Who wants what and why from US-Iran peace talks?
There is indirect contact and channels between the two sides - but a deal may still be a long way off.
Ukraine strikes Russian Project 23550 Arctic patrol ship – navalnews.com
- Ukraine strikes Russian Project 23550 Arctic patrol ship navalnews.com
- Exclusive: At least 40% of Russia's oil export capacity halted, Reuters calculations show Reuters
- Fire at Russia’s Ust-Luga Oil Port on Baltic After Drone Attack Bloomberg.com
- Ukraine Hits Russia's Ports Again As Fighting Intensifies Amid Stalled Peace Talks Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- Ukraine Hits Ust-Luga Oil Terminal in Largest Overnight Drone Attack of the Year The Moscow Times
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un welcomed Belarus President Lukashenko to Pyongyang, KCNA says – Reuters
- North Korea's Kim Jong Un welcomed Belarus President Lukashenko to Pyongyang, KCNA says Reuters
- Lukashenko greeted by Kim Jong Un on first visit to North Korea France 24
- Belarusian President Lukashenko arrives in North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un AP News
- Belarus’s Lukashenko makes first visit to North Korea in bid to deepen ties Al Jazeera
- North Korea holds lavish welcome for Belarus president DW.com
Palestine weekly wrap: West Bank attacks surge, Israel restricts Gaza aid
Settler attacks, aid curbs and land seizures mar a week that was meant to be one of celebration for Palestinians.
Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says – Financial Times
- Russia sending drones to Iran, western intelligence says Financial Times
- Europeans Worry Russia Is Preparing to Deliver Drones to Iran The New York Times
- Middle East War Live: Russia sharing intelligence with Iran 'to kill Americans', EU's Kallas says France 24
- Russia arming Iran with drones to bolster war effort The Telegraph
- Russia sharing intelligence with Iran to help ‘kill Americans,’ says EU’s top diplomat politico.eu
From drones to rocket fuel, China and Russia are helping Iran through supply chains – Atlantic Council
- From drones to rocket fuel, China and Russia are helping Iran through supply chains Atlantic Council
- The Guardian view on China and Iran: the war poses bigger questions for Beijing than where to get its oil The Guardian
- Iran war's 5 lessons: Why China is recalibrating missile defence against US, India and beyond The Times of India
- The road to Beijing doesn't run through Tehran Responsible Statecraft
- US-Iran conflict hands China's Xi upper hand ahead of Trump meeting: Experts abcnews.com
Yoav Gallant: How to Finish the Job in Iran – The Free Press
- Yoav Gallant: How to Finish the Job in Iran The Free Press
- Opinion | How Far Will Trump Go in Iran? The New York Times
- Want to understand why Trump is still bombing Iran? Look to Nixon and Vietnam | Kenneth Roth The Guardian
- Editorial: Finish the job! Boston Herald
- Trump Must Finish The Job In Iran Because He’s The Only President That Can AM 870 The ANSWER
Judge orders Trump officials to return Daca recipient deported to Mexico
Removal of Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez after arrest during green-card appointment decried as ‘flagrant violation’ of legal rights
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) to the United States, ruling that her deportation to Mexico last month was a “flagrant violation” of the legal protections afforded to immigrants who arrived in the country as children.
Judge Dena Coggins said in her Monday ruling the administration must return Maria de Jesus Estrada Juarez, a Daca recipient, to the United States within seven days. She was arrested on 18 February in Sacramento during her green-card appointment, and was deported to Mexico the next day.
Continue reading...Nottingham attack victims tested for drugs but killer was not, inquiry told
Father of Grace O’Malley-Kumar calls decision to take sample from his daughter after her death ‘disgusting’
The father of a university student killed while trying to protect her friend from Valdo Calocane in Nottingham told an inquiry it is “disgusting” the stabbing victims were tested for drugs and alcohol but their killer was not.
Sanjoy Kumar, Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s father, said he could not understand why the diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic had not been tested for drugs while in custody after the attacks.
Continue reading...UN votes to recognise enslavement of Africans as ‘gravest crime against humanity’
The landmark resolution calls for an apology and contributions to a reparations fund, without specifying an amount.
Israel preparing to shift pace, targets of Iran strikes if Trump announces truce – Haaretz
- Israel preparing to shift pace, targets of Iran strikes if Trump announces truce Haaretz
- Israel Races to Hit Iran Hard While It Still Can, Officials Say The New York Times
- Israel Races to Pound Iran’s Arms Production Before War Ends WSJ
- Netanyahu says Iran is being 'decimated' but revolution requires 'ground component' CNBC
- Netanyahu orders 48-hour strike surge on Iran fearing Trump may halt war: Report Anadolu Ajansı
Sharks Are Testing Positive For Cocaine And Caffeine in The Bahamas – ScienceAlert
- Sharks Are Testing Positive For Cocaine And Caffeine in The Bahamas ScienceAlert
- Sharks are ingesting drugs in the Bahamas Science News
- Cocaine, caffeine and painkillers consumed by sharks in Bahamas, study finds CBS News
- Cocaine-fueled sharks are on the prowl in the Caribbean — scientists blame partying tourists New York Post
- Sharks testing positive for cocaine and painkillers are prowling in the Caribbean The Independent
Overseas political funding capped and crypto donations blocked in blow to Reform UK
Legislation subject to MPs’ approval but will be backdated due to urgency of threat to UK democracy, says minister
Keir Starmer is set to embark on a fundamental overhaul of the political finance system, starting with an emergency ban on cryptocurrency donations and £100,000 cap on donations from Britons living abroad in a blow to Reform UK.
In a hugely significant move, the government said it would bring in the annual cap as well as a moratorium on crypto donations from Wednesday as part of its new elections legislation.
Requiring third-party campaigners to declare donations all year round, not just election periods, and allowing funding only from permissible donors.
More stringent checks on the source of funds from political donors, bringing it more into line with know-your-customer checks in the financial services industry.
Preventing donations from shell companies by ensuring funding is from post-tax profits rather than revenue.
Requiring foreign consultant lobbyists to join the official register, from which they are currently exempt because they do not charge VAT.
Banning foreign-funded political adverts outright.
Continue reading...Bernie Sanders and AOC introduce bill to pause building of new datacenters
Lawmakers say moratorium on construction would buy time to create strong, federal guardrails for AI
Amid an unprecedented energy crisis and the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure, progressive lawmakers have unveiled a new policy to place a moratorium on the construction of AI datacenters.
The policy, announced by Bernie Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democratic representative, on Wednesday morning, aims to ensure the AI boom protects the environment and communities, and benefits workers instead of harming them. A temporary ban, the lawmakers say, would give the US government time to create strong federal safeguards for AI, which is “affecting everything from our economy and wellbeing to our democracy, warfare and our kids’ education”.
Continue reading...Resident doctors in England to begin six-day strike after rejecting offer in pay dispute
British Medical Association blame government for longest proposed walkout so far, with NHS leaders warning it could cost £300m
Resident doctors in England will strike for six days after Easter after rejecting what they said was the final offer by the health secretary, Wes Streeting, to end the long-running pay and jobs dispute.
The British Medical Association blamed the government for its decision to undertake its longest stoppage so far, from 7am on Tuesday 7 April to 6.59 on Monday 13 April.
Continue reading...Iran rejects US ceasefire plan and submits its own amid push for talks
Tehran puts forward five-point counter-proposal and says war will end when it decides and on its terms
Iran dismissed a US ceasefire proposal on Wednesday and countered with a negotiation plan of its own as intermediaries sought to keep diplomatic channels between the warring countries open.
Iranian state TV quoted an anonymous official as saying Tehran had rejected the plan it had received via Pakistan, saying it would “end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met”, and until then would continue fighting across the region.
Continue reading...Mark Carney rebukes Air Canada chief over English-only crash message
The prime minister says the condolence video after the fatal LaGuardia crash revived anger over linguistic rights
Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has said a decision by Air Canada’s top executive to post an English-only message of condolence after a deadly crash in New York showed a “lack of judgment, a lack of compassion”.
Amid growing calls for his resignation, the airline chief’s misstep has once again revived frustrations and fears over linguistic rights protections in the province of Quebec, where French is the only official language.
Continue reading...Trump pitches Iran peace plan but military buildups rarely veer to off-ramp
Tehran skeptical of president’s offer – and troop deployments for potential ground operations – suggest claim of imminent end to war not credible
Somewhere between the strait of Hormuz and the screens of Bloomberg terminals around the world, the standard laws of cause and effect appear to have been suspended for Donald Trump’s war in Iran.
Trump this week soft-launched his latest Iran peace talks – which he has said must be accepted or “we’ll just keep bombing our little hearts out” – with few details or proof that anyone in the Iranian regime was willing to listen to him. The ultimatum was described as “maximalist” by Iran and quickly derided as a non-starter by analysts and former government officials.
Continue reading...Italy’s tourism minister resigns under pressure from Meloni after referendum defeat – AP News
- Italy’s tourism minister resigns under pressure from Meloni after referendum defeat AP News
- Meloni’s referendum defeat shows the cost of the Trump factor | Riccardo Alcaro The Guardian
- Italy tourism minister quits in Meloni's post-referendum purge Reuters
- Italy’s opposition sees its chance to beat Meloni. But it needs a leader, and a plan. politico.eu
- Giorgia Meloni’s big setback in Italy The Economist
UN votes to describe slave trade as ‘gravest crime against humanity’
Members call for reparatory justice as landmark resolution aims for ‘political recognition at the highest level’
The United Nations has voted to describe the transatlantic chattel slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” and called for reparations as “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs”.
The landmark resolution passed on Wednesday was backed by the African Union (AU) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom). It had been proposed by Ghana’s president, John Dramani Mahama, who said: “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.”
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