Peru Election Goes to Runoff

• Peru’s April 12th election was extended into April 13th after logistical failures prevented thousands of voters from casting ballots on time.
• Early results showed Fujimori leading with 17% and López Aliaga trailing at 13%, with Nieto Montesinos close behind at nearly 12%.
• Since no candidate cleared 50%, Peru heads to a runoff on June 7th, though the two official finalists were still unconfirmed as of Tuesday.

Orban Defeated After 16 Years

• On April 12th, Viktor Orbán conceded defeat to opposition leader Péter Magyar after 16 uninterrupted years in power.
• Magyar’s Tisza party won a supermajority with 3.3 million votes, the largest mandate any Hungarian party has ever received.
• The defeat is expected to reshape Hungary’s relationship with the EU and Ukraine, dealing a blow to the global far-right movement Orbán helped inspire.

US-Iran Ceasefire Frays, Naval Blockade Begins

• On April 8th, Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran contingent on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, brokered by Pakistan after weeks of airstrikes.
• The ceasefire unraveled as Iran refused to reopen the strait. After Islamabad talks collapsed, Trump announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports beginning April 13th.
• By April 17th, Iran reopened the strait, causing oil prices to drop 11% immediately, offering relief to global energy markets strained for weeks.

Israel-Lebanon 10-Day Truce

• On April 16th, Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah after weeks of continued strikes, met with cautious optimism in Beirut.
• The truce was tied to US-Iran negotiations, with Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the ceasefire’s duration.
• Analysts noted both Israel and the US were effectively pressured into the agreement as the regional balance of power shifted against them.

Kyiv Mass Shooting

• On April 18th, a gunman opened fire in Kyiv’s streets, killing six and injuring at least 14 others before being shot dead by police.
• Ukrainian authorities confirmed no further threats to civilians and said police responded swiftly. The attack drew widespread international condemnation.
• The shooting highlighted the compounding pressures facing Ukrainian society on the home front amid the country’s ongoing war with Russia.