On April 26, 1986, an explosion during testing sent radioactive fallout into the atmosphere that spread across Europe, particularly contaminating Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.

From November 2012 to March 2013, Turkey’s olive oil exports sky-rocketed to over 45,500 tonnes, a 446 percent rise from the same period a year earlier.

An “India-ASEAN Dialogue” was held in New Delhi, India on April 23 by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the ASEAN-New Delhi Committee (ANDC).

 Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on April 22 kicked off his nationwide "go down to the grassroots" tour to garner support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the May 5 general election.

Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong assured visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of their country’s determination to strengthen bilateral relations with Indonesia.

Giorgio Napolitano became the first president in Italian history to secure a second seven-year term. (Image: Reuters) 

The US was shocked by a twin bombing in Copley square in the centre of Boston city, where tens of thousands of people and athletes from 96 countries were attending a marathon.

Singapore has expressed support for Japan ’s early participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, as member countries concluded bilateral consultations with Tokyo.

A view of a collapsed building with a sign reading, ''Lushan Kindergarden'' after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China's Sichuan province is seen in this April 20, 2013 still image taken from TV.

The re-election of Italy's 87-year-old president Giorgio Napolitano raised hopes of an end to a two-month impasse on forming a new government but failed to answer calls for change, experts said on Sunday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on April 18 voiced pleasure at the good relations between Cambodian and Thai governments, armies and people, amid the ongoing oral arguments at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the disputed land around the Preah Vihear temple.

As the global economy recovers, the report, released on April 15, projects that regional growth will rise moderately to 7.8 percent in 2013 and ease to 7.6 percent in 2014.

Fireworks erupted over Caracas as Maduro spoke to cheering supporters. Maduro spoke to a throng of supporters outside the presidential palace after electoral victories.