live U.S. and Iran hold direct talks in Pakistan aimed at ending the Middle East conflict - Saturday, 11 April
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Vice President JD Vance have arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at eas...
Donald Trump’s flagship bill has passed the House. It promises tax cuts, military spending, and deep cuts to social programmes. The price: $2.4 trillion added to the U.S. debt.
After a 24-hour session, House Republicans have approved Trump’s most ambitious economic plan. It passed 215 to 214, by a single vote.
The bill, named the One Big Beautiful Bill, stretches across tax, immigration, and budget policy. It renews Trump-era tax cuts. It adds new pledges: no taxes on tips or overtime pay.
Trump called it a “deal for working Americans.” Economists see rising debt. The Congressional Budget Office projects it will add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over ten years.
To compensate, the bill slashes more than $1 trillion from social safety net programmes. It includes nearly $500 billion in cuts to Medicare. It could strip Medicaid from 8.7 million people. An additional 7.6 million may lose health coverage.
Despite the scale, Trump’s allies say the bill boosts growth. “You’ll have more money in your pocket,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. “Businesses will hire more. The economy will take off.”
Markets disagreed. Bond yields rose on Wednesday as investors signalled unease. Some lawmakers echoed that concern.
“This bill is a debt bomb ticking,” said Rep. Thomas Massie. “Congress can pretend. Bond markets won’t.”
Trump personally brokered the vote. He lobbied holdouts by phone. He rallied Republicans at his Florida resort. When the bill stalled, he summoned budget hawks to the White House. By nightfall, they flipped.
“He’s the closer,” said Rep. Eric Burlison. “The maestro of the deal.”
But the party remains split. Conservatives say the bill spends too much. Moderates say it cuts too deep.
Disputes over Medicaid, food assistance, and state tax deductions boiled over. Trump told Republicans not to “mess around” with Medicaid. But interpretations varied. Some read it as a warning. Others saw it as cover to trim excess.
The bill now moves to the Senate. It faces further negotiation, and likely revision. Some Republicans want deeper cuts. Others want softer language.
What began as a campaign slogan is now a legislative test. Trump delivered the House. The Senate is next.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Vice President JD Vance have arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at easing regional tensions, as Pakistan hosts the discussions. Meanwhile, Lebanon and Israel are set to hold rare negotiations in Washington next Tuesday.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to one daily flight to its airports until 31 May due to the Iran crisis, raising fears of significant revenue losses for Indian carriers, industry letters show.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday an Easter ceasefire with Ukraine lasting 32-hours and said that Kyiv has agreed to abide by the measure. The ceasefire is expected to begin at 16:00 (13:00 GMT) on Saturday 11 April and last until midnight Sunday 12 April, the Kremlin said.
Ismail Omar Guelleh has been re-elected for a sixth term with 97.8% of the vote, according to state media, extending his nearly three-decade hold on power in the small but strategically significant East African nation.
Australia and Singapore have agreed to deepen cooperation on energy security as global fuel markets come under strain from disruption linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
Donald Trump’s flagship plan for post-war Gaza has come under scrutiny after reports that its financing is falling short of expectations, claims firmly rejected by the White House-backed Board of Peace.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, is suing him for libel at the High Court in London, according to a court record published on Friday (10 April).
The European Union and Washington are nearing an agreement to coordinate the production and security of critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday (10 April).
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