TODAY NEWS ON April 20, 2026

Iran not planning to attend talks with U.S. in Pakistan

Iran is not currently planning to attend talks with the United States on Monday, state media said, after President Donald Trump ordered U.S. negotiators to Pakistan just days before a ceasefire in West Asia expires. The ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has been a significant sticking point, and that issue is likely to be further complicated by Mr. Trump’s Sunday announcement that an American destroyer had fired on and hit an Iranian ship that tried to evade it.

Iran to resume international flights from Mashhad airport on April 20

Iran will resume international flights on Monday (April 20, 2026) from Mashhad airport in the country’s northeast, its civil aviation authority said. “Permission to operate international passenger flights at Mashhad Airport has been issued, starting tomorrow,” state TV said, quoting the Civil Aviation Organisation. The organisation later said travellers can now “purchase tickets for international routes to and from Mashhad Airport,” according to the official IRNA news agency.

India LPG consumption slides 13% amid West Asia conflict

India’s cooking gas LPG consumption fell by a steep 13% in March as supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict hit availability for both household kitchens and commercial users, according to latest official data. LPG consumption was at 2.379 million tonne in March, 12.8% lower than 2.729 million tonne consumed in the same period last year. India imports about 60% of its LPG requirements, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, which was effectively shut following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation. With supplies from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates disrupted, the government has cut LPG supplies to commercial establishments like hotels, and industries to safeguard household cooking gas availability.

Vice-President Radhakrishnan meets Sri Lankan President Dissanayake, discusses Indian housing project

Vice-President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo on Sunday (April 19, 2026) and held discussions on various initiatives, including the Indian housing project, and fishermen issues between the two South Asian neighbours. Mr. Radhakrishnan, who arrived in Colombo earlier in the day on a two-day visit, also discussed with Mr. Dissanayake the ongoing Indian project implementation in Sri Lanka with emphasis on the $450 million Cyclone Ditwah aid offered by India.

Five deaths, no arrests as fresh violence grips Manipur

Since April 7, Manipur has witnessed five killings, including that of two children, but there have been no arrests in any of the cases so far. The Bishnupur-Churachandpur road has remained blocked for the past 12 days, hindering the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) investigation into the April 7 killing of two children at Tronglaobi, Bishnupur, a senior government official said.

Diplomats’ families and students fleeing Iran return to India

Braving the conflict, a gruelling drive and long waits at the border, a batch of Indians returned from Iran over the weekend, including all family members of Indian diplomats based there, using the pause in hostilities to make their way back.

Canada PM Carney calls U.S. economic ties a ‘weakness’ that needs correction

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address released on Sunday that Canada’s strong economic ties to the United States were once a strength but are now a weakness that must be corrected. In the 10-minute address, Mr. Carney spoke about his government’s efforts to strengthen the Canadian economy by attracting new investments and signing trade deals with other countries.

Mass shooting in Louisiana kills 10, including eight children

A gunman on Sunday killed eight children between the ages of 1 and 14 in the U.S. State of Louisiana in domestic-related shootings at two different homes in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in more than two years. Police in Shreveport said a total of 10 people were shot on Sunday. Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon says the gunman died after a chase with officers who fired at the suspect.

At least 14 workers killed in fireworks accident near Virudhunagar district

At least 14 workers were killed and six others injured at a Vanaja fireworks unit near Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu on Sunday (April 19, 2026). Fire and Rescue Services personnel managed to put out the flames after a long struggle as the remnant chemicals and unfinished goods continued to explode at the site. The bodies of the workers were said to be blown off due to the impact of the explosions. Those injured were rushed to the Virudhunagar Government Medical College hospital. Officials were yet to ascertain whether the fireworks unit had obtained permission to work on Sunday, which is usually a holiday.

Mass shooting in Kyiv leaves 6 dead before police kill gunman

A gunman wielding an automatic weapon killed six people and barricaded himself inside a supermarket with hostages in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday (April 18, 2026), before he was shot and killed by police, authorities said. At least 14 people were wounded and taken to hospital. The 58-year-old attacker was not named by police, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was born in Russia, as authorities worked to piece together a motive for the violence. The mass shooting — unheard of in wartime Kyiv following Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — took place in a busy central district of the city, outside an apartment block and a nearby shopping centre, leaving bodies on a crowded street as bystanders fled for safety.