Agents seized phones and laptops of Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a group that does voter registration work

The FBI raided the office of a voting rights group in Ohio on Thursday, prompting immediate concerns the Trump administration is cracking down on such organizations ahead of the midterm elections.

FBI agents raided the Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a grassroots group that does voter registration work, said Prentiss Haney, a board member of the group. Agents seized computers and phones, he said, and also showed up at homes of people affiliated with the group throughout the state and interviewed them.

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© Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

US president dismisses Iranian media reports agreement is close, despite earlier suggesting a deal could be signed this weekend

Prospects for an immediate end to the war between Iran and the US remained uncertain on Friday amid a chaotic series of conflicting claims and counter-claims by US and Iranian officials about ongoing negotiations.

Donald Trump seemed to distance himself from his earlier comments that suggested a preliminary agreement could be signed as soon as this weekend, with a series of angry social media posts describing the Iranians as “very dishonorable people to deal with”.

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© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

New batch of government documents takes no position on origin of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs)

A possible UFO sighting over a busy southern African airport, and yet more mysterious glowing orbs in the sky above the US, feature in the latest batch of previously classified documents released by the Pentagon on Friday in its stated quest for “transparency” amid the irrepressible debate about the chances of extraterrestrial life.

In keeping with the first two document drops of government papers last month, Friday’s tranche of more than 50 files contains no proof that the tantalizing videos and written accounts of possible alien encounters are anything other than perception, vivid imagination or conspiracy theories.

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© Photograph: War Department

© Photograph: War Department

© Photograph: War Department

The prime minister of Pakistan said Friday the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement on a peace framework to end the more than 100-day war. The country has been leading the mediation efforts between the two sides to bring the Middle East hostilities to an end and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The effective closure…

The prime minister of Pakistan said Friday the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement on a peace framework to end the more than 100-day war. The country has been leading the mediation efforts between the two sides to bring the Middle East hostilities to an end and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The effective closure…

The Trump administration is pushing back against reported details regarding the proposed deal with Iran, with Vice President Vance insisting Tehran would not be “receiving any cash” under the agreement. Vance on Friday morning reupped President Trump’s dismissal of details leaked by Tehran about a possible memorandum of understanding between the two sides.  “I’m seeing…

The Trump administration is pushing back against reported details regarding the proposed deal with Iran, with Vice President Vance insisting Tehran would not be “receiving any cash” under the agreement. Vance on Friday morning reupped President Trump’s dismissal of details leaked by Tehran about a possible memorandum of understanding between the two sides.  “I’m seeing…

Trump administration created fund to resolve his lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns

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A federal judge in Virginia has extended an order blocking the Trump administration’s nearly $1.8bn slush fund, saying the administration’s public statements that the fund was dead were not assuring enough.

The US district judge Leonie Brinkema, an appointee of Bill Clinton, said she would lift her order if the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, and the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, filed a declaration under penalty of perjury that the fund was not moving forward in the next week.

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© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump on Thursday suggested the federal government could “take back” Washington if the democratic socialist candidate wins the race to replace outgoing Mayor Muriel Bowser. “I wouldn’t like it — and maybe we take back Washington, run it on the federal basis,” Trump said when asked what he would do if a “crazy socialist”…

President Trump on Thursday suggested the federal government could “take back” Washington if the democratic socialist candidate wins the race to replace outgoing Mayor Muriel Bowser. “I wouldn’t like it — and maybe we take back Washington, run it on the federal basis,” Trump said when asked what he would do if a “crazy socialist”…

President Trump on Friday discredited details of a new U.S.-Iran peace deal that Tehran shared with various news organizations. “The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.  “What they said, including their weak…

President Trump on Friday discredited details of a new U.S.-Iran peace deal that Tehran shared with various news organizations. “The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.  “What they said, including their weak…

The Washington National Opera (WNO) filed a lawsuit Thursday, alleging that the Kennedy Center failed to return more than $17 million in donations made to the organization after its split from the venue earlier this year.  The WNO cited the Kennedy Center’s position as a federally chartered entity and its membership in the Smithsonian Institution…

The Washington National Opera (WNO) filed a lawsuit Thursday, alleging that the Kennedy Center failed to return more than $17 million in donations made to the organization after its split from the venue earlier this year.  The WNO cited the Kennedy Center’s position as a federally chartered entity and its membership in the Smithsonian Institution…

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Thursday evening that President Trump’s account of the state of negotiations to end the Iran war “lacks a lot of credibility.”  Trump earlier in the day threatened ramped-up strikes on Tehran but later canceled them with a promise that Iran’s supreme leader had approved a deal to reopen the Strait…

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Thursday evening that President Trump’s account of the state of negotiations to end the Iran war “lacks a lot of credibility.”  Trump earlier in the day threatened ramped-up strikes on Tehran but later canceled them with a promise that Iran’s supreme leader had approved a deal to reopen the Strait…

Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson took a swipe at President Trump over the way he is “selling” the ongoing military operation with Iran to the American people. “As of right now, Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz. It did not when this war began. Now it does,” Carlson said on a recent episode of his podcast…

Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson took a swipe at President Trump over the way he is “selling” the ongoing military operation with Iran to the American people. “As of right now, Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz. It did not when this war began. Now it does,” Carlson said on a recent episode of his podcast…

President Trump called for Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (D-Md.) expulsion from Congress on Thursday afternoon and claimed the lawmaker would “be in jail” if not for a pardon from former President Biden.  Trump responded on Truth Social to a post from conservative commentator Mark Levin, who warned that the Maryland Democrat was “already leading a plot…

President Trump called for Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (D-Md.) expulsion from Congress on Thursday afternoon and claimed the lawmaker would “be in jail” if not for a pardon from former President Biden.  Trump responded on Truth Social to a post from conservative commentator Mark Levin, who warned that the Maryland Democrat was “already leading a plot…