Portal:Current events
Topics in the news
- Romuald Wadagni (pictured) wins the Beninese presidential election.
- In golf, Rory McIlroy wins the Masters Tournament.
- The Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, wins the Hungarian parliamentary election, ending sixteen years of rule by Viktor Orbán's Fidesz.
- Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is re-elected for a sixth consecutive term in the Djiboutian presidential election.
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
- A Pakistani delegation led by military chief Asim Munir arrives in Tehran, Iran, to facilitate the continuation of diplomacy between Iran and the United States. (Al Jazeera)
- Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif arrives in Jeddah to begin a four-day diplomatic trip through Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey to push for a second round of Iran–U.S. peace talks. (Arab News PK)
- The U.S. says that it has not formally agreed to extend the ceasefire, although there is ongoing engagement between Iran and the U.S. towards a peace deal. (Al Jazeera)
- Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- The U.S. Central Command reports that ten vessels have been turned around since the start of the naval blockade of Iran. (NBC News)
- Iran's military headquarters threatens to close the Red Sea in addition to the strait if the U.S. naval blockade continues. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- A U.S. official says that over 10,000 additional U.S. military personnel, including sailors aboard USS George H. W. Bush and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, will arrive in the region later this month. (AA)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Israeli attacks on the Lebanese health sector during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict
- At least three paramedics are killed, six others are injured, and one remains missing after Israeli strikes hit incident response teams in Mayfadoun, Nabatieh Governorate, Lebanon. (AFP via LBCI)
- 2026 Israel–Lebanon peace talks
- The Israeli security cabinet convenes and does not make a decision about a ceasefire in Lebanon, following the previous day's negotiations. (Times of Israel) (Axios)
- At least 13 people are killed by Israeli attacks across Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- Lebanon's health ministry updates the total casualties to 2,167 killed and 7,061 injured. (Al Jazeera)
- Israeli attacks on the Lebanese health sector during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir says that Israel has approved plans for the continuation of military action in both Iran and Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Iran war
- Russian sabotage operations in Europe
- Swedish civil defence minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin reports that the Swedish Security Service had prevented a cyberattack on a thermal power station in West Sweden in mid-2025, identifying the perpetrators as a group linked to Russian intelligence, with no significant disruption to operations. (AFP via Macau Business)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- China–Russia relations, China in the 2026 Iran war, Russia in the 2026 Iran war
- Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov states that Russia can supply energy to China and other countries affected by disruptions in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war. (AFP via CNA)
- Iraq–Syria relations, Iraq in the 2026 Iran war, Syria in the 2026 Iran war
- Syria begins loading the first tanker carrying Iraqi oil at the Baniyas Refinery for export by sea under a bilateral arrangement to reroute shipments amid disruptions to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via SpaceWar.com)
- Norway records its highest-ever crude oil export value in March, reaching 57.4 billion kroner (US$6.08 billion) for 56.6 million barrels, contributing to a trade surplus of 97.5 billion kroner ($10.3 billion) amid a global fuel crisis. (Bloomberg)
- South Korea secures imports of 273 million barrels of crude oil (by the end of the year) and 2.1 million tons of naphtha through alternative routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, providing several months of supply amid disruptions linked to the Iran war. (AFP via SpaceWar.com)
- China–Russia relations, China in the 2026 Iran war, Russia in the 2026 Iran war
- The Iraqi transport ministry announces that Iraqi Airways will resume flights to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, beginning tomorrow and Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday. (Iraqi News)
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- The BBC announces that it will cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs, around 1-in-10 employees, citing the need to address "significant financial pressures". (Variety)
- Shoe company Allbirds announces it will be pivoting to providing computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence, with plans to rename itself to "NewBird AI". The company's shares rose nearly 600% on the news. (CNBC)
International relations
- Evacuations during the 2026 Iran war, Iran–Sri Lanka relations, Sinking of IRIS Dena
- Sri Lanka repatriates 238 Iranian sailors from the IRIS Bushehr and the wrecked IRIS Dena, after providing temporary shelter on humanitarian grounds. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- Humanitarian impact of the Sudanese civil war
- Donors pledge €1.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) in foreign aid for Sudan at an international conference in Berlin, Germany, marking the third anniversary of the beginning of Sudan's civil war, as participants also discuss efforts to advance ceasefire negotiations. (Al Jazeera)
- North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- International Atomic Energy Agency director general Rafael Grossi reports increased activity at multiple nuclear facilities in North Korea, including the Nyongbyon site, indicating expanded capacity to produce nuclear weapons. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
- Israel–Somaliland relations, International recognition of Somaliland
- Israel appoints Michael Lotem as the first Israeli ambassador to Somaliland, months after Israel officially recognised the breakaway region in Somalia. Lotem previously served as the Israeli ambassador to Kenya. (Al Jazeera) (Garowe Online) (Horseed Media)
Law and crime
- 2026 Onikişubat school shooting
- Nine people are killed and 13 others are injured in a mass shooting at a school in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. The perpetrator dies by suicide. It is the deadliest school shooting in Turkish history. (Reuters)
- Chinese intelligence activity abroad
- Corruption in Papua New Guinea
- Papua New Guinea tightens security at military bases and imposes movement restrictions after a group of soldiers sets up roadblocks in Port Moresby to protest alleged irregularities in army recruitment linked to former defence minister Billy Joseph, who is under investigation. (AFP via SpaceWar.com)
- Organised crime in Indonesia
- Indonesian police announce the arrest of six suspects for trafficking endangered Komodo dragons sourced from East Nusa Tenggara and intended for export to Thailand, and detain two additional individuals for smuggling pangolin scales. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- A court in Nairobi, Kenya, sentences a Chinese national to one year in prison and imposes a fine after he pleads guilty to attempting to smuggle more than 2,200 ants out of Kenya without authorization. (AFP via CP24)
Politics and elections
- Reactions to the 2026 Iran war
- The U.S. Senate rejects the War Powers Resolution by a 52–47 vote in the fourth Democratic-led attempt to stop hostilities until they are authorized by the U.S. Congress. (Reuters)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian tells French president Emmanuel Macron that the Islamabad Talks did not lead to a deal because the United States took "maximalist positions" and had a "lack of goodwill". (Al Jazeera)
- Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif says that he will visit fellow mediators in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Ankara, Turkey, to push for a second round of talks between Iran and the U.S. (Al Jazeera)
- U.S. president Donald Trump reportedly tells the New York Post that a second round of talks between Iran and the U.S. could occur within the next two days. (CNBC)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- At least three oil tankers pass through the strait, including the Panama-flagged Peace Gulf, which took the new route through Iranian waters as instructed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (Al Jazeera)
- Saudi Arabia asks the U.S. to end its naval blockade of the strait. (AA)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Lebanon war
- 2026 Israel–Lebanon peace talks
- Israeli and Lebanese officials meet in Washington, D.C., U.S., for the first direct peace talks between the countries in decades, with Israel prioritizing Hezbollah's disarmament and Lebanon limiting its mandate to ceasefire discussions. (AFP via The Economic Times)
- At the Washington meeting, Israeli and Lebanese officials agree to begin direct negotiations in the future. (AA)
- Three people are killed by an Israeli raid in Adloun, Sidon District, Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Israel–Lebanon peace talks
- Gaza war
- Palestinian tunnel warfare in the Gaza Strip
- The Israeli military announces that troops from the 205th Brigade and Yahalom have destroyed four Hamas tunnels over the weekend. (The Jerusalem Post)
- Four people, including a three-year-old, are killed and nine others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a police vehicle in Gaza City. (Reuters)
- Two people, including a 14-year-old, are killed by Israeli gunfire in North Gaza Governorate. (Reuters)
- Palestinian tunnel warfare in the Gaza Strip
- 2026 Iran war
- Sudanese civil war
- Darfur campaign
- Médecins Sans Frontières reports that two people are killed and 56 injured following five drone strikes by the Sudanese military in West Darfur and Central Darfur, Sudan. (ReliefWeb)
- United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher reports that around 700 people have been killed in drone strikes in Sudan since the year started as the conflict enters its fourth year. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- Darfur campaign
- War on drugs
- Operation Southern Spear, United States strikes on alleged drug traffickers during Operation Southern Spear
- Four people are killed in an airstrike carried out by the United States Navy against an alleged drug boat in the eastern Pacific. (Al Jazeera)
- Operation Southern Spear, United States strikes on alleged drug traffickers during Operation Southern Spear
- Anglophone Crisis, Pastoral visits of Pope Leo XIV
- Ambazonian militant groups announce a temporary ceasefire in Cameroon after nearly a decade of conflict in anticipation of Pope Leo XIV's visit on April 15. (Vatican News)
- Nigerian bandit conflict
- Eleven kidnapping victims, including two NDLEA personnel, are rescued and several suspected bandits are arrested by the Nigerian Army in raids across Nigeria. (The Punch)
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- Four people are killed and at least 25 others are injured in a Russian drone attack in Dnipro, Ukraine. (RTÉ)
- Somali Civil War
- In a joint operation with international support, Somali military and Jubaland regional forces kill at least 27 al-Shabaab militants in the semi-autonomous state of Jubaland. (Reuters)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- Oil prices decline, with West Texas Intermediate for May delivery falling 6.2% to US$92.94 per barrel and Brent Crude decreasing 3.77% to $95.61, amid expectations of reduced tensions in the Middle East. (AFP via NAMPA)
- The Pakistani energy ministry announces daily power outages of about two hours during evening peak demand periods throughout the country, except in Hyderabad and Karachi, to reduce fuel costs and limit tariff increases amid higher energy prices linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via CNA)
- American stocks, including the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite, rise amidst the possibility of renewed Iran–U.S. talks. (CNBC)
- Stocks in the United Kingdom increase amidst hopes of new Iran–U.S. talks. (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
Disasters and accidents
- At least 14 people are killed and 20 others are injured in an explosion at a privately-owned power station in Chhattisgarh, India. (India Today)
- Twelve people are killed and hundreds of homes are damaged after heavy rains across Haiti. (AP)
- Eleven people are killed and another is injured when a van collides with a cement mixer in Thane district, Maharashtra, India. (Hindustan Times)
International relations
- Reactions to the 2026 Iran war, Israel–Italy relations
- Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni announces that Italy is suspending the automatic renewal of an agreement with Israel on exchanging military equipment and technology "in view of the current situation." (Al Jazeera)
- Norway–Ukraine relations
- The Norwegian government announces that Ukraine will produce drones in the country as part of a bilateral defence cooperation agreement. Norway will support the production of Ukrainian drones, while Ukraine will share data, information and knowledge of the technology with Norway. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- Chinese property sector crisis (2020–present)
- The founder of the property development company Evergrande Hui Ka Yan pleads guilty to several charges, including fundraising fraud and illegally taking public deposits, at a trial in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. (ABC News Australia)
- 2026 Siverek school shooting
- An 18-year-old man opens fire at a school in Siverek, Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey, wounding 16 people, before killing himself. (CNN)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Irish fuel protests
- In the Republic of Ireland, the Government of the 34th Dáil wins a no confidence vote tabled by Sinn Féin over its handling of recent fuel protests. (BBC News)
- Constitutional crisis in Somalia, Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
- The Somali federal government fails to ensure the timely succession of the Federal Parliament, as its term expired on 14 April. The lapse creates significant uncertainty, with no clear plan for forthcoming elections following a series of constitutional crises. (Bloomberg) (Garowe Online) (Hiiraan Online)
- Greenland's former prime minister Múte Bourup Egede is appointed as the new foreign minister. (Reuters)
- Papuan soldiers block several roads across Port Moresby, protesting the military's recent recruitment controversies. (NBC PNG)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign, Naval blockade of Iran
- In a notice to seafarers, the U.S. Central Command announces that a blockade of Iranian ports is now in effect, with all unauthorized vessels in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz subject to interdiction. (Al Jazeera)
- Three ships successfully cross the Strait of Hormuz since the blockade was announced, including Marshall Islands-flagged vessel New Future, Vietnam-flagged NV Sunshine, and Panama-flagged tanker Auroura, which was recently sanctioned by the United States for its links to Iranian oil trading. (Bloomberg) (Caspian Post)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign, Naval blockade of Iran
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif says that the ceasefire is still in force and efforts are still underway to end the war despite the recent talks ending without an agreement. (Arab News PK)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Battle of Bint Jbeil (2026)
- The Israeli army claims to have killed over 100 Hezbollah fighters during the battle in Bint Jbeil. (Al Jazeera)
- At least six people are killed by Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon, including at an International Red Cross location in Tyre. (Al Jazeera)
- Battle of Bint Jbeil (2026)
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Operation Southern Spear, United States strikes on alleged drug traffickers during Operation Southern Spear
- Two people are killed in an airstrike carried out by the United States Navy against an alleged drug boat in the eastern Pacific. (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war
- Haitian conflict
- Insurgency in the Maghreb
- Two suicide bombers blow themself up near a police station in Blida, Algeria, wounding several people. (Le Monde)
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- A policeman is killed and four others are injured during an ambush against a polio vaccination team in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (Dunya News)
Business and economy
- 2026 Cuban crisis
- Spanish airline Iberia announces the suspension of flights to Cuba from June to late October due to fuel supply constraints and reduced passenger demand linked to the U.S.-imposed oil blockade of the country. The airline states that it plans to resume operations in November if conditions improve. (AFP via The Economic Times)
- 2026 Philippine energy crisis
- Philippine president Bongbong Marcos suspends excises on kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas to reduce household fuel costs amid rising global oil prices linked to the Iran war. (Reuters)
- Chinese property sector crisis
- A court in Beijing, China, orders the liquidation of Zhongzhi Enterprise Group and more than 300 affiliated companies through a consolidated bankruptcy process, with creditors instructed to submit claims by June 10. (Reuters)
- Chevron Corporation signs two agreements with the government of Venezuela to expand its operations in the oil-producing Orinoco Belt region. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- Eleven people are killed after a cement mixer truck collided with a van in Thane district, India. (The Indian Express)
- Five people are killed after two cars collided into each other head-on in Kings County, California, United States. (Fox News)
Health and environment
- Hippopotamuses in Colombia
- Colombian environment minister Irene Vélez Torres approves the cull of dozens of wild hippos brought to the country by drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s with Torres saying up to 80 will be killed out of an estimated population of about 200, citing the need to protect local villagers and native species. (AP)
International relations
- Algeria–Holy See relations, Pastoral visits of Pope Leo XIV
- Pope Leo XIV arrives in Algiers, marking the first papal visit to Algeria. He will visit Souk Ahras, the birthplace and home of St. Augustine of Hippo, namesake of the Augustinian Order, which Pope Leo is a part of. (AP)
- Bahrain–Iraq relations
- The Bahraini foreign ministry summons the chargé d'affaires of Iraq over "continued malicious drone attacks" against the country and other Gulf Cooperation Council states from Iraqi territory. (Al Jazeera)
- Iran–Russia relations, Russia in the 2026 Iran war
- Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov states that Russia is prepared to receive Iran's enriched uranium as part of a potential agreement with the United States, following unsuccessful negotiations between Iran and the U.S. (AFP via Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Law and crime
- Gaza war protests
- Gaza war protests in the United States
- Demonstrators in New York City, U.S., are detained during a anti-Israel protest calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. Additionally, protesters also oppose the US-Israel strikes in Iran and Lebanon war. (Reuters)
- Gaza war protests in the United States
- Corruption in Spain
- Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, is charged with influence peddling and corruption in the private sector. (Bloomberg)
- Lafarge scandal
- A court in Paris, France, convicts cement company Lafarge and several former executives, including former CEO Bruno Lafont, for financing the Islamic State and other Syrian armed groups between 2013 and 2014, imposing fines, asset forfeiture, and prison sentences. (Al Jazeera)
- Three people are killed and four more injured in a mass shooting during a family dispute inside a mosque in Khinjan District, Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. (Amu TV)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Beninese presidential election
- Provisional results reveal that finance minister Romuald Wadagni won in a landslide victory with 94% of the vote. (Reuters)
- By-elections to the 45th Canadian Parliament
- Following victories in three federal by-elections, the Liberal Party of Canada wins a majority government nearly a year after the 2025 Canadian federal election. (Reuters)
Sports
- Boycott of Russia and Belarus
- World Aquatics says that they will allow athletes from Belarus and Russia to compete under their national anthems and flag. (ESPN)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- U.S. president Donald Trump announces a U.S. naval blockade of Iran and the strait "effective immediately," which will "seek and interdict" any vessel that paid Iran's toll to cross the strait. (Axios)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia announces the restoration of its East–West Crude Oil Pipeline and other energy facilities following an Iranian attack. (AFP via New Straits Times) (Reuters)
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- The initial three rounds of ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States conclude in Islamabad, Pakistan, after 14 hours. However, the Iranian government says that negotiations will continue. (AA) (Reuters)
- U.S. vice president JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the ceasefire talks, says that the two sides have not reached a deal to end the war, with disagreement over nuclear weapon development, and that the U.S. made its "final and best offer" and stated "We'll see if the Iranians accept it". (Al Jazeera) (NBC News)
- Pakistani deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar urges Iran and the U.S. to uphold their commitment to observe a ceasefire after Vance said that both sides didn't reach an agreement. Dar also says that Pakistan will continue to play its role in facilitating engagement and dialogue between both sides. (Arab News PK)
- Pakistani sources say that the major disagreements during the talks were Iran's nuclear program, missile program, restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, and calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon. (MENA via The New Arab)
- The Iranian government updates the death toll in Iran to 3,375 people. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- At least 24 people are killed by Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Gaza war
- The Israeli military claims that they have killed several Hamas terrorists who took part in hostage-taking during the October 7 attacks, including Nukhba commander Ali Sami Mohammad Shakra, in a strike in central Gaza yesterday that killed seven people. (The Jerusalem Post) (The Times of Israel)
- Gaza war
- 2026 Iran war
- Three Pakistan Coast Guard personnel are killed when Balochistan Liberation Army militants open fire on a patrol boat in the Arabian Sea near the Iran–Pakistan border. (Reuters)
Arts and culture
- 2026 Laurence Olivier Awards
- In theatre, Punch wins Best New Play and Paddington: The Musical wins seven prizes, including Best New Musical, at the 2026 Laurence Olivier Awards. (AP) (Reuters)
International relations
- Azerbaijan–Iran relations
- Azerbaijan's embassy in Tehran resumes its operations during the ceasefire, initially with a limited staff. (AA)
- Iraq–Saudi Arabia relations
- The Saudi foreign ministry summons the ambassador of Iraq over "continued attacks and threats" against it and other Gulf Arab states from Iraqi territory. (AA)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Peruvian general election
- Peruvians vote to elect 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 60 members of a newly created senate, while also determining the top two presidential candidates that will advance to a run-off election. (AP)
- Peruvian police and prosecutors conduct searches at the electoral authority's headquarters and a private company as part of an investigation into delays in delivering voting materials that prevent more than 60,000 people from voting. Officials attribute the issue to logistical failures affecting multiple polling stations in Lima. The electoral authority later announces that some polling stations will reopen. (AFP via Free Malaysia Today) (AFP via NAMPA)
- Exit polls show Popular Force's Keiko Fujimori leading the presidential election with about 16 percent of the vote, with no candidate securing a majority and a run-off expected between Fujimori and Popular Renewal's Rafael López Aliaga. (AFP with Le Monde)
- 2026 Beninese presidential election
- Beninese citizens vote to elect a president that will succeed the incumbent Patrice Talon and serve for the next seven years. Finance minister Romuald Wadagni and FCBE candidate Paul Hounkpè are the only two candidates on the ballot. (Reuters)
- 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election
- Hungarians vote to elect all 199 members of the National Assembly. The incumbent prime minister, Viktor Orbán, who was seeking a fifth consecutive term in office, concedes defeat and calls Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar on the telephone to congratulate him on his victory. The pro-European Tisza Party wins two-thirds of the seats in Hungary's legislature. The turnout is the highest since the fall of communism, at 77.8%. (BBC) (The Guardian)
- 2026 Iraqi presidential election
- Nizar Amidi, elected the previous day, takes office as President of Iraq, succeeding Abdul Latif Rashid. (Qatar News Agency)
Sports
- 2026 Masters Tournament
- In golf, Rory McIlroy wins back-to-back titles at the Masters Tournament. (The Guardian)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- The delegations of the Iran and the United States arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, for ceasefire talks, the highest-level engagement between the two countries since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, with the Iranian delegation led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and the U.S. delegation led by vice president JD Vance. (Arab News PK)
- The first round of talks end without a peace deal, but is expected to continue into Sunday night. (CNBC)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- U.S. president Donald Trump says that the U.S. has begun "clearing out" naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. (AA)
- The U.S. Central Command confirms that the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Frank Peterson and USS Michael Murphy have crossed the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the strait is clear of naval mines. (The Times of Israel) (Reuters) (CENTCOM)
- India-flagged LPG gas tanker Jag Vikram crosses the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first Indian vessel to cross the Hormuz since the ceasefire. It is expected to arrive in Mumbai on April 15. (Hindustan Times)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- At least ten people, including three emergency workers, are killed by Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- The Israeli army has reportedly encircled Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon. (DPA via Yahoo News)
- Israel rejects a ceasefire with Hezbollah. (Al Jazeera)
- The Lebanese government reports that the death toll from the war has surpassed 2,000 people. (Middle East Eye)
- 2026 Lebanon war
- 2026 Iran war
- Boko Haram insurgency
- 2026 Yobe State airstrike
- At least 200 people are feared dead after a Nigerian Air Force airstrike accidentally hits a market instead of Boko Haram militants in Yobe State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
- 2026 Yobe State airstrike
- Sudanese civil war
- Darfur campaign
- It is reported that a prominent senior North Darfur commander in the Rapid Support Forces has defected to the Sudanese Army. (Sudan Tribune)
- Operation Southern Spear, United States strikes on alleged drug traffickers during Operation Southern Spear
- Five people are killed in two airstrikes carried out by the United States Navy against an alleged drug boat in the eastern Pacific. (The Guardian)
- Darfur campaign
- Russo-Ukrainian war
- Russia and Ukraine announce a 32-hour ceasefire in observation of Orthodox Easter, alongside a prisoner exchange of 175 servicemen. (Reuters)
- Yemeni civil war
- The Yemeni Army and Houthis engage in intense fighting in the As-Silw district in Taiz Governorate, Yemen, killing two soldiers. Additionally, the Yemeni Army says that it repelled a Houthi attack. (Yemen Monitor)
Disasters and accidents
- Citadelle Laferrière crowd crush
- At least 30 people are killed after a stampede at the Citadelle Laferrière in Nord, Haiti. (Sky News)
- The Afghan disaster authority says that the death toll from recent floods in Afghanistan rises to 178 with 236 people injured, including 22 more deaths recorded in 24 hours. (Khaama Press)
- At least 13 people are killed and 30 others are injured when a bus crashes into two trucks in Katihar district, Bihar, India. (Hindustan Times)
- A speeding truck crashes into at least 22 vehicles and a village gym in Davao City, Philippines, killing six people and injuring six others. (Brigada News)
International relations
- Pakistan–Qatar relations, Pakistan–United Arab Emirates relations, Saudi Arabia–Pakistan relations
- Pakistan announces that Qatar and Saudi Arabia will provide US$5 billion in financial assistance to support the country's foreign exchange reserves and enable it to repay $3.5 billion of debt to the United Arab Emirates by the end of April. (AA)
Politics and elections
- Protests against the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iranian diaspora protests
- Amidst the Islamabad ceasefire talks, Iranian diaspora protesters gather in Bangkok, Thailand to reaffirm their calls for regime change. (Thai Examiner)
- Anti-war and anti-government protests against prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu occur across Israel, including 2,000 protesters at Habima Square in Tel Aviv that exceeded court-ordered limits. Protests also occur in Jerusalem and Haifa. (Times of Israel)
- 2026 Iranian diaspora protests
- 2026 Djiboutian presidential election
- Preliminary results released after yesterday's presidential election reveal that incumbent president Ismaïl Omar Guelleh has won a sixth term in office with 97.81% of the vote, beating CDU candidate Mohamed Farah Samatar, who took 2.19% of the vote. (AP) (France 24)
- 2026 Iraqi presidential election
- The Council of Representatives elects PUK candidate Nizar Amidi as president of Iraq in the second round, defeating Muthana Amin of the Kurdistan Islamic Union in a 227–15 vote. (Kurdistan24) (AA)
Sports
- 2026 Grand National
- In horse racing, I Am Maximus, ridden by Irish jockey Paul Townend, wins this year's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, England, becoming the second horse since Red Rum to win the Grand National twice. (BBC News)
- 2026 Masters Tournament
- In golf, Shane Lowry becomes the first player to accomplish multiple holes in one in the Masters Tournament. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says that peace talks with the United States will not begin until there is a ceasefire in Lebanon and Iranian assets are unfrozen. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
- The Kuwaiti military reports that several national guard personnel were injured by Iranian drones. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- The Pakistani military evacuates the crew of a merchant vessel in the Arabian Sea following a distress call. (Al Jazeera)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Israel launches attacks across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, killing at least 21 people, including 13 Lebanese State Security personnel in Nabatieh. (Al Jazeera) (AA) (Al Jazeera)
- Hezbollah fires at least thirty rockets at Kiryat Shmona, Metula, Misgav Am, and Ashdod Naval Base in Israel, saying that it was a response to ceasefire violations. (Al Jazeera) (Al Jazeera)
- Israeli chief of staff Eyal Zamir says that the military is in a "state of war" in Lebanon despite the ceasefire with Iran, while visiting Israeli troops deployed near Bint Jbeil. (AA)
- Preliminary talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials are planned for next week in Washington, D.C., United States. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Lebanon war
- 2026 Iran war
- Afghan conflict
- At least 10 people are killed and several others are injured after gunmen open fire in Injil District, Herat Province, Afghanistan. (KabulNow)
Arts and culture
- Over 100,000 Muslims worship at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Temple Mount, East Jerusalem, after it reopens for the first time after Israel closed the site at the start of the Gaza war. (Times of Israel)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- Protests over fuel prices are held in Ireland and Norway. (The Guardian)
- The parliament of South Korea approves a supplementary budget worth ₩26.2 trillion (US$17.7 billion) to address the economic effects of the war, which includes cash assistance to 35 million South Koreans. (AA)
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
Disasters and accidents
- At least ten people are killed, 13 others are injured, and several are reported missing when a boat carrying a group of devotees capsizes in the Yamuna river in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. (The Times of India)
- The remains of the two individuals in a Cessna 172 aircraft, which crashed into a mountain in Tubajon, Dinagat Islands, Philippines, while en route to Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte on April 8, are recovered by the authorities. (PNA via Manila Bulletin) (ABS-CBN News)
- An Air Services Limited Cessna 208 Caravan crashes during a national cargo flight in Guyana. (Demerara Waves)
International relations
- Cross-strait relations
- Paramount leader Xi Jinping tells Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun that China will "absolutely not tolerate" independence for Taiwan, in his first meeting with a Taiwanese opposition leader in a decade. (Reuters) (CNBC)
- International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
- Mali withdraws its diplomatic recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and endorses Morocco's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- A shooting at the campus bar of Lambton College's Sarnia campus in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, kills one and injures two, with the Sarnia campus closing for the day and all activities being suspended. (CBC Windsor)
- A 20-year old was arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home and starting a fire. Altman was uninjured. (The Guardian)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Djiboutian presidential election
- Djiboutians vote to elect a president to serve for the next five years. Incumbent president Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is running for a sixth term. (Al Jazeera) (Reuters)
Science and technology
- Artemis program
- NASA's Artemis II spacecraft completes its mission and splashes down in the northern Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, U.S. (The Guardian) (Space.com)


