Stock markets climbed and oil prices retreated Tuesday on rekindled hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the key Strait of Hormuz to end disruptions that have sent energy prices soaring.
France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the French president's office said.
For a decade, Benin's new president Romuald Wadagni has been the behind-the-scenes architect of sweeping economic reforms that have led to one of the strongest growth rates in west Africa.
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Politics
China's President Xi Jinping warned against a return to the "law of the jungle" in international relations and called for closer economic ties with Spain as he met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday, according to Chinese state media.
April 14, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Bayern Munich veteran Manuel Neuer is saddling up for Wednesday's Real Madrid quarter-final second leg at home in what could be his final season before riding off into the sunset.
April 14, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Benjamin Thomas is an Olympic cycling champion who has ridden the Tour de France and won a Giro d'Italia stage, but nothing had prepared him for the "awful" cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.
April 14, 2026
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged Lebanon to cancel a planned meeting with Israel in Washington on Tuesday, reiterating his group's rejection of direct negotiations with its foe.
April 14, 2026
Electric vehicle sales have jumped in Southeast Asia as cost-conscious buyers have poured into dealerships looking to dodge the fuel price spikes driven by the Middle East war.
April 14, 2026
Economy
China's economic growth likely picked up in the first three months of the year, according to analysts surveyed by AFP, boosted by exports now impacted by the Middle East war, while domestic demand remains weak.
April 14, 2026
RECENT NEWS
The Canterbury Crusaders said Tuesday that their cavalry of mascot knights and horses, beloved by spectators, had been retired after 30 years because of next week's move to their new stadium in Christchurch.
Stocks rose and oil fell Tuesday on hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Donald Trump saying Tehran had called to seek an agreement even as a US naval blockade around Iran's ports began.
Prime Minister Mark Carney's party secured a majority in Canada's parliament on Monday after two by-election wins, boosting his Liberals as they work to bolster a country shaken by threats from the United States.
US President Donald Trump has feuded with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war -- setting off an unholy row that could have serious political implications for the Republican leader at home.
April 14, 2026
Politics
Peruvians waited Monday to see who will face conservative Keiko Fujimori in a presidential runoff, after a chaotic first round of voting that sparked criminal proceedings against top election officials.
April 14, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Dad rocker Phil Collins and reformed Britpop princes Oasis led the 2026 class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who were announced on live US television on Monday.
Australia will boost spending on drones by up to Au$5 billion ($3.6 billion) in response to shifts in warfare seen in the Middle East, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Tuesday.
The Geneva watch fair opens on Tuesday and will be taken as a barometer of how the Middle East war is affecting the luxury goods sector.
A new trial over the death of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona begins Tuesday a year after a scandal involving a judge caused the first trial to collapse.
April 14, 2026
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