Financial Times reporting on April 19-20 says Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged a "deliberate decision" was taken to withhold vetting information about former minister Peter Mandelson from him. The FT also reported advisers had told Starmer he should vet Mandelson before appointing him, but that vetting was not passed on. The revelations have provoked a political crisis in Westminster, with opposition parties and some Labour MPs demanding answers about who authorised the omission, why procedures were bypassed, and whether Downing Street misled Parliament. The episode has intensified scrutiny of the prime minister’s judgment and the party’s governance, prompting calls for an internal review and possible inquiries into appointment and security-clearance processes. As media and MPs press for explanations, Starmer’s hold on Downing Street and his wider reform agenda face renewed pressure ahead of upcoming parliamentary tests and elections.

Two teenagers were arrested after an arson attack at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, north‑west London, as British police probe a string of recent attacks on Jewish sites. Officers said a bottle containing an accelerant was thrown through a synagogue window around midnight on Sunday, causing minor smoke damage but no injuries. Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Matt Jukes said the two suspects, aged 17 and 19, were taken into custody; he said the force has now made 15 arrests linked to six incidents in London over recent weeks. Counter‑terror detectives are investigating claims made online by a shadowy group calling itself Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamia (HAYI) and are exploring a “very serious” line of inquiry into whether the attacks were carried out by criminal “proxies” with ties to Iran. Incidents under investigation include the torching of four volunteer ambulances in Golders Green, attempted arson at other synagogues and an attack on a Persian‑language media outlet. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and senior police chiefs condemned the attacks and said visible policing and protective patrols — including drones and armed units — have been increased.

Former president Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria scored a decisive victory in Bulgaria’s snap parliamentary election held on April 19, 2026, official tallies showed on April 20. With roughly 44.7% of the vote and about 91-96% of ballots counted, the new grouping is on course to secure around 130 of 240 seats — enough for an outright majority — far ahead of longtime rival GERB (about 13-14%) and the pro-reform PP-DB coalition (around 13-15%). Radev resigned the largely ceremonial presidency in January to contest the vote after mass anti-corruption protests toppled the previous government in December. Campaign promises focused on tackling corruption, judicial reform and restoring stability. Radev is widely described as Russia-friendly and has opposed direct military aid to Ukraine, though he has said he would not veto EU decisions on Kyiv. The campaign saw a high-profile crackdown on vote-buying, with authorities seizing over €1.2m and detaining hundreds. Key challenges for the incoming government include passing a 2026 budget since Bulgaria joined the eurozone this year, tackling inflation and addressing long-standing rule-of-law concerns.

A powerful undersea earthquake struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on April 20, prompting tsunami warnings and large-scale evacuations. Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake hit at about 4:52 p.m. local time (0752 GMT) with a shallow epicentre off Sanriku and a depth near 10 km; preliminary magnitude readings ranged from 7.4 to 7.7. Authorities issued tsunami warnings for Iwate, Aomori and parts of Hokkaido forecasting waves up to 3 metres; an 80 cm wave was detected at Kuji port within an hour. Evacuation orders or advisories were issued to well over 100,000 residents across multiple prefectures and bullet train services were suspended. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a government emergency task force was convened. Officials reported no immediate major damage or casualties and said idled nuclear facilities showed no abnormalities. The JMA warned of strong aftershocks and a slightly elevated (about 1%) short-term chance of a larger “mega-quake” on the northern coast in the coming week, urging continued vigilance and preparedness.

The fragile two‑week ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared in jeopardy after U.S. forces seized an Iranian‑flagged cargo ship attempting to run a U.S. naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz, disabling its engines and boarding the vessel. Tehran vowed retaliation and initially declined to rejoin a planned second round of talks in Pakistan, even as senior Iranian officials said they were “positively reviewing” participation. Pakistan has stepped up mediation efforts and deployed around 20,000 security personnel in Islamabad to prepare for potential negotiations. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a virtual standstill after Iran tightened military control and fired warning shots at vessels; global oil benchmarks jumped roughly 4–6% and war‑risk insurance rates rose. Analysts warn that even if hostilities ease, restoring pre‑war flows through the chokepoint could take weeks to years due to damaged infrastructure, tanker logistics, insurance constraints and depleted onshore storage.

The U.S. Supreme Court on April 20, 2026 agreed to hear St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, a challenge by two Colorado Catholic parishes, the Archdiocese of Denver and parents who say they were excluded from the state’s taxpayer‑funded universal preschool program because they will not admit children of LGBTQ+ parents. The program, approved by voters in 2020, pays for up to 15 hours a week of preschool for most four‑year‑olds and requires participating providers to follow a nondiscrimination rule covering sexual orientation and gender identity. Lower federal courts — a district court and the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — rejected the church’s claims, finding the rule neutral and generally applicable. The petitioners, represented by the Becket Fund, say the law forces them to choose between government funds and religious beliefs; the Biden administration’s successor Trump administration filed a supportive amicus brief urging review. The high court, which has a six‑three conservative majority, will hear arguments in the fall term and may consider narrowing the 1990 Employment Division v. Smith precedent that limits religious exemptions from neutral laws. A decision is expected by June 2027.