LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - Military planners from more than 30 countries will hold two-day talks in London from Wednesday to advance a mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and draw up detailed plans, the British government said.
More than a dozen countries said last week they were willing to join an international mission, led by Britain and France, to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz when conditions permit.
By Lucy Craymer
WELLINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - Far-flung Pacific nations are reeling from the impact of a global fuel crisis as authorities scramble to manage energy supplies while families must grapple with fuel curbs and higher costs for food and access to healthcare.
Global oil supplies are running down as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
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 made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a signature policy, had given a March 31 deadline to close a camp where more than 1,100 Afghans were staying at a former US base in Qatar.
April 22 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for accepting the country's request to extend the ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course.
"I sincerely hope that both sides will continue to observe the ceasefire and be able to conclude a comprehensive ‘Peace Deal’ during the second round of talks scheduled at Islamabad for a permanent end to the conflict," Sharif said in post on X.
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WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was extending the Iran ceasefire until an Iranian proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Caitlin Webber)
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 Gaza and Ukraine, Russian incursions into European airspace, Chinese maneuverings towards Taiwan and Red Sea tensions.
With his sensational statements on Truth Social and serial phone chats with individual journalists, President Donald Trump has only added to the confusion surrounding his plans for Iran in recent days.
The US president has been commenting on the conflict almost in real time in seemingly off-the-cuff exchanges with reporters, including from AFP, who call his cell phone.
Twice in recent days the White House has had to correct statements the 79-year-old billionaire made in the calls.
DUBAI, April 21 (Reuters) - Iran could attend talks with the United States in Pakistan if Washington abandons its policy of pressure and threats, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that Tehran rejects negotiations aimed at surrender.
The official said mediator Pakistan was continuing efforts to persuade the United States to liftits naval blockade and release the Iranian-flagged container ship Touska, which was boarded and seized by U.S. forces on Sunday, and its crew.
April 21 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports was an "act of war" and thus a violation of the ceasefire.
"Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," he said in a post on X on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Chris Reese)
PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday France will help Lebanese authorities prepare negotiations with Israel even if Paris was not directly part of the discussions.
Speaking at a news conference alongside Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron said it was "secondary" for France to be sitting at the table of negotiations as it was in Lebanon's interest that everyone helps it in the negotiations.
