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 My son has narrated the last book I wrote. Please consider listening to it and encouraging others to do so too. (Click HERE) World & Nation Iran is demanding fees from ships to travel through Strait of Hormuz, Israeli official says  An Israeli intelligence official told Fox News on Friday that Iran is demanding fees from ships to travel through the Strait of Hormuz. “The Strait is effectively under full Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps control,” the official told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. “They decide who gets to go through, but more importantly, who doesn’t.” The official also said new information is being shared in the intelligence community indicating that the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is using the ceasefire window to carry out operations that tighten its grip on the strait. The development runs in defiance of a warning that President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday night. Hormuz choke point persists as Iran halts oil traffic despite Trump ceasefire
Inside Tehran after strikes: Iranian woman describes fear, checkpoints and people used as ‘human shields’ Iran’s ‘Godfather of propaganda’ tactics resurface in war with US and Israel Vance Warns Iran Not to 'Play' the US as He Departs for Negotiations Aimed at Ending Their War  Vice President JD Vance on Friday warned Iran not to "play" the U.S. as he headed overseas for negotiations aimed at ending their war. President Donald Trump has tasked the member of his inner circle who has seemed to be the most reluctant defender of the 6-week-old conflict with Iran to now find a resolution and stave off the U.S. president's astonishing threat to wipe out its "whole civilization." Vance, who has long been skeptical of foreign military interventions and outspoken about the prospect of sending troops into open-ended conflicts, set off Friday to lead mediated talks with Iran in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
Inflation May Jump by Most in Nearly 4 Years as Gas Prices Spike in Wake of Iran War  Soaring gas prices are expected to produce a spike in inflation when the government reports consumer prices for March on Friday, likely unnerving the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the political challenges of rising costs for the White House. Inflation probably rose to 3.4% in March compared with a year ago, economists estimate, which would be a sharp increase from February's 2.4% increase. On a monthly basis, prices are forecast to have risen 0.9% in March from the previous month, according to a survey of economists by data provider FactSet. That would be largest monthly increase since 2022. Until now there had been a slight moderating trend in inflation since last fall. A reading of 3.4% would be the highest in nearly two years, and is far above the Fed's 2% target.
Speaker Johnson Slams Dems' 25th Amendment Push Against Trump  House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticized Democrats for what he described as their obsession with removing President Donald Trump from office, saying none of them "breathed a word about the 25th Amendment when they were lying every day to cover up for the dangerous infirmity of President Joe Biden." In a Friday press release, Johnson accused congressional Democrats of once again pursuing impeachment and other extraordinary measures against Trump, despite what he described as foreign policy successes, including a ceasefire agreement with Iran following decisive U.S. military action. "Congressional Democrats have no message, no vision, and no leadership," Johnson said, arguing their actions are driven by "an irrational hatred" of Trump rather than substantive policy disagreements. He added that instead of working with Republicans on issues such as lowering taxes, improving wages, and securing communities, Democrats are focused on what he called their "favorite failed and pointless pastime: impeaching President Trump" and what he described as Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Artemis II nears end of historic mission with splashdown off California coast San Diego-based Navy crews will play key role in recovery efforts for Orion spacecraft and crew after return from lunar mission  The Artemis II mission to the moon is nearing completion, but first comes a safe splashdown off the San Diego coast. The Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, is expected to return Friday, with the U.S. Navy helping recover the capsule and crew from the Pacific Ocean. San Diego, a city with deep Navy roots, is playing a central role in that effort. Several bases in the area are helping lead the recovery, bringing a sense of pride and excitement to the community. Suspect who killed California deputy run over by armored vehicle after hours-long firefight standoff: sheriff 'Don’t shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we’re going to run you over. He got run over. He got what he deserved'  A California sheriff’s detective was shot and killed Thursday while serving an eviction notice after an armed suspect opened fire on deputies in what authorities described as an apparent ambush that led to an hours-long standoff. The suspect, identified as David Eric Morales, was ultimately killed when a law enforcement BearCat armored vehicle ran over him after he continued firing and refused to surrender, authorities said. "The suspect was lying prone on the ground, in camouflage clothing, continuing to pose a threat," Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said later during a news conference. "The situation was resolved, and the suspect is now dead. He was not shot. One of the BearCats ran over him and killed him." Spanberger breaks silence on 'sanctuary' claims as ICE clashes heat up  Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger broke her relative silence on multiple controversial issues stemming from her first three-plus months in office, claiming the Old Dominion is not a sanctuary state and poking holes in the context surrounding a damning favorability poll. Spanberger has been under fire for undoing predecessor Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 287(g) cooperation agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. Multiple heinous crimes have been committed in Virginia, allegedly by illegal immigrants and often under the auspices of sanctuary prosecutors, while she also faces criticism over an April 21 redistricting effort she backed that would draw out all but one Republican congressman. "Virginia is not a sanctuary state — full stop," Spanberger said shortly after exiting the Executive Mansion in Richmond. "There's a lot of misinformation out there, certainly everything that you might read on Twitter is not real, but it's actually pretty outrageous some of the things that have been reported along the way," she said, pointing to her executive order on immigration enforcement cooperation. Ukraine, Russia move towards potential peace deal, Bloomberg reports  Ukraine and Russia are moving towards a potential deal to end the war, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing the top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Kyrylo Budanov, a former head of Ukraine's military intelligence, said that he saw progress towards a deal, but declined to say what a potential compromise on territory, a key stumbling block, would look like. "No final decision has been made yet," he said, according to the report. "But, in principle, everyone now clearly understands the limits of what is acceptable. That’s enormous progress." "They all understand the war needs to end. That’s why they are negotiating,” Budanov said in an interview with Bloomberg on April 4. “I don’t think it will be long.” Budanov was appointed head of Zelenskiy's office in January and has become a key Ukrainian negotiator during U.S.-brokered talks between Kyiv and Moscow. ‘War crime’ hysteria smears plenty of presidents — except for one By Victor Davis Hanson
The left, and some on the right, went crazy over President Donald Trump’s post this week. He warned that if the Iranian regime did not cease blocking the international Strait of Hormuz, he would hit its dual military-civilian infrastructure. He promised that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” Trump may have used sloppy nouns. But he obviously meant that the murderous civilization/culture of radical Iranian theocratic Islam would cease to exist, and won’t come back, once the power plants and transportation systems central to the regime were cut off. Our fallen heroes' families deserve more than outdated survivor benefits The initial payment families receive upon the death of their loved one has not been updated in over 20 years By Rep. Matt Van Epps
From the moment you get that knock on the door to the moment you’re handed a folded American flag, Gold Star families face a lifetime shaped by loss. Last week we observed Gold Star Spouses Day on April 5. April is also the Month of the Military Child. I invite you to reflect on the sacrifices of our military families, especially those whose loved one paid the ultimate sacrifice. Losing a loved one in service to our country hits differently. These families are asked to carry on with strength and dignity, embodying the very ideals their loved ones fought to defend. It’s often called an honor no one wants. I recently had the privilege of meeting with members of the Gold Star Wives of America in my Washington, D.C., office. Their resilience, grace and determination to advocate for military families left a lasting impression. Their stories are powerful reminders of the human cost of service. |
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