MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran's armed forces are on full combat readiness despite ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said. “If they don’t lift the blockade, traffic through the strait will defi»»»

Washington renewed on Friday a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil at sea for about a month, even as lawmakers accused the government ‌of going easy on Moscow as its war on Ukraine grinds on. The Treasury Department's waiver lets countries purchase Russian oil and petroleum prod»»»

The crucial Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports, Tehran said Saturday, as a top official warned that a final peace deal remained "far" off. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, said in a televised address that th»»»

North Korea test-fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, South Korea's military said, the latest in a recent flurry of launches by the nuclear-armed state. The Sunday launches add to a series of weapons tests Pyongyang has carried out in recent weeks, including ballistic missiles, »»»

Israel's military said on Sunday that a soldier died during combat in southern Lebanon, where a temporary ceasefire had come into effect this week. "Lidor Porat, aged 31, from Ashdod, a soldier in the 7106th Battalion, 769th Regional Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," the Israeli mil»»»

Former US President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared a light-hearted moment on Saturday during a visit to a child care centre in Bronx, where they read to children and joined a singalong. The pair met for the first time at the Learning Through Play Pre-K Center, engaging w»»»

Bulgarians at home and abroad Sunday are voting to elect a new Parliament in what is the country's seventh snap vote since 2021. It is also the country’s 18th parliamentary elections since the start of democratic changes in 1989. Elections are held under the Election Code adopted in 2014 and last a»»»

Voting abroad for Bulgaria's 52nd National Assembly began at 10 pm Bulgarian time on Saturday and will conclude on the morning of April 20, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Due to the nine-hour time difference, Bulgarian citizens in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand, were the first to cas»»»

North Korea test-fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, South Korea's military said, the latest in a recent flurry of launches by the nuclear-armed state. The Sunday launches add to a series of weapons tests Pyongyang has carried out in recent weeks, including ballistic missiles, »»»

Share: A French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrols the area as displaced residents waving Hezbollah flags make their way back to their homes on a makeshift road on April 18, 2026.(photo credit: Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFP via Getty Images). French president Macron b»»»

The FAA is considering bids to develop an artificial intelligence system that could help air traffic controllers predict and correct potential issues hours earlier than they currently can. File Photo by Caroline Brehman/EPA April 18 (UPI) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is working with three»»»

The United States has opted to extend a waiver permitting limited transactions involving Russian oil, despite sustained political opposition from within Washington, Russia’s special presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries says. »»»

PARIS, France — Near Singapore, thousands of miles from the Strait of Hormuz, ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil have continued during the Middle East war, helping Tehran evade sanctions and maintain trade with China.Nearly 400 tankers are sanctioned by the United States, the European Union or B»»»

Dubai: The UAE has rolled out updated anti-money laundering and financial crime guidelines, tightening compliance expectations for banks and exchange houses, with a sharper focus on risk monitoring, customer verification and cross-border activity. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques »»»

A life jacket from a survivor of the Titanic tragedy sold at auction on Saturday for $906,000, and was among a collection of other artifacts from the doomed ocean liner. Photo courtesy Henry Aldridge & Sons April 18 (UPI) -- The only life jacket worn by a person who survived the sinking of the Tita»»»

In many respects, despite three years of “orthodox” treatment, Turkey’s economy remains a basket case. But worse than that, from the point of view of the international investor, is that after 23 years of the Erdogan regime, no one trusts the Turkish courts. Make a major investment in Turkey and you»»»

In many respects, despite three years of “orthodox” treatment, Turkey’s economy remains a basket case. But worse than that, from the point of view of the international investor, is that after 23 years of the Erdogan regime, no one trusts the Turkish courts. Make a major investment in Turkey and you»»»

In many respects, despite three years of “orthodox” treatment, Turkey’s economy remains a basket case. But worse than that, from the point of view of the international investor, is that after 23 years of the Erdogan regime, no one trusts the Turkish courts. Make a major investment in Turkey and you»»»

In many respects, despite three years of “orthodox” treatment, Turkey’s economy remains a basket case. But worse than that, from the point of view of the international investor, is that after 23 years of the Erdogan regime, no one trusts the Turkish courts. Make a major investment in Turkey and you»»»

In many respects, despite three years of “orthodox” treatment, Turkey’s economy remains a basket case. But worse than that, from the point of view of the international investor, is that after 23 years of the Erdogan regime, no one trusts the Turkish courts. Make a major investment in Turkey and you»»»

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the death of a French UN peacekeeping soldier Saturday following an attack that also left three people wounded in southern Lebanon, saying that "everything suggests" Hezbollah being responsible for the attack. The Iran-backed group denied involve»»»

Bulgaria’s former president Rumen Radev is on course to win a snap parliamentary election on April 19, according to a new opinion poll, in what could mark a political breakthrough after years of instability. A survey by Ma»»»

AMMAN — The "one-stop centre" at Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), which houses several ministries and official institutions, processed 61,723 transactions during the first quarter of this year, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported.The comprehensive services facility houses; ACC's Labour Directora»»»

AMMAN — Jordan’s ambitious Aqaba Railway is not just a transportation initiative, it is a defining moment in the country's future economic growth, experts said, highlighting the mega project’s pivotal role in Jordan's broader economic strategy.Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and UAE Vice President, Dep»»»

Darlene Regis Doha A Filipina entrepreneur, educator, and community leader based in Qatar, Annaliza Diet (MA, MBA, CIPT, PhD Candidate) has emerged as a formidable force in global education and women’s empowerment. With influence that spans continents, she has built more than institutions — she has»»»

QNA Antalya Mediation is not viewed as a matter of media visibility or international competition, but rather as a responsibility and an effective tool for conflict resolution, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi has said. Speaking »»»

Rewatch Donald Trump’s live briefing from the White House on Saturday, April 18, as Iran announced it was re-closing the Strait of Hormuz while the US maintains its port blockade. FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar has the analysis.»»»

Tribune News Network Doha The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), represented by the Department of Wildlife Development, has recorded the appearance of parrotfish—locally known as “Al-Qin”—in Qatari waters, describing the sighting as a positive indicator of marine ecosystem health. »»»

There were 33 deaths of ICE detainees in 2025, with 17 so far in 2026 The number of deaths of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees over the last year has skyrocketed amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, which has led to the agency detaining more people that it has since i»»»

European nations have around four years to build up their defenses enough to deter a Russian attack without US backing, Frederic Vansina, Belgium’s Chief of the General Staff, has said. Moscow has dismissed speculation that it plans to attack NATO as nonsense. In an interview with Le Soir published»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisers were caught off guard and “stunned” when US President Donald Trump said he would not allow Israel to conduct further strikes in Lebanon, Axios reports, citing two people familiar with the matter. On Friday, Trump said the US had “prohibited»»»

French lawmakers linked to President Emmanuel Macron have withdrawn a controversial bill aimed at expanding anti-Semitism laws in the country, which had been set for debate in parliament on Thursday. The “law to combat renewed forms of anti-Semitism” was drafted in 2024 by a group of MPs led by Car»»»

Slovakia will file a lawsuit with the EU’s Court of Justice challenging the bloc’s decision to ban imports of Russian gas, Prime Minister Robert Fico has said. In January, the EU formally approved a plan to phase out Russian pipeline gas by 2027, overriding vetoes from Slovakia and Hungary. “We obj»»»

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed that the Resistance Party will never tolerate the Israeli violations in South Lebanon, adding that the battlefield has proven to have the final say, The field has proven that it has the final word, and successful policy is that which benefits »»»

Storms tore through the upper midwest, causing damaging tornadoes Friday. Image courtesy of UPI April 18 (UPI) -- Tornadoes swept through several midwestern cities Friday leaving destruction and devastation in their wakes as a massive storm system tore through the area. Rochester, Minn., Lena, Ill.»»»

Three people were sentenced to three months in jail and another is awaiting trial in an insurance scam based on staged bear attacks on luxury cars. Photo courtesy California Department of Insurance April 18 (UPI) -- Three people were sentenced this week in an insurance fraud scam that saw them wear»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz from Saturday evening until the United States completely lifts its naval blockade, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy Command said on Saturday. "As a result of the violation of the ceasefire regime, the Strait of Hormuz »»»

Two Indian-flagged vessels carrying crude oil came under gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday as Iran declared it would control traffic through the vital waterway in retaliation for an ongoing US naval blockade. Following the attack, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned Iran’s am»»»

Sudan is entering its fourth year of civil war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, a conflict the UN calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with children among the main victims. In Darfur and beyond, thousands are displaced, many separated from their families, facing hunger, viol»»»

Tunis, April 18 (TAP) - Trade between Tunisia and Libya posted an 11% increase in 2025 compared to 2024, reaching a total value of 2,892 million dinars, of which 2,469 million dinars represent Tunisian exports to the Libyan market, according to data...»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah Secretary General: The battlefield has proven to have the final say 18-04-2026 21:09 PM Latest News Urgent News Sheikh Naim Qasse»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Sheikh Naim Qassem: The ceasefire would not have been possible without the sacrifices of the resistance fighters on the front lines 18-04-2»»»

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US military is preparing to seize commercial vessels and tankers affiliated to Iran in international waters outside the Middle East in the coming days, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing US officials. On Saturday, the Iranian military command said that t»»»

Israeli violations of the US-brokered ceasefire on the Lebanon front continue, as military operations and airstrikes persist against targets Israel claims are affiliated with Hezbollah. This has forced residents who had returned to some southern villages to leave again immediately, fearing a rapid »»»

Bassel Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), said state entities are working in close coordination to mitigate the impact of global economic challenges on startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt. He added that efforts are also focu»»»

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced a major archaeological discovery at the historic site of El-Bahnasa in Minya, offering new insights into funerary traditions during the Greek and Roman periods. The find was made by a Spanish mission from the University of Barcelona and the »»»

ANTALYA: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi met separately on Saturday with officialson the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Dr Al Khulaifi met withMinister of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia HE Fern»»»

1 of 2 | Pope Leo XIV waves during a welcome ceremony at Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday. The Pope is on an 11-day trip to Africa, with stops in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Photo by Jose Sena Goulao/EPA April 18 (UPI) -- Pope Leo XIV said h»»»

Pretoria: Colombian Brayan Leon was the match-winner again for Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on Saturday, April 18, 2026, scoring in a 1-0 CAF Champions League semi-final second leg win over Esperance of Tunisia. The 25-year-old, who joined the Pretoria club from Independiente Medellin three mo»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has introduced a strict set of measures ahead of this year’s Hajj season, warning that all visit visas, regardless of type, do not permit holders to perform the pilgrimage, as authorities intensify efforts to regulate access to Mecca and protect pilgrims. The Ministry of Interio»»»