International News from Friday, April 17th, 2026

An Indian government bill to expand assemblies that would have brought forward plans to reserve a third of the seats for women did not get enough votes to get through parliament on Friday, in a rare defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States has banned Israel from further bombing in Lebanon, using an atypically harsher tone than usual with the longtime ally.

US President Donald Trump said there had been "some pretty good news" about Iran, suggesting optimism about peace talks to end the war in the Middle East, but he said a ceasefire in the conflict may not be extended without a deal by Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday the Strait of Hormuz was open following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, while US President Donald Trump said talks could take place this weekend and he believed a deal to end the Iran war would come "soon".

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.

France and Britain will chair a meeting on Friday of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.

All eight people on board a helicopter were killed when it crashed in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province, authorities said on Friday as search teams tried to retrieve the bodies and wreckage.