Trump says Iran’s handling of Strait of Hormuz is ‘not the agreement we have’

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Trump says Iran's handling of Strait of Hormuz is 'not the agreement we have'12 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJoel GunterJerusalemAFP via Getty ImagesIsrael launched a blitz of air strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting over 100 targets in 10 minutesUS President Donald Trump has accused Iran of doing a “very poor job” in its handling of oil passing through the pivotal Strait of Hormuz, arguing it was “not the agreement we have”.
The comments reflect the fragile nature of the ceasefire agreement, with reports showing conflicts on what was included in the accord.
It came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was to begin direct talks with Lebanon, focusing on the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, and establishing peaceful relations.
A US State Department official confirmed it would host a meeting next week in Washington “to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon”.
Lebanese officials..

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Ceasefire or no ceasefire, the Middle East’s reshuffling is not yet done

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Ceasefire or no ceasefire, the Middle East's reshuffling is not yet done15 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJeremy BowenInternational editorBBCThe best hope for the ceasefire talks in Pakistan is that both the United States and Iran have strong reasons to call a halt to the war. The biggest obstacle to their success is a total absence of trust, no discernible common ground and the fact that Israel, America's full partner in the war, has hugely escalated its onslaught on Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump is already speaking about the war in the past tense. He has declared victory and needs an exit. Not only does he have a state visit from King Charles in the diary for later this month, followed by a summit with China's President Xi Jinping in May, there are midterm elections in November. With America's summer holiday season looming, Trump also needs petrol prices to fall back to where they were before he went to war. Royal visits, summits and elections do..

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‘We see your activity’: UK’s stern warning to Putin after Russian spy submarines detected in North Atlantic

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The United Kingdom has issued a strong warning to Russia after detecting what it described as a covert submarine operation targeting vital undersea cables and pipelines in the North Atlantic. Defence Secretary John Healey said British forces had successfully tracked multiple Russian vessels operating near sensitive infrastructure, stressing that any attempt to cause damage would trigger serious consequences.According to officials, the activity involved an Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine accompanied by two specialist deep-sea vessels believed to be part of Russia’s underwater surveillance programme.Clear message to MoscowAddressing Russian President Vladimir Putin directly, Healey said: “We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”The operation unfolded in waters north of the UK.UK forces respond with full surveillance operationIn response, the Royal Nav..

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ICE releases newlywed wife of US soldier arrested from military base, makes her wear GPS monitor

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Army Sergeant Matthew Blank's wife was arrested by ICE as soon as he reported to his Louisiana base.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement released 22-year-old Annie Ramos, the wife of Army Sergeant Matthew Blank who was arrested on April 2 after Matthew reported to his military base days after his wedding. Ramos was brought to the US as a toddler from Honduras and she is undocumented but her Green Card application was in the process when she got arrested. A DHS spokesperson said Ramos will wear a GPS monitor while she's free and the government will continue the removal proceedings against her. Ramos is eligible for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and but the program remains halted for new applicants over legal hurdles. Ramos received a scholarship from TheDream.US, which helps undocumented youth pay for school. Undocumented immigrants who marry US citizens are eligible for a marriage-based Green Card. Relatives of soldiers are also eligible for other benefi..

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Israel bombing Lebanon jeopardises the peace deal with Iran – and all our futures are at stake

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Israel bombed Lebanon so intensely on Wednesday that witnesses, and the wounded, told The Independent it felt like they had unleashed a “ring of fire” on the capital, Beirut, and an “earthquake” across the rest of the country.
Over 100 targets were hit in just 10 minutes, according to Israel’s count. More than 250 people were killed and over 1,000 injured, according to the Lebanese Civil Defence. They are still digging bodies out of the rubble.
This “absolute massacre”, as it was described by a renowned British conflict surgeon in a Beirut emergency room, does not just impact Lebanon.
It is already jeopardising the future of a long-awaited and deeply fragile truce between the US, Israel and Iran. A truce which hangs in the balance.
This deal, this resolution to a global nightmare, is desperately needed for the civilians chewed up in the violence – and for us all.
It is not just about the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history, shuttered airports bringing movement around..

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow threatens to attack Baltic countries allowing Kyiv to use airspace for drones

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Vance accuses Kyiv and Moscow of ‘haggling over a few square kilometres’Moscow has threatened to attack countries in the Baltic that are allowing Ukraine to use their airspace to fly drones to attack Russia.
Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova issued the warning after Kyiv used drones to attack the Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga, which are key to Moscow’s oil exports.
“If third countries have provided or are providing their territory for enemy drones to fly over, they must fully understand – and we are confident they do, because it has been explained to them – the risks they are exposing themselves to,” she said on Thursday.
Russian drones and aircraft have repeatedly violated European airspace, including fighter jet incursions into Estonia and unidentified drones flying over Copenhagen and Oslo airports.
The Baltic countries — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — are Nato members after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Britain's defenc..

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How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi in China?

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AdvertisementUS-China relationsChinaDiplomacyHow can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi in China?As Trump loomed large in both Iran war and subsequent pause, analysts weigh the importance of rhetoric vs results in his talks with China
4-MIN READ4-MIN2 ListenShi JiangtaoPublished: 10:00pm, 9 Apr 2026Updated: 10:11pm, 9 Apr 2026A temporary but fragile ceasefire is in place after US President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink of a wider Iran war.For Beijing, as it prepares for Trump’s high-stakes visit planned for next month, the key question is what the Iran crisis reveals about Trump’s governing style, and whether it has left him emboldened or simply more unpredictable and volatile.The episode is the latest example of what Chinese observers call Trump’s “split” style: abrupt swings between conciliatory talk of deals and de-escalation; and aggressive threats to “obliterate” Iran or push the Islamic Republic “back to the Stone Ages”.

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US$3 million Faberge egg heist at London pub ends in jail for thief

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AdvertisementBritainWorldEuropeUS$3 million Faberge egg heist at London pub ends in jail for thiefThe rare item remains missing as police continue their investigation, urging anyone with information to come forward
2-MIN READ2-MIN1 ListendpaPublished: 9:15pm, 9 Apr 2026A thief who swiped a handbag from a London pub containing a Faberge egg and watch set valued at up to £2.2 million (US$3 million) has been jailed for more than two years.
Enzo Conticello, 29, took the Givenchy handbag belonging to Rosie Dawson as she stood in the smoking area of the Dog and Duck pub in Bateman Street on November 7, 2024.
Inside the £1,600 bag was an emerald-encrusted Faberge egg and Faberge watch belonging to Dawson’s employers at the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, as well as a £1,500 Apple laptop, Apple AirPods, a £350 store voucher, keys, Dawson’s three bank cards, £200 worth of make-up, a Mulberry card holder worth £150 and £20 in cash.
AdvertisementSouthwark Crown Court heard on Thursday that Conticell..

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Israeli strikes in Lebanon ‘grave violation’ of ceasefire, Iran minister tells BBC

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Israeli strikes in Lebanon 'grave violation' of ceasefire, Iran minister tells BBC3 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleTinshui YeungWatch: Iran's deputy foreign minister speaks to BBC Radio 4's Today programmeAn Iranian minister has told the BBC that Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday constituted a “grave violation” of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement.
Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said Lebanon was covered by the two-week deal agreed on Tuesday – something the US and Israel dispute – and said the US must choose “between war and ceasefire”.
The Lebanese health ministry has said at least 203 people were killed on Wednesday in air strikes on what Israel called Hezbollah command centres and military sites.
Pressed on whether Tehran would likewise ask Hezbollah to stop firing rockets towards Israel, Khatibzadeh claimed the Iranian-backed militant group had “abided” by the ceasefire.
Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had fired at Israel overnight..

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Trump criticises Nato as alliance chief describes meeting as ‘very frank’

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Trump criticises Nato as alliance chief describes meeting as 'very frank' 12 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBernd Debusmann Jr,White House ReporterandClaire KeenanReutersNato Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting in Davos, Switzerland in January 2026.Donald Trump has again attacked Nato for not supporting the US in the Iran war, following a private meeting with its Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House.
In a post shared to Truth Social after the meeting, the US President said: “NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”
Meanwhile, Rutte has described his meeting to CNN with Trump as “very frank” and “very open”, despite clear disagreements.
Ahead of the talks on Wednesday, Trump had toyed with the idea of quitting the trans-Atlantic military alliance after several Nato countries resisted his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ease rising globa..

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