Myanmar’s former president Win Myint was freed on Friday as part of a broad prisoner amnesty by President Min Aung Hlaing to mark the traditional New Year. The pardon applied to over 4500 prisoners, but it wasn’t clear how many people imprisoned for opposing military rule, or if 80-year-old former leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed. Former president Win Myint Win Myint was elected as president in 2018. He was arrested on February 1, 2021, the same day the military seized power and detained Suu Kyi. He was given a 12-year prison sentence, which was reduced to eight years in 2023. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 11:20 AM IST | Bangkok | AgenciesThe Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) project is in the making, with its final design phase underway as the team behind the project seek further funding to make the dream of the 25.4-meter (83 feet) multi-mirror telescope a reality. The GMT is one of three telescopes roughly in the thirty-meter (~98 feet) class that should come online in the 2030s. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 11:17 AM IST | Santiago | AgenciesResearchers in Japan have achieved a massive release of hydrogen gas by mixing iron ions, sodium hydroxide, and methanol, then hitting the mixture with UV light. The reaction produced 921 mmol of hydrogen per hour per gram of catalyst, working just as well as the most expensive, high-tech catalysts. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:41 AM IST | Tokyo | AgenciesGermany has launched research initiative to assess whether lithium trapped in ancient saline brines found nearly 14,000 feet underground can be extracted to help power Europe’s electric vehicles. The focuses on the North German Basin, the Central European Basin System’s largest basin. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:32 AM IST | Berlin | AgenciesResearchers have provided the first direct experimental evidence of so-called “dark points” within light waves. Their findings confirm a decades-old theoretical prediction that these points — also known as optical vortices — can move faster than the speed of light under specific conditions. The idea that such vortices could exceed the speed of light was first proposed in the 1970s. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:30 AM IST | Texas | IANSA fresh round of talks between Iranian and American negotiators is expected to take place in Islamabad on Monday, Iranian officials familiar with the discussions said, CNN reported. They added that delegations are likely to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Sunday, as reported by CNN. The development comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to ease West Asia tensions. Separately, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed "international efforts aimed at de-escalation and advancing diplomatic solutions", Al Jazeera reported. "The Emir and the Turkish President commended the efforts undertaken by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in this regard, and expressed their support for the efforts of the prime minister," Qatar's Amiri Diwan said, according to Al Jazeera. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as per Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir met Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran on Thursday as diplomatic efforts intensified to revive stalled US-Iran negotiations. The visit comes amid heightened back-channel engagement between the United States and Iran, with Pakistani officials expressing hope for a breakthrough, particularly on Tehran's nuclear programme, Al Jazeera reported. Munir, who arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, was received by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The visit aims to prepare the ground for a possible second round of talks after earlier discussions ended without progress. The Islamabad Peace Talks, held on 11-12 April, marked a historic but inconclusive diplomatic attempt to end the 39-day Gulf War between the United States and Iran. Mediated by Pakistan, the talks were the first high-level, face-to-face negotiations between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which is seen as a potential step toward broader de-escalation. The ceasefire comes amid heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, with exchanges involving Israeli armed forces and Hezbollah, which saw a major escalation following the US-Iran war in the region. Earlier on Thursday, Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had reached an agreement to initiate a 10-day ceasefire, following intensified diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities in the region. The US President shared that he held "excellent conversations" with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirming that both leaders have committed to the temporary truce as a step towards a broader resolution. The ceasefire comes at a critical juncture for West Asia, following a period of significant volatility along the Israel-Lebanon border. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:19 AM IST | Islamabad | ANIUS President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) reiterated that the United States will take enriched uranium from Iran as part of ongoing negotiations, even as Tehran strongly denied any agreement to transfer nuclear material. While speaking at the Turning Point USA event here, Trump said the operation would be carried out jointly with lots of excavators. "We're going to get it by going in with Iran, with lots of excavators. We need the biggest excavators you can imagine. But we're going in together with Iran, we're going to get it, and we're going to take it back home to the USA." Earlier, Trump also referred to nuclear-related developments, saying, "The USA will get all nuclear dust...That white powdery substance created by our B-2 bombers, those great B-2 bombers, late one evening, seven months ago. No money will exchange hands in any way or form...Iran, with the help of the USA, has removed or is removing all of the sea mines...They will never have a nuclear weapon" The remarks came shortly after Iran rejected US claims that it had agreed to transfer its enriched uranium to the United States. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not allow such a move under any circumstances. "Enriched uranium is as sacred to us as Iranian soil and will not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, according to Al Jazeera. The comments follow Trump's earlier assertion that Iran had "agreed to everything" in talks with Washington, including joint removal of enriched uranium. He also said there were no remaining "sticking points" in negotiations and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached soon. Trump further claimed Iran had agreed to stop supporting groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and said US discussions with Tehran would continue over the weekend, with a possible agreement expected soon. Iran, however, pushed back against US statements, also criticising Washington's position on maritime security. Baghaei said US remarks on the Strait of Hormuz reflected "desperation and helplessness" and dismissed them as inconsistent. "We should not be influenced by the other side's tweets," he said. "The statements by American officials are filled with contradictions and lies, and this is nothing new." He added that decisions regarding the strategic waterway are made on the ground, not online. "The opening or closing of the Strait of Hormuz does not happen on social media, but on the ground," he said. The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, even as diplomatic engagements continue over Iran's nuclear programme and regional security issues. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:16 AM IST | Arizona | ANIIran has rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that it has agreed to transfer its enriched uranium to the United States, with its Foreign Ministry strongly dismissing the assertion, Al Jazeera reported. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not allow such a move under any circumstances, according to Al Jazeera. "Enriched uranium is as sacred to us as Iranian soil and will not be transferred anywhere under any circumstances," Baghaei was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, as per Al Jazeera. His remarks come after US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has "agreed to everything" in ongoing talks with the United States, including a plan to jointly remove enriched uranium from Iran and transport it to the US, CNN reported. Speaking to CBS, Trump ruled out deploying American troops, saying, "No. No troops." He added, "We'll go down and get it with them, and then we'll take it. We'll be getting it together because by that time, we'll have an agreement, and there's no need for fighting when there's an agreement. Nice right? That's better." Trump said the US would continue its blockade of Iranian ports "until we get it done" and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached "in the next day or two," with talks likely over the weekend, CNN reported. He also claimed Iran had agreed to stop backing groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. In remarks to AFP, Trump said there are no "sticking points" left, adding, "We're very close. Looks like it's going to be very good for everybody. And we're very close to having a deal," Al Jazeera reported. In a separate statement, Baghaei also criticised comments by US officials regarding the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as contradictory, in a sign of "desperation and helplessness", Al Jazeera reported. "We should not be influenced by the other side's tweets," the spokesperson said. "The statements by American officials are filled with contradictions and lies, and this is nothing new", as reported by Al Jazeera. He further stressed that decisions regarding the Strait are based on ground realities rather than public messaging. He added, "The opening or closing of the Strait of Hormuz does not happen on social media, but on the ground," according to Al Jazeera. The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over maritime security and ongoing negotiations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:05 AM IST | Tehran | ANIIran has warned that it will take reciprocal measures if the United States continues its maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports, even as it outlined conditions for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei offered clarification on an earlier statement by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Al Jazeera reported, citing the semi-official Tasnim news agency. According to Al Jazeera, Baghaei said that "Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed along a pre-determined route by Iran." He added, "If the maritime blockade of Iran's ports continues, Iran will take reciprocal measures," and asserted that "Iran is the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and will show leniency where necessary." Separately, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy detailed conditions for vessels seeking to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported. As per Al Jazeera, it stated that all ships would require its permission to pass, with civilian vessels allowed only through designated Iranian routes, while military vessels remain barred from transit. "Movements will only be permitted with the permission of the IRGC Navy", it added, as per Al Jazeera. "This movement is in line with the agreement on the period of silence on the battlefield and after the implementation of the Lebanese ceasefire," the IRGC Navy Command added in a statement, according to Al Jazeera. The announcement comes after Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who had earlier said on X that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire was "completely open". In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran. — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 17, 2026 "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," Aragchi wrote on X. The strategic waterway had been obstructed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) following joint US and Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on February 28. As a conduit for 20 per cent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas, the disruption to the Strait of Hormuz has had significant global economic repercussions, impacting supply chains and energy prices worldwide. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 10:03 AM IST | Tehran | ANIThe Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has completed its original five-year survey and delivered the most detailed map of the universe ever made. Operating from the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, DESI has charted more than 47 million galaxies and quasars in three dimensions. The result is a high-resolution cosmic map that stretches across billions of years, offering scientists an unprecedented dataset to probe how the universe has evolved. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 09:58 AM IST | Arizona | AgenciesAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday (local time) welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned that prolonged conflict in the region could have serious consequences for the global economy and energy markets. In a post on X, Albanese said he participated in a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where discussions focused on stabilising the key maritime corridor. Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer.Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict.The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will… — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 17, 2026 "Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict. The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost." He highlighted that Australians were already feeling the effects of regional instability. "Australians are feeling the impact on fuel supply and prices and we are working to shield families from the worst of it," he said. Albanese also expressed support for diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring stability in the region. "Australia stands ready to support efforts to restore stability and security in the Strait of Hormuz and I welcome the announcement overnight of the Strait's reopening. We want to see this hold." The remarks come after Iran announced that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely open" during a 10-day ceasefire period. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said, "In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran." US President Donald Trump also confirmed the reopening, saying the waterway was "fully open" and "ready for full passage," though he maintained that the US naval blockade on Iran would remain until a final agreement is reached. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint handling around 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas shipments, has remained central to geopolitical tensions following recent regional escalations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 April,2026 09:01 AM IST | Canberra | ANIADVERTISEMENT
