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US vice-president JD Vance is expected to travel to Islamabad with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for high-stakes talks with Iran as a fragile ceasefire approaches expiry. The discussions could take place on Wednesday if Tehran participates, after Iranian negotiators received approval from the supreme leader to attend following uncertainty and internal pressure to maintain a hardline stance.

The talks take place as Donald Trump warned the two-week ceasefire ends Wednesday evening Washington time and indicated bombing could restart if no agreement is reached, though he also signalled he would not rush into a bad deal. Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian cited deep mistrust of US intentions, while parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said negotiations could not proceed under threats.

The conflict has already disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a route carrying about one-fifth of global energy supply, increasing global attention on the outcome of the Islamabad meeting.

Sources: The Guardian, Times of India

Donald Trump said on Monday that the nuclear deal his administration is negotiating with Iran will be far better than the 2015 accord, as a two-week ceasefire nears expiry and prospects for a second round of talks in Pakistan remain unclear. He also said he was under no pressure, even as doubts persisted over whether any credible agreement could be reached quickly.

The confrontation is not only over terms but over tempo. Trump has pushed for immediate results, while Iran has stressed resilience, delay and distrust after the earlier accord was overturned in 2018 and after two US attacks during negotiations in June 2025 and this February.

The stakes extend beyond diplomacy. Renewed combat, global energy shortages and further disruption near the Strait of Hormuz remain in play if the two sides fail to narrow the gap.

Sources: Reuters, New York Times

A new annual human rights report warns that a predatory, anti-rights order is taking hold as powerful states, corporations and movements assault multilateralism, international law and civil society. Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said the moment marks a direct assault on the foundations of human rights and the international rules-based order for control, impunity and profit.

The report says 2025 was marked by predatory behaviour from powerful actors and argues that the spiralling conflict in the Middle East reflects this descent into lawlessness. It says the early 2026 US and Israeli attacks on Iran, followed by retaliatory Iranian strikes, have harmed civilian infrastructure and threatened access to energy, healthcare, food and water across the region and beyond.

Amnesty calls on states to reject appeasement, resist attacks on international law and back their words with decisive, sustained action.

Sources: DW, Amnesty

Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest overhaul of defence export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions that had limited most military exports and opening the way for overseas sales of warships, missiles and other weapons. Prime minister Sanae Takaichi said no country can safeguard its peace and security alone, while the government said the changes are intended to deepen cooperation with allies and like-minded partners.

The revision removes the five categories that had confined exports largely to nonlethal equipment and shifts decisions on lethal weapons to case-by-case review. Tokyo says it will keep strict screening, controls on third-country transfers and, in principle, a ban on sales to countries engaged in conflict, though exceptions may be allowed for security needs.

The policy aims to strengthen Japan’s defence industrial base and broaden partnerships as regional security threats grow. The Philippines welcomed the change, while Tokyo says wider exports could expand production capacity, reduce costs and support deterrence.

Sources: Japan Times, Reuters

Keir Starmer said he made the wrong judgment in appointing Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington, conceding in parliament that he should not have made the appointment. He said he would not have gone ahead had he known Mandelson had failed security vetting, and apologised again to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.

The prime minister blamed Foreign Office officials for not telling him about the failed vetting and said it was staggering that the information had been withheld from senior ministers. He denied misleading parliament and resisted calls to resign, even as opposition parties accused him of incompetence and questioned his judgment.

The row has intensified pressure on a leader already facing unrest in his own party and weak poll ratings. Starmer has already dismissed the Foreign Office’s top civil servant, Olly Robbins, and ordered a review of any security concerns linked to Mandelson’s access to sensitive information.

Sources: Associated Press, France 24

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Clean power generation rose faster than global electricity demand in 2025, allowing the world’s new power needs to be met without an increase in fossil fuel generation according to a report released by energy based think tank Ember. The shift marked a turning point in the global electricity mix, with renewables reaching 34 per cent of generation and overtaking coal’s 33 per cent share for the first time in a century.

The change was driven largely by record clean power additions in China and India, where rising output outpaced demand growth and led to declines in fossil fuel generation.

Solar was the main force behind the shift, with global generation rising 30 per cent year on year, while growth in battery storage helped extend solar supply beyond daylight hours.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Newsday

Israel’s military said on Monday that it was investigating a soldier who was photographed in southern Lebanon swinging a sledgehammer at the head of a statue of Jesus in Debl, a Christian village near the Israeli border. Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the act, said he was stunned and saddened, and vowed appropriately harsh disciplinary action.

The incident triggered condemnation in the United States and added to criticism of Israel from parts of Donald Trump’s political base. Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz were among those denouncing the image, while Catholic leaders in the Holy Land called it a grave affront to the Christian faith.

Israeli authorities said the soldier had been identified and that the army was working to help restore the statue. But the episode has widened scrutiny of attacks on Christian symbols and places of worship during the wider regional conflict.

Sources: Al Jazeera, New York Times

Four candidates began public auditions this week to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations, a far smaller field than in 2016, when António Guterres emerged from 13 contenders. The hearings come as the organisation faces questions over relevance, with deep divisions among major powers leaving it sidelined on conflicts including Ukraine, Gaza and Iran.

The four declared candidates are Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica and Macky Sall of Senegal. By tradition, Latin America is next in line for the role, though more candidates could still enter in the coming months.

The race is unfolding in a more polarised environment than a decade ago. Michelle Bachelet has already faced criticism from US conservatives, and diplomats say potential candidates are more cautious about entering a contest in which offending Washington or Beijing could carry real diplomatic cost.

Sources: Associated Press, Reuters

China said it had dispatched a naval destroyer group to the western Pacific to test operational capabilities on the same day Japan joined the annual US-Philippine Balikatan drills with combat troops for the first time. Beijing described the deployment as routine training, but the route taken by the ships passed through the Yokoate Waterway, closer to the Japanese mainland than the usual passage.

The exercises, running until May 8, involve at least 17,000 troops and are among the most complex to date. Japan is sending about 1,400 combat troops as well as warships, aircraft and Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles, while China warned against military cooperation that undermines trust, disrupts regional peace and stability, or targets third parties.

The parallel moves underline how military signalling around Japan, the Philippines and the Taiwan Strait is tightening as regional actors expand exercises and patrols.

Sources: FT, Reuters

The Trump administration began accepting claims on Monday to return more than $166 billion in tariffs that were struck down earlier this year, opening a refund process for importers that paid the duties. The money will be returned with interest, but the administration has indicated that companies may wait months to receive it.

The refunds offer relief to businesses that absorbed tariff costs or passed them on to customers, yet only the importer of record is eligible to apply. That means consumers who paid higher prices cannot seek direct repayment, and analysts say few firms are likely to rush to lower prices.

The process also begins amid continued uncertainty. Companies are still bracing for new tariffs, while the government has only just launched a new system to handle the claims. Even where refunds arrive, many businesses say they will not undo the damage already caused.

Sources: New York Times, Forbes

On this day …

On this day in 1509, Henry VIII became King of England following the death of his father, Henry VII. His reign would reshape the political and religious landscape of Britain and influence European power politics for generations.

Most notably, Henry’s decision to break with the Roman Catholic Church led to the establishment of the Church of England and permanently altered relations between monarchy, religion, and state authority.

The English Reformation strengthened royal control at home while contributing to wider religious conflict across Europe during a period already marked by profound transformation.

Did Henry VIII’s accession mark the beginning of England’s shift toward a distinctly independent political path in Europe?

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US forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it ignored repeated warnings from a guided-missile destroyer enforcing Washington’s naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump said the vessel, Touska, had attempted to bypass the blockade and was disabled after rounds were fired into its engine room before US Marines boarded and took control.

Iran accused the United States of violating a ceasefire and warned its armed forces would respond. The seizure followed renewed disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil flows, as confusion over transit rules halted nearly all traffic again and Brent crude rose more than 7 percent.

Conflicting statements from both sides also cast doubt on planned talks in Islamabad before the fragile ceasefire expires.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Bloomberg

Iran launched drone attacks targeting US military vessels in the Sea of Oman after American forces fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The reported strikes were described as retaliation for the earlier interception of the Iranian-flagged vessel Touska, which President Donald Trump said had tried to breach a US-imposed naval blockade.

The seizure and reported retaliation added to doubts over whether the fragile two-week ceasefire will hold until its scheduled end. Iran accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and said it would not join a second round of proposed talks with the United States, citing the ongoing blockade, excessive demands and shifting positions by Washington. Pakistan was preparing security arrangements in Islamabad for the planned meeting.

Sources: India Today, Iran International

Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz ground to a halt after a brief surge in crossings collapsed under renewed gunfire, Iranian restrictions and the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian vessels.

No crossings were seen on Sunday, while at least 13 oil tankers turned back on Saturday after earlier attempts to leave the Persian Gulf following comments by Abbas Araghchi that the strait was open.

Iran then shut the waterway again after the United States refused to lift its blockade, trapping millions of barrels of oil and large quantities of liquefied natural gas inside the Gulf. The disruption followed reports from the UK Maritime Trade Operations that Iranian gunboats fired at a tanker off Oman and that a container ship was hit by an unknown projectile.

The renewed closure deepened the energy crunch and left Gulf producers still dependent on steady tanker flows and unrestricted passage to restore normal export operations.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

Yemen’s Houthi movement threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as Iran launched drone attacks on US Navy vessels after diplomatic efforts to contain the war appeared to falter. The warning raised the prospect of simultaneous disruption at two critical maritime chokepoints after Iran reclosed the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthis signalled pressure on the Red Sea gateway.

A closure of Bab el-Mandeb would sever Saudi Arabia’s only remaining oil export route. The kingdom has been shipping up to 7 million barrels of crude a day through Yanbu since the Iran conflict shut Ras Tanura, its main Gulf export terminal.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency said Tehran’s target list now included the pipeline carrying Saudi oil to Yanbu, the UAE’s export terminal at Fujairah and a full closure of Bab el-Mandeb. Tehran also denied agreeing to a second round of talks in Islamabad.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Times of India

British counterterror police are investigating whether a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites in London was carried out by Iranian proxies, after fires damaged synagogues, Jewish charity property and sites linked to the community. No injuries were reported in the latest attack, which caused minor smoke damage at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow on Saturday night.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said investigators were examining claims by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which has claimed responsibility for several incidents and may have links to Iran.

Police have increased patrols in northwest London after attacks within a few kilometres of each other, including the torching of four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in Golders Green last month. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis described the attacks as a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer called them abhorrent.

Sources: NPR, CBS News

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Rumen Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria party was headed for a decisive win in Bulgaria’s parliamentary election, with more than 60% of votes counted showing it on about 45% and well ahead of its main rivals. The result in the country’s eighth general election in five years could ease a period of instability marked by weak coalitions and repeated returns to the polls.

Radev, a former president who stepped down in January to form the new movement, campaigned on corruption, stable government and domestic renewal after protests brought down the previous administration.

He said Bulgaria should build “a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe” and continue on its European path, while remaining critical of military support for Ukraine and of EU sanctions on Russia. Although his party’s performance was one of the strongest by a single force in a generation, he said on Sunday evening that he was looking for coalition partners.

Sources: BBC, Reuters

Finance officials at the IMF and World Bank spring meetings confronted how little they could do to shield economies from the latest geopolitical shock, as war-related disruption in the Gulf darkened the global outlook. Optimism briefly rose when it appeared the Strait of Hormuz might reopen, but that faded after new attacks on shipping, leaving officials again focused on energy prices, supply disruption and the risk of wider recession.

The IMF and World Bank pledged up to $150 billion in new financing for developing countries hit hardest by the energy shock, while warning against oil hoarding and broad fuel subsidies.

Yet participants acknowledged the decisive developments were unfolding outside Washington. The IMF said its 2026 global growth forecast of 3.1% was already outdated and that the world economy was drifting towards a more adverse 2.5% scenario, with prolonged war carrying recession risk.

Sources: Reuters, Wall Street Journal

Spain will ask the European Union on Tuesday to terminate its association agreement with Israel, in one of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s sharpest escalations yet against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Speaking at a rally in Andalusia, Sánchez said Madrid would take the proposal to a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, arguing that a government violating international law or the principles of the EU cannot remain a partner.

The move follows earlier Spanish calls to suspend the agreement and comes as Sánchez presses other European countries to support tougher action. The proposal does not start in isolation, with several member states having backed similar initiatives, but its path remains difficult.

Ending the agreement would require unanimity among the EU’s 27 member countries, and opposition is expected from a bloc led by Germany.

Sources: Euronews, Politico Europe

Australia and Japan have signed contracts for the first three of 11 next-generation warships for the Australian navy, deepening defence cooperation between two close US allies in the Asia-Pacific. Defence ministers Richard Marles and Koizumi Shinjiro signed the agreement in Melbourne, where both sides also backed closer industrial cooperation under a pact known as the Mogami Memorandum.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build the first three frigates in Japan, while Austal will construct the remaining eight in Western Australia. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in December 2029 and is expected to enter service in 2030. Marles said the ships would help secure Australia’s maritime trade routes and northern approaches, while Koizumi said closer coordination was becoming more important in an increasingly severe security environment.

The deal adds to a broader expansion of military cooperation between Canberra and Tokyo amid shared concerns over the regional security landscape.

Sources: Al Jazeera, ABC News

Eight children were killed in a domestic shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the suspect later died after police pursued a carjacked vehicle into neighbouring Bossier Parish. Authorities identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins and said seven of the children killed were his, while the eighth was a cousin. The children were aged 3 to 11, according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office.

Police said two women were seriously wounded and that the violence unfolded across multiple locations early on Sunday. Officers responded just after 6 a.m., and investigators said the shooting was domestic in nature, with Elkins believed to be the only person who fired.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as maybe the worst tragic situation the city has ever had, while police said they had not identified a motive. Louisiana State Police are investigating the suspect’s death after officers opened fire.

Sources:NBC, Washington Post

On this day …

On this day in 1999, two students carried out a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, killing 13 people before taking their own lives.

At the time, the attack shocked the United States and dominated global headlines, shaping debate about school security, youth violence, and firearm access for years afterward.

A generation later, however, the tragedy is also remembered as an early marker of a pattern that would become disturbingly familiar. With mass shootings now recorded regularly each year and hundreds of firearm incidents reported on school property in recent statistics, the sense of exceptional shock that followed Columbine has gradually faded.

How is it that we seem to have become accustomed to this sort of event?

The result was not an immediate turning point so much as a redistribution of strain across the international system and what could be the start of a meaningful realignment of great power positioning.

By the end of the week, the Iran conflict appeared to be moving into a phase defined less by direct confrontation and more by negotiation conducted alongside continuing coercive measures. Talks between the United States and Iran moved intermittently forward through mediators including Pakistan, even as Washington maintained its blockade of Iranian maritime access and continued to insist that Tehran could not obtain a nuclear weapon.

At the same time, diplomacy widened around the edges of the conflict. A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon created space for direct contacts between the two governments, although Israel retained troops in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was not formally part of the agreement.

On the periphery China seemed to be continuing to burnish its reputation for stability and calm as it rides out this crisis well prepared and offers both an alternative global geopolitical leadership & financial orientation away from long established dollar dominance.

Even if a peace agreement is made without further conflict, enormous structural damage has been done in Iran, the Gulf States, Israel and Lebanon with reconstruction seen as a prize worth having.

Together, these developments suggested that negotiations were beginning to shape the conflict environment and while not yet resolving the underlying disagreements that produced it perhaps starting to shine a glimmer on post conflict opportunities.

Even as diplomatic activity increased, governments and markets continued adjusting to disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. European leaders began preparing a defensive maritime initiative to secure navigation once conditions allowed, while commercial operators remained cautious about the timing of any return to normal traffic.

Elsewhere, countries in Asia responded by strengthening alternative supply arrangements. Malaysia and Australia confirmed plans to maintain oil and gas flows between them, reflecting efforts to compensate for disruptions linked to the conflict.

The United States also increased crude oil exports as buyers in Asia and Europe sought replacements for Middle Eastern supply, illustrating how quickly global energy routes were being reorganised around the new environment.

Rather than waiting for stability to return, both governments & markets appeared to be planning for continued uncertainty.

The week also revealed growing differences among Western partners over how to respond to developments around Iran. Britain and France declined to participate in the US maritime blockade while continuing to explore a separate defensive initiative focused on protecting shipping once conditions allowed.

At the same time, Washington indicated that previously agreed weapons deliveries to several European countries would likely be delayed because of demands created by the Iran conflict alongside existing commitments linked to Ukraine and Israel.

These developments did not signal a break inside the alliance, but they did underline how the conflict was redistributing military resources and shaping different national assessments of risk and priority.

Political developments across Europe suggested a more subtle shift in how some right-of-centre governments positioned themselves in relation to the United States. Italy’s decision to suspend renewal of its defence agreement with Israel followed tensions linked to the Lebanon conflict, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also publicly criticised remarks by Donald Trump about Pope Leo.

In Hungary, Viktor Orbán’s defeat, seen as a blow for both the US and Russia, ended one of the European Union’s most persistent internal veto points and was followed by strong indications from the new leader, Péter Magyar that Budapest could allow progress on a €90 billion Ukraine financing package.

These moves did not represent a shift away from conservative politics, but they did indicate a willingness among some European leaders to prioritise national and regional positioning over alignment with Washington’s current approach to the conflict and to the more radical elements of MAGA itself.

While attention remained focused on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, other conflicts continued to evolve in ways that reinforced the wider sense of instability. Russia carried out one of its deadliest attacks on Ukraine in months using hundreds of drones and missiles against several cities, as Kyiv warned of shortages in air-defence interceptors.

At the same time, although donors pledged more than £1 billion in humanitarian assistance for Sudan prospects remain bleak as the country entered a fourth year of war with no ceasefire in sight.

Together these developments illustrated how multiple conflicts continued to compete for both public & diplomatic attention and military resources even as the Iran crisis dominated headlines.

Across the week as a whole, the most striking feature was not a decisive change in any single theatre but the accumulation of adjustments across several. Negotiations advanced without resolving underlying disputes, supply routes were reorganised rather than restored, and political positioning shifted gradually rather than dramatically.

The result was a week that suggested tentative stabilisation in some areas, but also confirmed how widely the consequences of the conflict were already shaping the international landscape.

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A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect on Friday, pausing fighting with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group and supporting wider efforts to extend a fragile truce involving the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump announced the agreement and invited the leaders of both countries to the White House for meaningful talks, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel would keep troops inside southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah was not formally part of the agreement but signalled its response would depend on how developments unfold. Israel retained the right to act in self-defence but said it would halt offensive operations against Lebanese targets under the terms of the deal.

The ceasefire followed direct diplomatic contacts between the two governments and comes amid uncertainty over whether fighting will resume after the 10-day period, with hundreds of thousands of Lebanese still displaced and broader negotiations with Iran continuing in parallel.

Sources: Associated Press, New York Times

Donald Trump said a second round of talks with Iran could take place this weekend, as both sides try to turn a fragile truce into a permanent ceasefire before the current pause expires on April 21. He said he hoped an extension would not be necessary and repeated his claim that Tehran had agreed it could not obtain a nuclear weapon.

The diplomatic push is unfolding alongside continuing military and economic pressure. Trump said the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz had been effective in bringing Iran to the table, while Pakistan continued mediation efforts after army chief Asim Munir met Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said Tehran was cautiously optimistic and hoped for a meaningful outcome, but no date has been set for the next round of talks.

Sources: Times of Israel, NHK

European leaders are preparing a naval initiative to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as Britain and France host a summit with about 40 nations to discuss a “strictly defensive” mission to ensure freedom of navigation.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said reopening the strait was a global responsibility to restore energy and trade flows, though the deployment would only proceed once conditions allow.

Planning reflects both the continued closure of the strait since the conflict began in late February and differences within Europe over the role of the United States. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin was ready in principle to help secure shipping routes but wanted to discuss possible US participation, while French officials said their planning did not include US forces. Commercial shippers remain doubtful passage can be made safe until the conflict is resolved.

Sources: Bloomberg, Politico Europe

Malaysia and Australia pledged to maintain oil and gas flows between them as disruptions linked to the Iran war squeeze regional fuel supplies and force governments across Asia to seek alternatives. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Australia had assured Malaysia that gas supply commitments would be honoured, while both countries agreed to strengthen energy trade after meeting domestic needs.

The agreement reflects broader regional adjustments after shipments from the Middle East were disrupted following Tehran’s move to choke access to the Strait of Hormuz.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia had already secured an additional 100 million litres of diesel from shipments sourced from Brunei and South Korea and confirmed existing contracts with Malaysia would be honoured despite disruptions.

Analysts said the deal highlighted a new phase of regional cooperation as economies adapt to uncertainty in global energy supply.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Reuters

The United States has told some European counterparts that previously contracted weapons deliveries will likely be delayed as the war with Iran continues to draw on American weapons stocks. Several countries in the Baltic region and Scandinavia are affected, according to the sources, with some bordering Russia and treating delivery schedules as sensitive defence information.

The delayed equipment includes various kinds of ammunition purchased under the Foreign Military Sales programme, including munitions that can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes. European officials say the delays are putting them in a difficult position, particularly as countries in the region view weapons supplies as a matter of national security and also share weapons with Ukraine.

The disruption underlines how the Iran war is stretching US supplies already reduced by support for Ukraine since 2022 and military operations linked to Israel since late 2023.

Sources: Reuters, RBC Ukraine

Russia launched more than 700 drones and missiles at cities across Ukraine overnight, killing at least 18 people and wounding at least 100 in what local officials described as the deadliest attack in months. The strikes hit Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, with direct damage to residential buildings and other civilian sites, while local authorities said search and rescue operations were still under way.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 659 drones and 44 cruise and ballistic missiles in the previous 24 hours, adding that 636 drones and 31 missiles were shot down but direct hits were recorded in 26 locations. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack showed there should be no easing of sanctions on Moscow and warned earlier this week that Ukraine faced a critical shortage of Patriot air defence missiles.

The assault came as the wider war entered its fifth year and efforts to secure more military support continued.

Sources: BBC, Euronews

General Stephen Whiting, head of US Space Command, said Russia is considering placing a nuclear anti-satellite weapon in orbit that could threaten satellites in low Earth orbit and cause widespread disruption. He said the United States was very concerned and described the plan as part of increased Russian activity in space since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Whiting said Russia has also carried out sustained satellite communication and GPS jamming on a large scale, affecting civil aviation in eastern and southern Europe. A nuclear detonation in low Earth orbit could destroy and degrade as many as 10,000 satellites, while also disrupting civilian satellite communications for internet, mobile phones and GPS services.

Such a move would violate the Outer Space Treaty, to which Russia is a signatory. Whiting said the threat reflects Moscow’s effort to offset what it sees as a conventional arms advantage held by the United States and NATO.

Sources: The Times, Kyiv Post

The European Union expects to start releasing a new €90bn loan to Ukraine in the second quarter, but one budget regulation requiring unanimity remains blocked by Viktor Orbán’s veto. Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar, called on Orbán to lift what he described as a technical veto before leaving office in May, saying that should happen if oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline restart.

The European Commission is laying the groundwork to make the first transfer to Kyiv as soon as the deadlock is broken, with borrowed cash already available pending legal approval. Valdis Dombrovskis said support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia were part of the agenda at the IMF and World Bank meetings, while Friedrich Merz said the military funds under the loan must be disbursed promptly because Ukraine urgently needs them to finance its defence in the long term.

Sources: The Guardian, Euronews

Britain’s top foreign ministry official, Olly Robbins will leave his post after Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper lost confidence in him over the security vetting failure linked to Peter Mandelson’s appointment. Mandelson was granted developed vetting, Britain’s highest level of security clearance, despite a recommendation against it from the formal vetting team.

Downing Street said neither the prime minister nor any government minister knew until this week that the clearance had been granted against official advice. Once informed, Starmer ordered officials to establish why the clearance had been approved and to update parliament.

The disclosure has renewed pressure on Starmer over his handling of Mandelson, who remains under investigation over allegations that he passed confidential government information to Jeffrey Epstein.

Sources: New York Times, South China Morning Post

A federal judge ordered another halt to aboveground construction on Donald Trump’s proposed White House ballroom, ruling that the project cannot proceed without approval from Congress. Judge Richard Leon said the administration could not use a narrow national security exception to continue most of the ballroom work and wrote that national security was not a blank cheque for otherwise unlawful activity.

Leon said below-ground construction could continue, including work on a bunker Trump has described as necessary for national security, and paused his order for a week to allow time for a new appeal. The dispute centres on Trump’s plan to replace the East Wing with a 90,000-square-foot ballroom financed by at least $350 million raised from corporate donors and political allies.

Trump responded online by accusing Leon of undermining national security and delaying what he called a historic and militarily imperative project.

Sources: The Independent, New York Times

On this day …

On this day in 1961, the Bay of Pigs invasion began when Cuban exiles backed by the United States landed on Cuba’s southern coast in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro.

The operation failed within days, strengthening Castro’s position and pushing Cuba closer to the Soviet Union at a critical moment in the Cold War.

The episode damaged U.S. credibility in Latin America and helped set the stage for the Cuban Missile Crisis the following year. It became one of the defining early foreign-policy setbacks of the Kennedy administration.

Now that regime change in Cuba is being actively discussed in the halls of Washington do you think they remember the lessons learned from this failure?

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Israel continued striking Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon while opening space for a possible ceasefire, underscoring how military pressure and diplomacy are advancing at the same time. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces were focused on Bint Jbeil, which he described as a Hezbollah stronghold, and said Israel was reinforcing its security zone in southern Lebanon while negotiating with Beirut.

Israel’s security cabinet was due to meet to discuss possible ceasefire terms after more than five weeks of war. Rare direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington signalled renewed diplomatic movement, even as attacks continued on the ground.

Lebanese authorities say the conflict has killed more than 2,000 people and displaced 1.2 million, showing that any truce effort is unfolding under the umbrella of an active and still costly war.

Sources: Reuters, South China Morning Post

U.S. and Iranian negotiators made progress towards a framework agreement to end the war, according to U.S. officials, as mediators from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey worked to bridge remaining gaps before a ceasefire expires on April 21. Vice President J.D. Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner continued exchanging draft proposals with Iranian counterparts and mediators.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said discussions remained productive and further in-person negotiations were likely, possibly again in Pakistan.

President Donald Trump said negotiations could take place within days and that the war was very close to over, although officials cautioned a deal was not guaranteed and would likely require extending the ceasefire to settle details of a comprehensive agreement.

Sources: Axios, South China Morning Post

The United States has threatened secondary sanctions on countries and banks handling Iranian oil money, as Washington intensifies its maritime blockade on Iran and ends a temporary waiver that had allowed some Iranian crude already at sea to reach global markets. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said buyers of Iranian oil and banks holding Iranian funds could face punitive measures.

Washington said it believed Chinese purchases would pause under the blockade and confirmed the waiver covering Iranian shipments loaded before March 20 would expire on April 19 without renewal.

The Treasury also imposed sanctions on more than two dozen individuals, companies and vessels tied to Iran’s oil transportation infrastructure, signalling a further tightening of the maximum pressure campaign as the war enters its seventh week.

Sources: Reuters, Times of India

Donald Trump said he asked Xi Jinping not to supply weapons to Iran and said the Chinese leader responded that Beijing was not doing so, pushing the Iran war discussion directly into the run-up to their planned meeting next month. Trump also said talks with Tehran could resume this week, even as the U.S. blockade has completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea.

The exchange came as transit through the Strait of Hormuz remained constrained, with traffic still at only a fraction of the 130-plus daily crossings seen before the war, and Beijing criticised the U.S. naval blockade as dangerous and irresponsible.

The episode shows how the war is testing a fragile detente between the world’s two biggest economies just weeks before Trump is due in Beijing.

Sources: Japan Times, Bloomberg

U.S. crude exports surged to 5.2 million barrels a day last week as buyers in Asia and Europe scrambled to replace Middle East supplies disrupted by the Iran war, pushing the United States close to becoming a net crude exporter for the first time since World War Two. Net imports narrowed to 66,000 barrels a day, the lowest level in weekly records going back to 2001.

The shift reflects how sharply the war has altered global energy flows after Iranian threats to shipping stopped around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies from moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

However analysts say exports are now pushing against U.S. capacity limits, while rising foreign demand for American barrels risks feeding higher petrol and diesel prices at home and increasing political pressure for export curbs.

Sources: FT, Reuters

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A major fire at one of Australia’s two oil refineries has deepened concern over domestic petrol supplies, with Viva Energy’s Geelong plant continuing to operate at reduced rates after a 13-hour blaze. Emergency crews were called just before midnight on Wednesday, the fire was extinguished on Thursday, and no one was injured after workers were evacuated safely.

The refinery can process about 120,000 barrels a day and supplies about half of Victoria’s fuel and roughly a tenth of national fuel demand. Chris Bowen said the fire was “not great timing” as war in the Middle East strains fuel supplies, while Scott Wyatt said gasoline output was affected and production would only rise when it was safe.

Viva said it plans to replace lost production through imports, but analysts warned the risk of tighter supply and higher prices had increased.

Sources: BBC, Bloomberg

Donors pledged more than £1bn for Sudan at a Berlin conference, exceeding the target set by organisers as the country entered a fourth year of war with no ceasefire in sight. The commitments totalled £1.13bn and come as about 34 million people across Sudan require assistance, with famine, displacement and severe acute malnutrition deepening what the UN has called the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

Yet the diplomatic picture remained bleak. Neither of Sudan’s warring parties attended the conference, and attempts by the United States and regional powers to secure a ceasefire have failed.

UN Secretary António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, while British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urged a concerted international effort to stop the flow of arms into Sudan, where the war has forced 13 million people from their homes and raised warnings of spillover beyond its borders.

Sources: The Guardian, South China Morning Post

The World Bank has announced a plan to help provide reliable water services to an additional one billion people by 2030, with about 400 million to be reached through World Bank Group programmes and another 600 million through support from development banks, philanthropy and private finance.

The initiative, called Water Forward, is backed by partners including WaterAid, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

The announcement comes as close to two billion people still lack safely managed water and four billion face water scarcity. World Bank President Ajay Banga said reliable water services at scale were now the task, while the programme will ask countries to identify priority areas and align governments, development banks, philanthropies and the private sector behind them.

Sources: The Independent, France 24

IAEA Head Rafael Grossi warned that North Korea was showing a “very serious increase” in its ability to produce nuclear weapons, with a rapid rise in operations at Yongbyon’s reactor, reprocessing unit, light-water reactor and other facilities. He said the pattern pointed to a significant expansion in weapons production capabilities and estimated the country already possessed a few dozen warheads.

The warning came as monitors said North Korea appeared to have completed a building at Yongbyon that could serve as a new uranium enrichment plant. Grossi said the agency had also noted construction of a new facility similar to the enrichment facility at Yongbyon, while outside analysts said additional enriched uranium production could significantly increase the number of weapons Pyongyang could possess.

North Korea has not conducted a nuclear test since 2017, but it has accelerated its weapons programme under Kim Jong-un.

Sources: Euronews, The Guardian

Vietnam’s new president To Lam used his first overseas trip to underline Beijing’s importance, meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing and calling relations with China a strategic choice and top priority. Xi urged stronger infrastructure links and deeper cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence and semiconductors, while both sides attended a signing ceremony for cooperation documents. The trip was seen as a sign of the importance Hanoi places on the relationship.

The visit came as both countries sought to manage wider economic and geopolitical pressures. Xi said China and Vietnam should jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism and keep industrial and supply chains stable, while Lam said Hanoi was willing to expand cooperation in trade, investment, railways and other infrastructure.

Lam’s election as president last week consolidated his control over both party and state, making him one of Vietnam’s most powerful leaders in decades.

Sources: Associated Press, South China Morning Post

On this day …

On this day in 1947, the Texas City disaster became one of the deadliest industrial accidents in United States history when a ship carrying ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Texas City.

The blast triggered fires and further detonations that devastated the surrounding industrial area and killed hundreds of people.

The disaster reshaped thinking about hazardous cargo handling and contributed to later improvements in industrial safety regulation and emergency planning. It remains a reference point in discussions about chemical risk management near major ports and cities.

How much of today’s industrial safety framework still reflected lessons first learned from disasters like this one?

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Donald Trump said US-Iran talks could resume in Islamabad within the next two days as Pakistan tried to secure another negotiating round before a two-week ceasefire ends on 22 April.

Trump said Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was doing a “great job” arranging the talks, while a Pakistani official said a restart was expected soon, though it could take slightly longer.

The previous round broke up after US Vice-President JD Vance said Iran had failed to make an “affirmative commitment” that it would not seek a nuclear weapon. The main sticking point remained uranium enrichment: the US side sought a 20-year suspension, while Iran offered a shorter moratorium of less than 10 years or three to five years. Trump kept pressure on Tehran through a blockade on Iranian oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz for now.

Sources: The Guardian, The Washington Post

China criticised the United States naval blockade of Iranian ports as “irresponsible and dangerous”, warning the move could undermine a fragile ceasefire and threaten shipping safety in the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade came into force on Monday after peace talks between Washington and Tehran broke down in Pakistan, with US President Donald Trump saying the measure was intended to force Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said only a comprehensive ceasefire could ease tensions and restore normal traffic through the strait. Beijing, the largest buyer of Iranian crude, faces potential disruption to supply as the blockade targets ships entering and leaving Iranian ports.

The United States said it would not impede vessels travelling to non-Iranian ports, but the measure still marked an escalation despite a pause in hostilities agreed earlier in April.

Sources: BBC, CNBC

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused China of acting as an “unreliable global partner” during the Iran war, saying Beijing had been hoarding oil, cutting exports of some products and continuing to buy Iranian crude despite worsening strain on global energy markets. He said China buys more than 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports and should stop those purchases.

Bessent said the behaviour echoed China’s stockpiling of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic and came as the war caused supply chain disruptions, oil prices surged by as much as 50 percent, and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted supplies.

He declined to say whether the dispute would affect Donald Trump’s planned mid-May visit to Beijing, but said Trump and Xi Jinping still had a very good working relationship and that the message for the visit was stability.

Sources: The Mainichi, Reuters

US allies are refusing to join Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, holding back on naval commitments while they wait for a permanent ceasefire and clearer peace talks. Britain and France are instead preparing discussions on a possible post-war mission to secure shipping, but officials said planning remains at an early stage.

Allies also remain divided over what role the United States should play, and diplomats are focusing more on ending the war than on immediate military solutions.

Both countries have ruled out taking part in the blockade itself and want any future mission to be strictly defensive. Emmanuel Macron said such an effort would be aimed at restoring freedom of navigation, while Keir Starmer said Britain would not be dragged into the war, leaving Washington largely without allied backing for its current operation.

Sources: Bloomberg, Times of India

Israeli and Lebanese officials held their first direct negotiations since 1983 in Washington on Tuesday, opening a rare diplomatic channel even as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued. The talks, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, lasted more than two hours and ended with positive public remarks, though Rubio said progress would take time.

The two sides entered with sharply different priorities. Israel ruled out discussing a ceasefire and pressed Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, while Lebanon called for an end to a conflict that has killed nearly 2,124 residents and displaced more than 1.1 million people in its territory.

Hezbollah opposed the meeting and was not represented. As the negotiations began, the group stepped up fire on northern Israel, underlining the distance between diplomatic engagement in Washington and the military reality on the ground.

Sources: Al Jazeera, New York Times

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King Charles and Queen Camilla will travel to the United States from 27 to 30 April for a state visit that British officials hope can help repair tensions with Donald Trump over the Iran war. The trip will include a private tea and meeting with Trump, a ceremonial welcome at the White House, a state dinner and an address to Congress, as London seeks to use the monarchy’s “soft power” to renew bilateral ties.

The visit comes as relations between Washington and London are under strain, with Trump criticising Keir Starmer over Britain’s refusal to back the offensive against Iran. Palace and Foreign Office officials said the visit was intended to reaffirm the partnership despite disagreements, while Starmer said the monarchy could help sustain ties built over decades.

The King and Queen will not meet Jeffrey Epstein survivors during the visit.

Sources: Reuters, BBC

Italy has suspended the automatic renewal of its defence agreement with Israel, reversing a long-running arrangement covering military equipment, technology research and other forms of defence cooperation. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the move on Tuesday, as relations between Rome and Tel Aviv deteriorated over Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

The accord, approved in 2006 and renewed every five years, had been due for renewal this month. Opposition parties had pressed the government for more than a year to suspend the renewal. Tensions have risen after Italy accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at an Italian peacekeeper convoy in Lebanon, and after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned what he called Israel’s “unacceptable attacks” on Lebanese civilians.

The move marks a sharp reversal for a government that had been one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe.

Sources: New York Times, Al Jazeera

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces captured a Russian position using only unmanned platforms, in what he described as the first operation of the war carried out without infantry on the ground. He said the position was taken with ground robotic systems and aerial drones, and that Russian troops surrendered without losses on the Ukrainian side.

Kyiv has been expanding the use of unmanned ground systems as dense drone coverage makes frontline troop movements harder and more dangerous.

Zelenskyy said such systems carried out more than 22,000 missions in the first three months of 2026, while more than 9,000 unmanned ground vehicle missions were completed in March alone, with around 80 percent focused on logistics and the rest covering medical evacuations, offensive use and other tasks. Zelenskyy said the shift was about using high technology to protect human life.

Sources: Politico Europe, Euractiv

Spain has approved a plan to give legal status to around 500,000 undocumented migrants, opening a route into the formal workforce through a one-year renewable residence and work permit. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the measure “an act of justice and a necessity”, saying it recognised people who already live and work in the country and should do so under equal conditions and pay taxes.

Applicants must have arrived before 1 January, prove they have lived in Spain for at least five months, and show a clean criminal record. The application window runs until 30 June, with in-person applications beginning on 20 April and online applications starting on Thursday.

The government says the measure is needed to support an ageing country’s economy and public services, while opponents in the Popular Party say it is unsustainable and will try to block it.

Sources: BBC, Associated Press

About 250 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals are missing after a trawler carrying more than 250 people capsized in the Andaman Sea while travelling from southern Bangladesh to Malaysia. The UN refugee agency and the International Organization for Migration said the vessel sank due to heavy winds, rough seas and overcrowding. Bangladesh’s coastguard said nine people, including one woman, were rescued on 9 April.

The agencies said the disaster exposed the human cost of protracted displacement and the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya. Thousands attempt such journeys each year to escape repression and civil war in Myanmar or overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar in 2017. Survivor Rafiqul Islam said traffickers had promised him a job in Malaysia and that some people died from suffocation and overcrowding before the boat capsized.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Guardian

On this day …

On this day in 2013, two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon bombing killed three people and injured hundreds more, turning one of the world’s best-known public sporting events into the site of a major terrorist attack.

The incident prompted a large-scale security response and led to changes in how major cities planned protection for open public gatherings. It also shaped debates in the United States about surveillance, emergency preparedness, and domestic extremism.

The attack highlighted how vulnerable high-visibility civic events could be to small-scale but disruptive violence.

Have cities since found an effective balance between openness and security at major public events?

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The United States began enforcing a blockade of maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports on Monday after peace talks with Tehran failed to produce a breakthrough, with President Donald Trump presenting the move as pressure on Iran’s economy. European governments declined to participate, while US notices said neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations would continue.

Oil prices initially rose above $100 a barrel as the measure tightened risks around the Gulf energy corridor, and the United States deployed more than 15 warships to support enforcement, but then later eased somewhat as energy market participants hoped for further talks between the parties.

Iran warned that if its ports were threatened no port in the Gulf would remain safe, while analysts said uncertainty over protection for commercial shipping could keep traffic low and prolong disruption to global energy flows. Several Asian countries have already begun rationing fuel and warning reserves could be depleted within months if the crisis continues.

Sources: South China Morning Post, New York Times

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to host the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington on Tuesday in the most senior direct meeting between the two countries since 1993, opening talks on a possible ceasefire, Hezbollah’s longer-term disarmament and a wider peace deal. The meeting comes amid Israeli strikes, a ground invasion in southern Lebanon and a request from Lebanon and the Trump administration for a pause in attacks.

The opening reflects pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate, but Lebanon enters with limited leverage. President Joseph Aoun has proposed direct negotiations yet warned disarmament cannot be imposed by force, while Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has rejected nationwide disarmament talks.

Israel ignored earlier Lebanese proposals, scaled down strikes on Beirut and continued its offensive in the town of Bint Jbeil, leaving diplomacy open but the main military question unresolved.

Sources: Axios, BBC

The war in Iran has revived debate over whether China’s currency could gain a larger role in oil trade, after Iran took control of the Strait of Hormuz and began accepting yuan payments for safe passage. The shift has fed new interest in a Gulf “petroyuan”, especially as China deepens its payments infrastructure and expands financial links across the Middle East.

Yet the conflict has strengthened interest more than it has changed the global currency order. Yuan payments and receipts between China and the Middle East reached 1.1 trillion yuan in 2024, but most involved securities rather than goods, and the CIPS payments network still handles only a fraction of the daily volume processed by the dollar-based CHIPS system.

Analysts say the conflict may increase incentives to use the yuan in oil trade, but not necessarily enough to produce a near-term replacement for the dollar.

Sources: Bloomberg, Fortune

Giorgia Meloni issued a rare public rebuke of Donald Trump on Monday after he attacked Pope Leo, calling the US president’s words “unacceptable” and defending the pontiff’s right to call for peace and condemn war. The intervention was notable because Meloni has cultivated close ties with Trump and had initially avoided directly addressing his remarks, prompting criticism from opposition parties in Italy.

The clash has widened beyond a personal dispute into a political problem for one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe. Matteo Salvini also distanced himself, while Pope Leo said he had “no fear” of the Trump administration and would continue speaking out against war.

In Italy, where the pope carries deep national and religious weight, Trump’s criticism triggered a broad backlash that cut across party lines and exposed the domestic risks for leaders associated too closely with him.

Sources: Reuters, BBC

Former NATO Secretary General George Robertson has accused Keir Starmer’s government of showing “corrosive complacency” on defence, warning Britain is “underprepared”, “under attack” and “not safe” as delays continue over a long-promised defence investment plan.

Robertson, who authored the government’s strategic defence review, said the Iran war should be a “rude wake-up call” and argued Starmer was not willing to make the necessary investment.

The intervention is notable because it comes from a senior adviser who had worked behind the scenes until now. Robertson said there is a funding gap of around £28bn over the next four years in existing military plans, while ministries remain in deadlock over how to proceed. He pointed to Britain’s inability to deploy more than one Royal Navy warship to the Mediterranean within the first fortnight of the Iran war as evidence of wider strain across logistics, engineering, cyber, ammunition, training and medical resources.

Sources: The Guardian, FT

Canada’s Mark Carney secured a majority government after his Liberal Party won key special elections and was boosted by five defections from opposition lawmakers, giving him stronger control of the House of Commons and making another federal election unlikely soon. Early projections showed the Liberals winning seats in Toronto and near Montreal, while a further projected gain would bring the party to 173 seats, just above the threshold required for a majority.

The result gives Carney greater freedom to push an agenda centred on reducing Canada’s reliance on the United States, diversifying trade relationships and building export infrastructure. It also clears the way for priorities including increased defence spending, ports and energy export facilities.

Carney’s rise followed Justin Trudeau’s resignation and was strengthened by a political climate shaped by Donald Trump’s tariffs, annexation threats and wider pressure on Canada’s economic relationship with its southern neighbour.

Sources: Bloomberg, CNN

A French court sentenced former Lafarge chief executive Bruno Lafont to six years in prison on Monday for financing jihadist groups in Syria to keep the company’s cement plant operating in 2013 and 2014, and ordered him to begin serving the sentence immediately. Former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received five years, while the company was fined €1.125 million for payments made through its Syrian subsidiary to armed groups and intermediaries.

The ruling centres on nearly €5.6 million paid to secure access to raw materials and allow the movement of trucks and staff as war spread across northern Syria. Presiding judge Isabelle Prevost-Desprez said the financing, primarily benefiting Islamic State, helped the group gain control of natural resources and fund attacks in the region and abroad, particularly in Europe.

The court said the company had formed a “genuine commercial partnership” with Islamic State. A separate case over alleged complicity in crimes against humanity remains ongoing.

Sources: Le Monde, The Guardian

A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the publisher of The Wall Street Journal on Monday, ruling that he had failed to make a valid legal claim over an article about a letter bearing his name in Jeffrey Epstein’s 2003 birthday book. Judge Darrin Gayles said Trump had not shown the paper acted with the “actual malice” required in a defamation case involving a public figure.

The ruling rested heavily on the paper’s reporting process. Gayles said the article itself showed that journalists had tried to investigate, including by contacting Trump, the FBI and the Justice Department before publication, and that the complaint “comes nowhere close” to the required standard.

Trump was given until April 27 to file an amended lawsuit, and his legal team said he would do so. Dow Jones said it stood behind the reliability, rigour and accuracy of the reporting.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Politico

Péter Magyar signalled that Hungary will drop its opposition to the EU’s €90 billion loan to Ukraine, potentially ending a four-month standoff that had threatened Kyiv’s financing. He said the decision on the package “was already made in December” and that his incoming government wanted to be coherent with earlier commitments, while indicating the blockage could be lifted even before he formally takes office.

The shift would remove one obstacle to disbursing funds that Ukraine needs by May, but it does not mean Hungary will help finance the package. Magyar said he supported keeping Hungary’s opt-out because of the country’s budget position, adding that the deficit had tripled since 2010.

The move marks an early foreign policy break from Viktor Orbán, who had first approved the loan and then reversed course, tying release of the money to repairs on a pipeline carrying Russian oil through Ukraine to Hungary.

Sources: Politico Europe, Euronews

US immigration officers detained Alexandre Ramagem on Monday after Brazil requested the extradition of the former intelligence chief, who fled to the United States following his conviction over a failed scheme to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva taking office after the 2022 election. Ramagem had been sentenced to 16 years in prison and was listed in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

The detention adds an international dimension to Brazil’s post-coup accountability drive. Police said the arrest resulted from cooperation between Brazilian federal police and US law enforcement authorities, while Brazil described Ramagem as a fugitive convicted of armed criminal association, attempted coup d’etat and the attempted violent abolition of the rule of law.

During his time in the US, Ramagem had remained publicly active and was also under investigation in a separate case over alleged illegal spying for Jair Bolsonaro’s inner circle using Israeli surveillance software.

Sources: The Guardian, Le Monde

On this day …

On this day in 2003, scientists announced the completion of the Human Genome Project, marking the first successful sequencing of the full human genetic blueprint. The achievement followed more than a decade of international collaboration and opened new possibilities in medicine, biotechnology, and disease research.

It helped accelerate advances in personalised treatment, cancer diagnostics, and rare-disease identification, while also raising long-term ethical questions about genetic data and privacy.

The project became one of the defining scientific milestones of the early twenty-first century.

Two decades on, is genetic medicine advancing as quickly as its early promise suggested?

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US-Iran talks in Islamabad ended without agreement, leaving the two-week ceasefire under renewed strain and exposing how far apart the sides remain on core terms. JD Vance said Iran had failed to give assurances that it would not seek a nuclear weapon, while Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the United States must decide whether it could gain Iran’s trust.

The talks also stalled over control of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian officials signalling that the waterway remained a central sticking point. Pakistan said it would try to facilitate a new round of dialogue, but Donald Trump responded by saying the US Navy would impose a blockade controlling all access in and out of the strait.

The collapse pointed to a broader strategic deadlock. Even as middle powers helped bring the two sides together, neither Washington nor Tehran showed signs of shifting its position.

Sources: Associated Press, Bloomberg

Donald Trump said the US military would begin blockading Iranian ports after weekend talks in Islamabad collapsed over Iran’s nuclear programme, despite a ceasefire meant to pause the six-week war until April 22. US Central Command said the blockade would start at 1400 GMT on Monday and apply to vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.

Trump said the Navy would also interdict vessels in international waters that had paid Iran a toll and begin destroying mines he said Iran laid in the strait. Tehran said it would not bow to threats, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned they controlled traffic through Hormuz and would trap any challenger in a deadly vortex.

The breakdown raised fresh doubts over the truce and jolted energy markets. Traffic through the strait had already slowed sharply, with one report saying about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments had been nearly paralysed.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Le Monde

Saudi Arabia said it restored full pumping capacity on its East-West oil pipeline to about seven million barrels per day after attacks during the Iran conflict damaged energy infrastructure and reduced throughput. The pipeline had been Saudi Arabia’s only crude export route amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The kingdom said the strikes had cut oil production capacity by about 600,000 barrels per day and reduced pipeline throughput by about 700,000 barrels per day. It said affected volumes from the Manifa oilfield, where output had been reduced by around 300,000 barrels per day, had been recovered, while work continued to restore full output at the Khurais facility after further losses of about 300,000 barrels per day.

The ministry said the recovery would enhance the reliability and continuity of supplies to local and global markets.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg

Donald Trump sharply criticised Pope Leo XIV after the pontiff warned that a “delusion of omnipotence” was fuelling the US-Israel war in Iran. Trump said he was “not a fan” of the pope and described him as “a very liberal person” who should “stop catering to the Radical Left”.

Trump also said he did not want “a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon” and repeated the criticism in comments to reporters. Pope Leo had earlier said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war” and had described threats of mass strikes against Iranian infrastructure as “truly unacceptable”.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley said he was “disheartened” by Trump’s comments, calling the pope “the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls”.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Associated Press

Viktor Orbán conceded defeat after Hungary’s opposition Tisza party secured a landslide parliamentary victory, ending his 16 years in power. With 99 per cent of votes counted, Tisza was projected to win 138 of 199 seats, enough for a two-thirds majority, while Orbán’s Fidesz was projected to take 55. If Tisza do achieve a two-thirds majority it will allow them to change the constitution and reverse many of the measures previously introduced by Orbán.

Péter Magyar told supporters in Budapest that Hungary had been liberated from the Orbán regime and said all signs pointed to a peaceful, efficient transfer of power. Orbán said he and his allies would serve the country from opposition. The result is set to reverberate across Europe after years in which Orbán obstructed support for Ukraine and posed one of the EU’s most serious internal threats to unity.

EU leaders welcomed the result. Ursula von der Leyen said Hungary had chosen Europe, while Friedrich Merz said he was looking forward to working with Magyar for a strong, secure and united Europe.

The loss for Orbán came despite substantial vocal support from Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Sources: FT, The Guardian

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of breaching a 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire, underlining how little the pause changed conditions on the ground. Ukraine’s military said that by 7am on 12 April it had recorded 2,299 violations, including 28 assaults, 479 shellings and 1,792 explosive-drone strikes, while Russia’s defence ministry claimed nearly 2,000 Ukrainian breaches.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a longer ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would not extend the truce unless Kyiv accepted Moscow’s terms. Even so, Ukraine’s army said it had recorded no long-range Shahed drone attacks, guided aerial bombings or missile strikes during the pause.

The episode left both sides accusing the other of bad faith while signalling interest in talks that remain stalled. With Washington’s attention shifting towards Iran, the ceasefire looked more like battlefield positioning than a step towards peace.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera

Ireland announced a €505 million package of fuel-cost measures after days of protests disrupted distribution sites, blocked major roads and strained supply across the country. Micheál Martin said the government would extend temporary excise-duty cuts on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil, postpone a carbon tax increase, and introduce a fuel subsidy scheme for farmers and fisheries.

The measures came after police cleared protesters from O’Connell Street in Dublin, Galway port and other key locations, while earlier operations reopened access to the Whitegate refinery. Martin said the government had acted with representative groups and would not negotiate directly with protest leaders, adding that nobody had the right to blockade the country.

The unrest has left hundreds of petrol stations without fuel and put emergency services under increasing pressure. The package still requires parliamentary approval, while Sinn Féin plans a no-confidence motion over the government’s handling of the crisis.

Sources: Politico Europe, BBC

Britain has paused plans to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Donald Trump criticised the agreement and Washington failed to give the approval needed for it to proceed. The proposed deal would have transferred sovereignty while allowing Britain to keep the Diego Garcia military base on a 99-year lease, with an option to extend.

The British government said it still believed the agreement was the best way to protect the long-term future of the base, but would only proceed with US support. Simon McDonald said the government had no other choice and that the agreement would go into the deep freeze for the time being.

Mauritius said it would continue to pursue diplomatic and legal avenues to complete decolonisation. The setback adds to wider strain in US-UK relations, with the islands now sitting at the intersection of alliance politics, sovereignty disputes and military strategy.

Sources: DW, The Guardian

Israel and Turkey exchanged sharp accusations after Israeli leaders attacked Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ankara answered by calling Benjamin Netanyahu “the Hitler of our time”. Netanyahu accused Erdogan of accommodating Iran’s proxies and “massacred his own Kurdish citizens”, while Turkish officials said Netanyahu was trying to undermine peace negotiations between Iran and the United States.

The row widened after reports that Turkish prosecutors sought prison terms for 35 Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, over alleged crimes against humanity and genocide and over stopping the Sumud flotilla from reaching Gaza in 2025. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called Erdogan a “paper tiger”, while Itamar Ben Gvir replied with an obscenity.

Even as rhetoric escalated, Turkey said it had joined diplomatic efforts with Egypt and Pakistan to secure a ceasefire and warned Donald Trump of possible provocations and sabotage that could undermine it.

Sources: Hindustan Times, Times of Israel, Middle East Eye

At least 200 people were feared dead after Nigerian military aircraft struck a weekly market in Jilli village in Yobe state while pursuing Boko Haram militants, according to local officials and residents. Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam said those injured were taken to hospitals in Yobe and Borno, while three residents and a humanitarian agency official confirmed the estimated death toll.

Nigeria’s Air Force said it had killed Boko Haram fighters in an air strike on the Jilli axis in Borno state and activated its Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell to carry out a fact finding mission after reports of civilian casualties. Amnesty International said more than 100 people had been killed and 35 others wounded.

The strike occurred in a region at the heart of a long running insurgency that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera

On this day …

On this day in 1975, fighting in Beirut helped trigger the Lebanese Civil War, a 15-year conflict that drew in regional and international actors and reshaped Lebanon’s political order.

What began as clashes between militias quickly escalated into a complex war involving sectarian factions, Palestinian armed groups, Syria, Israel, and shifting alliances across the Cold War landscape.

The conflict weakened state institutions and left a lasting imprint on Lebanon’s governance, demographics, and regional role. Its legacy still influences today’s fragile balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean.

Nearly fifty years later, how much of Lebanon’s present instability can still be traced to that turning point?

The 11^th hour announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared at first to mark a decisive turning point after weeks of escalating confrontation. Markets reacted quickly, shipping expectations shifted, and diplomatic channels reopened. Yet as the week progressed, it became clear that whilst the agreement reduced immediate risks it fell far short of resolving the underlying tensions that produced the conflict in the first place.

Transit through the Strait of Hormuz remained constrained, Israel continued military activity beyond a disputed ceasefire framework, and both Washington and Tehran framed the pause as confirmation of success rather than any sort of compromise. At the same time, mediation efforts by Pakistan and diplomatic engagement by China highlighted how quickly a regional conflict had drawn in wider actors.

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The ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has temporarily lowered the immediate risk of further military action but did not produce the conditions normally associated with enduring stability.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained dependent on Iranian coordination rather than returning to routine commercial passage, leaving hundreds of vessels still waiting to transit and keeping insurers cautious about restoring normal coverage. Israeli operations continued on the Lebanon front even as negotiations over disarmament and security arrangements were announced, underlining disagreement about what the ceasefire actually covered.

Statements from both the US and Iranian governments reinforced the provisional nature of the arrangement. Washington described the agreement as achieving its objectives, while Iranian leadership linked the pause to compensation demands and to continued control over Hormuz transit arrangements. Rather than signalling closure, the agreement functioned as a diplomatic interval within an unresolved confrontation.

Even as the ceasefire reduced immediate military risks, the economic & social consequences of the conflict continued to move through global systems.

Restrictions on shipping through Hormuz remained in place for much of the week, delaying energy cargoes and prolonging uncertainty for insurers and operators. The extent of war related impairment to oil & LNG production became clearer by the end of the week. Forecasts suggested fuel prices could remain elevated for months even after passage through the waterway normalises, reflecting the time required to restore disrupted supply routes and repair damaged production & transport assets.

International institutions also warned that the energy shock could translate into higher fertiliser costs and rising food prices, particularly in import-dependent economies. Evidence from agricultural producers already pointed to rising operating costs linked to fuel and transport pressures.

The result is that the ceasefire reduced escalation risk without immediately restoring the conditions required for energy and food markets to stabilise.

If the ceasefire reduced the pace of escalation, it also produced an unusually broad set of victory claims.

The United States described the agreement as confirmation that its objectives had been achieved, presenting the pause as the outcome of sustained military pressure (plus the explicit threat of biblical escalation). Iranian leadership also described the conflict as a success and linked the ceasefire to demands for compensation and to continued control over Hormuz transit arrangements.

China’s role in encouraging acceptance of the ceasefire was acknowledged by multiple officials and appeared to strengthen its position ahead of an upcoming meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Pakistan’s mediation efforts likewise became central to securing the diplomatic opening that allowed negotiations to begin.

Taken together, these claims suggest that the ceasefire represented not a settlement but a moment in which several actors were able to translate battlefield developments into diplomatic positioning.

The conflict also altered the diplomatic landscape beyond the immediate ceasefire framework.

Pakistan’s role in passing messages between capitals during negotiations highlighted its capacity to act as an intermediary in crises involving major powers. China’s involvement in encouraging agreement added leverage ahead of a planned summit between its leadership and Washington.

Within the Atlantic alliance, disagreements over support expectations during the conflict exposed tensions about burden-sharing and operational commitments. At the same time, Israel continued military operations alongside preparations for negotiations with Lebanon while expanding security buffer zones beyond its borders, illustrating how regional military activity and diplomacy were proceeding in parallel rather than sequentially.

Even before the ceasefire’s durability becomes clear, these developments indicate that global influence has already begun to shift as a direct result of the conflict.

Taken together, this week’s developments suggest that the ceasefire marked a pause in escalation rather than necessarily the beginning of a settlement process. Military activity narrowed but did not stop across all fronts, energy disruption continued to affect markets and supply chains, and several governments used the moment to bolster their diplomatic positions.

That combination explains why multiple actors were able to describe the outcome as a success while the strategic environment remained uncertain. The conflict moved away from immediate confrontation but not yet definitively towards resolution.

Whether the current pause evolves into a broader agreement will depend less on the ceasefire itself than on what follows it in the coming days and weeks.

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Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely constrained despite a US-Iran ceasefire intended to reopen the route, keeping global energy markets on edge. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), warned that passage through the waterway still depended on Iranian permission and conditions, while roughly 230 loaded oil vessels remained waiting to sail as Brent crude moved towards $100 a barrel.

Iran has continued to control transit routes through the strait and requires coordination with its military for passage, with only a handful of vessels departing compared with about 135 a day under normal conditions.

Tehran has also signalled plans to formalise tolls for ships crossing the corridor, reinforcing uncertainty for shipowners and insurers and prolonging pressure on global oil supply flows.

Sources: The Guardian, Bloomberg

As Vice President JD Vance heads to Islamabad for talks with Iran, the ceasefire he is meant to stabilise is already under strain. Iran says the truce should cover Israel’s war in Lebanon, but Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump say it does not, and Israeli operations there continue. Trump also complained that Iran was doing “a very poor job” of allowing oil tankers through Hormuz.

At the same time, Israel is expanding buffer zones in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, reflecting what six Israeli military and defence officials described as a shift towards a semi-permanent state of war.

Nathan Brown of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said Israeli leaders had concluded they were in a “forever war”, while Netanyahu said Israel had established security belts deep beyond its borders. Even supporters of the approach warn that policing multiple fronts could place major strain on the military.

Sources: Reuters, WTOP

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, while making clear that military action against Hezbollah would continue. He said the talks would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations, and praised Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s call to demilitarise Beirut. A senior Israeli official said the first meeting would take place next week at the State Department in Washington.

The shift followed calls with Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff, as Washington pushed Israel to calm the fighting amid concern that the Lebanon front could undermine the Iran ceasefire. Israel continued strikes, and Israeli officials said there would be no ceasefire in Lebanon.

Iran, Pakistan and Lebanese officials have argued that Lebanon was included in the wider truce, while the US and Israel have said it was not.

Sources: Washington Post, Axios

China emerged as an important player in efforts to secure the Iran ceasefire, with Iranian officials reportedly crediting a last-minute Chinese push for Tehran’s acceptance and Donald Trump later validating Beijing’s role.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked China for its support, while the White House said Beijing’s involvement took place at the “top levels” of both governments.

The diplomatic move gives Xi Jinping added leverage before Trump’s planned visit to Beijing next month. The conflict threatened China’s energy supplies and broader economy, while officials and analysts said Beijing also saw value in turning influence over Iran into political capital ahead of the summit. Even so, China has not confirmed its precise role and analysts said Beijing is unlikely to accept the security guarantees Tehran wants after the ceasefire.

Sources: Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, used a televised statement to claim “final victory” in the war and signal that Tehran would not soften its position during the ceasefire. Marking 40 days since his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, he said Iran had “astonished the world”, was not seeking war, but would not forfeit its rights. He also said Tehran would demand compensation for wartime damage and warned that “our hands are on the trigger”.

Khamenei linked that message to the wider negotiations, saying Iran would move the management of the Strait of Hormuz into a “new phase” and that the “entire resistance front” should be treated as a whole.

His remarks came as Israeli air strikes killed more than 300 people in Lebanon and as Iran and Pakistan argued Lebanon was covered by the ceasefire while the US and Israel held a contrary view.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post

Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial will resume on Sunday after war-related restrictions on Israel’s courts were lifted, bringing one of the country’s most consequential criminal proceedings back into public view.

A court statement said the judicial system’s return to work cleared the case to continue, with the next hearing scheduled for Sunday morning in the Jerusalem District Court for the testimony of a defence witness.

The trial had been interrupted after the outbreak of the war with Iran, when the Justice Ministry placed the courts under a special emergency format that sharply limited regular proceedings. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019, has pleaded not guilty, and denies wrongdoing in the three cases. He faces allegations in two cases involving favourable media coverage and a third involving claims that he accepted more than US$260,000 in luxury gifts from billionaires in exchange for political favours.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Jerusalem Post

Britain said it deployed military vessels and aircraft earlier this year after Russian submarines spent more than a month in and around British waters, tracking what Defence Secretary John Healey described as a covert operation targeting undersea cables and pipelines. He said British forces and allies including Norway monitored the submarines, that the vessels had now left the area, and that there were no signs of damage to underwater infrastructure.

Healey said the operation involved an Akula-class attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russia’s Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research. Britain sent a frigate, a support tanker and a maritime patrol aircraft after detecting the vessels in international waters near Britain’s Exclusive Economic Zone and the waters of allies.

Russia’s embassy in London rejected the allegation, saying Moscow does not threaten undersea infrastructure and calling Healey’s account impossible to verify.

Sources: Reuters, BBC

Vladimir Putin has announced a 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, with the Kremlin saying Russian forces will halt military action in all directions from Saturday afternoon until midnight on Sunday. Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine would act accordingly, adding that Kyiv had repeatedly proposed a ceasefire for the Easter holiday and wanted “a real move towards peace”.

The pause comes as US-led efforts to reach a broader settlement remain stalled. Dmitry Peskov said the ceasefire proposal had not been discussed in advance with the United States and was not linked to any resumption of three-way talks.

Previous Easter ceasefire attempts have quickly broken down, with each side accusing the other of violations. Zelenskiy also called for both sides to stop targeting energy infrastructure over the holiday, saying the offer had been made through the United States.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

Melania Trump made a surprise White House statement denying any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, saying she had no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and was not one of his victims. She said “the lies” linking her to Epstein needed to end, insisted he did not introduce her to Donald Trump, and called on Congress to hold a public hearing for Epstein’s victims.

The statement triggered confusion inside Washington because it came as the White House had been trying to move past the Epstein issue. Reporters said it was not clear why she chose to speak out now, and accounts differed over whether Donald Trump knew in advance what she planned to say.

Melania Trump acknowledged a 2002 email to Maxwell but described it as casual correspondence, despite renewed attention to past photographs and documents linking her to the same social circle.

Sources: The Guardian, New York Times

A federal judge ruled that the Pentagon failed to comply with a court order restoring press access, saying revised restrictions introduced after a March ruling were unconstitutional and amounted to an effort to sidestep the court. Judge Paul Friedman said the Defense Department’s closure of the Correspondents’ Corridor, its ban on unescorted movement, and its plan to move journalists to an external annex were “transparent attempts” to negate the effect of his earlier order.

The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit brought by the New York Times after the Pentagon last year stripped credentials from prominent outlets and tightened access rules. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon spokesman, said the department disagreed with the decision and intended to appeal, insisting it had complied with the order.

Friedman directed the department to restore access for Times journalists and other regulated parties and file a sworn declaration by April 16 detailing compliance.

Sources: Washington Post, Le Monde

On this day …

On this day in 1998, political leaders in Northern Ireland, alongside the British and Irish governments, signed the Good Friday Agreement, creating a framework to end three decades of sectarian violence known as the Troubles.

The settlement established power-sharing institutions, recognised competing constitutional identities, and embedded cross-border cooperation between Belfast and Dublin.

While tensions did not disappear, the agreement transformed the political landscape and reduced violence dramatically. It remains one of the most significant peace settlements in modern European history and a reference point for conflict resolution elsewhere.

What lessons from the Good Friday Agreement remain relevant for divided societies today?

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Israeli strikes hit central Beirut hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war with Iran, killing 254 people and wounding more than 1,100 across Lebanon, according to the civil defence service. It was the deadliest day in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, with the highest toll recorded in the capital.

US President Donald Trump said Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire because of Hezbollah, while Vice President JD Vance said Iran had believed the truce covered Lebanon but the United States had not agreed to that. Israel’s military said it struck more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the attacks “barbaric”.

Context Clip - Israeli Attacks on Beirut

Iran later halted the movement of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz after the strikes, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel remained prepared to return to combat if required.

Sources: South China Morning Post, The News Pakistan

Israeli strikes on Lebanon and disputes over the scope of the ceasefire put the US-Iran truce under fresh strain on Wednesday, as JD Vance said Tehran could let negotiations “fall apart” over a front Washington says was never covered. The White House said Vance will lead talks with Iran in Islamabad on Saturday.

Vance said there had been a “legitimate misunderstanding” because Iran believed Lebanon was included in the agreement, while the United States “never made that promise”. He said Israel had offered to “check themselves a little bit” in Lebanon, but warned Iran would face “serious consequences” if it failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The pressure on the truce intensified after Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since early March, killing at least 112 people and wounding hundreds, while Iran said the ceasefire had been violated.

Sources: France 24, Bloomberg

NATO Chief Mark Rutte said Donald Trump was “clearly disappointed” after US allies refused to join the war against Iran, following a private meeting in Washington at a delicate moment for NATO. Trump had called the alliance a “paper tiger” and suggested the United States may consider leaving after member states ignored his call for military assistance to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Rutte described their exchange as “very frank, very open” and said some NATO countries were tested and failed, though a large majority of European countries had met earlier promises through logistics and other commitments. Karoline Leavitt said Trump had discussed leaving NATO, while Congress passed a 2023 law barring any US president from pulling out without approval.

The dispute came less than a day after a two-week US-Iran ceasefire that included opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Sources: The Guardian, Reuters

Pakistan’s mediation effort to halt the Iran war was hours from collapse before an overnight diplomatic push helped secure a temporary ceasefire and direct talks between Washington and Tehran. Pakistani sources said the effort nearly unravelled after an Iranian strike on a Saudi petrochemical facility, but Iran eventually agreed to a temporary ceasefire without preconditions. Talks are due to start in Islamabad on Saturday.

Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership remained engaged through the night, passing messages between senior US, Iranian, Saudi and other officials until Donald Trump announced the breakthrough.

Pakistani sources said Islamabad warned Washington that Israeli actions were jeopardising its peace efforts, and only after receiving an assurance that Israel would hold back was it able to persuade Tehran to accept the truce. Shehbaz Sharif later urged all parties to observe the ceasefire to allow the peace process to begin.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

A group of newly created Polymarket accounts placed highly specific bets on a US-Iran ceasefire hours before Donald Trump announced a two-week deal, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits and raising fresh questions about prediction market oversight. An analysis of public blockchain data found that at least 50 wallets placed substantial “Yes” bets before Trump’s post at around 6:30 p.m. ET.

One wallet created at about 10 a.m. ET placed roughly $72,000 in bets at an average price of 8.8 cents and later made a profit of $200,000. Another wallet created 12 minutes before Trump’s post made $31,908 in “Yes” bets and is estimated to have earned $48,500.

Polymarket labelled the April 7 Iran-U.S. ceasefire contract as “disputed”, while Representative Blake Moore said it was “much more likely” the trades involved insiders with access to information ahead of the public.

Sources: Associated Press, Politico

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Oil prices plunged and stock markets surged worldwide after Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, easing immediate fears over the Strait of Hormuz. Benchmark U.S. crude settled at $94.41 a barrel and Brent at $94.75, while the S&P 500 rose 2.5 percent, the Dow jumped 1,325 points and the Nasdaq gained 2.8 percent. South Korea’s Kospi surged 6.9 percent and Germany’s DAX rose 5.1 percent.

The relief was tempered by signs the truce remained fragile. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again on Wednesday in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon, and independent analysts said they had seen no change in traffic through the waterway despite White House claims of an uptick. Only four ships passed through the strait on Wednesday, the fewest of the week so far.

Sources: Associated Press, NBC News

The IMF, World Bank and WFP warned that the Middle East conflict has triggered a major energy shock that could drive up global food prices and deepen food insecurity, especially in low-income, import-dependent countries. They said rising oil, gas and fertiliser prices, alongside transport bottlenecks, were likely to push food costs higher even after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

The pressure is already reaching farms in the UK. Ali Capper, who represents British apple and pear growers, said fertiliser costs on her farm are up 40 percent, red diesel has risen 100 percent and transport costs about 20 percent. It has been estimated that farm running cost inflation was more than 7 percent higher this March than a year earlier, while the Food and Drink Federation expects UK food inflation to reach at least 9 percent before year end.

Sources: BBC, The National Herald

The two-week US ceasefire with Iran has opened a narrow diplomatic window while bringing President Donald Trump closer to a legal and political confrontation with Congress over his war powers. The truce is due to expire around April 22, while the 60-day deadline under the War Powers Resolution falls around May 1, leaving open what happens if diplomacy fails before the legal clock runs out.

The Trump administration filed its war powers notification with Congress on March 2 after joint US-Israel strikes began on February 28. The White House says Trump’s actions are legal, but Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said lawmakers would seek a vote next week to force congressional approval for any further attacks. Hakeem Jeffries also said the House should vote on a similar measure.

Congress has repeatedly failed to curb Trump’s military authority, but Democrats are preparing to try again as the ceasefire holds only temporarily.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Reuters

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea on Wednesday in its second launch event in two days, as Pyongyang ridiculed Seoul’s hopes for warmer ties and underscored continuing tensions on the peninsula. South Korea’s military said several missiles launched from the eastern Wonsan area flew about 240 kilometres, while another travelled more than 700 kilometres off the east coast.

The launches came hours after Jang Kum Chol, a first vice foreign minister, said South Korea would always remain the North’s “most hostile enemy state” and mocked its government for seeking dialogue.

North Korea later said its three-day testing spree included ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads, as well as demonstrations of anti-aircraft weapons, purported electromagnetic weapons systems and carbon-fiber bombs. The US military said the launches posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies.

Sources: Associated Press, NPR

The US fertility rate fell to a record low of 53.1 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age in 2025, down from 53.8 in 2024, extending a decline that has largely continued since 2007. Births also fell 1 percent to 3,606,400. The drop was driven in part by another sharp fall among teenagers, whose fertility rate declined 7 percent from 2024 and is down 72 percent since 2007.

At the same time, childbearing continued shifting toward older women. The fertility rate for women aged 30 to 34 rose 3 percent in 2025, and birthrates for women in their late 30s exceeded those for women in their early 20s for the first time.

The total fertility rate fell to 1.57 births per woman, below the 2.1 replacement level, increasing the likelihood that future population growth will depend more heavily on immigration.

Sources: New York Times, Wall Street Journal

On this day …

On this day in1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the main military phase of the American Civil War.

The surrender preserved the Union and accelerated the abolition of slavery across the United States, while leaving unresolved questions about reconstruction, citizenship, and federal authority that would shape American politics for generations.

The settlement also demonstrated how civil wars can conclude militarily yet continue politically long afterwards.

How far did the consequences of Appomattox continue to shape the United States that followed?

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The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump pulled back from threats to strike Iranian bridges and power plants shortly before his deadline expired. The pause is intended to buy time for negotiations on a broader settlement to the six-week-old war launched in February.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif helped mediate the arrangement, with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirming talks would continue in Pakistan while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said safe passage would be coordinated with Iran’s armed forces.

Israel backed the ceasefire subject to the strait reopening and attacks stopping, though missile alerts and strikes across the region after the announcement showed uncertainty over when the truce would take effect. Markets reacted sharply as oil prices fell and equity futures rose after the decision following the announcement of the agreement.

Sources: Associated Press, Bloomberg

President Donald Trump cast the two-week ceasefire with Iran as a “total and complete victory”, saying Washington had received a proposal from Tehran that offered a workable basis for negotiation. He presented the truce as proof that the United States had achieved its objectives in full and insisted any broader peace deal would ensure Iran’s nuclear material was “perfectly taken care of”.

But key terms remained unclear. Trump said most elements of a broader framework had been agreed, while also declining to say whether he would revive earlier threats against Iran’s civilian power plants and bridges if the deal collapsed.

The truce was announced shortly before his deadline was due to expire, amid uncertainty over arrangements for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and over what both sides had actually agreed.

Sources: France 24, Reuters

Iran accepted a two-week ceasefire and said it would begin negotiations with the United States in Islamabad on Friday, but senior officials signalled that the pause should not be mistaken for a settlement.

A statement from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the move did not signify the termination of the war and warned that any enemy error would be met with full force.

The message underlined Tehran’s effort to preserve leverage even as it agreed to halt hostilities. Iran said passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be subject to coordination with its armed forces, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said safe passage would be possible for two weeks with account taken of technical limitations. Missile alerts in Israel and the United Arab Emirates after the ceasefire announcement added to uncertainty over how fully military actors would follow the declared pause.

Sources: PBS, Times of India

Israel backed President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend strikes on Iran for two weeks, while making clear that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said support for the pause was conditional on Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the United States, Israel and countries in the region.

The statement also showed Israel’s focus on shaping the next phase of talks rather than treating the pause as a settlement. Netanyahu’s office said the United States remained committed to shared goals in upcoming negotiations, including ensuring Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile or terror threat.

The ceasefire announcement therefore opened a diplomatic window on Iran, but left the Lebanon front outside the arrangement despite claims from Pakistani mediators that it would be included.

Sources: Reuters, Times of Israel

A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran has raised hopes of limited movement through the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of vessels remain trapped after weeks of disruption. President Donald Trump said Washington would help with the buildup of shipping traffic after agreeing to the deal shortly before his deadline for Tehran to reopen the waterway or face attacks on civilian infrastructure.

But shipping flows are unlikely to recover quickly. Iran said safe passage would be coordinated with its armed forces and subject to technical limitations, while operators said more clarity was needed before vessels could move in earnest.

More than 800 ships remain stuck in the Gulf, with energy cargoes making up a large share of the backlog, and around 20,000 civilian seafarers remain onboard vessels facing fatigue, dwindling supplies and psychological stress.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

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Fuel prices could keep rising for months even after the Strait of Hormuz reopens, according to a new US government forecast that undercuts President Donald Trump’s promises of immediate consumer relief.

The outlook says full restoration of oil flows through the waterway will take months even after the war ends, keeping prices elevated while supply routes and regional output recover.

The forecast raised its estimate for Brent crude this year to $96 a barrel from $78.84 and said both retail gasoline and diesel prices are expected to keep rising. US petrol prices are seen peaking at a monthly average of $4.30 a gallon in April, while diesel is forecast to reach $5.80.

The same outlook also cut expected global oil demand growth this year to about 600,000 barrels a day, with weaker demand expected mainly in Asia.

Sources: Reuters, World Energy News

Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun began a six-day visit to China, describing it as a peace mission aimed at preventing war and promoting dialogue across the Taiwan Strait. The trip is the first by a sitting leader of the Kuomintang in nearly a decade and comes as Beijing has stepped up military drills around the island and as debate continues in Taipei over a $40 billion defence budget.

The visit also lands ahead of a planned May meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, giving it wider diplomatic significance beyond party politics. Cheng said Taiwan must seize every opportunity to prevent war, while Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs office said the trip would have a significant and positive impact on peace and stability.

Taiwan’s government, however, stressed that Cheng is not authorised to negotiate on behalf of the elected administration, highlighting the political limits of the mission.

Sources: Associated Press, NPR

US Vice-President JD Vance openly backed Viktor Orbán’s re-election bid during a visit to Budapest five days before Hungary’s parliamentary election, giving the prime minister a high-profile endorsement at a difficult stage of the campaign. Standing beside Orbán, Vance said he was in the city to help him in the campaign cycle, while also saying Washington would work with whoever wins.

The intervention added an international dimension to an election already shaped by tensions with Brussels and by Orbán’s positioning as a close ally of Donald Trump. Vance attacked the European Union for alleged interference in the Hungarian campaign and later urged supporters at a rally to stand with Orbán.

The visit came as Orbán faced a strong challenge from Péter Magyar, who is ahead in most opinion polls and has focused voters on domestic issues including the economy, social services and corruption.

Sources: BBC, FT

President Donald Trump has proposed a sharp rise in military spending for 2027 while seeking broad cuts across domestic programmes, sharpening a spending fight already unfolding during the war with Iran.

His plan would increase defence funding to $1.5 trillion, up from about $1 trillion in 2026, while cutting non-defence spending by 10 percent and slashing about $73 billion across areas including education, health care, housing and nutrition assistance.

The proposal has drawn immediate political resistance and opened a wider debate over how the costs of war and military expansion should be paid for.

The White House said the budget was designed to preserve the world’s most powerful military, while critics said it shifted resources away from programmes that ease pressure on households already facing high fuel prices and wider economic strain. The request still requires approval by Congress, where Trump’s spending choices have already fuelled deep disagreement.

Sources: New York Times, Reuters

Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living veteran, has been charged with five counts of war crime murder over alleged killings of unarmed Afghans in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. The 47-year-old former Special Air Service Regiment corporal was arrested at Sydney Airport on Tuesday and remained in custody overnight ahead of a court appearance and possible bail application on Wednesday.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said investigators would allege the victims were detained, unarmed and under the control of Australian Defence Force members when they were killed. She said they were allegedly shot either by the accused or by subordinate ADF members acting in his presence and on his orders.

The charges mark only the second time an Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign has been charged with a war crime, bringing a long-running national controversy into the criminal courts.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC

On this day …

On this day in 1898, Spain declared war on the United States after rising tensions over Cuba’s struggle for independence and the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana harbour.

The conflict quickly expanded beyond the Caribbean, with U.S. forces targeting Spanish positions in the Philippines and Pacific territories.

Within months, Spain’s remaining overseas empire began to collapse, marking a decisive shift in global power as the United States emerged as a new imperial actor.

The war reshaped the strategic balance in both the Atlantic and Pacific worlds. Did this moment mark the true beginning of America’s global role?

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Iran has thus far refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a Tuesday deadline set by Donald Trump, rejecting a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire proposal as attacks between Iran and Israel continued. Trump warned he could destroy Iranian bridges and power plants if Tehran failed to allow free passage through the waterway.

Israeli forces struck government infrastructure in Tehran and other areas, while Saudi Arabia intercepted ballistic missiles heading towards its eastern region with debris falling near energy facilities. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain issued simultaneous public safety alerts as regional exchanges persisted.

The strait carries about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies and has effectively been closed by Iran, helping keep crude prices around $110 a barrel. Negotiations through intermediaries were continuing, but Washington said the latest Iranian proposal was not enough to avert threatened strikes.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera

Iran rejected proposals for a temporary ceasefire and told Pakistan it wanted a permanent end to the war, ahead of Donald Trump’s Tuesday night deadline for a deal. Tehran’s response, reported by state media, included ten clauses covering safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and reconstruction.

Trump said he would not extend the deadline and warned Iran would face attacks on bridges and power plants if no agreement was reached. He said any deal would have to include the reopening of Hormuz, which he described as a very big priority.

The White House said a 45-day ceasefire proposal was one of many options being discussed through mediators and that Trump had not signed off on it. The gap between Iran’s demand for a permanent end to the war and Washington’s deadline kept diplomacy active but still fragile.

Sources: Reuters, NBC

Israel said it killed Majid Khademi, the intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, in an overnight airstrike in Tehran, the latest in a series of blows to Iran’s senior leadership. Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed his death, which followed the mid-March killing of intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib.

The Israeli military also said it killed two senior Quds Force officials in separate strikes on Sunday. They were identified as Kamil Melhem, artillery commander of the Imam Hussein Division, and Asghar Bagheri, head of Unit 840, which Israel said was responsible for global operations against Israelis, Americans and Jews.

The latest strikes suggest Israel is still pressing its campaign against Iran’s command structure after earlier killings of senior officials. Several of the posts now being targeted had been filled only in recent months, underscoring the churn at the top of the Iranian system.

Sources: New York Times, Jerusalem Post

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva said the Middle East war would lead to higher inflation and slower global growth, with the fund now preparing to lower its economic outlook even if the conflict is resolved quickly. A new set of scenarios is due on April 14, after officials had previously expected a small upgrade in global growth for 2026 and 2027.

The war has triggered what she described as the worst-ever disruption in global energy supply, with global oil supply down 13% after Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz. The route is crucial for shipping one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas, while the shock is also rippling through helium and fertiliser supply chains.

She said poor energy-importing countries would be hit hardest, while even energy exporters were feeling the effects. A rapid end to hostilities would still leave a lingering negative impact on the wider world economy.

Sources: Reuters, Times of Israel

The UN Security Council is expected to vote on Tuesday on a resolution addressing threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but the text has been diluted after objections to any authorisation of force. The latest draft instead encourages defensive naval co-ordination, including ship escorts, and demands that Iran cease attacks on merchant vessels and attempts to impede transit.

The vote comes hours before Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to make a deal or face attacks on bridges and power plants. Bahrain, backed by Gulf states and the United States, had initially sought a clear mandate for action to unblock the strait, where Tehran has restricted passage since the war began on February 28.

Russia and China could still veto the resolution, while France pushed for tighter limits on any use of force. The revised language reflects an effort to secure wider support without endorsing a more escalatory military response.

Sources: France 24, The National

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At least 10 Palestinians were killed in central Gaza in Israeli air strikes and fighting between Hamas security personnel and an Israel-backed Palestinian militia, according to local sources. Bodies from the scene were taken to al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, where a spokesperson said dozens of other people were wounded and some were in critical condition.

Witnesses said the militia had set up a checkpoint east of Maghazi refugee camp before coming under attack from Hamas personnel, triggering clashes. They added that Israeli drones then intervened in support of the militia, carrying out strikes on Hamas personnel in three locations.

The violence added to doubts over a ceasefire agreed almost six months ago. According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 723 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, while disarmament remains a key obstacle to moving to a second phase.

Sources: BBC, Anadolu Agency

Vice President JD Vance travelled to Budapest this week days before Hungary’s national election, in a visit widely seen inside the country as an attempt to bolster Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as he faces his biggest test in years. The trip comes with Orbán and his Fidesz party trailing in most polls ahead of Sunday’s contest.

The visit also carries broader geopolitical weight. Both the Trump administration and Moscow see Orbán as central to their shared antagonism towards Europe, while the European Union hopes the polls showing Fidesz lagging prove to be correct. Vance’s intervention follows a stated policy of aligning with what the administration calls “patriotic European parties”.

Vance was scheduled to meet Orbán and deliver a speech on the United States-Hungary partnership. By sending him so close to election day, Washington is signalling that it believes there is still time to turn the tide in favour of a close ideological ally.

Sources: CNN, New York Times

More than 200 Ukrainian officers and military experts are operating in western Libya and were behind a recent attack on a Russian liquefied natural gas carrier in the Mediterranean, according to an investigation citing Libyan sources. The vessel Arctic Metagaz, part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet used to bypass sanctions, was struck by a maritime drone that hit its engine room and disabled the ship.

The Ukrainian personnel are based at multiple sites in western Libya with the agreement of the Tripoli-based government led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah. Facilities include locations in Misrata and Zawiya equipped to launch aerial and naval drones, alongside a coastal site strengthened with runways and antenna systems.

The deployment has raised concerns among some Libyan political figures about violations of sovereignty and the emergence of a proxy confrontation between Kyiv and Moscow extending into Libyan territory and waters.

Sources: Euronews, RFI

Ukraine said its drones struck the Sheskharis oil terminal in Russia’s Novorossiysk port area, causing a large-scale fire confirmed by satellite imagery. The terminal forms part of Russia’s largest Black Sea export port, where Ukrainian strikes earlier in March had already halted some oil loadings.

The attack followed a wider campaign targeting Russian oil infrastructure including Baltic ports such as Primorsk and Ust-Luga, which handle two-fifths of Moscow’s seaborne oil exports and almost 2 percent of global oil supply. Ukrainian officials said the strikes aim to curb Russia’s ability to benefit from higher global oil prices linked to the war involving Iran.

Recent attacks on Russian oil ports reduced seaborne exports in March to their lowest level in two months, while strikes on Baltic facilities have already cost Moscow $1bn and forced cargo to shift to smaller ports unable to handle the additional load.

Sources: Bloomberg, Al Jazeera

Four astronauts on the Artemis II mission are heading back to Earth after a lunar flyby that took them farther from Earth than any humans before. During the mission, the crew lost contact with Earth for about 40 minutes as their spacecraft passed behind the far side of the Moon, before communications were restored.

The flyby also included a total solar eclipse seen from the spacecraft, as the Moon briefly blocked the Sun and revealed its outer atmosphere. The mission broke the previous distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970, reaching an anticipated furthest distance of 406,778 kilometres from Earth.

The mission is a test flight for the Orion spacecraft ahead of later plans including a return to human lunar landings and, ultimately, missions to Mars. The crew now face several quieter days of checks and experiments before a high-speed re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific.

Sources: BBC, Euronews

On this day …

On this day in 1994, large-scale killings of Tutsi civilians began in Rwanda following the assassination of the country’s president the previous day, marking the start of one of the twentieth century’s fastest and most devastating genocides.

Over the following months, hundreds of thousands of people were killed as state structures collapsed and international intervention failed to materialise in time.

The events later reshaped global debates about humanitarian intervention and the responsibilities of international institutions.

How far did events in Rwanda change expectations about when the international community should intervene to prevent mass violence?

A week that began with more troops, more threats and more leverage politics around the Strait of Hormuz ended with the same central problem still unresolved. Washington signalled both escalation and fatigue. Iran continued to show it could impose costs across the region. Meanwhile the practical consequences of the war spread faster than any credible route to closure. The result was not a clear turning point, but a widening mismatch between military language and strategic reality.

What stood out was less battlefield movement than the expansion of pressure into allied politics, energy systems and market expectations. By the end of the week, the conflict looked less like a campaign moving towards resolution and more like a war producing secondary shocks that were increasingly hard to contain.

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The first pattern was that military engagement kept widening even as the stated endgame remained vague. At the start of the week, the United States sent about 3,500 additional troops to the Middle East, lifting the regional total above 50,000, while officials weighed options for opening Hormuz and Iran moved to formalise its leverage over the passage through legislation and fees.

Soon afterwards, Trump signalled he was willing to end the campaign even without reopening the strait, suggesting the military effort had more limited aims than the scale of disruption implied. Yet that did not produce a coherent exit line. By 2 April, his televised address offered no clear end date and no negotiating framework, while oil rose and equities fell.

The end of the week, having fired a senior general the US was again threatening further strikes on Iranian bridges and power infrastructure at the same time as intelligence assessments said Iran still retained substantial missile, drone and coastal defence capacity.

The week therefore illustrated a war in which the rhetoric of nearing completion sat alongside evidence of enduring Iranian capability and continued systemic disruption.

The second pattern was that alliance politics became more visibly strained. Rather than drawing a clear common Western line, the conflict exposed diverging appetites for risk and responsibility. Spain blocked US war flights and extended its refusal to support the operation through jointly used bases, turning strategic disagreement into an operational constraint.

Trump then escalated the dispute by openly weighing withdrawal from Nato after allies refused to join the war, while also arguing that countries dependent on Gulf energy should secure the route themselves.

European leaders responded not by closing ranks behind Washington, but by emphasising restraint, autonomy and predictability. Macron and Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister pushed for ceasefire, de-escalation and free passage through Hormuz, with France underlining that it had not been consulted and was not part of the offensive.

Keir Starmer, meanwhile, used the moment to argue for closer economic and security ties with Europe, saying the war had made that more urgent.

The broader point was not that alliances were collapsing, but that the war forced into the open a distinction between formal alignment and practical willingness to follow Washington into escalation.

The third pattern was that the economic logic of the war began to acquire a force of its own. Hormuz remained the central transmission channel. Early in the week, flows through the strait had slowed to a trickle. By midweek, the route was described as partially closed, with Brent above $106 and petrol above $4 a gallon in the US. The consequences then broadened. A UN assessment warned that Arab states could lose between $120 billion and $194 billion in GDP, with millions of jobs at risk and poverty rising.

The European Commission urged conservation measures and warned that even a quick peace would not restore energy markets to normal in the foreseeable future. Australia told households to expect months of fuel shock and introduced temporary relief measures. International lenders and energy institutions formed a joint response group to coordinate support as supply shortages rippled into food prices, inflation expectations and financing needs.

By the end of the week, nearly all traffic through Hormuz had halted and Brent was around $108 to $109. The significance of that progression is that the war was no longer only a military contest with economic side-effects. The economic dislocation had become a major theatre in its own right.

Taken together, the week did not show decisive escalation or clear de-escalation. It showed a conflict settling into a more complicated and potentially more durable form. Military pressure continued, but without a convincing route to closure. Allied cohesion held in formal terms, but with increasing friction over methods and burden-sharing.

At the same time the economic shock spread outward faster than diplomacy narrowed the crisis. That does not yet amount to a historic break. But it does suggest that the central risk is no longer only what happens on the battlefield. It is that a war launched with talk of limited aims is beginning to reshape alliance behaviour, market expectations and policy choices well beyond the combat zone.

Please note that there will be no edition of 10 Things Global News on Monday 6th April - we will be back in your inbox on Tuesday

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US President Donald Trump threatened further strikes on Iranian bridges and electric power plants after confirming a US attack destroyed the country’s largest suspension bridge between Tehran and Karaj, killing eight people and wounding 95. He warned more infrastructure could be targeted if Tehran did not accept Washington’s terms.

The bridge strike followed earlier warnings that additional energy infrastructure could be hit as the United States signalled the campaign might escalate despite earlier claims that strategic objectives were nearing completion. International law experts warned attacks on essential civilian sites could breach the Geneva Conventions.

The war, which began on 28 February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran, after which Tehran launched strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases, has contributed to thousands killed and millions displaced. The UN has warned the world was on the edge of a wider war with global implications.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian

Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states on Thursday, showing it could still strike across the region even as Donald Trump said the threat from Tehran was nearly eliminated and suggested the war could end soon. Explosions were heard in Dubai before his address, Israel reported incoming missiles shortly afterwards, and sirens also sounded in Bahrain.

The attacks, alongside Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, have disrupted energy supplies far beyond the Middle East. Nearly all traffic through the waterway has halted, and 35 countries were due to discuss diplomatic and political measures to resume shipping once the fighting ends.

The conflict has pushed Brent crude to about $108 to $109, around 50% above its level on 28 February, while interrupting jet fuel supply and increasing pressure on stock markets, gasoline prices and a wider range of goods.

Sources: The Independent, PBS

Recent US intelligence assessments say roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact and thousands of one-way attack drones are still in its arsenal despite five weeks of daily US and Israeli strikes. The assessment also found a large percentage of coastal defence cruise missiles remained intact, preserving a key capability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

That picture contrasts with public claims from Donald Trump, who said Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones had been dramatically curtailed and that very few launchers were left. Israeli military officials put the number of operational launchers lower, at roughly 20-25%, but do not count launchers buried or made inaccessible in caves and tunnels.

US and Gulf personnel, Israel and regional shipping have continued to face missile, drone and maritime threats, while private US assessments say a two-to-three-week timetable for ending operations is unrealistic.

Sources: CNN, Eurasian Times

More than 100 international law experts in the United States have signed an open letter warning that American strikes on Iran may amount to war crimes. The letter said the conduct of US forces and statements by senior officials raised serious concerns about violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including potential war crimes.

The warning followed renewed threats from Donald Trump to strike Iran’s power, desalination, energy and oil infrastructure if Tehran did not accept Washington’s terms. The experts also cited Trump’s mid-March remark that the US might strike Iran “just for fun” and earlier comments from the Pentagon chief that the US does not fight with “stupid rules of engagement”.

The letter said experts were seriously concerned about strikes that had hit schools, health facilities and homes, including a strike on a girls’ school on the war’s first day.

Sources: Reuters, TRT World

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed the Army’s top uniformed officer, General Randy George, with immediate effect, as the United States continues its war against Iran. The Pentagon gave no reason for the move, which came nearly five weeks into the conflict and amid continued uncertainty over how long the campaign will last.

George, who had served as Army chief of staff since August 2023 after nomination under the Biden administration, is to be replaced on an acting basis by General Christopher LaNeve. Hegseth also removed two other Army generals, David Hodne and William Green, without explanation.

The decision extends a broader leadership shake-up under Hegseth, who has fired or overseen the early departure of more than a dozen senior generals and admirals since taking office. The latest changes come as additional US forces head to the Middle East and Donald Trump forecasts further military action against Iran.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC

French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected the idea of a military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling such an approach unrealistic and saying the waterway can only be reopened in consultation with Iran. His remarks amounted to a direct rebuttal of Donald Trump’s calls for countries reliant on the route to take responsibility for restoring passage.

Macron said any operation by force would take too long and expose shipping to risks from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and ballistic missiles. He instead argued for diplomacy, a ceasefire and a return to negotiations, while noting that the strait is strategic for energy flows, fertilisers and international trade.

The Strait of Hormuz, which handles about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has been effectively shut by Tehran during the war. Macron also criticised shifting American messaging on the conflict and warned that constant doubt over alliance commitments weakens NATO.

Sources: The Independent, South China Morning Post

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to share its maritime security expertise to help protect navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as the United Nations prepared to discuss an international response to the worsening crisis in the waterway. He said Ukraine had relevant experience from more than four years of war with Russia, including efforts to keep Black Sea sea lanes open and develop technologies such as sea drones.

The offer came after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joined a virtual meeting of about 40 countries focused on reopening the strait without triggering wider regional escalation. Zelensky also said Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, would present a detailed report on 3 April covering work with countries from the Gulf to Turkey.

At the same time, the UN Security Council was preparing to vote on a Bahrain-drafted resolution authorising defensive force to protect shipping from Iranian attacks.

Sources: Kyiv Post, Deccan Herald

Donald Trump removed Pam Bondi as attorney general on Thursday, ending the tenure of a loyalist who had overseen upheaval inside the Justice Department. Her departure followed months of scrutiny over the department’s handling of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and failed efforts to meet Trump’s demands for criminal cases against his adversaries.

Trump said Bondi would move to a new private-sector role, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, one of his former personal lawyers, was named acting attorney general. Bondi said she would spend the next month helping with the transition.

Bondi had entered office pledging not to politicise the department, but went on to oversee large-scale firings, investigations into Trump’s perceived enemies and the departure of thousands of career employees. Her removal comes after Trump privately discussed firing her as his frustrations mounted over her handling of the Epstein files and wider political pressures.

Sources: Associated Press, New York Times

Human Rights Watch said Burkina Faso’s army and allied civilian militias killed more civilians than jihadist groups between January 2023 and August 2025, with at least 1,255 deaths attributed to official forces in 33 incidents. The group said all parties to the conflict were responsible for acts amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The report said at least 1,837 civilians were killed in 57 incidents across 11 regions during the period, while JNIM, an al Qaeda affiliate, was responsible for at least 582 deaths in 24 attacks. Human Rights Watch based its findings on more than 450 interviews, as well as analysis of photos, videos and satellite imagery.

The rights group said the military junta that took power in 2022 had failed to stabilise the country and warned that state violence, including alleged targeting of Fulani civilians, could strengthen militant groups and deepen Burkina Faso’s crisis.

Sources: DW, France 24

SpaceX is targeting an initial public offering valuation above $2 trillion, according to reports that say the company and its advisers are presenting the figure to prospective investors ahead of meetings in the coming weeks. If achieved, the listing would set up what could become the largest stock market debut on record.

The company has reportedly filed confidentially for an IPO that could take place later this year and could raise as much as $75 billion. That would surpass the 2019 Saudi Aramco listing, which remains the biggest IPO so far. The higher target would also mark a sharp rise from the $1.25 trillion valuation reported in February after the merger with xAI.

The proposed valuation reflects investor debate over how much value should be assigned to the cash-generating Starlink business, launch dominance and more speculative ventures including Starship and space-based AI.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

On this day …

On this day in 2016, journalists began publishing the Panama Papers, a vast leak of financial records exposing offshore structures used by political leaders, business figures and public officials around the world.

The disclosures triggered investigations, resignations and new transparency debates across multiple jurisdictions.

The episode highlighted how global financial networks could operate beyond traditional regulatory oversight and prompted renewed discussion about tax policy, governance standards and accountability in an interconnected economy.

Did the revelations change global financial behaviour, or mainly public expectations about transparency?

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In a prime-time address on the Iran war, Donald Trump repeated long-standing claims that US military objectives were “nearing completion” but gave no timeline for ending the conflict and made no reference to negotiations. Analysts had expected either escalation or an exit signal, yet the speech largely restated arguments he has circulated for weeks.

Markets reacted quickly after Trump warned the US would hit Iran “extremely hard” and “send them back to the Stone Age” over the next two to three weeks. Brent crude rose to $106.42 and West Texas Intermediate reached $104.21 while US and Asian equity futures fell about 1 percent and regional indexes in Japan and South Korea declined.

Trump also acknowledged petrol prices above $4 per gallon as Iran partially closed the Strait of Hormuz, a route carrying about a fifth of global oil supply. He urged countries dependent on Gulf energy to secure the passage themselves and renewed threats to strike Iran’s electricity infrastructure if no deal emerges.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Mercopress

Donald Trump stepped up his attack on Nato on Wednesday, saying he was “absolutely” considering withdrawing the United States after allies refused to join the US-Israeli war on Iran. He also suggested to a British newspaper that leaving the alliance was “beyond reconsideration”, widening a transatlantic rift as European governments resisted military involvement.

In his evening address on the war, Trump did not mention Nato by name, but said countries dependent on oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz should secure the route because the United States would not. European leaders meanwhile reaffirmed support for the alliance, with Keir Starmer calling it the world’s most effective military alliance.

Congress has already passed legislation requiring approval before any president can pull the US out of Nato, underlining the legal and political obstacles to a formal withdrawal.

Sources: Associated Press, The Guardian

French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ceasefire in the Middle East during talks in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday. The two leaders said they shared a belief in international law and democratic values, and both backed a return to peace, calm and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Takaichi said they agreed on the need to de-escalate quickly, protect navigation and maintain stable supplies of essential goods.

The visit came as Donald Trump said countries using the strait should keep it open and criticised France as “very unhelpful”. Macron did not mention Trump, but said France had not been consulted and was not part of the military offensive. He also praised Europe’s “predictability” at a time when some countries could make decisions that hurt partners without informing them. Japan, which depends on the Middle East for 95 percent of its oil imports, has dipped into stockpiles as prices rose.

Sources: Euronews, Associated Press

Keir Starmer said the UK would seek closer economic and security ties with the European Union as the Iran war increases pressure on Britain’s economy and foreign policy. Speaking on Wednesday, the prime minister said a summit with the EU later this year would be used to pursue stronger cooperation on defence, security, energy, emissions and the economy.

He said the conflict had made this more urgent, pointing to the need for closer partnership with European allies as the world grows more volatile. Starmer also said support for households would be kept under review, with the impact depending on how long the conflict lasts and how quickly the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened.

The move comes as relations with Washington have become more strained after Britain refused to be drawn further into the war. Starmer said the UK remained fully committed to Nato, but repeated that the conflict was not Britain’s war and that the country would not be dragged into it.

Sources: BBC, ABC

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used a rare national address on Wednesday to warn that the economic shock from the Iran war would be felt in Australia for months, as fuel prices surge and the government moves to conserve supplies. He said Australia was not an active participant in the war, but that households were already paying higher prices because of it.

Albanese urged motorists not to panic or hoard fuel and asked commuters to switch to trains, buses or trams where possible so supplies could be preserved for farmers, miners and other essential industries. He said no government could fully shield Australians from global pressures, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz driving sharp rises in petrol and diesel prices.

The government has announced temporary relief measures including halving fuel excise, scrapping road user charges for heavy vehicles for three months and seeking to boost imports through regional partners under a National Fuel Security Plan.

Sources: New York Times, BBC

The heads of three major international institutions, the IEA, the IMF and the World Bank, said on Wednesday they would form a coordination group to respond to the economic and energy impact of the Middle East war, as disruption spreads across markets and supply chains. The group will monitor developments, align analysis and coordinate support to policymakers, while also assessing country-level impacts and potential financing needs.

The institutions said the conflict had caused one of the largest supply shortages in global energy market history and was already pushing up oil, gas and fertiliser prices. They also warned of concern over food prices, pressure on global supply chains and wider strain on currencies, inflation expectations and growth, with energy importers and low-income countries facing disproportionate risks.

The response could include policy advice, financial support including low or zero-percent financing, and other risk mitigation tools for countries in need.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, IMF

Japan has operationally fielded its first batch of Type 25 long-range strike missiles, with surface-to-ship systems deployed in Kyushu and hypersonic variants stationed at Fuji, as tensions with China sharpen. The deployments give Japanese forces the ability to strike targets over 1,000 kilometres away, while future hypersonic variants are planned to extend range to between 2,000 and 3,000 kilometres.

As Tokyo completed the deployment on Tuesday, a Chinese naval flotilla entered the Sea of Japan after crossing the Tsushima Strait, according to Tokyo. Japan’s defence ministry said the group included five PLA Navy vessels, among them the Lhasa destroyer, two Type 052D destroyers, an intelligence collector and a replenishment ship.

China condemned the missile deployment as “neo-militarism” and said it exceeded Japan’s exclusively defensive stance. Japan described the new systems as important to enhancing deterrence and response capabilities amid growing regional tension.

Sources: South China Morning Post, USNI

The United States lifted sanctions on Delcy Rodriguez on Wednesday, easing restrictions that had barred US-based entities from doing business with her and marking another step in Washington’s growing engagement with Venezuela’s acting president. Rodriguez welcomed the move and said it could help normalise and strengthen relations between the two countries.

The decision follows a broader shift in US policy since the January 3 removal of Nicolas Maduro, after which Rodriguez began leading cooperation with Washington’s plan to turn the country around. The sanctions relief also allows her to work more freely with US companies and investors.

Washington has already eased restrictions on major Venezuelan industries. In March, the Treasury authorised direct oil sales by the state-owned oil company to US companies and on global markets. Rodriguez, who had been under US sanctions since 2018, has also moved to open Venezuela to greater outside investment, including in its oil reserves.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera

The first foreign troops from the new UN-backed Gang Suppression Force arrived in Haiti on Wednesday, marking the start of a deployment intended to address escalating gang violence before the country’s planned election. The advance team came from Chad, and Jack Christofides, a South African UN official appointed as Special Representative of the force, also arrived in Port-au-Prince.

The force is expected to grow to 5,500 personnel and was approved last year with a mandate to help confront gangs that have expanded their reach across the country. Unlike the earlier Kenyan-led mission, which supported local police, the new force is empowered to make arrests in Haiti.

Its arrival comes as Haiti prepares for a first round of voting in August after years of delays. Armed groups control much of Port-au-Prince, and the UN has reported thousands of gang-related deaths and more than 1.5 million people forced from their homes.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera

Ukraine on Tuesday denied Russia’s claim that its forces had fully captured Luhansk Oblast, saying a small area in the region remains under Ukrainian control. Russia’s defence ministry said its troops had completed the occupation of the region, but Ukrainian officials and military units rejected that account and described it as propaganda.

A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Joint Forces said there were no changes to report and that small positions in Luhansk had been held for a long time. Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade said its troops remained in the region and were holding the last lines of defence there. Battlefield monitoring cited in the source material also showed the relevant settlements as unoccupied as of April 1.

The dispute came as diplomatic efforts remained stalled and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared for talks with US envoys. Russia has continued to demand that Ukraine withdraw from the wider Donbas region as a condition for progress towards a deal.

Sources: Kyiv Independent, PBS

On this day …

On this day in 1982, Argentine forces landed on the Falkland Islands, beginning a ten-week conflict with the United Kingdom over sovereignty in the South Atlantic.

The invasion triggered a rapid British military response and drew international attention to the strategic importance of maritime territory and overseas dependencies.

The conflict reshaped domestic politics in both countries and reinforced the continuing relevance of territorial disputes even late in the Cold War period.

Why do geographically remote territories continue to carry such political weight decades after decolonisation?

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President Donald Trump has told aides he is willing to end the US military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, judging that forcing the waterway open would extend fighting beyond his preferred four-to-six-week timeline. He said the campaign’s main goals were to hobble Iran’s navy and missile stocks before winding down current hostilities.

He signalled Washington would press European and Gulf allies to help reopen the strait as energy disruptions spread. About one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the chokepoint, and shortages have already hit industries as prices surged above $100 a barrel.

Trump also said the United States could leave the conflict within two to three weeks and that a deal with Tehran was not required, even as domestic petrol prices rose above $4 a gallon. Analysts warn Iran’s continued control of the passage could keep threatening global trade.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera

A United Nations assessment says the war against Iran could erase between $120 billion and $194 billion in gross domestic product across Arab states, with the damage spreading even if the conflict ends relatively soon. The report found the region could lose as many as 3.6 million jobs and see up to four million people pushed into poverty.

The heaviest losses are expected in Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the Levant, where output could fall by more than 5.2%. Qatar and Kuwait could each see GDP contract by 14% this year if the conflict continues through April, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are also expected to suffer despite being able to reroute some oil flows.

The report links the shock to disruptions caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has hit oil and gas exports, lifted prices and exposed the region’s dependence on a narrow economic base.

Sources: Bloomberg, Times of Israel

Iran is recruiting volunteers aged 12 and above for military-aligned roles as the war continues, according to official statements, witnesses and rights groups. An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official said children could be considered for operational and security duties, support and logistics, service and supplies, or health and treatment roles.

Witnesses told reporters they had seen children, including some armed, at checkpoints and in security positions in Tehran and other cities. One reported case involved 11-year-old Alireza Jafari, who was said to have been killed while helping at a checkpoint in Tehran alongside his father.

Human Rights Watch said the recruitment and use of children under 15 in military roles was a grave violation of children’s rights and a war crime. The organisation said there was no excuse for a recruitment drive targeting children, while another rights group described the initiative as a systematic crime against children.

Sources: BBC, The Independent

The European Commission has urged Europeans to work from home, drive and fly less, and use public transport more as it warned that the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war will bring prolonged disruption. Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said that even if peace came tomorrow, oil and gas markets would not return to normal in the foreseeable future.

He said there were no immediate supply shortages in the European Union, but diesel and jet fuel were under pressure and global gas markets were facing increasing constraints that were pushing up electricity prices. Since the start of the war, the bloc’s bill for imported fossil fuels has risen by 14 billion euros.

Jørgensen said the Commission was preparing measures to help families and businesses weather the price shock, while also urging member states to avoid fragmented national responses. He also called for faster deployment of renewables and backed measures such as lower speed limits, car sharing and public transport use.

Sources: Politico Europe, Associated Press

New polling points to broad unease in the United States over the war with Iran, with two-thirds of Americans saying Washington should end its involvement quickly even if its stated goals are not achieved. The Reuters/Ipsos survey also found that 60% disapproved of US military strikes on Iran, while 35% approved.

The conflict’s domestic impact is also registering in household concerns. Gasoline rose above $4 a gallon on Monday for the first time in more than three years, and two in three respondents said they expected prices to worsen over the next year. More than half said the conflict would have a mostly negative effect on their personal financial situation.

A separate poll found 55% of American Jews opposed the military action, while 32% supported it. It also reported concern about unclear objectives, lack of congressional approval and the long-term political effects of conducting the war jointly with Israel.

Sources: Reuters, Times of Israel

A third US aircraft carrier strike group is heading to the Middle East as operations against Iran continue, extending a naval build-up around the conflict. The USS George H.W. Bush left Norfolk, Virginia, on Tuesday with Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and is likely to take three weeks to reach the region.

Its deployment follows the departure of the USS Gerald R. Ford from combat operations after a fire in its laundry area. The Bush is expected to replace the Ford while joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is operating in the Arabian Sea. It is the third such group dispatched during the war.

The move comes as President Donald Trump seeks a diplomatic resolution to a war that has raised energy prices, largely cut off shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and triggered Iranian retaliation against Gulf allies.

Sources: Bloomberg, Anadolu Agency

Israel’s defence minister said Israeli forces would retain security control over territory in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River even after the current war with Hezbollah ends, while also declaring that homes in villages near the border would be destroyed. He said more than 600,000 displaced residents would be barred from returning south of the Litani until northern Israel was secure.

The announcement drew immediate condemnation from Lebanon, which said it showed a clear intention to impose a new occupation, forcibly displace civilians and destroy towns and villages. European countries, Canada and the United Nations also criticised the plan as fighting continued.

The conflict has already caused heavy losses. Since early March, at least 1,238 people have been killed in Lebanon, including at least 124 children, while more than a million people have been displaced. Israeli officials say the objective is to protect communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

The United Nations human rights chief has urged Israel to repeal a law reinstating the death penalty in terms applicable almost exclusively to Palestinians, warning that its use against residents of the occupied Palestinian territory would constitute a war crime. He said the legislation was deeply discriminatory, inconsistent with Israel’s international law obligations and raised serious concerns about due process violations.

The law, passed by the Knesset on 30 March, makes execution by hanging the default penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of lethal attacks against Israelis. It also requires death sentences to be carried out within 90 days and does not provide an opportunity for pardon.

Hundreds of Palestinians protested across the occupied West Bank after the vote, while the European Union, Germany and Spain voiced concern or condemnation. Israel’s parliament approved the legislation by 62 votes to 48, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voting in support.

Sources: Al Jazeera, UN Human Rights

A federal judge has permanently blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a presidential directive to end federal funding for NPR and PBS, ruling that the order is unlawful and unenforceable under the First Amendment. The judge said free speech protections do not permit viewpoint discrimination and retaliation of this kind.

In his ruling, the judge said the order sought to cut off all federal funding to the two organisations because the president disapproved of their coverage. He wrote that the government had failed to cite a single case upholding action barring an entity from federally funded activity because of its past speech.

The White House called the decision a ridiculous ruling by an activist judge and said the administration expected ultimate victory. The case comes after Congress voted to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, while earlier funding cuts forced PBS to lay off one-third of its children’s staff.

Sources: Associated Press, The Guardian

European foreign ministers gathered in Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Bucha atrocities and to reinforce support for holding Russia to account. All European Union countries except Hungary backed a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes, while EU officials also discussed a claims commission for war damages.

The visit came as US-led efforts to end the war remained stalled and attention in Washington was drawn towards the Middle East. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it was vital not to let Ukraine slip off the table and stressed the need for accountability for those responsible for killings in places like Bucha.

At the same time, Ukraine intensified long-range drone strikes on Russian oil export infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, targeting facilities in the Leningrad region and ports including Primorsk and Ust-Luga. Kyiv says the attacks are aimed at curbing export income that finances Moscow’s war effort.

Sources: Associated Press, Politico Europe

On this day …

On this day in 1979, Iran formally became the Islamic Republic after a national referendum approved the political transformation that followed the overthrow of the Shah earlier that year.

The new system combined republican institutions with clerical authority under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, reshaping Iran’s domestic order and redefining its relationship with Western powers and regional neighbours.

The change also influenced political movements across the Middle East and altered the strategic landscape of the Cold War era.

Few constitutional transitions have so quickly reshaped both regional alliances and global perceptions of political Islam.

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The White House again threatened to escalate attacks on Iran’s electricity plants, oil facilities and possibly desalination infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as the conflict entered its fifth week and the near-closure of the waterway continued to choke supplies of energy, fertiliser and other critical commodities. US crude futures ended above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022.

At the same time, President Donald Trump told aides he was willing to end the war without reopening the strait after concluding a military effort to force access could prolong the conflict beyond his preferred timeline. He granted Iran a 10-day cooling-off period after eight oil tankers passed through Hormuz and prioritised weakening Iran’s naval capabilities and missile reserves before scaling back hostilities.

Washington said Iran agreed to US proposals and was eager to negotiate, but Tehran rejected the demands as excessive while Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey attempt to mediate conflict

Sources: Japan Times, Times of India

Spain closed its airspace to US planes involved in the Iran war, extending an earlier decision that barred Washington from using jointly operated military bases in the conflict. Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the same logic applied to Spanish airspace, while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has described the war as illegal, reckless and unjust.

The move added further strain to an already tense trans-Atlantic relationship. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US may need to reexamine its relationship with NATO after the operation, arguing that an alliance cannot work if Washington defends Europe but is denied basing rights when it needs them.

The dispute comes as NATO members have largely rebuffed US requests to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a passageway effectively shut since late February, with oil and gas prices soaring and allied cooperation under new pressure.

Sources: Associated Press, Bloomberg

Iran is pushing the Houthis to prepare for a renewed campaign against Red Sea shipping if the United States escalates further in its war, according to European officials. Houthi leaders are weighing more aggressive action after launching ballistic missiles at Israel, though officials said divisions inside the group help explain why it entered the conflict only a month in.

The risk is significant because any campaign near the Bab el-Mandeb strait would further upend global energy markets at a time when the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since late February. With Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has ramped up crude exports from Yanbu on the Red Sea, making the southern route especially important for oil moving to Asia.

Officials said the Houthis may delay a decision to retain leverage against Washington, even as Tehran sees the group’s threat to shipping lanes as another bargaining chip in any negotiations.

Sources: Bloomberg, France 24

The White House said Donald Trump is interested in asking Arab countries to help pay for the cost of the Iran war, reviving a burden-sharing idea from the 1990 Gulf War even as Washington says talks with Tehran are progressing well. Karoline Leavitt said it was an idea Trump has and suggested more would be heard from him on the subject.

The proposal surfaced as the administration argued that Iran’s public statements differ from its private messages and that Tehran had privately agreed to some US points. Trump earlier warned that Iran’s energy plants and oil wells would be obliterated if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz.

The financial question is gaining weight as the conflict enters its 31st day, with reports that the White House is seeking at least $200bn in additional military spending from Congress while energy prices continue to rise.

Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera

Iran struck a fully loaded crude oil tanker anchored at Dubai port, setting it on fire and damaging its hull in an attack that raised fresh fears over commercial shipping in the Gulf. Dubai authorities said the blaze, caused by a drone strike, was extinguished early on Tuesday and later confirmed there was no oil leak. All 24 crew members were safe.

The tanker was carrying 2m barrels of oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and was bound for Qingdao, China. Crude prices briefly spiked after the attack, which came hours after Donald Trump warned the US would obliterate Iran’s energy plants and oil wells if Tehran did not open the Strait of Hormuz.

The strike added to fears of wider disruption as the month-long conflict continues to threaten energy supplies and broader economic stability.

Sources: Times of India, The Guardian

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Volodymyr Zelenskiy said some of Ukraine’s partners had urged Kyiv to scale back attacks on Russian oil infrastructure after turmoil on global energy markets. He said Ukraine would stop hitting Russian energy facilities if Moscow halted its own strikes on Ukraine’s energy system, adding that Kyiv was ready for a ceasefire at any time and that an Easter truce was one option.

The comments came after Ukrainian attacks in recent weeks on Russian refineries, export pipelines and sea terminals, including the Ust-Luga oil terminal. Zelenskiy said Ukraine had received messages from partners asking how responses against Russia’s energy sector could be reduced.

The issue has gained weight as higher oil prices linked to the war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz strengthen Russia’s war economy while also threatening Ukraine’s ability to fight.

Sources: Bloomberg, BBC

Two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon on Monday when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle, and two others were injured. The incident came a day after another Indonesian peacekeeper was killed when a projectile hit a mission base and exploded, making it the second fatal incident in 24 hours.

The deaths came shortly after Israel said it would step up ground and air attacks against Hezbollah. The mission said investigations were under way into both incidents, while Israel said the circumstances were being reviewed and it should not be assumed that the harm to peacekeepers was caused by its forces.

The United Nations condemned the attacks and said peacekeepers must never be a target, as rising hostilities in Lebanon added to wider regional risks more than a month after the United States and Israel bombed Iran.

Sources: BBC, UN Peacekeeping

Israel’s Parliament passed a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks, marking a significant hardening of policy after the 2023 Hamas-led attack and the Gaza war that followed. The legislation makes death by hanging the default sentence in military courts and allows a simple majority of judges to impose it.

The law leaves those sentenced in military courts with no clear path to a pardon and requires execution within 180 days at most, limiting the scope for retrials. It does not apply retroactively to Palestinians already jailed by Israel. Critics said the measure was designed to target Palestinians while making it highly unlikely that Jewish extremists convicted of similar crimes would face the same punishment.

Britain, France, Germany and Italy had urged lawmakers not to pass the bill, and rights groups immediately filed petitions seeking to have it struck down.

Sources: New York Times, The Guardian

Israel’s military suspended all operational activities of a reserve battalion after soldiers involved in the detention and assault of a CNN news crew in the West Bank were disciplined. The battalion will be withdrawn from the territory and reassigned to training, while one soldier was dismissed from military service and others were reprimanded.

The military described the incident as a serious ethical and professional failure and said weapons must never be used for revenge. It said the battalion would undergo training aimed at reinforcing its professional and ethical foundations before any return to operational activity.

The episode has drawn unusual scrutiny because it followed reporting on surging settler violence in the village of Tayasir. During the detention, soldiers said the entire West Bank belongs to Jews and that they were avenging the alleged killing of an Israeli settler days earlier. The assault of a photojournalist will be investigated by military police.

Sources: CNN, The Independent

At least 70 people were killed and 30 injured in a gang attack in Haiti’s Artibonite region, according to a human rights group, far above earlier official estimates of about 16 dead. The assault began in the early hours of Sunday in rural communities around Jean-Denis, with gang members storming the area, setting homes on fire and forcing thousands to flee.

The rights group estimated that 6,000 people were displaced, while the United Nations said reported death toll estimates ranged from 10 to 80 and called for a thorough investigation. Police said they deployed three armoured vehicles, but progress was slowed by holes dug in the road, and officials said the attackers were fleeing when officers arrived.

The attack underlined the worsening insecurity in Artibonite, a key agricultural region where gang violence has spread beyond the capital despite more aggressive policing and promises of more foreign support.

Sources: DW, Al Jazeera

On this day …

On this day in 1889, the Eiffel Tower was officially inaugurated in Paris as the centrepiece of the Exposition Universelle marking the centenary of the French Revolution.

Rising over 300 metres, it briefly became the tallest man-made structure in the world and demonstrated the possibilities of modern steel engineering.

Initially criticised by many artists and intellectuals, the tower soon became a global symbol of industrial modernity and technological ambition, reflecting Europe’s late-nineteenth-century confidence in progress and infrastructure.

How often do structures that are widely disliked when they are built end up being popular?

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Attacks linked to the Iran war entered a fifth week as Israel struck Tehran and Yemen-based Houthi militants launched ballistic missiles at Israel following US-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The Houthis’ entry widened the conflict as strikes and interceptions spread across the region and more than a dozen US personnel were wounded in an Iranian strike on a Saudi base.

Around 3,500 additional US troops arrived in the Middle East, bringing the regional total to more than 50,000, roughly 10,000 above usual levels. Officials are weighing potential ground operations, including moves to open the Strait of Hormuz, where flows that normally carried about a fifth of seaborne global oil have slowed to a trickle.

Iran is drafting legislation to govern passage through Hormuz, including shipping security provisions and fees, underscoring the waterway’s role as its main source of leverage in a war that has killed more than 4,500 people.

Sources: Bloomberg, New York Times

Pakistan said it would soon host talks between the United States and Iran after diplomats from Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia met in Islamabad, though there was no immediate word from Washington or Tehran and it remained unclear whether any discussions would be direct or indirect. Donald Trump said Washington was in discussions with Iran and doing “extremely well” in the negotiation.

The diplomatic opening was overshadowed by renewed threats from Tehran. Iran’s parliament speaker dismissed the Pakistan track as cover after thousands of US Marines arrived in the Middle East and said Iranian forces were waiting for American troops on the ground. Iran also threatened to attack the homes of US and Israeli commanders and political officials in the region.

The war has threatened supplies of oil, natural gas and fertilizer, shaken markets through Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, and killed more than 3,000 people.

Sources: Associated Press, CNN

Donald Trump said he could “take the oil in Iran” and seize Kharg Island, the export hub through which most of Iran’s oil is shipped, even as he said indirect talks with Tehran via Pakistani emissaries were progressing well.

He described taking the oil as his preference and said the United States had a lot of options, while also acknowledging that any move could mean remaining on the island for a while.

The remarks came as the United States sent thousands of troops to the Middle East and oil prices surged. Brent crude rose above $116 a barrel on Monday morning in Asia, while a possible ground operation was described as very risky. Kuwait said a power generation and water desalination plant was damaged in an attack on Sunday evening, killing one worker.

Sources: FT, CNBC

Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the Israeli military to further expand operations in southern Lebanon, citing continued rocket fire by Hezbollah and saying the aim was to push anti-tank missile fire away from Israel’s border. Israel said last week it was enlarging a buffer zone up to the Litani River, though it was not immediately clear whether Netanyahu’s latest order referred to that area or to the seizure of additional territory.

His office declined to provide further details and said the matter had not yet been discussed by the security cabinet. Netanyahu said Hezbollah still had a residual capability to launch rockets and that Israel was determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north.

Israeli strikes and ground operations have killed more than 1,100 people in Lebanon, while the Israeli military has said four of its soldiers have been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon.

Sources: Daily Maverick, SBS

Russia’s Baltic port of Ust-Luga sustained fresh damage in a Ukrainian drone attack that sparked a blaze later brought under control, as Kyiv stepped up strikes on Russian oil export infrastructure. Regional authorities said air defences downed 36 drones overnight and emergency services were deployed with additional equipment, including two firefighting trains, to contain the fire.

The attack followed several strikes last week on Russia’s western energy corridor, when facilities at Ust-Luga and Primorsk came under fire, igniting storage tanks and forcing a suspension of oil and oil product loadings. Ust-Luga loadings have been halted since Wednesday after significant damage, while Primorsk has also been hit.

Just before the recent attacks, Primorsk and Ust-Luga handled about 45 per cent, or 1.72 million barrels a day, of Russia’s seaborne crude exports. The disruption threatens Russian oil export revenues at a time of higher oil prices.

Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters

Donald Trump signalled new flexibility on oil shipments to Cuba, saying he had no problem with a country sending oil to the island, whether Russia or not, as the sanctioned tanker Anatoly Kolodkin approached Matanzas carrying around 730,000 barrels of crude. The administration is planning to let the shipment dock, according to people familiar with the matter, easing pressure created by a near-total blockade on fuel deliveries.

The move offers relief to an energy crisis that has intensified under Trump’s embargo. Cuba has suffered widespread blackouts in recent weeks, while President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the country had received no oil imports for three months. Fuel rationing, soaring prices, reduced public transport and multiple power outages have hit the island’s fragile economy.

The shipment should be enough to power Cuba’s thermoelectric plants for about a week, or, according to one energy expert, could be converted into enough diesel to cover demand for about 12.5 days.

Sources: The Guardian, Japan Times

Israeli police prevented two senior Roman Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, citing safety concerns linked to the war with Iran and the difficulty of emergency access in Jerusalem’s Old City. Church officials said it was the first time in centuries that senior church leaders had been unable to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass at the site.

The decision drew condemnation from international leaders and prompted a rapid reversal. Giorgia Meloni called it an offense to the faithful, Emmanuel Macron said it added to a concerning sequence of violations of the status of the holy sites, and the US ambassador to Israel said the move was difficult to understand or justify.

Benjamin Netanyahu later said he had instructed authorities to give Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa full and immediate access to the church and allow him to hold services as he wished.

Sources: New York Times, Reuters

Pope Leo XIV used his Palm Sunday Mass to reject claims that God justifies war, saying Jesus is the king of peace and that God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war. Speaking before tens of thousands in St Peter’s Square, he said the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States was atrocious and added that many Christians in the Middle East could not fully observe the rites of Holy Week.

The unusually pointed remarks came days after the US defence secretary prayed for overwhelming violence against enemies who deserved no mercy, and as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East. The pope did not name any government or individual.

Leo has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and a ban on airstrikes. On Sunday he urged prayers for people wounded by war and called for concrete paths of reconciliation and peace.

Sources: The Guardian, NPR

French authorities arrested three people after a suspected foiled bomb attack outside Bank of America’s offices in Paris, with anti-terrorism prosecutors opening an investigation into attempted damage by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a terrorist undertaking. The incident happened at about 03:30 local time on Saturday in the city’s 8th arrondissement, near the Champs-Élysées.

An initial suspect was detained at the scene after placing a device close to the bank. Police said it contained flammable liquid and an ignition system, while another source described two bottles of flammable liquid, adhesive tape and 650 grams of explosive powder. Two more suspects were arrested on Sunday, and all three are under 18 according to a source close to the investigation.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the attempted attack could be linked to the US-Israel war on Iran, though he said it was for investigators to determine.

Sources: BBC, ABC News

Australian police say a man believed to be Dezi Freeman was shot dead after an hours-long standoff at a rural property in Victoria, potentially ending a seven-month manhunt for the fugitive accused of killing two police officers last August. Formal identification is still underway, but police said their families were informed first.

Police said the man emerged from a building wrapped in a blanket and armed with a gun, with an opportunity to surrender peacefully that he did not take. No officers were injured in the operation, which will be investigated as standard in police shootings.

Freeman had fled into dense bushland after the deaths of Detective Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart at his property in Porepunkah. Police said further investigations would now focus on anyone who may have assisted him while he was on the run.

Sources: BBC, RTE

On this day …

On this day in 1867, the United States agreed to purchase Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million, adding nearly 600,000 square miles to its territory and ending Russia’s colonial presence in North America.

The agreement reflected both Russia’s concern about defending the region after the Crimean War and Washington’s growing interest in Pacific access and Arctic positioning.

Initially criticised as “Seward’s Folly”, the acquisition later proved strategically important for resources, trade routes and military geography.

What looked like a remote territorial bargain in 1867 would eventually shape Arctic strategy and North Pacific power balance for generations.

1. Chile Officially Eliminates Leprosy

In March 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) verified Chile as the first country in the Americas to eliminate leprosy (Hansen’s disease) as a public health concern. This milestone marks the culmination of over 30 years without a single locally acquired case.

Chile’s success is built on a “low-incidence” model that kept the disease legally notifiable even as it faded from public memory, ensuring that health professionals remained trained to spot and treat rare imported cases immediately. By providing free multidrug therapy and prioritizing patient confidentiality, Chile has proven that even ancient, stigmatized diseases can be defeated through sustained political will and strong primary healthcare.

Sources: PAHO, Vax Before Travel

2. “Stunning” Results in Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy

A Phase I trial for the experimental drug VIR-5500 has delivered breakthrough results for men with advanced, treatment-resistant prostate cancer. Traditionally, prostate tumors are “cold,” meaning they successfully hide from the immune system, making immunotherapy ineffective. However, this new “T-cell engager” acts like a homing beacon, linking the body’s killer T-cells directly to cancer cells.

In results presented this March, 82% of patients saw their PSA levels drop by half, and nearly 50% experienced actual tumor shrinkage. Researchers are particularly optimistic about the drug’s “cloaking device” design, which allows it to activate only inside the tumor, significantly reducing the harsh side effects usually associated with intensive cancer treatments.

Sources: San Francisco Today, Black Enterprise

3. Monarch Butterfly Population Surges 64%

The annual monarch butterfly census released in March revealed a significant recovery in the overwintering population in Mexico. The area of forest occupied by the butterflies jumped to 7.24 acres, a 64% increase from the previous winter’s record lows.

This bounce-back is attributed to a rare combination of favourable spring weather and a massive tri-national effort between Mexico, the U.S., and Canada to restore milkweed habitats along the 2,800-mile migratory corridor. While scientists warn that the species remains vulnerable to climate change, this surge provides a critical demographic buffer and proves that coordinated, continental-scale conservation can effectively pull iconic species back from the brink.

Sources: Xerces Society, The Guardian

4. Chile Signs Protocol for Cape Froward National Park

On March 10, 2026, the Chilean government signed the official protocol to create the Cape Froward National Park at the southernmost tip of the American continent. Spanning over 300,000 acres of sub-Antarctic forests and peat bogs, the park was established through a historic donation from the NGO Rewilding Chile and public land designations.

The territory is ancestral to the Kawésqar Indigenous people, who will co-manage the park to ensure their cultural heritage is protected alongside the habitat of endangered species like the huemul deer and the puma. This new “Route of the Parks” addition ensures that one of the world’s most rugged and pristine wildernesses remains a permanent public asset.

Sources: GOB, Voyagers Travel

5. Amazonian Bees Win Legal Standing

In a global first for insect conservation, the Peruvian municipalities of Satipo and Nauta granted legal rights to native stingless bees this month. The ordinance recognizes these bees- essential for pollinating 80% of Amazonian flora - as “legal subjects” with the inherent right to exist, flourish, and inhabit a pollution-free environment.

For the first time, “guardians” (Indigenous leaders and environmental experts) are legally empowered to represent the bees in court to block activities like illegal logging or pesticide use that threaten their survival.

This marks a radical evolution in environmental law, moving protection beyond large “charismatic” animals to the tiny, foundational pillars of the entire rainforest ecosystem.

Sources: Nation Of Change, Drishti

6. King Charles III Inaugurates England Coast Path

On March 19, 2026, His Majesty the King officially inaugurated the King Charles III England Coast Path at the Seven Sisters cliffs in East Sussex. Stretching 2,700 miles, it is now the longest continuous managed coastal walking route in the world. The project has successfully connected previously fragmented stretches of beaches and clifftops, granting the public a permanent “right to roam” around the entire nation.

A key innovation of the path is its “rolling edge” legal status, which ensures that as the coastline naturally erodes, the path’s boundaries automatically move inland. This protects public access for future generations, regardless of the physical changes brought by climate change.

Sources: National Trails, UK Government

7: “Rx Kids” Poverty Antidote Expands

One year after its launch, the Rx Kids program released data on March 4, 2026, showing transformative results in Michigan. The program—which “prescribes” unconditional cash: $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 monthly for an infant’s first six months—expanded this month to cover the entire Upper Peninsula.

The data confirms that by treating poverty as a preventable medical condition, the program has significantly reduced maternal stress and infant food insecurity.

Unlike traditional welfare, Rx Kids removes the “bureaucracy of poverty,” trusting parents to use the funds for their family’s immediate needs. It is currently being studied as a highly efficient model for improving long-term health outcomes through direct financial dignity.

Sources: Human Medicine, Rx Kids

8. CrossSense Smart Glasses Win £1M Longitude Prize

The prestigious Longitude Prize on Dementia was awarded on March 18, 2026, to the CrossSense smart glasses, a revolutionary tool for preserving independence. Developed by a team including University of Sussex scientists, the glasses use augmented reality and a soft-spoken AI assistant named “Wispy” to guide users through daily routines.

The AI learns a user’s unique habits and provides gentle prompts, such as naming objects or highlighting potential hazards like a hot stove. By focusing on lived experience and safety rather than just a clinical cure, the technology allows people in the early stages of dementia to stay in their own homes longer, maintaining their confidence and connection to their surroundings.

Sources: Challenge Works, University of Sussex

9. 19 Global Cities “Breathe Better”

A comprehensive report released on March 11, 2026, by the group Breathe Cities named 19 global metropolises—including San Francisco, London, and Beijing—as champions of air quality. These cities have successfully cut toxic air pollution by at least 20% over the last 15 years, with some achieving drops as high as 45%.

The data shows that these improvements were not accidental but the result of deliberate urban design, such as pedestrianizing city centers, expanding electric vehicle fleets, and doubling bike lane networks.

Most significantly, the report proves that cities can grow economically while simultaneously slashing the pollution that causes thousands of premature deaths annually.

Sources: San Francisco Environment, Travel Tomorrow

10. EU Nature Restoration Targets Go Live

In March 2026, the European Commission officially opened the implementation and funding phase for the landmark Nature Restoration Law. This marks a historic transition from voluntary conservation to a binding legal requirement for all EU member states to restore 20% of the continent’s land and sea areas by 2030.

With a dedicated biodiversity budget rising to 10% this year, nations are now submitting draft plans to replace concrete with “micro-forests,” restore degraded peat bogs, and remove river barriers. The law is the first of its kind in the world, putting ecological recovery on an equal legal footing with carbon reduction targets to ensure long-term climate resilience.

Sources: European Commission, IEEP