Vinaida has attracted around 100 visitors a day since opening in February, according to manager Kim Hae-seol. Each service costs up to 8,000 won ($5.50)

Britain and France have agreed a new three-year deal to stop undocumented migrants making the risky journey across the English Channel, according to a French interior ministry roadmap seen by AFP Wednesday.

Under the deal, France pledged to increase law enforcement on the coast by more than half to fight irregular migration to Britain -- reaching 1,400 officers by 2029.

Britain will meanwhile provide up to 766 million euros ($897 million) in funding -- though nearly a quarter of that will have strings attached and be paid only if the French measures work.

The cross-Channel neighbours have been wrangling for months over the renewal of the Sandhurst treaty, which sets out the UK's financial contribution to French efforts to stop migrants attempting the perilous sea crossing to Britain.

The UK has long accused France of doing too little to prevent would-be asylum seekers -- a hot-button issue in British politics -- from setting off from French shores, with smugglers and migrants taking ever-greater risks to avoid detection.

As a result, London insisted it would only renew the Sandhurst treaty -- first signed in 2018, extended in 2023 and set to expire this year -- if it could impose conditions on how British taxpayers' money is used by the French government.

According to the French ministry roadmap, if the new measures do not deliver "sufficient results, based on a joint annual assessment, the funding will be redirected to new actions".

Even if the conditional portion is not paid, however, the UK's core contribution of 580 million euros still represents a 40-million-euro hike on what it paid under the last treaty.

French interior minister Laurent Nunez and his UK counterpart Shabana Mahmood are set to lay out further details of the plan on Thursday while on a visit to a building site of an accommodation centre for people set to be deported from France at Loon-Plage, near Dunkirk.

- 29 dead at sea -

The deal's renewal comes at a crunch time for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who faces political pressure from the right to curb immigration.

On top of that, the centre-left leader is engulfed in an unrelenting scandal over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Many believe Starmer's political survival relies on his Labour party defying predictions of a chastening set of defeats in May's local elections, caught between a surging Green party to the left and hard-right anti-immigrant firebrand Nigel Farage's Reform UK.

Besides the step-up in law enforcement on the beaches, France is looking to deploy drones, helicopters and digital resources to "better prevent attempted crossings" and reduce the number of departures, particularly of "taxi boats", the roadmap said.

"A large share of the resources planned under this partnership will be concentrated from the start of the summer and throughout the summer period," traditionally the peak period for small boat crossings, the document says.

By the terms of the international law of the sea, once a boat has set off from shore, the authorities can only intervene to save people from drowning.

According to official figures from the British authorities, 41,472 people reached the UK irregularly in small boats in 2025, the second-highest figure since large-scale crossings were first detected in 2018.

At least 29 migrants died at sea in the Channel in 2025, according to an AFP tally based on official French and British sources.

The French side has pointed to the fact that since the beginning of 2026, arrivals to the United Kingdom have halved compared with the same period last year. Around 480 smugglers have also been arrested in 2025, according to the French interior ministry.

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By extending a ceasefire indefinitely with Iran, President Donald Trump appears to be searching for a way out of a costly war, but Tehran may be unwilling to give him a win.

Trump has insisted on maintaining a naval blockade, which Iran is demanding must end before it can consider any agreement to end the conflict launched on February 28 by Israel and the United States.

For Trump, who boasts of his prowess to secure big deals quickly through his team of business buddies, negotiating with Iran's Islamic republic presents an ultimate contrast -- methodical, unyielding diplomats ready to fight for the long haul against what they see as a deceitful enemy.

Trump had raised hopes of progress at a second round of talks in Pakistan, with Vice President JD Vance designated to fly out, but Iran refused to confirm its attendance and Vance stayed home.

With a two-week ceasefire set to end, and Gulf Arab allies of the United States bracing for potential new Iranian strikes, Trump said he was extending the ceasefire because Iran's leadership, decimated by the war, was "fractured" and needed time to come up with a proposal.

"He really could have doubled down and engaged in more reckless military action. But so far he has stopped digging himself into a deeper hole," said Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute who studies Iran.

For Trump, who campaigned on promises to shun military interventionism, the war has proven politically disastrous, facing opposition from even his Republican base.

Iran responded to being attacked by exerting control over the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway for one-fifth of the world's oil, making American consumers pay more at the pump months before congressional elections.

- Seeking to exhaust all options -

Despite suffering losses, Iran's clerical state is not on the verge of collapsing and will not surrender, said Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli intelligence expert on Iran now at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies and the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

Trump "does not want escalation. I am not saying there is not going to be one, but he is trying to really exhaust any political option," he said.

"I think Trump is fed up with this war and more than that he understands, despite what he is saying, that the price is only going to intensify. It's not going to decrease," Citrinowicz said.

But Iranian leaders are deeply suspicious of Trump, whose negotiators were discussing a deal with them days before the United States and Israel attacked -- a pattern also seen last June, with the two sides talking just before an Israeli bombing campaign then.

Both Trump and Iran's ruling clerics are sensitive to any suggestion of backing down.

In declaring the naval blockade during the ceasefire, Trump had forced Iran to respond, undermining his own diplomacy "for the sake of optics and looking strong," Vatanka said.

In one potential off-ramp, Vatanka said that the United States could maintain the blockade but not enforce it rigorously.

"The Iranians would know if it's not being enforced because that is easy to measure," Vatanka said.

Iran could call it a win but if they insist on a full opening, "that tells me they're more interested in the optics than actually getting a deal. It would be a mistake on their part," Vatanka said.

- How big a blockade? -

Trump has not indicated any let-up on the blockade so far. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who long advocated for striking Iran, indicated the blockade could now serve as the key US means of pressure.

Graham wrote on X that he had concluded after speaking with Trump on Wednesday that "the blockade will be growing and that it could become global soon."

Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the progressive Center for International Policy, said Trump had a choice on the blockade -- lifting it, which would reinforce to Iran how much leverage it had gained, or keeping it and risking ending the ceasefire.

"The prevailing view in Tehran is that time is on its side and that a prolonged conflict would impose mounting costs on the US and the global economy," he said.

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Tesla reported higher first-quarter profits Wednesday, pointing to recovering demand in North America as it pursues significant investments in autonomous transport and artificial intelligence.

Elon Musk's electric vehicle company reported profits of $477 million, up 17 percent from the year-ago period, while revenues jumped 16 percent to $22.4 billion.

Analysts were expected to scrutinize Tesla's aggressive spending plan on Wednesday's conference call.

Tesla had previously disclosed an uptick in car sales during the period but its earnings press release gave more color on where the sales came from.

The company is experiencing "continued growth" in Asia and South America, "while also seeing a rebound of demand in both Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) and North America," it said.

Tesla said it was on track to commence "volume production" of both its Cybercab and Tesla Semi this year, while preparations for a first major factory to produce Optimus robots will begin in the second quarter.

But the results were flattering compared to particularly weak sales figures in the 2025 period when Tesla faced boycotts over Musk's leadership of a Trump administration initiative targeting government spending. 

Musk left the White House later in spring 2025 but has continued to speak out on political issues.

Heading into earnings season, several analysts had expressed misgivings about Musk's plan to invest more than $20 billion in 2026 on technology ventures, a spending spree expected to result in negative cash flow for the year.

Those concerns were not directly addressed in the press release, which pledged to make "necessary investments" in order to "realize our mission of Amazing Abundance."

The outlook page in Tesla's earnings packet gave no specifics beyond pledging a "strong balance sheet." The company also avoided an annual production forecast.

Musk has said the investments will lead to stratospheric growth, helping lift Tesla's valuation to around $1.5 trillion.

- Spending leads to 'heartburn' -

Analysts at Morgan Stanley pointed out that Tesla was poised to pass 10 million miles driven on its "FSD" driver-assistance program. 

"This symbolic milestone reinforces Tesla's autonomy lead, but with capex doubling and (free cash flow) turning negative, investors will need clearer evidence that unsupervised autonomy is around the corner to support the stock's valuation," said the Morgan Stanley report. It also noted that progress on Tesla's robotaxi rollout had slowed after the initial launch in Austin last year.

Although Musk's leadership at Tesla and his other companies has made him the world's richest person, he has regularly overstated the nearness of fully autonomous driving over the years.

CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson pointed to investor "heartburn" at Tesla's spending plans, questioning whether some of the ventures should be pared back in light of economic uncertainty tied to spiking oil prices.

"What worries investors is the fact that the company hasn't quantified the expected returns on these projects, raising concerns that Tesla is potentially acting recklessly," said Nelson, adding that more disclosure about investment return would reassure investors. 

On the other side, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has set a target price of $600 on Tesla shares, an increase of 55 percent from Wednesday's level.

Ives expects Wednesday's conference call to yield more clarity on the company's AI investments, as well as autonomous driving ventures such as FSD and the robotaxi.

"We believe the Street is at a crossroads with Tesla as the bulls and bears debate how quickly the AI era will take shape over the coming year," Ives said, adding that growth in FSD will "change the financial model/margins for Tesla looking ahead."

Shares of Tesla rose 4.1 percent in after-hours trading.

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(The Center Square) - Washington Senate Minority Leader John Braun says documents obtained by The Center Square that reveal months of communication between the office of Attorney General Nick Brown and Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, the prime sponsor of the recently passed income tax law, demonstrate it was all about putting together a bill that would overturn nearly 100 years of legal precedent and keep voters out of the process.

“It’s both stunning and not really that big of a surprise at the same time,” said Braun in an interview with The Center Square. “It’s stunning that they would be so blatant, so transparent, and so obviously focused on putting together a bill that would change the almost 100-year-old reading of our state's constitution, and very plainly work to keep the voters out.”

In an email to The Center Square Wednesday, Let’s Go Washington (LGW) announced the filing of a supplemental brief to their upcoming case challenging the constitutionality of the income tax to block a referendum.

“The brief asks the State Supreme Court to consider communications between the Attorney General’s Office (AG) and Senator Jamie Pedersen as additional evidence against the need for a necessity clause. After 988 pages of documents were provided to The Center Square without redaction, it became clear that the documentation was pertinent to LGW’s case against the emergency clause,” wrote LGW.

The supplemental brief asks the court to consider what Solicitor General Noah Purcell wrote in one of his email communications with Senator Pedersen: “Last but not least, unless I missed it, I did not see an emergency clause. Without one, someone could try to subject the bill to a referendum. It should not be subject to referendum because it raises revenue, but under the Secretary of State’s longstanding practice, they only reject proposed referenda if the bill has an emergency clause, so someone would have to sue to prevent a referendum on the bill as written. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of that.” 

(The Center Square) – Republican lawmakers pushed back Wednesday against the Trump administration's tariff policies during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing.

They raised concerns about the impact on small businesses, farmers and manufacturers in their districts, even as U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the program as a success.

Greer told the committee that President Donald Trump inherited the largest trade deficit in American history, $1.2 trillion annually, and argued that a combination of tariffs and new trade deals has started to reverse that trend.

"Since the introduction of the President's reciprocal trade program in April 2025 through February 2026, the U.S. trade deficit in goods decreased by 24% compared with the same period a year earlier," Greer said in his opening statement.

He also cited record export numbers, with U.S. exports reaching $315 billion in February 2026. Manufacturing wages increased by 4.7% and productivity rose 2.4% in the last quarter of 2025, according to Greer.

Several Republican members countered that the administration's positive economic data does not align with what they are hearing from constituents.

U.S. Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, who represents a district of about 800,000 people across Cuyahoga, Medina, Wayne and Holmes counties, said the tariff policy is hurting small and medium-sized businesses that can't pass costs on to consumers.

"This tariff policy, it isn't working for them, and it is not a net positive. It is a net negative," Miller said. "These are people, regardless of political affiliation."

Miller asked Greer to commit to opening a waiver and exclusion office to provide relief to struggling businesses.

Greer declined Miller's request, saying the president "personally has been very direct. He doesn't want to do this," adding that exclusions give companies "an excuse not to reshore."

Greer pointed to federal register notices and ongoing tariff investigations as opportunities for public comment but stopped short of committing to formal relief. He said he was open to working with Congress to codify tariff policy.

U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Ill., raised concerns from his state's agricultural community, noting that about 40% of the corn and soybeans grown in his district are exported. He said a recent meeting with his 40-member agricultural advisory committee revealed significant anxiety.

"I just want to stress the anxiety and the uncertainty in the ag community right now," LaHood said, citing concerns about prices, diesel costs and fertilizer, as well as competition from Brazil and Argentina for global soybean markets.

The National Corn Growers Association has also raised alarms, urging the administration to shield farmers from higher tariff costs. "Farmers must have relief from additional cost pressures on inputs," the group wrote in a public comment.

Greer responded that agriculture is a priority in every trade deal the administration negotiates, citing purchase commitments from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, among others. He also noted corn exports rose by double digits last year.

LaHood also pressed Greer on the upcoming July 1 deadline for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement review, asking for assurances that agricultural market access would be protected. Greer acknowledged that the deal cannot simply be rubber-stamped.

"We don't think we're in a position to rubber-stamp the deal," Greer said. "We now have six years of data, and we see problems. We also see good areas. We think [agriculture] is a great place, so we want to maintain that, but we do have other areas we need to fix."

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., raised concerns about manufacturers in his state who followed the administration's call to reshore production, making long-term capital investments to build integrated North American supply chains, only to now face tariffs on imported inputs they cannot source domestically.

"They rely on inputs, machinery, components and raw materials that may not be produced in the United States, and in many cases can't be," Kustoff said.

Greer pointed to accommodations the Commerce Department has made for USMCA-compliant parts in the automotive sector and suggested manufacturers engage directly with Commerce on their concerns. He also offered a broader argument for certainty.

"If you build in America, you don't pay a tariff on what you build in America," Greer said. "That's the most certain."

Kustoff pressed for more concrete assurances for manufacturers who have already reshored. Greer did not offer specific commitments beyond redirecting to Commerce.

The hearing came as the Trump administration began processing refunds of $166 billion in tariff revenue collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, after the Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump exceeded his authority in imposing the tariffs. Hours after that ruling, Trump imposed a 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which now faces its own legal challenge. 

Multiple economic studies have found that U.S. businesses and consumers are bearing the brunt of Trump's tariffs. 

A March Center Square Voters' Voice Poll found that 42% of voters say American consumers primarily bear the cost of tariffs, while just 12% think foreign countries pay.

A benefit concert was held Wednesday in tribute to the victims of a New Year's fire that killed 41 people at an upscale Swiss ski resort, nearly four months on from the tragedy.

The concert brought together the families of victims and some of those who survived the fire, which erupted at a bar in the Alpine town of Crans-Montana in the early hours of January 1.

Most of those killed in disaster at Le Constellation bar were teenagers, while 115 people were injured.

At the concert, staged at the Salle Metropole theatre in Lausanne, the performing artists came onto the stage to a song written about the tragedy called "Etoile de nos coeurs" ("Star of our Hearts"), and lined up holding white roses.

Beforehand, the families of the victims gathered in the foyer. There were hugs, smiles and some tears.

"It's about solidarity. To all the victims, up there or here on Earth, it means one thing: we haven't forgotten you," Laetitia Brodard-Sitre, whose 16-year-old son Arthur was among those killed, told AFP.

"We're in survival mode. Half of our hearts have been ripped away," she added.

"It keeps alive the memory of all those who were hurt, both physically and emotionally."

Tickets cost from 90 Swiss francs ($115), with the proceeds going towards Swisshearts -- an association founded by parents affected by the disaster.

The participating artists -- performing for free -- included Gjon's Tears, who finished third for Switzerland at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest.

"There were a lot of young people, and even today, four months later, they find it hard to talk about it," the singer told AFP.

"These were young people who just wanted to party and have fun.

"Being close in age to the majority of the victims... I think we can relate to it," the 27-year-old said.

Also on the bill was the veteran Italian singer Richard Cocciante.

"We need to think about the people who are no longer here," the 80-year-old told AFP, adding that music "certainly helps; I don't know if it can heal, but it helps".

- 38 still in hospitals, clinics -

A total of 13 people are under criminal investigation in connection with the disaster, including the bar's owners and several current and former local officials.

The fire hit the Lausanne region hard.

Several of those killed were from the suburb of Lutry. Its football team lost seven players in the fire, with more injured in the disaster.

For many survivors badly burned in the fire, the journey towards resuming a normal life, where possible, is far from over, with lengthy hospital treatment followed by spells in rehabilitation and readaptation clinics.

Switzerland's Federal Office for Civil Protection told AFP on Wednesday that 38 patients were still in hospitals and clinics, including 19 in neighbouring countries.

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(The Center Square) - Candidates in Georgia’s 13th congressional district and other state leaders mourned the death of Rep. David Scott, D-Ga.

Scott was first elected to Congress in 2002 and is the fifth member to die in office since January 2025. The Georgia Democrat qualified to seek his 13th term in office but faced pressure from other Democrats to replace him.

Georgia’s partisan primary is set for May 19, and early voting begins April 27. Scott’s name will remain on the Democratic primary ballot, according to the Georgia secretary of state. 

Votes cast for Scott will not count in the May 19 primary. Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to hold a special election to fill Scott's seat before the upcoming midterm. 

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend and colleague, Congressman David Scott," said Emanuel Jones, one of Scott's challengers. "Georgia has lost a dedicated public servant, and I have lost someone I truly valued as a friend."

Jones praised Scott’s work in Georgia's civil rights community.

“He was someone you could talk with, learn from and trust, and that is something I will always carry with me,” Jones wrote.

State Rep. Jasmine Clark, who was also running to challenge Jones, praised Jones’ leadership in the state Senate and his record in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“From his job fairs, to his support of farmers, veterans and HBCUs, Congressman Scott’s impact is woven into the fabric of our community and will live on in Georgia’s story,” Clark wrote in a statement.

Kemp also expressed sadness over Scott’s death, sending his sympathies to the late congressman's family, while praising his work with Georgia’s agriculture industry. In 2020, Scott was named chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.

“He served his state as a stalwart supporter of Georgia's agriculture industry — our largest economic driver. Our prayers are with his family, colleagues, and loved ones at this time,” Kemp wrote in a statement.

Georgia House Republicans also praised Scott’s work with agriculture and expressed sympathy for his family.

“He gave voice to Georgia’s No. 1 industry and our farmers,” GOP leaders wrote in a statement. “Republicans and Democrats alike considered him a dear friend, and today, we’re praying for his family’s peace and comfort.”

Heavenly Kimes, another Democrat candidate running in Georgia’s 13th congressional district, sent her condolences to Scott’s family. She also called for continued leadership in the district.

“As we honor his legacy, we also recognize that this moment calls for continued leadership that is present, engaged, and ready to serve,” Kimes wrote in a statement to The Center Square.

“I am committed to stepping forward and building on the foundation he helped create–bringing hands-on experience, real community connection, and a tireless work ethic to this role,” Kimes continued.

Jonathan Chavez, the lone Republican qualified to run in Georgia’s 13th congressional district, praised Scott’s past leadership and offered condolences to his family.

“Our district and our nation have lost a longtime voice in Congress,” Chavez wrote in a statement to The Center Square. “In the days ahead, let us honor his legacy by continuing to work together, across party lines and background, for the good of every family in Georgia’s 13th District.”

Jeffree Fauntleroy, another candidate set to run against Scott, called for greater unity as the campaign season pushes ahead.

“This is a time for unity, where we pause, reflect, and support one another as neighbors, colleagues, and fellow Americans,” Fauntleroy said.

Liam Rosenior was sacked as Chelsea manager after less than four months in charge on Wednesday following a run of five successive Premier League defeats.

Beaten seven times in their last eight games in all competitions, Chelsea have failed to even score while losing five consecutive league games for the first time since 1912.

The 41-year-old had been lured away from Strasbourg, the French club which is affiliated to Chelsea's American owners, in January following the departure of Enzo Maresca.

But a 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday that Rosenior himself labelled "unacceptable" proved to be the final straw for the Blues' hierarchy.

"Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Liam Rosenior," read a club statement.

"This has not been a decision the club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season," the statement added.

Calum McFarlane, who was one of Rosenior's assistants, will take charge as a caretaker for the rest of the season, with his first match the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United on Sunday.

Chelsea sit seventh in the Premier League, seven points adrift of the Champions League places, with four games of the season remaining.

- Staggering losses -

McFarlane will be tasked with salvaging at least some form of European football to ease the financial burden on a club that posted a staggering £262.4 million ($349.3 million) pre-tax loss last season.

Chelsea added they will "undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment".

But ownership group BlueCo have now overseen the firing of five permanent managers in less than five full seasons since taking control of the club.

Outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham manager Marco Silva and former Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic have been rumoured as the candidates to land the job next season.

Chelsea won the World Club Cup and the UEFA Conference League last year but have little else to show for well over one billion pounds ($1.35 billion) of spending on players since the US consortium, fronted by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, took over following Roman Abramovich's trophy-laden ownership of the club.

Rosenior was a surprise choice to replace Italian coach Maresca, who was considered to be popular with the Chelsea players but had fallen out with his superiors.

After promising early signs, Chelsea were knocked out of the League Cup by Arsenal and were then humiliated 8-2 on aggregate by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16.

Cracks in the relationship between the squad and coach have been in evidence for weeks.

The decision to part company with Maresca in January was publicly questioned by Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella.

Fernandez was then dropped for two games for suggesting he would be open to a summer move to Real Madrid and was forced to apologise.

Rosenior's frustration was clear after the defeat to Brighton. 

"I have defended the players at times when it was the correct thing but I can't defend that performance. It doesn't represent this football club, it doesn't represent anything I ask from the group and that has to change," the Englishman said, adding: "I feel numb I'm so angry."

Fans have continuously protested against BlueCo, who have embarked on a scattergun approach to hoovering up young talent from across the globe.

That policy has secured some notable successes such as Cole Palmer.

But the England international is among the star names in the squad who could also move on at the end of the season as Chelsea face up to a second season in three years outside the Champions League.

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(The Center Square) – After extending the ceasefire with Iran, President Donald Trump is reportedly giving the Islamic Republic a shorter deadline to present a unified proposal for a peace deal.

Iranians have already tested the fragile ceasefire Wednesday when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly seized two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the MSC Francesca and the MAC Epaminondas, accusing the Francesca of being “linked to Israel.”

Iran says the ships “operated without required authorization,” adding that the ships were “endangering maritime safety.” In addition to the two ships seized, Iran have been accused of firing on a third ship in the strait.

The Iranians haven’t indicated if the seizure of the two ships was in retaliation for the naval blockade Trump imposed on the Islamic Republic over a week ago, resulting in the seizure of one ship named the Touska and the boarding of another.

The Touska was intercepted Sunday in the Gulf of Oman after the U.S. Navy “gave them fair warning to stop,” according to the president. Trump says the “nearly 900 feet long” ship attempted to get through the naval blockade.

A U.S. Navy destroyer intercepted and seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship en route to an Iranian port originating from China, raising concerns that China could be resupplying the Islamic Republic with weapons.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy intercepted and boarded a “stateless” sanctioned boat in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Department of War.

“As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran,” the DOW wrote in a social media post.

U.S. Central Command has said since the start of the Naval blockade on Iranian ports, the U.S. has intercepted 28 vessels to “turn around or return to port.”

Trump and his administration believe the blockade is putting economic pressure on Iran, with the president claiming the Islamic Republic is losing $500 million a day with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed. Trump added that the cash-strapped nation will be unable to pay its military and police.

Despite the failed talks with Iran over the last couple of weeks, the president told reporters he believes talks could resume as soon as this weekend.

(The Center Square) - The Washington State Republican Party wants a state Supreme Court justice to recuse herself from ruling in a legal challenge to a millionaire's tax, citing a potential conflict of interest.

Lawsuits are mounting over the 9.9% income tax on annual household earnings above $1 million, with the case destined to reach the state’s highest court in the next year or so. The bench may be asked to decide whether to overturn its 1933 ruling that declared income as property and outlawed a state income tax.

Five of the nine positions on the Washington Supreme Court are up for election this fall, including that of Justice Colleen Melody, who Gov. Bob Ferguson appointed to fill a vacancy in January. He made that decision after receiving the “strongest possible recommendation” from Solicitor General Noah Purcell.

Records obtained by The Center Square show Purcell, who works in the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, discussing with state lawmakers in December how to pass a 9.9% income tax so the Supreme Court would reconsider the 1933 ruling, while avoiding voter referendums to reject the tax.​

“Soon, Melody will be ruling on the income tax case that the AG's Office will be defending. The same office that recommended her,” WAGOP posted to X, citing communications uncovered by The Center Square. “Melody should RECUSE herself before the case begins — things are too close for comfort.”​

Melody did not respond to The Center Square’s request for an interview before publishing on Wednesday.

The Center Square also didn’t receive an immediate response as to whether Melody would recuse herself.​

According to the state’s Code of Judicial Conduct, it’s up to the justice to recuse themselves when their “impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” One thing that might warrant recusal is when a justice learns that a party in a case has provided substantial financial support to their own judicial campaign.

According to the state Public Disclosure Commission, AGO staff have donated thousands of dollars to Melody’s 2026 campaign, including $500 from Purcell. WAGOP Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh said it’s not a surprise to him, given that Melody worked with Purcell when Ferguson was the state attorney general.

“People outside of left-wing politics don't fully appreciate how influential Noah Purcell is,” Walsh told The Center Square in an interview on Wednesday. “He's not a dumb guy. He is tactically very smart, and frankly, was Bob Ferguson's brain, so-called, when Ferguson was the state attorney general … It’s not a surprise that Purcell has played a big role in Melody's ascension to the state Supreme Court.”

Purcell did not immediately respond to The Center Square’s request for an interview before publishing.

Mike Faulk, the AGO's deputy communications director, sent The Center Square a statement in response to an inquiry about Melody's potential conflict of interest and the AGO's donations to Melody's campaign. 

"It was Noah Purcell who advised our client, the Legislature, on this topic. Justice Melody was the chief of our office’s Civil Rights Division, enforcing civil rights laws. She played no role in advising legislators or any other clients about this topic," he wrote. "Other questions about the justice should go to the justice."

The statement didn't address the fact that Purcell, an employee of the agency that will defend the income tax in court, endorsed the appointment of a justice who could potentially rule on its constitutionality. 

Walsh said if Melody doesn’t rescue herself, he thinks it could damage the court’s credibility and make it easier to move a lawsuit challenging the 9.9% tax into federal court. A lawsuit seeking to block implementation of the millionaire's tax is currently before the Klickitat County Superior Court.​

The case likely won’t reach the state Supreme Court until after the 2026 election, in which Melody and several other justices are campaigning to retain their positions on the liberal bench. Seattle-based attorney Scott Edwards is the only challenger who has filed with the PDC so far to run against Melody.

“Colleen possesses the rare combination of exceptional legal talent and a real knack for and dedication to seeking input from and remaining engaged with the legal community and beyond,” Purcell wrote to Ferguson last October. “When the court faces difficult decisions, she will be able to resolve them.”