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The US is to pay a $6bn (£4.8bn) ransom to Iran in return for the release of a British national and four Americans held in the country.

The Biden administration has issued a waiver for international banks to transfer frozen Iranian money without the repercussions of US sanctions.

Currently held in South Korea, the assets will be transferred to Qatar which Iran will then be able to use for buying humanitarian goods.

The deal, which secretary of state Antony Blinken signed off on last week, also includes the release of five unnamed Iranian citizens held in the US.

Four of those held in Iran were released from prison and placed under house arrest last month, according to US officials.

The US-Iranian dual nationals include businessmen Siamak Namazi, 51, and Emad Shargi, 58, as well as environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, 67, who has British citizenship.

They had all been jailed at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran on spying charges.

More on Iran

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The identity of the fourth US citizen allowed out of prison has not been made public, while a fifth man was already under house arrest.

The families of the Americans held in Iran said their loved ones are “hostages” taken captive on false charges and used as bargaining chips by the government.

Namazi, who in 2016 was convicted of espionage-related charges the US has rejected as baseless, has been
detained by Iran for more than seven years.

Tahbaz was arrested in 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for “assembly and collusion against Iran’s national security” and working for the US as a spy.

Morad Tahbaz
Image:
Morad Tahbaz was arrested in 2018

Shargi was convicted of espionage in 2020 and also sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Due to numerous US sanctions on foreign banks that engage in transactions aimed at benefiting Iran, several European countries were reluctant to take part in the transfer of funds that sealed their release.

The US administration hopes the waiver will dispel these concerns, but it may come at a price for the Democrats as their political opponents will cite an unwelcome boost to the Iranian economy.

Republican senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas accused president Biden of “paying ransom to the world’s worst state sponsor of terrorism”, while senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said it was “ridiculous… to be blackmailed” to finance what he believes is the number one foreign policy of Iran: “Terrorism”.

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Elon Musk calls Donald Trump-backed tax bill a ‘disgusting abomination’

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Elon Musk calls Donald Trump-backed tax bill a 'disgusting abomination'

Elon Musk has criticised US President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill, calling it “outrageous” and a “disgusting abomination”.

The bill, which includes multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks, was passed by the House Republicans in May, and has been described by the president as a “big, beautiful bill”.

The tech billionaire hit out at the tax cuts on his platform X, writing: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore.

“This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.

“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk talk with to reporters near Tesla vehicles on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP)
Image:
Elon Musk left his ‘special government employee’ role last week. Pic: AP.

In American politics, “pork” is a political metaphor used when government spending is allocated to local projects, usually to benefit politicians’ constituencies.

Musk left the administration abruptly last week after working to cut costs with his team, the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency – known as DOGE – with the ambition of sacking federal workers and cutting red tape.

More on Donald Trump

The White House brushed Musk’s comments aside, claiming they did not surprise the president.

In a press conference on Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill”.

She added: “This is one, big, beautiful bill.

“And he’s sticking to it.”

The White House on Tuesday asked Congress to cut back $9.4bn in already approved spending, taking money away from DOGE.

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What did Musk achieve at DOGE?

The billionaire tweeted: “It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!!) and burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.”

He also suggested voting out politicians who advanced the president’s tax bill.

“In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people,” Musk wrote in another X post.

👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈

How Musk’s mission to cut government spending fell flat

Last Thursday, Musk revealed on X that his scheduled time as a “special government employee” was coming to an end.

Before the news broke, Musk’s father told Sky News his son was “not a very good politician”.

But speaking to Gillian Joseph on The World, Errol Musk insisted there was “no rift between Elon and Donald Trump”.

Musk’s time at DOGE was controversial, with drastic cuts to America’s humanitarian efforts sparking particular criticism.

Questions have also been raised about whether the department has actually saved taxpayers as much money as suggested.

Musk initially had ambitions to slash government spending by $2trn (£1.5trn) – but this was dramatically reduced to $1trn (£750bn) and then to just $150bn (£111bn).

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as Elon Musk carries X Æ A-12 on his shoulders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025.   REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Image:
Elon Musk brought his son X Æ A-12 to the Oval Office during a press conference earlier this year. Pic: Reuters.

The 53-year-old, who famously brought his son X Æ A-12 to the Oval Office, also expressed frustration about resistance to his ideas and clashed with other senior members of the Trump administration.

He recently told The Washington Post: “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realised. I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC to say the least.”

By law, status as a “special government employee” means he could only serve for a maximum of 130 days, which would have ended around 30 May.

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Elon Musk calls Donald Trump-backed tax bill a ‘disgusting abomination’

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By

Elon Musk calls Donald Trump-backed tax bill a 'disgusting abomination'

Elon Musk has criticised US President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill, calling it “outrageous” and a “disgusting abomination”.

The bill, which includes multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks, was passed by the House Republicans in May, and has been described by the president as a “big, beautiful bill”.

The tech billionaire hit out at the tax cuts on his platform X, writing: “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore.

“This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination.

“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”

President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk talk with to reporters near Tesla vehicles on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP)
Image:
Elon Musk left his ‘special government employee’ role last week. Pic: AP.

In American politics, “pork” is a political metaphor used when government spending is allocated to local projects, usually to benefit politicians’ constituencies.

Musk left the administration abruptly last week after working to cut costs with his team, the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency – known as DOGE – with the ambition of sacking federal workers and cutting red tape.

More on Donald Trump

The White House brushed Musk’s comments aside, claiming they did not surprise the president.

In a press conference on Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill”.

She added: “This is one, big, beautiful bill.

“And he’s sticking to it.”

The White House on Tuesday asked Congress to cut back $9.4bn in already approved spending, taking money away from DOGE.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

What did Musk achieve at DOGE?

The billionaire tweeted: “It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!!) and burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.”

He also suggested voting out politicians who advanced the president’s tax bill.

“In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people,” Musk wrote in another X post.

👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈

How Musk’s mission to cut government spending fell flat

Last Thursday, Musk revealed on X that his scheduled time as a “special government employee” was coming to an end.

Before the news broke, Musk’s father told Sky News his son was “not a very good politician”.

But speaking to Gillian Joseph on The World, Errol Musk insisted there was “no rift between Elon and Donald Trump”.

Musk’s time at DOGE was controversial, with drastic cuts to America’s humanitarian efforts sparking particular criticism.

Questions have also been raised about whether the department has actually saved taxpayers as much money as suggested.

Musk initially had ambitions to slash government spending by $2trn (£1.5trn) – but this was dramatically reduced to $1trn (£750bn) and then to just $150bn (£111bn).

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as Elon Musk carries X Æ A-12 on his shoulders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025.   REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Image:
Elon Musk brought his son X Æ A-12 to the Oval Office during a press conference earlier this year. Pic: Reuters.

The 53-year-old, who famously brought his son X Æ A-12 to the Oval Office, also expressed frustration about resistance to his ideas and clashed with other senior members of the Trump administration.

He recently told The Washington Post: “The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realised. I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in DC to say the least.”

By law, status as a “special government employee” means he could only serve for a maximum of 130 days, which would have ended around 30 May.

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Manhunt for former soldier suspected of murdering his three daughters in Washington state

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Manhunt for former soldier suspected of murdering his three daughters in Washington state

A manhunt is under way for an ex-soldier suspected of kidnapping and murdering his three daughters in Washington state.

Officers said Travis Decker, 32, has “extensive” military training and could pose a “significant risk” but they aren’t sure if he’s armed.

Police, the FBI and US marshals are all involved, with drones and aircraft deployed to scour remote forested areas.

The alarm was raised on Friday when the girl’s mother reported her daughters – aged nine, eight and five – missing after Decker didn’t return following a planned visit of three hours.

Wenatchee police began the search over the weekend, looking for the white pick-up Decker is believed to live out of.

The truck was found on Monday near a campground west of Leavenworth, about 70 miles east of Seattle, with the girls’ bodies found in “relatively close proximity”, according to police.

Evelyn, Paityn and Olivia Decker attended Lincoln Elementary in Wenatchee school district.

Decker is said to have 'extensive' military training. Pic: Wenatchee Police Department
Image:
Decker is said to have ‘extensive’ military training. Pic: Wenatchee Police Department

Their mother told police the girls didn’t return as planned at 8pm on Friday and that Travis Decker’s phone went straight to voicemail.

A detective for the Wenatchee force said she “expressed concern because Decker reportedly has never done this before and… is currently experiencing some mental health issues”.

Officials said Decker joined the US Army in 2013 and moved to the Washington National Guard in 2021, becoming part time in the last few years, but stopped attending drills about a year ago.

Read more from Sky News:
Colorado attack suspect’s wife and children detained

King Of The Hill actor shot dead in Texas

The public have been warned to not approach Decker and to call 911 immediately.

Questions are being asked about whether time was wasted in escalating the search after police requested an amber alert from state patrol on Friday night but it didn’t meet the criteria.

It wasn’t until Wenatchee detectives provided extra information on Saturday that an endangered missing person alert was issued.

Washington State Patrol public affairs director Chris Loftis said a parent not returning their child on time was a “rather common occurrence and not something where you just automatically assume abduction”.

“We’re people too, you know, so the loss of a child, the loss of two children, the loss of three children is… devastating,” he said.

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