U.S. President Donald Trump said on April 21 he would indefinitely extend a ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request to allow further peace talks, while keeping a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in place. The move appeared unilateral and Tehran, as well as U.S. ally Israel, gave no immediate commitment to resume negotiations. The extension came amid renewed attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, where at least three ships were reported fired upon and some seized, briefly pushing Brent crude above $100 a barrel before prices later retreated to the high-$90s. Global markets reacted unevenly: U.S. and Canadian futures rose modestly (S&P/TSX futures +0.4%), S&P and Nasdaq futures gained roughly 0.4–0.6%, while equity indexes had slipped on April 21 as Iran initially rejected talks. Safe-haven and commodity moves were mixed — spot gold and silver showed intraday gains at times, while the dollar wobbled. Shipping traffic through Hormuz remained constrained, reinforcing concerns about a prolonged energy shock, higher inflation risks and further volatility for bond, currency and equity markets as investors parsed the durability of the truce and the prospect of resumed hostilities.

LONDON, April 21-22 (Reuters) - New parliamentary testimony this week deepened the political crisis facing Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States. Former top Foreign Office official Sir Olly Robbins told MPs he faced “constant pressure” from Downing Street to speed the appointment and that the process was treated as a near certainty, even as the Cabinet Office’s UK Security Vetting unit had flagged Mandelson as a borderline or potentially denied case. Starmer has said he was “wrong” to appoint Mandelson and regrets the decision, but has blamed officials for failing to tell him that independent vetting officers had recommended clearance be denied. Robbins was sacked last week; his evidence and reporting that Downing Street sought a role for ex-aide Matthew Doyle have fuelled calls for Starmer’s resignation and exposed divisions in cabinet. Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s former chief of staff, and senior civil servants are due to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee this week as police continue inquiries linked to Mandelson’s ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein.

Lufthansa Group announced on April 21-22, 2026 it will cancel about 20,000 short‑haul flights through October — equivalent to roughly 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel — as jet fuel prices and supply risks surge amid the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran and effective disruption of the Strait of Hormuz. The move targets unprofitable short routes across the group’s hubs (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, Rome) and comes as the EU prepares emergency guidance for airlines on slots, passenger rights and public service obligations, and considers importing more jet fuel from the United States, shared reserves and a new fuel observatory. The International Energy Agency has warned Europe could have as little as six weeks of jet fuel stocks; suppliers and carriers report higher prices and limited visibility beyond May–June. Other carriers — including KLM, SAS, Norse Atlantic, United, Air Canada and several Asian and Pacific operators — have already trimmed schedules or raised fees. Industry groups and campaigners warn ticket prices and cancellations will rise while the EU seeks to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production to reduce future reliance on Middle East supplies.

OTTAWA, April 21-22, 2026 — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pushed back this week against reports that the Trump administration is demanding upfront concessions — an “entry fee” — before bilateral US-Canada talks on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) can begin. Carney said the United States will not dictate terms and that negotiations will be mutual and “take some time.” Canada’s chief trade negotiator Janice Charette warned a day earlier that not all issues would be resolved by the pact’s July 1 review date and urged Canadian businesses to lobby U.S. partners. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has signalled pressure on rules of origin, dairy quotas, provincial bans on U.S. alcohol and other policies, while Washington continues to use Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos as leverage. Mexico has already held rounds with the U.S. and is due to begin formal talks next month. Ottawa says it has already made concessions — including dropping a digital services tax and reducing retaliatory levies — and insists any CUSMA/USMCA renewal must address tariffs and sectoral irritants in a comprehensive way rather than through one-sided demands.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close call on Monday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after two passenger regional jets came dangerously close during parallel runway approaches. Republic Airways Flight 4464, operating for American Airlines, performed a go-around after deviating from its assigned approach and encroaching on the path of Jazz Aviation Flight 554, which had been cleared to land on the neighbouring runway. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 recorded the aircraft as close as about 350 feet vertically and 0.62 miles (roughly 1 kilometre) horizontally. Air traffic control audio captured anti-collision alarms in cockpits and the tower; controllers issued immediate evasive instructions and both crews responded to onboard resolution advisories (RA). Both jets executed go-arounds and later landed safely. The FAA has opened a probe; the incident follows a string of recent near-misses in U.S. airspace, including a separate Southwest Airlines close call in Nashville and a fatal LaGuardia runway collision last month.