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Ukrainian drones have struck Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk and the NORSI oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod, as part of a broader campaign that has at points disrupted around 40 percent of Russia's oil export capacity.

This comes as mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey push for a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, while Tehran's IRGC Navy declared the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its previous state, with crude trading near $120 a barrel and JPMorgan warning of a potential spike above $150.

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1️⃣ 🇷🇺🇺🇦 Ukraine strikes Russian oil infrastructure: Ukrainian drones hit Russia's Baltic Sea port of Primorsk and the NORSI oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod, causing a fuel leak and fire at two facilities within Russia's fourth largest refinery. The attacks are part of a broader campaign that has at points disrupted around 40 percent of Russia's oil export capacity.

2️⃣ 🇭🇺🇷🇸 Explosives found near gas pipeline ahead of Hungarian election: Serbia discovered explosives near the TurkStream pipeline days before Hungary's parliamentary vote, with opposition candidate Péter Magyar alleging a Russian-backed "false flag" operation to benefit Orbán. Hungary's foreign minister pointed to Ukraine without directly assigning blame, while Kyiv denied involvement and attributed the incident to Russian interference.

3️⃣ 🇨🇳 China investigates former Xinjiang party chief: The Communist Party has placed ex-Xinjiang secretary Ma Xingrui under investigation for suspected violations of discipline and law, though no specific allegations have been disclosed. Ma led the region from 2021 to 2025, a period marked by the ongoing crackdown on ethnic minorities including Uyghur Muslims.

4️⃣ 🛢️ OPEC+ output hike largely symbolic amid Hormuz closure: Eight OPEC+ members agreed to raise May output by 206,000 barrels per day, though the move carries little practical weight while the US-Israeli war on Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz blocked, with disruptions estimated at 12 to 15 million barrels per day. Crude is trading near $120 a barrel, with JPMorgan warning of a potential spike above $150 if the strait remains closed into mid-May.

5️⃣ 🇩🇪 Germany's travel approval clause sparks backlash: A provision in Germany's new military service law, in effect since January, requires men aged 17 to 45 to obtain armed forces approval before spending more than three months abroad. The defence ministry says the rule carries no sanctions and approval will be routine while service remains voluntary, though the process ahead of planned clarifications remains unclear.

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Major Story

🇮🇷 Iran War Update: Day 38

1️⃣ 🇺🇸🇮🇷 US and Iran race toward ceasefire deal: Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are pushing for a two-phase agreement involving an initial 45-day ceasefire and subsequent negotiations for a permanent end to the war, though sources say a deal within 48 hours is unlikely.

2️⃣ 🇮🇷 Iran threatens wider retaliation over civilian strikes: Iran's highest operational military command warned that further attacks on civilian targets would trigger significantly more devastating and widespread retaliatory operations. The warning came in response to Trump's threats to strike power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by Tuesday.

3️⃣ 🇮🇷 Iran declares new Persian Gulf order: Iran's IRGC Navy stated the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its former state, particularly for the US and Israel, as it finalizes operational preparations for what it calls a "new Persian Gulf order." 

4️⃣ 🇮🇷🇴🇲 Oman and Iran hold Hormuz transit talks: The two countries met at deputy foreign minister level on Saturday to discuss options for restoring vessel passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with proposals from both sides to be studied further.

5️⃣ 🇺🇸 SEAL Team 6 rescues downed airman in $300M operation: Around 100 US special operations forces rescued an F-15E crew member from deep inside Iranian territory, destroying roughly $300 million worth of aircraft in the process, including two C-130s, Little Bird helicopters, an A-10 Warthog, and two Reaper drones. 

Other News

1️⃣ 🇰🇷🇰🇵 South Korea apologises for unauthorised drone flights: President Lee Jae-myung expressed regret to North Korea after an investigation found a National Intelligence Service employee and active-duty military official were behind unauthorised drone incursions into the North's airspace. A South Korean man has been indicted over the flights, which Pyongyang claimed to have shot down.

2️⃣ 🇨🇩🇺🇸 DRC agrees to accept US third-country deportees: The Democratic Republic of the Congo will begin receiving migrants deported from the United States this month under a temporary, US-funded arrangement, as Washington pursues a broader peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda and seeks access to Congolese minerals. Legal experts and rights groups continue to challenge third-country deportations on due process and human rights grounds.

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