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.
EU to ‘play its part’ to restore energy and trade flows from Middle East
The EU is prepared to send additional warships as part of a mission to protect shipping in the Middle East and keep the Strait of Hormuz open “once a ceasefire takes hold,” the bloc’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said Friday. Dozens of European leaders, including those of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, convened…
Italy: 25 hostages freed as Naples bank gang vanishes underground
A group of three masked robbers held 25 people hostage during a bank heist in Naples on Thursday 16 April 2026 before escaping through a tunnel connected to the city’s sewer network, authorities said.
Military operation against Hezbollah ‘still not complete,’ Israel’s defence minister says
US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire on Friday after a meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors, the first direct diplomatic talks between the two countries in decades.
Nearly 900 Rohingya refugees dead and missing in shipwrecks in 2025, UNHCR says
The Rohingya mainly leave from huge camps in Bangladesh, where more than 1 million refugees forced to flee across the border from Myanmar’s Rakhine state live in squalid conditions.
Sleepy Kitten & a Rose: A Tiny Moment of Pure Cozy Magic
The room was quiet in that soft, peaceful way that only happens when nothing urgent is demanding attention. A lady quietly stepped closer, holding her phone like she was about to capture something far more important than it probably looked to anyone else. In a cozy little basket, her kitten was fast asleep curled up…
Hormuz standoff shows no signs of letting up for vital shipping to resume from Gulf
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained at minimal levels on Friday resulting in a giant parking lot, as the US-Iran standoff continues with the same cautious approach since Monday.
Germany’s Affordable Art Fair draws crowds with artworks under €500
Germany is hosting the Affordable Art Fair Berlin from 16 to 19 April 2026. The event brings together dozens of galleries and focuses on artworks priced under €500, aiming to broaden access to contemporary art.
Germany prepared to send minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz
BERLIN — Germany has signaled it is ready to deploy minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz, but only as part of a potential international mission. The issue is expected to be discussed on Friday in Paris, where German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and…
US blockade of Iranian ports to last ‘as long as it takes,’ Defence Secretary Hegseth says
The US naval blockade of Iran’s ports came into effect on Monday, with President Donald Trump warning that any attack ships would be “eliminated” if they attempted to break it.