Seyit Samil Kurt
12 April 2026•Update: 12 April 2026
Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including US Vice President JD Vance saying that no agreement has yet been reached in talks with Iran; Türkiye condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks that targeted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; and Iraq electing Nizar Amidi as its new president.
TOP STORIES
No agreement yet: US Vice President Vance says Iran has chosen 'not to accept our terms'
US Vice President JD Vance said Washington and Tehran have not yet reached an agreement as high-stakes US and Iran talks stretched into a second day.
"The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that's bad news for Iran, much more than it's bad news for the United States of America," Vance told US journalists at a hotel where the American and Iranian delegations have been holding talks.
"They have chosen not to accept our terms," Vance said.
“We leave here, and we leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We'll see if the Iranians accept it.”
Netanyahu's remarks against President Erdogan 'result of discomfort caused by truths': Türkiye
The Turkish Foreign Ministry slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his remarks attacking President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying targeting the Turkish leader is a result of "the discomfort caused by the truths we have expressed on every platform."
Netanyahu, who is called the Adolf Hitler of this era due to his crimes, is known for his records, the ministry said in a statement.
Noting the arrest warrant that has been issued for Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the statement warned about Netanyahu's attempts, which aim to undermine the ongoing peace talks and continue his expansionist policies in the region.
Nizar Amidi elected Iraq's president
Nizar Amidi was elected Iraq’s president after winning 227 of 249 votes in parliament’s 2nd round, becoming the country’s sixth president since 2003.
The Iraqi parliament elected Amidi, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) candidate, as the country's new president, succeeding Abdul Latif Rashid.
Amidi's victory came after he secured a majority of votes in the second round of parliamentary voting, following the failure to reach a two-thirds majority in the first round, an Anadolu correspondent reported.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- The Global Sumud Flotilla, formed to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, deliver humanitarian aid and raise global awareness about the enclave, is setting sail from Barcelona again after a year, this time with nearly double the participation.
- Russia's Defense Ministry announced a 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine came into force.
- Opposition leaders criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims about Israel’s success in the war with Iran, asserting that "he failed to achieve the war aims he himself set out."
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened further escalation in Lebanon, saying Israel would only agree to negotiations if Hezbollah is disarmed and a lasting peace agreement is reached.
- Qatar’s Ministry of Transport announced the full resumption of maritime navigation for all types of vessels starting April 12, according to a statement.
- The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has prepared an indictment against 35 suspects, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for an armed intervention against the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza last year.
- The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 surged to 2,020, with 6,436 injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
- The Slovakian prime minister has expressed support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary elections.
- Around 600 of Ireland’s 1,600 gas stations have run out of fuel amid blockades of fuel depots, according to Fuels for Ireland, as supply disruptions continue across the country, RTE reported.
- At least 11 people have been killed and eight injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire on families gathered for a picnic in western Afghanistan, local media reported.
- Flash floods triggered by heavy rains killed a child and caused partial building collapses in Yemen’s southwestern city of Taiz, the Interior Ministry said.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez began a four-day visit to China, local media reported.
- Dozens of Palestinian Christians in the Gaza Strip marked Holy Saturday with prayers and hymns at Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City’s Old City, amid a subdued atmosphere shaped by the aftermath of war.
- About 140 historical sites across 20 provinces were damaged in US-Israeli attacks between Feb. 28 and April 7, with losses estimated at 7.5 trillion tomans ($49 million), Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.
- The US launched a mission to clear sea mines from the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
- At least six people were killed and several injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a police station in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, Palestinian media reported.
- The opposition Tisza Party is leading Hungary’s ruling Fidesz-KDNP alliance ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections, according to an AtlasIntel poll cited by Europe Elects Hungary.
- The Dutch defense chief called US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about NATO and a possible withdrawal from the alliance "not wise," according to Sky News.
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks with the US and Iranian delegations, which are in Islamabad to end the war that began Feb. 28, expressing hope that the negotiations would serve as a "stepping stone" for durable peace in the region.
- Several US Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first instance of such an event since the beginning of the US-Israeli war against Iran on Feb. 28.
- Russia and Ukraine announced they held another swap of prisoners of war, exchanging 175 soldiers each.
- US forces are continuing to move into the Middle East in preparation for possible operations, as American and Iranian representatives gather for talks in Pakistan, the Wall Street Journal reported.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
US budget posts $164B deficit in March
The US federal government's budget deficit rose 2% to $164 billion in March compared to the same month the previous year.
The US Treasury Department released its budget balance report for March.
The federal government posted a budget deficit of $161 billion in March 2025.
In this period, the market expectation regarding the budget balance was a deficit of $157.8 billion.
Trump says ‘massive numbers’ of empty oil tankers heading to US
US President Donald Trump said a large number of empty oil tankers are heading toward the US to acquire oil.
“Massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the World, are heading, right now, to the United States to load up with the best and ‘sweetest’ oil (and gas!) anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined - and higher quality. We are waiting for you. Quick turnaround!” he added.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar to provide $5B financial assistance to Pakistan amid debt repayment obligations to UAE
Saudi Arabia and Qatar will provide Pakistan with $5 billion in financial assistance, enabling Islamabad to avert stress on the country's weak foreign reserves while making external payments by June, sources told Anadolu.
The development comes as Islamabad is set to repay a $3.5 billion debt to the United Arab Emirates by the end of the month.
Riyadh has assured Islamabad of its financial support amid mounting external pressures and rising costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.
