live Iran closes Strait of Hormuz again over U.S. blockade, state media says- Saturday 18 April
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a Saturday statement that the Strait of Hormuz has...
Heavy clashes between Congolese forces and M23 rebels continue in eastern Congo, despite a ceasefire announced earlier this week. The UN warns of a worsening humanitarian crisis as thousands are displaced and key areas fall under rebel control.
Fighting in eastern Congo escalated on Monday (February 3) as the ceasefire between Congolese forces and M23 rebels collapsed. The United Nations confirmed intense battles near Bukavu in South Kivu, with rebels advancing and seizing the strategic mining town of Nyabibwe.
Deputy UN envoy Vivian Van De Perre described the situation in Goma as "highly volatile," warning that all exit routes and the airport remain under M23 control.
"The situation is still highly volatile with a persistent risk of escalation," she said.
The humanitarian toll is rising rapidly. Van De Perre reported that 2,000 bodies have been collected from the streets of Goma in recent days, while hospitals struggle to manage the increasing casualties.
"We expect this number to go up," she added.
With no end to the violence in sight, thousands of civilians are fleeing the conflict zones, while the international community closely monitors the situation.
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.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a Saturday statement that the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its "previous state" under the control of its "armed forces," citing the ongoing U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.
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.
The Trump administration extended a sanctions exemption on some Russian oil as prices continue to skyrocket in the wake of the U.S.- Israeli war against Iran on Friday (17 April).
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.
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