International

16-04-2026 PORTO-NOVO: Benin’s Minister of Finance Romuald Wadagni has secured a landslide victory in the country’s presidential election with more than 94 percent of the votes, according to provisional results. Sacca Lafia, head of the country’s independent electoral commission, ⁠announced on national television ⁠late on Monday night that the result …

16-04-2026 WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is facing growing backlash after posting an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure and launching a series of social media attacks on Pope Leo XIV, drawing criticism from across the Christian political spectrum. The image, shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform on …

15-04-2026 SINGAPORE: Oil prices jumped above $100 a barrel ​on Monday as the US Navy prepared a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that could ‌restrict Iranian oil shipments after the US and Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war. Brent crude futures rose $7.60, or 7.98%, …

15-04-2026 WASHINGTON: After a diplomatic team led by Vice-President JD Vance tried, and failed, to reach a negotiated agreement to end the US war with Iran on Saturday, President Donald Trump had to decide his next move. That came on Sunday morning, in a series of Truth Social posts. The …

15-04-2026 VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV wants to “turn the world’s attention to Africa”, according to a senior Vatican official, as he embarks on a significant tour of the continent addressing themes of peace, migration and dialogue between religions. The 11-day trip, which starts on Monday, is Pope Leo’s second …

15-04-2026 TEHRAN: Iranian authorities say the United States needs to do more if an agreement is to be made to end the war as they urge their supporters to maintain control of the streets. The US delegation at Saturday’s marathon talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, “ultimately failed to gain the trust …

15-04-2026 WASHINGTON: The US military says it will block all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports, starting at 10am ET (14:00 GMT). Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says any military vessel that approaches the Strait of Hormuz will be considered in violation of the ceasefire and “will be dealt …

15-04-2026 BUDAPEST: Hungary’s longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orban has conceded defeat in the country’s parliamentary election after partial official results showed Peter Magyar’s Tisza party winning by a landslide. “Prime Minister Viktor Orban just called to congratulate us on our victory,” Magyar posted on social media on Sunday as the …

14-04-2026 By SJA Jafri + Agencies ISLAMABAD/ RIYADH: Pakistan has deployed fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, its first visible military move under a mutual defence pact between the two countries, as it hosts ceasefire talks aimed at ending weeks of regional fighting between the US, Israel and Iran. The aircraft, …

14-04-2026 WASHINGTON: Young American men could be automatically registered for eligibility for the military draft as soon as December, ending decades of self-registration. The new rule, proposed by a government agency, would see men being registered automatically rather than being asked to do so themselves within 30 days of their …