Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz, but threatens to close it again as the US maintains its blockade
BEIRUT (AP) — Iran says it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. But questions lingered Saturday about how much freedom ships actually had to transit the waterway as Tehran maintained its grip on who got through and threatened to close it again if the U.S. kept in place its blockade of Iranian ships and ports. Iran’s Friday announcement came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold. Iran's foreign minister says ships will use routes designated by the Islamic Republic in coordination with Iranian authorities. U.S. President Donald Trump initially celebrated Iran's announcement but then said the U.S. blockade would continue.
US extends waiver on Russian oil sanctions to ease Iran war shortages despite Bessent denial
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department has extended its pause on sanctions on Russian oil shipments to ease shortages from the Iran war, days after Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out such a move. The general license means U.S. sanctions will not apply for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that has been loaded on tankers as of Friday. It extended a similar 30-day license issued in March for Russian oil that had been loaded by March 11. The extension underscores how the fallout from the Iran war has boosted Moscow’s ability to profit from its energy exports, which had been restrained since the invasion of Ukraine. The administration did not immediately explain the reversal.
Families in Iran struggle with school closures even as the airstrikes have stopped
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Schools have been closed across Iran since the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, with no word on when in-person instruction will resume. The fear of airstrikes has lifted since a fragile ceasefire went into effect, but life has not returned to normal. As with the COVID closures six years ago, it’s especially difficult for working parents with small children. The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, including more than 165 people killed in a strike on an elementary school. The ceasefire is set to expire early next week, with the U.S. and Iran still divided on key issues like Iran’s enriched uranium.
Federal judge blocks Nexstar-Tegna TV station merger until antitrust lawsuit is settled
A federal judge has blocked the $6.2 billion merger between local television giants Nexstar Media Group and Tegna until an antitrust lawsuit is resolved. The merger would create a company owning 265 TV stations across 44 states. On Friday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley issued an order halting the deal. Attorneys general in eight states and DirecTV sued to stop the merger, arguing it could raise consumer prices and harm local journalism. Nexstar’s attorneys say the deal has already been vetted and approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice.
Weapons-grade chemical carfentanil surges as dangerous substitute for fentanyl
Carfentanil has experienced a drastic resurgence across the U.S., causing hundreds of unsuspecting drug users to overdose. It is a weapons-grade chemical that the Drug Enforcement Administration says is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. DEA intelligence bulletins show the rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl. The bulletins say that is likely leading traffickers in Mexico to use carfentanil to boost the potency of a weakened version of fentanyl. The surge comes even as fentanyl seizures and overall drug overdose deaths continue a multiyear decline.
Starmer's Mandelson nightmare never ends. This time, it may cost him his job as UK leader
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces renewed scrutiny over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S. Mandelson, a known associate of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was initially denied security clearance. The Guardian revealed this on Thursday, raising questions about Starmer's claim that “full due process” was followed. Starmer, who campaigned on integrity, is accused of misleading Parliament. The fallout has already led to a resignation in the Foreign Office. Starmer plans to address Parliament on Monday, but his leadership is under pressure, especially with upcoming elections in May.
US and Cuban officials met recently in Havana amid new diplomatic push
WASHINGTON (AP) — An American delegation has met recently with Cuban government officials in the island nation. It marks a renewed diplomatic push even as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Cuba and its leader said this week that his country is prepared to fight if that should happen. A senior State Department official met with the grandson of retired Cuban leader Raúl Castro last week during the trip. That's according to a department official who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The official didn't say who from the U.S. met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro. A second U.S. official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was not part of the delegation that visited Havana.
Key prosecutor in John Brennan investigation has been removed from case, AP source says
WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead prosecutor in the John Brennan investigation has been removed from the case after expressing concerns to Justice Department officials about the viability of a potential criminal prosecution of the former CIA director. That's according to a person familiar with the matter. Maria Medetis Long told defense lawyers involved in the investigation that she was no longer participating in the Brennan investigation. Her departure from the investigation came after she conveyed doubt that there was sufficient evidence for a criminal case against Brennan. The Justice Department did not dispute that Medetis Long was no longer part of the investigation but also did not elaborate on the circumstances.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to an African church linked to slavery reflects on his own complex heritage
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The pope’s planned visit to a Catholic chapel in Angola that was connected to the slave trade is seen as a symbolic moment by some Africans. Pope Leo XIV will pray Sunday at the Church of Our Lady of Muxima, where enslaved Africans were baptized before being sent to the coast to be put on ships to the Americas. More slaves set off from Angola than any other country. It’s unclear if the first American pope will address slavery on his visit to Africa, but it may still prompt reflections on his own heritage. Last year, a genealogist discovered that Leo had Black and white ancestors in Louisiana who included both enslaved people and slave owners.
Stories of Black and Indigenous patriots come into focus as US remembers the American Revolution
LEXINGTON, Mass. (AP) — The stories of Black and Indigenous men who fought during the American Revolution are sometimes overlooked. History books traditionally focus on the roles of white leaders such as George Washington and Paul Revere. As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, patriots of color are being celebrated through programs nationwide that aim to tell a more complete story of the birth of the nation. Christopher Brown, a historian at Columbia University, says “a more accurate view of the past” has emerged that showcases the diverse collection of men and women who played critical roles in the fight for freedom. The National Park Service estimates 5,500 patriots of color served on the colonial side.
