MMN Editor

A 3-year-old girl died last week after a high-speed crash that split a car in half and left her pregnant mother injured at an intersection in Tucson, Arizona, leading to second-degree murder charges against two alleged drag racers, ages 22 and 16.Officers responded around 1 p.m. April 10 to the intersection, where a silver Toyota Camry and a white Hyundai Genesis collided in what investigators described as a violent, high-impact crash.The child, who was properly secured in a car seat, was rushed to a hospital but later died from her injuries. An adult woman driving the Camry was also seriously injured. The Genesis driver suffered minor injuries.A GoFundMe that the victims’ family created for funeral and medical expenses identified the toddler as Anna, “a bright, joyful, and loving little girl.”1-YEAR-OLD INJURED AFTER TEEN DRIVER CRASHES CAR OFF OKLAHOMA BRIDGE”In this heartbreaking moment, we lost our sweet Anna, their beloved three-year-old daughter tragically passed away from her injuries from the collision,” the family said in the fundraiser post.The fundraiser identified the adult female as Anna’s mother, who it said is nine months pregnant. It said she was recovering at a hospital while “facing every parent’s worst nightmare” in the “unimaginable loss” of her youngest daughter.Investigators said the Genesis was racing another vehicle, believed to be a multicolored Dodge Charger, at speeds far above the limit when it struck the Camry as it attempted a left turn, splitting the vehicle in half. The Dodge Charger fled the scene.ILLEGAL MIGRANT CHARGED IN DEADLY 124 MPH CHASE THAT KILLED PREGNANT TEEN, UNBORN CHILDPolice arrested Christian Isaiah Randall, the 22-year-old driver of the Genesis, and charged him with second-degree murder, along with multiple counts of endangerment and aggravated assault. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.The driver of the second vehicle was identified as a 16-year-old boy on Sunday after investigators said they located the Dodge Charger involved in the incident.The boy was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and multiple counts of endangerment and aggravated assault. Police said he was booked into the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center.Authorities said excessive speed was the primary cause of the crash, though the investigation remains ongoing.

Progressive U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner defended his past controversial statements and behavior during a Friday interview, attributing some of his prior views to the “culture” he experienced during his military service and prompting backlash from Republican lawmakers and veterans.Platner, a Democrat running in Maine’s Senate primary, told host Major Garrett on CBS News’ “The Takeout” podcast that his time in the U.S. Army shaped earlier beliefs he no longer holds.”I came out of a hyper-masculine, hyper-violent place,” Platner said. “We have a crude sense of humor in the infantry… we certainly have a, I would say, narrow view of a lot of topics. And that colored my opinions and my beliefs.”The comments came as Platner addressed scrutiny over past Reddit posts, a Nazi tattoo and other controversies tied to his earlier conduct. Platner said his evolution stemmed from exposure to different perspectives following his service.DEM PRIMARY TURNS UGLY: MILLS UNLEASHES BRUTAL ATTACK ON SANDERS-BACKED PLATNER IN CRUCIAL SENATE SHOWDOWN”Once I left and came out and interacted in the civilian world with lots of different people with very different experiences than my own,” he said. “Many of those beliefs and thoughts and even just language changed significantly over time.”The remarks drew criticism from Republican officials with military backgrounds, who pushed back on the suggestion that such views are reflective of American military culture.Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a retired Air Force general, responded to the comments on X by rejecting the characterization outright.”I served nearly 30 years and never saw a Nazi tattoo on one of our servicemen or women,” Bacon said.MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE CITES COMBAT TRAUMA WHEN CONFRONTED ON ‘TERRIBLE’ POSTS ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULTSen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., a former Navy SEAL, also criticized Platner’s explanation in a post on X.”I must have missed the day in basic training where they taught us to get Nazi tattoos and say women deserve to be raped,” Sheehy said.Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., a Marine Corps veteran, similarly dismissed the claim that military culture contributed to the behavior in question.”Blame the Marine Corps for Nazi tattoos and rape comments? Wasn’t in my training manual,” Young wrote.Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, argued that Platner’s comments broadly mischaracterized service members.”Democrat candidate with a Nazi SS tattoo explains why he got that tattoo — essentially, that the US military are ALL ‘narrow’ minded, ‘hyper-violent’ Nazis,” Cruz wrote. “This is FALSE, and slanderous to our servicemen & women.”CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREPlatner acknowledged that not all of his past actions could be attributed solely to his military experience, while maintaining that it played a significant role in shaping earlier viewpoints.”I’ve never laid the entire fault… at the feet of only post-traumatic stress,” he told Garrett. “Some of that was not because of my combat service, but much of it was because of the culture I had come out of.”

President Donald Trump is set to meet with U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue Tuesday, as the administration prepares for a high-stakes summit between the U.S. president and Chinese President Xi Jinping in May. The talks are expected to focus on both escalating tensions in the Middle East and the broader U.S.–China relationship, as Washington weighs its approach to Beijing ahead of the summit.The meeting comes just after the U.S. launched a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, where China remains the largest buyer of Iranian crude amid the conflict between the U.S., Iran and Israel.The blockade risks pulling China more directly into the conflict. Any effort to enforce it against shipments bound for China could trigger a confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.US, CHINA AGREE TO OPEN DIRECT MILITARY HOTLINE AFTER XI-TRUMP SUMMIT”This will only aggravate confrontation, escalate tension, undermine the already fragile ceasefire and further jeopardize safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said of the blockade Tuesday in a daily press conference. “It is a dangerous and irresponsible move.” The meeting also comes amid reports that China supplied Iran with weapons, which Chinese officials dismissed as “completely made up.” Trump has threatened China with 50% tariffs if the reports are accurate.Meanwhile, Washington and Beijing remain locked in a fragile tariff standoff. After the 2025 escalation pushed tariffs above 100% on both sides, the two countries agreed to a temporary rollback that lowered U.S. duties on Chinese goods to around 30% and China’s tariffs on American exports to roughly 10%. That truce has held into 2026, but core disputes over technology, market access and national security remain unresolved, with both sides continuing negotiations ahead of the planned summit.The U.S. has escalated economic pressure beyond tariffs: the Trump administration has moved to eliminate a key loophole that allowed Chinese goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free, a step targeting companies like Temu and Shein and affecting millions of shipments.Despite rising economic tensions, U.S. military posture toward China remains more restrained. The Trump administration’s national security and defense strategies prioritize defending the homeland from overseas conflicts, even as they identify China as the top long-term threat. Recent intelligence assessments also have downplayed the likelihood of an imminent Chinese invasion of Taiwan, finding no fixed timeline for military action, suggesting Washington is focused more on deterrence than preparing for direct conflict.The White House could not immediately be reached for comment on the purpose of the meeting. 

Another woman accused Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., of rape Tuesday, just hours before the embattled lawmaker is expected to resign from the House.”He raped me. And he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died,” Lana Drews said Tuesday, while describing an incident that she alleged took place in Swalwell’s hotel room in 2018.Drews came forward after four women alleged Swalwell committed sexual misconduct and rape, including at least one incident involving a former staffer, as reported by CNN and the San Francisco Chronicle.The announcement came during a news conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., organized by the woman’s attorneys, Lisa Bloom and Arick Fudali.Swalwell has repeatedly denied any criminal wrongdoing and has promised to fight “false” accusations.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he expected Swalwell to offer his resignation letter on Tuesday.When asked whether he agreed with the decision of Swalwell and scandal-plagued Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, to resign, Jeffries replied, “Yes.”This is a developing story and will be updated.

If you’ve locked down your home Wi-Fi with a strong password, you’re already ahead of the game. But here’s the reality: a password alone isn’t enough to keep your online activity private.Most people think of Wi-Fi security as simply keeping strangers off their network. And while that matters, it’s only part of the picture. Even with a secure password, your internet activity can still be visible to others in ways you might not expect.A Wi-Fi password keeps people out, but it does not hide what happens inside your connection.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportDO YOU NEED A VPN AT HOME? HERE ARE 10 REASONS YOU DOWhen you connect to the internet at home, your internet service provider (ISP) can see a surprising amount of what you do online. That can include the websites you visit, how long you spend on them and sometimes even more detailed activity.In some cases, that data can be:And it’s not just your ISP. Websites, apps, big tech companies, governments and data brokers are constantly collecting information about your behavior, often without you realizing it. Think of it this way: your password locks the front door, but once your data leaves your house, it can still be exposed along the way. That’s where a VPN comes in.A virtual private network (VPN) creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet. That means your data is scrambled before it leaves your home network, making it much harder for anyone to see what you’re doing online. In addition, connecting to a VPN server gives you a new IP address, so your online activity can’t be easily traced back to you. This makes it harder for advertisers, social networks and scammers to construct behavioral profiles, which can be used to target you with things like phishing attacks.With a VPN:SPRING CLEAN YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT: WHY RETIREES ARE SCAM TARGETSMany VPN services are popular for their speed, simplicity and overall feature sets. This becomes even more important if you ever use public Wi-Fi, where your data is far more exposed.What does this mean in practice?For starters, most VPN services are easy to use. They offer apps for nearly every device imaginable, including options that work directly with routers. These apps are straightforward to set up and configure.Once running, a single click or tap is all it takes to change your virtual location, mask your IP address and encrypt your connection. High-speed servers mean they don’t fall into the trap of slowing you down. In many cases, using a VPN can even provide more consistent, reliable speeds.With a more anonymous IP address, your ISP is also less able to throttle (cap) your connection speeds, as some providers do.Setting up a VPN on your router protects every device in your home automatically, including smart TVs, gaming consoles and other connected devices.Many VPN providers now go beyond basic protection and offer additional privacy tools. These can include password managers, email protection, identity monitoring and even private AI tools designed to keep your data more secure.In short, it’s no longer just about securing your connection, it’s about protecting your entire digital footprint.Your home Wi-Fi is the gateway to everything you do online banking, shopping, working and staying connected. Relying on just a password is like locking your door but leaving the curtains wide open.Adding a VPN gives you an extra layer of privacy that works quietly in the background while enhancing every corner of your digital life.It’s about being prepared, sure. But it’s also about peace of mind.5 SIMPLE TECH TIPS TO IMPROVE DIGITAL PRIVACYFor the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.A strong password is a smart first step, but it only protects who gets onto your network, not what happens to your data after it leaves. Your internet activity still passes through systems designed to track, analyze and sometimes profit from it. Adding a VPN shifts the balance back in your favor by encrypting your connection and limiting how much others can see. It is a simple upgrade that turns basic security into real privacy, without changing how you use the internet day to day.Where should we draw the line between staying connected and staying private? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportCopyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

A rare life jacket worn by a Titanic survivor is set to be auctioned more than a century after the disaster.The flotation device, used by first-class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli during the ship’s 1912 sinking, is expected to sell for roughly $339,000 to $475,000, news agency Cover Media reported.Francatelli wore the life jacket as she boarded Lifeboat No. 1 after the Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight on April 14, 1912. She later signed the item along with seven other survivors from the same lifeboat.FAMOUS TITANIC PASSENGER’S POCKET WATCH THAT STOPPED AT MOMENT DOOMED SHIP SANK SELLS FOR RECORD AT AUCTIONThe life jacket remained in her family for decades before being acquired by a private collector about 20 years ago. It is believed to be one of only a handful of Titanic life jackets still in existence — and the only one ever offered at auction, Cover Media noted.Auctioneers at Henry Aldridge & Son said the item has generated global interest ahead of the sale, which is scheduled to take place April 18.Francatelli, who was just 22 at the time, boarded the Titanic in France and was traveling as a secretary to fashion designer Lady Lucy Duff Gordon and her husband, Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERShe later recalled being told not to worry as she was helped into a life preserver before making her way to the ship’s deck, where lifeboats were being lowered.The group ultimately boarded Lifeboat No. 1 — which had a capacity of about 40 people but was launched with only 12 on board.The lifeboat later became the subject of controversy after its occupants did not return to rescue others in the water. Reports at the time also raised questions about payments made by Sir Cosmo to crew members, though the circumstances were widely debated.CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIESThe survivors were eventually picked up by the RMS Carpathia, which arrived hours after the Titanic sank and rescued more than 700 passengers.Francatelli later returned to Britain and married Swiss-born hotel manager Maximilian Haering in 1913. The couple eventually moved to New York, where they worked in the hospitality industry and operated hotels together.After her husband’s death, she returned to the United Kingdom — where she spent the remainder of her life until her death in 1967.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZThe cream-colored life jacket, made of canvas with cork-filled sections, has been displayed at museums in both the United States and Europe.”There are only a handful of life jackets worn by survivors which still exist today,” auctioneer Andrew Aldridge told Cover Media, adding that most are held in museums and are unlikely to be sold.The upcoming sale is expected to draw collectors and history enthusiasts from all over the world. 

Another Swalwell accuser came forward and spoke at press conference in Beverly Hills on Tuesday morning.
The 5th Swalwell accuser to come forward, Lana Drews, is represented by attorney Lisa Bloom.
“In 2018, while I was living and working as a model in Beverly Hills, and I also owned a fashion software company, I had contact with Eric Swalwell on three separate occasions,” the alleged sexual assault victim, Lana Drews, said.
“I knew he was married at the time and that his wife was pregnant. He was my friend. On the third occasion, I believe he drugged my drink,” she said.
Lana Drews said Swalwell drugged her drink and violently raped her.
“He raped me, and he choked me. And while he was choking me, I lost consciousness. And I thought I died. I did not consent to any sexual activity,” she said threw tears.
“I would never have engaged in a consensual sexual encounter with Eric Swalwell,” she said.
WATCH:

WATCH LIVE: Swalwell accuser speaks at press conference after Dem resigns from Congress. https://t.co/akai7zIuLz
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 14, 2026

BREAKING… please check back for updates.
The post WATCH LIVE: Another Swalwell Accuser Comes Forward, Speaks at Press Conference – Claims Swalwell Drugged Her Drink and Violently Raped Her appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

US Says ‘No Ships Made It Past Blockade’ As Iran Mulls Hormuz Shipping Pause To Preserve Talks, Which Trump Says Could Happen In Two Days

Summary

CENTCOM: “During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the U.S. blockade & 6 merchant vessels complied with direction from US forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman,” it said.

Diplomacy is not yet dead, as Bloomberg reports Iran is mulling a short-term pause to shipments through Hormuz Strait. Trump tells NYP talks could happen again in two days in Pakistan.

Mediators are scrambling to put together another round of US-Iran talks in the coming days: Iran is reportedly offering a 5-year moratorium on nuclear program, while US demands 20.

Saudis are among those calling for an end to the US blockade of the Hormuz Strait, amid fears the Houthis could shut down Bab al-Mandeb strait. Chinese ship testing America’s Hormuz blockade appears to U-turn. North Korea said to be negotiating tolls, safe passage with Tehran.

Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejects upcoming talks between the Lebanese government and Israel, which are set for 11am in Washington, DC on Tuesday.

US x Iran permanent peace deal by June 30, 2026?
Yes 60% · No 40%View full market & trade on Polymarket *  *  *

CENTCOM Gives First Major Blockade Update, Trump Hints at Talks

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has put out its first major statement and update since the Trump-ordered US naval blockade of the Hormuz Strait went into effect.

“During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the U.S. blockade and 6 merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman,” it said.

IRAN TALKS COULD BE HAPPENING OVER NEXT TWO DAYS IN PAKISTAN: TRUMP TO NY POST

“The blockade is being enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” it added, noting that over 10,000 American military personnel are currently involved in the blockade mission. The regional US command center also published an infographic confirming which types of the various navy warships are deployed.

More than 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports. During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the U.S. blockade and 6 merchant vessels… pic.twitter.com/dpWAAknzQp
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 14, 2026
South Korea said to be Negotiating Tolls, Hormuz Passage with Iran

Washington has been urging countries with stranded tankers near Iran not to pay money to Tehran to allow them through the blocked Strait of Hormuz. Various tanker and maritime industry firms have also been vocally against this.

However, amid a 2-week US-Iran ceasefire, South Korea is reportedly negotiating with Iran the pass ships through Hormuz as a temporary solution. Iran state-linked Fars reports, “The South Korean Ship Owners’ Association has also proposed to pay tolls for passing through the Strait of Hormuz to Iran as a short-term solution.”

As yet, there’s been no confirmation of this from Seoul officials, and at the start of the month they were actively denying earlier reports that South Korea was willing to pay tolls to get its over couple dozen stranded ships through. If it happens, there would likely follow condemnation from the White House over this ‘compromise’ from a US ally.

Iran Could Pause Hormuz Shipping, As Chinese Tanker U-Turns

Bloomberg says Tuesday in a fresh report that “Iran is considering a short-term pause to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to avoid testing a US blockade and scuppering a fresh round of peace talks, according to a person familiar with the Tehran’s deliberations.”

“The potential pause reflects a desire to avoid immediate escalation at a sensitive diplomatic juncture as Washington and Tehran sort logistics for another face-to-face meeting, the person said, asking not to be identified as the deliberations are private,” continues Bloomberg. It adds, “Holding back maritime activity for several days is seen as one possible, pragmatic step to prevent an incident that could undermine the fragile efforts to revive discussions, people familiar with the matter said.”

This would be seen as short-term de-escalation, and suggests that Tehran indeed still has the desire of taking a hopeful, pragmatic approach – rather than returning the all out war by the close of the temporary ceasefire. No one is willing to completely shut the door on all diplomacy, and the bombs have been silent across the Gulf and in Iran and Israel. Per latest emerging reports:

The Nasdaq 100 looked set to notch its longest streak of gains since 2021 as optimism that the US and Iran are considering another round of peace talks pushed oil lower and lifted stocks globally.

Chinese ship testing America’s Hormuz blockade appears to U-turn: Rich Starry was blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for helping Tehran evade energy sanctions.

More tracking data via MarineTraffic:

Two tankers turn away from Strait of Hormuz after US blockade begins
At least two tankers reversed course near the Strait of Hormuz shortly after the start of the US blockade, highlighting the immediate impact on vessel movements. According to #MarineTraffic data, the 188-metre… pic.twitter.com/dRNi7yEgJI
— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) April 13, 2026
5-Years vs. 20-Year Nuclear Moratorium

More info and color has been added in the wake of failed talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan, per The New York Times citing officials from both countries. Iran signaled Monday it would halt uranium enrichment for up to five years. The Trump administration rejected the offer, according to two senior Iranian officials and one US official who spoke to the Times.

The US position, shaped in part by Vice President JD Vance, calls for a roughly 20-year suspension. Vance has argued such a timeframe is necessary to permanently limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities. “The Iranians, in a formal response sent on Monday, said they would agree to up to five years, according to two senior Iranian officials and one U.S. official. Trump has rejected that offer, the U.S. official said,” writes NY Times.

“The official said the U.S. has also asked Iran to remove highly enriched uranium from the country, and the Iranians have insisted the fuel stays inside Iran. But they have offered to dilute it significantly, so that it could not be used to produce a nuclear weapon,” the report adds.

Sides Could Return to Islamabad for Talks

This behind the scenes back-and-forth suggests that the mediated talks might not be entirely over, also as the clock ticks away on the initial 2-week ceasefire, now a week in. US and Iranian negotiating teams plan to return to Pakistan later this week to resume talks aimed at ending the Gulf war, Pakistani and Iranian officials said Tuesday, as cited in Reuters. Other reports say the talks could be hosted in another venue.

However, US officials have not confirmed the plans, and the reality is that in Islamabad the two sides demands were very far apart, having reportedly finally collapsed on the nuclear issue.

Israel-Lebanon talks are taking a separate track, set to begin in Washington Tuesday, but Hezbollah has rejected this process – with only the Lebanese government represented.

⚡️Israel firing flares in the sky of Tyre, Lebanon pic.twitter.com/EPOhKAlXJ5
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) April 13, 2026
France’s President Emmanuel Macron is among those calling on Washington and Tehran to urgently resume negotiations to end the war, and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “without controls or tolls, as soon as possible.” Iran is reportedly charging steep tolls to let a handful of ‘friendly’ countries’ vessels through – a situation which President Trump has warned against.

Saudis Push Trump To Call Off Hormuz Blockade

The NY Times has on Tuesday highlighted that “Questions over the status of the U.S. military blockade in the Strait of Hormuz persisted on Tuesday, as tracking data showed that several ships had passed through the waterway, including some that had departed from Iran.”

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday evening that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is urging the Trump administration to reverse its newly implemented blockade of Iranian-linked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, on immediate fears that Iranian escalation could halt Red Sea traffic. On Sunday, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran has “large, untouched levers” to respond to such a blockade.

Arab officials who spoke to the Journal said Iran could retaliate by shutting down the Bab al-Mandeb, a 20-mile-wide, 70-mile-long choke point linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Iran could do so by leveraging the Houthis, the political and military organization that controls much of Yemen.

Saudi Arabia recently has been able to get its oil exports back up to their prewar level of around seven million barrels a day despite the blockage in the strategic strait by piping its crude across the desert to the Red Sea. Those supplies would be at risk if the Red Sea’s exit route were closed as well. — WSJ

NEW: US blockade on Iranian ports begins, but tanker traffic through Hormuz continues uninterrupted, with vessels including Peace Gulf, Murlikishan, and Rich Starry, including sanctioned ships, still transiting as long as they are not calling at Iranian ports.
– Reuters pic.twitter.com/K76oyJbZOv
— Levent Kemal (@leventkemaI) April 14, 2026
“If Iran does want to shut down Bab al-Mandeb, the Houthis are the obvious partner to do it, and their response to the Gaza conflict demonstrates that they have the capacity to do it,” Adam Baron, an expert on Yemen at the New America policy institute, told the Journal.

More Geopolitical Latest

via Newsquawk…

The next round of talks between the United States and Iran could take place this week or early next week, according to an Iranian embassy official in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said it has offered to host a second round of U.S.–Iran negotiations, but no date or time has been set.
Pakistani journalist Mallick said, “While Islamabad has offered to host the next round of in person talks between US and Iran, which could be held at a working level, to my understanding, date and venue for the next round has not been finalised as yet”.
The United States and Iran are discussing another round of face-to-face talks to secure a longer-term ceasefire after Islamabad negotiations ended without a deal.
Officials aim to meet again before the two-week ceasefire expires next week, according to Clash report.
The Associated Press reported that a second round of talks is likely and could take place on Thursday.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said progress was made in talks with Iran and stated that things did not go wrong.
Vance said Iran moved in the U.S. direction but not far enough.
Vance said the ball is in Iran’s court and that U.S. red lines were clearly communicated.
The United States and Iran left the door open to further dialogue after tense Islamabad talks.
A source said the sides came “very close” to an agreement and were “80% there” before hitting unresolved issues.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told French President Emmanuel Macron in a Monday phone call that Iran will negotiate only under international law.
Pezeshkian said unreasonable U.S. demands blocked an agreement in weekend talks.
He said a lack of U.S. goodwill and maximalist positions prevented finalizing a deal in Islamabad, according to IRNA.
Pezeshkian said diplomacy remains the preferred path to resolve disputes.
An Iranian National Security Committee spokesman said the end of the truce should not lead to its extension, according to Al Mayadeen.
The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush is sailing off the coast of Africa toward the Middle East to join Operation Epic Fury, according to two U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
Saudi Arabia is pressing the United States to drop its Hormuz blockade.
Gulf energy exporters warn Iran could escalate by closing the Bab al-Mandeb, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Alarms sounded in the Galilee Panhandle over concerns of potential UAV infiltration.
A Lebanese source said, “The official mandate of Lebanon’s ambassador in Washington is limited to pursuing a ceasefire with Israel”, according to Al Jazeera.
Switzerland is ready to support diplomatic initiatives between the United States and Iran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that preventing further fighting is critical.
Lavrov said Moscow is on high alert to assist in a settlement.
Araghchi warned of dangerous consequences from U.S. actions.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors for talks on Tuesday.
The talks aim to secure a ceasefire, Hezbollah disarmament, and a peace agreement, according to Axios.
A meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors will take place Tuesday at 18:00 EDT / 23:00 BST, according to Al Jazeera citing Israeli Channel 15.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued four proposals to maintain peace in the Middle East, according to Chinese media.
UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington.
Lammy urged that the Iran ceasefire hold and emphasized the importance of free shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
* * *

Tyler Durden
Tue, 04/14/2026 – 12:30