India ends import tax on petrochemicals to help local industry

The import tax exemption on 40 products is valid till June 30.

Pakistan says it is in talks with Afghanistan to end conflict

April 2 (Reuters) - Pakistan is holding talks with Afghanistan to end the worst conflict between the South Asian neighbours since ‌the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. The talks in the northwestern Chinese city of

Expelled from camp, Palestinian refugees now face Iranian rockets

By Pesha Magid TULKARM, West Bank, April 2 (Reuters) - The sight and sound of Iranian rockets arcing overhead have become near-daily for the Palestinian Ghanem family, expelled by the Israeli military from a refugee camp and now living in a rickety shack with a thin metal roof

Malaysian government warns against profiteering as cost pressures mount

Malaysia is attempting to ease financial burdens while boosting income levels, said Zahid.

Malaysia to raise air-con temperatures in government offices to cut energy costs amid Iran war

Staff may also be allowed to wear more casual attire to the office as the temperature increases.

Thailand swelters under extreme heat as temperatures hit 42 deg C, with haze and storms forecast

The conditions are being driven by a heat-induced low-pressure system covering upper Thailand.

Commission issues guidance for pragmatic and proportionate rules on protecting wild birds

The European Commission has published guidelines for a pragmatic and proportionate implementation of the Birds Directive on the ground, while protecting Europe's wild birds. This guidance document provides practical advice to support member states and stakeholders in

Recent violent crime spree in Bali targeting tourists sparks concerns, debate as some hotels tighten security

Bali’s governor has said the most recent cases, the sexual assaults of three foreign tourists within three days last month, are isolated incidents. But some tourism players want the local government to do more.

Himalayan kingdom Bhutan hikes fuel prices due to Middle East war

The landlocked nation of about 800,000 people imports its fuel via India.

Malaysia army corporal arrested after alleged assault on 7 soldiers, 1 in ICU

Investigations by the Malaysian Armed Forces found that the corporal had used physical force after being dissatisfied with the way the victims cleaned the weapons store.

Chinese airlines to raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights

International flights will be subject to the system's calculations, according to the airlines' statements.

Africa: All of Africa Today - April 2, 2026

[allAfrica] Mozambique Settles IMF Debt, Eyes New Funding

Save ‘every drop of fuel’ South Korea urges, as Iran crisis hits

South Korea has already implemented fuel price caps and expanded fuel tax cuts.

Stephen Colbert Jokes That Trump Gave a ‘Concise, Intelligent’ Speech: ‘April Fools!’

"No one knows what Donald Trump is thinking," the host quipped. "Not even Donald Trump"

South Korea president says economy on 'wartime footing' over Iran war

The South Korean government has proposed a US$17.2 billion supplementary budget to tackle the crisis.

Fleetwood Mac star Lindsey Buckingham attacked by woman with ‘unknown substance’

The “stalking suspect” reportedly threw something on Lindsey Buckingham and then ran away. An arrest is expected soon.

‘XO, Kitty’ Showrunner Breaks Down Kitty and Min Ho’s Relationship, Lara Jean’s Return and the Original Ending to Season 3

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers for Season 3 of “XO, Kitty,” now streaming on Netflix. Another season of “XO, Kitty,” another season of messy romantic decisions set against the backdrop of a posh private school in Seoul, South Korea. Created as a spin-off series to

UK looks to relax planning rules for factory farms after industry lobbying

Exclusive: documents chronicle years-long campaign to make it easier to build intensive livestock units Ministers are rewriting planning rules to make it easier to build intensive livestock farms despite concerns about water pollution, air quality and local opposition.

Commission calls on member states to coordinate measures to ensure oil security of supply amid Middle East energy disruption

Considering the market volatility stemming from the conflict in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the European Commission is calling on Member States to make timely and coordinated preparations to secure the supply of oil and refined petroleum products in

U.S. lifts sanctions on Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez

The newly announced sanctions relief is the latest U.S. recognition of Rodríguez as a legitimate authority in Venezuela ever since the U.S. military captured her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro.

Ashlee Simpson Revealed as the Winner of ‘The Masked Singer’

The pop star performed songs by Chappell Roan, Paramore, and Olivia Rodrigo on the reality show

World’s oldest tortoise caught in viral crypto death scam

Fake X account posing as his vet sparked global false reports of Jonathan’s death while soliciting crypto donations At 194 years old, Jonathan, the giant tortoise, was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne – and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a

Africa: World Bank Supports Uganda's Cities and Municipalities to Build Climate-Smart Infrastructure and Create Jobs

[World Bank] Kampala -- The World Bank Board has approved a six-year urban development program to improve the management of cities and municipalities and expand access to climate-smart infrastructure, services, and jobs for urban residents and displaced populations in

Libya's Haftar acquires combat drones despite UN embargo

By Alexander Dziadosz, Aaron McNicholas and Vinaya K CAIRO, April 2 (Reuters) - Eastern Libya's military leader, Khalifa Haftar, has acquired what appear to be Chinese and Turkish combat drones, Reuters reporting has found, despite a long-standing U.N. embargo on supplying

Commission allocates €21.5 million in emergency support to farmers in Bulgaria, Estonia and Hungary

Member states have endorsed the Commission's proposal to mobilize €21.5 million from the agricultural reserve to support farmers in Bulgaria, Estonia and Hungary affected by adverse weather events during the 2025 growing season. They will respectively receive €7.4m, €3.3m and

Indonesia calls Israel death penalty law ‘grave violation’ of human rights

It urged Israel to revoke the law.

The art of war: MAS Antwerp explores history and heritage of martial arts

A new exhibition at MAS Antwerp explores martial arts as culture, identity and community, bringing together global traditions and local stories beyond the fight.

Families praise charity for Easter holiday support

Live Well North East holds fitness classes for parents which cost £4 but offers free childcare.

Malaysia civil servants to work from home amid fuel crisis: PM Anwar

He said more updates would be announced soon.

Myanmar Actor Poe Mamhe Thar on Thai Film Debut in ‘Gohan,’ Building a Regional Career and Her Dream of Playing a Doctor (EXCLUSIVE)

Poe Mamhe Thar built her career in Myanmar one character at a time, developing what she describes as a growing sensitivity not just to the roles she played but to the audiences connecting with them. Now, with her Thai cinema debut in “Gohan,” she is stepping into a

Malaysia to ‘adjust’ land border control to align with Singapore’s tighter security checks

Since Feb 28, Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has stepped up security checks on arriving travellers, cargo and vehicles at all of the country’s entry points due to a heightened global security situation.

South Korea's Lee urges prompt passage of $17 billion extra budget amid Middle East energy crisis

SEOUL, April 2 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday urged parliament to promptly pass a 26.2 trillion won ($17.3 billion) supplementary budget to shore up the economy amid "the worst energy security threat" posed by the Middle East crisis. "Even if the

Looking for a holiday home in Spain? Valencia plans to set cap across the city

The Spanish city is moving to limit holiday accommodations amid local ‘touristflation’ woes in a country that has seen large-scale anti-tourism demonstrations.

Humans head back toward Moon for first time in 50 years: What to know about NASA’s Artemis II

NASA astronauts could be sent back to the Moon for the first time in 50 years as soon as April 1. Here's what you need to know about the mission.

The new European fortress: Breaking the cord of energy dependency with renewables

At the North Sea Summit in Hamburg, European leaders pledged to turn gray waters into a green engine, hardening industry against global shocks. Their plan aims to de-risk grids and shield them from economic and political turbulences, theoretically ending the era of costly

Mind your manners: Which European countries are the most polite in the world?

A new survey shows that European countries make up over half of countries globally perceived to be most polite, but their self-assessment of politeness at times contradicts the international verdict.

There's A Storage Problem With AI Inference - And Western Digital Knows It

Malaysia civil servants to work from home amid fuel crisis

Malaysia's ministries, agencies, statutory bodies and government-linked companies will work from home from Apr 15.

Europe to negotiate with NASA on lunar missions: ESA

The European Space Agency will negotiate future participation in NASA missions after the US space agency revamped its lunar program, the ESA head told AFP Wednesday.

Pump, dump and post: Indonesia needs to regulate its finfluencers

Indonesia’s digital financial ecosystem is expanding rapidly, but regulatory scrutiny has struggled to keep pace with the growing influence of social media personalities who provide investment commentary to millions of followers. This governance gap was sharply exposed in

Musk’s path to $1 trillion: SpaceX files for IPO, reports say

Elon Musk’s space exploration company has filed preliminary paperwork to sell shares to the public, according to two sources familiar with the filing — a blockbuster offering that would likely rank among the largest ever and could make its founder the world’s first trillionaire.

Watch: NASA's Artemis II rocket launches on historic Moon mission

A NASA rocket carrying four astronauts blasted off from Florida, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

Myanmar parliament to hold vote to elect president on Apr 3, house speaker says

Penang to enforce single-use plastic bag ban from Sept 1

Errant businesses may risk their ability to operate if they fail to meet the requirement.

Iran fires missiles at Israel after Trump threatens weeks of strikes

Israel said it came under Iranian missile fire on Thursday after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb the Islamic republic into the "Stone Ages" with heavy strikes in the next two to three weeks. In a speech from the White House, Trump sought to reassure war-weary

‘Ravana,’ Student-Led Theatrical Feature, Set at India’s Reliance Animation Academy, Tenali Rama (EXCLUSIVE)

India’s Reliance Animation Academy and Tenali Rama Animation have unveiled “Ravana – The Lost Battle with Shri Ram,” one of India’s first student-led theatrical feature films, to be produced through an industry-education partnership. The project centers on Ravana, the

Advancing sovereign intelligence from space

ICEYE, the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space, has successfully launched and deployed six new 25 cm resolution SAR satellites into orbit. The satellites were integrated via Exolaunch and successfully lifted off on March 30, 2026, aboard the Transporter-16