National and international media news & headlines compiled by CLG

Trump orders blockade of Strait of Hormuz | 12 April 2026 | President Donald Trump said the United States would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz and clearing suspected sea mines, sharply escalating pressure on Iran over what he described as threats to global shipping. In two posts on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of failing to keep the vital oil transit route open and warned of sweeping U.S. naval action to secure the waterway. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.” He added that U.S. forces would also act against vessels linked to Iranian toll payments and begin mine-clearing operations in the region.

‘This is the last warning:’ Iran radioes U.S. during Strait of Hormuz de-mining effort | 12 April 2026 | After the U.S. military launched operations to de-mine the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy reportedly warned an American destroyer in the passageway. “This is the last warning. This is the last warning,” the Iranian forces radioed to one of the two U.S. destroyers in the strait, according to the Wall Street Journal. “Passage in accordance with international law. No challenge is intended to you, and I intend to abide by rules of our government’s cease-fire,” the U.S. ship responded, referring to the temporary pause in hostilities between the two sides. The U.S. has reached out to U.S. Central Command (Centcom) for comment on the reported radio message. The IRGC Navy, meanwhile, denied Saturday that U.S. ships passed through the Strait.

U.S., Iran fail to reach peace agreement after marathon talks in Pakistan | 11 April 2026 | Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. and Iran failed to strike a peace deal to end the six-week war rocking the Middle East, leaving uncertainty over whether fighting will resume. Vance delivered the quick-hit update after 21 hours of grueling negotiations in Pakistan, noting meaningful discussions were held with Iran but none that brokered a deal on terms laid out by the U.S. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance told reporters in Islamabad. “And I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America. They have chosen not to accept our terms. So we go back to the United States having not come to an agreement.” He said a major sticking point was Iran’s refusal to agree to not develop a nuclear weapon or even seeking the tools to build one, insisting the U.S. needed an “affirmative commitment” on the issue.

Trump issues chilling new ultimatum for Iran to make a peace deal as talks on brink of collapse | 10 April 2026 | Donald Trump is warning Iran that their leaders better strike a deal within 24 hours or he’ll unleash new waves of strikes on the nation. “We’re going to find out in about 24 hours. We’re going to know soon,” Trump told the New York Post after dispatching Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan to lead peace talks. “We have a reset going. We’re loading up the ships with the best ammunition, the best weapons ever made — even better than what we did previously, and we blew them apart,” he said. “And if we don’t have a deal, we will be using them, and we will be using them very effectively.” Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad ​Baqer Qalibaf suggested on Friday that talks aren’t going well.

‘Attempted assassination’: Tucker Carlson on Israeli attack on RT correspondent | 10 April 2026 | American journalist Tucker Carlson has said an Israeli strike targeting RT correspondent Steve Sweeney in Lebanon was an “attempted assassination,” as he spoke with the reporter about the attack and his work in conflict zones. Sweeney and cameraman Ali Rida Sbeity were injured last month when an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at their filming position near the Al-Qasmiya Bridge in southern Lebanon, close to a local army base. The crew, who were wearing clearly marked press gear, said the jet “deliberately attacked” them, with Rida’s camera capturing the moment the blast struck less than 10 meters behind Sweeney as he ducked for cover. In the interview, released by Carlson on Friday, he told viewers that the strike was “an attempted assassination.” Sweeney said they “were incredibly lucky to come out of that situation alive.”

Oil prices make stunning plunge and stock futures surge after Trump steps back with two-week ceasefire | 7 April 2026 | Oil prices dropped across the board on Tuesday after Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran that would see the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. After Trump posted about the stoppage on Truth Social, U.S. crude oil slid 18 percent to under 93 a barrel, after trading upwards of 117 that very same day. The dips mark the largest one-day lowering of oil prices since during the Gulf War in 1991. The prices for natural gas and heating oil also dropped a fair amount following the ceasefire news… Dow futures went up 1,000 points, Nasdaq 100 futures nearly three percent, and S&P 500 futures rose over 2.5 percent, NBC News reported.

Trump declares two-week ceasefire with Iran and claims Strait of Hormuz will re-open as Tehran submits 10-point peace plan to end the war | 7 April 2026 | President Donald Trump announced Tuesday night that Iran has agreed to a two-week ceasefire and will re-open the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran submitted a 10-point peace plan to end the war. Trump posted on Truth Social, “I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” after earlier sparking doomsday fears when he threatened to wipe out its “entire civilization” if they did not reopen the strait. Iran accepted the Pakistan-brokered deal after a last-minute Chinese intervention urging Tehran to show flexibility over the war’s economic fallout, three Iranian officials told the New York Times. The officials said that the ceasefire was approved by the new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei… Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the truce and that “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible” during the two-week period.

Second U.S. airman from downed jet has been rescued from Iran | 5 April 2026 | A second US airman shot down over Iran has been rescued in a daring mission after a fierce firefight with the IRGC, reports say. The airman was saved and all members of the search team safely made it out of Iran, according to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin. Griffin said in an X post the crew member used SERE — survival, evasion, resistance and escape — training to evade capture for two days. The F-15E weapons system officer ejected from the aircraft on Friday night along with the pilot over enemy lines when their aircraft was shot down, leading to two days of intense searches for the airmen as Iran placed a large bounty on their heads. The pilot’s F-15E jet was downed on Friday soon after a US A-10 Warthog was also shot down by Iranian forces in a chaotic day of fighting, marking the first US aircraft downed since the start of the conflict.

Second U.S. aircraft ‘crashed’ near Strait of Hormuz, F-15E crew member still missing – sources | 3 April 2026 | An A-10 Warthog aircraft reportedly “crashed” near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, though the exact location remains unclear, according to sources briefed on intelligence matters. The pilot was safely recovered. In a separate incident involving the downed F-15E fighter jet, the aircraft’s weapons systems officer remains missing. Two rescue helicopters deployed as part of a combat search-and-rescue mission to locate the missing crew member also came under enemy fire. Both helicopters sustained damage, and some crew members were reportedly injured, but the aircraft were able to land safely.

Iran’s tallest bridge – and highest in Middle East – is blown to pieces in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes ‘killing 8 and injuring at least 95’ | 2 April 2026 | The U.S.-Israeli strikes which destroyed Iran’s tallest bridge have killed eight people, according to Iran. The B1 bridge, which links Iran’s capital with the western city of Karaj, was targeted in two waves of strikes on Thursday after Donald Trump threatened to bomb Tehran “back to the ‘Stone Age.'” The second attack on the 136-metre structure took place while rescue forces were at the scene helping injured at least 95 people, Iranian state media claimed. The strike caused major damage to the bridge, the tallest in the Middle East, and a gaping hole can be seen in the middle of the structure.

Eligible U.S. men will be automatically registered for military draft pool beginning in December | 8 April 2026 | The United States will automatically register eligible men aged 18 to 25 for a military draft pool beginning in December. The rule change was submitted by the Selective Service System, which maintains a database of Americans who would be eligible to serve in the military. “This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources,” the agency’s website said. It adds that the rule change remains under review by regulatory affairs and is awaiting finalization. The last time that the U.S. conducted a draft was in the early to mid-1970s for the highly controversial American involvement in the Vietnam War.

Pete Hegseth signs memo opening door for troops to carry personal firearms on bases | 2 April 2026 | War Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday ordering a major shift in base security policy, allowing service members to request permission to carry personal firearms for self-defense amid growing concerns about threats on U.S. installations. In an announcement on social media, Hegseth said all American citizens have a God-given right under the Second Amendment to carry weapons for protection. However, he said that right has not been extended to uniformed service members, who are “trained at the highest and unwavering standards.” Citing recent tragedies at Fort Stewart, Holloman Air Force Base, and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Hegseth said the incidents have “made clear” that “some threats are closer to home than we would like.”

2 conscription officers stabbed in Ukraine | 7 April 2026 | Two conscription officers were stabbed in central Ukraine on Saturday as the campaign to send more men to fight Russia continues to be marked by physical confrontations and tense altercations between draft officials and the public. The campaign, known as “busification,” often involves officers ambushing military-age men on the streets or raiding workplaces, after which they force them into minibuses that transport them to recruitment centers… According to a recruitment office in the city of Vinnitsa, the officers had stopped the suspect for a document check, after which he “suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed two soldiers several times.” The servicemen were hospitalized, one of them in critical condition.

Vance slams EU ‘interference’ and Ukrainian spies in key Hungary visit | 7 April 2026 | U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has met with Viktor Orban in Budapest in a high-profile visit ahead of a critical parliamentary election. The Hungarian prime minister’s party is trailing that of his pro-EU opponent in the polls, and he has accused Brussels of interfering in the vote. Vance touched down in Budapest on Tuesday, where he was greeted by Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. In a short clip published on social media, Szijjarto hailed the visit as a sign of “a golden age for Hungarian-American relations.” Peter Magyar’s pro-EU Tisza Party officials, Ukrainian and EU spies, and opposition journalists have all been accused of meddling in the election, with a wiretapping plot against Szijjarto exposed last month, and Ukraine cutting off Russian oil supplies to Hungary.

Missing nuclear official becomes TENTH person tied to dark pattern surrounding U.S. secrets | 11 April 2026 | Another person with links to America’s nuclear secrets has gone missing as the disturbing list of deaths and disappearances in recent years continues to grow. Steven Garcia, 48, vanished without a trace on August 28, 2025. He was last seen leaving his Albuquerque, New Mexico home on foot, carrying only a handgun. An anonymous source told the Daily Mail that Garcia was a government contractor working for the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), a major facility in Albuquerque that plays a key behind-the-scenes role in America’s national defense. Garcia allegedly served as a property custodian at KCNSC’s New Mexico facility, giving him a top security clearance and broad access to the entire site’s nuclear secrets. The source described Garcia’s work as “a very high-level, overseeing position for all the assets.” The government contractor’s sudden disappearance marks the tenth person with ties to America’s space or nuclear secrets who has died or mysteriously vanished in recent years, putting U.S. national security experts on edge.

Mystery surrounds death of NINTH scientist tied to U.S. secrets as disturbing pattern grows | 7 April 2026 | Another scientist with ties to America’s space program has now joined the growing list of deaths and disappearances around the U.S. Michael David Hicks, a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), passed away on July 30, 2023, at the age of 59, but the cause of death was never made public, and no record of an autopsy being performed could be found. Hicks, who worked at JPL from 1998 to 2022, was credited with publishing over 80 scientific papers and was part of multiple teams helping NASA understand the physical properties of comets and asteroids… While there have been no public allegations of foul play, Hicks’s case marks the ninth person with ties to America’s space or nuclear secrets who has died or mysteriously vanished in recent years, which has set off alarm bells among U.S. national security experts. Moreover, three of these scientists had close ties to Hicks, as all of them worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab or participated in NASA missions there. Monica Reza, JPL’s new Director of the Materials Processing Group, vanished without a trace in June 2025, just months after beginning her tenure at the NASA lab.

Pfizer, BioNTech halt U.S. COVID vaccine study after recruitment struggles | 1 April 2026 | Vaccine makers Pfizer and BioNTech halted a large U.S. trial of their updated COVID-19 ​vaccine in healthy adults aged 50 to 64, saying enrollment in the trials had been too low to generate the needed data. In a letter to trial ‌investigators dated March 30, seen by Reuters and previously unreported, Pfizer said it would stop surveillance for signs of COVID illness for all participants in the study after April 3. Enrollment was closed on March 6, following a review of current epidemiological trends, it said. The move comes as COVID vaccine makers grapple with pushback from the U.S. administration and weak U.S. demand for the shots.

4 women describe sexual misconduct by Rep. Eric Swalwell, including a former staffer who says he raped her | 10 April 2026 | A former staffer of Rep. Eric Swalwell, a leading Democratic candidate for California governor, says that the congressman raped her when she was heavily intoxicated and left her bruised and bleeding, an allegation Swalwell strongly denies. “I was pushing him off of me, saying no,” the woman told CNN of the incident, which she said happened in 2024 after she had stopped working in Swalwell’s office. “He didn’t stop.” She said it was the second time Swalwell had nonconsensual sexual contact with her while she was drunk…

1 dead and multiple people injured after ‘masked gunmen’ open fire at a Chick-fil-A | 12 April 2026 | One person has been killed and multiple people injured during a mass shooting at a New Jersey Chick-fil-A. The horror unfolded at the restaurant in Union Township on Saturday night, sending terrified patrons scrambling and the business into lockdown. At least six people were shot after gunfire erupted at around 8.40pm inside the crowded establishment, according to RLS Media. Several of the employee’s coworkers were reportedly injured in the shooting. The anonymous father said the eatery had become a “war zone.” Another man whose girlfriend works at the restaurant told CBS that the group of suspects barged in and went directly behind the counter, firing multiple shots.

Machete-wielding man shot dead by cops after stabbing three elderly commuters at NYC’s Grand Central | 11 April 2026 | At least three elderly people were injured in a subway station stabbing spree inside tourist-heavy Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Two men aged 65 and 85, who were not identified, were taken to the hospital in critical condition by the fire department after being slashed in the head on Saturday morning. A third person, 70, was also attacked, the New York Post reported. Police reportedly fatally shot the 44-year-old man, who allegedly stabbed the victims with a machete, sources told The Post. The identity of the attacker has not been released by police. Police sources told The Post the man was known to authorities and had several prior arrests.

Crazed homeless man accused of slaughtering Iryna Zarutska on train found incompetent to stand trial | 8 April 2026 | The deranged homeless man accused of savagely butchering Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, on a Charlotte light rail train has been found “incapable to proceed” on state murder charges. According to a motion filed April 7, Decarlos Brown Jr. was evaluated Dec. 29 at Central Regional Hospital, and the subsequent report determined he was not competent to stand trial, according to WBTV. His attorney has asked the court to delay his competency hearing by 180 days… Brown is also facing federal charges — and will remain in custody on that case, his lawyer Daniel Roberts said. A judge must now determine whether to accept the report’s findings, and the case against him will likely be delayed until his capacity is determined to be “restored” by the court, the station reported.