In News Today (April 10): US-Iran ceasefire, Israel-Lebanon tensions, Melania Trump on Epstein links, and IPL match

Latest News Today: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is calling for direct talks with Lebanon even as disagreements over a fragile United States-Iran ceasefire deepen. In parallel, Melania Trump has denied links to Jeffrey Epstein, and in sports, key developments include a major Formula 1 team change involving GianPiero Lambiase.

Top News Today, April 10: Rising geopolitical tensions continue to dominate the global landscape, with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu calling for direct talks with Lebanon even as disagreements over a fragile United States-Iran ceasefire deepen. Amid these developments, India and the US are reinforcing strategic ties through high-level talks involving Vikram Misri and Marco Rubio. Elsewhere, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary Easter ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict. In parallel, Melania Trump has denied links to Jeffrey Epstein, and in sports, key developments include a major Formula 1 team change involving GianPiero Lambiase.

1. Israel-Lebanon tensions: Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the immediate opening of direct negotiations with Lebanon, citing repeated requests from Beirut amid ongoing cross-border tensions. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office shared on X, Netanyahu said the move follows continued outreach from Lebanon even as Israeli forces maintain strikes in the region. This comes as a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains uncertain. Tehran has claimed the truce includes a halt to Israeli operations in Lebanon, but both Washington and Israel have rejected that interpretation.

2. Strait of Hormuz tensions: Amid the US-Iran ceasefire, Donald Trump has warned Tehran over reports that it may be imposing fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait -- They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!" In a separate post, he criticised Iran for allegedly mishandling tanker movement through the vital oil route, linking the issue to the ongoing ceasefire. 

3. India-US ties: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who is on a three-day visit to Washington, had a meeting with US State Secretary Marco Rubio, who will reportedly visit India next month. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor was also present as both sides reviewed bilateral ties. Notably, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor was also present at the meeting, during which they discussed the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

4. Middle East tensions: Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has demanded compensation for the destruction and more control over the Strait of Hormuz during the talks in Islamabad. Addressing the nation, Mojtaba Khamenei also declared victory in the West Asia conflict, hailing the people's and armed forces' courage to face the aggression.

5. Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russia has announced a temporary 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine to mark Orthodox Easter, scheduled from April 11 to April 12. Russian President Vladimir Putin directed the Minister of Defence Andrey Belousov and the Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov to halt combat operations in all areas for this period. This is not the first time a holiday ceasefire has been declared.

6. Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar will take oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha today. Following his election to the Rajya Sabha, Kumar resigned from the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) on March 30.

7. Melania Trump, First Lady of the US, has denied any links to Jeffrey Epstein, stating that the stories are false and clarified that she has never had any relationship with Epstein or his accomplice.

8. F1 racer Max Verstappen's race engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, is all set to join McLaren after his contract ends at Red Bull, no later than 2028. He will take the role of Chief Racing Officer, reporting to Team Principal Andrea Stella.

9. IPL 2026 update: In the Indian Premier League, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) later today. Meanwhile, yesterday, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pulled off a victory at the Eden Gardens, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by three wickets in a final-ball thriller.

10. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics have opened ticket sales to the world, buoyed by what organisers called a record-setting week of domestic presales that signals strong early appetite for the Games.