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.

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest Trumpism......
Updated 1 hour ago
Germany's defence minister has said the US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from his country was "foreseeable", as the Nato military alliance says it is seeking clarification from Washington. Speaking to the DPA news agency, Boris Pistorius also stressed "the presence of American soldiers in Europe, and particularly in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the US". Meanwhile Nato spokeswoman Allison Hart said the alliance was "working with the US to understand the details of their decision". Washington's move comes after President Donald Trump criticised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for saying the US had been "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators in the ongoing war. The US military deployment in Germany - currently at more than 36,000 active duty troops - is by far its biggest in Europe, compared with about 12,000 in Italy and 10,000 in the UK. Asked about the cuts to troops in Germany on Saturday night, Trump said: "We're going to cut way down, and we're cutting a lot further than 5,000." He did not provide more details.
More uncertainty, will anyone ever trust the US again?

[Stanley]

HERE'S today's dose of Trump....
ran has received a US response to its latest peace proposal, Iranian state-linked media have said. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said the response, delivered via Pakistan, was now being reviewed, according to Tasnim news agency. The US is yet to formally confirm it has replied to Tehran. However, President Donald Trump reportedly told Israel's Kan News on Sunday that the proposal was unacceptable to him. Iranian state media said Tehran's 14-point peace plan asked Washington to withdraw its forces from near Iran's borders, end its naval blockade of Iranian ports, and for all hostilities to cease - including Israel's offensive in Lebanon. It also called for an agreement between the two countries to be reached within 30 days. Iranian state media added the proposal urged the two warring sides to focus on "ending the war" rather than extending a current ceasefire. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted by state media as saying that "at this stage, we do not have nuclear negotiations" - a key demand by Washington. Iran has repeatedly denied it is seeking a bomb and says its programme is only for peaceful purposes, though the country is the only non-nuclear-armed state to have enriched uranium at near weapons-grade level. On Sunday, Trump announced that the US would help countries with ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. "For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business," he said in a post on social media without specifying which countries. Trump said the process, which he called "Project Freedom", would start on Monday, adding if it was interfered with the interference "will have to be dealt with forcefully". Iran has severely limited traffic through the strait since the war began in February. The US has also enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Something that caught my attention is that the image that accompanies the article gives us a rare chance to see the thickness of the armour of his car, 'The Beast'.

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest on the Straits of Hormuz.....
Updated 1 hour ago
President Donald Trump says the US has struck seven Iranian "fast boats" in the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington seeks to guide stranded ships out of the Gulf through the largely closed waterway. The UAE and South Korea both reported strikes on ships in the vital channel on Monday. The UAE also said a fire broke out at the oil port of Fujairah after an Iranian attack. Shipping company Maersk told the BBC that one of its US-flagged vessels had successfully exited the strait with US military protection - under what Trump has called "Project Freedom". Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that events in the strait "make clear that there's no military solution to a political crisis". He added: "Project Freedom is Project Deadlock." Maersk said the transit of one of its commercial vessels was "completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed". The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely blocked since the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in February. Tehran responded by blocking the crucial waterway through which 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes. In early April, the US and Iran announced a ceasefire under which Iran ended its drone and missile strikes on Gulf countries including the UAE, but few vessels have been able to transit the strait since then. The US also imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports. Trump said: "We've shot down seven small boats or, as they like to call them, 'fast' boats. It's all they have left." The US military said it had used helicopters to attack the boats. Iran denied such attacks had taken place. The US earlier said navy destroyers and US-flagged merchant ships sailed through the strait on Monday. Iran called the claims "entirely false", with its military saying it fired warning shots at a US warship. The US military denied this. Later on Monday, shipping firm Maersk said its US-flagged vessel the Alliance Fairfax, which had been stranded in the Gulf since the US and Israeli attack on Iran at the end of February, had exited the Strait of Hormuz. The firm said it had been contacted by the US and "offered the opportunity for the vessel to exit the Gulf under US military protection". In a statement, the firm added: "The vessel subsequently exited the Persian Gulf accompanied by US military assets."
I fear the Iranian Foreign Minister is correct. This is not a solution to the problem. It's difficult to see any way we can avoid severe economic consequences.... Deep joy!

[Stanley]

HERE'S Trump's latest policy wobble.....
Updated 43 minutes ago
President Donald Trump has said that the US operation to guide stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will be paused for a "short period of time". Trump said "Project Freedom", which began on Monday, would be halted by "mutual agreement" because "Great Progress" had been made toward a deal with Iran. Iranian state media said the pause demonstrated that Trump had "retreated" after "continued failures" in his efforts to reopen the vital waterway for global shipping. The US president's announcement came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the initial US-Israeli offensive in Iran - called Operation Epic Fury - was over after it had achieved its objectives. "We would prefer the path of peace. What the president [Donald Trump] would prefer is a deal," Rubio told reporters on Tuesday. His comments came after a spate of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz raised fears the ceasefire between the US and Iran was in jeopardy. The US had said it aims to guide stranded ships out of the Gulf through the largely closed waterway. Tehran has not commented on Rubio's statement, but Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf earlier said: "We know well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America, while we are just getting started." Ghalibaf, Iran's top negotiator in last month's talks with the US, said "Shipping security and energy transit have been jeopardised by the US and its allies with the ceasefire violations and blockade. However, their evil acts will fail".
There is no clarity or consistency about US aims and this does not bode well for global economic consequences. Just think what that means in terms of damage......

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest update on the Iran situation.
3 hours ago
Iran says a US proposal to end the war is "still being considered", after reports the two sides could be close to an agreement. US news outlet Axios reported on Wednesday that the White House believes it could be closing in on a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran. A senior member of Iran's parliament dismissed it as a "wish list", while a foreign ministry spokesman said Tehran would share its views of a US proposal with Pakistani mediators. Pakistan's foreign minister said his country was "endeavouring to convert this ceasefire into a permanent end to this war". President Donald Trump said the US has had "very good talks with Iran in the last 24 hours" and that a deal is possible. In its report, Axios describes the memorandum as a one-page, 14-point memo which could set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations. Among the provisions it lists are a suspension on Iranian nuclear enrichment, the lifting of sanctions, and restoring free transit through the Strait of Hormuz. It cites two US officials and two other sources - all unnamed - whom it describes as briefed on the issues. These sources are reported as saying that many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached. The Reuters news agency reported that two sources briefed on the mediation between the US and Iran had confirmed the information initially reported by Axios, but the proposal has not been publicly outlined.
Still no clarity.

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest update on the Iran war.....
Explosions are reported in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's state broadcaster says, describing an "exchange of fire" between Iran and the "enemy". The US military's Central Command says US "forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defence strikes as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman". Iranian forces launched "multiple missiles, drones and small boats" as three US ships passed through the area, Centcom says. "Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces" the statement adds. US President Donald Trump says on social media that "great damage" was done to the Iranian ships, and urges Iran to accept a US-proposed deal. According to the semi-official Fars news agency, explosions have been heard near Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and Iran's capital, Tehran
No lessening of tension means more damage for the global economy. The big danger I see is that Trump has more to lose than Iran..... He is desperate for an exit but daren't lessen pressure on Iran and appear to be defeated......

[Stanley]

HERE'S this mornings Iran view.....
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US of opting for a "reckless military adventure" every time a "diplomatic solution is on the table". Iranians would "never bow to pressure", Araghchi said in a post on X, a day after both sides accused each other of launching attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and as the US fired on more Iranian vessels. "Is it a crude pressure tactic?," his Iranian counterpart asked. "Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS [US President Donald Trump] into another quagmire?" Despite the clashes, Trump said the ceasefire was intact. It is meant to enable talks to end the war that the US and Israel launched in February. Iran is expected to respond to US proposals on Friday, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "I hope it's a serious offer, I really do," Rubio said during a visit to Italy.
Sounds like a reasonable interpretation of US actions....

[Stanley]

See THIS report on Lebanon.
Thirty-nine people have been killed in another day of intense Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the country's health ministry said. One Israeli strike on the southern town of Saksakiyeh killed at least seven people, including a child, the ministry said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had been targeting Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and was "aware of reports regarding harm to uninvolved civilians". Israeli forces and Hezbollah have continued to trade fire since US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire deal between the governments of Israel and Lebanon on 16 April. Most of Israel's air strikes have hit southern Lebanon, with the military saying it is striking infrastructure and people linked to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political party. On Saturday, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli strikes across the south, including in Saksakiyeh. The health ministry said that raid "resulted in an initial toll of seven martyrs, including a girl, and 15 wounded, including three children". The IDF said it struck "Hezbollah terrorists operating from within a structure used for military purposes" in the area. "Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians as much as possible, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance," it said. Details of the incident are under review, it added. The Lebanese health ministry reported that another Israeli strike on a motorbike in Nabatieh hit "a Syrian national and his 12-year-old daughter". "After they managed to move away from the site of the first strike, the drone attacked a second time," killing the father, the ministry said, adding the drone then targeted the girl "directly for a third time". The girl was undergoing life-saving surgery, it added. Meanwhile Hezbollah targeted northern Israel with a drone, which the Israeli military said wounded three soldiers.
It becomes more and more obvious that the real war-monger in the Middle East is Netanyahu...... Cease fire doesn't seem to have any meaning to him.....

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest on the Iran situation....
President Donald Trump has dismissed Iran's response to US proposals to end the war as "totally unacceptable". Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said Tehran's proposal, sent via Pakistan, which has served as a mediator, included an immediate end to the war on all fronts, a halt to a US naval blockade and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran. A ceasefire meant to facilitate talks to end the war launched by the US and Israel in February has been largely observed, despite occasional exchanges of fire. Earlier this week, Trump repeated that the war in Iran will be "over quickly". But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium must be "taken out" before the war against Iran can be considered over. "There's still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled," Netanyahu said in an excerpt of an interview due to air on CBS's '60 Minutes' show. On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian did not directly reference the proposal but said: "We will never bow our heads before the enemy, and if talk of dialogue or negotiation arises, it does not mean surrender or retreat." Trump posted on Truth Social: "I have just read the response from Iran's so-called 'Representatives.' I don't like it - TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE." US news outlet Axios reported, external that the one-page, 14-point US memorandum includes provisions such as a suspension on Iranian nuclear enrichment, the lifting of sanctions, and restoring free transit through the Strait of Hormuz. It cited two US officials and two other sources - all unnamed - whom it described as briefed on the issues. These sources were reported as saying that many of the terms laid out in the memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached. Iran has continued to block the Strait of Hormuz - leading to a rise in world oil prices. The US, for its part, has been enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports to exert pressure on Tehran to agree to its terms - a move that has infuriated Iran.
No signs of any agreement and note the fact that Netanyahu is shoving his oar in to impose even more pressure over stocks of enriched uranium.

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest news from Trump land....
Updated 10 minutes ago
US President Donald Trump has said the month-long ceasefire between the US and Iran is on "massive life support". He told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that while the ceasefire remained in place, it was "unbelievably weak". Following Trump's comments, Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf wrote on X that Iran's armed forces were, "ready to respond and to teach a lesson for any aggression." Iran laid out its demands to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a counter-offer sent to the US on Sunday. Trump rejected the proposal, calling it "totally unacceptable" and a "piece of garbage". After Trump's comments, Esmail Baghaei, a foreign ministry spokesperson for Iran, said Tehran's proposals were "responsible" and "generous". After his comments saying Iran's armed forces ready to respond, Ghalibaf said in a separate post on X that there was "no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal". "The longer they drag their feet, the more American taxpayers will pay for it," he said. Tehran's offer includes an immediate end to the war on all fronts - a reference to the continued Israeli attacks against Iran-supported Hezbollah in Lebanon - a halt to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. It also reportedly includes a demand for compensation for war damage and an emphasis on Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump criticised the proposal, writing on Truth Social on Sunday: "I have just read the response from Iran's so-called 'Representatives.' I don't like it - TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE." In response to Trump's comments, Baghaei said Iran would act "in any way necessary to secure our interests". Speaking in the Oval Office later on Monday, Trump addressed the ceasefire between the two countries which has largely been observed since April despite occasional exchanges of fire. He told reporters: "I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support... when the doctor walks in and says, 'Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1 percent chance of living'." The US president said Iran's leaders were "very dishonourable people", adding: "Look, I've had to deal with them four or five times - they change their mind." "That piece of garbage they sent us - I didn't even finish reading it," he said. Trump also accused Iran of going back on an agreement to allow the US to remove its supply of enriched uranium. He insisted that Iran would "never have a nuclear weapon". Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted a source close to the negotiating team as saying: "There is no such thing in Iran's proposal as accepting taking out enriched nuclear material."
Meanwhile.... the economic consequences of the war bite deeper across the globe.