US military says it will blockade Iran's ports as ship traffic appears to halt in Strait of Hormuz
CAIRO (AP) — U.S. Central Command says it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas at 10 a.m. EDT Monday, or 5:30 p.m. in Iran, to be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations.” But it will allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz. That's a step down from an original vow by President Donald Trump to entirely blockade the strait. Early reports are indicating that traffic in the strait has ground to a half since the blockade was announced. The two-week ceasefire remains in doubt. Pakistan, which hosted the talks, says it will seek more dialogue.
Oil prices rise after the US says it would block Iranian ports starting Monday
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices are rising in early market trading after the U.S. said it would blockade Iranian ports beginning Monday. The price of U.S. crude oil rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7% to $102.29. Brent crude has swung dramatically during the Iran war, rising from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. On Friday, ahead of the peace talks, Brent for June delivery fell 0.8% to $95.20 per barrel. Iran has been effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping.
In their words: How leaders reacted to Viktor Orbán's defeat in Hungary's election
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Viktor Orbán’s electoral defeat in Hungary has sent shockwaves across the world. Admirers saw him as a defender of national sovereignty while critics viewed him as a threat to European democracy. Hungarian voters chose challenger Péter Magyar after 16 years of Orbán. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly reached out to Magyar, hoping for support for his country against Russia. European leaders expressed relief, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and others welcoming the change. Populist leaders, like Italy's Giorgia Meloni, offered cautious responses, acknowledging Orbán's influence while respecting the election outcome.
Strikes on alleged drug boats kill 5, leave 1 survivor in eastern Pacific, US military says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military says it blew up two boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It says the strikes killed a total of five people and left one survivor. The attacks are part of the Trump administration's campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America. They occurred as the U.S. military prepares a naval blockade of Iranian ports following weeks of war with Iran and ceasefire talks that ended without a deal. Saturday's attacks in Latin America bring the total number of people killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 168. The Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.
Rory McIlroy goes back-to-back at the Masters to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Rory McIlroy has joined more elite company at the Masters. He pulled away with a pair of birdies around Amen Corner and, as usual, saved a little drama for the end before taking his place in Augusta National history as only the fourth back-to-back champion. McIlroy seized control for good with a bold shot over Rae’s Creek to 7 feet for birdie on the par-3 12th. Then he blistered a 350-yard drive on the par-5 13th that set up another birdie. There were a few dicey moments, but he shot a 1-under 71 to for a one-shot victory to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as repeat winners.
Swalwell suspends campaign for California governor after being accused of sexual assault
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell has suspended his campaign for California governor following sexual assault accusations that he continues to deny. Swalwell said in a social media post Sunday he’s suspending his campaign but will fight what he called “serious, false allegations" against him. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported on a woman’s allegations, which The Associated Press has not verified. The woman told the Chronicle, which didn’t name her, that Swalwell sexually assaulted her twice, while she was too intoxicated to consent. His exit from the race comes amid a messy and crowded primary campaign in which he had begun to emrege as a leading contender.
NASA already has next Artemis flight in its sights following astronauts' triumphant moon flyby
HOUSTON (AP) — With NASA's lunar comeback a galactic-sized smash, the space agency already has the next Artemis flight in its sights. In a mission recently tacked on for next year, Artemis III’s yet-to-be -named crew will practice docking their Orion capsule with a lunar lander in orbit around Earth. Then it will be on to Artemis IV's astronaut moon landing in 2028. NASA threw a Texas-sized welcome home party in Houston on Saturday for the four Artemis II astronauts who flew around the moon last week. The three Americans and one Canadian returned to Earth on Friday to close out humanity's first lunar voyage in more than a half-century.
Analysis: Trump declares victory, no matter what, and the Iran war is the latest example
WASHINGTON (AP) — In an analysis of how Donald Trump treats almost every setback as a win and repeats it until many people doubt the loss, Associated Press writer Will Weissert cites the war with Iran as one of the latest examples. The Republican president declared victory just days into the war and has kept up that refrain in the weeks since, even though the reality is far from clear-cut. His penchant for insisting losses are wins stretches back to his decades of business failures and encompasses a federal discrimination lawsuit from the 1970s against Trump and his father over rental apartments. Former members of his administration and ex-business associates say it's always been a deliberate strategy.
Failed US-Iran talks in Pakistan raise questions about fragile ceasefire
JERUSALEM (AP) — Ceasefire talks in Pakistan between the U.S. and Iran ended without an agreement, raising questions about what happens when a current two-week truce expires on April 22. As the talks wrapped up in Islamabad in the early hours of Sunday, both sides blamed each other for the failure. There was no word on whether negotiations will resume, and President Donald Trump made new threats against Iran. While the setback does not necessarily mean the war will resume, it showed how entrenched the sides remain after an inconclusive 40-day war.
Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of violating Putin’s Easter ceasefire
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating a Kremlin-declared Easter ceasefire as Orthodox Christians gathered to celebrate the holiday. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 p.m. on Saturday until the end of Sunday. The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said it had recorded 2,299 ceasefire violations including assaults, shelling and small drone launches. Russia’s Defense Ministry also said Sunday it had recorded 1,971 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian forces.
