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Apr 18, 2026 - World

Iran’s parliamentary speaker also says passage through waterway will depend on authorisation from IranIran says strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ to commercial vessels as oil prices fallIn case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves if the truce is broken – here’s our full report.Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting. “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River despite the truce.Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson welcomed the ceasefire and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire in the hours before the truce took effect. Continue reading...

Apr 18, 2026 - World

Iran's foreign ministry on Friday said the country's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere", denying an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic had agreed to hand it over.

Apr 18, 2026 - World

About 26 million people are under tornado watches from Wisconsin to Oklahoma, according to one reportA stretch of the midwestern states is at risk of severe weather, forecasters warned on Friday, as tornadoes battered towns across the central US region, leaving behind debris and destroyed property.According to the National Weather Service, severe thunderstorms may be seen in north-west Oklahoma through western Missouri during Friday afternoon and evening. Continue reading...

Apr 18, 2026 - World

This live blog is now closed.US Congress passes 10-day extension of surveillance law amid Republican infightingWhat is Fisa, and why does it allow no-warrant survellance?Sign up for the Breaking News US emailIn more CDC news, Donald Trump has selected Erica Schwartz to lead the troubled health agency, bringing to an end a months-long search for a permanent director.Schwartz served as the deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term. But before she can officially take over, the president’s pick will require confirmation by the Senate.IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU! Continue reading...

Apr 18, 2026 - World

Bangladesh has begun receiving an additional 5,000 tonnes of diesel from India through a cross-border pipeline, officials familiar with the development said on Friday, Dhaka Tribune reported.