IRAN UPDATES

No Deal: U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad collapse: The United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement after a day of highly anticipated face-to-face peace talks, Washington's lead negotiator Vice President J.D. Vance announced on Sunday. After negotiations broke down, Pakistan, which has become a key mediator in the war and hosted the talks, said Sunday it would continue to play a role in peace efforts. The talks — which lasted for 21 hours — began in Islamabad on Saturday as the two sides looked to reach a deal to end the war that has shaken the Middle East for six weeks. NPR

Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks fail: President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. will blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks held in Pakistan to end the Iran war hit the skids. “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,” Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social. CNBC

Donald Trump and Marco Rubio watch UFC fights in Miami as peace talks with Iran fail: Donald Trump and US secretary of state Marco Rubio attended a UFC event in Miami night on Saturday night as peace talks with Iran failed on the other side of the world. THE GUARDIAN

NATIONAL

US inflation tripled last month on record spike in gas prices: The war with Iran drove up monthly US inflation threefold in March, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report. The annual rate of inflation reached 3.3% in March, up from 2.4% in February. CNN

State Department sends $1.25B from other programs to Board of Peace: The State Department has drawn on funds for international disasters and peacekeeping to transfer $1.25 billion to President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., will introduce legislation Thursday that would redirect $1 billion of that money to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. SEMAFOR

Calls mount for California governor candidate Eric Swalwell to quit after multiple women accuse him of sexual assault: Congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign to succeed Gavin Newsom as California’s governor imploded after he was accused of sexual assault by a woman who worked for the congressman in interviews with the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. THE GUARDIAN

IMMIGRATION

Safeguarding Immigrants Against The Surge In Detention Scams: Scams targeting immigrants in the United States are rising at an alarming rate, leaving many individuals and families vulnerable to financial loss and exploitation. Fraudsters exploit families’ emotional distress by using fake legal documents, simulated hearings, and impersonation tactics to steal thousands of dollars. INDIA CURRENTS

She paid into Medicare for years. Trump's immigration policy will end her coverage: The GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed last July by President Trump, barred certain categories of lawfully present immigrants — including temporary protected status holders, refugees, asylum-seekers, survivors of domestic violence, trafficking victims and people with work visas — from Medicare. Those already in the program will be disenrolled by Jan. 4 — a move by Republican lawmakers to rein in Medicare spending, as they and Trump have argued that taxpayer dollars should not be used to pay for the health care of immigrants in the U.S. without authorization. NPR

DESI NEWS

Indian music legend Asha Bhosle dies aged 92: The Indian singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, has died aged 92, her family said. The two-time Grammy nominee had been admitted to hospital in Mumbai with complaints of “extreme exhaustion” and chest infection. THE GUARDIAN

SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND SAFETY?

‘Climate change is kicking our butts.’ March smashes heat records for continental US: March’s persistent unseasonable heat was so intense that the continental United States registered its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to federal weather data. And the next year or so looks to turn the dial up on global warmth even more, as some forecasts predict a brewing El Niño will reach superstrength. AP

Alarm as acting CDC director delays report showing Covid vaccine benefits: A Trump administration appointee, acting CDC director, Jay Bhattacharya, has delayed publication of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that shows benefits related to the Covid vaccine, leading to concerns that the administration is engaging in behind-the-scenes tactics to undermine vaccines. THE GUARDIAN

“Economic Civil War”: States Push Laws to Shield Oil and Gas Companies From Accountability: Across the country, Republican-led state legislatures are passing a slate of laws that effectively shield oil and gas companies from legal claims that they are responsible for the destruction and mounting toll caused by climate change. Fifteen laws have either been passed or are currently being debated in 11 states. Together, they threaten to remove long-standing tools for the public to hold corporations accountable. PRO PUBLICA

Artemis II astronauts splash down off California’s coast after a historic journey around the moon: The astronauts successfully splashed down off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET as planned, concluding a monumental and risky 10-day journey around the moon and back that took them farther from Earth than anyone in human history. CNN

CORRUPTION ALERT

US defense official overseeing AI reaped millions selling xAI stock after Pentagon entered agreement with company: A high-profile US defense department official who oversees the agency’s artificial intelligence efforts made a profit of up to $24m selling a private investment he held in Elon Musk’s AI company earlier this year, according to government ethics records released this month. THE GUARDIAN

/Well-timed bets on Polymarket tied to the Iran war draw calls for investigations from lawmakers: The Associated Press reported that at least 50 brand new accounts on Polymarket placed substantial bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire in the hours, even minutes, before President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire late Tuesday on social media. These were the sole bets made on Polymarket through these accounts. AP

White House secures foreign steel for ballroom project: ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based firm that is the world’s second-largest steelmaker, is providing steel for the structure of the ballroom project. The White House has not disclosed details of the donation, but Trump said that he had been offered a donation of steel for the ballroom valued at $37 million. The president’s comments came just days before the White House made adjustments to its tariffs that could benefit ArcelorMittal, by cutting in half the tariffs applied to exports of automotive steel from its Canadian plant. SPOKESMAN REVIEW

Trump reportedly says he’ll issue mass pardons at end of his presidential term: The President already has issued sweeping pardons throughout second term, including for 1,500 US Capital riot defendants Donald Trump has reportedly said he will issue pardons en masse to his closest advisers at the end of his second presidency, promising them in casual conversations over the last year. “I’ll pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval [Office],” the president reportedly said in a recent meeting, garnering laughs from the room. THE GUARDIAN

GOOD NEWS

Chris Taylor wins judicial seat in Wisconsin: The 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on April 7, 2026, to elect a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge Chris Taylor defeated fellow Court of Appeals judge Maria Lazar in a landslide, expanding the court's liberal majority from 4–3 to 5–2. TSB members wrote, phoned and texted voters in Wisconsin, yay! WIKIPEDIA

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