Australia, Japan sign contracts to start $7 billion warship deal
- 18-Apr-2026
SYDNEY: 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. Defence Ministers Richard Marles and Shinjiro Koizumi signed a memorandum “reaffirming the Australian and Japanese governments’ shared commitment to the successful […]
Trump says he has 'good news' on Iran as tankers cross Strait of Hormuz
- 18-Apr-2026
WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: A convoy of oil tankers was crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the first major movement of ships in the crucial waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran seven weeks ago. The group of four liquefied petroleum gas carriers and several oil product and chemical tankers, was passing through […]
White House and Anthropic CEO discuss working together amid rising fear about Mythos model
- 18-Apr-2026
WASHINGTON: The Trump administration and Anthropic’s CEO on Friday discussed working together for the first time since a dispute earlier this year between the Pentagon and the AI firm over how that company’s models should be used. The meeting between CEO Dario Amodei and White House staff, which took place amid growing fears the AI […]
Trump says UFO review uncovered 'interesting' documents
- 18-Apr-2026
PHOENIX: President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration’s review of UFO-related material uncovered a number of “interesting” documents, adding that an initial tranche of records is expected to be released soon. “We found many very interesting documents, I must say, and the first releases will begin very, very soon so you can go […]
Meta targets May 20 for first wave of layoffs; additional cuts later in 2026
- 18-Apr-2026
NEW YORK: Meta intends to conduct a first wave of sweeping layoffs planned for this year on May 20, with more coming later, three sources familiar with the plans told Reuters. The Facebook and Instagram owner will lay off about 10% of its global workforce, or close to 8,000 employees, in that initial round, one […]
Shipping firms seek clarifications before crossing Hormuz
- 18-Apr-2026
Shipping companies have cautiously welcomed Iran’s announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is open but said they would require clarifications, including about the risk of mines, before vessels move through the entry point to the Gulf. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was open to all commercial vessels during […]
Researchers eye potential Down syndrome fix via advanced gene editing
- 18-Apr-2026
Researchers have developed a modified version of the CRISPR gene-editing tool that in early laboratory experiments suggests it may have the potential to “silence” the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome are born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, giving them 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. “Because of […]
Myanmar cuts ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence, frees former president
- 18-Apr-2026
Myanmar has reduced the sentence of imprisoned ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer told Reuters on Friday, as part of an amnesty by a new president who ousted her government in a coup five years ago. Suu Kyi, 80, was serving a 27-year sentence for a litany of charges her allies said were politically […]
How 50 days of the Iran war led to the loss of $50 billion worth of oil
- 18-Apr-2026
The world has lost over $50 billion worth of crude oil that has not been produced since the Iran war began nearly 50 days ago and the aftershock of the crisis will be felt for months and even years to come, according to analysts and Reuters calculations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday […]
Foundayo: Obesity pill draws 1,390 US prescriptions in launch week
- 18-Apr-2026
Eli Lilly’s newly launched weight-loss pill Foundayo was prescribed 1,390 times in the U.S. in its first week of sales, according to analysts who cited IQVIA data, indicating that its push into oral obesity treatments is gaining early traction. Investors are closely watching the rollout as competition intensifies between Lilly and its Danish rival Novo […]