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All people onboard Cessna 421C dead after crash late at night in city 40 miles south-west of state capital AustinA small plane crashed among trees in Texas Hill Country, killing all five people onboard, officials said on Friday.The crash happened in the dark late on Thursday night in Wimberley, a city about 40 miles south-west of the state capital, Austin, the Hays county judge, Ruben Becerra, said in a post on Facebook. Continue reading...

Pete Hegseth argued that a ceasefire agreement with Iran more than three weeks ago ‘means the 60 day clock pauses, or stops’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHello and welcome to our live coverage of the day.Today marks 60 days since the Trump administration notified Congress that it was carrying out strikes on Iran – meaning that under the War Powers Act of 1973, today is the deadline for Donald Trump to either end the Iran war or seek congressional authorization to extend it.Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in Washington DC, released edited security-camera video of the incident at the White House correspondents’ dinner amid questions about whether or not the suspected gunman, Cole Allen, fired his weapon before being subdued. While the video shows four muzzles flashes from the agent’s gun as he fired at Allen, it was not immediately clear that it does show Allen discharging his weapon after he pointed it at the agent.Sean Curran, the director of the US Secret Service, told Fox News that Allen was stopped not by secret service gunfire, but by a box used to transport a metal detector, which he tripped over.Congress has passed a 45-day extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a law that grants US intelligence agencies warrantless spying powers.Trump has threatened to withdraw troops from Spain and Italy, two countries that countries have been vocally critical of his war in the Middle East. This comes after Trump suggested reviewing US military presence in Germany after the country’s chancellor said America was being “humiliated” by Iran. Continue reading...

Tearful testimony details missed warnings and lack of plan as families oppose reopening of Texas campA director of Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian camp in the Texas Hill Country where 25 campers and two counselors were killed in a flash flood last summer, has offered a tearful apology to victim’s families for the loss of life.“We tried our hardest that night. It wasn’t enough to save your daughters,” Edward Eastland said, at a joint Texas House and Senate committee panel in Austin investigating the deadly flooding. “I’m so sorry.” Continue reading...

Israeli strikes killed 14 people and wounded 37 on Sunday, Lebanon's health ministry said, as the Israeli military warned residents to leave ‌seven towns beyond the "buffer zone" it occupied before a ceasefire that has failed to fully halt hostilities.

Two months after the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran started the war, peace talks are on hold, with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of Iran's nuclear program as the two main points of contention.(Image credit: Vahid Salemi)

Mystery of who the child known as Baby Auckland was and how he died has not been solvedA baby boy whose skeletal remains were found wrapped in a 1910 newspaper and with twine around his neck has, finally, been laid to rest.The child has become known as Baby Auckland after he was found at a property in the centre of Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Continue reading...

President blames dissident Farc faction for attack on Pan-American Highway that also injured 36 people in south-western region The death toll in a weekend highway bombing in Colombia has risen to 20, with another 36 people injured, amid a surge of violence ahead of presidential elections next month.Buses and vans were left mangled in the blast on Saturday on the Pan-American Highway, in the restive south-western Cauca department. Continue reading...

Engineer and two drivers killed in recent weeks as scarcity of clean water fuels spread of preventable diseasesIsraeli forces in Gaza killed a water engineer and two drivers who transported water to displaced families over four days in mid-April, exacerbating severe shortages of clean water that are fuelling the spread of preventable disease.Israeli limits on the shipment of soap, washing powder and other hygiene products into Gaza have also forced prices up, adding to the challenge of keeping clean and avoiding infection in overcrowded shelters and tent encampments. Continue reading...

The Israeli government and Hezbollah have traded blame over breaches to the truce, which is set to run for several more weeksLebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes on the country’s south killed 14 people on Sunday, the deadliest day since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into force over a week ago.The health ministry said the dead on Sunday included two women and two children, adding that 37 other people were wounded. Israel said one of its soldiers was also killed. Continue reading...

Officials say the suspect in the shooting, which left another officer in critical condition, has been taken into custodyA shooting at a Chicago hospital on Saturday morning has left a police officer dead and another critically injured, according to NBC 5 Chicago.The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, is in custody, according to Andre Vasquez, alderperson for the city’s 40th ward. Continue reading...

• The UN Security Council failed to reach consensus on a resolution extending cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria, with Russia vetoing the measure on Friday amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Western nations over the Syrian conflict's humanitarian toll. • Russia's veto marks the third such blocking in two years, preventing critical medical supplies and food assistance from reaching 5.5 million internally displaced Syrians, according to UN humanitarian coordinator statements. • Western diplomats warned the blockade could exacerbate an already severe humanitarian crisis, with aid agencies reporting shortages of vaccines, antibiotics, and nutrition programs across northern Syria.

• A military confrontation along the Kashmir border escalated Friday when Pakistani forces fired on Indian positions near Uri, killing 12 Indian soldiers and wounding 18 others in the deadliest incident in two years, Pakistani military sources confirmed. • India's military responded with retaliatory strikes, with New Delhi claiming to have neutralized three Pakistani military positions; Pakistan denied casualties on its side but acknowledged defensive operations. • Regional analysts expressed alarm that the incident could spiral into broader conflict, warning both nations possess nuclear arsenals and recent diplomatic tensions have left few de-escalation channels open.

A previously unknown species of bacteria found in patients with noma could be key to creating treatments for the neglected tropical diseaseThe “astonishing” discovery of a new bacteria could open the door to better ways to prevent, detect and treat a fatal and disfiguring childhood disease, researchers hope.Noma, which is fatal in 90% of cases without treatment, begins as a sore on the gums but goes on to destroy the tissues of the mouth and face. Continue reading...

Criminal investigation under way after carcasses found across Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise national park within a weekThe carcasses of 18 wolves have been found in an Italian national park within the space of a week in an apparent series of poisonings described by conservationists as the most serious crimes against wildlife in Italy in a decade.Authorities of the national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise said eight wolves were found dead in recent days in three different areas of the vast park, adding to the 10 carcasses discovered last week. Three dead foxes and a buzzard were also found. Continue reading...

• Niger's transitional government announced a three-month extension to its military cooperation agreement with France, pausing its expulsion of French troops and reversing its February timeline for withdrawal. • The reversal follows intense negotiations between Paris and Niamey, with France agreeing to reduce its military footprint from 1,500 to 900 personnel and committing €200 million in civilian development aid. • The compromise addresses security challenges in the Sahel region, where French and US military presence remains crucial to counterterrorism operations despite growing anti-Western sentiment among portions of Niger's military leadership.

Donald Trump says US ready to renew attacks but Iran appears unwilling to bend to US president’s threatsIntense efforts were under way on Tuesday to bring Iran and the US together in Pakistan for a new round of talks, a day before the end of the two-week ceasefire that has paused the conflict in the Middle East.Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is ready to renew attacks against Iran if progress is not made at any talks, with the US military “raring to go”. Continue reading...

Suspect was fatally shot, Shreveport police say, after children ranging from 18 months to 14 years were killedSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAt least eight people are dead and others are wounded after a mass murder reported in the Louisiana city of Shreveport, according to local police.Police said that among the victims were children ranging in age from 18 months to 14 years. Two other women were reportedly shot in the head but survived – and a third person, described as a young boy, was injured while jumping from a roof. Continue reading...

• President Trump signals he will not extend Iran's ceasefire deadline if a comprehensive deal is not reached by Wednesday, warning of renewed military action including 'dropping bombs' if negotiations fail. • Trump declares the Strait of Hormuz now open due to a U.S. Navy blockade and pointedly rejects NATO's offer of assistance, highlighting America's unilateral stance in Middle East tensions. • The escalating pressure on Iran represents a significant shift in Trump administration foreign policy and challenges traditional alliance structures in addressing regional security threats.

• Congress approved a temporary extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) ahead of the expiration deadline, avoiding a lapse in government surveillance authority. • The temporary extension allows additional time for lawmakers to negotiate a longer-term reauthorization of the controversial surveillance program. • The action reflects ongoing congressional debate over balancing national security needs with privacy protections in intelligence gathering operations.

• The U.S. Senate passed a 10-day extension of FISA authority on Friday, April 17, 2026, sending the bill to President Donald Trump's desk. • The measure averts a lapse in surveillance powers set to expire Monday, providing temporary continuity for national security operations. • This short-term fix highlights ongoing partisan debates over warrant requirements and reforms to Section 702 of FISA.

• A fragile US-Iran ceasefire is set to expire on April 22, 2026, with diplomatic talks stalled and tensions escalating over competing demands and military posturing. • Iran's spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei criticized the US position as unrealistic, while Tehran condemned Washington's naval blockade as provocative and a potential trigger for ceasefire violations. • Pakistan continues mediating indirect talks between the two nations, though no date has been set for the next round of negotiations as fears of renewed escalation mount.

Lebanese health ministry says killing of 91 healthcare workers shows ‘total disregard’ for international lawMiddle East crisis – live updatesWhen they received the call to respond to an Israeli airstrike in the city of Mayfadoun, in southern Lebanon, most of the paramedics held back, having previously seen colleagues killed by double-tap attacks targeting rescuers. But the medics from the Islamic Health Association (IHA) rushed to the scene.By the time the other emergency workers arrived at the site, they found the IHA medics had indeed been caught in a second strike. They started evacuating their wounded colleagues, only for their ambulances to be hit in two further attacks. Continue reading...

More than 100 injured across country after Russia launches nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missilesEurope live – latest updatesRussia has carried out its deadliest attack against Ukraine this year, killing at least 17 people, and injuring more than 100, in a wave of drone and missile strikes across the country.Nine people died in the southern port city of Odesa, with four killed in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old boy. There were three fatalities in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Another person died in Zaporizhzhia oblast. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president says nearly 700 Russian drones and 19 ballistic missiles mostly targeted Kyiv, Odesa and DniproUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia “does not deserve any easing … or lifting on sanctions” after an overnight attack killed 16 and wounded 100 people in Ukraine.He said:“Russia is betting on war, and the response must be exactly that: we must defend lives with all available means, and we must also apply pressure for the sake of peace with the same full force.”There can be no normalisation of Russia as it is today. Pressure on Russia must work. Continue reading...

Iran says Americans will be hit with higher fuel prices due to the blockade. Plus, summers are growing longer globallyGood morning.The US has begun blocking ships from using Iranian ports in the Gulf, transforming the US-Israeli war against Iran into a test of economic endurance.How could Centcom enforce the blockade? It is unclear, but as a missile strike on a tanker attempting to break the blockade could cause an environmental disaster, it is possible that US forces could try to board and seize any vessel not obeying their instructions.Follow the latest updates on our live blog.Did Swalwell also face expulsion? Yes, there were bipartisan calls for it. Swalwell acknowledged the threat of removal from office, saying: “Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.” Continue reading...

Iran warns Americans they face higher pump prices due to prohibition scheduled to start on Monday eveningMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US blockade of ships using Iranian ports in the Gulf was due to take effect on Monday evening, turning the six-week-old conflict between the US-Israeli coalition and Iran into a test of economic endurance.US Central Command (Centcom) made no formal announcement of the start of the blockade but had said it would take effect at 5.30pm Iranian time (3pm UK time) on Monday, and would apply to any ships entering or departing Iranian ports or coastal areas, while ships using non-Iranian ports would not be impeded. Continue reading...

Shooting under investigation but no details yet released about a suspect, a possible motive or any arrestsAt least six people were shot, including one fatally, at a fast-food chain restaurant in Union Township, New Jersey, on Saturday night, according to preliminary reports.The Gun Violence Archive, a nonpartisan reference resource, listed the reported shooting at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in the 2300 block of Route 22 as the 100th mass shooting documented in the US this year, as of Sunday. The archive defines mass shootings as cases in which four or more victims are wounded or killed. Continue reading...