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.»»»

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»»»

Drivers urged to reroute as Khorfakkan road shuts Sunday Sharjah: Sharjah Police has announced a temporary road closure along Khorfakkan Corniche Beach Street on Sunday, April 19, as part of traffic arrangements for a triathlon event. The closure will be in effect from 6:00am to 9:40am, covering bo»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Transport issued circular announcing that it is activating a plan to regulate marine vessel activities within the waters of Al Safliya Island. The circular addressed “all parties concerned, owners, operators, lessees of marine vessels, and marina officials,” and comes a»»»

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 is stepping up the pace of ongoing healthcare projects and has put up an urgent plan to upgrade hospitals in Matrouh ahead of the summer season, the Ministry of Health said. In a statement, the ministry said Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met with representatives of the Interior Ministr»»»

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi stressed on Saturday the importance of adhering to defined timelines for the completion of housing and infrastructure projects, while removing obstacles facing investment in the sector, according to a presidential statement. During a meeting with Housing Mini»»»

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 »»»

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»»»

Abu Dhabi: The Cyber Security Council (CSC) has warned that around 25 percent of publicly accessible files contain sensitive personal data, urging users to adopt secure practices when sharing files online. In its weekly message under the “Cyber Pulse” awareness campaign, the Council highlighted the»»»

Dubai: In Saturday’s Dh30 million UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw, many participants have taken home cash prizes. During Draw No. 260418, the winning numbers in the Days section were 17, 11, 1, 20, 15, and 3, while the Months section winning number was 12. Additionally, three residents have each bagge»»»

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»»»

Dhaka: A series of lightning strikes killed 12 people in six districts of Bangladesh on Saturday. The majority of the lightning fatalities occurred in rural areas where people were working on their farmlands, local sources said. Deaths due to lightning strikes are common in Bangladesh during this t»»»

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»»»

Sofia police have seized over 10 kg of fentanyl since the beginning of the year, the Interior Ministry said. Five investigations are underway and five people have been detained on suspicion of distribution. The seized quantity is equivalent to around 40,000 doses, with one dose averaging 0.25 grams»»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem tackles the latest developments in a televised speech tonight at 09:00 PM (Beirut Time) 18-0»»»

Turkmenistan and China broke ground Friday on works to expand production at the giant Galkynysh gas field, strengthening Beijing's already dominant position in the secretive Central Asian nation's energy sector. The former Soviet republic, which holds the world's fourth-largest gas reserves, has ex»»»

Annual urban headline inflation accelerated to 15.2% in March 2026, up from 13.4% in February, according to the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). The increase was driven by rising food and non-food inflation, with food inflation climbing to 5.8% from 4.6%, while non-food inflation rose to 21.5% from 19.»»»

Suez Canal Bank has signed a tripartite cooperation protocol with eHealth and eAswaaq—both affiliates of eFinance Investment Group—with the aim of supporting and developing Egypt’s healthcare sector by providing integrated financing solutions and accelerating digital transformation. The agreement w»»»

The Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB), chaired by Mohamed El-Etreby, has approved the appointment of Ahmed Fouad as head of its SME Committee, in a move aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of specialised committees and renewing their leadership. The appointment comes as part of ongoing efforts to»»»

After the ceasefire in Lebanon, displaced families are returning to heavily damaged towns like Nabatieh, where homes, businesses and essential services have been devastated by the war. Residents face a mix of relief and trauma as they begin to rebuild their lives, relying on aid for basic needs whi»»»

Despite warnings from authorities about the fragility of the ceasefire with Israel, thousands of people are returning to their homes in southern Lebanon, as FRANCE 24's Cyril Payen reports from Beirut. Most do not see themselves as refugees, but rather as internally displaced people in their own co»»»

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is open to commercial shipping during the Lebanon ceasefire, triggering a sharp drop in oil prices, while Donald Trump welcomed the move but kept a US naval blockade in place. At the same time, Emmanuel Macron and the UK are leading plans for a neutral mission to secu»»»

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered by the war in the Middle East hasn't just affected oil prices. Despite a provisional reopening during the current 10-day ceasefire, global supplies of jet fuel, fertilisers, industrial CO2 and naphtha have already been affected, potentially leading to s»»»

In Deir al-Balah, displaced families are living next to growing rubbish piles as destroyed infrastructure forces authorities to rely on unsafe temporary dumps. Across the Gaza Strip, poor sanitation and pest infestations are raising serious health concerns despite limited humanitarian aid.»»»

Since the end of the war in Syria last year, many Syrians have left Turkey to return home. Of the 3.6 million refugees living in the country, more than half a million are believed to have already gone back. These departures are weakening the Turkish economy, which relies heavily on low-cost labour,»»»

H. A. Hellyer, senior fellow in geopolitics at the Royal United Services Institute, was France 24’s guest and analysed the renewed tensions between the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz as a strategy of mutual pressure amid ongoing negotiations. While talks are set to continue in Islam»»»

After weeks of US and Israeli strikes, Iranians are watching to see if ceasefire talks could lead to negotiations, while uncertainty over the future of the conflict persists. Despite foreign calls for regime change, analysts say Iran’s leadership remains entrenched, as economic pressure, repression»»»

Egypt's Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) will build a new 1.4 trillion Egyptian pound ($27 billion) mixed-use city east of Cairo, CEO and Managing Director Hisham Talaat Moustafa said at a press conference on Saturday. The project, called The Spine, is to be developed in partnership with ⁠the National B»»»

Day 5 in Africa for Pope Leo the 14th. In the midst of a pause in the ongoing violence in Cameroon, the Pope headed to Douala after the city of Bamenda, to celebrate a Mass. Also It's now more than 48 hours since Million Beyene disappeared without a trace. And Literature takes centre stage in the F»»»

As part of his African tour, Pope Leo XIV is visiting Angola, where around 40% of the population is Catholic. The visit is highly significant for the country’s large Catholic community, who see it as an important moment of recognition and connection with the Vatican.»»»

Sudan has entered its fourth year of devastating conflict, after fighting broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The war has left millions displaced and, according to the UN, created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.»»»

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iran will seek full control over the Strait of Hormuz either through negotiations or on the battlefield, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said on Saturday. "Iran will pursue the right to control the Strait of Hormuz either at the negotiating table or on the battlefield,"»»»

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Italy's former head of state offers an in-depth, insightful and thought-provoking reading of contemporary geopolitics, European cohesion, and leadership ethics. Speaking from the vantage point of a former leader of a major »»»

The Trump administration on Friday issued a one-month sanctions waiver allowing the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products already loaded at sea, despite the treasury secretary indicating two days earlier that Washington would not renew the measure. The move comes amid efforts to ease global en»»»

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are set to co-chair a gathering of left-wing leaders in Barcelona on Saturday aimed at countering the rise of the far right and strengthening democratic institutions. The meeting brings together figures from acro»»»

Dubai: Filipino workers in parts of the UAE whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the ongoing situation in the Middle East are set to receive temporary financial relief, following a new advisory issued by the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Under the programme, q»»»

Damascus, April 18 (SANA) Natural perfume production in Syria is expanding through home-based projects led by women who have turned traditional skills into small businesses, combining heritage craftsmanship with economic necessity. The craft of perfume-making involves extracting and blending scents»»»

Berlin: Bayern Munich moved closer to the Bundesliga title after Borussia Dortmund fell to a 2-1 loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday, while pioneering Union Berlin coach Marie-Louise Eta lost on her debut in the dugout. Second-placed Dortmund's defeat leaves Bayern, who host Stuttgart on Sunday, 12 poin»»»

1 of 3 | President Donald Trump signs an executive order on researching the effects of psychedelic drugs in mental health treatment on Saturday, in the Oval Office. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., podcast host Joe Rogan, Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, and retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell were»»»

Dubai: Long before Dubai’s transformation into a global hub, British officials were already documenting the emergence of a young Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as a “born leader,” according to official records dating back to the late 1960s. The papers, produced by government departments in L»»»

Thousands of trucks bound for the countries of Central Asia are stuck in the Caspian Sea port town of Alat in Azerbaijan because of border closures applied by war-hit Iran. Truckers normally enter northern Iran from Turkey»»»

Energy giant Canada has emerged as the leading driver of efforts to build a formal middle-power coalition among like-minded Commonwealth nations, with Prime Minister Mark Carney using his first year in office to push the long-dormant CANZUK concept and a broader variable-geometr»»»

Thousands of trucks bound for the countries of Central Asia are stuck in the Caspian Sea port town of Alat in Azerbaijan because of border closures applied by war-hit Iran. Truckers normally enter northern Iran from Turkey»»»

Exactly 24 hours before the first US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Middle East Eye (MEE) posted an article on its homepage titled: “China has sent attack drones to Iran, as it discusses ballistic missile sales” highlighting Beijing’s increasing support of the regime in Tehran in the i»»»