Thursday 18 June 2026

Sharif reaffirms that the MOU to end the war will take effect immediately and that Iran will "instantly" reopen the Strait of Hormuz and that the American blockade on ports will end "immediately".

Israel publishes a map of southern Lebanon that it will continue to illegaly occupy, and says it may launch attacks beyond it, as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rules out a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

Ukraine launches its largest ever drone attack on Moscow, Russia, targeting the Moscow Refinery and damaging several residential buildings.

Following the attack, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy threatened Moscow saying, "If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn", warning against further Russian attacks on the country.

U.S. vice president JD Vance says that his country will allow ships through to Iranian ports, and that the naval blockade will be lifted as part of a agreement to end the war.

According to data from Kpler, three oil supertankers from Saudi Arabia carrying 6 million barrels of crude oil were seen transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

Russia says it will carry out a "massive retaliation" against Ukraine with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov saying the Russian Armed Forces will from now on, carry out "massive group strikes" on a "regular basis" following the attack on Moscow.

Eleven soldiers, two civilians and 22 gunmen are killed in a mass shooting and shootout at the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger. Twenty suspects are also arrested.

The U.S. presidential executive office provides a text of the details on the agreement to the U.S. Congress.

The United States Central Command confirms that the naval blockade imposed by the U.S. Navy on Iranian ports and coastal areas has ended.

Iran announces that it will begin charging fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz at the end of the 60 days in the agreement.

Israeli airstrikes kill at least three people across southern Lebanon.

Residents of Moscow report oil raining down as massive plumes of black smoke are visible over the city.

Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is elected to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom after winning a by-election in Makerfield, setting up a leadership challenge to prime minister Keir Starmer.

The National Assembly of Zimbabwe approves a bill extending presidential terms from five to seven years, which will allow president Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose second term was scheduled to end in 2028, to remain in power until 2030. The constitutional amendment also scraps direct presidential elections, electing future presidents through parliament.

The National Nutrition Agency of Indonesia suspends its free meal programme during public holidays, citing efficiency and programme review measures. The policy is expected to reduce spending as the government seeks to address budget pressures and economic challenges.

The United Kingdom lifts its travel advisory for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Riyadh and Eastern provinces of Saudi Arabia after the signing of the peace deal.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has caused 202 deaths from 875 confirmed cases. Health officials cite difficulties in contact tracing, while the Red Cross warns that the outbreak has not yet peaked.

A study published in the The Lancet medical journal, led by the Queen Mary University of London and funded by Cancer Research UK, estimates that the HPV vaccine has prevented around 200 deaths from cervical cancer in England. Additionally, the study also finds that no women aged 20–24 have died from the disease between 2020 and 2024.

Australian researchers report that an H5 avian influenza outbreak on Heard Island and McDonald Islands has killed more than 13,000 southern elephant seal pups and has infected local bird and penguin populations, marking the virus's first detection in an Australian external territory.

Scientists confirm that Major Oak, a 1,000-year-old oak tree in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, England, has died. The tree failed to produce any new leaves this year after becoming "stressed" by a series of hot, dry summers over the last decade.

In ice hockey, the National Hockey League clears former head coach Mike Babcock to coach again in the league after the league opened an investigation into his resignation in September 2023 from the Columbus Blue Jackets before coaching a game with them in the wake of allegations that he requested that players on the team share personal photos.