Japan eases arms export rules to enable weapons sales The Japanese government revised limits on defense equipment exports Tuesday to enable the sale of weapons overseas, as it seeks to boost security cooperation with partner countries.

Japan eases arms export rules to enable weapons sales

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This is completely false, that’s not how things work.

North Korea Uses Cluster Bombs in Latest Missile Test: KCNA North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles that tested the power of its cluster munitions, its government news agency said on Monday, confirming the latest in a flurry of launches by th...

North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles that tested the power of its cluster munitions, its government news agency said on Monday, confirming the latest in a flurry of launches by the nuclear-armed state

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Even with them attending, signs are not pointing in a positive direction. But Trump also desperately wants an out, so an extension of the ceasefire is very possible.

Next 48 hours will be critical to see where this goes.

Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators urged the Iranians to come to the meeting.-Axios

White House spent all of Monday waiting for a signal from Tehran that it would send its negotiating team to Islamabad.

A source with knowledge said the Iranians were stalling amid apparent pressure from the IRGC on the negotiators to hold a firmer line: no talks without an end to the U.S. blockade

24 sorties of PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 11 out of 24 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ.

Iran’s Supreme Leader has given the green light for the Iranian negotiating team to travel to Islamabad. -Axios

PBS Reporter: "Will Iran participate in the Islamabad talks?"

Trump: "I don't know, but they should be there."

Reporter: "What if they don't show up?"

Trump: "That's fine too. If they show up, great, and if not, that's great too."

President Trump isn't inclined to extend the deadline past Wednesday evening, when it expires, according to a White House official.-WSJ

Pakistani media reporting that Pakistan has asked the United States and Iran to extend the ceasefire by an additional two weeks, and tomorrow its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may announce the extension of the ceasefire.-Al-Arabiya

Chavez-DeRemer stepping down as Labor secretary The scandal-ridden secretary is the latest member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to exit.

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is stepping down from her Cabinet post amid a series of misconduct allegations against her and her top staffers.

www.politico.com/news/2026/04...

We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf:

By imposing a blockade and violating the ceasefire, Trump seeks to turn the negotiating table into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering.

Vice President Vance is expected to head to Islamabad on Tuesday, according to U.S. officials.- NYT

Senior Iranian negotiators will only travel to talks in Pakistan if Vance is present. -MS Now

Kuwait declares force majeure on oil shipments amid Hormuz blockade, Bloomberg News reports Kuwait has declared force majeure on ​shipments of crude oil ‌and refined products after a blockade of the ​Strait of Hormuz ​prevented some vessels from entering ⁠the Persian Gulf, ​hindering its abi...

Kuwait declares force majeure on oil shipments amid Hormuz blockade, Bloomberg News reports reut.rs/4vFA2ET

More Trump on Iran:

Distrust, dishonesty and Trump's elusive Iran deal "He doesn't want to fight anymore. But he will if he feels he has to."

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Trump had said the bombing campaign that started Feb. 28 would wrap up within six weeks, and he made sure to meet that deadline. But that may have "just been phase one," the official said.

"We're in phase two now. If phase three is more bombing or a peace deal, it's up to the Iranians."

Trump and his team are now discussing what a renewed military campaign would look like, including whether to attempt to seize the strategic Kharg Island.

More Trump on Iran:

Trump on Iran:

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday she was not aware U.S. embassy officials were working with the northern state of Chihuahua to combat drug cartels and said her government would review whether national security law was broken, after the officials died in a car crash.-Reuters

Trump said that the Iran ceasefire expires "Wednesday evening Washington time.”

That's a day LATER than the deadline many had assumed (Tuesday evening) since the ceasefire was originally announced as lasting "two weeks.”-Bloomberg

The captain of the Touska, seized by U.S. Marines after being disabled, is an IRGC operative who intentionally ignored repeated warnings.-IranWire

Pakistani source to Al Jazeera: The second round of negotiations between Iran and the US is expected to begin tomorrow at noon. According to that same Pakistani source, the Iranian delegation is expected to arrive tomorrow morning close to the arrival of the American delegation.-Kan News

Vance is scheduled to depart Washington for Pakistan on Tuesday and with the long flight, an Iranian delegation will have ample time to travel from Tehran.-NYT

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the influential political and military figure leading the talks, will attend if Vice President JD Vance also attends, the two officials said.

An Iranian delegation is making plans to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday for negotiations with the United States, according to two senior Iranian officials familiar with the plans.

CENTCOM: Since the commencement of the blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas, U.S. forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port.