live Iran reopens Hormuz Strait, demands end to U.S. naval blockade- Saturday 18 April
Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (17 April) following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, ra...
U.S. President Donald Trump signed his landmark “One Big, Beautiful Bill” into law on Friday, calling it a "triumph of democracy" during a Fourth of July ceremony at the White House.
The 870-page legislation delivers key parts of his second-term agenda, including permanent tax cuts, increased defence spending, and sweeping changes to healthcare and immigration policy.
Passed by Congress in a narrow 218–214 vote a day earlier, the bill permanently extends the 2017 tax cuts and introduces new breaks on tipped income, overtime, and Social Security. It also slashes Medicaid funding, boosts defence spending by $150 billion, and rolls back clean energy tax credits introduced under the Biden administration.
The law allocates $100 billion in new funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), part of Trump’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. Speaking to military families at the signing, Trump said the bill would “fuel massive economic growth” and “lift up hardworking citizens,” declaring, “The Golden Age of America is upon us.”
He promoted the bill as a “historic win for American families” during a campaign rally in Iowa on Thursday, promising it would transform the economy into a “rocketship.”
Despite concerns about the bill’s cost—estimated to add $3.4 trillion to the national debt—the White House says it reflects Trump’s long-standing policy goals and vision for the country.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Netflix shares fell sharply on Friday after the streaming group issued a weaker-than-expected outlook and said chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings will step down from the board.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that includes Hezbollah, raising cautious hopes of a pause in hostilities after weeks of escalating tensions.
Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday (18 April) launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion) deal to supply Australia with warships, Tokyo's most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014.
Leaders from across Europe and beyond gathered in Paris on Friday for a summit aimed at managing the global impact of the Middle East conflict.
European leaders have set out plans for a coordinated defensive mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, once security conditions allow, following talks involving more than 40 countries.
NeaNearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea off Myanmar in 2025, making it the deadliest year on record, the United Nations Refugee Agency said on Friday.
Tens of thousands of people filled a stadium in Douala on Friday, hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope Leo during what is expected to be the largest event of his African tour.
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