US AND CANADA

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Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, intensifying pressure on one of the world's most critical shipping routes as a fragile ceasefire between Tehran and Washington showed signs of strain.

Iranian authorities said the ships were detained over alleged maritime violations and escorted toward Iranian waters. The move marked the first such seizures in weeks and came amid reports that at least three commercial vessels had been fired upon in the same ships.

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Donald Trump has announced plans to send a US delegation to Pakistan for fresh negotiations with Iran, while issuing renewed threats against the country’s infrastructure if a deal is not reached.

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American naval forces have fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that attempted to breach a maritime blockade, according to President Donald Trump, dramatically escalating tensions just hours before planned negotiations in Islamabad.

The vessel, identified as the M/V Touska, was intercepted by the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance in waters near the Strait of Hormuz after what US officials described as repeated non-compliance with warnings.

Footage released by Central Command shows sailors issuing instructions over several hours, urging the crew to halt and vacate the engine room or face disabling fire.

When the ship failed to respond, rounds from a deck gun struck the engine compartment, forcing it to stop before US Marines boarded and took control.

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A federal jury in North Carolina has found rideshare company Uber liable for the actions of a driver who allegedly grabbed a passenger’s inner thigh and made inappropriate remarks during a trip. The jury in Charlotte awarded the plaintiff $5,000 in damages, according to her legal team, in a case that forms part of a wider wave of sexual assault lawsuits against the company across the United States.

The incident involved a passenger who said the driver touched her as she was exiting the front seat of his vehicle and asked if he could “keep her” with him.

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U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that Iran has pledged to never again close the Strait of Hormuz, describing the agreement as a major victory for American negotiators during ongoing ceasefire talks.

The statement followed a formal declaration from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who confirmed the vital waterway is now fully accessible for commercial vessels for the remainder of the ceasefire period.

"Iran has agreed to never close the Strait of Hormuz again. It will no longer be used as a weapon against the world," Trump posted on Truth Social.

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A man killed eight children, including seven of his own, and shot two women in an attack in a Shreveport, Louisiana, neighborhood that was the nation’s deadliest shooting in more than two years, authorities said.

At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred early Sunday, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community.

“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana.

Mourners laid flowers outside the single-story house on 79th Street, and people lit candles for the victims at an evening prayer vigil in a nearby parking lot.

“It just makes you take your children and hug them and hold them and tell them how much you love them,” said Kimberlin Jackson, who was at the vigil.

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The investigation into the death of American lifestyle influencer Ashly Robinson, known online as Ashlee Jenae, has entered a critical phase as Zanzibar authorities have officially withheld the passport of her fiancé, Joseph Isaac McCann. On April 17, 2026, the Zanzibar Police Force confirmed that while McCann has not been arrested or charged, he is being required to remain in the country pending the results of a formal autopsy and forensic analysis.

The 45-year-old McCann, a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency sector as the founder of the hedge fund Asymmetric, was first questioned by investigators on Monday, April 13. The questioning focused on the final hours leading up to the discovery of Robinson’s body at the luxury Zuri Zanzibar resort. Police reports indicate that the couple, who arrived on the island on April 4 to celebrate Robinson’s 31st birthday and recent engagement, had been involved in “frequent” and “heated” arguments during their stay.