Trump Announces

U-turn comes after Trump said the US military was ‘raring to go’. Plus, Virginia voters pass new congressional maps in blow to presidentDon’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.Donald Trump unilaterally announced an extension of the two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday amid frantic efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.How are Trump’s negotiating tactics being received? The president’s impatience and rough-house diplomatic style, including his frequent online posting, has been a key stumbling block to restarting peace talks, writes the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour.Is Tehran united on how to deal with Washington? Analysts say it is not, with fierce disagreement among Iranian leaders over how to respond to US pressure and whether to risk a new wave of bombing.Follow the latest updates with our liveblog.How much of a boost for the Democrats is Virginia’s referendum result? It could help them win four additional House seats in November’s midterms, which could prove pivotal in an evenly divided Congress. Continue reading...

President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaineDonald Trump on Saturday announced reforms intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs.The president signed an executive order directing the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of drugs such as ibogaine, a drug that US military veteran groups have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Continue reading...

Halt to seven weeks of fighting will be followed by first Israeli-Lebanese summit in decades. Plus, why are there so many false claims that some of cinema’s most famous scenes were improvised?Good morning.Donald Trump has announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon, to be followed by a meeting between Israeli and Lebanese leaders next week, a deal that it is hoped will bring progress toward a parallel peace agreement between the US and Iran.What has Lebanon said? The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.This is a developing story. Follow the liveblog here.What has Amazon said? It has called the claims in the lawsuit “entirely false and misguided”. The company said in a statement: “Amazon is consistently identified as America’s lowest-priced online retailer, and it is ironic that the attorney general seeks to have us feature higher prices in ways that would harm consumers and competition.” Continue reading...

• Donald Trump announced a major ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon while signaling progress toward a potential nuclear deal with Iran. • The development represents a significant diplomatic initiative amid broader Middle East tensions and ongoing US-Iran negotiations. • The ceasefire comes as regional dynamics continue to shift with multiple diplomatic channels active simultaneously.

• President Trump announced on April 12 that the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and intercept any vessel that has paid tolls to Iran to transit the strait safely, following the failure of 21-hour nuclear negotiations. • Vice President JD Vance confirmed in Islamabad that no agreement was reached, with Iran's refusal to abandon its nuclear program cited as the primary sticking point. • Iran's state-affiliated Fars news agency reported the country has no plan for a next round of negotiations, marking a significant escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Brent crude oil dropped to $93 a barrel after Trump ceasefire announcement and Iran’s pledge to reopen strait of Hormuz under its managementMiddle East crisis – live updatesFull report: US and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire with Tehran saying it will reopen strait of HormuzOil prices plunged by almost 15% after Donald Trump held off on his threat to bomb Iran into the stone ages on Tuesday night, and Iran’s foreign minister said passage through the strait of Hormuz would be allowed for the next two weeks under the management of its military.With just over an hour until his deadline was due to pass, the US president said he was holding off on threatened attacks on Iran, subject to Tehran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and reopening of the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

Chuck Schumer attacks president’s ‘ridiculous bluster’ while Republicans cast decision as shrewd tactical moveMiddle East crisis – live updatesPolitical leaders and many Americans breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday evening, after Donald Trump announced a provisional ceasefire deal following threats to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” if Tehran failed to reopen the strait of Hormuz by a self-imposed deadline.The announcement of the agreement, mediated by Pakistan, came roughly 90 minutes before the 8pm ET deadline by which Trump pledged to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges in a move legal and military scholars said would be considered a war crime. Continue reading...

• President Trump stated he will sign an executive order to pay all DHS employees despite the ongoing government shutdown, posting 'Help is on the way' on social media. • The move comes as funding lapses continue, with Trump aiming to mitigate employee hardship amid stalled congressional negotiations. • It underscores executive efforts to address shutdown impacts while pressuring lawmakers for a full funding resolution.

US president makes baseless claims about fraud in blue states and says JD Vance will lead clampdown as ‘fraud czar’Donald Trump announced a fresh crackdown on “fraud” in Democratic states and tapped JD Vance to lead the charge. Officials swiftly announced a string of arrests in California.In a Truth Social post on Friday, the US president announced that his vice-president is now “in charge of ‘fraud’ in the United States”, claiming the problem is “massive and pervasive” and that Vance’s new role as “fraud czar” will be “a major factor in how great the future of our country will be”. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration plans to implement tiered tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, with 50% duties on many derivative goods based on import value, 25% on others, and lower rates for some products. • This policy aims to protect US industry amid global trade tensions exacerbated by Middle East conflicts. • The measures could reshape international supply chains and provoke retaliatory actions from trading partners.

• President Donald Trump stated the US is negotiating with Iran to end the three-week-old war, citing two days of 'very good and productive conversations' after Iran reportedly reached out, with talks set to continue this week. • Trump refused to name the 'top' Iranian official involved, only saying it was not new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, and claimed he would 'jointly control' the Strait of Hormuz with 'whoever the next Ayatollah is'. • US and Israeli airstrikes continued across Iran, targeting Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Karaj, gas facilities, and a pipeline, with Iran reporting over 1,500 civilian deaths since February 28.

President thanks Grenell for ‘outstanding work’ and says Matt Floca, vice-president of operations, will take overDonald Trump has announced that Ric Grenell, the longtime Republican foreign policy adviser who oversaw far-reaching changes at the Kennedy Center, which prompted many artists to abandon the performing arts venue, will be replaced by Matt Floca, vice-president of operations at the center.Trump made the announcement on social media that he has replaced Grenell, thanking him for the “outstanding work he has done”. Floca was photographed in December personally overseeing the addition of Trump’s name to the center’s facade. Grenell’s departure comes as the Kennedy Center prepares to close this summer for a two-year renovation. Continue reading...