Oil falls by 11% after Iran’s foreign minister declares Strait of Hormuz open

Oil prices plunged by about 11% on Friday, extending earlier losses, after Iran’s foreign minister said ​that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of ‌Hormuz was open for the remaining ceasefire period.

China’s Q1 economic rebound faces rough seas as Iran war jolts global outlook

China’s economy picked up speed early in 2026, riding an export surge before the Iran war sent energy costs soaring and put global demand - vital to Beijing’s ​growth ambitions - at risk.

Trump says Iran agreed to ‘never’ close Strait of Hormuz again

The US president Donald Trump says Iran has “agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again.”

Iran says Hormuz open for commercial vessels after Lebanon ceasefire

Iran on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz has been opened to all commercial vessels for the remaining duration of the ceasefire, stating that the move is in line with the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement.

Gandhara legacy and modern diplomacy: Opportunities and constraints for Pakistan

Pakistan’s recent efforts to position itself as a custodian of Buddhist heritage, through international conferences and the promotion of the Gandhara legacy, represent a calculated exercise in cultural diplomacy.

Myanmar reduces ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence, her lawyer says

Myanmar has reduced the sentence of imprisoned ex-leader Aung San ​Suu Kyi, her lawyer told Reuters on Friday.

US military: ’locked and loaded’ to strike Iran’s power plants, energy industry if ordered

The U.S. naval blockade of Iran is just an example of ’’polite’’ behavior during ‌the ongoing ceasefire and U.S. forces are ready to strike Iran’s power plants and energy industry if ordered, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on Thursday.

Pope criticises ’tyrants’ who spend billions on wars after Trump spat

Pope Leo has criticised leaders who spend billions on wars and said the world was ’’being ravaged by a handful of tyrants’’ in unusually forceful comments during a visit to Cameroon.

Pakistan announces power cuts in bid to control energy prices

Pakistan will suspend electricity supply for about two hours during peak-usage times every evening, the government said, in an effort to manage energy prices affected by the Iran war.

Donald Trump, Netanyahu, Mamdani, Xi Jinping among 100 most influential people

The TIME Magazine has released its much-anticipated annual TIME100 list, featuring the 100 people shaping the world right now. The 2026 list is a mix of political heavyweights, cultural icons, and rising global voices.

El Salvador publishes law allowing life sentences for minors as young as 12

El Salvador has published a new law that will allow authorities to penalise minors as young as 12 with life imprisonment for severe crimes, including homicide, terrorism or rape.

US Senate Republicans back Trump military sales to Israel

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday blocked two resolutions that would have stopped the sale ‌of some $450 million in bombs and bulldozers to Israel, as President Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans rallied behind his support for the Jewish state.

Pakistan army chief in Tehran to advance next round of US-Iran talks

A high-level Pakistani delegation has travelled to Iran to hold talks focused on arranging a fresh round of negotiations between Iran and the United States, a week before their fragile truce is due to expire.

US naval blockade of Iranian ports violates ceasefire: Iran’s army

The continued US naval blockade of all Iranian ports constitutes a violation of the ceasefire, said the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran’s top joint military command.

Kazakhstan jails protesters for five years after demonstration ‘displeases’ China

Kazakhstan has sent 19 people to jail for participating in a peaceful protest against human rights abuses in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.

Trump and Modi stress need to keep Strait of Hormuz open in call

U.S. President Donald Trump ​and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed ‌the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure in a call on Tuesday, ​Modi said in a post on X.

Japan PM pledges $10 bil. in financial aid to Asia to tackle oil shortage

The Japanese government said Wednesday it will provide a total of $10 billion in financial support to other Asian nations to help them secure crude oil supplies as prices soar amid the Middle East conflict, aiming to ensure that petroleum-derived products made in those countries keep flowing into Japan.

Chinese ship fails to break US blockade, turns back to Hormuz after brief win

A US-sanctioned tanker linked to China changed course after sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz, where vessel movements are being closely watched following a naval blockade announced by Donald Trump. According to a Reuters report, the vessel. Rich Starry, made its way back to the Strait of Hormuz as it failed to break through the US blockade.

UN watchdog says North Korea is boosting nuclear weapons capacity

North Korea ​has made ’’very serious’’ advances in its abilities to turn out nuclear weapons, with the probable addition of a ‌new uranium enrichment facility, as it stepped up activity at a key complex, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday.

US Treasury’s Bessent says China has been unreliable partner by hoarding oil during war

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday China ​had been an unreliable global partner during the Middle East war by hoarding oil supplies and limiting exports ‌of some goods, mirroring its actions with medical goods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

US shuts down Iran’s maritime trade despite optimism for more talks

The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, even though President ​Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week.

250 missing after migrant boat sinks in Indian Ocean

About 250 Rohingya and Bangladeshis, including children, are missing after their boat capsized last week in the Andaman Sea, according to the United Nations’ refugee and migration agencies.

Trump hints Iran talks could resume this week as US port blockade continues

President Donald Trump has suggested talks aimed at ending the war in Iran could resume this week, after negotiations collapsed at the weekend, prompting the US to blockade Iranian ports.

Trump says Iran war is ’very close to being over’ as peace talks are expected to resume

President Donald Trump said the U.S.-Iran war is ’’very close’’ to an end as hostilities ease amid a two-week ceasefire agreement.

Iran demands compensation from 5 Arab states over alleged participation in US-Israeli strikes

Iran demanded compensation from five Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan, accusing them of participating in US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

China warns of countermeasures against US over tariff hikes threat

China has threatened “countermeasures” if the US “goes ahead with the tariff hikes on China”, which Beijing says follow false media reports claiming it provided military support to Iran.

Japan halts new foreign worker intake for food services as quota nears

Japan has stopped accepting new foreign workers in its food services sector from Monday (Apr 13), as the industry nears its quota under a skilled worker scheme.

US vice president says ‘ball is in Iran’s court’ on deal to end war

US Vice President JD Vance says the US would be happy to treat heavily-sanctioned Iran “like a normal country” if it doesn’t pursue nuclear weapons.

Trump deletes post depicting him as Jesus-like figure after backlash

Faced with growing backlash, US President Donald Trump appears to have removed a controversial Truth Social post depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure.

South Asia remains fastest-growing region; India continues as growth engine: World Bank

Despite headwinds from global energy market disruptions triggered by the Iran war, South Asia continues to be the world’s fastest-growing region, with India acting as the principal engine of growth, according to the latest report by the World Bank.