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More than 20 vessels pass Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Kpler data shows

SINGAPORE, April 20 (Reuters) - More than 20 vessels passed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, data from shipping analytics firm Kpler showed, the highest number of ships crossing the waterway since March 1.

• Among the vessels that made it through on Saturday, five of them last loaded cargoes from Iran ranging from oil products to metals. Three of them are liquefied petroleum gas carriers with one each heading to China and India.

• Panama-flagged tanker Crave, carrying LPG from the United Arab Emirates, is heading to Indonesia.

Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, April 18, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

World weighs fate of Mideast ceasefire after US seizes Iranian cargo ship

By Daphne Psaledakis and Hatem Maher

WASHINGTON/CAIRO, April 20 (Reuters) - Concerns grew on Monday that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran might not hold after the U.S. said it had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade and Iran vowed to retaliate.

Efforts to build a more lasting peace in the region likewise appeared to be on shaky ground, as Iran said it would not participate in a second round of negotiations that the U.S. had hoped to kick off before the ceasefire expires on Tuesday.

A police officer guards a road blocked with shipping containers, for security measures at D Chowk near the President's House as Pakistan prepares to host the United States and Iran for the second phase of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 20, 2026. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

Pakistan's military chief takes lead on US-Iran talks in diplomatic blitz

Over a feverish few days of diplomacy, Pakistan's military and civilian politicians successfully divided the Middle East between them to push for a second round of US-Iran peace talks expected to take place in Islamabad this week.

The country's powerful military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, headed to Tehran on Wednesday for what would become a three-day trip, where Iranian leaders said he carried US proposals for a second round of peace talks.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) welcomed Pakistan's military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran for a three-day visit following the Islamabad talks

Sudanese deminers scour shattered capital for hidden explosives

Bending low in the baking sun and sheathed in heavy protective gear, Hussein Idris sweeps a metal detector across a vast minefield in central Khartoum that was once a park beloved by local families.

The war between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has moved on from the capital since the military retook it last year, but Khartoum is still littered with explosive remnants that authorities are struggling to clear.

Anti-mine teams have cleared thousands of explosives from around Sudan's capital

Pakistan prime minister speaks with Iran's president

April 19 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that he spoke with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian about the conflict in the Gulf.

During the talk, Sharif shared insights with Pezeshkian regarding his recent conversations with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, he said in a post on X.

"I appreciated Iran’s engagement, including its high-level delegation to Islamabad for the historic talks, and recent discussions with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Tehran," Sharif said.

FILE PHOTO: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on during a business and investment conference, during his official visit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 6, 2025. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain/Pool/File Photo

Argentina's Milei says US-Israel war against Iran 'right thing to do'

Argentine President Javier Milei declared on Sunday that the joint US-Israel war against Iran was the "right thing to do", as he signed on to the so-called Isaac Accords aimed at deepening bilateral ties between Israel and Latin American countries.

Making his third visit to Israel as president, Milei reaffirmed Argentina's support for the campaign against Iran, citing his government's earlier decision to designate the Islamic republic's Revolutionary Guards a "terrorist organisation".

Argentine President Javier Milei visited the Western Wall in the old city of Jerusalem, his third such visit to the holy site

Israeli military publishes map of south Lebanon territory under its control

By Maayan Lubell

JERUSALEM, April 19 (Reuters) - The Israeli military published for the first time a map of its new deployment line inside Lebanon on Sunday, bringing dozens of mostly abandoned Lebanese villages under its control, days after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect.

There was no immediate comment from Lebanese officials or from Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel and Lebanon agreed on Thursday to a U.S.-backed ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

A handout graphic of a map, according to the Israeli military, shows the Forward Defense Line and the area in which they are operating in southern Lebanon, published on April 19, 2026. Israel Defence Forces/Handout via REUTERS

Pakistan tightens security in Islamabad ahead of US-Iran talks

Security in Pakistan's capital Islamabad was stepped up visibly on Sunday ahead of peace talks between the United States and Iran in the coming days.

President Donald Trump said US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday to resume talks on ending the war with Iran, little more than a week after face-to-face talks in Islamabad on April 11 ended without agreement.

"My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations," he wrote on Truth Social.

Security in Pakistan's capital Islamabad was being visibly stepped up ahead of peace talks between the United States and Iran to end the Middle East war in the coming days

UK Jews facing campaign of violence, chief rabbi says after another attack

By Michael Holden

LONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - Britain's chief rabbi said on Sunday a sustained campaign of violence against the Jewish community was gathering momentum after a synagogue in north London became the latest target in a spate of arson attacks.

UK counter-terrorism police are heading up an investigation into the latest incident, which occurred at Kenton United Synagogue in the Harrow area of the city shortly after midnight.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis speaks as he attends a reception to celebrate Hanukkah at Downing Street in London, Britain December 16, 2025. Alastair Grant/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Iran entrepreneurs angered by months-long internet blackout

Mahla, an interior designer in Tehran, says she has been forced to sell her valuables and gold to pay employees as Iran's internet shutdown, imposed at the start of the Middle East war, tanks her business.

The internet blackout, which was put in place soon after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, was already the longest nationwide shutdown on record as of April 5, according to NetBlocks, which says it has now lasted more than 50 days.

Iran's extremely restricted local intranet has been working throughout the war, allowing people to connect to domestic websites, but it's still insufficient for businesses