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In a dramatic escalation, police in Noida, a suburb of the Indian capital, deployed tear gas to quell a four-day-old protest by factory workers on Monday. The demonstration had turned violent, with protesters torching vehicles and peltng stones in parts of the satellite city.The police stated that they used "minimum force" to maintain law and order. Narendra Kashyap, a lawmaker from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where Noida is located, urged protesters to engage in discussions with the government regarding their demands.Senior police and administrative officials are making persistent efforts to counsel the workers and encourage them to maintain peace and restraint, according to a statement by the Gautam Budh Nagar police.The protest visuals showed dozens of protesters marching on the street, chanting slogans, while security personnel in anti-riot gear looked on. Other images depicted an overturned vehicle with flames and protesters attempting to break through barricades.Noida, one of Asia's largest planned industrial townships, houses thousands of industrial units. The rising living costs globally, exacerbated by the US-Israel conflict with Iran which has impacted fuel supplies, have added to the workers' grievances.In a similar protest in the neighboring state of Haryana last week, the government ordered a 35 percent increase in minimum wages following demonstrations near production units of several car manufacturers.Vinay Mahoti, a 30-year-old worker from Bihar employed at a hosiery company in Noida, highlighted the workers' demands, including fixed duty hours, overtime pay, and adherence to federal government guidelines by companies.

The U.S. military announced that, starting at 14:00 GMT on Monday, it will enforce a blockade of every Iranian port, a step taken after President Donald Trump ordered a naval closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the waterway through which roughly one‑fifth of global crude oil normally flows. The blockade comes on the heels of stalled peace negotiations in Islamabad, where talks between Washington and Tehran collapsed without an agreement despite a prior cease‑fire pledge. Trump’s escalation has already driven crude prices above $100 per barrel and unsettled Asian equity markets, with the Nikkei 225 down 0.84%, the Topix slipping 0.42% and South Korea’s Kospi falling 1.83%. Iran’s response is equally forceful. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any vessel entering the strait would be deemed a breach of the cease‑fire and dealt with “harshly and decisively,” insisting it has “full control” and threatening a “deadly vortex” for any misstep. Navy chief Shahram Irani dismissed Trump’s threat as “ridiculous and funny,” while state television said Iranian forces are closely monitoring U.S. movements. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lamented “maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade” that undermined a near‑final Islamabad memorandum, quoting, “Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.” Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf pledged resistance and mocked U.S. gasoline prices, posting a map of Washington‑area pump prices and predicting nostalgia for $4‑$5 gas. U.S. Central Command clarified that the blockade will stop all vessels bound for or from Iran, while traffic to non‑Iranian ports will continue unhindered. Trump also warned that any ship that has paid an “illegal toll” to Iran will be intercepted on the high seas, and he publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV for urging an end to the conflict. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least five people, bringing the country’s overall death toll to 2,055. Hezbollah retaliated with a rocket barrage aimed at northern Israeli towns, citing violations of a cease‑fire. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that an Israeli tank rammed peace‑keeping vehicles twice in the south. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops on the Lebanese border, claiming that Hezbollah’s invasion threat has been neutralized, though he acknowledged that hostilities continue within the security zone. On the energy front, shipping through the Hormuz corridor has “immediately halted,” according to Lloyd’s List, with several vessels turning back after the blockade announcement, further tightening global oil supplies.

Intense rainfall has caused severe flooding in multiple provinces of Saudi Arabia, leading officials to temporarily close schools to ensure student safety. Video footage circulating online captures inundated streets, submerged vehicles, and classrooms rendered unusable by rising waters.Education authorities cited the need to protect children from hazardous conditions, noting that the closures affect thousands of students and may disrupt the academic calendar. The Ministry of Education is coordinating with local municipalities to assess damage and plan for a swift reopening once floodwaters recede.While the immediate priority remains public safety, the event underscores the growing vulnerability of infrastructure to extreme weather events in the region, prompting calls for improved flood‑risk management and resilient school facilities.

Since the outbreak of the Iran conflict in February, European car shoppers have turned sharply toward electric vehicles (EVs), spurred by a rapid climb in petrol costs that has made plug‑in power appear markedly cheaper. Major online marketplaces report a pronounced uptick in EV interest. Germany’s leading platform, Mobile.de, recorded a greater‑than‑50% increase in electric‑car inquiries in March compared with February, while demand for petrol and diesel models fell during the same period. Hybrid queries edged up only 4%. In the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany, the buyer‑matching service Carwow logged 20%‑30% growth in EV inquiries between February and March, with the UK alone seeing a 23% rise in electric demand and a 19% jump for hybrids. French marketplace La Centrale observed a staggering 160% surge in EV searches from early March to early April, underscoring how sensitive drivers are to energy‑price volatility. AutoScout24, operating across Germany, Austria and Italy, noted that demand for electric cars climbed by roughly 40%, while interest in petrol and diesel vehicles remained flat or declined. Official registration data reinforce the trend. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported that March battery‑electric registrations hit 86,120 units—a 24.2% year‑on‑year increase** and a record high for the month. Industry insiders attribute the shift to a combination of soaring fuel costs and supportive policy measures. In Germany, diesel prices have reached **€2.50 per litre**, and the government’s **€6,000 purchase subsidy** for electric cars further narrows the cost gap. "What the German energy transition couldn’t achieve, the economic reality has delivered," said Ajay Bhatia, CEO of Mobile.de, highlighting how market forces are now driving the zero‑emission push. Volkswagen’s ID.3 emerged as the most popular battery model, benefitting from both the subsidy and heightened consumer awareness. Nevertheless, experts caution that the surge may be partly transitory. Mobile.de’s Bhatia predicts the spike will settle at "a new, higher normal," while Autotrader’s Ian Plummer notes that previous fuel‑price spikes did not translate into lasting EV adoption, emphasizing the need for continued confidence in vehicle range and charging infrastructure. Guillaume‑Henri Blanchet of La Centrale added that the crisis has given many drivers their first real sense of total‑cost‑of‑ownership, making them more willing to accept higher upfront prices for lower long‑term operating costs. As Europe grapples with the dual pressures of geopolitical tension and energy inflation, the automotive market appears poised for a structural shift toward electrification, though the durability of this momentum remains to be fully seen.

The new academic term began in Gaza in late March, but the usual bustle of students catching buses to campus has been replaced by the stark reality of displacement.Israel’s relentless campaign has turned most university buildings into rubble and shelters, forcing a shift to online learning that many students in tents cannot access due to lack of electricity, water, food and reliable internet.Against this backdrop, a glimmer of hope has emerged. In the overcrowded al‑Mawasi district of Khan Younis, the US‑based NGO Scholars Without Borders has erected a makeshift “University City,” a wooden and metal structure designed to bring students back into a real lecture hall."Our mission is to bring education closer to students in a better environment," said Hamza Abu Daqqa, the organisation’s Gaza representative.The facility houses six halls that can accommodate up to 600 students each day. Powered by solar panels, it offers internet access, improvised green spaces and even a small business incubator to help students explore entrepreneurial ideas.University City operates on a rotating weekly schedule, allocating each day to a different institution so that multiple universities can share the limited space. Priority is given to courses that require hands‑on instruction, such as practical labs and discussion‑based classes.Prominent Gaza institutions—including the Islamic University, Al‑Azhar University and the Palestine College of Nursing—have already begun using the site.For many students, this is the first time in years they have set foot in a space that feels like a real university. "When I saw this place, I was amazed," said 20‑year‑old nursing student Mariam Nasr, who fled Rafah and now travels four kilometres on foot to attend classes.Another first‑year student, Amr Muhammad, echoed the sentiment: "Being here with other students, discussing and engaging in class makes a huge difference."The broader picture remains grim. UN experts have labeled Israel’s systematic targeting of Gaza’s academic sector as “scholasticide.” More than 7,000 university students and staff have been killed or injured, and over 60 university buildings have been completely demolished, according to the Euro‑Med Human Rights Monitor.Materials for University City were sourced entirely within Gaza, a testament to the community’s resilience amid soaring costs and scarce resources. Yet the initiative is hampered by the same blockade that restricts reconstruction supplies, fuel and safe transport.Students still face daily hurdles: damaged roads, limited cash, and unreliable transport—often relying on worn‑out vehicles, donkey carts or long walks. "My father could only give me eight shekels (about $2.64) for a ride," Mariam explained, highlighting the economic strain.Even once inside the halls, challenges persist. Power outages and unstable internet make it difficult to print materials or follow online lectures, forcing many to rely on old phones and intermittent connections.Nevertheless, the atmosphere inside University City is one of determination. "For medical education, in‑person learning is essential," said Dr Essam Mughari of the Palestine College of Nursing. "Seeing students gather again restores something vital."For students like Mariam, the drive to continue studying is deeply personal. "My cousin, a nurse, was killed when an airstrike destroyed her family’s house. I study to heal others and honor her memory," she said.While University City now serves hundreds daily, thousands of Gaza’s students remain without comparable facilities. Abu Daqqa stresses that the project is only the beginning: "We have built dozens of makeshift schools, but the need is far greater. Imagine what could be done if the needed resources were allowed through."

During the Jewish festival of Passover, thousands of Israeli settlers converged on natural springs in the occupied West Bank, areas that were previously used by Palestinian communities. Videos circulating on settler chat groups show settlers wading and splashing in the same natural pools where Palestinian children once swam. Their parents barbecued nearby, expressing elation and crediting the 'hilltop youth' – young settlers carrying out systematic violence against Palestinians – for making this possible.The celebrations come as 1,727 Palestinians from 36 communities in the West Bank were displaced in the first three months of 2026 due to settler violence and access restrictions, according to the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This already exceeds the highest annual figure recorded in any of the previous three years.For Palestinians like Haitham al-Zayed, 24, who was forcibly displaced from Shallal al-Auja by Jewish settlers, watching the videos was 'very hard to see' but unsurprising. He described the escalating violence and intimidation his community faced, including armed settlers on all-terrain vehicles funded by the Israeli government, chasing livestock and children, and raiding homes to interrogate or detain residents.Allegra Pacheco, chief of party of the West Bank Protection Consortium, described the videos as more than provocation, potentially evidence of the celebration of the intentional use of violence by Israeli settlers to forcibly displace Palestinians – a serious violation of international law. 'The praising of ethnic cleansing carried out by these settler youth,' she said, 'it’s really showing both the impunity and the lack of accountability we are seeing right now.'The displacement and violence have left many Palestinians, like Muhammad from Hammam al-Maleh, refusing to leave their homes despite the danger. 'I was born here. I was raised here. I am not willing to leave. Even if I die here – I will die happy, because I stayed on my land,' he said.

Protesters in Ireland and Norway have escalated demonstrations against rising fuel costs, turning major highways into blockades and prompting a convoy of lorries to converge on Oslo’s parliament. The unrest is linked to the broader spike in oil prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. In Dublin, hauliers, farmers and other groups have shut down motorways for the fourth consecutive day, causing fuel shortages, traffic chaos and warnings that essential supplies—food, clean water and animal feed—are at risk. The Irish police force, An Garda Síochána, described the blockades as unlawful and warned that continued defiance could lead to arrests. The Irish government has placed the army on standby to clear the obstructions, while the justice minister accused outside actors, including far‑right figures such as Tommy Robinson, of exploiting the protests for political gain. Fuel prices have surged dramatically: Irish diesel has risen from roughly €1.70 per litre to €2.17, and petrol from about €1.74 to €1.97. In Norway, despite a recent fuel‑tax cut on 1 April, diesel prices jumped 23.6 % from February to March, with overall fuel and lubricants up 17.9 %. Statistics Norway noted this as the steepest month‑on‑month increase on record, comparable only to the post‑Ukraine‑invasion spike of spring 2022. Irish Prime Minister Mícheál Martin warned that blockades of the Whitegate refinery and key depots in Galway and Foynes were pushing the country to the brink of turning away oil shipments. He called the situation “unconscionable and “illogical.” In response, Dublin unveiled a €250 million relief package that includes a temporary excise duty cut, an expanded diesel rebate for hauliers and bus operators, and an extended fuel allowance. Nevertheless, industry leaders remain skeptical about the measures’ ability to quell the unrest, and many protesters demand direct talks with ministers. Across the North Sea, Norwegian demonstrators—part of the “Dieselbrølet” (diesel roar) movement—marched a convoy of 70‑80 trucks toward the Storting. Their banners read “nok er nok!” (enough is enough). While only a few vehicles were permitted into Oslo, the show underscored hauliers’ demand for more predictable, lower fuel prices despite Norway’s status as an oil producer. Other nations have taken emergency steps: the Philippines declared a national energy emergency, and France authorized fuel tankers to operate on weekends and holidays until 11 May to stave off shortages. Back in Ireland, the blockade of the sole refinery and depots has left dozens of petrol stations empty, prompting a rush of motorists to fill up before supplies run out. Emergency services report slower response times, and the Irish Medical Organisation warns that delayed care could jeopardise patient health. Courier firm DPD has halted deliveries, and protesters have vowed to remain in Dublin for weeks, with spokesperson John Dallon stating, “If it takes a month, we are prepared to sit here.” The crisis has also forced the Irish Taoiseach to postpone a trade mission to Canada, highlighting the domestic political fallout of the fuel‑price turmoil.

The UK government has pledged £380 million to accelerate the build‑out of a new battery factory in Somerset that will supply Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) with cells for its forthcoming electric Range Rover and Jaguar models. The plant, operated by Tata’s battery subsidiary Agratas, was highlighted during a site visit by Business Secretary Peter Kyle, who emphasized the grant’s role in safeguarding jobs and driving economic growth. When fully operational, the gigafactory is projected to employ 4,200 workers and deliver up to 40 GWh of battery capacity annually—enough for hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles. It will become the UK’s second high‑volume battery facility after the Chinese‑owned AESC plant in Sunderland. Construction remains in its early stages, with only a steel frame erected so far. Although the original timetable targeted production start‑up in 2026, delays have pushed the expected commencement to the end of 2027. Agratas has reduced the footprint of the first building but claims the change reflects more efficient process design rather than a cut‑back in output. JLR, the nation’s largest automotive employer, had planned to launch its electric Range Rover in 2025, but the debut has slipped to 2026 and the vehicle is still not on sale. The postponement follows a broader trend of EV manufacturers worldwide scaling back or postponing battery projects after over‑optimistic forecasts of rapid consumer migration from petrol. Recent spikes in petrol prices—spurred by geopolitical tensions linked to Donald Trump’s war in Iran—could make electric cars more appealing, potentially justifying the sizeable capital commitments required for a transition to EV production. Until the Somerset facility becomes operational, JLR will continue to source batteries from AESC. That arrangement was confirmed last year by investment bank Société Générale, though references to JLR have since been removed from public statements. In addition to the battery grant, Tata previously secured a £500 million pledge to modernise its Welsh steelworks with electric arc furnaces, underscoring the government’s broader push for greener industrial capacity. Peter Kyle said the investment, alongside other automotive research initiatives announced on the same day, would “boost economic growth, secure jobs and put more money in people’s pockets.” He added that the UK’s “modern industrial strategy” provides the stability needed for long‑term planning. Earl Wiggins, Agratas’s vice‑president for UK manufacturing, welcomed the funding, noting it will enable the company to “deliver net‑zero goals and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in battery manufacturing.” He projected that over 2,200 staff would be on‑site within the next year, with further growth thereafter.

Hours after Iran and the United States announced a two-week ceasefire, several Gulf nations have reported missile and drone attacks on their territories. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said its air defences were actively engaging incoming missiles and drones from Iran.The UAE’s Defence Ministry stated that the sounds of explosions heard across the country were caused by air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Kuwait also reported intercepting a wave of Iranian drones launched since 8am (05:00 GMT), with some targeting vital oil facilities, power stations, and water desalination plants, causing serious infrastructure damage.Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said it dealt with a total of 28 drones, while Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior reported alleged Iranian attacks that injured two people and damaged several houses. Explosions were heard in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, with smoke rising from an area on Sitra Island that hosts Bahrain’s principal energy facilities.Iran has not responded to the claims by the Gulf nations. Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that an oil refinery on the country’s Lavan Island came under attack, with firefighters working to contain the blaze. The US-Iran ceasefire was agreed upon barely an hour before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to obliterate Iran was set to expire.Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile barrages from Iran over recent weeks in response to the US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28. Iran targeted fossil fuel infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf nations while effectively closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz to shipping, through which one-fifth of global oil usually passes.