Indonesian haj departures on track amid Middle East war
The first wave of pilgrims will depart for Medina starting April 22.
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Hublot CEO Julien Tornare: 'Culture and emotion drives our creativity'
Music, art and sport are the source of powerful emotions which the Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot is seeking to harness with its latest Big Bang Reloaded collection.
New Zealand defends military patrol flight near China
April 18 - New Zealand on Saturday defended the actions of a military patrol aircraft flight near China after Beijing said it had undermined its security interests.
Woman arrested at Haneda airport in record ‘zombie cigarette’ drug haul
She is suspected of smuggling about 4kg of etomidate
Strategic autonomy or ambiguity? India’s Gulf dilemma
There is a lively and, at times, sharply divided discourse in India today on its foreign policy choices over the Iranian crisis. At the center of this debate is a simple but uncomfortable question: Is India being prudently cautious, needlessly timid or has it devolved into
Sabrina Carpenter Goes Full ‘Thelma & Louise’ at Coachella Weekend Two With Geena Davis Monologue
Sabrina Carpenter leaned into a “Thelma & Louise” theme with her weekend-two Coachella appearance Friday by featuring Geena Davis reading the mid-show monologue, succeeding last weekend’s guest Susan Sarandon. The monologue was half the length of Sarandon’s uncomfortably
Australia, Japan ink multibillion dollar warship deal
Japan agreed on Saturday (Apr 18) on a deal to provide Australia's navy with the first of almost a dozen stealth frigates.
5-magnitude earthquake strikes off mountainous Nagano in Japan: NHK
There were no reports so far of any damage.
Trump says he has 'good news' on Iran, no clarity on peace deal
By Trevor Hunnicutt and Ariba Shahid WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said there had been "some pretty good news about Iran", suggesting optimism about peace talks to end the war on Iran, but he said a ceasefire in the conflict may not be
Trump brands UK ‘crazy’ for not drilling the North Sea. But would it actually lower energy bills?
Donald Trump’s latest attack on renewables has reignited calls to drill the North Sea for oil – despite research showing it won’t lower energy bills.
Latest news bulletin | April 18th, 2026 – Morning
Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this April 18th, 2026 - latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel.
Padel holidays: One of the world’s fastest-growing sports becomes a smash hit for travel
Hotels and resorts are turning padel into a travel draw, blending sport, luxury stays and social play across Europe and beyond.
The rapid ascent of Anthropic: Inside the strategy behind an $800 billion valuation
The AI firm Anthropic has emerged as a dominant force in the global technology sector, attracting investor interest that values the company at approximately $800 billion (€678.3bn), but what is behind the success?
We spoke to dozens of central bankers, policymakers and politicians about the Iran war — These are their biggest fears for the global economy
From stagflation to energy security, policymakers spoke to CNBC about the biggest risks arising from the ongoing U.S.-Iran war.
Orbán's era was over in a flash and Hungary's next PM is a man in a hurry
Péter Magyar and his Tisza party are wasting no time preparing for the transfer of power after their dramatic landslide victory.
Australia, Japan sign contracts to start $7 billion warship deal
SYDNEY, April 18 - Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday 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.
Democrats shouldn’t follow Republicans into the extremist swamp
The other day on X, leftist Twitch streamer Hasan Piker got into an argument with a commentator known as Swann Marcus. Marcus had scoffed at the notion of Piker trying to connect with blue-collar workers. In retaliation, Piker claimed that Marcus had written a “how to” manual
Trump says US blockade of Iranian ports will 'remain' if no deal reached
President Donald Trump said late Friday he planned to maintain a US blockade of Iranian ports if a peace deal with Tehran is not reached, adding that he may not extend the ceasefire after its expiration. Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday in the wake of a ceasefire
North Korea taking its nuclear threat to the high seas
North Korea’s missile test from its new Choe Hyon destroyer signals a shift toward a more flexible sea-based nuclear deterrent, as the regime compensates for submarine limitations. This month, multiple media outlets reported that North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise
Token inequality: AI haves and AI have-nots
Gemini was my preferred model for research a few months ago. So, was Grok. Recently, I asked one of them for serious research, accompanied by blunt exhortations on how it has been disappointing me repeatedly of late, along with examples of the quality of answers I needed. The
Ocean Thunder vessel arrives in Malaysia with 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude
PETRONAS said the shipment is part of efforts to ensure the country’s fuel supply remains stable.
Ice Spice Quips on McDonald’s Scuffle: ‘This Wouldn’t Happen at Wendy’s’
The singer reposted video of the fast food debacle alongside a snippet of what seemed to be an unreleased track
Malaysia's former veteran minister Syed Hamid makes surprise UMNO return with stalwarts Khairy, Hishammuddin
Unlike for Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein, 82-year-old Syed Hamid Albar’s UMNO return bid was not previously reported. The former defence, foreign and home affairs minister had left the once-ruling party in 2018.
Trump says China's Xi is 'very happy' about Strait of Hormuz reopening
April 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping was "very happy" about the status of the Strait of Hormuz, and that he looked forward to their meeting in China. "President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open
Trump administration reverses course, extends Russian oil sanctions waiver
The Trump administration on Friday reversed course and extended a waiver on sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products amid the Iran war, just days after a top Cabinet official said the U.S. would not be doing so. A license allowing countries to purchase Russian oil from
Australian minister says fuel reserves up, more shipments on the way
The country has 46 days of petrol on hand, eight days more than last week’s update.
RON95, diesel supply disrupted at some Malaysian Caltex stations
Caltex Malaysia said the shortage is due to unexpected delays at the port.
Ice Spice Addresses Altercation at McDonald’s: ‘This Wouldn’t Happen at Wendy’s’
Rapper Ice Spice has spoken out about an altercation that took place at a McDonald’s, addressing the incident on social media along with a clip of a new song. She took to X on Friday evening to make light of the situation and diffuse the drama surrounding it, including a clip
UMNO opens doors to Khairy, Hishammuddin and Syed Hamid
The council also amended party membership rules to enable online registration.
Newsom demands answers from RFK Jr. over past comments about Black children on ADHD meds being 're-parented'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday said he demands answers from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding comments the secretary made in an interview in 2024 about Black children on certain Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Nexstar-Tegna Takeover, Orders Nexstar to Halt Integration Plans
A federal judge in Sacramento has issued a preliminary injunction against Nexstar’s acquisition of Tegna TV stations as part of DirecTV’s lawsuit to block the merger of TV station groups. U.S. District Court Judge Troy Nunley of California’s Eastern District issued the 52-page
How nanomedicine gets inside your cells and treats you from the inside out
Canadians swallow millions of pills every day to treat common health issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type II diabetes, but scientists are working at the molecular level to turn patients' cells into pharmacies.
Japan child-rearing homes more burdened with tax than US, Europe: Govt
The calculation was based on a model of a 35-year-old dual-income couple with two children aged 5 and 2.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Crowns Season 18’s Winner
SPOILER ALERT: This contains major spoilers for the finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” All hail Myki Meeks! The queen has been “RuPaul’s Drag Race” crowned America’s next drag superstar. Meeks snatched the crown from Darlene Mitchell and Nini Coco. Snatching the crown from her
Windrose Discoveries: Every item you're missing from the Coastal Jungle, Foothills, and Cursed Swamps
Missing one last Discovery? Allow me to fill in the blanks.
UNICEF says Israeli fire kills two Gaza water truck drivers
April 17 (Reuters) - The United Nations children's agency UNICEF said on Friday it was "outraged" after two truck drivers it contracted to deliver clean water to families in the Gaza Strip were killed by Israeli fire. The U.N. agency said in a statement the incident occurred
‘Outlander’ Shocker: Stars Break Down That Devastating Death, How It’s Different From the Books and Why They Asked for a More Intimate Final Sex Scene
SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers for “Evidence of Things Not Seen,” the seventh episode of Season 8 of “Outlander,” now streaming on Starz. César Domboy wants “Outlander” fans to know one thing after this week’s episode: “I’m not responsible for any of this.” He
WWE Hall of Fame 2026: How to Watch the Pro Wrestling Induction Ceremony Live Online
The best pro wrestlers in the world travel to “Sin City” for Wrestlemania 42 and the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. It features six inductees, including legendary wrestlers like AJ Styles, an iconic tag team with Demolition, a foundational figure like Stephanie McMahon, a wild
Tech CEO accused of running $420M AI business scam
iLearning, according to the Justice Department, “fabricated virtually all its customer relationships and revenues.”
Study finds park design affects cooling differently by day and night
Urban parks are often seen as natural refuges from summer heat, but new Concordia research shows that, depending on the time of day, the way trees are arranged within parks can influence whether those spaces cool people down or trap heat.
White House and Anthropic hold 'productive' meeting amid fears over Mythos model
The discussion is a sign the AI firm's technology may be too critical for even the US government to do without.
Ice Cube and Chris Tucker’s Sons Reimagine Classic Comedy ‘Friday’ for Los Angeles Rams Draft Promo
O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Destin Tucker headline the reimagined take, ‘Thursday,’ starring alongside Terry Crews, YG, Kevin Dotson, Jared Verse, Byron Young and Big Boy for the Rams’ draft campaign.
Slay the Spire 2 dev rejects the concept of deadlines: 'I don't want Sloppy Spire 2'
There's a lot to come for the early access deckbuilder, but "exacting deadlines produce sloppy uninspired work," says Mega Crit.
Jodi Picoult’s ‘Book of Two Ways’ in Development as Netflix Series, ‘Outlander’s’ Matthew B. Roberts to Write (EXCLUSIVE)
Netflix is developing a series version of the Jodi Picoult novel “The Book of Two Ways,” Variety has learned exclusively from sources. The project hails from Matthew B. Roberts, who will pen the adaptation in addition to serving as executive producer and showrunner. Sony
IDF officials say Lebanon war gains are dependent on negotiation outcomes
The IDF plans for a prolonged Israeli presence in southern Lebanon, adding that withdrawal is not yet possible, and warning against overestimating damage to Hezbollah, which still poses a military threat to Israel, albeit on a more limited scale, officials say
Trump teases upcoming release of UFO documents at Turning Point USA event
President Trump on Friday teased at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix that he will direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to release government files on UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs). "I recently directed the Secretary of War ... to begin releasing government
Trump gets roaring ovation on Iran at Turning Point event
President Trump was met with an at times a roaring ovation from a crowd at a Turning Point USA event in Arizona on Friday during several opportunities where he detailed his policies on Iran. It marked a window into how some young conservatives are receiving Trump's message on
Recalibrating the India-South Korea strategic partnership
The impending three-day visit of President Lee Jae-myung to India is not routine diplomacy – it is a strategic inflection point for both countries and the wider Indo-Pacific. The regional order that once underpinned stability is fragmenting. Economic interdependence is