Iranian drones struck the Bahraini Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company on Sunday, leading to fire in several operational units, Al Jazeera reported. Al Jazeera, citing Bahrain News Agency, reported the fire was later brought under control, and no casualties were reported in the incident. Damage assessment to the inventory is underway. The incident aligns with broader regional hostilities, engulfing West Asian countries in the ambit of the conflict after Iran retaliated to US-Israel strikes. Earlier, two power generation units in Kuwait were shut down after an Iranian drone attack on two power and water desalination plants, a spokesperson of Kuwait's Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said. According to the statement issued by the ministry, no casualties were reported in the incident. Spokesperson Fatima Abbas Jawhar Hayat affirmed, "Technical and emergency teams have commenced their work according to approved emergency plans, in coordination with relevant authorities, to ensure the safety and stability of the electricity and water systems, which are of paramount importance. All technical teams are working around the clock to guarantee the continuity of services." This followed a drone attack, which triggered a fire at Kuwait's Shuwaikh Oil Sector Complex, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, citing Kuwaiti state media. Iran had also attacked the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force has struck more than 120 targets in Iran. "24 HOUR RECAP: The IAF struck 120+ targets of the Iranian regime in central & western Iran. Targets included: ballistic missiles array sites, UAV production and launching sites, & air defence sites," Israeli Defence Force posted on X. The Israeli military also claimed to have killed 90 "terrorists" in southern Lebanon since the conflict began on February 28, while two of these Hezbollah militants were killed in the last 24 hours, Al Jazeera reported. The hostilities in the region began on February 28 with the US and Israel's joint strikes against Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran's retaliation and strikes by its proxies in West Asia widened the scope of the conflict to the whole Gulf region, disrupting oil and natural gas trade. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 07:49 PM IST | Bahrain | ANIU.S. Secret Service officers responded to reports of gunfire near Lafayette Park early on Sunday, triggering a security response near the White House. No injuries were reported, and no suspect was immediately found. The United States Secret Service said officers were dispatched shortly after midnight following reports of shots fired in the vicinity of Lafayette Park, located just north of the White House. “A thorough search of the park and the surrounding area was conducted, and no suspect was located. No injuries have been reported,” the agency said in a statement. Anthony Guglielmi, Chief of Communications for the Secret Service, said: “We are investigating overnight gunfire in the area of Lafayette Park in conjunction with the DC Police Department and the U.S. Park Police. Anyone with information is urged to contact DC Police.” Officials said the Secret Service Uniformed Division, working with the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Park Police, is actively seeking “a possible vehicle and a person of interest”. The investigation remains ongoing. Initial reports indicated the incident occurred around 1 a.m., prompting multiple law enforcement agencies to move into the area and secure streets north of the White House. Local media reports said authorities are searching for a person of interest after reports of gunfire near the White House overnight. Despite the proximity to the presidential residence, officials said there was no disruption to White House operations. “While operations at the White House remain normal, a heightened security posture is in place,” the Secret Service said. Several roads in the surrounding area were closed as a precaution, including sections of H Street NW, I Street NW, and 16th Street NW, as officers maintained a security perimeter around Lafayette Park. Journalists and witnesses reported a heavy police presence in the area, with flashing lights and officers canvassing the scene. Authorities have urged anyone with information, including video footage, to come forward. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 07:44 PM IST | Washington DC | IANSAn India-flagged vessel, Green Asha, has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the ninth Indian tanker to transit the crucial maritime corridor since the onset of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The development comes even as tensions remain elevated and security concerns continue to disrupt one of the world’s most vital oil and energy supply routes. According to reports, Green Asha is an LPG carrier and its successful passage highlights India’s continued reliance on the strait despite mounting risks. The transit follows a series of similar crossings by Indian vessels navigating the conflict-hit region under heightened surveillance. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has remained volatile since Iran tightened its control over the passage following US-Israeli strikes on February 28. The escalation has impacted global fuel supplies and rattled energy markets, with maritime data indicating that nearly 60 per cent of commodity-carrying ships using the route are either originating from or destined for Iran. Despite these challenges, Indian shipping activity through the strait has remained relatively robust. Prior to Green Asha’s journey, at least eight Indian vessels had already crossed the corridor. Among them were LPG carriers BW TYR and BW ELM, which transported around 94,000 tonnes of cargo through the conflict zone. In late March, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers, including Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, delivered more than 92,600 tonnes of LPG over a three-day period. Earlier, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi had carried close to 92,700 tonnes of LPG to Gujarat’s Mundra and Kandla ports in mid-March. Other shipments included crude and refined fuels. Oil tanker Jag Laadki transported over 80,000 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE to Mundra, while Jag Prakash crossed the strait carrying gasoline from Oman to African markets. Another LPG carrier, Green Sanvi, also completed its transit recently with a cargo of approximately 46,650 metric tonnes. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 03:06 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSThe war against Iran has started to impact Americans, with Amazon announcing a fuel surcharge for its e-commerce deliveries and some airlines hiking fees for checked-in baggage to offset higher fuel costs. The average price of petrol in the US has increased to USD 4.09 a gallon on Friday, up more than one dollar from just before the war and the highest level since August 2022. The cost of diesel has risen sharply from USD 3.64 per gallon a year ago to USD 5.53 per gallon on Friday, according to data maintained by the American Automobile Association (AAA). Diesel is widely used in farming, construction and transportation, besides other industries. E-commerce giant Amazon also said that, beginning April 17, it plans to add a 3.5 per cent fuel surcharge on third-party sellers. The US Postal Service on Wednesday said it is seeking to impose a temporary 8 per cent fuel surcharge for package and express mail deliveries to deal with rising transportation costs. If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the surcharge would take effect April 26 and remain in place until January 17, 2027, the Postal Service said in a notice on its website. If the war against Iran stretches longer, it will also lead to supply chain disruptions in the US. "I don't think the US will avoid it. These are global markets," Rachel Ziemba, a New York-based analyst who advises corporations on geopolitical risk, was quoted by The Washington Post as saying. "Experts, even a week ago, were worried. Now they are more worried," she said. "If transportation costs start rising, it's going to bleed through in other prices," Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, was quoted as saying by CBS. "So I think it's in the near term, but not immediate, that you would start to see that weighing down of the consumer - they would just get sticker shock. People were already highly concerned about affordability and the cost of living, and this would just be piling onto it," he said. Blocking the Hormuz Strait has already cost the global economy hundreds of millions of barrels of oil, with the effects felt on a rolling basis corresponding to travel time from the Persian Gulf, The Washington Post reported, quoting from a recent client note from JPMorgan's commodities specialists. Asia was first to feel the loss of Gulf oil shipments, where governments have ordered rationing and conservation measures. Europe is likely to suffer physical shortages by mid-April as the last vessels loaded with oil before the war arrive at continental ports. Since it takes 35 to 45 days to reach US ports from the Strait, the United States will be the last market to suffer. Prices will rise, but shortages of refined products starting in late April or May will probably be confined to California, which is physically isolated from the nation's fuel supply system, the JPMorgan report said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 01:41 PM IST | Washington | PTIFormer Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sunjay Sudhir, said that there was no trend of Indians returning in large numbers amid the West Asia conflict. In an interview with ANI, Sunjay Sudhir lauded the UAE's defence systems, stating that only debris hurt the infrastructure, not the missiles or drones fired by Iran. Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted the UAE has a "robust and resilient" economy. Sudhir said, "The UAE is a robust and resilient economy, so there has never been pressure on people to return. During COVID, Indians did not return in large numbers, though some came back. They come back due to family and other reasons, and then they go back. We have not noticed a trend of people fleeing the country." "Although Iran has sent more missiles and drones to the UAE than even to Israel, the defence mechanism of the UAE has been so strong that what has hurt people or buildings is debris. It's not the missiles and all. And I think we have to give the country full marks for having the wherewithal to protect infrastructure and people," he added. Addressing the incidents of drone debris striking buildings in Dubai, he noted, "The world has seen Dubai bounce back several times. In COVID, when connectivity was shattered, Emirates and Etihad Airlines connected the world. Safety and security are key things people associate with Dubai." The Iranian military has launched drone attacks against United States military installations in the United Arab Emirates, as reported by the state broadcaster Press TV, as a response to strikes initiated by the USA and Israel. The Iranian army confirmed that its forces deployed Arash 2 drones to strike a radar system designed for the detection and identification of missiles and combat drones. The offensive also targeted the UAE's aluminium industry, which Tehran identifies as a critical component of regional military logistics. The army noted that several Arab media organisations had already documented reports of explosions occurring within both Kuwait and the UAE following the strikes. According to Press TV, the Iranian army characterised the strikes as a direct retaliation for US-Israeli assaults on Iran's own industrial hubs. On Saturday, authorities in Dubai responded after debris from an aerial interception fell on the facade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City, the Dubai Media Office confirmed. However, no injuries were reported in the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 11:13 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe United States Special Forces have rescued the second F-15 crew member alive, who went missing after Iran downed the jet amid the West Asia conflict, Axios reported, citing government officials. According to the report, three US government officials told Axios about the successful rescue mission. Citing a US government official, Al Jazeera reported that the rescue operation is still in progress as the F-15 crew member is "not safe" yet. US Special Forces aim to successfully exfiltrate from Iran and get back to safety. Both the US and Iran were conducting search operations for the missing crew member. During the search operations, Iranian tribesmen reportedly opened fire on American helicopters, according to CNN. The incident occurred in the isolated highlands of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces, as well as the Bakhtiari region, where local groups targeted two Black Hawk helicopters on Saturday, as detailed by Iran's Fars News Agency. Following the confrontation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) praised the tribal groups, describing them as "courageous, valiant and victorious guardians of the borders," as per reports cited by CNN. This followed the release of footage on Friday allegedly depicting nomadic Bakhtiari tribesmen armed with rifles patrolling the mountainous terrain of Iran's Khuzestan province in search of the American personnel. In the video, one of the individuals is heard saying, "God willing, he will be found." To further incentivise the search, Iranian authorities had reportedly announced substantial financial bounties for the successful capture of the missing individual. Earlier, US President Donald Trump withheld details regarding the potential US response should a missing crew member, forced to eject over Iran, be harmed or captured, The Independent reported. The President declined to specify a course of action during a brief telephone interview on Friday. When questioned by The Independent about the measures he might take if the airman is mistreated by Iranian forces, Trump stated, "Well, I can't comment on it because we hope that's not going to happen." In latest development in the situation in West Asia, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have destroyed the MQ-9 Reaper drone in the central city of Isfahan, according to the Fars news agency. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 10:47 AM IST | Washington DC (US) | ANIA projectile from a US-Israeli attack struck near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant on Saturday, killing one person, state media reported, as the foreign minister warned against further attacks on the site. The strike was the fourth targeting the area since the outbreak of Iran's war with the United States and Israel on February 28, according to the official IRNA news agency. The Bushehr plant is located in southern Iran on the Gulf coast. "Following the US-Zionist criminal attacks, this Saturday morning, around 8:30 am, a projectile hit the area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the southwest," IRNA said. It added that one of the facility's guards was killed but noted there was no damage to the plant itself. Later, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said continued attacks on the site could eventually lead to radioactive fallout that would "end life in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) capitals, not Tehran". No increase in radiation levels was reported following Saturday's strike, according the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency's chief Rafael Grossi called for "maximum military restraint to avoid risk of a nuclear accident", according to a post by the agency on X. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 April,2026 10:36 AM IST | Tehran | AFPNow more than halfway to the moon, the Artemis II astronauts prepared for their historic lunar fly-around to push deeper into space than even the Apollo astronauts. On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again. NEW: The Artemis II crew experienced another issue with the spacecraft toilet overnight."We tried to vent the wastewater tank that's attached to the toilet. We had problems with that due to suspected blockage, we think, probably due to ice." pic.twitter.com/LfeQ9AVzJc — Fox News (@FoxNews) April 4, 2026 The three Americans and one Canadian are set to reach their destination Monday, photographing the mysterious lunar far side as they zoom around. It is the first moon-bound crew in more than 53 years, picking up where NASA's Apollo programme left off. "The Earth is quite small, and the moon is definitely getting bigger," pilot Victor Glover reported. Until the Orion capsule's bathroom is fixed, Mission Control has instructed the astronauts to break out more of the backup urine collection bags. The so-called lunar loo malfunctioned following Wednesday's liftoff and has been hit-and-miss ever since. A version of the Artemis II toilet was tested on the International Space Station several years ago. Engineers suspect ice may be blocking the line that is preventing urine from completely flushing overboard. The toilet is still open for No. 2 business. Debbie Korth, NASA's Orion program deputy manager, said the astronauts have also reported a smell coming from the bathroom, which is buried in the floor of the capsule with a door and curtain for privacy. "Space toilets and bathrooms are something everybody can understand... it's always a challenge," she said, noting that the space shuttle toilet was also often on the fritz. John Honeycutt, chair of the mission management team, said it is human nature to be interested in the space commode, and even though it is "in a good state right now," he'd like it to be working at 100 per cent. "They're OK," he said of the astronauts. "They trained to manage through the situation." Artemis II is poised to set a distance record for humans, travelling more than 252,000 miles (400,000 km) from Earth before hanging a U-turn behind the moon and heading home without stopping or entering lunar orbit. The record is currently held by Apollo 13. The Canadian Space Agency celebrated the country's role in the mission, speaking from Quebec with astronaut Jeremy Hansen as he headed toward his lunar rendezvous. Hansen is the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon. "Today he is making history for Canada," Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell said. "As we watch him taking this bold step into the unknown, let his journey remind us that Canada's future is written by those who dare to reach for more." In the live televised linkup, Hansen said he has already witnessed "extraordinary" views from NASA's Orion capsule. Hansen, Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are the world's first lunar astronauts since Apollo 17's crew of three in 1972. Koch and Glover are the first female and first Black astronauts to the moon, respectively. Their nearly 10-day mission - ending with a Pacific splashdown on April 10 - is the first step in NASA's bold plans for a sustainable moon base. The space agency is aiming for a landing by two astronauts near the lunar south pole in 2028. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 10:14 AM IST | Houston | APMany of Tokyo’s popular and iconic Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees were planted during Japan’s postwar advancement in the 1960s, and are now getting old and frail. Some have fallen and others require support, triggering safety concerns. Two cherry blossom trees collapsed on Thursday, one at Kinuta Park in downtown Tokyo and the other at the Chidorigafuchi greenway. The one in Kinuta Park damaged a fence while the other tree almost fell into the Imperial Palace moat, though nobody was injured. Last year, 85 trees fell in Tokyo parks, injuring three people, and many were cherry trees, according to Masakazu Noguchi, a Tokyo metropolitan official in charge of public parks. People gather under the trees during the season of hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, and the collapse of trees has alarmed officials in Tokyo, the birthplace of the cherry blossom variety. Tokyo assembly member Yutaka Kazama expressed concern on social media last month that “cherry blossom trees with their roots partially exposed or obviously rotten seem dangerous,” calling for firm safety measures but without quickly resorting to tree felling. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 April,2026 09:25 AM IST | Tokyo | AgenciesWidespread flooding, landslides, and lightning strikes triggered by heavy rain and storms across Afghanistan have left 77 people dead and 137 injured over the past 10 days, the country’s Disaster Management Authority said Saturday. More rain has been forecast for the coming days throughout Afghanistan, and the authority warned the public to stay away from river banks and areas prone to flooding. The recent toll includes 26 people killed over the past 48 hours, the disaster authority said. Overall, 793 homes have been completely destroyed and a further 2673 have been damaged, while floods and landslides have destroyed 337 kilometres (about 210 miles) of roads, with more than 5800 families affected overall, it said. So far this year, dozens of people have died due to extreme weather in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country. Snow and heavy rain often trigger flash floods that kill scores, or even hundreds, of people at a time in Afghanistan. In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods. 5800Number of families affected overall by the floods in Afghanistan, which have taken the lives of 26 people in just the last 48 hours This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 April,2026 09:19 AM IST | Kabul | AgenciesThis new whiskey blend was inspired by the Costco’s famous and extremely affordable hot dog and soda food court combo. “I Got That Dog in Me”, is produced by Rare Character Whiskey, a company that creates similar whiskey blends for corporate customers. Each bottle is priced at nearly USD 90 (around Rs 8380), but the distillation process and ingredients behind this new invention is still a mystery. Don’t let the picture of the famous food combo on the cover mislead you. Turns out, the whiskey does not remotely have any hot dog flavour. I Got That Dog in Me was launched exclusively at Costco in Washington DC in late March and there is a limit of one bottle per Costco membership. Costco fans are also praising Costco for the decision to bring the bottle to shelves. “Costco as a company is so self-aware,” said one Reddit user. Costco does this sometimes, releases a limited-time or brand exclusive items to stores without previous announcements sometimes. This makes it unclear if this bottle will return to shelves or appear at other locations. We don’t even know how many bottles currently exist. There have only been positive reviews for this blend that has aged for 11 years and four months, though. “Very good. I get lots of oak, marshmallow, and maybe something spicy that I can’t quite name? Cardamom or cinnamon, maybe?” said one Redditor. “A little leather on the nose for me. The finish goes on forever. Excellent bottle, and happy to pay what I paid for it.” Someone even joked about the blend having subtle notes of hot dog water. You never know. Kris-tened as lady luck PIC/Bao Thanh Nien Getting Krissed is old news. Social media users in China are now sharing images of the reality TV star to wish for luck and fortune on platforms such as Weibo and RedNote. This is a truly unique way to manifest wealth. Proteindom PIC/INSTAGRAM @BEASTLIFE.INDIA Gaurav Taneja’s fitness brand, ‘Beast life’ has launched a protein condom, and has left the internet in disbelief. Founded by fitness enthusiast and creator Gaurav Taneja, Beast Life has a wide range of protein supplements, but it is ‘the world’s first protein condom’. It came with a cheeky caption, “We’re coming to upgrade your night performance”.
05 April,2026 08:48 AM IST | China | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
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-1775367772137_d.png "Former Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sunjay Sudhir. PIC/X")
-1775366133090_d.png "US military extracts downed F-15 airman while operation continues in Iran. Representational Pic/AP")
-1775364190561_d.png "Artemis II controllers monitor the progress of the Orion spacecraft in the White Flight Control Room in Houstan.PIC/AFP")
