• The Trump administration has fired over 100 immigration judges as part of broader personnel changes during the president's second term.
• The mass dismissals represent a significant restructuring of the immigration court system and reflect the administration's policy priorities.
• The firings raise questions about the future administration of immigration cases and the judicial review process.
Rising temperatures and extreme drought are driving more destructive spring fires across the American Great Plains. This year, forces aligned to create the perfect storm in NebraskaIn a normal year, the vast grasslands that roll across the American Great Plains would be starting to green. But at the center of the US, where most of the nation’s beef producers graze their herds, this spring brought fire instead of moisture, leaving more than a million acres black and barren.Multiple blazes raged across Nebraska, where the records for the annual acreage burned were obliterated in a single month. The state logged the largest blaze ever recorded when the Morrill fire cascaded across more than 642,000 acres before it was contained in March. Continue reading...
Immigration judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes among six judges terminated by Department of JusticeTwo immigration judges who ruled against the Trump administration in the deportation cases of pro-Palestinian university students have been fired by the Department of Justice.The New York Times reported over the weekend that the justice department had terminated six judges, including Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, who oversaw deportation proceedings against Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi, two students who were arrested last year as part of Trump’s campaign against the Gaza protest movement. Continue reading...
• The Trump administration fired six immigration judges on Friday, including Judge Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, for dismissing high-profile deportation cases against international students involved in pro-Palestinian protests.
• Patel ruled in January that there were no grounds to deport Turkish student Rümeysa Öztürk, targeted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio after her critical op-ed on Tufts University's Palestine stance; Froes ended proceedings against Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi in February.
• The judges reported pressure from the administration to approve more deportations, as revealed in interviews with The New York Times.
Incident took place in small village on day pupils were due back in class for first time in more than 40 daysIsraeli forces have fired teargas at Palestinian schoolchildren who were staging a sit-in in the occupied West Bank after settlers blocked access to their school.The Israeli military said it had dispersed an “unusual gathering”, but did not specify whether its troops had fired teargas at the children on the first day of class since the start of the Iran war. Continue reading...
• Israel and Palestinian Authority delegations reconvened ceasefire talks in Cairo on April 12 with US State Department officials facilitating discussions aimed at establishing a lasting truce in Gaza.
• Negotiators are discussing humanitarian aid corridors, Israeli security arrangements, and parameters for Palestinian governance, with a tentative framework potentially emerging within two weeks according to US officials.
• The talks mark a significant shift after months of stalled diplomacy, though Israeli settlements expansion and Palestinian factional divisions continue to complicate negotiations.
• UCLA finished 3-9 last season in Big Ten after coach DeShaun Foster fired following 0-3 start.
• Quarterback Iamaleava threw for nearly 2,000 yards and led team in key stats despite struggles.
• Update reflects ongoing conference realignments and coaching changes impacting college football.
Centcom says blockade of Iranian ports to begin at 10am ET; Iran’s negotiator says ‘we will not bow to threats’; oil prices rise. Follow the latest newsFull report: Trump says US will blockade strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks failPlaneloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iran’s 21 hours of talksWelcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and its consequences for the wider region, the world and the global economy.Here are the main developments:Trump said the US Navy would start blockading the Hormuz strait and would also interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, the president said the US was going to start “BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz”.In another post Trump also claimed Iran had “knowingly failed” to make good on its promise to open the strait, causing “anxiety” and “pain” for many countries around the world.US Central Command (Centcom) announced it would begin its blockade of the strait beginning Monday morning. “Centcom forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10am ET [1400 GMT], in accordance with the president’s proclamation.”Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that “approaching military vessels to the strait of Hormuz is considered a violation of the ceasefire”.Oil prices rose in early market trading after Trump’s blockade announcement. The price of US crude oil rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil – the international standard – rose 7% to $102.29. Australia’s share market dropped sharply on Monday morning.Donald Trump and his advisers are looking at resuming limited military strikes in Iran in addition to the US blockade of the strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing officials and people familiar with the situation.Trump launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV, saying he was “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy” and was hurting the Catholic church. “Leo should get his act together as Pope,” the president said on Truth Social. The attack came after Leo denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” as fuelling the US-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said his government had not been asked to participate in any US blockade of the strait of Hormuz and that he wanted to see negotiations between the US and Iran continue.Trump reiterated his threat to destroy Iran’s power plants and other civilian energy infrastructure if no deal was reached to end the war, which he started with Israel in what is widely seen as an illegal and unprovoked attack. “I could take out Iran in one day,” he told Fox News on Sunday.Trump also said the US didn’t need the strait. “We don’t get our oil from there. We have so much oil,” he told Fox. “We have boats pouring up to the United States … We don’t need the strait.”Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Tehran side in the US talks, said Trump’s new threats would have no effect on the Iranian nation. “If you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic. We will not bow to any threats.” He later taunted Trump on X, posting: “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’, Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.” Continue reading...
PM tells Guardian Australia Hezbollah should cease reprisals and confirms Australia’s military surveillance aircraft will remain in regionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has urged Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon and raised concern over its intensified military campaign on Beirut and the country’s south after the ceasefire in the Middle East.Albanese also called on Hezbollah to cease attacks on Israel, reiterating his government’s belief that the Middle East ceasefire must include Lebanon. The prime minister also confirmed Australia’s military surveillance aircraft would remain in the region for at least another month beyond its initial deployment. Continue reading...
Ukraine reports 469 violations of Putin’s 32-hour ceasefire, hours after deadly drone attacks on Odesa and KhersonRussia continued to strike Ukrainian positions with drones after a Kremlin-declared Easter ceasefire took effect on Saturday, a Ukrainian military officer said.“The ceasefire is not being observed by the Russian side,” said Serhii Kolesnychenko, a communications officer for the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade. Continue reading...
• Iran has laid out preconditions for ceasefire negotiations with the United States, including a truce in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets before substantive talks can proceed.
• The Iranian position reflects the broader regional conflict dynamics, with fighting extending beyond US-Iran direct confrontation to proxy conflicts in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern locations.
• These conditions complicate already delicate negotiations in Pakistan, as the US and its allies assess whether such demands can be accommodated within broader regional security frameworks.
• An Iranian diplomatic delegation has arrived in Pakistan to begin ceasefire talks with US representatives, signaling potential de-escalation efforts amid the ongoing conflict that began February 28, 2026.
• The negotiations come as both sides seek to resolve tensions triggered by the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused the largest global oil supply disruption since the 1970s energy crisis.
• US Vice President JD Vance has warned Iran not to "play" the US during planned negotiations, indicating the administration's determination to achieve concrete results from the talks.
• Fresh tensions have surfaced just as formal ceasefire negotiations between US and Iranian representatives commence in Pakistan, threatening to derail diplomatic efforts.
• The timing of new military incidents and heightened rhetoric suggests both sides remain committed to military posturing even as they engage in peace talks, a pattern common in complex regional conflicts.
• Diplomatic observers note that success will require both delegations to compartmentalize military operations from negotiation processes, a significant challenge given recent escalations including the downing of a US fighter jet.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized direct negotiations with Lebanese representatives, marking a potential diplomatic breakthrough in the broader Middle Eastern conflict landscape alongside US-Iran ceasefire talks.
• The parallel diplomatic tracks suggest efforts to compartmentalize various conflicts within the region and create opportunities for broader de-escalation beyond direct US-Iran confrontation.
• These negotiations involve coordination with US authorities, reflecting Washington's strategic interest in achieving regional stability across multiple conflict zones simultaneously.
• Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions persist post-ceasefire, exacerbating the largest global oil supply crisis since the 1970s amid US-Iran war.
• Iran's effective closure followed retaliatory strikes after US-Israeli airstrikes on 28 February 2026 targeting Iranian nuclear sites and leadership.
• Ceasefire fails to resolve key stumbling blocks to lasting US-Iran agreement, threatening continued economic impacts on US energy security.
Massive fire followed explosion at 5,000-sq-ft warehouse near Esparto, an hour from Sacramento, on 1 July Multiple people have been charged with murder in connection to a fatal fireworks-warehouse explosion in California that killed seven people and injured two others in July.The explosion at the 5,000-sq-ft warehouse sparked a massive fire near the small town of Esparto, about an hour outside Sacramento. The explosion took place on 1 July; local celebrations to commemorate the Fourth of July holiday were cancelled that year. Continue reading...
Chamel Abdulkarim was charged with felony and state arson counts after destroying property worth nearly $600mSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAn employee who burned down a California warehouse compared himself with Luigi Mangione in a message to coworkers after setting the fire, according to authorities in a Friday press conference, the Los Angeles Times reported.Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, has been charged with several counts of felony and state arson after a massive fire destroyed the Kimberly-Clark paper products warehouse in Ontario, California, about an hour outside of Los Angeles. Continue reading...
Army deployed in Pakistan’s capital as negotiations set to begin. Plus, Melania Trump issues bafflingly timed denial of ties to Jeffrey EpsteinGood morning.As Pakistan prepared to host negotiations between Iran and the US, the already fragile ceasefire in the conflict showed further strain as Donald Trump accused Tehran of doing “a very poor job” in upholding promises on the strait of Hormuz, and Israel attacked Lebanon – which Iran claimed violated the truce.What about the strait of Hormuz? The agreement also included Iran lifting its near-total blockade of the strait, which has caused the worst-ever disruption to global energy supplies. Trump posted on Truth Social late Thursday that Iran was being “dishonorable” in not allowing oil to go through the strait. “That is not the agreement we have!” Trump wrote.This is a developing story. Follow our liveblog here.Why did she make this speech? The first lady’s surprise address created confusion about why she had chosen to speak out now – or whether her husband knew she was planning to draw attention to a subject he has called for the public to move on from.What did she ask for? In a final twist, Melania urged Congress to give Epstein survivors a public hearing to help uncover the truth, a call immediately endorsed by the Democrat Ro Khanna and the Republicans Majorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace. Continue reading...
Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade strikes as Trump tells US media he has asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’ in Lebanon. Follow live newsNetanyahu says there is no ceasefire in Lebanon as Israel launches fresh strikesJapan plans to release 20 days’ worth of oil reserves from May, prime minister Sanae Takaichi told a cabinet meeting on Friday, to ensure stable domestic supply as conflict in the region continues disrupts global supply.Japan is dependent on the Middle East for around 95% of its oil. It began releasing reserves on March 16 unilaterally and in coordination with other nations under a plan to make available enough oil to last 50 days. The new release of 20 days worth is additional. Continue reading...
Hyundai issues local recall due to a fault with its battery management software that could cause a fire while the car is recharging or parkedThousands of Australian drivers will be asked to check their electric vehicle batteries as part of a global recall involving more than 100,000 cars.Hyundai issued a local recall for almost 5,000 vehicles on Friday due to a fault with its battery management software that could cause a fire while the car is recharging or while it is parked. Continue reading...
• US stocks recovered from early morning losses Thursday to finish higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.7%, Dow Jones up 0.8% (382 points), and Nasdaq composite up 0.8%, buoyed by optimism over a two-week ceasefire with Iran announced late Tuesday.
• Israel's announcement of direct negotiations with Lebanon helped calm market concerns that the ceasefire could unravel due to Israeli bombardment of the country, reversing initial trading pessimism.
• The S&P 500 remains just 2.1% below its all-time high set in January, indicating underlying market strength despite geopolitical volatility and oil price fluctuations.
Kremlin proposes 32-hour ceasefire starting on Saturday afternoon – with Ukraine expected to agree to planVladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, after an earlier call from Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a pause.The president’s decree, released by the Kremlin on Thursday, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting on 4pm Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday. Continue reading...
• President Trump escalated rhetoric against Iran, threatening 'unprecedented force' if Tehran fails to comply with ceasefire terms as the fragile two-week truce entered its second day on April 9, 2026.
• Vice President JD Vance will lead a U.S. delegation to Islamabad, Pakistan on Saturday for direct talks with Iranian officials, joined by special envoy Steve Whit and Jared Kushner, aiming to convert the temporary ceasefire into a lasting agreement.
• Early cracks are emerging in the ceasefire over disputed terms, Iran's nuclear program, and control of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian officials signaling the deal could be at risk.
• A massive warehouse fire near Los Angeles film studios allegedly started due to employee negligence, damaging potential streaming props yesterday.
• Firefighters contained the blaze after hours; no injuries reported but millions in entertainment assets lost.
• Probe highlights safety risks in California's production hubs, affecting upcoming film releases.
• US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire on April 8, 2026, ending 38 days of intense conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran involving major military exchanges.
• Iran maintained leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route, while the US pushed Iran to negotiations based on Tehran's 10-point framework against Washington's 15-point demands on nuclear activity and regional influence.
• Israel rejected parts of the ceasefire scope and continued operations in Lebanon, prompting Iran to warn of withdrawal if attacks persist, highlighting the truce's precarious nature amid high regional tensions.
Strikes that killed more than 200 people spark outrage amid global efforts to salvage truceMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael’s devastating bombardment of Lebanon in the hours after a US-Iranian ceasefire was announced has been widely condemned amid global efforts to salvage the truce.More than 200 people were killed by Israeli bombing including strikes with heavy munitions on densely populated areas, which drew outrage from the International Committee of the Red Cross and other international humanitarian organisations. Continue reading...
Israel claims attacks on densely populated residential areas that killed more than 200 people were aimed at Hezbollah membersMiddle East crisis – live updatesWhat was the point of Israel’s surprise mass strikes on Lebanon that killed more than 200 people and drew widespread international condemnation?Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have claimed the largest strike against Hezbollah during the month-long war against Iran was carefully aimed at members of the armed group, but the attacks appeared to be as much a piece of violent spectacle to benefit Netanyahu as militarily useful. Continue reading...
Iran and mediator Pakistan assert ceasefire included Lebanon but Israel and US disagree. Plus, how Korean fried chicken took over the worldGood morning.The fate of the two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict looked in peril as both sides gave divergent versions of what had been agreed, Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon and Iran halted the passage of oil tankers because of an alleged Israeli ceasefire breach.What has Iran said? In a sharply worded statement, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Israel and the US had violated several clauses of the provisional ceasefire, and he decried Israel’s aggressive bombing of Lebanon and a US demand that Iran should have no right to enrich its own uranium.This is a developing story. Follow our liveblog here.What was said in the video about Mamdani? The videos feature the organization’s founder, Yisrael Yaacob Ben Avraham, describing Mamdani as a “Muslim terrorist” and a “cancer”, and his election as a “harbinger” of “a creeping Islamic takeover of America”. Continue reading...
Revealed: JDL 613 Brotherhood has platformed a convicted terrorist and its video recordings display an obsessive antipathy to New York’s mayor, Zohran MamdaniSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA man who has been charged with plotting to firebomb a pro-Palestine activist’s home is tied to a group whose leaders support violence against Palestinians and have platformed a convicted terrorist who fundraises for a violent settler movement in the occupied West Bank.Video recordings by the group, called JDL 613 Brotherhood, also reveal its leaders possess an obsessive antipathy to New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani. They feature the organization’s founder, Yisrael Yaacob Ben Avraham, describing Mamdani as a “Muslim terrorist”, a “cancer”, and his election a “harbinger” of “a creeping Islamic takeover of America”. Continue reading...
Divisions between Washington and European capitals fuels concern over US commitment to peace dealAs a ceasefire was declared in the Middle East, Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to draw attention to the war in his own country, posting on social media that Ukraine had consistently pushed for a ceasefire in the war “being waged by Russia here, in Europe”.Efforts to end the war in Ukraine have largely stalled since the Iran war began, with trilateral talks between Kyiv, Moscow and Washington, which had already yielded little, frozen since February 2026. The war, meanwhile, has continued with air attacks on Ukrainian cities and heavy fighting on the battlefields as Russia launches a new spring offensive. Continue reading...