**Summary:** Myanmar's military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has been elected president by the country's pro-military parliament, formalizing his control five years after the 2021 coup.

**Key points:**
- Min Aung Hlaing, who served as commander-in-chief since 2011, resigned from his military post on Monday prior to the vote.
- The election follows a lopsided poll in December and January that was widely criticized by Western governments as a sham.
- The president-elect appointed Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief, as his successor to lead the armed forces.
- Anti-junta groups, including ethnic minority armies and members of the ousted administration, have formed a new coalition to oppose the military government.

**Why it matters:** The transition to a civilian-guised presidency is viewed by analysts as a strategic effort by the junta to consolidate power and gain international legitimacy amid an ongoing civil war.

deccanchronicle.com - Myanmar Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing Elected As President

japantoday.com - Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing elected president by pro-military parliament

Myanmar Junta Chief Min Aung Hlaing Elected President

**Summary:** United States President Donald Trump has dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi, who served in the role for one year. The decision follows intense scrutiny regarding her handling of records related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

**Key points:**
- Todd Blanche, the current Deputy Attorney General, will serve as the acting Attorney General.
- President Trump praised Pam Bondi as a loyal friend and patriot, stating she will transition to a role in the private sector.
- The dismissal marks the second high-profile cabinet departure this year, following the removal of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in March.
- Reports indicate that President Trump is considering Lee Zeldin, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a potential successor.

**Why it matters:** The departure of the Attorney General amid controversies surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files signals ongoing instability within the presidential cabinet and potential shifts in the administration's legal priorities.

AlMomento.net - EEUU: La fiscal general, Pam Bondi, abandona el cargo

France 24 - Trump fires loyalist Pam Bondi as US attorney general

Diario Financiero - Donald Trump destituye a la fiscal general de Estados Unidos, Pam Bondi

El Comercio - Trump destituye a Pam Bondi, fiscal general de Estados Unidos

La Tercera - Trump despide a fiscal general Pam Bondi tras un año tumultuoso de tropiezos en los archivos de Epstein

Le Monde - Pam Bondi, limogée par Donald Trump, va quitter le ministère de la justice américain

Donald Trump dismisses Attorney General Pam Bondi

**Summary:** Cameroon's President Paul Biya has convened a parliamentary congress to review a constitutional amendment that would introduce a vice-presidential position, a move seen as a significant shift in the nation's presidential succession process.

**Key points:**
- The proposed amendment allows the President to appoint a vice-president who would complete the presidential term in the event of a vacancy.
- The parliamentary congress, gathering both the National Assembly and the Senate, is scheduled to deliberate on the bill from April 2 to April 5, 2026.
- The vice-president would be appointed by the head of state, who also retains the authority to delegate powers and terminate the vice-president's functions.
- This constitutional change follows President Paul Biya's re-election in October 2025 for an eighth consecutive term.

**Why it matters:** The introduction of a vice-presidency fundamentally alters the constitutional order of succession in Cameroon, concentrating power within the executive branch and addressing long-standing questions regarding the country's political future.

jeuneafrique.com - Au Cameroun, Paul Biya propose au Parlement l’instauration d’une vice-présidence

camer.be - :: Le président de l’Assemblée nationale consacre l’« union sacrée » derrière Paul Biya

camer.be - :: Constitution camerounaise : Biya crée un vice-président et réécrit la succession en quatre jours

Cameroon's Parliament Convenes to Debate Constitutional Amendment for Vice-Presidency

**Summary:** Ghanaian President John Mahama and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa held bilateral talks in Accra to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, mining, and agriculture, while celebrating their countries' shared history of African liberation.

**Key points:**
- President Mnangagwa expressed gratitude for Ghana's support in calling for the removal of Western sanctions against Zimbabwe.
- The leaders discussed enhancing connectivity, including potential direct air links between Accra and Harare.
- President Mnangagwa announced Zimbabwe's bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term.
- The visit included a state banquet highlighting the historical personal and political connections between the two nations.

**Why it matters:** The meeting signifies a strategic effort to bolster economic integration between West and Southern Africa, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive development.

Ghanamma.com - Mahama calls for stronger intra-African trade

MyJoyOnline - Ghana–Zimbabwe ties go beyond diplomacy

MyJoyOnline - Ghana, Zimbabwe explore closer ties in trade, energy, agriculture

MyJoyOnline - Zimbabwe’s president hits out at Western sanctions, thanks Ghana for support

Ghana and Zimbabwe Strengthen Bilateral Ties During State Visit

**Summary:** Ukrainian drones launched a large-scale attack on Russian territory, striking the Bashneft-Novoyl oil refinery in Ufa. Russian authorities reported that 147 drones were intercepted across 11 regions and two seas during the overnight operation.

**Key points:**
- The strike in Ufa targeted the AVT-5 processing unit, which is critical for oil refining operations.
- Radiy Khabirov, the head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, confirmed the refinery fire and reported that a drone also struck a residential building on Gafuri Street.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that air defense systems destroyed 147 aircraft-type drones over multiple regions, including Crimea, Krasnodar Krai, and several western Russian oblasts.
- No casualties were reported in the Ufa refinery attack or the residential building strike.

**Why it matters:** The attack represents a significant escalation in the reach of Ukrainian drone operations, targeting critical energy infrastructure deep within Russian territory, approximately 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

interfax.ru - Минобороны РФ сообщило об уничтожении за ночь средствами ПВО 147 украинских БПЛА

rss.unian.net - Дроны атаковали НПЗ в Уфе, возник сильный пожар

actualno.com - Украинските дронове поразиха рафинерия в Уфа, има удар и по жилищна сграда (ВИДЕО)

Ukrainian Drones Strike Oil Refinery in Ufa, Russia

**Summary:** Global oil prices rose significantly after United States President Donald Trump delivered a televised address regarding joint military operations by the U.S. and Israel in Iran.

**Key points:**
- Brent crude futures increased by over 6.5% to $107.75 per barrel following the announcement.
- West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose by 5.38% to $105.51 per barrel.
- Investors expressed disappointment over the lack of clear signals regarding a resolution to the conflict or the reopening of the Hormuz Strait.
- President Donald Trump warned that Iran had been rapidly increasing its stockpiles of conventional ballistic weaponry.

**Why it matters:** The escalation of military operations in the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding critical energy transit routes have triggered immediate volatility in global energy markets.

day.az - Цены на нефть взлетели после слов Трампа

lenta.ru - Выступление Трампа отразилось на стоимости нефти

Oil Prices Surge Following President Donald Trump's Address on Iran Operations

**Summary:** The United States has removed interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez from its sanctions list, marking a significant step in the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

**Key points:**
- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed Rodríguez from the 'List of Specially Designated Nationals'.
- This action follows the U.S. military's removal of former President Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela.
- The U.S. is also gradually lifting the 2019 embargo on Venezuelan oil exports.

**Why it matters:** The lifting of sanctions signals a major shift in U.S. foreign policy toward Venezuela following the change in leadership and the resumption of diplomatic operations.

elcomercio.pe - EE.UU. levanta las sanciones contra presidenta interina venezolana Delcy Rodríguez

lalibre.be - Washington lève ses sanctions contre la présidente par intérim du Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez

U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodríguez

**Summary:** NASA has launched the Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight to the Moon since 1972, carrying four astronauts on a 10-day journey to test the Orion spacecraft and its life support systems in deep space.

**Key points:**
- The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
- Christina Koch will become the first woman to fly to the Moon, while Jeremy Hansen is the first non-U.S. astronaut to participate in a lunar mission.
- Argentina's Atenea microsatellite is among the payloads on the mission, designed to measure radiation and test GPS communications at 72,000 kilometers altitude.
- The mission serves as a critical test for future lunar habitation and potential human exploration of Mars.

**Why it matters:** This mission marks a historic return to deep-space human exploration and serves as a vital proving ground for sustainable lunar presence and future crewed missions to Mars.

AlMomento.net - Trump celebra el regreso de EEUU a la Luna 50 años después

Infobae - Cómo es el microsatélite argentino que viaja a la Luna en la misión Artemis II de la NASA

El HuffPost - Lori Glaze, física de la NASA: "En la próxima década esperamos tener varias bases habitables en la Luna donde los astronautas puedan quedarse"

La Tercera - El lanzamiento de Artemis II, la primera misión que transportará personas hacia la Luna desde el programa Apolo en 1972

NASA Launches Artemis II Mission with Four Astronauts for Lunar Flyby