Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov:

We have kept our pledge to stop targeting energy infrastructure, but Ukraine continues its attacks on an almost daily basis.

Russia has given Türkiye a list of Ukrainian attacks on energy facilities since the moratorium began.

Syrian army and public security forces have begun entering the Tishrin Dam in the Aleppo countryside, in implementation of the agreement with YPG/PKK/SDF.

Source: Syria's SANA

The US and Iran are set to discuss de-escalation, prisoner swaps and sanctions relief in Oman in exchange for restrictions on Iran's nuclear program, Reuters reports.

Iranian Foreign Ministry:

We are giving diplomacy a real chance to resolve the nuclear issue and lift sanctions on our country.

Iranian Foreign Ministry:

Today's negotiations are just the beginning, and both sides will announce their initial positions. We expect them to be short.

Trump is prepared to make compromises to get a deal with Iran, Axios reports.

If the initial engagements on Saturday are positive, direct talks between Witkoff and Araghchi could be held later in the day or on Sunday.

Source: Axios

BREAKING: Smartphones and computers will be exempted from Trump’s reciprocal tariffs.

Source: CNBC

This will ease pressure on tech giants like Apple and Samsung.

The move is expected to prevent immediate consumer price hikes—but may be temporary. Officials say these products could face lower, adjusted tariffs later.

The U.S. still heavily relies on Chinese imports for tech hardware, and shifting to domestic production would take time and resources .

While the exemption offers short-term relief, broader concerns remain: supply chain disruption, rising costs, and innovation slowdowns due to financial strain.

A member of the Iranian delegation to Oman:

The general atmosphere of the indirect talks between Iran and the United States is positive.

Hamas releases new video of Israeli hostages with the caption:

"Time is running out"

A motorcade believed to be carrying Trump's envoy Witkoff has left the site of talks with Iran in Muscat, AP reports.

Trump issued a directive expanding military control over federal lands near the US-Mexico border to bolster his efforts to crack down on undocumented migration.

Source: Bloomberg

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States ended a few minutes ago.

The parties agreed that these talks would continue next week.

The heads of the Iranian and American delegations spoke for a few minutes in the presence of the Omani Foreign Minister as they left the talks.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud:

Somaliland is a part of Somalia and no one has approached us with a proposal to receive Palestinian people.

The second round of Iran-US talks will take place on April 19, the Iranian Foreign Minister said.

Rwanda Denies M23 Ties, Blames Congo

Rwandan FM Olivier Nduhungirehe to Clash Report:

“M23 is a Congolese group defending Congolese citizens of Rwandan culture. Rwanda did not take any cities—we’re only defending our borders.”

Nduhungirehe added that Rwanda has faced over 20 cross-border attacks since 2018 and accused successive Congolese governments of harboring genocidal militias:

“It’s been 31 years since the genocide. We’ve been rebuilding, while Congo protects those who destroyed us.”

FULL interview on YouTube

Rwanda Rejects Western Pressure, Backs Türkiye Ties

Rwandan FM Olivier Nduhungirehe to Clash Report:

“No Western country can threaten our security or impose conditions. Rwanda will never relive 1994.”

He praised Türkiye’s support and added:

“We have strong bilateral relations with Türkiye for many years. The support of Türkiye as a country is always important. We welcome investment in Africa and value strong, equal partnerships.”

FULL interview on YouTube

Syria’s foreign and finance ministers, along with the central bank governor, plan to attend the IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington.

Source: Reuters

Chinese Stocks Rally Despite Tariff Pressure

Chinese stocks extended their winning streak to four days, with the Shanghai Composite rising 0.5% and the Shenzhen Component up 0.8%.

The iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) is up over 26% YTD, outpacing U.S. markets.

Gains driven by optimism over state-backed equity support and buybacks.

U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods now total 145%, but markets show resilience.