Armed conflicts and attacks
Middle Eastern crisis
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seizes two vessels after attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. A third vessel is also reportedly "disabled off Iran's coast". (CNN)
2026 Iranian strikes on the Kurdistan Region
Three members of the Kurdistan Freedom Party are injured in a drone attack in the Khabat District, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. The group attributes the attack to Iran. (Al Jazeera)
Israeli airstrikes kill at least five people across Lebanon, including Al Akhbar journalist Amal Khalil. (Al Jazeera)
April 2026 attack on French UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon
A French UNIFIL peacekeeper dies from his wounds sustained from an ambush last week blamed on Hezbollah. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
Boko Haram insurgency
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents on motorcycles kill at least 20 people in shootings in Borno State and Adamawa State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
Insurgency in Balochistan
Ten people are killed and eight others are injured in an attack on a copper and gold mine in Chagai District, Balochistan, Pakistan. A Turkish citizen is among the fatalities, while another is kidnapped. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
Business and economy
Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
Stocks in the United States, including S&P 500 and Nasdaq, rise following yesterday’s announcement that the ceasefire would be extended indefinitely. (CNBC)
German airline Lufthansa announces that it will cut 20,000 short-haul flights in Europe this summer, saying rising fuel prices have made many flights "unprofitable" for the company. (BBC News)
Germany–Russia relations, Russia in the European energy sector
Russia announces it will halt the transport of Kazakh oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline starting May 1, citing technical reasons, while the German economic ministry states that the interruption is not expected to significantly disrupt fuel supply. (AFP via France 24)