Weekly Highlights: April 19-25 Major Events

International News

### Middle East War: Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Extended; Iranian FM Visits Pakistan for Talks The International Energy Agency warned that LNG supply disruptions may last until 2027 due to Middle East conflict. President Trump stated the US is not rushing to end the war with Iran but promised not to use nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was extended by three weeks. Iranian FM Araghchi arrived in Pakistan to discuss peace talk proposals.

### US-Philippines Military Drills with Major Japanese Participation Amidst regional tensions, thousands of US and Philippine troops began the 19-day 'Balikatan' exercise. For the first time, Japanese forces joined on a large scale. The Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command conducted live-fire drills east of Luzon in response.

### M7.7 Earthquake Hits Northeast Japan A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Sanriku on April 20. Tsunami warnings were issued for Hokkaido and Aomori but later lifted. At least six injuries were reported. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te expressed solidarity with the Japanese people.

### 10 Nations Warn of Chinese Malicious Cyber Networks UK, US, Japan, and seven other nations warned that Chinese actors are exploiting smart devices to build massive botnets targeting critical infrastructure, aiming to hide the origin of cyber attacks.

### Pro-Russian Victory in Bulgarian Elections The 'Progress Bulgaria' coalition, led by former President Radev, won a landslide victory. Radev opposes military aid to Ukraine and seeks to restore Russian energy supplies, signaling a shift in foreign policy.

### North Korea Missile Launch; South Korea Suspects SLBM North Korea fired several ballistic missiles on April 19. South Korean military suspects they may be submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), the first such launch since May 2022.

### Fire Survivors Return to Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court Five months after a devastating fire killed 168 people, residents were allowed back to collect belongings. The emotional scene highlighted the human cost of the tragedy.

### UK Passes Bill for Smoke-Free Generation The British Parliament passed the 'Tobacco and Vapes Bill,' banning tobacco sales to anyone born after 2009. Health Secretary Streeting called it a historic moment for national health.

### Homer's Iliad Found in Egyptian Mummy Archaeologists discovered a papyrus manuscript of the 'Iliad' inside a mummy's abdomen in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, potentially rewriting views on ancient burial customs.