Good morning.
The US military has attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged container ship that tried to evade its blockade near the strait of Hormuz. It is the first such interception since the US began blocking Iranian ports last week.
Iran’s joint military command said Tehran would respond soon and called the US seizure an act of piracy that violated the fragile truce that has been in place since 8 April.
The move threw negotiations, which the US had said would take place on Monday in Pakistan, into doubt. Iran state media reported on Sunday evening that Tehran is not currently planning to take part in new talks with the US.
When does the ceasefire end? It is set to expire by Wednesday.
Where does the US public stand on the war? An NBC poll on Sunday estimated 67% and 68% of adults “somewhat” or “strongly” disapproved of the way Trump was handling the Iran war (as well as inflation and the cost of living domestically).
Stay up to date on developments with our liveblog.
Mass shooting rampage in Louisiana leaves eight children dead and others woundedPolice said the Louisiana shooter was the father of seven of the eight children killed. Photograph: Jill Pickett/AP
A man killed eight children and wounded two adults in a mass shooting in the Louisiana city of Shreveport, in what police called a “domestic violence incident”.
Chris Bordelon, the Shreveport police department spokesperson, said on Sunday evening that the suspect, Shamar Elkins, killed seven of his own children and wounded their mother, as well as killing another child.
The victims ranged in age from one to about 12 years old. The mother and another woman are in critical condition. Elkins died after a police pursuit.
Iranian American woman arrested in Los Angeles for alleged arms traffickingShamim Mafi, 44, was arrested on Saturday at Los Angeles international airport in California. Photograph: Allison Dinner/EPA
A California woman was arrested at Los Angeles international airport on charges of allegedly trafficking weapons for the Iranian government to contacts in Africa, including Sudan.
Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was detained on Saturday night by federal agents, according to the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. She was charged with the suspicion of “brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured”, said Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney for the central district of California.
In other news …Drone footage shows fire that destroyed 1,000 homes in Malaysia. Photograph: Balai Bomba Sandakan
A fire has destroyed 1,000 makeshift homes in Malaysia’s Sabah state, displacing around 9,000 residents.
Republican senator and Trump ally John Kennedy, who is a Methodist and not a Catholic, has criticized what he called Donald Trump’s “holy war” against Pope Leo XIV, describing it as a “distraction”.
Tornadoes and heavy winds have wrecked homes and roads across the US midwest, with residents bracing for a long recovery in some rural communities.
Myanmar’s military regime is widening its ban on period products, claiming pads are being used to treat injured resistance fighters, local activists have said.
Stat of the day: Number of independent bookstore openings rose by 31% in 2025People shopping at independent bookstore in Castine, Maine. Photograph: Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Small bookstores appear to be making a comeback in the US, after years of being crushed by Amazon and large chains. Some 422 new indie bookshops opened in 2025, according to the American Booksellers Association – a 31% rise in openings compared with 2024, when 323 new shops opened.
Building power: Maui residents are rebuilding Lahaina for locals, not touristsA volunteer with Lahaina Strong sets up lights on a protest sign at Kaanapali beach in Lahaina, Hawaii, on 16 December 2023. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images
Hawaiians, who are on one of the climate crisis’s frontlines, are organizing to protect their communities from further disasters. Nearly three years after being ravaged by the deadliest wildfires in US history, the city council passed a law to phase out 7,000 vacation rentals on the island to house fire survivors and other locals. And amid record flooding last month, initiatives like native tree planting are spreading as residents come together to rebuild Lahaina, Maui, for locals.
Don’t miss this: How to unlock emotional security, according to the author of AttachedAmir Levine in NYC. Photograph: Shira H. Weiss
Psychiatrist Amir Levine’s first book brought the concept of attachment styles – anxious, avoidant, fearful-avoidant, and secure – into the public consciousness. His follow-up focuses on the tools needed to help anyone become more secure, which in turn allows people to have happier relationships and likely live longer.
Climate check: Burning wood for power worse for climate than gas equivalent, report findsDrax power station in North Yorkshire is the UK’s main generator of biomass electricity and burns wood for power. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images
Burning wood for power generation can be worse for the climate than burning gas, even when factoring in carbon capture and storage, research has shown. The findings cast doubt on plans by several governments to subsidize carbon capture attached to wood-burning power.
Last Thing: Grimes pivots to LinkedInBusiness casual … Grimes performs at Coachella in California on 12 April 2026. Photograph: Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Coachella
When electronic musician Grimes – AKA Claire Boucher – said she was “only gonna be releasing music on LinkedIn from now on”, not everyone took her seriously. Then, last month, a profile purporting to be Grimes actually appeared on the professional social networking platform. What’s she up to?
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