⢠Il Segretario di Stato afferma che gli Stati Uniti hanno chiarito la posizione americana su Taiwan, mentre i colloqui tra Trump e Xi continuano per il secondo giorno
⢠Xi avverte Trump di possibili âscontri e persino conflittiâ con gli Stati Uniti su Taiwan
⢠Analisi: per una Taiwan ansiosa, il silenzio di Trump dopo i colloqui con Xi è il miglior risultato possibile
In vista dei colloqui cruciali, la sicurezza è stata intensificata a Pechino, con il presidente degli Stati Uniti che incontrerà Xi nella Grande Sala del Popolo.
Il summit Trump-Xi durerà due giorni. Inizialmente era previsto per fine marzo o inizio aprile, ma è stato rimandato a causa della guerra in Iran.
Ora che Trump si trova in Cina, ecco alcuni dei rischi che il presidente degli Stati Uniti deve affrontare. Continua a leggere...
L'incontro avviene in un clima di tregua commerciale provvisoria, ma l'Iran, Taiwan e le tensioni sulle catene di approvvigionamento globali saranno fattori complicanti.
⢠Sarà la prima volta che un presidente degli Stati Uniti visita la Cina da quasi un decennio, dopo l'ultima visita di Trump nel 2017.
⢠Benvenuti alla nostra copertura in diretta della politica statunitense. Donald Trump è previsto in viaggio in Cina questa settimana per incontrare Xi Jinping, il leader cinese.
⢠Tuttavia, considerando tutto ciò che è accaduto finora nel secondo mandato di Trump â una guerra commerciale e poi un'effettiva guerra con l'Iran che ha portato a un'impennata dei prezzi di petrolio e gas in tutto il mondo â l'atmosfera di questa visita sarĂ probabilmente molto diversa. Continua a leggere...
Il presidente degli Stati Uniti definisce "totalmente inaccettabile" la risposta iraniana, mentre Teheran afferma che colpirĂ qualsiasi nuovo attacco statunitense o navi da guerra straniere nello stretto di Hormuz
The US said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets after an attack on three American destroyers in the strait of HormuzMorning, and welcome to the Guardianâs Middle East live blog.The US said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets after an attack on three American destroyers in the strait of Hormuz, while Tehran accused Washington of striking first. The exchange of fire threatens to unravel a fragile ceasefire in effect since 8 April â but Donald Trump insisted the truce remains intact. Continue reading...
The US and Iran have offered conflicting messages over the likelihood of a deal being reached imminentlyMorning and welcome to the Guardianâs continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.The US and Iran have offered conflicting messages over the state of negotiations to end the war, with Donald Trump signalling the talks were âvery goodâ and a deal âvery possibleâ.News of a possible deal followed Trumpâs abrupt U-turn on a US military operation to guide ships out of the strait of Hormuz, dubbed âProject Freedomâ. Trump said the decision to pause the mission on Tuesday â two days after it was launched â was to give peace a chance, but NBC reported that it was suspended after Saudi Arabia refused to allow the US military to use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation. US officials told the American broadcaster that Gulf allies were caught off guard by the sudden announcement of Project Freedom, and that it had angered the leadership in Saudi Arabia.The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, told his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, that the USâs behaviour had âdeviated the path of diplomacy towards threats, pressure and sanctionsâ and that Tehran could not trust Washington. In a statement carried by the Iranian state-run Press TV, Pezeshkian said Iran had entered into dialogue with the US twice and âon both occasions, military aggression against Iran took place concurrently with the negotiations. Such behaviour is effectively like âstabbing from behindââ.Iran has denied any involvement in damage to a South Korean-operated vessel in the strait of Hormuz, which suffered an explosion and fire on Monday. Trump blamed the incident on an Iranian attack, while South Koreaâs foreign ministry said the cause of the fire would only be confirmed after the vessel is inspected. The Iran embassy in Seoul issued a statement this morning rejecting the allegations, saying safe passage through the waterway requires strict adherence to Iranian regulations.The damage and destruction inflicted on US military sites across the Middle East during the war is far larger than what has been publicly acknowledged by the Trump administration or previously reported, according to analysis by the Washington Post. Reviewing satellite imagery, the newspaper found Iranian airstrikes have damaged or destroyed at least 228 US structures or pieces of equipment, including hangars, barracks, fuel depots, aircraft and key radar, communications and air defence equipment. The US Central Command declined to comment on the report.In Lebanon, where a ceasefire has demonstrably failed to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, three people were killed this morning in Israeli strikes on Nabatieh south of the country, according to the official Lebanese National News Agency. The Israeli military said one of its soldiers was seriously injured by an explosive-laden Hezbollah drone in southern Lebanon yesterday. It did not say where the attack took place.In Gaza, where another ceasefire appears to be fraying, an Israeli airstrike has killed Azzam Khalil al-Hayya, the son of Hamas political bureau leader and chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, according to senior Hamas official Basim Naim. Azzam succumbed to his injuries this morning after being struck in an Israeli attack last night, Reuters reported. He is the fourth son of Hamasâs exiled Gaza chief to have been killed in Israeli attacks. Continue reading...
US president pauses âProject Freedomâ to work on âfinal agreementâ with Tehran; stocks also ride high on AI euphoriaGood morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.Asian stock markets hit record highs, following in Wall Streetâs footsteps, and oil prices retreated after Donald Trump hailed âgreat progressâ towards a âfinal agreementâ with Tehran.on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iranâ.Investors bought and continue to add to positioning in the 2026 winners. There has been some buying in S&P 500 materials stocks, but itâs tech that continues to attract the bulk of flows, notably in Apple and the memory plays.9am BST: Eurozone services and composite PMIs for April9.30am BST: UK services and composite PMIs for April1.15pm BST: US ADP employment change for April Continue reading...
US president says he will briefly pause Project Freedom after just one day; Rubio says US has achieved objectives of Iran operation; Iranâs foreign minister Abbas Araghchi flies to ChinaTrump puts âProject Freedomâ on hold, saying he hopes to finalise deal with IranIranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met with Chinaâs top diplomat Wang Yi for talks in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinaâs Xinhua news agency reported, without giving details on the discussion.Iranâs Fars news agency earlier said Araghchi would âdiscuss bilateral relations and regional and international developments with his Chinese counterpartâ.US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the military objectives of so-called âOperation Epic Furyâ have concluded and the offensive stage of the war with Iran is âoverâ. Speaking at the White House press briefing, Rubio insisted that ongoing US military action in the strait of Hormuz is âdefensiveâ in nature and a separate operation, in line with the Trump administrationâs argument that it doesnât need approval from Congress to continue the war against Iran. âThereâs no shooting unless weâre shot at first,â he told reporters, urging Iran to âmake the sensible choiceâ and negotiate a deal.With the status of the ceasefire in doubt, Donald Trump declined to say what would constitute a violation, telling reporters only that Iran knows âwhat not to doâ. It comes amid rising tensions after both sides exchanged fire in the strait of Hormuz on Monday. âWell, youâll find out because Iâll let you know,â the US president said. âThey know what to do, or what not to do more importantly.âBefore Trumpâs announcement on Tuesday evening, his defense secretary Pete Hegseth insisted that âProject Freedomâ had allowed the US to gain control of the strait, despite Iran claiming it has actually strengthened its control of the waterway, and thousands of cargo ships remain stranded there. Continue reading...
Trump warns any interference with US operation in Hormuz will âhave to be dealt with forcefullyâ while providing few details about how the plan will workTrump says US navy will âguideâ trapped ships from strait of Hormuz amid âvery positiveâ talks with IranA tanker reported being hit by âunknown projectilesâ in the strait of Hormuz soon after Donald Trump announced the US would help trapped ships through the waterway.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said all crew were reported safe in the incident, which occurred 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.Iran said on Sunday it had received a US response to its latest offer for peace talks a day after Trump said he would probably reject the Iranian proposal because âthey have not paid a big enough priceâ. Iranian state media reported that Washington had conveyed its response to Iranâs 14-point proposal via Pakistan, and that Tehran was now reviewing it.âAt this stage, we do not have nuclear negotiations,â state media quoted Iranâs foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying, an apparent reference to Iranâs proposal to set aside talks on nuclear issues until after the war has ended and the foes have agreed to lift opposing blockades of Gulf shipping. Iran has been blocking nearly all shipping from the Gulf apart from its own for more than two months. Last month the US imposed its own blockade of ships from Iranian ports.Israel on Sunday ordered thousands of Lebanese people to leave 11 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, an escalation of a war between Israel and Iranâs Hezbollah allies there that has run in parallel to the Iran war and could further complicate wider peace efforts. Continue reading...
German defence minister responds to US presidentâs announcement that 5,000 US troops will leave bases in GermanyHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.The German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, said that it was âforeseeableâ that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, after the Pentagon announced it would pull thousands of American soldiers from Germany.Trump said he is ânot satisfiedâ with a new proposal from Iran on ending the war, as peace talks remain stalled despite a weeks-long ceasefire. Iran delivered the proposal text to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, Iranian state news agency Irna reported, without detailing its contents.The US state department said it was approving military sales totalling more than $8.6bn to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. It came as Washington warned European allies including the UK, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia to expect long delivery delays for US weapons as it scrambles to replenish stockpiles depleted by the Iran war, according to a report in the Fianancial Times citing multiple sources.In Lebanon, 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the south, Lebanonâs health ministry said, including in the town of Habboush, where the Israeli army had issued an evacuation order despite the continuing ceasefire. Israeli warplanes âlaunched a series of heavy strikes ⌠less than an hour afterâ the warning, the state-run National News Agency said.The US Treasury Office warned that any shipping companies that paid tolls to Iran for passage through the strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organisations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, would risk punitive sanctions. Tehran has proposed charging fees on vessels passing through the strait, as part of a deal to end the war.Trump wrote to US lawmakers on Friday declaring hostilities with Iran âterminatedâ, despite no change in the US military posture, as he faces continuing pressure at home to seek congressional authorisation for the war.The state departmentâs announcement on Friday included approving military sales to Qatar of Patriot air and missile defence replenishment services costing $4.01bn and of advanced precision kill weapon systems (APKWS) costing $992.4m. They also included approval of the sale to Kuwait of an integrated battle command system costing $2.5bn and to Israel of APKWS costing $992.4m.Iranâs supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei urged his people to wage economic battle and âdisappointâ its enemies, as the war and years of sanctions take a toll. In a written statement he also said âthe owners of damaged businesses should avoid, as much as possible, layoffs and separation of their workforceâ. Continue reading...
Pete Hegseth argued that a ceasefire agreement with Iran more than three weeks ago âmeans the 60 day clock pauses, or stopsâSign 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 â 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 correspondentsâ 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 agentâs 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 countryâs chancellor said America was being âhumiliatedâ by Iran. Continue reading...
The US president said he would carry out of a review of US military presence in Europe after public criticism of the US-Israeli war on IranItaly and Spain have joined a growing list of countries that US president Donald Trump is threatening with pulling US troops from as part of a broader review of the US military presence in Europe.Responding to a question from a reporter, Trump said he would âprobablyâ consider such a move, linking it to the two countriesâ criticism of the US campaign in Iran.âLook, why shouldnât I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.â Continue reading...
US presidentâs statement follows comments by German chancellor that the US was being âhumiliatedâ in conflictUS president Donald Trump threatened to reduce the number of troops deployed in Germany last night, after chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week that the US was being âhumilitatedâ by Iran.Trump said the US was âstudying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time.ââThe Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks itâs OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesnât know what heâs talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I am doing something with Iran, right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago. No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise! President DONALD J. TRUMPâ Continue reading...
US president said UK monarch agreed Tehran should not be allowed nuclear weaponsA flick of Oscar Wilde here, a nod to Henry Kissinger there, a sprinkling of Charles Dickens here, a dollop of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt there. Job done!The British monarch mobilised an elite squad of dead white men, leavened with humour and subliminal politicking, on Tuesday in a charm offensive aimed over Donald Trumpâs head and squarely at the US Congress. Judging by the cheers and minute-long applause he received at the end, the soft power flex worked a treat and the special relationship lives to fight another day.Weâre doing a little Middle East work right now ⌠and weâre doing very well. We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and weâre never going to let that opponent ever, Charles agrees with me even more than I do, weâre never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.They know that, and theyâve known it right now, very powerfully.The king is naturally mindful of his governmentâs longstanding and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.Todd Blanche, the former defense lawyer for Donald Trump now serving as acting US attorney general, announced two charges against James Comey, the former FBI director and deputy attorney general for allegedly âknowing and willfully making a threat to killâ the president of the United States in a social media post.Patrick Fitzgerald, a former US attorney for the northern district of Illinois who now represents James Comey, said that his client, âvigorously denies the chargesâ filed against him.US defense secretary Pete Hegseth will face tough questions from lawmakers about the Iran war on Wednesday during his first testimony to Congress since the start of the conflict.President Trump will welcomes the Artemis II astronauts to the White House later today. The capsule returned to Floridaâs Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, almost a month after blasting off on humanityâs first lunar trip in more than a half century.The supreme court will hear arguments Wednesday over the Trump administrationâs push to end legal protections for migrants fleeing war and natural disaster, one in a series of immigration cases the high court is considering against the backdrop of the presidentâs far-reaching immigration crackdown.The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday after a key policy meeting, likely the last chaired by central bank chief Jerome Powell. Policymakers will weigh the risks of surging energy prices and snarled supply chains due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with analysts widely expecting a third pause in a row. Continue reading...
State visit of UK royals continues as monarch to tell US lawmakers that âour countries have always found ways to come togetherâSign up for the Breaking News US email Hello and welcome to our coverage of US news as the Trumps continue hosting King Charles and Queen Camilla during their state visit.As expected, the British royals have a packed itinerary of events this morning including been greeted by Donald and Melania Trump at the White House, signing the guest book and exchanging gifts. Continue reading...
US president says thereâs âno reason to meetâ Tehran unless they agree never to have nuclear weaponsWelcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump has said Iran can telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to the war and that it must agree never to have a nuclear weapon, while Pakistanâs leaders have sought to revive the stalled peace talks between Washington and Tehran.Iran gave the US a new proposal on reopening the strait and ending the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage, according to the news site Axios. The US state department and White House did not immediately comment on the Sunday report, which cited an unnamed US official and two sources.Araghchiâs talks with Pakistani officials on Sunday had included âimplementing a new legal regime over the strait of Hormuz, receiving compensation, guaranteeing no renewed military aggression by warmongers and lifting the naval blockadeâ, according to Iranâs semi-official Tasnim news agency. In the talks with Omani leader Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, Araghchi called for a regional security framework free of outside interference.Araghchi would meet with Putin âin continuation of the diplomatic jihad to advance the countryâs interests and amid external threatsâ, Iranâs envoy in Russia, Kazem Jalali, said on X.Two US air force C-17s carrying security staff, equipment and vehicles used to protect US officials flew out of Pakistan after the latest diplomatic trip was called off, two Pakistani government sources told Reuters on Sunday. Continue reading...
Suspect in Saturday eveningâs shooting â Cole Tomas Allen â expected to be formally charged in court todayGood morning, and welcome to our live coverage of US politics.The suspected gunman in the shooting at the White House correspondentsâ dinner on Saturday evening, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, from Torrance, California, is due to appear in court later today.He is expected to be formally charged with using a firearm during a violent crime and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. Continue reading...
President Donald Trump and other top leaders evacuated from the annual dinner after an unspecified threat The White House Correspondentsâ Dinner was interrupted by loud bangs on Saturday evening, followed by immediate commotion. Donald Trump and Melania Trump were evacuated immediately as many journalists and their guests across the room ducked under tables in the Washington Hilton ballroom.While the situation continues to develop, there were reports that the Secret Service had guns drawn as they rushed the White House pool reporters out of the room and mentioned âshots firedâ. Continue reading...
US president claims âtotal controlâ of strait of Hormuz despite Iranian seizure of two ships and report warning it could take months to clear waterway of minesTrump claims US has total control over strait of Hormuz after Iran seizes two container shipsAnalysis: Trump may talk of regime infighting, but Iran seems united by strategy born of warHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump has ordered the US military to âshoot and killâ small Iranian boats that deploy mines in the strait of Hormuz and claimed that US minesweepers âare clearing the strait right nowâ amid the standoff over the key waterway.Trump said the US had âhit about 75% of our targetsâ in Iran and that a deal had not yet been reached because Iran was âin turmoilâ. Trump added to reporters in the Oval Office that he would not use a nuclear weapon against Iran as the conflict continues without a clear end in sight.Trump also said the US had âtotal control over the strait of Hormuzâ â a claim that has drawn scepticism in the face of Iranâs seizure of two container ships and a US report warning it could take six months to clear the strait of mines.Israelâs killing of a Lebanese journalist in a strike has been met with international outrage as Lebanonâs prime minister described the attack as a âwar crimeâ. Amal Khalil, 43, was killed in what colleagues described as a sustained attack by Israeli forces, with rescuers attempting to dig her out of the rubble of a building also targeted and prevented from providing life-saving assistance.Iranâs president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said there were no âhardlinersâ or âmoderatesâ in Iran, responding a Trump claim there was internal division in Iranâs leadership. Separately, Iranâs foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, said Iranian state institutions âcontinue to act with unity, purpose and disciplineâ.Italian sports officials say Italy is not interested in replacing Iran at the upcoming World Cup after a suggestion to that effect by a Trump administration official. Sports minister Andrea Abodi said âitâs not a good ideaâ while finance minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the suggestion âshamefulâ. The US said it had no objections to Iranian players participating in the Cup but they would not be allowed to bring along people with ties to Iranâs Revolutionary Guards.Pope Leo XIV urged the US and Iran to return to talks to end the war and condemned capital punishment, calling for a new âculture of peaceâ to replace the recourse to violence.It remained unclear if the US and Iran would hold another round of talks in Pakistan amid efforts from mediators there towards a peace deal. Continue reading...
US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent says Iranâs Kharg Island storage facilities will be full and their âfragileâ oil wells shut in mere days because of the blockade; oil prices rise amid ongoing uncertaintyTrump announces extension of Iran ceasefire until âdiscussion concludedâShares have been mixed in early trading across Asia, while oil prices have eased on hopes the US and Iran may resume talks to end their war.The price of Brent crude edged 0.2% lower but was still above $98 a barrel. US benchmark crude fell 0.4% to $89.29 a barrel. Continue reading...
The rural Texas region, long spared, is being fast-tracked for the border wall amid bipartisan oppositionTractors suddenly appeared at the entrance to Chispa Road near the US-Mexico border in rural Big Bend, Texas, in late March. Contractors informed Yolanda Alvarado, a cattle rancher, that they were starting work to upgrade the rough county dirt road there into a âhighwayâ â the first step needed for semi trucks to haul the 30-foot steel pillars used to build Donald Trumpâs border barrier.âThat fence line, thatâs where the wall is going to be,â said Alvarado, hopping out of the front seat of her flatbed truck at the gate to the family property located directly along the path of the proposed wall. Continue reading...
The hearing marks a key hurdle Kevin Warsh must overcome in order to succeed Jerome Powell when his term ends on 15 MayHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.President Donald Trumpâs choice to lead the Federal Reserve will commit to protecting central bank independence on interest rates at a crucial confirmation hearing later today.Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Donald Trumpâs labor secretary, resigned from her role with the administration. She said it was âan honor and a privilege to serveâ to serve and that she would take on a job in the private sector. The departure came after she became entangled in a string of political and personal controversies. Democrats celebrated, writing âthis administration is implodingâ.Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, called for Kash Patelâs immediate resignation following a report from the Atlantic detailing the FBI directorâs alleged excessive drinking and absences. Patel has sued the magazine for defamation with his attorneys calling the article a âsweeping, malicious, and defamatory hit pieceâ.Donald Trump signed memorandums related to coal supply chains, natural gas and grid infrastructure on Monday. The president invoked the Defense Production Act in the energy-related memos, writing that increasing energy production is âessential to United States national defenseâ.The crowded field of Democratic candidates in the Californiaâs governorâs race appears to be narrowing as Betty Yee â a former state controllerâ announced Monday she planned to end her campaign. Meanwhile, the California Democratic party chair Rusty Hicks continued to urge candidates trailing in the polls to exit the race. Continue reading...
Trump administration to launch online portal on Monday after supreme court struck down tariff policy earlier this yearDonald Trump said US negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday, and he again threatened to destroy its power plants and bridges if no deal is reached.Trump did not say who would lead the delegation, but a White House official said it was vice-president JD Vance. Continue reading...
New meeting to come after rare direct talks between the countries mediated by US; Netanyahu earlier says Israel about to âoverwhelmâ part of southern LebanonUS and Iran in indirect talks to extend two-week ceasefireHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump says the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will hold talks on Thursday, after the countriesâ first face-to-face diplomatic negotiations in decades.Pakistanâs army chief met with Iranâs foreign minister in Tehran on Wednesday in the latest diplomatic move to ease Middle East tensions and arrange a second round of US-Iran negotiations. Trump said earlier that the war was âvery close to overâ.Leavitt said a second round of US-Iran talks would âvery likelyâ take place in Islamabad again and that Pakistan was âthe only mediatorâ in the discussions.Major Wall Street stock indices extended an upward climb on optimism about a US-Iran agreement.Israelâs security cabinet met to discuss a ceasefire after the Israel-Lebanon talks mediated by the US in Washington on Tuesday. But the Israeli military continues to strike the country, with Netanyahu saying Israel was about to âoverwhelmâ the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, calling it a Hezbollah stronghold.Four Lebanese rescue workers were killed in consecutive Israeli strikes in the southern Lebanon village of Mayfadoun on Wednesday, paramedic groups said. Six others were wounded.The US militaryâs Middle East command Centcom said it stopped 10 vessels from sailing out of Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of the US naval blockade. But ship tracking data indicated at least three ships sailing from Iranian ports crossed the strait of Hormuz, though some vessels taking the route later turned back.The finance ministers of 11 countries including the UK and Japan called for âcoordinated emergency supportâ from the IMF and World Bank to help countries hit by disruptions from the Middle East war. Continue reading...
Leo doubles down on his message of peace as Trump and JD Vance continue to squabble with and insult the VaticanThe ongoing squabble between the Trump administration and the Vatican over the war in Iran took another twist on Wednesday when Pope Leo shared a message of peace and healing after the latest angry broadside from the White House.On Tuesday, JD Vance capped several days of insults by insinuating the pontiff was not being truthful in matters of theology, and did not understand the concept of war. Continue reading...
Republicans had hoped that Trumpâs 2025 tax cuts would be at the forefront of votersâ minds, but many have reportedly not noticed a differenceSign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.It is Tax Day and Republicans are ramping up their efforts to highlight last yearâs sweeping tax cuts and turn them into political capital.Eric Swalwell officially resigned from Congress amid the threat of an expulsion vote and other misconduct allegations he has denied. A special election to fill his vacant seat will be held 18 August. At a Los Angeles press conference this morning, Lonna Drewes accused Swalwell of drugging and raping her in 2018, telling reporters she âdid not consent to any sexual activity.âThe House still needs to pass a bill to fund several Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subagencies, like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Coast Guard, amid a record-breaking partial government shutdown. The Senate advanced measure that remedies this funding lapse, but doesnât include money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol, has stalled in the lower chamber.Meanwhile, House Democrats on Tuesday proposed creating a commission that would work with JD Vance to remove Donald Trump from office under the 25th amendment, should they determine he is no longer fit to serve. The measure, introduced by Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House judiciary committee, follows a series of statements from Trump, including his recent warning that Iranâs âwhole civilization will dieâ if it did not capitulate to his demands, and a social media post that depicted him as Jesus Christ.Donald Trump has said that talks with Iran could resume in Pakistan over next two days, according to an interview with the New York Post. âYou should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and weâre more inclined to go there,â Trump was quoted as saying.The US state department said Tuesday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed-upon time and place. The state department âexpressed hopeâ that the meeting between Israel and Lebanon would âlead to peace agreementâ.The Senate will hold its confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, the presidentâs pick to fill the vacant seat of Federal Reserve chair, next week, on 21 April. Both Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee are expected to probe Warsh about his wealth and ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as his views on the Fedâs independence.The justice department has asked a federal appeals court to throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions of several leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. In a court filing today, the department asked the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to vacate the convictions â a step further than moves Donald Trump made to commute the leadersâ prison sentences last January when he granted clemency to all defendants charged in the attack. Continue reading...
US military boasts blockade of the strait of Hormuz will incapacitate Iranâs economy; Trump says negotiations could return to PakistanUS-Iran peace talks could resume in next two days, Trump saysWelcome to the Guardianâs continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.The US military has said American forces have completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea through a blockade.An estimated 90% of Iranâs economy is fueled by international trade by sea. In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.âDonald Trump has said that talks with Iran could resume in Pakistan over the next two days, according to an interview with the New York Post. âSomething could be happening over the next two days, and weâre more inclined to go there,â Trump was quoted as saying.US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington on Tuesday were a âhistoric opportunityâ. He said that while every complexity would not be resolved immediately, he hoped the parties would begin to move forward.Lebanonâs president expressed hope that direct talks would lead to an end to his countryâs âsufferingâ after war erupted again between Israel and Hezbollah last month. âI hope that the meeting in Washington... will mark the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people in general, and those in the south in particular,â president Joseph Aoun said in a statement, adding that âstability will not return to the south if Israel continues to occupy its landsâ.Lebanonâs top envoy to the US said the high-level diplomatic engagement between her country and Israel was âconstructive,â but urged an end to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants that has displaced thousands of Lebanese. After participating in Tuesdayâs talks with Rubio and Israelâs ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad said she had âunderscored the need to preserve our territorial integrity and state sovereigntyâ.The US will not renew a 30-day waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea that expires this week officials told Reuters, as the US imposes a blockade on shipments from Iranian ports.UK prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron will co-host a summit in Paris on Friday focused on efforts to reopen the strait of Hormuz, Downing Street said. A spokesperson said: âThe summit will advance work towards a coordinated, independent, multinational plan to safeguard international shipping once the conflict ends.âTrump criticised Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, a political ally, in an interview published on Tuesday for her unwillingness to help in the Iran war. âIâm shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,â he told Italian daily Corriere della Sera.Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt will meet Turkeyâs top diplomat this week for talks on regional matters, a ministry source told AFP on Tuesday. âThis is the third meeting of the four countries to discuss regional affairs, not specifically Hormuz,â said the source, who wished to remain anonymous.Hezbollah said it targeted 13 northern Israeli towns with rockets shortly after the start of Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington. In a statement, the group said it targeted Kiryat Shmona, Metula and 11 other towns âwith simultaneous rocket salvosâ at 6.15pm.US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has said the underlying US economy remains strong and that growth could still exceed 3% or 3.5% this year despite the impact of the US-Israel war on Iran. Earlier on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cut its growth forecasts for 2026 based on the impact of the war and said any further escalation in the conflict could trigger a global recession. Bessent however cast cuts in global growth forecasts and higher inflation projections by the IMF and World Bank as an overreaction. Continue reading...
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says âif you fight, we will fightâ, reports state media, as US president also threatens to bomb Iranâs water treatment facilitiesJD Vance and US delegation leave Pakistan after failing to reach deal with IranPlaneloads of negotiators and too little time: US and Iranâs 21 hours of talksA post about an hour ago on the Israel Defense Forces Telegram channel claimed that overnight, the IDF âidentified a rocket launcher positioned and ready to launch toward the State of Israel in the area of Jouaiyya in southern Lebanonâ.Shortly after the identification, the launcher was struck and dismantled in a rapid closure cycle, thwarting the launch before it could be carried out. Continue reading...