Seen in the News

[Stanley]

HERE'S today's dose.....
Donald Trump has announced the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire will be extended by three weeks after talks at the White House. But a longer-term peace deal is ambitious and will take much more support from Washington to disarm Hezbollah, writes our State Department correspondent. Earlier, the US president spoke to the BBC - saying "whatever I'm doing, it seems to be working very well" when asked about his threats to Iran's "civilisation". In later remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump says "I don't want to rush myself" when it comes to making a deal with Iran. Meanwhile, US forces have boarded a ship carrying Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean, the US military says - Trump says the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz. In Iran, top figures speak of "iron unity" after Trump's claims that the country's leadership is embroiled in infighting. Israel's defence minister says they are prepared to renew the war with Iran if the US gives the green light, and threatens to return Iran "to the dark and stone ages"
I think a necessary aid to understanding what is going on is the realisation that Israel is driving the course of events.... The actions in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and Iraq are all about Israel extending its territorial boundaries. Once you accept that it all makes sense. Netanyahu is not concerned about global economics, he is only interested in getting credit for advancing Israel in the world as he believes that is the only thing that can save him from otherwise inevitable justice.

[PanBiker]

I think a necessary aid to understanding what is going on is the realisation that Israel is driving the course of events.... The actions in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and Iraq are all about Israel extending its territorial boundaries. Once you accept that it all makes sense. Netanyahu is not concerned about global economics, he is only interested in getting credit for advancing Israel in the world as he believes that is the only thing that can save him from otherwise inevitable justice.

Bang on there Stanley. Israel can only prosecute war with US backing. What is actually needed is a US President who is not prepared to support genocide. Take all the military funding away and it would be a totally different situation. I firmly believe that the Jewish people have a right to exist but not by occupying other countries without previous consent.

[Stanley]

I agree Ian....

HERE'S this morning's update....
Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on Saturday morning, the White House has said. "The Iranians want to talk," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding that US Vice-President JD Vance was "on standby" to travel if the talks proved successful. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said he and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had arrived in Islamabad early on Saturday, and Araghchi would be meeting "Pakistani high-level officials". He added that: "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan."
The Straits of Hormuz are still blocked.The likelihood of severe economic shocks increases. Deep Joy!

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest on Iran....
Donald Trump cancelled a planned trip by US officials to Pakistan for talks on the Iran war on Saturday, shortly after Tehran's delegation had left Islamabad. The US president said special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner would be wasting "too much time", adding that if Iran wanted to talk "all they have to do is call". Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi held talks with mediator Pakistan, saying afterwards he had shared Iran's position on ending the war but was yet to see whether the US was "truly serious about diplomacy". Diplomatic efforts have stalled despite Trump's extension of a ceasefire that had been due to expire on 22 April to allow talks to continue.

See THIS Breaking news....
Secret Service have removed president and first lady from the venue - CBS reports published at 01:57
CBS, BBC's US-based media partner, says the President and First Lady have both been removed from the dais by the Secret Service. Following their exit, armed agents from the Counter Assault Team (CAT) were seen standing on stage with long guns aimed toward the back of the room, CBS reports that shortly afterwards, security rushed another guest toward the front of the room, bounding over tables and empty chairs as the guest were down on the floor. CAT pushed over the bike rack and hustled the protectee out. Dinner attendees ducked under tables.
Daniel Bush
Washington correspondent, at the dinner.
There is widespread confusion inside the ballroom at the White House Correspondents Dinner here tonight after a security incident interrupted the program a few minutes ago. Dinner attendees ducked under tables as what sounded like gunshots rang out somewhere nearby the ballroom where the dinner is taking place at the Washington Hilton. President Donald Trump was quickly escorted out of the room by secret service agents. Soon after, senior administration officials including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth were also escorted out by their security security details. After a chaotic few moments dinner guests emerged from beneath dinner tables and started taking stock of the situation. This is the first security breach at the dinner in recent memory, if ever. It was also the first time Trump attended the event as sitting president.

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest from Trumpland....
Updated 50 minutes ago
US President Donald Trump and his officials were the "likely" targets of a suspected gunman who attempted to storm the White House Correspondents' Dinner, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche has said. The suspect, named by US media as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested after police said he opened fire near a security checkpoint during the event at a Washington DC hotel on Saturday. Blanche, speaking to NBC News, said the alleged gunman's motive is still under investigation, but that "preliminary" findings suggest he was targeting administration officials. The FBI's criminal division and terrorism task-force are investigating the incident. After being rushed off the stage to safety, Trump later told reporters at a briefing on Saturday: "I can't imagine that there's any profession that's more dangerous". In a statement on Sunday, the White House said Trump "stands fearless" after surviving, alongside cabinet members, "an assassination attempt when shots were fired". The White House Correspondents' Association president, Weijia Jiang, called the attack "harrowing". On Sunday, Jiang, who was sat next to Trump at the dinner, thanked the Secret Service for actions which "protected thousands of guests". She added the board will meet and determine how to proceed, and will release updates when available. On Sunday, Trump told Fox News that the suspect "had a lot of hatred in his heart for a while", and said his family knew he had "difficulties". He added that the suspect had a "manifesto".

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest from Trumpland....
White House correspondents' dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president. Allen, a 31-year-old from California, was also charged with weapon offences relating to the incident at the Washington DC Hilton. He did not enter a plea. Donald Trump is "satisfied" with the Secret Service response to Saturday's shooting at the press dinner, the White House said. But Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt did not rule out possible changes to security protocols, with a meeting to take place this week reviewing presidential security. In an interview after the shooting, Trump said: "I wasn't worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world"
Trump says we live in a crazy world..... I wonder if anyone will point out to him that his administration is a major contributor to the craziness?

[Stanley]

HERE'S This morning's Trump report.....
King Charles III is speaking at a state dinner held at the White House - watch live at the top of this page (02.10)
The dinner is attended by members of the Trump administration as well as notable figures from both sides of the Atlantic. Earlier, the King addressed Congress and said the UK and US partnership is "more important" than ever. He expressed the UK's "highest regard and friendship" with the US and recalls when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, addressed the same chamber in 1991. Lawmakers frequently burst into applause and ovations during a speech that mixes British humour with history, and looks towards future challenges. The King closes his speech by saying "America's words carry weight and meaning", and it prompts some muttering – of agreement and concern – from the audience, writes North American correspondent Anthony Zurcher

[Stanley]

HERE'S today's episode....
2 hours ago
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth sparred with Democratic lawmakers during a nearly six-hour-long hearing, in his first time facing questions under oath since the start of the Iran war. Hegseth appeared before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Dan Caine and the defence department's chief financial officer Jules Hurst. In his opening remarks, Hegseth said the "biggest adversary we face" is the "defeatist words" of Democrats and some Republicans. Democratic lawmakers on the committee criticised how federal money is being used in the conflict. Hurst revealed in the hearing that the war had cost the US $25bn (£18.5bn) so far. Hurst said most of the expenses had been for munitions and to replace equipment. Hurst told the lawmakers that a full assessment of the cost will be provided at a later time. The US and Iran have agreed on a ceasefire to allow for peace talks, but the conflict has not officially ended. Money was a major talking point during the hearing. The White House has asked Congress to boost the US defence budget to $1.5tn (£1.1tn), a sweeping rise that would mark the largest expansion in military spending since World War Two. Hegseth told the committee the budget request "reflects the urgency of the moment". Gen Caine said the $1.5tn "represents a historic down payment for future security" that would allow the US to get ahead of fast-evolving technology. Democrats on the committee often characterised the US military action in Iran as an expensive "war of choice" waged without the approval of Congress. "You have been lying to the American public about this war from day one, and so has the president," California Democrat John Garamendi said. He told Hegseth that Trump was "stuck in a quagmire" of another war in the Middle East. Hegseth called Garamendi's statement "reckless", and denied Trump was in a "quagmire". "Your hatred for President Trump blinds you," Hegseth said.
There are signs of a rising tide of opposition to the Iran aggression, made worse by the fact that there is no clean exit insight.....

[PanBiker]

I have said it before one beloved executive order by Trump could sort this. It's the ultimate get out of jail free card.

[Stanley]

See THIS update on the Middle East.
4 hours ago
At least nine people, including two children, were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the health ministry said, as violence continues despite a ceasefire now in its second week. The strikes - which Israel said were targeting Hezbollah infrastructure - also wounded 23 people, among them eight children and seven women, the ministry said. Separately, Hezbollah said it had carried out attacks on Israeli forces in the south, including a drone strike targeting soldiers in the Bint Jbeil district. The violence comes as Israel presses ahead with military operations in Lebanon despite the ceasefire announced on 16 April, after direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun criticised what he described as "continuing Israeli violations" of the truce, saying strikes and demolitions of homes and places of worship were ongoing "despite the ceasefire". "Pressure must be exerted on Israel to ensure it respects international laws and conventions, and ceases targeting civilians, paramedics, civil defence and humanitarian organisations," he said. On Thursday, the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for 15 villages in southern Lebanon. Many of the villages were outside what Israel has designated as the "Yellow Line" - a strip of territory extending roughly 10km (6 miles) from the border where it says it continues to operate against threats. Israel says its actions are in response to what it describes as violations of the deal by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia and political party. Hezbollah was not involved in the ceasefire agreement but had indicated it would abide by its terms if it was also respected by Israel. While the truce largely halted strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs, fighting has persisted elsewhere in the south, with continued air raids and repeated evacuation orders.
Trump will never get out of his quagmire while Netanyahu is pursuing his aggressive policies....

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest from the world of Trump....
The US Defence Department plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, amid a spat between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran. The decision comes a day after Trump criticised Merz, who suggested the US had been "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators. In social media posts on Thursday, Trump said Merz was "doing a terrible job" and had "problems of all kinds", including on immigration and energy. Trump has also suggested pulling US troops from Italy and Spain. The US has a significant military presence in Germany, with more than 36,000 active duty troops assigned to bases across the country as of last December. In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the order had come from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. "This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground," he said. "We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months." Trump, a longtime critic of the Nato alliance, has been lashing out at allies over their refusal to participate in operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

And again....
Updated 27 minutes ago
President Donald Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have "terminated" during an ongoing ceasefire, as he argued he did not need to meet a deadline for legislative approval of the war. By law, a US president must receive Congress' approval within 60 days of notifying lawmakers of military action, or else cease hostilities. But in a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said he does not have to comply with that war powers act as the ceasefire agreed with Iran last month had paused the clock on any such obligation. The US and Iran have not yet reached a longer-term peace deal via talks, though Iranian media reported a new proposal from Tehran sent via Pakistan on Friday. On the 60th day since he formally notified Congress of strikes against Iran, Trump wrote to congressional leaders on Friday: "There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. "The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026 have terminated."
Is this just his interpretation of reality or is there substance to his claim.