Ecuador reelects President Noboa, a millionaire with a divisive no-holds-barred crimefighting record

#Israel intensifies strikes across Gaza on Palm Sunday, targets a hospital in the territory’s north.

A wave of Israeli strikes across Gaza on Sunday hit a hospital and other sites, killing at least 21 people, including children, as Israel vowed to expand its security presence in the small coastal strip.

The predawn strike on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was the latest of several attacks on northern Gaza’s last major hospital providing critical health care.

Hospital director Dr. Fadel Naim said the emergency room, pharmacy and surrounding buildings were severely damaged, affecting over 100 patients and dozens of staff.

One patient, a girl, died during the evacuation following an Israeli warning because staff were unable to provide urgent care, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. Israel said it struck a Hamas command and control center at the hospital, without providing evidence. Hamas denied the allegations.

Al-Ahli Hospital is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which condemned the attack, saying in a statement it happened on “Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, the most sacred week of the Christian year.”

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and worshipers in Gaza City marked it in a church whose gilded trim and intact walls were a contrast to the widespread debris elsewhere.

Associated Press video showed the hospital’s caved-in roof surrounded by rubble. The health ministry’s director general, Dr. Munir al-Boursh, said patients had been carried outside in beds and slept in the streets.

“Nothing was left safe inside the hospital, or all over Gaza,” said Mohammad Abu Nasser, an injured man who sat on his bed outdoors and looked at the destruction.

The health ministry said the hospital was temporarily out of service and patients were transferred to other hospitals in Gaza City. The aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians called it the fifth attack on Al-Ahli since the war began.

Hospitals have special protection under international law. Israel has besieged and raided them, some several times, and struck multiple ones while accusing Hamas of using them as cover for its fighters.

Last month Israel struck Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, the largest in southern Gaza, killing two people and causing a large fire, the health ministry said. The facility had been overwhelmed when Israel ended a two-month ceasefire last month with a surprise wave of airstrikes.
Charity workers killed

Hours later Sunday, a strike on a car in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza killed at least seven people including six brothers, according to staff at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received the bodies. The youngest brother was 10.

Their father, Ibrahim Abu Mahadi, said his sons worked for a charity that distributes food to Palestinians. “For what sin were they killed?” he said.

AP reporters saw the mangled, bloodied car as relatives wept over the bodies. Israel’s military asserted that it killed the deputy head of a Hamas sniper cell.

An airstrike Sunday afternoon hit a house in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least seven people including two women, according to the Indonesian hospital.

A pregnant woman was rescued from the rubble. Alaa Manoun later wept after learning her youngest daughter had died, along with her husband and her mother. Two other daughters, ages 4 and 7, were injured.

Manoun had a broken ankle but otherwise seemed OK, according to a doctor. No scan was available, since the only machine in northern Gaza was at Al-Ahli Hospital, now damaged.

#Russian President Vladimir #Putin has extended his greetings to current staff and veterans of Russia’s space industry on #Cosmonautics Day, according to the president’s message posted by the Kremlin’s press office on Saturday.

"Please accept my most sincere greetings on Cosmonautics Day, a holiday that brings together all generations of the country’s citizens," the message reads. "My warmest words go to the pioneers and veterans of the rocket and space industry, whose selfless work laid the foundation for a tradition of devoted service to their calling, to the Motherland and to the people."

"The legendary launch of Yury Gagarin on April 12, 1961, will forever remain a most prominent and truly milestone event of the 20th century, a great triumph of our Fatherland," Putin continued. "We are also deeply proud of the illustrious constellation of outstanding space scientists, designers, cosmonauts, engineers, military and civilian specialists - true patriots and visionaries who stood at the origins of the national space program."

The Russian president also praised the contribution of specialists from the country's rocket and space complex to the country’s special military operation.

"Today, Russia’s rocket and space industry is tackling vital tasks to strengthen the country’s research and technology capabilities, to improve its manufacturing facilities and ground infrastructure, develop advanced equipment for space exploration, and implement important defense programs - including those related to the special military operation," Putin stated.

The president also pointed out to the importance of the space industry’s development regarding the economic growth of Russia.

"The exploration of the Universe, the use of space systems is a field of strong global competition," he stated. "To maintain global leadership and ensure the achievement of national development goals, it is essential to constantly move forward, with businesses and research centres joining their efforts to boost the production of satellites, introduce innovative components, new materials, digital and nuclear technology, and develop promising manned spacecraft and launch vehicles."

"The rocket and space industry should become one of the growth drivers of the national #economy, ensuring the country’s technological sovereignty, and improving the quality of life in all regions of Russia," Putin added.

Russia celebrates April 12 as Cosmonautics Day, established under a decree by the USSR Supreme Soviet (the Soviet Union’s national legislature) of April 9, 1962 in honor of the world’s first space flight by a Soviet citizen. The idea of introducing this date to the calendar of the nation’s memorable events was proposed by the Soviet Union’s second cosmonaut to go on a space mission, German Titov.

April 12 is also the International Day of Human Space Flight (declared by the UN General Assembly session on April 7, 2011 in honor of the beginning of humanity’s space era).

On April 12, 1961 Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. His spacecraft Vostok blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome to travel around the globe once. Gagarin successfully landed in Russia’s Saratov Region. His flight lasted 108 minutes. At the moment of blastoff Gagarin dropped a remark that instantly went down in history: "Off we go!" The space flight earned him the title of The Hero of the Soviet Union.

Kellogg’s idea on division zones in Ukraine may lead to new escalation — Russia’s diplomat
It is one of the options for freezing the conflict, Rodion Miroshnik said .


#MOSCOW, April 12. US Presidential Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg’s idea to divide Ukraine into zones of control between European countries and Russia, following the example of post-war Berlin, is one of the options for freezing the conflict and could lead to a new escalation, but at a different level, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s ambassador-at-large, said on Saturday.

"By keeping the militarization zone there and the formation of radicalized elements is one of the options of freezing, which may be later implemented through a new level of escalation," Miroshnik said during a live broadcast on the Soloviev Live TV channel.

"Therefore, this toxic hotspot upholds these options of occupation," Miroshnik continued. "By preserving the influence on this territory, including the military one, without creating a demilitarized zone in the area raises serious concerns for the near future."

"The period of time for [the Kiev regime] to heal its wounds may be very short indeed - they gathered, analyzed the previous experience, prepared themselves, pumped tens of thousands of troops through Great Britain again and deployed them to the battlefront once again."

The Times reported earlier citing Kellogg that Ukraine could be divided into control zones between European countries and Russia like Berlin after the Second World War. UK and French troops could adopt zones of control in Ukraine’s west, forming a "reassurance force" for allegedly preventing the resumption of combat operations whereas Russia could control the east of the country. Between the European and Russian troops would be Ukrainian forces, and a demilitarized zone could be implemented along existing lines of control, Kellogg added.

Kellogg later denied this information stating on his page on X social media: "The Times article misrepresents what I said. I was speaking of a post-cease fire resiliency force in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty. In discussions of partitioning, I was referencing areas or zones of responsibility for an allied force (without US troops). I was not referring to a partitioning of Ukraine."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on March 12 that the presence of NATO troops under any flag and in any capacity on Ukrainian soil is a threat to Russia, adding that Moscow would not accept this under any circumstances.

#Tehran, Washington to hold second round of talks in Oman on April 19 — Iran’s top diplomat
According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, next week, the two negotiating teams may embark on discussions toward "a general framework of a future deal".

A second round of negotiations between #Tehran and Washington will take place in Oman on April 19, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced.

The two sides agreed "to hold a second round of talks next Saturday. <...> Everything will take place at the same level and in Oman again, even as [the site of talks] may be somewhat different," Araghchi told Iran’s state broadcaster in an interview.

According to Iran’s top diplomat, next week, the two negotiating teams may embark on discussions toward "a general framework of a future deal."

Earlier on Saturday, #Oman hosted indirect talks between Iranian and US negotiators on resolving the situation around Iran’s nuclear program. The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Araghchi, while special envoy Witkoff represented the United States. The Islamic republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the meeting had been held in a constructive atmosphere.

US duties against #China increased to 145% — #CNBC According to the source, 125% import duties in respect of #Chinese products announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday do not account the 20% tariff set earlier by the US leader for allegedly insufficient efforts of Canadian, Mexican and Chinese governments in combating fentanyl spread.

Total US duties in respect of Chinese goods currently amount to 145%, CNBC television said, citing a US official.

According to him, 125% import duties in respect of Chinese products announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday do not account the 20% tariff set earlier by the US leader for allegedly insufficient efforts of Canadian, Mexican and Chinese governments in combating fentanyl spread. Thus the total duty on Chinese goods equals 145%.

The tariff war has recently started between the United States and China, with the increase in tariffs from both sides.

#Western countries know nothing about democracy — #Lukashenko
"No matter how much the Americans, the French, and others try to pretend otherwise, they’re not just spreading propaganda – it goes beyond that," the Belarusian leader stressed.

No matter how much the Americans and the French pretend, they have no democracy - only pure totalitarianism, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with the Mir broadcaster.

Lukashenko praised Mir journalists for their objective reporting on events in other countries, noting their commitment to presenting unbiased facts.

"I appreciate that. It's something that is increasingly rare in today’s world. There’s a real lack of objective journalism," he said. "No matter how much the Americans, the French, and others try to pretend otherwise, they’re not just spreading propaganda – it goes beyond that. This isn’t democracy; it’s totalitarianism. Just remember how they used to present themselves to us," the Belarusian president concluded.

France could recognise Palestinian state ‘in June’: Macron

Not long ago, the 2025 election seemed like Pierre Poilievre’s to lose.

That’s made the rapid ascension of Mark Carney’s Liberals in public approval polling a source of some frustration across the Conservative-leaning Prairies – and for the first time in years, the notion of Western separation appears to be gaining significant traction in both Alberta and Saskatchewan.

But how likely is Canada to see an actual secession movement, should the Liberals form another government?

In a recent op-ed for the Globe & Mail, Preston Manning, former opposition leader under the Reform Party, argued a vote for Carney is a “vote for the breakup of Canada as we know it.”

Political scientist professor John Soroski, of Edmonton’s MacEwan University, disagrees, suggesting would-be separatists should not hold their breath.

“That’s kind of an imaginary, utopian, optimistic vision,” Soroski said Wednesday, in an interview with CTV’s Your Morning. “I don’t think the numbers are there.”

What’s required for secession?

A survey released by the Angus Reid Institute last weekend found 33 per cent of Saskatchewan residents and 30 per cent of Alberta residents would vote in favour of separation, whether to form their own country or join the United States.

The vast majority of respondents said they would rather remain Canadian, however – a major hurdle for separatists under the secession roadmap set out in the Clarity Act.

That legislation, adopted after Quebec’s failed 1995 separation referendum, requires that a “clear majority” of a province’s residents vote to secede. Only then could the complex negotiations required to disentangle from the federal government even begin.

Lacking majority support doesn’t mean those growing sentiments won’t cause friction for a potential Carney government, however.

“What you’re likely to see is not the departure of Alberta and Saskatchewan from Confederation, but, you know, often quite vigorous and hostile intergovernmental conflict,” said Soroski.
What’s driving separatist frustration?

The Prairie provinces have a long history of flirting with separatism dating back decades, with notable support during the early 1980s while Pierre Trudeau was prime minister.

“We see the ideas around Western separatism ebb and flow with discontent with the national government,” Soroski said. “It’s at a high now.”

The political scientist said current frustrations largely stem from perceptions that Ottawa has had a “very poor track record” when it comes to local priorities, such as embracing pipelines and other energy infrastructure.

While Carney has promised to change course, vowing to make Canada a global “energy superpower,” Soroski said it might be too little, too late for voters in Alberta and Saskatchewan who feel the federal government isn’t responsive enough to their concerns.

“Those are things that could have occurred 10 years ago but did not,” he said.

“There’s always the argument, of course, that the two provinces make up about 18 per cent of the Canadian population – so, you know, it’s reasonable to suggest you’re often not going to get your way, given that we’re a democracy.”
Intergovernmental relations already prickly

Existing frustrations already led Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to introduce the Alberta Sovereignty Act back in 2022. More recently, she issued a list of six demands to Carney that she argued were necessary to avoid a “national unity crisis.”

And those frosty intergovernmental relations haven’t improved over the course of the campaign.

Carney ruffled feathers last weekend poking fun at Smith during a stop in B.C., and she responded by accusing the Liberal leader of fearing “strong Conservative women.”

When asked about Manning’s op-ed, Carney dismissed the warning as “dramatic” – something Soroski argued was a fair shot.

“I think there’s probably some truth to that,” he said.

#Russia determined to discuss return of diplomatic property with US — ambassador
Alexander Darchiev underlined that it is "of critical importance for the restoration of normalcy in the entire bilateral relationship"