Portal:Current events/2024 April 12

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Russian invasion of Ukraine
  • Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
    • Russia launches drone strikes across Ukraine. Critical infrastructure is damaged in Kherson Oblast and a fire occurs at the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station in Zaporizhzhia causing around half a tonne of oil products to leak into the Dnieper river. (Reuters) (Ukrainska Pravda)
• War in Sudan
  • Humanitarian impact of the war in Sudan
    • Canada pledges $132.2 million dollars to Sudan to help people affected by the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis. (Global News)
• Alliance of Sahel States
  • Nigerien crisis
    • Dozens of Russian military instructors arrive in Niger as part of an agreement with the ruling military junta to a install state-of-the-art air defence system. (BBC News)
• Israel–Hezbollah conflict
  • Hezbollah forces launch dozens of airstrikes into northern Israel. The militant group says that the airstrike barrage targeted IDF artillery positions. No casualties are reported. (Al Arabiya)
• War in Amhara
  • Two Fano militants are killed and a third is arrested during a shootout with police near the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A civilian is also killed and two officers are wounded. (The Washington Post)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the Israel–Hamas war, Egypt–European Union relations
  • The European Union pledges €1 billion in short-term financial aid to Egypt to help stabilise the country's economy. (Reuters)

International relations

• Iran–Israel proxy conflict
  • Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus
    • It is reported that Israel is preparing for a direct retaliatory strike from Iran on southern or northern Israel as soon as the next 24 to 48 hours. A person briefed by the Iranian leadership says that while plans to strike are being discussed, no final decision has been made. (The Wall Street Journal)
    • The United States restricts travel for its embassy personnel in Israel amid fears of a retaliation by Iran. (BBC News)
    • The British government advises against all travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories due to the imminent possibility of an Iranian strike. (Middle East Monitor)
    • France advises its citizens against traveling to Iran, Lebanon, Israel Palestine due to the risk of military escalation. (CNN)
    • Germany tells its citizens to leave Iran immediately, saying that "air, land and sea transport routes" will likely be affected by military action in the region. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• Censorship in Mali
  • The military junta in Mali prohibits all forms of media from reporting on activities of political parties and associations. (NOS)
• Pakistan designates the Iranian Quds Force Liwa Zainebiyoun as a terrorist organization. (VOA)

Science and technology

• Russia successfully test-launches an intercontinental ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar launch complex in Astrakhan Oblast. (Reuters)