UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly rejected pressure from US President Donald Trump to join the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, telling MPs on April 15 he is “not going to yield” and that it is not in Britain’s national interest to be drawn into the conflict. The remarks followed a Sky News interview in which Mr Trump criticised Mr Starmer, suggested the UK-US tariff agreement “can always be changed” and attacked UK policy on energy and immigration. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and other ministers have voiced frustration at the economic fallout from the Iran war; the IMF has cut its UK growth forecast and warned of wider energy-driven shocks. The diplomatic spat comes as Buckingham Palace released the itinerary for King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s state visit to the United States from April 27, which will include a private tea and state dinner with President Trump and an address to a joint meeting of Congress. Calls from some UK politicians to cancel the visit have been rejected by Downing Street, which says the monarchy’s diplomatic role can help sustain the broader “special relationship.”

Lawyers for President Donald Trump and the Internal Revenue Service told a federal court in mid-April they are engaged in talks to resolve a $10 billion lawsuit the president, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization filed against the IRS and the Treasury Department over the unauthorized disclosure of Trump’s tax records in 2019–2020. In a filing in Miami federal court the parties asked a judge to pause proceedings for 90 days while they “engage in discussions designed to resolve this matter and to avoid protracted litigation.” The suit stems from a breach by a former IRS contractor who later pleaded guilty and was sentenced for stealing and leaking tax files to news outlets. Plaintiffs seek damages for alleged reputational and financial harm. Ethics watchdogs and Democratic lawmakers have raised alarms about the conflict of interest posed by a sitting president negotiating a settlement with agencies he oversees and have proposed legislation to bar presidents and their families receiving such federal settlement payments. Trump has said any proceeds would go to charity; any payout would likely be taxpayer-funded and require court approval.

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - Metropolitan Police and Counter Terrorism Policing London began investigating a suspected security incident after a group posted a video claiming to have targeted the Israeli embassy in Kensington with drones carrying "dangerous substances." Officers sealed off Kensington Gardens, set up cordons and were assessing a number of "discarded items" found near the embassy. A Metropolitan Police chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) unit, forensic teams, divers and officers in protective clothing were deployed as a precaution. The Israeli embassy said its staff were safe and the building had not been attacked. The online footage was apparently posted by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which has claimed responsibility for recent arson attacks in London and other incidents in Europe; police are working to determine the authenticity of the video and any link to the items in the park. Earlier this month detectives charged two men with hostile surveillance of the embassy, and recent arrests have followed suspected attacks on Jewish community sites in the capital.

Federal investigators have begun advanced DNA testing on hair and other genetic material recovered from the Tucson home of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, who was abducted on Feb. 1, 2026, authorities said. Samples that were initially processed at a private Florida laboratory were transferred to the FBI laboratory in recent weeks for next-generation analysis; officials have warned the mixed genetic profile may take months to separate into usable profiles. Guthrie, mother of NBC "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her Catalina Foothills residence after doorbell-camera footage captured a masked person on the night of the disappearance and drops of her blood were found on the porch. The case has drawn intense national attention and generated more than $1.2 million in combined rewards. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department faced backlash after a brief social-media post on April 16 saying "Nancy has been located" referred to a different missing woman, prompting public outrage and renewed criticism of Sheriff Chris Nanos’ handling of the investigation. Law enforcement officials say the Guthrie family has been cleared of suspicion and the probe remains active with multiple labs and federal agents involved.

A fragile diplomatic breakthrough over April 16-18 has eased immediate global market strains as Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz open for commercial traffic during a U.S.-backed 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. President Donald Trump said there was “good news” on Iran and predicted near-term talks, including possible meetings in Islamabad, and said the U.S. would recover enriched uranium from Iran “at a leisurely pace.” Tehran said transits must be coordinated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and that unfreezing frozen Iranian funds was part of the arrangement. Shipping firms and insurers remain cautious: vessel tracking showed a group of about 20 ships attempting transit but many turned back amid unresolved questions over sea lanes and mines. More than a dozen countries have offered assets for a potential international mission to protect shipping once conditions permit. Markets responded swiftly: STOXX 600 rose over 1% and oil plunged about 9-11% (Brent settled near $90.38, WTI $83.85), while gold gained. The ceasefire leaves key issues unresolved — Israeli troop positions in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah’s armament — and the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports remains in place until any deal is finalised.

President Donald Trump told a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix on April 17-18 that a review of U.S. government files on unidentified flying objects and unexplained aerial phenomena (UAP) has uncovered “many very interesting documents,” and that an initial tranche of records will be released “very, very soon.” Trump said he directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other agencies in February to begin identifying and declassifying files related to alien life and UAPs. His comments come amid congressional pressure — including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s request for 46 Pentagon videos by an April 14 deadline and threats of subpoenas — and follow recent hearings and the creation of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The Pentagon has previously said it found no evidence of extraterrestrial technology in past investigations, and a 2024 report attributed most sightings to misidentifications. Pentagon officials did not immediately provide a timeline for disclosure; White House spokespeople and agency leaders have said reviews are underway and compliance is intended. Some reports also noted plans to probe recent deaths and disappearances of scientists, with the FBI mentioned as part of related inquiries.