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World Bank Approves $90 MN in Pandemic Aid for Iran

A COVID-19 patient in a hospital in the city of Qom, Iran, September 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A COVID-19 patient in a hospital in the city of Qom, Iran, September 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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World Bank Approves $90 MN in Pandemic Aid for Iran

A COVID-19 patient in a hospital in the city of Qom, Iran, September 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A COVID-19 patient in a hospital in the city of Qom, Iran, September 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

The World Bank has approved $90 million in additional financing for Iran, to help fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, a spokesperson said Friday.

The Washington-based development lender's board of directors approved the aid on December 21, a World Bank spokesperson said, which "will be utilized only for procuring additional lifesaving, essential medical equipment to strengthen Iran's pandemic response."

"This funding will not go to the Iranian budget and all loan proceeds, as well as procurement and disbursements, are being managed by the World Health Organization," the spokesperson said.

The World Bank had in May 2020 extended Tehran $50 million via the Iran Covid-19 Emergency Response Project, which the spokesperson said was carried out "on an exceptional basis" due to the pandemic, reported AFP.

The spokesperson called Iran "the epicenter of Covid-19 infections in the region" and said quelling the virus there would benefit its neighbors, particularly as the Omicron variant threatens to cause a new wave of cases.

"World Bank support for Iran's Covid-19 response will help mitigate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country as well as limit the spread of the disease beyond its borders," the spokesperson said.

Iran has suffered nearly 132,000 deaths from Covid-19 and more than 6.2 million cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The World Bank spokesperson noted that "distribution and installation of equipment will take place at health facilities approved by the World Bank and will be subject to independent monitoring and verification."

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World

Israel Defense Minister Says Country May Have to ‘Act Again’ Against Iran

A firefighter stands on the rubble of residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
A firefighter stands on the rubble of residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Israel Defense Minister Says Country May Have to ‘Act Again’ Against Iran

A firefighter stands on the rubble of residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
A firefighter stands on the rubble of residential buildings near Niloufar square in Tehran during the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign on Iran on March 2, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)

Israel's defense minister on Thursday said his country may soon have to "act again" against Iran, to ensure the Islamic republic "does not once again become a threat to Israel".

"US President Donald Trump, in coordination with (Israeli) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is leading the efforts to achieve the campaign's objectives, to ensure that Iran does not once again become a threat to Israel, the United States and the free world in the future," Israel Katz said during a military ceremony, according to a statement from his office.

"We support this effort and are providing the necessary support, but it is possible that we may soon have to act again to ensure these objectives are met," he added.

World

US Naval Blockade Squeezes Iran’s Oil Exports, Forces Crude onto Floating Storage

Vehicles drive past a giant billboard reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 28, 2026, (AFP)
Vehicles drive past a giant billboard reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 28, 2026, (AFP)
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US Naval Blockade Squeezes Iran’s Oil Exports, Forces Crude onto Floating Storage

Vehicles drive past a giant billboard reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 28, 2026, (AFP)
Vehicles drive past a giant billboard reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 28, 2026, (AFP)

A US naval blockade of Iranian ports has shrunk Tehran's oil exports, stranding a growing stockpile of crude on tankers as Iranian storage sites run out of space, shipping data showed and analysts said.

With some vessels switching off tracking systems and US forces turning back Iranian tankers, how much crude Iran is delivering to customers, particularly main customer China, is impossible to measure.

Just a handful of carriers carrying Iranian crude have left the Gulf of Oman between April 13-25, oil analytics firm Vortexa said. That's down over 80% from a comparable period in March, when Iran exported 23.4 million barrels, LSEG data shows.

Some of Tehran's vessels have ‌been intercepted by ‌the US after leaving Iranian ports, along with sanctioned container ships and ‌Iranian ⁠tankers in Asian ⁠waters.

EXACERBATING WIDER MARKET TIGHTNESS

"At this stage, we estimate that around 4 million barrels of Iranian crude has successfully moved out of the Gulf of Oman. We are not currently able to confirm whether any of those vessels have since been interdicted," it said in an email to Reuters.

The loss of Iranian supply adds to wider market tightness as the war has effectively closed the Straight of Hormuz, sending prices higher, something the US has sought to avoid.

Last month, ‌the US granted Tehran an unexpected temporary sanctions waiver ‌on energy exports to allow prices to cool.

Benchmark Brent crude oil futures have jumped by about $50 ‌a barrel since the Iran war began on February 28, raising prices of gasoline, ‌diesel and jet fuel.

The International Energy Agency has called it the world's largest oil output disruption.

NO TANKERS EXITED GULF SINCE BLOCKADE - KPLER

Analysts at Kpler said they had not observed any Iranian crude tankers exiting the Gulf of Oman since the blockade began.

US authorities said on Wednesday their blockade was denying ‌Tehran of much-needed revenue from crude exports.

"Right now there are 41 tankers with 69 million barrels of oil that Iranian regime ⁠can't sell," US ⁠Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday.

Iran's currency, the rial, fell to a record low against the US dollar on Wednesday, highlighting the financial difficulties that face the oil-reliant economy.

Despite the pressure, Iran is still loading crude at its main export hub on Kharg Island, maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers said.

Satellite imagery shows at least 10 tankers parked off Iran's Chah Bahar port on the Gulf of Oman, it added.

Iran pumped about 3.24 million bpd of crude in February, around half for domestic refining.

Yet, the country may be forced to start cutting output within a week or two, said Kpler analyst Johannes Rauball, with storage scant.

Onshore storage is about 60% full, Kpler said, with stocks above 50 million barrels, and capacity at 86 million barrels.

Capacity constraints could force Iran to curb production in mid-June, consultancy FGE NextantECA estimated on April 15.

World

Man Accused of Trying to Kill Trump at Correspondents’ Gala Agrees to Remain Jailed for Now

A view of the residence of Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged shooter in the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack, in Torrance, California, USA, 27 April 2026. (EPA)
A view of the residence of Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged shooter in the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack, in Torrance, California, USA, 27 April 2026. (EPA)
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Man Accused of Trying to Kill Trump at Correspondents’ Gala Agrees to Remain Jailed for Now

A view of the residence of Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged shooter in the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack, in Torrance, California, USA, 27 April 2026. (EPA)
A view of the residence of Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged shooter in the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack, in Torrance, California, USA, 27 April 2026. (EPA)

A man accused of trying to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives and attempting to kill President Donald Trump agreed on Thursday to remain jailed for now while he awaits trial.

Cole Thomas Allen did not enter a plea during his brief appearance before US Magistrate Moxila Upadhyaya.

Prosecutors allege Allen planned his attack for weeks and tracked Trump’s movements online before he ran through a magnetometer at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night while holding a long gun and disrupted one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.

Allen was injured during the attack but was not shot. A Secret Service officer was shot but was wearing a bullet-resistant vest and survived, officials say.

Prosecutors have said they believe Allen fired his shotgun at least once and that a Secret Service agent fired five shots. They have not publicly confirmed that it was Allen’s bullet that struck the agent’s vest.

In a letter to prosecutors on Wednesday, Allen's lawyers alleged that some of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's statements "indicate that the recovered ballistics evidence is inconsistent with aspects of the government’s theory, evidence collected by the government and/or statements made by witnesses."

The Justice Department, in response, said the evidence shows Allen fired his shotgun at least once in the Secret Service agent's direction. Investigators recovered at least one fragment at the crime scene that is consistent with a buckshot pellet, prosecutors wrote.

"The government is aware of no physical evidence, digital video evidence, or witness statements that are inconsistent with the theory that your client fired his shotgun in the direction" of the officer or that the officer "was indeed shot once in the chest while wearing a ballistic vest," prosecutors wrote.

Prosecutors said in court papers that Allen took a picture of himself in his hotel room just minutes before the incident, and that he was outfitted with an ammunition bag, a shoulder gun holster and a sheathed knife.

In a message that authorities say sheds light on his motive, Allen referred to himself as a "Friendly Federal Assassin" and alluded obliquely to grievances over a range of Trump administration actions, according to writings sent to family members shortly before shots were fired Saturday night. The Associated Press reviewed the writings.

Allen's lawyers are pressing for his release, arguing in court papers that the government's case is "based upon inferences drawn about Mr. Allen’s intent that raise more questions than answers." They defense noted that Allen's writings never mentioned Trump by name.

"The government’s evidence of the charged offense –- the attempted assassination of the president –- is thus built entirely upon speculation, even under the most generous reading of its theory," defense lawyers wrote.

Allen was charged on Monday with that crime, as well as two additional firearms counts, including discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the assassination count alone.

Allen, 31, is from Torrance, California. He is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.