photo courtesy Department of Justice/X April 19 (UPI) -- A 44-year-old Los Angeles area woman is in custody on charges of trafficking arms o»»»
Trump says US delegation will travel to Islamabad on Monday, Iran declines talks
Iran is not currently planning to attend the next round of talks with the US, which has announced that it would send a team of negotiators to Pakistan on Monday, Iranian state television reported on Sunday. Iran is not planning to participate in new peace talks with the United States, its sta»»»
Canadian PM Mark Carney calls close trade ties to U.S. a 'weakness' - UPI.com
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney raises his fist as he is greeted by U.S. President Donald Trump outside the West Wing of the White House on May 6, 2025. Carney on Sunday defending his push to expand his country's economic ties beyond the United States. File Photo by Francis Chung/UPI | License »»»
Fujairah hotels record peak occupancy in early 2026
FUJAIRAH: Fujairah’s hospitality sector achieved record occupancy levels at the start of 2026, with rates reaching between 95% and 100%. The emirate saw a substantial influx of visitors attracted by its distinct mountainous terrain and leisure attractions. According to the Fujairah Department of To»»»
Transport minister, Saudi counterpart discuss regional railway project
AMMAN — Minister of Transport Nidal Qatamin and Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Bin Nasser Al Jasser on Sunday held a bilateral meeting via video conference to discuss enhancing cooperation in land, sea and air transport sectors under existing agreements.The discussions focu»»»
Ooredoo pioneers LTE-M deployment to lead smartIoT connectivity in Qatar
Tribune News Network Doha Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications and ICT provider, has achieved a new milestone in the nation’s digital evolution. Following extensive testing and successful deployment, Ooredoo has become the first operator in Qatar to launch LTE-M (Long Term Evolution for Mach»»»
Experts: ISO standards key to boosting Syrian industry and opening export markets
Damascus, April 19 (SANA) Experts and industry representatives said adopting ISO quality standards is essential to enhancing the competitiveness of Syrian industrial products and expanding their access to regional and international markets amid the country’s economic opening phase. They said compan»»»
Taiwan to significantly outpace South Korea by widening GDP per capita margin
South Korea’s real GDP per capita is projected to fall more than $10,000 behind Taiwan’s within five years, according to the International Monetary Fund, underscoring a widening divergence between the two export-led economies. »»»
UPDATE: Bulgaria’s Radev wins election, set for parliamentary majority
Bulgaria’s former president Rumen Radev is on course to secure a parliamentary majority in the country’s snap election, according to parallel vote counts, in what would be the first single-party majority since 1997. With a»»»
Taiwan to significantly outpace South Korea by widening GDP per capita margin
South Korea’s real GDP per capita is projected to fall more than $10,000 behind Taiwan’s within five years, according to the International Monetary Fund, underscoring a widening divergence between the two export-led economies. »»»
Indonesia to halt diesel imports from July 1
Jakarta: Indonesia has announced that it will stop importing diesel starting July 1, the date the country launches its B50 biodiesel program. The announcement was made by Indonesia's Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran in a press statement on Sunday. This marks the country's shift towards using B50,»»»
UPDATE: Bulgaria’s Radev wins decisive election victory, exit polls show
Bulgaria’s former president Rumen Radev is on course for a decisive victory in the country’s snap parliamentary elections, with the latest parallel vote counts pointing to an unexpected outright majority that would allow him to form a government without coalition partners. »»»
Tariff refund portal to go live on Monday - UPI.com
Customs and Border Protection's website to refund Trump administration tariffs that were ruled illegal by the Supreme Court is set to go live on Monday. File Photo by Angelina Katsanis/UPI | License Photo April 19 (UPI) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to launch a website on Monday»»»
Rumen Radev: "We Defeated Apathy but Mistrust in Politicians Remains"
Rumen Radev delivered a brief statement following exit poll results indicating a strong lead for his Progressive Bulgaria coalition in Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections, thanking voters and calling the outcome "a victory of hope over mistrust, of freedom over fear and ethics". "We defeated apat»»»
Syria’s gene bank expands role in protecting agricultural biodiversity
Damascus countryside, April 19 (SANA) Syria’s national gene bank is reinforcing its strategic role in protecting agricultural biodiversity and supporting food security by preserving thousands of plant genetic resources, many of them linked to crops historically rooted in the region and adapted to h»»»
Iran war: Over $1 billion made from suspiciously timed oil price tips—who's behind them?
Dubai: A string of unusually timed oil trades totalling over $1 billion is drawing scrutiny from U.S. regulators and lawmakers, after they were placed just before major war-related announcements that sent global prices sharply lower. These were not routine trades. They were large, high-risk predict»»»
Delyan Peevski Thanks MRF Voters
The leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Delyan Peevski, thanked his supporters after the end of election day in a statement distributed by the party’s press office. MRF is expected to have 20 to 25 seats in the next Parliament, according to the parallel count, down from 29 in the »»»
Rumen Radev: "Victory of Hope" as His Progressive Bulgaria Leads Snap Elections
Rumen Radev delivered a brief statement following exit poll results indicating a strong lead for his Progressive Bulgaria coalition in Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections, thanking voters and calling the outcome "a victory of hope". According to exit polls, Progressive Bulgaria gets over 38% of t»»»
Blue Origin launches New Glenn rocket, puts satellite in wrong orbit - UPI.com
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launched on Sunday morning with the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird-7 satellite on board from Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was Blue Origin's third New Glenn launch but its first attempt at launching a previously flown booster. Photo b»»»
Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria: Voters Turn Page on GERB and MRF, Say Leaders
The leaders of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) held a briefing for the media, following the announcement of the first results from polling agencies on the early parliamentary elections. "Bulgarian citizens came out, voted, and left GERB and Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) i»»»
Bulgaria’s Radev set for election win, exit polls show
Bulgaria’s former president Rumen Radev took a commanding lead in snap parliamentary elections on April 19, exit polls showed, putting him on course to win but likely short of an outright majority. Exit polls from fiv»»»
INTERVIEW: After Orbán, can Hungary reclaim its media?
It took Viktor Orbán 16 years of relentless, meticulous work to morph Hungary's media ecosystem into a formidable organism designed to perpetuate his unchecked power and serve the interests of his associates. Now, incoming»»»
Halan AZ REIT closes first hospitality tranche through Brassbell partnership
Halan AZ Real Estate Investment Fund (REIT) has announced the successful closing of its inaugural hospitality investment tranche, executed in partnership with Brassbell Hospitality Group, marking the fund’s first deployment into professionally managed hospitality assets. The fund, established by MN»»»
Egypt’s real estate market remains resilient amid regional uncertainty: Savills
Egypt’s real estate market continues to demonstrate resilience despite ongoing regional uncertainty, according to Savills Egypt. While geopolitical tensions persist, market activity remains largely unaffected, with developers maintaining project pipelines and demand holding steady. Savills notes th»»»
Wadi Degla Developments records EGP 5.6bn in 2025 sales
Wadi Degla Developments recorded total sales of EGP 5.6bn in 2025, alongside the delivery of 1,500 residential units, maintaining a steady execution pace of around three units per day. This marks the third consecutive year the company has sustained this delivery rate, standing out in a market where»»»
Al-Sisi reaffirms Egypt’s support for Kuwait’s security, calls for deeper economic ties
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has reaffirmed Egypt’s full support for Kuwait’s security and stability, rejecting any violation of its sovereignty and stressing that the security of Kuwait and other Arab states is integral to Egypt’s national security. According to the Egyptian presidency, »»»
Italian deputy PM calls for return to Russian energy imports
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has called on the EU to resume imports of Russian oil and gas, arguing that the bloc should prioritize energy security. The war in the Middle East has exacerbated Europe’s energy crisis, as disruptions to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz – a key r»»»
SCB, World Bank agree on technical support for reserves management
Damascus, Apr.19 (SANA) Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, Abdul Qader Husriya, held talks with Katarzyna Zajdel-Kurowska the Director of the World Bank Group Treasury’s Partnerships and Advisory Department and the accompanying delegation, ways to enhance the capabilities of the banking sector »»»
GERB Leader Borissov: "Elections Decide Who Comes in First, but Negotiations Will Decide Who Governs"
GERB leader Boyko Borissov, in a Facebook post, following the announcement of the first results from polling agencies on the early parliamentary elections, thanked voters for their support for the party and congratulated the election winner. GERB would not take part in coalitions or alliances that »»»
Hormuz crisis dominates IMF, World Bank Spring Meetings
Washington, April 19 (SANA) The crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz overshadowed discussions at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings, which concluded in Washington on Sunday after six days of deliberations amid growing concern over energy markets and global econo»»»
Ministry highlights progress in e-commerce strategy, launches regional digital trade project
AMMAN — Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Secretary-General Dana Alzoubi on Sunday said that the launch of the "Digital Trade in the South Mediterranean" project marks a strategic step toward building an integrated digital trade ecosystem that promotes sustainable economic growth and keeps pac»»»
ICAO chief commends Egypt for accommodating emergency flights during regional airspace closures
The head of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) praised Egypt for successfully accommodating a surge of emergency and rescheduled flights forced by airspace closures during the recent regional conflict. ICAO Secretary-General Juan Carlos Salazar commended the Egyptian Ministry of C»»»
Carney Says Canada’s US Ties Have Become a Weakness
Canada's close ties to the United States were once a strength but have become a weakness, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sunday, in a video message to his country in which he also praised the heroism of military leaders who fought against US invasion more than two centuries ago. Holding up a s»»»
Prime Minister receives phone call from Dutch Foreign Minister
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, received a telephone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands HE Tom Berendsen. During the call, they reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthe»»»
Gargash: There can be no return to the previous pace of relations without review, frankness and guarantees,
Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said the Antalya Diplomacy Forum marks the first major international gathering after the Iranian war, as countries seek to understand a reshaped political landscape, stressing that the UAE cannot resume relations without review, ca»»»
Bulgarian Politicians Comment on Snap Parliamentary Elections
As she went to cast her vote in the April 19 snap parliamentary elections Sunday, President Iliana Iotova said her vote went "to have a working Parliament soon, and a strong government". "I voted so that Bulgaria has a working National Assembly soon, which will elect a leadership swiftly, skip the »»»
Fidan: Syria has threatened no one, government pursuing people’s aspirations
Antalya, April 19 (SANA) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Sunday that Syria has not posed a threat to any party, stressing that the Syrian government continues working to fulfill the aspirations of its people while seeking to preserve stability and avoid conflict. Speaking at a press confe»»»
The Spine: New hub for finance, business and tourism in Egypt by 2026
In a landmark move poised to redefine Egypt’s urban and economic landscape, Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) has unveiled its most ambitious development to date: The Spine in Madinaty. With investments exceeding EGP 1.4trn and targeted sales of more than EGP 1.7trn, the project signals a transformative »»»
Syrian, Jordanian delegations discuss stronger parliamentary cooperation in Istanbul
Istanbul, April 19 (SANA) A Syrian parliamentary delegation held talks with a delegation from the Jordanian House of Representatives on enhancing parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, on the sidelines of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul. According to a »»»
Joint statement on Libya unified budget agreement
Doha: Qatar, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America welcome the signing on April 11 of a unified 2026 budget for Libya, the first Libyan national budget in over a decade and a critical step to increase eco»»»
Iranians Expect No Post-War Respite Under Military Rule
Iranians striving to maintain a semblance of normal life after weeks of US and Israeli bombing and a deadly crackdown on protesters in January remain daunted by the future as damage from airstrikes and internet cuts take a toll. With Iran and the US wrangling over a truce extension and an agreement»»»
Israel Re-Establishes Evacuated West Bank Settlement
Israeli ministers on Sunday officially reopened Sa-Nur, a settlement in the occupied West Bank that was evacuated 20 years ago, marking the occasion with defiant declarations against Palestinian statehood and calls to resettle Gaza. Several cabinet members and lawmakers attended the ceremony near a»»»
Hungary to Secure Deal With EU to Unlock Frozen Funds - Tisza Party Leader
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Hungary will soon conclude a comprehensive agreement with the European Union to unlock billions of euros owed to Hungary from European funds, Head of Hungary's Tisza Party Peter Magyar said on Sunday. "Over the past two days, we held high-level talks in Budapest with a European C»»»
Bahrain King addresses repercussions of war
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain received senior officials, during which several matters related to national affairs were reviewed as part of efforts to continue the Kingdom's progress and fulfil the aspirations of its citizens. According to Bahrain News Agency, King Hamad expressed pride i»»»
Prime Minister Gurov: Interior Ministry Monitoring 50 People Running for MPs, Who Are Ready to Buy Votes
"The Interior Ministry is aware of 50 people with immunity who are running for MPs and are ready to go out and buy votes. This is their last chance to get into the National Assembly," caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said in a video posted on Facebook. "The Interior Ministry is monitoring them»»»
Malaysia: massive fire destroys nearly 1,000 homes, displaces thousands
Kuala Lumpur: The extent of the material losses from a fire that broke out earlier today in a coastal village in eastern Malaysia has risen, with nearly 1,000 homes destroyed and thousands displaced. Local authorities reported that thousands of people were displaced as a result of a fire that destr»»»
We’re not afraid of war with US – Cuban President Diaz-Canel to RT
Cuba is a peaceful nation, but it will use all means to defend itself in case of US aggression, the Caribbean country’s president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, has told RT. US President Donald Trump imposed an oil blockade on Cuba in February, while also repeatedly hinting at a possible regime change operati»»»
Spain Urges EU to End Association Agreement with Israel
Spain will ask the European Union to end its association agreement with Israel over alleged violations of international law, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Sunday. "On Tuesday, Spain's government will present a proposal to the EU that the European Union break off its association agreement with I»»»
Israel Says to Use ‘Full Force’ in Lebanon Despite Truce if Soldiers Face Threat
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that the military had been instructed to use "full force" in Lebanon -- even during the ongoing ceasefire -- should Israeli troops face any threat. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have instructed the Israeli army to act with full force, both»»»