Trump Says Ceasefire to Persist as Iran Has Rejected New Talks under Threats
US President Donald Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire with Iran until talks between the two sides are “concluded” despite previously saying he wouldn’t extend the deadline. Trump said he is granting the ceasefire extension at Pakistan’s request, and blamed Iran’s delay of response to t»»»
US President extends Iran ceasefire
Washington: US President Donald Trump announced an extension to the ceasefire with Iran. Trump said in a statement that the ceasefire will be extended until the leadership in Iran can present its proposal to end the war. The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that was set to expire today. T»»»
Iran war means more orders for US defense giants
NEW YORK: US defense companies are reporting a surge in demand for military equipment, as the war in the Middle East prompts fresh orders from governments around the world. Earnings Tuesday signaled that 2026 will be another strong year after a robust 2025 in the wake of continuing conflicts in Gaz»»»
Al-Burhan, sultan of Oman discuss developments in Sudan
LONDON: The chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan, met on Tuesday with the sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik, in Muscat to discuss developments in the African state. The sultan expressed Oman’s support for Sudan’s security, stability, and prosperity, according»»»
What backup routes can Gulf countries use instead of Strait of Hormuz?
Dubai: The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is exposing a structural constraint in global energy markets: alternatives exist, but were they ever designed to fully replace the corridor? Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.The strait »»»
Attacks by pro-Iran militias strain Iraq’s sovereignty, fray ties with Gulf Arab neighbors
LONDON: On March 26, representatives of the US and Iraqi governments gathered in Irbil for the first meeting of the new US-Iraq High Joint Coordination Committee, set up at Washington’s urging in a bid to keep Iraq out of the current conflict in the region. The following day, the US Embassy in Bagh»»»
EU's top court finds Hungary violated law with anti-LGBTQ reforms - UPI.com
1 of 2 | A participant holds a rainbow flag during the gay pride parade in downtown Budapest, Hungary, on July 24, 2021. On Tuesday, the European Union's top court said Hungary's anti-LGBTQ legislation violated the EU's treaty. File Photo by Szilard Koszticzak/EPA-EFE April 21 (UPI) -- The European»»»
Iran knows how to ‘resist bullying’: foreign minister
TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign minister said on Tuesday the Islamic republic knew how to “resist bullying,” as a ceasefire was due to expire and Tehran had yet to formally respond to an invite to talks with the US in Islamabad. “Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and ho»»»
Macron tells Israel that Hezbollah must be disarmed 'by the Lebanese themselves'
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Tuesday the country needed 500 million euros to address the war's humanitarian fallout, as a fragile 10-day ceasefire holds between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. The appeal came after a meeting in Paris between French President Emmanuel Macron and the Lebanese pr»»»
Hezbollah says attacked Israeli post in response to 'over 200 violations'
Hezbollah on Tuesday launched several rockets towards Israeli forces operating in the southern Lebanese town of Robb Tlatin, which is inside the Israeli-occupied buffer zone in south Lebanon, the Israeli army said. "Within a few minutes, the IDF (Israeli army) closed the circle and attacked the lau»»»
Iran knows how to 'resist bullying' says Araghchi
Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday the Islamic republic knew how to "resist bullying", as a ceasefire was due to expire and Tehran had yet to formally respond to an invite to talks with the U.S. in Islamabad. "Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to r»»»
Governments worldwide shield households from rising energy costs
LONDON: Governments worldwide are trying to shield consumers from soaring energy costs resulting from the US-Israeli war on Iran. Here’s how different countries are responding: Britain is looking to force older wind and solar generators onto fixed contracts in a bid to bring down consumer bills. T»»»
EU reaffirms support for Syria, discusses resuming partnership agreement
Luxembourg, Apr.21 (SANA) Kaja Kallas the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said on Tuesday that European Union foreign ministers reiterated their support for Syria’s transitional phase during a meeting held in Brussels. Speaking at a press conference following the meet»»»
Many Americans question Trump’s temperament amid war, pope spat
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s approval rating held at the lowest of his term in recent days as many Americans questioned his temperament amid the Iran war and a feud with Pope Leo, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The six-day public opinion poll, concluded on Monday, showed only 36 percent of Am»»»
Rebuilding Somalia's Air Force: JF-17 Deal Could Transform Maritime Security
Somalia's acquisition of Pakistani JF-17 Block III fighter jets will enhance the security of commercial shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden — one of the world's most strategically important waterways — according to Sultan M. Hali, a retired Group Captain of the Pakistan Air Force. Earlier, media rep»»»
March retail sales jump on higher gas prices, Commerce Department says - UPI.com
Gas prices were up to nearly $7 per gallon in New York City on March 30. Retail sales rose 1.7%, mostly boosted by higher gas prices due to the war in Iran. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo April 21 (UPI) -- Retail sales rose by 1.7% in March mostly due to high gas prices from the ongoin»»»
Qatar follows developments, backs resolution efforts: Advisor to Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Doha: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari affirmed that Qatar continues to maintain ongoing communication with various parties, including the United States, to follow developments amid current tensions and to s»»»
Trump says Iran violated truce as doubt surrounds peace talks
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of having repeatedly violated a temporary truce due to expire soon, with new peace talks mired in doubt after Tehran said it had not yet sent a delegation. The U.S. leader also touted Washington's strong negotiating position, even as uncertainty g»»»
Israeli army jails soldiers for vandalizing Jesus statue in Lebanon
The Israeli military on Tuesday said two soldiers would receive 30 days of military detention and be removed from combat duty over the destruction of a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon. The decision comes after widespread condemnation of a photo shared online showing an Israeli soldier us»»»
Sheikh Mansour leads strategic review of government performance
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Development Council held in Abu Dhabi. The meeting reviewed the outcomes of implementing a number of government programmes and initiativ»»»
Azour to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Has Strong Financial Buffers to Confront War Impact
“This is a multidimensional shock.” That is how Dr. Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund, summed up the bleak outlook gripping the region, describing the current war as an earthquake not seen in geopolitics and economics for five de»»»
Indonesia announces ‘giant’ natural gas discovery off Borneo coast
JAKARTA: Indonesia has announced a major gas discovery off the east coast of Borneo, a find the government says will strengthen the nation’s energy security as the war in the Middle East forces countries to rethink dependence on imported fossil fuels. Preliminary estimates point to around 5 trillio»»»
US military pushes for boost in 2027 spending on drones and air defenses used in Iran war
WASHINGTON: US military officials on Tuesday called for spending tens of billions of dollars in the next budget year on drones, air defense systems and fighter jets that have been a key part of fighting the Iran war. As part of President Donald Trump’s push to boost defense spending to $1.5 trillio»»»
Aoun says diplomacy is 'a war without bloodshed'
President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday stressed "the necessity of concerted efforts between the army, security forces, municipalities and residents to consolidate security and stability and eliminate the risky concept of autonomous security, at a time when the state is working to establish security and e»»»
Alternative Routes for Middle East Oil and Gas Due to Hormuz Disruption
The US-Israeli war with Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil chokepoint, exposing the Middle East's limited alternatives for exporting its hydrocarbons. The International Energy Agency (IEA) called it the largest supply disruption on record, bigg»»»
Tucker Carlson apologizes for helping Trump get elected, says he’ll be ‘tormented’
Prominent conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has issued a public apology for his role in getting US President Donald Trump into the White House, saying in a podcast published on Monday that he will be “tormented for a long time” by the damage he helped cause. Speaking on his podcast with his b»»»
Bulgaria is not going ‘pro-Russia’ – the EU is just paranoid
After eight snap elections in five years, Bulgaria’s Rumen Radev, a 62-year-old reform-minded pragmatist with much political (he’s a former president) and military (he's also a former general) experience has just managed to gain an absolute majority of seats in the national parliament. It is, accor»»»
Arab League rebuffs Tehran's claims on Hormuz
The League of Arab States affirmed that Arab countries have not been and will not be held hostage by Iran to settle scores. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, stressed that Tehran’s perceptions of controlling the Arabian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are legally inva»»»
US Official Says Gas Prices Have Peaked Despite Iran War
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that gasoline prices appeared to have peaked after a surge linked to the Iran war -- a marked shift in tone a day after President Donald Trump publicly rebuked his earlier, more cautious outlook. "I don't know the future of energy prices -- often I will»»»
Lebanon Raises Israel-Hezbollah War Death Toll to 2,454
Lebanon on Tuesday raised the toll from six weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah to 2,454 dead as a fragile 10-day ceasefire holds. The government's disaster risk management unit in a statement also said 7,658 people had been wounded in the conflict, which began on March 2, days after the broa»»»
Macron to Reaffirm Commitment to Lebanese Ceasefire and Sovereignty in Paris Talks
French President Emmanuel Macron is to reaffirm France’s full commitment to the ceasefire in Lebanon and support for the country’s territorial integrity at a meeting Tuesday in Paris with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron’s office said. Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks betw»»»
Lebanon raises Israel-Hezbollah war death toll to 2,454
BEIRUT: Lebanon on Tuesday raised the toll from six weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah to 2,454 dead as a fragile 10-day ceasefire holds. The government’s disaster risk management unit in a statement also said 7,658 people had been wounded in the conflict, which began on March 2, days after »»»
Trump Says Iran Violated Truce as Doubt Surrounds Peace Talks
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of having repeatedly violated a temporary truce due to expire soon, with new peace talks mired in doubt after Tehran said it had not yet sent a delegation. The US leader also touted Washington's strong negotiating position, even as uncertainty grew »»»
Germany, Italy Reject Suspending EU-Israel Cooperation Deal
Germany and Italy on Tuesday rebuffed calls to suspend an EU cooperation deal with Israel, despite rising anger over the war in Lebanon and the situation in the West Bank. Spain and Ireland had put the issue of halting the June 2000 agreement back on the table at a meeting of EU foreign ministers i»»»
Two Palestinians Killed in West Bank Village Attacked by Israeli Settlers, Witnesses Say
Two Palestinians, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Tuesday after Israeli settlers and soldiers opened fire, witnesses said, while in Gaza health officials said two Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said two»»»
NATO Intercepts Russian Military Aircraft Flying Over the Baltic Sea
NATO intercepted Russian strategic bombers and fighter jets that flew over the Baltic Sea on Monday, a muscular display of air power on the alliance’s eastern flank away from the spotlight on the Middle East. French Rafale fighters were deployed from a Lithuanian air base where they are stationed a»»»
Iran Arrests More Than 3,600 on Charges Related to War, Says NGO
Iranian authorities have arrested more than 3,600 people on charges related to the US-Israeli war ranging from sharing videos with media outlets based overseas to possessing Starlink internet terminals, an NGO said on Tuesday. Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) said the figure, based on state med»»»
Iran negotiations: Trump expects bombing or 'great deal' - UPI.com
1 of 2 | President Donald Trump said that he expects to reach a deal with Iran in negotiations to end the war Tuesday, but if no deal is made he is prepared to resume bombing. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 21 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said that he expects to reach a deal with»»»
Iran War Just Proved the Superiority of Russia’s Integrated, Multi-Layered Air Defense Doctrine
The Mideast crisis became a “living laboratory showcasing the drastic evolution of modern air defense technology,” says Indonesian defense publication Airspace Review. The report's key findings:Western air defense doctrine using costly missile interceptors and aircraft is obsolete.Russia’s multilay»»»
US forces board a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon says
WASHINGTON: US forces have boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia, the Pentagon said Tuesday, as it puts into place a global warning to track down vessels tied to Tehran. US forces “conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction” and boarded the M/T Ti»»»
Italy's ITA boosts direct Asia flights amid Mideast war
Rome: Italian flagship airline ITA Airways said Tuesday, April 21, 2026, it was increasing direct flights to India and Thailand this August, as the Iran war disrupts routes through the Middle East. Chief Executive Joerg Eberhart cited the "geopolitical landscape" in the decision to increase Rome-Ba»»»
US Forces Board a Sanctioned Oil Tanker in the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon Says
US forces have boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia, the Pentagon said Tuesday, as it puts into place a global warning to track down vessels tied to Tehran. US forces “conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction” and boarded the M/T Tifani “withou»»»
Diplomacy without illusions: The case for Iran's accountability first
Among advocates of process-first diplomacy, a familiar refrain has been especially common in recent days: diplomacy means talking to everyone, no adversary should be humiliated, and the only alternative to negotiation is war. These are not trivial principles. Engagement with adversaries has produce»»»
Trump to take part in 'America Reads the Bible' streaming event - UPI.com
President Donald Trump will read verses from the Old Testament he taped in the Oval Office for a America Reads the Bible event due to be livestreamed across the country Tuesday evening. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo April 21 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump will read verses from the Old T»»»
After Spain, Belgium Condemns Israel’s Conduct in Lebanon as Eurovision Boycott Grows
Mounting international pressure on the Israeli occupation entity intensified this week, as European officials and global cultural figures escalated criticism over its military conduct in Lebanon and Gaza, with calls ranging from sanctions to sweeping cultural boycotts. Belgium Pushes EU Action Over»»»
Gargash: In tough times, UAE proves its strength
Abu Dhabi: The UAE continues to demonstrate strength and resilience in the face of mounting challenges, Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the President, said on Tuesday. He stressed that the current phase shows which nations can hold firm and distinguish themselves as the pace of change accel»»»
Iran May Have Weapons It Hasn't Shown the World Yet - Military Expert
Iran may have “weapons which have not been precisely identified” to this point, says Russian military analyst Yuri Lyamin, commenting on Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's announcement that Iran has “new cards” it can play if war resumes. According to the Center for Analysis of S»»»
South Sudan vows to hold long-delayed elections in December
JUBA: South Sudan will hold elections in December, the information minister vowed on Tuesday, after years of repeated delays and despite the country being on the verge of civil war. International observers have warned of a return to full-blown conflict as government forces under President Salva Kii»»»
In south Lebanon’s Nabatieh, residents fear a return to war
NABATIEH, Lebanon: Outside her gutted home in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh, Zainab Farran, who recently lost two members of her family in Israeli strikes, keeps her clothes packed in a car in case the temporary truce between Hezbollah and Israel does not last. She returned to the city with her famil»»»
Rohingya refugees begin to bear spillover effects of Iran war
DHAKA: The impact of the US–Israel war on Iran has already reached Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, where refugees say spillover effects are compounding the existing crisis of displacement and shrinking humanitarian aid. Bangladesh relies on imports for 95 percent of its energy needs and has been stru»»»