Portal:Current events

Topics in the news

A rocket trailing flame against a blue sky

Artemis II in flight

NASA's Artemis II (pictured) performs its lunar flyby manuever, becoming the farthest any human being has been from Earth.
In Mongolia, Nyam-Osoryn Uchral is sworn in as prime minister following the resignation of Gombojavyn Zandanshatar.
The Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, remain the largest party after the Danish general election, with no political bloc winning a majority of seats.
In Italy, voters reject a reform of the judicial system in a constitutional referendum.

April 6, 2026 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
      - Debris from a missile defense system falls on a Raneen Systems building in Mussafah, injuring a Ghanaian citizen. (The Times of Israel)
      - The United Arab Emirates is targeted by 12 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, and 19 drones from Iran. (Al Jazeera)
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
      - Iran claims to be targeting U.S. satellite equipment and ammunition on Bubiyan Island using drones. (Reuters)
      - The Kuwaiti military responds to 14 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, and 46 drones from Iran in Kuwaiti airspace. (Al Jazeera)
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations, Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
    - Pakistan proposes a ceasefire plan received by the United States and Iran, reportedly dubbed the Islamabad Accord, which calls for an immediate halt to hostilities, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a 15–20 day period of negotiations between Iran and the U.S. This comes following reported talks between Pakistani army staff chief Asim Munir, U.S. vice president JD Vance, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The Pakistani foreign ministry says that talks between Iran and the U.S. are ongoing. (Arab News) (Reuters)
    - U.S. president Donald Trump says that Vance, Witkoff, and senior presidential adviser Jared Kushner are talking to intermediaries in Pakistan on ending the war. He also calls the Iran proposal a "significant step" ahead of his Tuesday deadline. (AA) (NBC News)
    - Iran delivers its response to the United States via Pakistan, rejecting a temporary ceasefire and listing its own 10-point demands, which include a solution to all regional conflicts, lifting of sanctions, reconstruction, and a protocol to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. (Al Jazeera) (Moneycontrol)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Israel
    - An Iranian missile strike hits 15 areas in Israel. A woman is seriously injured in Petah Tikva, while two other people are injured in Tel Aviv. In Haifa, four people are also slightly injured by a cluster bomb. (Ynet) (The Times of Israel)
    - Four bodies are found during a search and rescue operation in a house in Haifa that had been destroyed by an Iranian missile. (The Times of Israel)
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    - Fars News Agency reports that Iran has allowed 15 vessels to cross the Strait of Hormuz. (Kurdistan24)
  - Israeli attacks on Iranian scientific and academic centers
    - The mosque and filling station at the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran, are damaged in an airstrike, causing a gas outage in the neighbourhood. (Al Jazeera)
  - At least 13 people are killed in an airstrike on a residential building near Eslamshahr, Tehran Province, Iran. (WBAL-TV)
  - Explosions, likely from airstrikes, are reported in the South Pars gas field, in southern Iran. (Al Jazeera)
  - Four people are killed, seven are injured and others are reported missing in a Israeli–U.S. airstrike on a residential area in eastern Tehran, Iran. (Al Jazeera)
  - Israel claims to have killed Asghar Bakri, the commander of Unit 840 of the Quds Force. (Iran International)
  - Israeli defense minister Israel Katz states that the military is attacking Iran's most important petrochemical plant in Assaluyeh, causing severe damage. (Iran International)
  - Strikes hit a petrochemical complex in Marvdasht, Fars province, Iran, causing a fire. (AFP via Dawn)
  - Majid Khademi, head of the IRGC Intelligence Protection, is killed in an American–Israeli airstrike. (Iran International)
  - Nighttime attacks on Bandar Lengeh and Kong, Iran, kill six people and injured 17 others. (AP)
  - Reports indicate that explosions and attacks occurred early this morning at a military compound in northern Iran and in Khorramshahr. (Iran International)
  - The Israeli military claims to have attacked Mehrabad International Airport as well as two smaller airfields, destroying dozens of Iranian aircraft and helicopters in the process. (The Times of Israel)
- Red Sea crisis
  - 2026 Houthi strikes on Israel
    - The Houthis launch several long-range drones from Yemen at Eilat, Israel, in a coordinated attack with Hezbollah and Iran. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Lebanon war
  - Christian anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces Party official Pierre Mouawad, his wife, and another woman are killed in an Israeli airstrike in Ain Saadeh, a predominantly Christian town east of Beirut, Lebanon. (The Guardian)(Al Jazeera)
  - Multiple people are killed by Israeli attacks in towns across southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
  - The Israeli military orders the evacuation of the southern suburbs of Beirut because Israel will strike "Hezbollah infrastructure". (Al Jazeera)
  - The Lebanese government reports that there are 1.2 million displaced people in Lebanon due to the war. (Al Jazeera)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war, Odesa strikes
  - A Russian drone strike kills three civilians in Odesa Oblast, Ukraine, including a woman and her 2-year-old daughter. (Reuters)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan conflict
- Afghan forces says that they have captured a border post during clashes with Pakistani troops in Khost Province. (Khaama Press)
- One child is killed and three others are injured after a piece of unexploded ordnance detonated in Khost Province, Afghanistan. (KabulNow)

Disasters and accidents

The Afghani National Disaster Management Authority says that the total number of deaths from recent natural disasters in Afghanistan has risen to 110. (KabulNow)

International relations

Iran–Japan relations, Reactions to the 2026 Iran war
- Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi says that her government is planning to hold summit talks with Iran amidst the Iran war. (Mainichi)

Law and crime

Corruption in Russia
- A court in Kursk Oblast, Russia, sentences former governor Alexei Smirnov to 14 years in prison for defrauding the government by embezzling public funds intended for building fortifications along the Russia–Ukraine border. (Bloomberg)

Science and technology

Artemis program
- NASA's Artemis II spacecraft carrying four astronauts breaks the record for furthest distance humans have ever travelled from Earth surpassing the previous 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) record set by Apollo 13 in April 1970. (AP)

April 5, 2026 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Bahrain
      - The state-owned energy company Bapco Energies reports an Iranian drone attack on one of its storage facilities. An oil tank caught fire as a result. (The Jerusalem Post)
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Jordan
      - Jordan's military intercepts two missiles and two drones from Iran. (Al Jazeera)
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
      - An Iranian drone strikes the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation building, which also houses the Ministry of Oil. The impact triggers a fire, prompting the evacuation of the entire complex. (The Jerusalem Post)
      - An office complex housing government ministries in Kuwait City is struck by a drone, causing significant property damage. (The Quint)
      - Two power plants and their associated desalination facilities are severely damaged. The electricity and water ministry confirms the failure of two power generation units. (The Quint)
  - 2026 United States F-15E rescue operation in Iran
    - Iranian media claims an American Lockheed C-130 Hercules was shot down in Isfahan, Iran, while on a search and rescue operation for a missing U.S. airman. (Al Jazeera)
    - After heavy fighting, the weapon systems officer from the downed F-15E is successfully recovered by U.S. special forces. (Al Jazeera) (BBC News) (BBC News)
    - Two American C-130 transport aircraft and 4 MH-6 Little Bird helicopters are destroyed at a temporary U.S. base in Iran by withdrawing U.S. troops to prevent them from being captured by Iranian forces. (Türkiye Today)
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - Axios reports that the Iran, the U.S., and a group of regional mediators are discussing terms ‌for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war. (Axios) (Reuters)
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    - The United Arab Emirates declares its willingness to join a U.S.-led international coalition to secure and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked by Iran. (News18)
  - An Iranian missile strike hits a residential building in Haifa, Israel, killing two people, injuring nine others, including one seriously, and leaving two others missing. (Ynet)
  - The Israeli military says that it has killed Mohammad Reza Ashrafi Kahi, the head of trade at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's oil headquarters, in an airstrike in Tehran. (The Jerusalem Post)
- Israeli–Lebanese conflict
  - Hezbollah–Israel conflict
    - 2026 Lebanon war
      - Hezbollah claims its fighters struck an Israeli military vessel off the coast of Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
      - Five people are killed in an Israeli airstrike on Kfar Hatta, South Governorate, Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
      - A Lebanese soldier is killed by an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. (Reuters)
      - At least four people are killed and forty are injured by Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
      - Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir says that all parts of Lebanon south of the Litani River have been turned into an "operational zone" against Hezbollah. (Al Jazeera)
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
  - Gaza war
    - Gaza genocide
      - On Palestinian Child's Day, human rights organizations report that approximately 350 Palestinian children are currently being held in Israeli prisons, citing a systematic deterioration in detention conditions and allegations of torture. (WAFA)
      - A Palestinian is killed and others are injured, including some seriously, in a drone strike on civilians in Gaza City, Palestine. (Wafa)
Nigerian bandit conflict
- Nigerian security forces rescue 31 worshippers abducted during Easter services in a village in the Kaduna State, after an attack on churches by armed assailants. The incident results in at least five deaths. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Two people are killed when a cargo ship sinks after being struck by a Ukrainian drone strike in the Sea of Azov near Kerch, Crimea. (TASS)

Arts and culture

The new Super Mario Galaxy film scores the largest opening of 2026 with $372.5 globally. (ABC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
  - Nepal announces that government and educational institutions will have two days off work during the week instead of one, as part of an effort to save fuel. (Al Jazeera)
  - OPEC+ agrees to increase oil production quotas by 206,000 barrels per day for a second consecutive month amid concerns over damage to energy infrastructure and disruptions to maritime routes affecting global supply stability. (AFP via France 24)

Disasters and accidents

Fifteen people are killed and fourteen others are injured over the past 24 hours in Angola, due to heavy rains in several regions of the country. Five people have also been reported missing, including three in Luanda and two in Benguela. (Xinhua)
Three people, including two children, are killed and another is seriously injured after high winds cause a tree to fall onto an Easter egg hunt in Mittelangeln, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. (AP via CTV News)

Health and environment

Vaccination in Bangladesh
- Bangladesh launches an emergency MMR vaccine campaign after new health data shows that at least 130 children have been reported dead from measles in the last six weeks. (AA)

Law and crime

Iran executes two men convicted of attempting to storm a military facility and access the armory during the protests in January. (Reuters)

Sports

2026 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
- 2026 NCAA Division I women's basketball championship game
  - In college basketball, the UCLA Bruins defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-51 to win the 2026 NCAA Division I women's basketball championship game. (NBC 4 Los Angeles)

April 4, 2026 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Jordan
      - The Jordanian military says that 261 missiles and drones from Iran aimed at Jordan have been intercepted over the past five weeks. (Jordan News)
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
      - Kuwait intercepts eight missiles and 19 drones. (Al Jazeera)
  - Evacuations during the 2026 Iran war
    - Russia in the 2026 Iran war
      - Russia evacuates 198 more staff from Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant as an airstrike kills an Iranian security guard at the plant. (Reuters)
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    - Iraq in the 2026 Iran war, Iran–Iraq relations
      - Military command spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari says that Iran will allow vessels and ships from Iraq to use the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via The Manila Times)
    - Iran's military command rejects an ultimatum from U.S. president Donald Trump to re-open the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours or face more attacks on its critical infrastructure. (Al Jazeera)
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi rejects reports that Iran has declined to meet American officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, amidst stalled ceasefire efforts. He also reaffirms that Iran remains open for peace talks to end the war. (Arab News Pakistan) (CNN-News18)
  - Five people are killed and 170 others are injured in an Israeli missile strike on a petrochemical complex in Bandar-e Mahshahr, Khuzestan province, Iran. (BBC News)
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
  - 2026 Lebanon war
    - The Israeli military says on Telegram that it has started striking Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut after destroying a bridge in eastern Lebanon to prevent them from crossing. (AFP via The Times of Israel)
    - Israeli airstrikes in Habboûch and al-Hawsh, southern Lebanon, kill at least two girls and injure 40 people, while an Israeli soldier is also killed in action. (AFP via Vanguard)
    - Eleven people are injured in an airstrike carried out by Israel in Tyre, southern Lebanon. (AA)
- Gaza war
  - Blockade of the Gaza Strip
    - Around 20 boats from Marseille, Provence, France, set sail with international flotilla in a effort to break the current blockade on the Gaza Strip. (Palestine Chronicle)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Ukraine is willing to hold the next round of peace talks with Russia and the United States. (RBC-Ukraine)
- Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - Five people are killed and 19 others are injured in a Russian drone strike on a market in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Reuters)
Somali Civil War
- The Somali intelligence and security agency says that security forces have killed nine al-Shabaab militants in Lower Shabelle, Somalia. (Garowe Online)

Disasters and accidents

Five people are killed in a fire at a gas lighter factory in Keraniganj Upazila, Dhaka District, Bangladesh. (TRT World)
At least four people are killed and 18 others are injured, including two children, when a passenger vehicle plunges off a road near Sojha in Himachal Pradesh, India. (Reuters)
Three people are killed and at least 10 others are reportedly trapped after a four-story hotel collapses in Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh, India. (India Today) (Hindustan Times)
The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority reports 77 deaths and 137 injuries in flooding, landslides and lightning caused by severe weather in the country over the past 10 days. (AP)

Law and crime

Protests against the 2026 Iran war
- Protests against the 2026 Iran war in Israel
  - The Israeli High Court of Justice orders police to allow anti-war protests in Israel. (The Times of Israel)
  - Police clash with anti-war protesters at the Habima Square in Tel Aviv, defying the recent high court order. This comes after protesters defy a previous order by the Israeli military to limit gatherings to 150 people. (Haaretz) (The Times of Israel)
- Two demonstrators are arrested outside the RAF Lakenheath station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. The protest comes after media reports that a U.S. F-15E fighter jet that was shot down took off from the base. (Irish News)
- Protests break out across provinces in Iraq to demand an end to the aggression and end to the war following calls for protests by Shiite National Movement leader Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr. (SABA)
2026 New Iberia vehicle crash
- A vehicle crashes into a Lao New Year parade in New Iberia, Louisiana, United States, injuring at least 15 people. (Al Jazeera)
Terrorism in India
- A joint operation between the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police units arrests ISIS recruiter Rizwan in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. (The Times of India)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces that the State Department has revoked the green cards of the niece and grandniece of deceased IRGC Quds Force general Qasem Soleimani following their arrest by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (AFP via Dawn) (NBC News)

Politics and elections

2026 Maldivian constitutional referendum, 2026 Maldivian local elections
- Maldivians vote to elect members of local councils and decide on a constitutional referendum that proposes holding presidential and parliamentary elections concurrently on the same day in 2028. (Raajje TV)
- Early provisional results indicate that voters rejected the proposed constitutional amendment, while also allowing the Maldivian Democratic Party to retain five mayoral seats. (Raajje TV) (The Times of Maldives)
Cameroon's parliament approves a constitutional amendment reinstating the position of vice president, who will assume the presidency if the office becomes vacant and will be appointed by the president for the remainder of the term. (Reuters)
The term of Vjosa Osmani as President of Kosovo ends; the speaker of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, becomes acting president. (Telegrafi)

Science and technology

Cyberwarfare during the 2026 Iran war
- Planet Labs suspends public release of satellite imagery of Iran and surrounding conflict areas at the request of the U.S. government, shifting to restricted, case-by-case distribution for selected uses. The policy applies retroactively to images from March 9 and follows earlier delays imposed to limit potential military use of commercial imagery. (Reuters)

April 3, 2026 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
      - The United Arab Emirates intercepts 18 ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles, and 47 drones from Iran. Falling debris from the interception kills one person and injures others at the Habshan oil facility in the Abu Dhabi emirate. (Al Jazeera) (AFP via Vanguard)
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    - Maltese-flagged CMA CGM Kribi, a container ship registered by French shipping company CMA CGM crosses the Strait of Hormuz after departing Dubai, making it the first ship from Western Europe to cross the strait since the war started. (AFP via France 24) (Euronews)
    - Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines says that a liquefied natural gas oil tanker registered in Japan crosses the Strait of Hormuz for the first since the beginning of the Iran war. A third ship also crosses the strait. (Kyodo News) (The Guardian)
  - Aviation shootdowns and accidents during the 2026 Iran war
    - Iranian forces shoot down a U.S. F-15E fighter jet in Iranian airspace. U.S. officials say a search is underway for the two crew members, one of whom, the pilot, is rescued. Iran's state media says a reward will be given to any citizen who helps capture an American pilot. (CNN) (Reuters) (The Guardian
    - Two U.S. military helicopters are hit with small arms fire while conducting a search and rescue operation for the downed F-15E pilots. (Al Jazeera) (BBC News) (New York Post)
    - A U.S. A-10 Warthog crashes near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by Iranian anti-aircraft fire. The pilot ejects and is rescued. (The Guardian) (AA)
  - At least three people are killed in a strike on a residential area in Tehran, Iran. (Al Jazeera)
  - The Kyrgyz emergency ministry says that Kyrgyzstan has dispatched over 100 tons of humanitarian aid to Iran. The shipment is ordered by Kyrgyz president Sadyr Japarov. (Xinhuanet)
- 2026 Lebanon war
  - The U.S. embassy in Beirut warns Americans to leave Lebanon due to the situation in the country. (BBC News)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan conflict
- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning says that peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan are advancing in an effort to end the war. (AP)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Six people are killed and five others, including a child, are injured in Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine. (DW)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
  - Pakistan introduces free public transport in Islamabad and Punjab for one month and provides targeted subsidies in other regions to offset the impact of recent fuel price increases. (AFP via Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Disasters and accidents

2026 Jorm earthquake
- A M_w 5.8 earthquake hits parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, killing 12 people and injuring six others in Kabul and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (Xinhua) (Express News)
Four people are killed when a small plane crashes into a restaurant in Capão da Canoa, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. (Nasha Niva)
One person is killed and at least 47 others are injured when a wall collapses at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru. (The Times of India)
At least 35 people are injured after a passenger train derails in Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia. (The Moscow Times)

International relations

Italy–Saudi Arabia relations, 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni visits Saudi Arabia to discuss mitigating the impact of the Strait of Hormuz crisis with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. Meloni becomes the first leader from a European Union, G20, and NATO member state to the Middle East since the start of the Iran war. (Euronews)
Russia–Sweden relations
- The Swedish Coast Guard boards and seizes an EU-sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Baltic Sea after the vessel caused a 12-kilometer (8-mile) oil spill off the coast of Gotland. (AP)

Law and crime

Anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping
- The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of China announces that former Party Secretary of Xinjiang Ma Xingrui is under investigation over suspected "serious violation of law and discipline", becoming the third member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party to be investigated by the commission. (Reuters)
2026 Cuban crisis
- Cuba begins releasing political prisoners after announcing it will pardon 2,010 inmates amid U.S. pressure on the Cuban government. (Taipei Times)

Politics and elections

2026 Myanmar presidential election
- Myanmar's military ruler, General Min Aung Hlaing, is elected president by the Electoral College. Min secures 429 votes, against 126 for Nyo Saw and 29 for Nan Ni Ni Aye, who become first and second vice presidents, respectively. (AP) (Xinhua)
Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid scandal
- Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffles his cabinet after several officials were implicated in a European Public Prosecutor's Office investigation into alleged irregularities in the allocation of European Union farm subsidies. (Xinhua)

April 2, 2026 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Bahrain, 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
      - Minor damage is reported near the Kizad area in Abu Dhabi after the United Arab Emirates air defenses successfully intercepts an Iranian missile. (Khaleej Times)
    - Iran conducts strikes on Amazon Web Services servers in Bahrain and on an Oracle data center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However, the Dubai government dismisses any reports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has targeted the Oracle data center and says it's false. (The Caspian Post) (Gulf News)
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    - Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi says that Iran and Oman are drafting a protocol to oversee maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz. (AA)
    - The United Kingdom hosts a summit with 40 countries to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz. (Reuters)
  - Austria–United States relations
    - Austria denies United States aircraft use of its ‌airspace for military operations against Iran. (Reuters)
  - Karaj B1 bridge attack
    - The B1 highway bridge linking Tehran and Karaj, which was inaugurated earlier this year, is hit by Israeli–U.S. airstrikes. Eight people are killed and 95 others are injured. (Reuters via The Times of Israel) (Al Jazeera)
  - The Pasteur Institute of Iran sustains heavy damage in Israeli–U.S. strikes. (The Telegraph)
- Gaza war
  - Gaza peace plan
    - Delegation from Hamas holds talks in Cairo, Egypt to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. (Xinhua)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Foreign involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - Kenya reports at least 16 Kenyans are missing after being recruited to fight for the Russian military in Ukraine, while 38 others are currently in Russian hospitals in unknown conditions as they are under restricted access. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says the men were offered a US$2,700 monthly salary by Russian agents for joining the war. (BBC News)
- Crimea attacks
  - A Russian Antonov An-72 is destroyed in a Ukrainian airstrike on Kirovske Air Base in Kirovske Raion, Russian-occupied Crimea. (The Kyiv Independent)
Sudanese civil war
- Aftermath of the Battle of Khartoum
  - The United Nations reopens their headquarters in Khartoum for the first time since 2023 after it was relocated to Port Sudan following the outbreak of the war in mid-April 2023. (Sudan Tribune)
- Two Rapid Support Forces drones hit the Al-Jabalain hospital in White Nile State killing 10, including seven medical staff. (Xinhua)

Arts and culture

Religion in the United Arab Emirates
- Dubai moves worship services at churches, temples, and gurdwaras online or suspend in-person services due to the Iran war. (Gulf Business)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- Air China, China Southern Airlines, and its subsidiary XiamenAir increase fuel surcharges by ¥60–120 (US$8.70–17.50) on domestic flights in response to rising oil prices linked to the Iran war. (AFP via The Standard)
- Pakistan increases fuel prices, raising petrol by 42.7 percent and diesel by 54.9 percent in response to higher global energy costs linked to the Iran war. (AFP via New Straits Times)
- United States crude oil surges to over $113 per barrel. (NBC News)
The Somali Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport announces that Somalia has registered the Guney (IMO 8230417) ship under the Somali flag, its first national-flagged vessel since 1991. (FTL Somalia) (Anadolu Ajansı)

Disasters and accidents

2026 North Maluku earthquake
- One person is killed and another is injured when a building in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, collapses following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia. (AFP via France 24)
2025–26 European windstorm season
- One person is killed and hundreds are trapped indoors by flooding in Nea Makri, Attica, Greece, amid gale-force winds along the Mediterranean coast. (Reuters)
Four people are killed when a Cessna 172 crashes into a field in Huejotzingo, Puebla, Mexico. (PotosíNoticias in Spanish)
Both pilots are killed when a Beechcraft Model 18 operating on a cargo flight crashes in Coron, Palawan, Philippines. (Xinhua)

International relations

Argentina–Iran relations
- Argentina orders Iranian chargé d'affaires Mohsen Soltani Tehrani to leave the country within 48 hours after Iranian officials issued statements that Argentina described as false and offensive. The move follows Argentina's designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. (AFP via LBCI)
Moldova–Russia relations, Accession of Moldova to the European Union
- Moldova's parliament approves the country's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as the government says CIS's core values and principles are no longer respected, such as territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders, and refers to Russia's actions in the region, including the war against Ukraine and the illegal military presence on Moldovan territory. (Moldova Press) (TASS)

Law and crime

2025 Drents Museum heist
- Dutch authorities recover the Helmet of Coțofenești and other treasures from the Dacian royal collection, which were stolen from the Drents Museum in Assen, Drenthe, in 2025. (AFP via CTV News)
Kampala school stabbing
- Four children are killed in a mass stabbing at a school in Kampala, Uganda. The suspected perpetrator, an adult man, is arrested. (Al Jazeera)
Opposition to Vladimir Putin in Russia, Protests against the Russo-Ukrainian war
- The Basmanny District Court in Moscow, Russia, sentences German sculptor Jacques Tilly in absentia to eight years and six months in prison for spreading false information about the military and offending religious believers through his public works and statements concerning Russia's actions in Ukraine. (Reuters)
Twelve people are injured when a masked man detonates two pyrotechnic explosives on an train in Siegburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. A 20-year-old man is arrested by Federal Police and charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and violation of explosives law. A right-wing political motive is suspected. (Deutschlandfunk)

Politics and elections

2026 Cuban crisis
- Cuba announces the pardon of 2,010 prisoners, with releases scheduled over the coming months based on criteria such as conduct and health. (AFP via Free Malaysia Today)
Second cabinet of Donald Trump
- U.S. president Donald Trump dismisses Pam Bondi as Attorney General, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche replacing her on an acting basis. (BBC News) (CNN)
General Randy George, Chief of Staff of the United States Army, steps down upon U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth's request. (CBS News) (Reuters)

April 1, 2026 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
      - A fuel storage at Kuwait International Airport in Farwaniya Governorate, Kuwait, is hit by Iranian drones, causing a major fire. (Gulf News)
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on Qatar
      - Iran fires three ballistic missiles at Qatar, with two intercepted and a third one hitting a oil tanker registered by QatarEnergy. (Khaama Press)
    - 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
      - A Bangladeshi national is killed by shrapnel during a drone interception in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. (AFP via The Daily Star)
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian releases a letter to the American people and suggests that diplomatic engagement is possible. (The New York Times)
    - U.S. president Donald Trump, in his first primetime address since the start of the war, says that U.S. forces will soon "finish the job" and that objectives are "nearing completion". However, he also says that the U.S. would hit them "extremely hard" within the next 2–3 weeks if a deal is not reached to end the war. (AFP via The Daily Star) (AP)
  - 2026 Iranian strikes on Israel
    - Ten civilians are injured, including a girl from Bnei Brak, Israel, who is in critical condition, after a missile barrage from Iran. (The Times of Israel)
  - A U.S. strike on Tehran reportedly damages the former U.S. embassy, which was converted into a museum following its takeover during the Iranian Revolution. The St. Nicholas Orthodox Church is also damaged. (Iran International) (AFP via The Times of Israel)
  - As confirmed by the U.S. defense department and international media, two more MQ-9 Reaper unmanned reconnaissance drones have been shot down over Iranian territory. (CBS News) (Iran International)
  - The Israeli military says that the air force has completed strikes against vital targets in Iran, including military and nuclear targets. (Ynet)
- 2026 Lebanon war
  - Israeli airstrikes kill seven people, including the Hezbollah commander for Iraq, Youssef Hashem, and injure dozens more in Beirut and nearby Khalde, Lebanon. (AFP via Naharnet)
- Red Sea crisis
  - The Israeli military reports a missile launched by Houthi militias is intercepted. (The Times of Israel)
Russo-Ukrainian war
- Eastern front of the Russo-Ukrainian war
  - The Russian defence ministry says its forces have taken full control of Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military denies this claim, saying its 3rd Assault Brigade continues to hold a small number of positions near the front line. (AP)
- A Russian drone strike kills four civilians in Zolotonosha, Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine. (The New Voice of Ukraine)
2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan conflict
- Talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan are reportedly held in China in an effort to end the current conflict. (Reuters)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- Malaysia announces a remote work policy for government officials and employees of state-owned enterprises starting April 15 to reduce fuel consumption amid rising energy costs linked to the Iran war. The government also reduces subsidized fuel quotas while maintaining market-based pricing for unsubsidized fuel. (AFP via CNA)
- The Taiwanese transport ministry announces that airlines will increase fuel surcharges on international flights by 157 percent starting April 7, following a rise in global oil prices linked to the Iran war. (AFP via The Straits Times)

Disasters and accidents

A boat carrying Afghan migrants capsizes off the coast of Bodrum, Turkey, leaving at least 19 people dead, according to the Turkish Coast Guard. Twenty other migrants are rescued. (AP)
Five people are killed and 21 others are injured, including one critically, when a truck crashes into and sets on fire several vehicles at a tollbooth in Cundinamarca Department, Colombia. (Blu Radio in Spanish)
Four people are killed in a roof collapse at a coal mine in Xing County, Shanxi, China. (China Daily)

International relations

United States–Venezuela relations
- The United States lifts sanctions on Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez. (AP)

Law and crime

Scam centers in Cambodia
- Cambodia extradites the former chairperson of Huione Group to China, where law enforcement authorities accuse him of involvement in a large-scale online fraud and money laundering network linked to Huione. Investigators identify him as an associate of suspected crime leader Chen Zhi, who was previously extradited in connection with the case. (AFP via The Star)

Politics and elections

Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva are sworn in as the new Captains Regent of San Marino. (San Marino RTV)

Science and technology

Artemis program
- NASA launches Artemis II from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States, carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, for a flyby of the Moon. (BBC News) (Space.com)

March 31, 2026 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
  - 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    - Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian says that Iran has the "necessary will" to end the war, provided that the "guarantees required to prevent repetition of the aggression" are met. (RFE/RL)
    - Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi confirms that direct contacts, although "not negotiations", with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff are under way. (Al Jazeera)
    - U.S. president Donald Trump says that U.S. forces plan to end operations in Iran within about two to three weeks while continuing military action, stating that the withdrawal is not contingent on reaching an agreement with Iran. (AFP via RFI)
    - U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth says that the talks between Iran and the United States "are very real" but also states that the U.S. will "negotiate with bombs" until a ceasefire is reached. (Time)
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    - The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation claims that oil tanker Al Salmi has been hit by an Iranian drone at a port in Dubai, causing a fire onboard and damage to the vessel. Dubai authorities say that the fire has been contained hours after the incident. (The Guardian)
  - France–Israel relations
    - The Israeli defense ministry halts sales of defense products to France following president Emmanuel Macron's decision not to allow U.S. aircraft to pass through French airspace en route to Israel. (The Jerusalem Post)
  - Italy–United States relations
    - Italy denies the United States Air Force the use of the Sigonella base in Sicily for operations related to the Iran war. (Reuters)
  - Poland–United States relations
    - Poland refuses a request by the United States to relocate its Patriot air defense systems to the Middle East for the Iran war. (Politico)
  - China and Pakistan release a five-point peace plan for the Iran war following a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers, Wang Yi and Ishaq Dar, respectively. The plan includes a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. (The Guardian) (Axios) (Chinese Foreign Ministry)
- 2026 Lebanon war
  - Israeli defense minister Israel Katz announces that Israel will destroy "all houses" near the Blue Line as part of its creation of a new buffer zone. (Reuters)
  - Four Israeli soldiers are killed in action while fighting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. (The Jerusalem Post)
- Iraqi conflict
  - American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson is kidnapped by armed men in Baghdad, Iraq. (BBC News)
Mexican drug war
- Seven dismembered bodies are found on a road in Cualac, Guerrero, Mexico. (BNO News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
  - The American Automobile Association reports that the United States national average gas price has reached $4.02 a gallon, the highest since 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. (AP)
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average surges over 1,000 points and the Nasdaq increases to 3.4% after Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian says that Iran has signaled it is willing to end the conflict if security guarantees and assurances are met. (Moneycheck) (XTB)
- Stocks in the U.S. also rise following reports that president Donald Trump has told aides that he is willing to end the war without securing the Strait of Hormuz. (Quartz)