Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Editorial Note: The DHS Daily Briefing is a collection of news articles related to Department’s mission. The inclusion of particular stories is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse the political viewpoints or affiliations included in news coverage.

The New York Post [4/19/2026 11:32 AM, Ronny Reyes, 40934K] reports a glamorous Iranian businesswoman with a US green card was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly trafficking arms on behalf of Tehran. Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was taken into custody on Saturday night and charged with brokering deals for Iranian drones, bombs, and millions of rounds of ammunition bound for Sudan, according to the office of the US Attorney for the Central District of California. Mafi had allegedly conducted the arms deals while in close contact with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, which provided instruction and funds for her to open a business in the US to operate out of, according to court records. "She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan," First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said Sunday, announcing the arrest. Mafi posted glam pics of herself traveling the world — including posing in a $100,000 Mercedes-Benz roadster. Mafi, who left Iran in 2013 and became a permanent resident of the US in 2016 under the Obama administration, allegedly used an Oman-registered company, Atlas International Business, to broker weapons deals as recently as 2025, according to court records. Among the sales was a contract for more than $70 million for Iranian-made Mohajer-6 armed drones from Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. The drones, along with 55,000 bomb fuses, were transferred in deals with the Sudanese Ministry of Defense, which has been fighting in a bloody civil war since 2023. Iran has been repeatedly accused of violating a United Nations arms embargo amid the Sudanese civil war, with its drones spotted in use by the government forces. A probe into Mafi’s past showed that Tehran had seized properties that she inherited from her father in 2020, with MOIS then directing her to open a business in the US to buy the properties back from the Iranian government, according to the court records. MOIS had offered to buy for the start-up costs, officials noted. Mafi had allegedly said that she is "more useful" to MOIS in Iran than in the United States. The businesswoman was scheduled to fly to Istanbul on Saturday when she was met by law enforcement officers who took her into custody. Mafi is ultimately accused of violating the Conspiracy to Violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which if convicted of, would lead to a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. NewsMax [4/19/2026 12:09 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was taken into custody Saturday night and charged with violating federal sanctions laws by allegedly brokering the sale of Iranian-made weapons, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. "Last night, Shamim Mafi … was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for trafficking arms on behalf of the government of Iran," Essayli said Sunday in a post on X, detailing the charges against her. Prosecutors allege Mafi arranged deals involving drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured in Iran and sold to Sudan. If convicted, Mafi faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Authorities said Mafi is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2016. She is expected to make her initial appearance Monday in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. As with all criminal cases, she is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The arrest comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, as officials continue to warn about the regime’s global activities, including weapons proliferation and support for proxy conflicts. The AP [4/19/2026 5:39 PM, Staff, 35287K] reports that a criminal complaint dated March 12 alleges that Mafi and an unnamed co-conspirator operated a company in Oman called Atlas International Business through which weapons and ammunition were trafficked. The company received over $7 million in payments in 2025.

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [4/19/2026 6:03 PM, Randy Clark, 2238K]
ABC News [4/19/2026 3:45 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE
CNN [4/19/2026 3:12 PM, Rafael Romo, 19874K] Video: HERE
FOX News [4/19/2026 9:59 PM, Staff, 37576K]
NewsNation [4/19/2026 8:17 PM, Staff, 4464K] Video: HERE
Daily Wire [4/19/2026 8:25 AM, Jordan Schroeder, 2314K]
Washington Times [4/19/2026 11:57 AM, Matt Delaney, 1323K]

The AP [4/20/2026 1:52 AM, Staff, 2238K] reports the U.S. military said it launched another strike on a boat accused of ferrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people Sunday. The Trump administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 181 people in total. Other strikes have taken place in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Despite the Iran war, the series of strikes have ramped up again in the past week or so, showing that the administration’s aggressive measures to stop what it calls "narcoterrorism" in the Western Hemisphere are not letting up. The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs. The attacks began as the U.S. built up its largest military presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty. In the latest attack Sunday, U.S. Southern Command repeated previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X showing a boat moving along the water before a massive explosion engulfs the vessel in flames. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists.". Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes. The Washington Examiner [4/20/2026 2:56 AM, Staff, 1147K] reports that "On April 19, at the direction of the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations," read the Southern Command release. In a video posted on Southern Command’s website and social media channels, a boat is seen riding in water before being struck, and a massive explosion occurs, leaving it in flames. U.S. intelligence operations determined the suspected vessel was part of a "narco-terrorist" operation and was illegally transporting drugs out of the region, noted Southern Command. "Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," noted the release. "Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action," said Southern Command. "No U.S. military forces were harmed.". Sunday’s strike was the latest in a very active week for military forces involved in Operation Southern Spear. The first two strikes this month occurred on April 11, in which five people were killed in an operation in the Eastern Pacific. Several other strikes in Operation Southern Spear followed, ultimately leaving 14 suspected "narco-terrorists" killed. Sunday’s operation was the 52nd known strike since the military’s campaign against suspected drug-trafficking vessels began in September, with at least 180 known fatalities reported.

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [4/20/2026 2:54 AM, Staff, 2238K]
Reuters [4/19/2026 10:25 PM, Katie Paul, 38315K]
Univision [4/19/2026 11:59 PM, Staff, 4937K]

Washington Examiner [4/19/2026 9:31 PM, Zach LaChance, 1147K] reports two U.S. Embassy workers and two Mexican agents were killed in a car crash in Mexico on Sunday, U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson announced. "We deeply regret the tragic loss of two members of staff from the United States Embassy, the Director of the Chihuahua State Investigation Agency (AEI), and one member of that agency in this accident," he posted on X. "We recognize their dedication and tireless efforts to confront one of the greatest challenges of our time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones.". The Mexican officials were identified as Chihuahua State Investigations Agency Director Pedro Roman Oseguera Cervantes and officer Manuel Genaro Mendez Montes. The Embassy workers’ names have not yet been disclosed. The four were returning from a drug lab raid in a mountainous region of Chihuahua in northern Mexico. The raid targeted two methamphetamine labs in the town of Morelos. The Embassy personnel were "instructors" training with Mexican state police. "This tragedy is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by Mexican and U.S. officials dedicated to protecting our communities, and it strengthens our determination to continue their mission and advance our shared commitment to security and justice, to protect our people," Johnson added in his statement. Details about the crash and how it happened are still unclear, but it comes as the United States and Mexico have increased cooperation on security and intelligence to combat cartels. Notably, U.S. intelligence assisted in the stunning capture and eventual death of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or "El Mencho," in February.

NPR [4/19/2026 5:01 PM, Jeffrey Pierre. Et al., 28764K] Audio: HERE reports the FIFA World Cup is a little over 50 days away. NPR’s Rob Schmitz talks to former Department of Homeland Security official Juliette Kayyem about the security concerns people have about hosting the tournament in America in this moment.

CBS News [4/19/2026 9:20 AM, Ted Koppel, 51110K] Video: HERE reports at an Oct. 27, 2024 campaign rally during his run for president, Donald Trump told his audience, "On Day One, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history." And he did. President Trump began his second term by dispatching troops and armed ICE agents to carry out aggressive arrests and mass detentions, mainly in blue states. The president appointed as his Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, whose appetite for deportation, and publicity, appeared to match (and at times eclipse) his own. That, and pinning her promotional campaign’s $220 million price tag on the boss, may have ruffled a few important feathers at the White House. Secretary Noem was fired – signaling a change in tone for the administration, but no change in mission. You have only to check out what’s happening in our immigration courts. Former immigration judge Ryan Wood told us there is no doubt among immigration judges these days as to what the administration wants: "Zero doubt, they want numbers, they want deportations. They want to keep as many people detained as possible, and stress the system," he said. When Wood retired a little more than a year ago, he was an assistant chief immigration judge in the Midwest. He probably could’ve stayed on. He was appointed during President Trump’s first term, and denied many more asylum applications than he granted. But even so, he didn’t like what he was seeing: "I have seen judges that have not made it very long in this new regime, where they’ve been walked off the bench for whatever reasons … They’re in the middle of dictating an oral decision and they get an email, or they get a tap on the shoulder, literally on the bench, saying, ‘Please come with me.’". Asked if that had happened in years past, Wood replied, "No, never. We’ve never seen anything like this.". The immigration court is not part of the judiciary; it is overseen by the Department of Justice, which is in the executive branch. And over the past 14 months, the Trump administration has fired, retired, or forced out more than 200 immigration judges. A recruitment ad from the Department of Homeland Security, posted online last December, offers a pretty broad hint: It features the fictional character Judge Dredd, a futuristic hanging judge, and reads: "Deliver justice to criminal illegal aliens. Become a deportation judge. Save your country.". A page on the Justice Department website, headlined "You be the judge," promises a salary up to a little more than $200,000 a year to be a "deportation judge" – and even a 25% bonus for taking a job in a "sanctuary city.". So far, the administration has recruited more than 70 "deportation judges," most from enforcement backgrounds with little or no immigration experience. Also, to fill the gap created by the administration’s own firings, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized sending military lawyers (known as JAGs) to serve as temporary immigration judges for six-month rotations.

AP [4/19/2026 6:38 PM, Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer, 35287K] reports the FBI and Justice Department are scrambling to rebuild a depleted workforce after a wave of departures over the last year, with leaders easing hiring requirements and accelerating recruitment in ways that some current and former officials see as a lowering of long-accepted standards. The FBI has turned to social media campaigns to attract applicants, offered abbreviated training for candidates from other federal agencies and relaxed requirements for support staff seeking to become agents, according to people familiar with the changes and internal communications seen by the Associated Press. At the same time, the Justice Department has opened the door to hiring prosecutors right out of law school to help fill vacancies in U.S. attorney’s offices across the country. Some current and former agents also say the FBI is promoting into positions of leadership employees with less experience than would be customary for the jobs. The moves reflect a broader effort to stabilize a workforce strained by retirements and resignations prompted in part by concerns over the Trump administration’s politicization of the department, along with the firings of lawyers, agents and other employees deemed insufficiently loyal to the Republican president’s agenda. Critics of the changes say they amount to a reduction in standards for a law enforcement institution that has long prided itself on professional expertise and is responsible for everything from preventing terrorist attacks to building complex public corruption prosecutions. "It’s a sign of, among other things, the difficulty the department is having right now in keeping and recruiting people," said Greg Brower, a former U.S. attorney in Nevada who left the FBI in 2018 as its chief congressional liaison. The FBI defended the changes as a necessary modernization of its hiring pipeline, saying it is streamlining, not lowering, standards and removing what it says were "bureaucratic" steps in the application process. It said applicants were still evaluated "on the same competencies.". "The Bureau holds high standards for potential and current employees, and there is a rigorous application and background process to join the FBI," the FBI said in a statement.

The Hill [4/19/2026 12:00 PM, Emily Brooks, 18170K] reports Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) has a message for those attacking her and her signature Dignity Act immigration reform and border security legislation: Bring it on. The South Florida congresswoman has faced an onslaught of criticism from right-wing commentators and from fellow Republicans in Congress over the bill over the last few weeks — complete with calls for primary challengers to end not only her career, but that of any GOP co-sponsor. “I welcome it,” Salazar said Thursday of the primary threats. “Those are the rules of the game.” “I like that game. It’s better than the Cuban game or the Venezuelan or the Iranian,” Salazar said. “It’s not pretty, it’s not perfect, it’s not comfortable, but it’s the American way of doing business.” Days earlier, she approached one of the fiercest Republican critics of her bill, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), on the House floor. “I said, why don’t you explain to me what is it that you know that I don’t about immigration?” Salazar said of their conversation, adding it was “very nice” and that Gill had “some legitimate points.” Salazar said that she pitched Gill on doing a public, perhaps televised, debate over her legislation. Asked about that conversation, Gill — first correcting a question about the measure by noting its official name is the Dignidad Act — said he had good conversations with both Salazar and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), another one of the bill’s cosponsors. “We’re just diametrically opposed on this issue. I’m taking the conservative side and they’ve taken the Democrat side,” Gill said. “We are so wildly divergent on this issue. It’s hard to imagine how we reach some form of consensus.” As for a public debate about the bill, Gill said he would be open to doing something like that. “I think that the bill needs to be scrapped entirely. And we can start with something fresh, and maybe we can discuss that, but I think we’re pretty far off from the Dignidad Act being something that’s actionable,” Gill said. “I don’t think that anybody seriously thinks that I’m going to vote for this under any circumstances with any amendments to it whatsoever.” Under the legislation, those migrants in the country illegally prior to 2021 — who do not have criminal records — could pay $7,000 in restitution and any back taxes owed and get a new legal status. They would also not be eligible for welfare programs, and the legal status would not provide them a path to citizenship. The bill separately boosts security, funding for border security and technology, and requires the use of E-Verify, a system to verify immigration status in employment.

New York Post [4/19/2026 11:00 AM, Kevin Cohen, 40934K] reports on April 8, Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, and Emir Balat, 18, were indicted over an ISIS-inspired attack outside New York’s Gracie Mansion. The immediate headlines focused on the failed devices themselves. But the more revealing detail may lie in what investigators uncovered afterward. Federal prosecutors say the pair traveled from Pennsylvania to Manhattan on March 7, 2026, carrying improvised explosive devices packed with TATP, fragmentation material, nuts, bolts and screws. Dashcam footage from inside their vehicle allegedly captured them discussing how to kill as many as 60 people, "start terror," and create something deadlier than the Boston Marathon bombing. Authorities also recovered handwritten notes referencing TATP, chemical ingredients, napalm and possible follow-on attacks involving a large vehicle at parades, festivals and other crowded events. Prosecutors say the suspects carried devices containing TATP, a volatile compound sometimes nicknamed the "Mother of Satan.". Preliminary testing found that the devices consisted of sports drink bottles and glass jars packed with explosive material and fragmentation, with fuses connected to M80-style fireworks. One device extinguished itself after hitting a barrier near police officers. A second device was dropped while Balat allegedly fled. TATP is not a compound someone casually experiments with. It is notoriously unstable and difficult to handle safely even for experienced bombmakers. Its appearance in terrorist plots is rarely accidental.

Wall Street Journal [4/19/2026 11:54 AM, Alfredo Carrillo Obregon and Scott Lincicome, 646K] reports Paul Rahe’s justifications for tariffs fail under scrutiny (“There’s a Case for Tariffs,” op-ed, April 16). Mr. Rahe assumes tariffs boost resiliency, but recent history shows the opposite. National security might justify narrow trade restrictions, but tariffs have not insulated Americans from economic disruptions and have frequently made things worse. The baby-formula crisis of 2022 and automakers’ recent struggles to obtain aluminum, each triggered by the sudden closure of a tariff-protected U.S. factory, show that localized supply chains are vulnerable to local shocks—and tariffs block alternatives. Research from the pandemic finds that globalized supply chains performed better and adjusted faster than nationalized ones. Mr. Rahe also errs on tariffs’ ability to promote manufacturing. Decades of protection failed to create thriving U.S. steel, shipbuilding, textile and footwear industries. More recent duties on solar panels did the same. With around half of imports being manufacturing inputs, tariffs raise American producers’ costs and undermine competitiveness. Combined with uncertainty surrounding executive branch tariffs, this explains why surveys consistently reveal manufacturers opposed to new protectionism. Mr. Rahe is correct about the intrusiveness of income taxes, but tariffs can’t replace them because import volumes are far too small. Their invisibility, meanwhile, isn’t the benefit Mr. Rahe thinks. Since the 19th century, tariffs have been a breeding ground for rent-seeking and corruption and have persisted after decades of failure, precisely because their costs are hidden and diffuse. Transparency is a hallmark of good tax policy; opacity is its enemy.

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [4/19/2026 9:38 AM, Staff, 595K] reports President Trump in a TRUTH Social post this morning said, if the Iranians don’t take the deal being offered, "The United States is going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran. No more Mr. Nice Guy. They will come down fast. They will come down easy." President Trump states. Chris Wright, U.S. Energy Secretary is asked if he is worried that those proposed strikes on civilian infrastructure, including power plants, would hurt the innocent people of Iran and would constitute a war crime? "Yes, like the president is looking for maximum leverage, maximum nego -- maximum leverage in these negotiations. A lot of their infrastructure supports only their war machine. Of course, a lot of it supports civilians as well. But, no, I’m not worried about that. Negotiations are going very well. A lot of the chatter and noise you hear in public is really the signs of a regime that’s falling apart. Different factions go in different directions. They’re worried about trying to get some leverage at the end of these negotiations. I think President Trump and Vice President Vance have us on a pathway to a good ending in this conflict before long." Wright states.

ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos [4/19/2026 11:11 AM, Staff, 1824K] reports Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations touches on who will be leading the U.S. delegation for the talks in Islamabad. Waltz says that Vice President Vance and key negotiators will be heading out for another round of negations. "I have to remind everyone, these are the highest level engagements between the United States and the Iranian regime in the 47 years since it first came to power and, of course, took 66 Americans hostage. So it’s incredibly significant, as is the first high-level direct engagement between the Is -- between the Israelis and the Lebanese governments for the first time in decades. So I don’t think anyone can say President Trump isn’t putting diplomacy first. Of course, that is backed by significant and very real and very capable military power." Waltz states.

CBS’ Face The Nation [4/19/2026 11:53 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports President said Iran broke the ceasefire, but he is still offering them a deal. Is this a presentation of terms, or should we expect an actual, prolonged negotiation? "I think this will be a continuation of the terms that the vice president offered a week ago. And look, we have to take a step back here in that - President Trump, the US Navy is controlling what is coming out of the straits. We’ve had the highest level engagement in the history of the Iranian regime, with the vice president leading. We have historic ceasefire talks going on between the Israelis and the Lebanese. The markets are up. Oil prices are relatively stable. The Iranian economy is devastated, and they’ve never been, I can tell you here at the United Nations, they’ve never been more diplomatically isolated. So Iran does not have the cards, and we are confident they will come to the table and finally give up their obsession with having a nuclear weapon." Waltz states.

CBS’ Face The Nation [4/19/2026 11:53 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports President Trump says he hopes they take the deal, that was the post this morning. But on Friday afternoon, he spoke to Margaret Brennan colleague, Weijia Jiang, and he gave an incredibly optimistic read. He said Iran had "agreed to everything, including to stop enriching uranium forever and to stop backs" backing all proxy groups like Hezbollah. He made it sound like it’s all been sorted out. Which is? Was there an agreement with certain parts of the Iranian government, but now there are others in charge, or was the President speculating about something he hopes comes true? "Anybody who has dealt with the Iranians will tell you it is often two steps forward, three steps back. They’re incredibly slippery. They can’t be trusted. They cheated over the years, which is one of the reasons that President Trump withdrew us from the JCPOA. They were hiding sites. They were hiding capabilities, and this is why he made the bold decision last year in operation midnight hammer, to just end it once and for all. And again, we have to take the perspective that we’re not waiting. We’re not trusting. We are reducing their capabilities. Their military is in shambles. Their missile program is in shambles, and now, hopefully diplomatically, they will do it the easy way, rather than the hard way, of finally giving up on this illegal ambition." Waltz stated.

NBC’s Meet the Press [4/19/2026 10:50 AM, Staff, 2401K] reports Iran initially saying Strait of Hormuz was open, now saying it is closed. Is the Strait of Hormuz open or closed right now? "Well, you saw real confusion on the Iranians’ part. I think that shows the discord within their ranks after devastating attacks on their leadership. Yeah, the foreign minister says it’s open. The IRGC says it’s closed. Regardless, it’s the U.S. Navy and President Trump as the commander in chief that decides what ultimately comes in and comes out. And I think the bigger picture here is that the Iranian regime cannot hold the entire world’s economy hostage. They cannot mete out collective punishment because of a dispute over its nuclear program. It’s something that will not stand. It’s something actually in the United Nations that a record 135 countries joined us and joined our Gulf Arab allies in condemning, including Iran’s attacks on ports, airports, roads, bridges, hotels, you name it, even civilian neighborhoods with their drones and with their missiles. So Iran is increasingly isolated diplomatically. It’s struggling economically with its currency and foreign currency reserves tanking. And at the end of the day, they do not have the cards. And they’re coming back to the table for a deal." Waltz stated.

NBC’s Meet the Press [4/19/2026 10:50 AM, Staff, 2401K] reports some Iranian advocates are urging the United States not to target civilian infrastructure. Ambassador Waltz is asked if the United States is okay targeting civilians, the people of Iran? " I don’t take any credibility from Iranian advocates. But secondarily — but secondarily in the laws of land warfare and the rules of engagement, civil--any type of infrastructure that is being comingled, that is being used to move military hardware is absolutely a legitimate target as are power plants, the grid, and other things that are being used to power Iran’s war economy, which, oh, by the way, the IRGC controls an estimated 40% to 50% of. So, the president will move up an escalation ladder responsibly, as our amazing military will follow those orders with him as the commander in chief until Iran comes to the table and really lives up to a responsible deal that the vice president has put on the table. It cannot and will not ever have a nuclear weapon. And by the way, that’s not just the United States. There are dozens of UN resolutions over decades where the entire world has said Iran can’t have a nuke." Waltz stated.

Newsweek [4/19/26 12:00 ON, Billal Rahman, 52220K] reports a federal judge has denied a request to block the potential "cruel" deportation of two Laotian immigrant grandparents who are facing removal over decades-old drug convictions, according to court filings. U.S. District Judge Tana Lin of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington ruled on April 17 that the court lacks jurisdiction to grant the relief requested, which sought to prevent immigration authorities from detaining and deporting the pair without extended advance notice and a hearing. The petitioners, Oucho Saelee and Lai Chiem Saelee, both born in 1961, are described in court filings as "non-violent, medically impaired grandparents" who entered the United States in 1980 and later became lawful permanent residents. They have lived in the U.S. for more than four decades and have multiple U.S. citizen children and grandchildren. Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment. "To remove petitioners from their U.S. citizen children, grandchildren, and loved ones and return them to the country of their birth, a country that denies them citizenship, is an action that many would call cruel and heartless," the judge wrote in court documents. The pair remained under supervision in the United States because Laos had not been accepting deported individuals for many years, meaning they could not be removed.

Houston Chronicle [4/19/2026 7:00 AM, Matt deGrood, 2493K] reports Mayor John Whitmire says the city must walk back its new policy limiting Houston police officers’ cooperation with federal immigration agents after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to pull $114 million in grants over the measure, saying fighting back would be "a waste of time.". But some council members are calling on the mayor to challenge state leaders – particularly since Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the city over its policy. Legal experts say Houston could have a good case, and that a judge could block Abbott from following through on his threat. Houston’s new policy eliminates a requirement that officers wait 30 minutes for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to arrive when they encounter someone with an immigration warrant. These are civil documents that do not on their own give officers the authority to make arrests. Legal experts and the authors of the ordinance argue Houston’s new policy brings the city in line with the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits officers from detaining people excessively. For instance, once the original reason for a traffic stop is addressed, a driver with an immigration warrant must be released even if federal agents have not reached the scene. But the measure – and similar policies in the cities of Austin and Dallas – has come under attack from Republicans. Paxton’s lawsuit alleges Houston’s policy violates a 2017 state law prohibiting cities and counties from "materially restricting" cooperation with ICE. And Abbott says the ordinance falls afoul of the terms of Houston’s agreements to receive federal public safety grants that are passed through the state.

New York Post [4/19/2026 3:57 PM, Bianca Heyward, 40934K] reports most brides spend months agonizing over floral arrangements, wedding cakes and seating plans. But one California woman just spent her big day passing through locked doors to say "I do" in a Bakersfield immigration detention facility. Christina Serrano married her fiance Juan Serrano inside the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Facility, where he has been detained for the past seven months. The groom, an alleged illegal immigrant from Guatemala, has been held there since a routine immigration check-in — a moment his wife said upended their lives overnight. Instead of canceling their plans to wed, the couple pushed forward under extraordinary circumstances. But while the moment may seem extraordinary, ICE policy actually allows it — under strict conditions. According to federal detention standards, detainees can request permission to marry, but each case is reviewed individually and must meet a series of requirements before approval is granted. After navigating a maze of paperwork and approvals from federal officials, they were granted permission to marry inside the detention center — a rare and little-known option even some immigration attorneys aren’t familiar with. Facility officials are required to evaluate whether the detainee is legally eligible to marry and whether the request poses any security concerns.

Univision [4/20/2026 2:04 AM, Staff, 4937K] reports after spending three months without medical attention at the largest detention center in the Golden State, in California City, Maria, who was diagnosed with diabetes years ago, was released. “There was a security guard that I’ll never forget. She came and gave me the news. We were in the food area and she just came up to me and said, ‘pack your things, you’re going home.’ I couldn’t believe it,” the Hispanic woman told N+Univision21. On November 19, 2025, Maria and her husband, Ramon Maya, attended an immigration appointment to allegedly obtain permanent residency for the Hispanic woman. However, minutes before her interview ended, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entered the office and arrested her. Maria was transferred to the California City detention center, where she says she survived without medical attention or medication. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [4/19/2026 9:28 PM, Ashley Hume, 37576K] reports Natasha Lyonne is taking a lighthearted approach while speaking out about the incident that led to her being removed from a flight last week. The 47-year-old actress was escorted off a plane in Los Angeles after reportedly being unresponsive to crew members’ requests. Lyonne later addressed reports of her removal from the aircraft, explaining that she took the sleep medication Lunesta after boarding the red-eye flight and also claiming that she had been briefly detained by ICE. During a recent interview with Page Six, the "Euphoria" star joked when she was asked how she was doing following the mishap. "Oh, you mean my flight plans? My performance art piece?" Lyonne said on Wednesday at the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s Spring Into Action Gala. "It’s been a doozy," Lyonne admitted. The "Orange is the New Black" alum went on to tell the outlet that she was "grateful to be somewhat of a ‘Marathon Man’" and noted that she has taken three flights without issue since the incident. "I do seem to show up on time, hit those marks, despite it all," she said. "But yeah, it’s a kooky moment, kooky times.". On April 7, Lyonne was removed from a Delta Air Lines plane after she reportedly appeared to be "out of it" while sitting in first class and flight attendants were unable to get a response from her during preflight checks. Crew members sought assistance and the plane returned to the gate, where she was escorted off. In an X post on April 10, Lyonne later spoke out about reports of the incident, which took place after she attended the season three premiere of "Euphoria" in Los Angeles. "Indeed, I took a Lunesta once seated, to ensure some shut eye on the Delta One red-eye flight to NYC," she wrote on X. She explained that she boarded the flight with nothing more than a backpack and sneakers, "eager for a nap.". Lyonne said her plan was to "be bushy tailed & beauty rested," as she was scheduled to head straight to an appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" after landing. She went on to allege that she was "detained" by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "Was looking forward to seeing Drew & an in depth convo, but I guess ICE had other plans & I was detained instead. Sign of the times, I guess," Lyonne wrote in part. In a statement to Variety, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security denied Lyonne’s claims. "Neither ICE nor TSA escorted or detained Natasha Lyonne," the representative said. The actress also clarified that she’s had no issues with Delta or TSA in the past, and added, "Heart is with our unpaid @TSA workers. Apologies to any travelers who were delayed.". [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsMax [4/19/2026 7:57 PM, Brian Freeman, 3760K] reports nearly one in 10 births in the United States in 2023 were to parents living in the country without legal status, according to new data released by the Pew Research Center, highlighting a renewed flashpoint in the debate over immigration and birthright citizenship as President Donald Trump pushes to limit automatic citizenship for some children born in the U.S. The analysis found that about 320,000 of the 3.6 million babies born nationwide in 2023, during the Biden administration, were to unauthorized immigrant parents. Researchers said roughly 245,000 of those births were to mothers identified as unauthorized immigrants and fathers who were neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents. An additional 15,000 births involved mothers with temporary legal status and fathers who were neither U.S. citizens nor lawful permanent residents. Trump has issued an executive order seeking to reinterpret birthright citizenship, a policy rooted in the 14th Amendment, and the matter is expected to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to Pew’s analysis, approximately 260,000 babies born in 2023 would not have qualified for U.S. citizenship under the framework outlined in Trump’s order if it is upheld. The report also places the latest figures in historical context, noting that births to unauthorized immigrant parents tend to track broader trends in that population. That population more than tripled between 1990 and 2007, a period during which births to unauthorized immigrant mothers also surged — from about 120,000 in 1990 to a peak of roughly 380,000 in 2006, according to the Pew report. In 1990, such births accounted for about 3% of the 4.1 million U.S. births. By 2006, the share had risen to roughly 9%. The 2023 total marks the highest level since 2010, when approximately 325,000 babies were born to unauthorized immigrant parents during the second year of the Obama administration, according to Pew.

Reported similarly:
Breitbart [4/19/2026 12:03 PM, Lowell Cauffiel, 2238K]

Breitbart [4/19/2026 7:54 AM, Jasmyn Jordan, 2238K] reports Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) is set to introduce legislation that would make inadmissible, deportable, denaturalizable, and ineligible for naturalization any alien who advocates for, belongs to, or is affiliated with a socialist, communist, Chinese communist, or Islamic fundamentalist party, or who advocates for, is affiliated with, or belongs to an organization that advocates socialism, communism, Chinese communism, Marxism, or Islamic fundamentalism. According to the bill text, Roy would amend existing immigration law to prohibit the admission and naturalization of any alien who is or was a member of, affiliated with, or advocates or advocated for a Chinese communist party, communist party, socialist party, Islamic fundamentalist party, or any other totalitarian party (or subdivision or affiliate thereof), domestic or foreign. The legislation would also apply to any alien who is or was affiliated with, or who advocates or advocated for, any organization that advocates socialism, communism, Chinese communism, Marxism, or Islamic fundamentalism. The bill would also create new grounds for deportation. Under the legislation, an alien could be removed from the United States if he has engaged, is engaged, or at any time after admission engages in advocacy for communism, Chinese communism, socialism, Marxism, or Islamic fundamentalism; writes, distributes, circulates, prints, displays, possesses, or publishes any written, electronic, or printed matter that advocates those ideologies or that is on behalf of or advocates for such parties; or is, has been, or becomes a member of or affiliated with such parties or organizations. The measure further provides that any determination made under its inadmissibility, deportability, naturalization, or denaturalization provisions shall be final and shall not be subject to review by any court. Roy told Breitbart News: “Why do we continue to import people who hate us? Not just for the last six years, but for the last 60 years, our immigration system has been cynically used to disadvantage American workers’ competitiveness in favor of mass-importing the third world. This has not just led to higher crime and lower wages, but also the promulgation of hostile ideologies fundamentally opposed to American values. By targeting the Red-Green Alliance, this legislation deploys new tools to fight back against the Marxist and Islamist advance that has devastated Europe and has now arrived on our doorstep, especially in my home state of Texas.” A one-page summary of the legislation presented to Breitbart News by Roy’s office argues that the United States has, for decades, maintained an immigration system that undermines both labor competitiveness and "American values." The summary states that immigration policies favoring foreign nationals from "underrepresented" countries and chain migration have contributed to "dangerous levels of opposition to classical American political doctrines, like free-market capitalism.".

FOX News [4/19/2026 7:59 AM, Max Bacall, 37576K] reports Fox Nation’s new special, "Nepo Babies of Iran’s Regime," brings to light the striking contrast between the lavish lives of the relatives of Iran’s ruling elite living abroad and the suffering of ordinary Iranians under the Islamic Republic. The documentary features experts on the regime and Iranians who escaped the theocracy, highlighting the hypocrisy behind powerful Iranian leaders funding sports cars, designer labels and nights at the club for their children — a lifestyle that runs counter to the strict form of Islam they’re forcing onto the Iranian people. These "aghazadeh," the Persian word for the privileged offspring of high-ranking officials, live in luxurious villas, drink alcohol and party, and then post about it on social media for all to see — including their parents and the Iranians from whom their wealth is extracted. One expert called Iran a "mafia state" that transfers money from its people to its ruling class. One figure the special zeroes in on is a relative of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an American drone strike during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Soleimani led the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute described as "the organization that was meant to spread Iran’s revolution [and the] Islamist message of Khomeini to countries in the Arab world.". Iran expert Lisa Daftari said Soleimani’s niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter were living lives of luxury in Los Angeles while traveling back and forth to Iran, violating the conditions of their asylum status. Afshar and her daughter were both arrested by ICE on April 3, 2026, after their green card status was revoked, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS said Afshar entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in June 2015, was granted asylum in 2019 and became a green card holder in 2021 under the Biden administration. "In July 2025, she filed a naturalization application, where she disclosed she traveled to Iran at least four times since being issued a green card. Her trips to Iran illustrate her asylum claims were fraudulent," a DHS spokesperson previously told Fox News.

CNN [4/20/2026 5:01 AM, Elisabeth Buchwald, 19874K] reports tariff refunds are finally happening. Well, sort of. Exactly two months after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s most sweeping tariffs, American importers, who are owed $166 billion in refunds plus interest, can begin applying for reimbursement Monday through a new US Customs and Border Protection portal. CBP estimates that refunds will be issued within 60 to 90 days after approval, but it could take longer depending on whether additional reviews of entries are merited. The program, called the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE), “is designed to consolidate refunds of IEEPA duties including interest rather than processing refunds on an entry-by-entry basis,” CBP said in a prior notice. Only parties known formally as importers of record who made tariff payments or authorized customs brokers who act on their behalf can file for tariff refunds. However, not all tariff payments will be eligible to apply for reimbursement on Monday, which marks the start of multiple phases for the rollout of the program. For the first phase, only entities who have made certain tariff payments will be able to make refund submissions. It’s unclear when the system will open for all payments subject to refund. Additionally, the process could drag out even longer if the Trump administration takes further actions to delay or reduce the size of refunds.

Breitbart [4/19/2026 5:26 PM, Staff, 2238K] reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to launch a website on Monday to process refund requests for some Trump administration tariffs, although there are limits to which ones will be processed. The first phase of tariff refunds comes after the Supreme Court ruled in February that President Donald Trump could not use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to generate revenue by imposing tariffs. Although Trump decided to use Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to justify new tariffs after the Court’s decision, the administration still is required to refund duties collected under the now-nullified tariffs. CBP has estimated that it owes about $166 billion in refunds, with the agency’s announcement of phase 1 expected to take care of the vast majority of expected claims, NPR reported. The website is specifically aimed at letting businesses request refunds, and experts have said that consumers are unlikely to be affected by the refunds, CBS News reported. "[The Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries] is being deployed in phases, and CBP will launch the first phase of CAPE on April 20," the agency said in an update last week.

Washington Examiner [4/19/2026 8:00 AM, Anna Giaritelli, 1147K] reports Federal and state governments are preparing a major response to a dangerous flesh-eating, parasitic fly present in Mexico as it inches closer to the U.S. southern border. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said this month that the New World screwworm, a species capable of devastating livestock and infecting people, had been found 70 miles south of the U.S. border in Mexico after spreading from South America. "The New World screwworm is not some distant problem. It is a direct and imminent threat to Texas, and we are treating it that way," Miller said in a statement. "This is a high-stakes situation for our ranchers, our livestock industry, and our food supply, and we are moving aggressively to stay ahead of it.". The federal government is working along the U.S.-Mexico border, preparing a massive response to the NWS. On Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins traveled to Edinburg, Texas, for the groundbreaking of a new sterile fly production site that will produce billions of flies that will be dispersed to help eradicate the bad ones once they cross the border. Following the Texas facility groundbreaking, Rollins said the anticipated arrival of the screwworm was a serious concern to the country. "The New World Screwworm threatens the health of our herds, the stability of rural economies, and the resilience of our supply chain," Rollins said in a statement. "President Trump and his entire cabinet is committed to leveraging every resource necessary to contain this pest, protect American agriculture, and ensure the long-term security of our food supply chain.". NWS is a fly that lays eggs in a warm-blooded animal or person’s open wounds and body openings, including the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. The eggs hatch into parasitic maggots that "burrow into and feed on living tissue or flesh," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A fly will lay hundreds of eggs in a wound or body opening. The screwworm larvae have large mouth hooks that they use to "screw" themselves into the host’s tissue and dig deeper. An outbreak can lead to secondary infection, sepsis, and death within seven to 14 days. Symptoms include feeling or seeing maggots moving within a skin wound; painful sores or wounds that worsen within days; bleeding from open sores; and a foul smell from the flesh-eating larvae. The Agriculture Department has implemented a five-prong plan for federal, state, tribal, and local responders to handle NWS, including managing pests in infested animals and implementing fly surveillance and control measures. Guarding against the maggots is also the responsibility of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security. CBP inspects people, goods, and vehicles at land, air, and sea ports of entry, and federal agents are also stationed between land ports of entry.

Univision [4/19/2026 7:32 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports Luis Miguel Garduño, identified in official documents as a former public servant of the municipality of Matamoros , Tamaulipas, was arrested by the United States Border Patrol on April 5, 2026, after being caught with more than 10 kilograms of cocaine hidden in his vehicle at an inspection point on US-77 North in Texas . The case was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which took over the investigation. According to the case file, Border Patrol agents were conducting primary inspection at the checkpoint when they detected the arrival of a GMC Acadia vehicle driven solely by Luis Miguel Garduño. During the initial interview, the driver claimed to be a U.S. citizen and stated he was traveling to Corpus Christi, Texas, later indicating his destination was Driscoll, where he was supposedly going to obtain information for his daughter . Because it was Easter Sunday, the agents considered his explanations inconsistent. In the third row of seats, they found screws that had been tampered with, leading to the discovery of a hidden compartment in the vehicle’s floor. Inside, 10 packages were found which, after analysis, tested positive for cocaine , with a total weight of 10.92 kilograms.

NPR [4/19/2026 5:57 PM, Chandelis Duster, 28764K] reports communities across the Upper Midwest are cleaning up after tornadoes and severe weather impacted the region over the weekend, damaging and destroying dozens of homes and knocking out power for tens of thousands. "Numerous" severe storms were tracked across parts of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri on Friday, according to the National Weather Service. At least 66 tornado reports were submitted in multiple states including Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa, the NWS Quad Cities IA/IL office said Sunday. No deaths have been reported from the severe weather and tornado outbreak. In Marion Township in Minnesota, about 30 homes were damaged and a dozen have significant damage because of a tornado, according to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. The tornado also damaged at least 20 homes in Stewartville and there is a temporary shelter in Rochester for people displaced by the storms, according to MPR News. "Tornado disaster recovery continues to occur at full speed," the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday. In Illinois, McClean County officials declared a disaster emergency because of severe storms in Bloomington. "At this time, no injuries have been reported, and emergency response agencies remain actively engaged to ensure public safety and continuity of essential services," officials said in a statement. But further north in the village of Lena, an EF-2 tornado caused the "most significant damage" where "many homes and outbuildings were damaged, trees uprooted, and power lines downed," the NWS said. Numerous roads have also been blocked by debris, the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office also said.

Politico [4/19/2026 10:01 AM, Ry Rivard, 21784K] reports if President Donald Trump floats past Manhattan on a warship for America’s 250th birthday, don’t be surprised. Amid the myriad semiquincentennial celebrations being planned nationwide is a 72-hour stretch in New York City that will feature a massive maritime and aerial extravaganza on July 4 sandwiched between a World Cup knockout match and what the tabloids say will be Taylor Swift’s wedding. It will amount to one of the most complex peacetime security challenges an American city may ever face. “I don’t mean to be negative, but it’s a lot for us,” Kathryn Garcia, the head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said recently. “But hopefully everyone gets to have a good time. It will be the biggest party New York has seen and New Jersey has seen in literally decades.” The World Cup was already a logistical test for the 16 North American host cities, but the challenges facing New York are almost comically daunting and prompting concerns about thinly stretched law enforcement and security agencies. For months, the Coast Guard has been accepting feedback on its plans to secure the area for the naval exhibition by severely limiting access to New York Harbor, which encompasses the nation’s second largest cargo port, for a full week. Militaries from around the world are sending historic and modern warships, joined by the U.S. Navy’s own vessels, including one likely to have the president aboard to sail down the Hudson River to review the assembled armada.

Telemundo [4/19/2026 7:36 PM, Staff, 162K] reports the United States Coast Guard (USCG) rescued three people on Sunday after a maritime emergency in waters near the Florida Keys. According to authorities, the vessel began to fill with water, so a crew from the Coast Guard station in Islamorada was activated to assist those affected near the Carysfort Reef lighthouse. Photographs shared by the USCG show one of the men in the lighthouse and another being rescued from the water. Of the three people, one suffered minor injuries, while the other two were unharmed. After the rescue, the vessel was recovered.

Houston Chronicle [4/19/2026 6:26 PM, Jarrod Wardwell, 2493K] reports Texas’ first-ever Fleet Week continued Sunday, bringing an outpouring of military pride to the La Porte coastline as the event, attended by hundreds of people at Sylvan Beach Park, showcased the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The military branches rolled out their musical brass, artillery and other equipment during a free event halfway through their weeklong stay in the region. More than 1,000 sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen arrived with four military vessels last Wednesday in a week meant to bring the military branches face to face with local communities. Sunday was a family-friendly celebration that also drew a strong showing of veterans and local law enforcement who could witness a range of military demonstrations, including a search and rescue operation, a martial arts display, an open workout and performances by the Quantico Marine Band. Rear Adm. John Hewitt, the commander of the U.S. Navy’s southeast region, presented a plaque to La Porte Mayor Rick Helton as a show of gratitude for the city’s support. "It’s small communities like yours that’s the foundation, that’s the bedrock of support for our armed service," Hewitt said, addressing Helton with the honor. Hewitt, who oversaw much of the week’s planning, said Texas’ hospitality included local residents who personally thanks service members for their service and for coming to Houston. He thinks Fleet Week could return to Houston in the future if local leaders are willing to host the event again. "I’ll tell you what, the rollout that we’ve received from everyone, from every community that we’ve been involved with, whether it’s Sylvan Beach, the city of La Porte, Bayport and the greater downtown area, has been nothing but phenomenal," Hewitt said in an interview with the Chronicle. "The support from everyone around has rolled out the red carpet for the Navy and the Marine Corps." U.S. Navy veteran Chuck Flora, standing near a Humvee with his wife and son, reminisced about his service from 2000 to 2009 while at the La Porte event. His wife said they met a weapons officer and a lieutenant from one of the visiting ships and chatted about Flora’s time in the Navy.

Reuters [4/19/2026 9:00 PM, Leah Douglas and Jeffrey Dastin, 38315K] reports a gunman killed seven of his ‌children and an eighth minor in a domestic violence incident on Sunday in Shreveport, Louisiana, before police fatally shot him during a vehicle chase, authorities said. Seven bodies were found inside the house where the shooting occurred, while the eighth youth died attempting a rooftop escape, Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher ​Bordelon told TV station KTBS. One crime scene was "incredibly gruesome", Bordelon told KTBS. Preliminary information indicated the suspect first shot a woman and ​then went to a nearby home where he killed the children, according to a Facebook post ⁠from the Shreveport police. The children’s ages ranged from about 1 to 14, police said. Two women were being treated at a ​hospital for serious injuries, the post said. The suspect and one woman who was shot were the parents of seven of the children, ​Bordelon told TV station KSLA. One woman sustained life-threatening injuries, and multiple families were affected, he told KSLA. The shooting started after 6 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Sunday, he told reporters. Police identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins, according to Leigh Anne Evensky, director of communications for the Shreveport mayor’s office. The suspect carjacked a ​vehicle after the shootings and was killed when police fired at the vehicle during a chase that went into neighboring Bossier ​Parish, Bordelon said. Louisiana State Police are investigating the shooting of the suspect, spokesperson Kate Stegall said. At a news conference, Louisiana state Senator Sam Jenkins, whose district includes much of Shreveport, said the shooting underscores the need for more resources to combat domestic violence. "If we have someone with a history ​of domestic violence, let’s make ​sure that those resources, that ⁠intervention is there on a continuous and consistent basis, hopefully to avoid what we’ve seen here today," Jenkins said. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Shreveport native, ​on social media ⁠called the shooting a "heartbreaking tragedy." Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said on social media that he and his wife were "praying for everyone affected." USA Today [4/19/2026 9:36 PM, James Powel, 70643K] reports that the shooting spanned three homes, according to Shreveport Police Department Corporal Christopher Bordelon, who called the crime scene "extensive" at a news conference. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux called the shooting possibly "the worst tragic situation" the city has ever seen and asked to keep the victims’ families in their prayers. "We have hurting families," Arceneaux said. "We have hurting police officers, coroner’s personnel, fire department, sheriff people, and this affects this entire community, so we all mourn with these families.". The shooting was the deadliest mass shooting since January 2024, when a gunman shot and killed eight people in a suburb of Chicago, according to the Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killing Database. It is the ninth mass killing of the year and the seventh mass shooting, according to database data. "Eight babies, deceased, two ladies fighting for their life," Satonia Small, founder of the local grassroots organization Something Safe to Do, told the Shreveport Times, a part of the USA TODAY Network, at the scene of the shooting. "This is big, this is my area, working with domestic, and I know the people’s gonna need counseling because, look at all these people, they’re heartbroken. Eleven people were shot in total and the eight children who were killed ranged in age from 1 to 14 years old, Bordelon said at the news conference. Two women suffered serious injuries and a teenager was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. Authorities have yet to identify the victims but said that some of the slain children were related to the suspect, who has yet to be identified.

Reported similarly:
The Hill [4/19/2026 9:11 PM, Ashleigh Fields, 18170K]
The Hill [4/19/2026 1:14 PM, Addy Bink, 18170K]
NPR [4/20/2026 4:42 AM, Michel Martin, 34837K]
ABC News [4/19/2026 2:28 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE

FOX News [4/19/2026 1:38 PM, Eric Mack, 37576K] reports a domestic dispute that led to a shooting in Louisiana left eight children dead at different homes early Sunday before the shooter was stopped dead after a chase by officers, authorities say. The victims ranged in age from 1 to about 14 years old, according to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon. A total of 10 people were shot, including two adults. "I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback," Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. "I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.". "This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen," Bordelon said. The man stole a car at gunpoint a half block away from the original crime scene, leaving the scene of the shootings and getting pursued by police, according to Bordelon. A shootout between police and suspect occurred after a traffic stop in Bossier Parish, resulting in the suspect’s death.

CNN [4/20/2026 3:33 AM, Zoe Sottile, 19874K] reports eight children, ranging in age from just 3 to 11 years old, were killed early Sunday morning in Shreveport, Louisiana, in a shocking act of violence that marks the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in more than two years. A father, identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, fatally shot his seven children and a cousin, and critically wounded two women, including his wife, in a rampage across at least two locations before sunrise. After the shooting, which authorities described as "domestic in nature," the gunman fled the area in a carjacked vehicle and was pursued by police, later being shot and killed by officers. The Caddo Parish Coroner’s office identified the victims as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5. As the shooting unfolded, some children tried to escape out the back door, said state Rep. Tammy Phelps during a news conference with other city officials. A 13-year-old boy escaped from the roof and was injured, police said. Much about the circumstances and the motive of the shooting remains unclear. "This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport," Mayor Tom Arceneaux said in a news conference. As police continue to piece together what led to the massacre, here’s what we know so far. Police first responded to reports of shots fired in the Cedar Grove community of Shreveport, a northwestern Louisiana city with about 180,000 residents, just after 6 a.m. local time Sunday morning, according to Shreveport Police Cpl. Chris Bordelon. Police believe Elkins first shot his wife at a residence on Harrison Street. Then he went to another home on West 79th St., where he shot the eight children and the other woman, the mother of the eighth child killed. Elkins’ wife sustained "very serious injuries," Bordelon told CNN affiliate KSLA. The other woman has "life threatening injuries," he added. Arceneaux told CNN the gunman is believed to have had a relationship with the two women. The 13-year-old boy who jumped off the building’s roof and was injured has "some broken bones," but is expected to recover, according to Bordelon. "We’re just very thankful he was able to get away," Bordelon said.

FOX News.com [4/19/2026 3:27 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Fox News correspondent Alex Hogan reports on cases involving missing or dead U.S. scientists and the Trump administration’s efforts to investigate. The ‘Fox News Sunday’ panel provides analysis. Reports of mysterious missing and dead American nuclear scientists with government clearances have prompted a multi-agency investigation. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed a coordinated probe involving the Department of Energy, NNSA, and FBI. The White House is reviewing cases for potential commonalities, amid speculation of foreign influence or espionage. President Donald Trump has also weighed in.

USA Today [4/19/2026 9:23 PM, Francesca Chambers, 70643K] reports the U.S. has given Cuba two weeks to release high-profile political prisoners in a sign of good faith. The demand was presented during a secret meeting on April 10 in Cuba, according to a source familiar with the discussion. Some of the names floated for release included Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Osorbo, dissident artists from the San Isidro movement who were sentenced in 2022. In a statement to USA TODAY, a State Department spokesperson said the Trump administration remains committed to the release of all political prisoners, including Alcántara and Osorbo. The spokesperson pointed to Trump’s remarks at an April 17 rally that a "new dawn for Cuba" is coming and said the regime should stop playing games as direct talks are occurring. The Cuban government has a small window to make a deal, the person said. A senior State Department delegation traveled to Cuba on April 10 for talks with the government, a State Department official confirmed to USA TODAY. A senior State Department official also had a separate meeting with former Cuban leader Raul Castro’s grandson during the visit, the person said. It was the first time that a U.S. government plane had landed in Cuba since 2016. Axios was the first news outlet to report that the meetings took place. The officials told the Cuban government that the island’s economy is in free fall and its ruling elites had a narrow window to make reforms before circumstances irreversibly worsen, the State Department official said. The person said that Trump is committed to pursuing a diplomatic solution, if one is possible, but will not let allow the island to collapse into what he views as a major national security threat, if Cuba’s leaders are unwilling or unable to act. At the meeting, the U.S. proposed to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet services to Cuba. But the officials said Havana needs to enact reforms that will make Cuba’s economy more competitive and attractive to foreign investment. They also pushed for compensation of Americans and American-owned businesses that had their property confiscated and a lifting of constraints on political freedoms. It was after that meeting that Castro’s grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, tapped a Cuban businessman to personally bring a letter to the White House, bypassing official channels. The man, Roberto Carlos Chamizo González, was intercepted in Miami, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Free Beacon [4/20/2026 5:02 AM, Adam Kredo, 317K] reports he Palestinian Authority (PA) has paid salaries to convicted terrorists Israel released from its prisons as part of its October 2025 ceasefire agreement with Hamas, the State Department formally determined in a non-public report to Congress obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The State Department’s mandatory report—compiled between August 2025 and January 2026—marks the first U.S. government determination that the PA has "provided payments to convicted terrorists released from Israeli prisons in October 2025 under President Trump’s 20-point peace plan." The notice to Congress confirms a similar conclusion the State Department made in January, when it noted that, even though PA president Mahmoud Abbas claimed in 2025 that he had scrapped the so-called pay-to-slay program, his government had still doled out hundreds of millions of dollars to terrorists and their families. As the Free Beacon reported in February, the PA transitioned last year to concealing those payments from Western governments by funneling them through a newly established welfare authority. The most recent State Department report confirms that a portion of those funds has gone to the terrorists released in October. The State Department report comes about six months after the beginning of President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire, which included a commitment from Abbas that the PA would undertake a series of reforms, including ending pay-to-slay. The notice to Congress demonstrates that he and his government have not followed through in any meaningful way.

AP [4/19/2026 8:06 PM, Michelle L. Price, Samy Magdy and Sam Metz, 35287K] reports the United States attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, and Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond, throwing a fragile ceasefire into question days before it expires. It was the first interception since the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began last week. Iran’s joint military command called the armed boarding an act of piracy and a ceasefire violation, the state broadcaster said. With the U.S.-Iran standoff over the strait sharpening and the ceasefire expiring by Wednesday, it was not clear where President Donald Trump ‘s earlier announcement on new talks with Iran now stood. He had said U.S. negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday. The uncertainty sent oil prices rising again. One of the worst global energy crises in decades threatened to deepen. Trump on social media said a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Oman warned the Iranian-flagged ship, the Touska, to stop and then “stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.” U.S. Marines had custody of the U.S.-sanctioned vessel and were “seeing what’s on board!” It was not clear whether anyone was hurt. The U.S. Central Command, which didn’t answer questions, said the destroyer had issued “repeated warnings over a six-hour period.” There was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen. Minutes after the ship seizure was announced, Iranian state media reported on President Masoud Pezeshkian’s phone conversation with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier Sunday. U.S. actions, including bullying and unreasonable behavior, have led to increased suspicion that the U.S. will repeat previous patterns and “betray diplomacy,” the reports cited Pezeshkian as saying. Two previous attempts at talks — last June and earlier this year — were interrupted by Israeli and U.S. attacks.

Daily Wire [4/19/2026 12:12 PM, Virginia Kruta, 2314K] reports round two of negotiations with Iran will take place this week despite attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said on Sunday— but he also put the regime on notice, warning that the United States is prepared to resume an all out barrage of strikes on Iran. While officials originally said the negotiation is being led by JD Vance, on Sunday morning the president revealed that the vice president would not be making the trip to Pakistan due to security concerns. Trump told several outlets by phone that the vice president would not be making the trip to the Pakistani capital for the second round of meetings, explaining that the Secret Service was not comfortable with him doing so with just 24 hours advance notice. Instead, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive on Monday evening ahead of the talks and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is also set to attend the Tuesday meetings. Trump did not rule out making a trip to Islamabad himself, The New York Post reported, but said that he wanted to see how the next round of negotiations went before he committed to his own next move: “I would say maybe at a little bit later date. We have to see how it works out tomorrow.” “I just got off the phone with President Trump yet again, he told me that Vice President Vance will not be leading the U.S. delegation to Islamabad, he said it’s because of security concerns,” ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl explained after also speaking with Trump. “The Secret Service did not feel comfortable having the vice president go to Pakistan on 24 hours notice. [Trump] added, ‘JD is great.’” Trump lashed out at the Iranian regime via Truth Social on Sunday morning, following reports that the Iranian military had opened fire on ships in the Strait of Hormuz after agreeing to keep it open.

Breitbart [4/19/2026 7:22 AM, Breitbart London, 2238K] reports the strategic Strait of Hormuz was again closed on Sunday in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran’s powerful parliament speaker signalling a final peace deal remained "far" off despite some movement in negotiations. As mediation efforts continued following high-level talks in Pakistan that failed to reach a deal, Iran said it will not allow the crucial maritime trade chokepoint to re-open until the United States ends a blockade of Iranian ports. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, said in a televised address on Saturday night that there had been "progress" with Washington "but there are many gaps and some fundamental points remain". "We are still far from the final discussion," said Ghalibaf, one of Tehran’s negotiators in the talks aimed at ending the war launched by Israel and the United States against the Islamic republic. A two-week ceasefire is set to end on Wednesday unless it is renewed. US President Donald Trump said "very good conversations" were going on with Iran but warned Tehran against trying to "blackmail" the United States. On Friday, Tehran had declared the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually transits, open after a temporary ceasefire was agreed to halt Israel’s war with Iran’s ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. That prompted elation in global markets and sent oil prices plunging, but Tehran reversed course after Trump insisted the US blockade of Iranian ports would continue until a final deal was struck. "If America does not lift the blockade, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be limited," Ghalibaf said. Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has yet to be seen since taking power after his father was killed in the war’s opening strikes, said in a written message that Iran’s navy "stands ready" to defeat the United States. Trump accused Iran of getting "a little cute" with its recent moves and warned Tehran not to try to "blackmail" Washington by flip-flopping on the strait.

FOX News [4/19/2026 2:20 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Iran rejects peace talks as US military set to enforce maritime order. Iran rejects U.S. peace talks, signaling continued tensions. Fox News contributor Brett Velicovich, a former Army Special Ops Intel Analyst, asserts President Trump’s "maximum pressure" approach is essential to counter Iran’s economic warfare and threats to global maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. Velicovich highlights U.S. Central Command operations, emphasizing disciplined, intelligence-driven actions to secure international waters.

NPR [4/19/2026 5:01 PM, Durrie Bouscaren and Rob Schmitz, 28764K] Audio: HERE reports the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is set to expire Wednesday. And the two sides seem far from a resolution. President Trump says the US has taken custody of an Iranian vessel.

The Hill [4/19/2026 4:00 PM, Ashleigh Fields and Filip Timotija, 18170K] reports President Trump on Sunday said the U.S. military attacked an Iranian-flagged cargo ship attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. “The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA [ship] in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post. “The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom,” he added. Touska was transiting the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots toward Bandar Abbas, a port city in southern Iran. After U.S. forces issued “multiple” warnings and told the ship that it was breaching the U.S. blockade, the crew did not comply over a six-hour period and Spruance disabled Touska’s propulsion by firing several rounds from its 5-inch MK 45 Gun into the engine room, the U.S. Central Command (Centcom), which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, said on Sunday. Trump said the ship was about 900 feet long and that the U.S. Marines have “full custody” of the ship, while noting that troops were “seeing” what’s on board the vessel. Centcom said Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded the vessel, a rapid-response unit, based in Japan, which recently arrived in the Middle East. The unit has about 2,500 Marines and sailors. “The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity,” the president added in the post. The Touska last broadcast its location more than six hours ago in the Gulf of Oman, according to MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking service. The ship is under sanctions by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control over its ties to Iran’s shipping lines. The move comes as U.S. military personnel potentially prepare to board other Iranian-linked ships in an effort to increase economic pressure on Iran to reopen the strait and agree to the administration’s terms for a longer-term ceasefire. A current agreement has called for an end to the Strait of Hormuz’s closure, among other terms. However, on Sunday, Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by firing shots at a French ship and a freighter from the United Kingdom attempting to travel through the critical choke point.

New York Times [4/19/2026 7:45 PM, Anushka Patil, 148038K] reports President Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. military attacked and seized custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that had tried to maneuver around the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, hours after he and an Iranian official exchanged accusations of cease-fire violations in the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. Navy destroyer intercepted the cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman and “gave them fair warning to stop,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on social media. “The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom.” He added that the ship, the Touska, was under U.S. sanctions and that the United States was “seeing what’s on board!” The attack on the Iranian ship, which was not immediately confirmed by Iran, is sure to raise tensions in the already escalating standoff over the strait. Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Trump accused Iran of firing on ships passing through the strait in “a total violation of our ceasefire agreement,” while Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said it was the U.S. blockade that was a violation of the cease-fire. The blockade was an unlawful act that amounted to a “war crime and crime against humanity” because it was “deliberately inflicting collective punishment” on the Iranian people, Mr. Baqaei said. Mr. Trump said in his social media post that the ships attacked by Iran were from France and Britain, though the two vessels that the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations organization reported hit on Saturday appeared to be Indian-flagged, according to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The U.K.M.T.O. said that gun boats belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly fired on one vessel, a tanker, without radio warning. In the other incident, the organization reported, a container ship was “hit by an unknown projectile,” causing damage to some containers. India’s external affairs ministry said it had summoned Iran’s ambassador over the incidents. Those ships and several others reversed course, according to shipping analysts. The U.K.M.T.O. had not reported any further incidents in the region as of Sunday evening local time. At least two tankers trying to cross the strait on Sunday, one sailing under Botswana’s flag and the other under Angola’s, were forced by Iran’s military to change course, according to Tasnim, a semiofficial Iranian news agency.

New York Times [4/19/2026 4:51 PM, Ephrat Livni, 148038K] reports The United States military last week extended its blockade on vessels coming in and out of Iranian ports to the waters of the wider world, declaring that it would pursue any ship aiding Iran, regardless of location on the high seas or flag. The U.S. “will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday, noting that the American troops beyond the Middle East will engage in operations to thwart Iranian shipping. The extension of the blockade comes as the economically vital Strait of Hormuz remains all but closed to commercial traffic and the two-week cease-fire between the United States and Iran nears an end. The move aligns longstanding American economic policies targeting Iran with the current military campaign against it, maritime and military law experts say. But it raises a host of legal and practical questions. “War is a messy thing not just on the combat side but under national and international law,” said James R. Holmes, chair of maritime strategy at the Naval War College. “From a legal standpoint, a blockade is an act of war, so the blockade probably is legal to the extent Operation Epic Fury is,” he said using the name of the U.S. military campaign against Iran. Since Congress has not declared war against Iran, no formal state of war exists between the United States and the Islamic Republic. But Mr. Holmes noted that “undeclared wars are more the rule than the exception in U.S. history,” with joint resolutions of Congress, United Nations Security Council resolutions and NATO decisions invoked to justify fighting. “This campaign may be more unilateral than most, but it is not without precedent,” he said. Under international law, the legality of the blockade is “more ambiguous,” said Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, a foreign policy think tank in Washington.

FOX News [4/19/2026 7:09 AM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports President Donald Trump warns Iran after the regime closes the Strait of Hormuz and opens fire on vessels. Ret. Lt. Tom Sauer, a former Navy mine specialist, discusses the U.S. Navy’s mine countermeasures. President Donald Trump issues a strong warning to Iran following its actions in the Strait of Hormuz, where the regime attempted to close the vital waterway and fired upon vessels. Former Navy Lieutenant Commander Tom Sauer details the U.S. Navy’s mine countermeasures, including the USS Miguel Keith, USS Pioneer, and USS Chief, emphasizing the complex challenges posed by small IRGC gunboats.

FOX News [4/19/2026 10:35 AM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis breaks down President Donald Trump’s latest warnings to Iran as tensions escalate over the renewed Strait of Hormuz closure on ‘Fox Report.’ President Donald Trump issues an ultimatum to Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz, threatening military action if the blockade isn’t lifted by Wednesday. Military expert Daniel L. Davis discusses Iran’s strategic control over the critical waterway.

ABC News [4/19/2026 11:29 AM, Nicholas Kerr, 34146K] reports U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to decimate Iran’s power infrastructure and bridges amid his push to try to strike a deal with the country ahead of another round of in-person talks in Pakistan on Monday. Trump posted on his social media platform Sunday morning, "We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY.". "We could take that infrastructure out relatively easily. The Iranian air defenses have been absolutely decimated," he said. Waltz pushed back against accusations that such strikes would violate international law, arguing that infrastructure used for dual military and civilian purposes is a lawful target. But pressed by Karl on how striking every single power plant and bridge wouldn’t be a war crime, Waltz said that it would be an escalation and compared the current conflict to World War II. "That would be an escalatory ladder. And if you go back in the history of warfare, go all the way back to World War II, of course, we bombed and took down bridges, other infrastructure, power plants that, yes, could be used for civilian, but also are used to manufacture drones and missiles," Waltz said. "The Iranian regime in particular, and its terrorist proxies have a long history of actually deliberately hiding military infrastructure in hospitals, schools, neighborhoods and other, and other civilian assets," he added. "They have no ground to stand on.".

CBS News [4/19/2026 2:39 PM, Kaia Hubbard, 51110K] Video: HERE reports U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz said Sunday that the U.S. is "never going to take an approach of trust" with Iran as U.S. officials are expected to head to Islamabad for a second round of talks in the coming days. "Any deal that comes out of this will have to absolutely be verifiable and be enforceable," Waltz said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.". President Trump said earlier Sunday that U.S. representatives would travel to Pakistan for the talks with Iran. Iranian state media reported Sunday that Iran has not decided whether it will take part in the talks with the U.S. Asked whether the intended talks will be a presentation of terms or a prolonged negotiation, Waltz said he expects the talks will be a "continuation of the terms that the vice president offered a week ago.". The first round of negotiations last weekend, led by Vice President JD Vance, failed to yield an agreement. Vance told reporters at the conclusion of the talks that the Iranians had "chosen not to accept our terms.". Waltz argued that the U.S. is seeing the "highest level engagement in the history of the Iranian regime, with the Vice President leading," along with "historic cease fire talks going on between the Israelis and the Lebanese.". "The Iranian economy is devastated, and they’ve never been — I can tell you, here at the United Nations — they’ve never been more diplomatically isolated," Waltz said. "So Iran does not have the cards and we are confident they will come to the table, and finally give up their obsession with having a nuclear weapon.". Multiple sources told CBS News that Vance, along with Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will be traveling to Islamabad for the talks with Iran. The trio is expected to arrive Monday evening for talks on Tuesday. Asked about the significance of having Vance participate in the talks, Waltz said "the vice president leading shows the level of engagement from the U.S. side — that we are absolutely serious.". But Waltz acknowledged that "the Iranian side is in a bit of chaos" due to "the devastating strikes on their leadership." He said "there is no trust on this side," while pointing to "extensive discussions" with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which he said would have a "key role in ensuring Iran lives up to any deal.".

Reuters [4/19/2026 6:54 AM, Staff, 38315K] reports four individuals, including two ​foreign nationals, were arrested ‌in Iran’s northwest, semi-official Tasnim news ​agency reported on ​Sunday, for being part ⁠of a "U.S.-Israel-linked espionage ​network." The foreigners, whose ​nationality was not disclosed, are accused of importing ​satellite internet equipment ​such as Starlink, which is ‌a ⁠criminal offence in the country, which has faced seven ​weeks ​of ⁠an internet blackout. Hundreds of Iranians ​have been ​arrested ⁠for "cooperating with enemy states" since the start ⁠of ​the U.S.-Israeli war ​with Iran.

Breitbart [4/19/2026 3:06 PM, Staff, 2238K] reports South Korea’s Defense Ministry said North Korea test launched multiple, short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, Sunday morning. "Detailed specifications are currently under close analysis by South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities," officials in Seoul said in a statement, according to ABC News. "Our military is closely monitoring North Korea’s military activities under a firm combined defense posture and maintains an overwhelming capability and readiness to respond to any provocation.". The Japan Times said the Defense Ministry of Japan also confirmed the activity. "North Korea’s series of actions, including the repeated launches of ballistic missiles and other weapons, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community," the ministry said in a statement.

AP [4/20/2026 2:21 AM, Jim Gomez, 16072K] reports the United States and the Philippines kicked off one of their largest combat exercises Monday in an annual display of allied military might aimed at deterring aggression in Asia, despite Washington’s preoccupation with the war in the Middle East. The large-scale combat drills between the U.S. and Philippines will expand this year to include other militaries, including from Japan, France and Canada, which have signed visiting forces agreements with Manila, the Philippine military said. More than 17,000 American and Filipino military personnel will participate in the Balikatan — Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder — exercise. The event will last nearly three weeks and will include mock battle scenarios and live-fire maneuvers in locations including Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. Nearly 10,000 U.S. military personnel will take part in the combat drills, a major deployment that U.S. military officials said underscores Washington’s commitment to Asia despite its preoccupation with the war against Iran. "Regardless of the challenges elsewhere in the world, the United States focus on the Indo-Pacific and our ironclad commitment to the Philippines remains unwavering," Marine Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman said in the opening ceremony. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner said the multinational combat drills build deterrence and resilience against aggression in the region. He did not mention any country in his speech but in the past, he has strongly criticized China for its increasingly assertive actions against Philippine navy and coast guard forces in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also lay claims to the waters, a key global trade route, but territorial confrontations have particularly spiked between Chinese and Filipino forces in recent years. China has objected to the U.S.-Philippine drills, saying they are aimed at containing its global rise. The Philippine military, however, has insisted the exercise does not target any country and is also needed to prepare allied forces to respond to natural disasters. The U.S. has repeatedly warned China that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces come under an armed attack in disputed waters. "We remain guided by a shared commitment to uphold international law, to respect sovereignty and to contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific where nations can thrive without coercion," Brawner said. During the drills, Japanese forces will fire missiles from a coastal area in the northwestern Philippine province of Ilocos Norte to help sink a mock enemy ship about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away in the peripheries of the South China Sea, Philippine marine. Col. Dennis Hernandez told The Associated Press. U.S. forces will use a marine drone laden with explosives to further bombard the enemy ship, Hernandez said.

Reported similarly:
Univision [4/19/2026 11:52 PM, Staff, 4937K]

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