April 21, 2026 - AS IT BROKE: Trump U-turns, extends ceasefire with Iran, but also US blockade of Strait Simon's live breaking news update for Iain Dale's programme on the UK's LBC.

Trump U-turns, extending the ceasefire with Iran, but also extending his naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
My live, breaking news report for @iaindale.bsky.social's programme on the UK's @lbc.co.uk

🎧: audioboom.com/posts/889369...

Not just an open-ended extension of the ceasefire. But also of the US blockade of the Strait. Iranians won’t be able to believe their luck.

TACO time…

A tale of two outcasts: Iran and South Africa By treating Iran as a rational historical actor with legitimate security concerns, rather than a caricature of evil, the West might finally find a partner for peace. The lessons of history from the Bo...

An interesting perspective from South Africa on the Iran conflict by the excellent Marco Boni.

www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...

The Mandelson fiasco reveals the true nature of Starmerism This is a prime minister who does not understand the difficult trade-offs involved in governing

Ultimately all of this is a product of Starmer's governing style:

Crackers.

Starmer created this ballsup where, in fact, inaction would have helped him. Dame Karen make clear her desire to stay. She spent 2023 and 2024 forging bridges to Trumpworld. Trump himself seemed content with her (maybe too content?) Forcing her out in order to force Mandelson in was madness.

Opinion | "Whatever happens at talks in Islamabad, in Pakistan, it is difficult to see how lasting agreement can spring from Trump-style diplomacy conducted by amateur diplomats," writes Patrick Cockburn trib.al/Abtx1At

Shameful.

Trump’s next big scandal is a problem for the UK FBI Director Kash Patel is in trouble – and British intelligence services will be worried

Trump’s next big scandal is in the pipeline. Mine for @theipaper.com

inews.co.uk/news/world/t...

WHCA Urged to ‘Demonstrate Opposition’ to Trump at Annual Dinner WHCA Urged to 'Demonstrate Opposition' to Trump at Annual Dinner

Nice effort. But this ghastly annual event has demonstrated US media complicity with successive administrations for years, rendering the pearl-clutching less valuable an intervention.

variety.com/2026/tv/news...

Syrian Billionaires Needed a Favor in Washington. They Invoked the Trump Name.

NYT INVESTIGATION: As the Trump administration & Congress last year moved to repeal sanctions on Syria, the Qatar-based family that most stood to benefit was privately negotiating a real-estate partnership with Jared Kushner and proposing a Trump golf course in Syria www.nytimes.com/2026/04/19/u...

No happy pills today....

That’s very kind. Thanks Gem!

Exactly.

Trump's old allies ‘openly questioning his sanity’: Simon Marks' American Week YouTube video by LBC

My "American Week" is now available in a visualised version on LBC's official YouTube channel....you can watch this week's edition here:

📺: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCdW...

Or you can be a purist and catch the radio edition...right over here:

🎧: audioboom.com/posts/889145...

Simon Marks Reporting / April 18, 2026 - Trump can't save himself from Trump, as agreement with Iran now looks uncertain Simon's live update for Matt Frei's Saturday morning programme on the UK's LBC.

Trump can't save himself from Trump, as agreement with Iran now looks uncertain. My live update for Matt Frei’s programme on LBC.

audioboom.com/posts/889173...

From Maga to Orbán: The cracks emerging in the global right - Monocle In recent years, the rise of the right has seemed unstoppable. But are rifts among US Republicans over Iran and...

Latest Foreign Desk on Monocle Radio looks at the degree to which the war in Iran is fracturing MAGA, at home and abroad. With @simonmarksfsn.bsky.social, @kkdumez.bsky.social and @isaacstanleybecker.bsky.social. monocle.com/radio/shows/...

Jaw-dropping reporting by The Atlantic about FBI Director Kash Patel.

It's a definite maybe.

Thanks John!

Cheers, Simon. Thanks for listening!

April 17, 2026 - "American Week": Trump becomes increasingly unstable, enraging once-loyal supporters Simon's weekly chronicle of events in the United States for Tom Swarbrick's Friday drivetime programme on the UK's LBC.

My "American Week" for @tomswarbrick.bsky.social's Friday programme on the UK's @lbc.co.uk.

This week: Trump closes in on a peace deal with Iran, but only after his own erratic behaviour raises huge questions about his mental stability.

🎧: audioboom.com/posts/889145...

Back on your radio sets and YouTube this evening, and here on-demand afterwards.

Reeves vows to cut link between gas and electricity prices in UK Chancellor says she will look at ways of ensuring the wholesale price of electricity is set more often by renewables

Big deal, this. And arguably long overdue.

www.ft.com/content/2adc...

House effort to end Trump's war with Iran fails by one vote The nearly party-line vote of 213-214 shows that Republicans are sticking with the president's military campaign in Iran. Every Democrat except one voted to order an end to the war.

NEWS: House effort to end Trump's war with Iran fails by one vote

213-214.

Republicans are sticking by Trump in favor of the war.

Among Rs:
—The only NO was Massie
—1 (Davidson) voted "present," 3 didn't vote

All but one Democrat (Golden) voted YES.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

BREAKING: Trump announces 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

Algeria last man standing?

‘Starting to lose it’: Washington insiders’ concerns on Trump’s mental state Calls for an intervention are growing with even some former supporters questioning whether the President can cope

My latest dispatch for @theipaper.com on Washington’s belated acceptance that it’s time to talk about the President’s instability.

inews.co.uk/news/world/w...

Spot on.