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The latest ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran appeared to fail Saturday before they began, as Tehran鈥檚 top diplomat left Pakistan and President Donald Trump soon afterward said he had told envoys not to travel to Islamabad. The negotiations were meant to follow up on historic face-to-face talks earlier this month between the U.S. and Iran. But Iranian officials have questioned how they can trust the U.S. after its forces started blockading Iranian ports in response to Iran鈥檚 war grip on the Strait of Hormuz. In announcing his decision Saturday, Trump told Fox News: 鈥淭hey can call us anytime they want.鈥澛�

In Iran, the regime has indeed changed: It鈥檚 less restrained, more hard-line

Democratic governor Janet Mills said she supports a moratorium on large new data centers, but on Friday she blocked a bill passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature because it did not include an exception for a long-planned facility in the town of Jay, Maine. The legislation would have been the first of its kind in the U.S. to pause new construction on power-hungry data centers for the AI industry. At least a dozen states have looked at similar moratoriums to study the impact of data centers on the environment and local power grids.

As tech companies race to build data centers, more communities are pushing back

Gunmen have attacked multiple locations in Mali鈥檚 capital and other cities, possibly in a coordinated effort, according to residents and the army. The army reports that unidentified armed groups targeted sites and barracks in the capital. Fighting is ongoing in several cities. Heavy gunfire and explosions were heard near Modibo Ke茂ta International Airport in Bamako, with helicopters patrolling overhead. Similar incidents occurred in Kati, near the capital, and in the northern cities of Kidal and Gao, suggesting a possible coordinated attack. Mali has long faced insurgencies from al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates, as well as a separatist rebellion in the north.

Jihadis took over their towns. Many distrust Mali鈥檚 rulers just as much.

A $700 million, 55-story skyscraper has opened in Morocco, highlighting the country鈥檚 global ambitions. Named the Mohammed VI Tower, it features a luxury hotel, offices, shops, and apartments. Among Africa鈥檚 tallest, the tower is expected to create thousands of jobs. Built over eight years, it stands in Rabat鈥檚 twin city Sale. The project aims to boost tourism and position Morocco as a leading regional player. Critics argue development is focused on Morocco鈥檚 Atlantic corridor, leaving other areas underdeveloped. The tower was inspired by a spaceflight simulation attended by its founder, Othmane Benjelloun.

China announced Friday it will send two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, to Zoo Atlanta as part of a 10-year conservation partnership. The move is part of Beijing鈥檚 long-running 鈥減anda diplomacy,鈥� with the United States and a continuation of its conservation program. As of March, there were 808 giant pandas in captivity worldwide, including at the San Diego and Washington, D.C., zoos. That鈥檚 almost double from a decade ago. The number of wild pandas, mainly concentrated in China鈥檚 national parks, remains steady at 1,900.

U.S. President Donald Trump is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday to continue talks with Iran. The White House said Friday the pair will meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Vice President JD Vance would not be traveling. The trip to Pakistan comes as officials there have been trying to get the United States and Iran to a second round of ceasefire negotiations. Meanwhile, Trump says Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks.

In Iran, the regime has indeed changed: It鈥檚 less restrained, more hard-line.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it鈥檚 鈥渙nce again enforcing the law and standing with victims鈥� by expediting the death penalty for federal inmates, a reversal of the previous administration鈥檚 moratorium on executions. Before leaving office, President Joe Biden commuted the death penalty sentences of 37 of 40 federal inmates. Now, the Justice Department has authorized seeking the death penalty for 44 defendants. The DOJ is also reintroducing lethal injections and firing squads. Last year, Gallup polling found that 52% of Americans support the death penalty, the lowest number in 50 years.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit聽on Friday ruled against President Donald Trump鈥檚 鈥渋nvasion鈥� proclamation at the southern border. The president can limit entry into the country. But he can鈥檛 deport immigrants 鈥渦nder summary removal procedures of his own making,鈥� the court found, and he can鈥檛 suspend the right to apply for asylum. Several attempts by the Trump administration to end immigration pathways have been litigated up to the Supreme Court.

Coast Guard patrols a quiet southern border as enforcement action moves inland.

Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced an end to a probe of cost overruns for renovations of the Federal Reserve鈥檚 Washington building. The matter has been passed along to the inspector general for the Federal Reserve. In January, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell described the threat of criminal investigation, which included probing whether he鈥檇 committed perjury before Congress, as a pretext to pressure the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates according to the president鈥檚 wishes. The move to drop the investigation may speed up a confirmation vote for Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh, who was questioned by the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday.

Fed nominee faces Senate questions over his wealth, pressure from Trump.

Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was heading to Pakistan for talks and will also stop in Oman and Russia. The trip to Pakistan comes as officials there have been trying to get the United States and Iran to a second round of ceasefire negotiations. The report said the trip, beginning Friday, is focused on 鈥渙ngoing regional developments鈥� and the US-Iran war. Also, U.S. President Donald Trump says Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House on Thursday. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries since last week.聽

In Iran, the regime has indeed changed: It鈥檚 less restrained, more hard-line.

In a federal indictment Thursday, Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a special forces soldier involved in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicol谩s Maduro, was charged with using classified information to place online bets on Polymarket, allegedly making more than $400,000. On Wednesday, the prediction market Kalshi fined and suspended three congressional candidates for betting on their own elections. Congress is considering legislation to address insider trading in betting markets.

Insider trading? Why well-timed market plays are raising alarms in Washington.

The White House said that President Donald Trump issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver, making it easier for non-American vessels to transport oil and natural gas in the wake of the Iran War. Trump first announced a 60-day waiver in mid-March and the move has been seen as helping to stabilize energy prices and making it easier for more ships to travel to the U.S. following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The post on social media by a White House press aide said: 鈥淣ew data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach U.S. ports faster.鈥�

U.S. officials have announced a major crackdown on Southeast Asian cyberscam operations controlled by Chinese transnational organized crime. The effort led by a U.S. government Scam Center Strike Force includes sanctions and criminal charges against individuals and companies in Cambodia and Myanmar. The Treasury Department has sanctioned prominent Cambodian Sen. Kok An for his alleged role in defrauding U.S. citizens. The crackdown also involves seizing assets and shutting down online recruitment channels. Cybercrime has flourished in Southeast Asia with operations linked to human trafficking and massive financial losses worldwide. The FBI says Americans lost nearly $21 billion to cyber-enabled crimes in 2025.

The Senqu Bridge is part of a major cross-border water project that will increase exports from the mountain kingdom to South Africa, which relies heavily on its water resources. Officials say the project will also generate revenue for Lesotho 鈥� where about half the population lives below the national poverty line 鈥� and support economic development. 鈥淭his project is more than infrastructure. It is more than steel and concrete,鈥� said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. 鈥淚t is a symbol of a deep and enduring partnership.鈥�

The Department of Justice has said in recent months that it will be focusing resources on stripping citizenship from foreign-born individuals found to have concealed crimes or committed fraud. Typically handled by the DOJ鈥檚 immigration department, the agency is now assigning regular prosecutors to denaturalization cases that are often time-consuming. Prosecutors must present 鈥渃lear, convincing, and unequivocal evidence鈥� to a federal judge that an individual obtained citizenship illegally, or concealed information that would have made them ineligible.

The directive, announced by the president in a social media post, came just a day after announcing an extended ceasefire. It follows an uptick in conflicts in the waterway. The shipping tracker firm Kpler reported that 22 ships had been attacked between the start of the war and April 12. In recent days, Iran seized two container ships and fired on one other. The conflict has hampered global trade and closed a critical oil route, driving U.S. gasoline prices above $4 per gallon.

Local, state, and federal authorities said Thursday that among the suspects arrested early Thursday were alleged gang members who carried out orders given by the gang鈥檚 local leader while he was locked up in the Orange County jail. The Mexican Mafia is a powerful gang that formed in prisons that also has extensive criminal activities in the streets. The U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office for the Central District of California says that those arrested are part of three federal indictments that span charges such as kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking, illegal gambling and murder.

The U.K. will provide 500 million pounds or $675 million to strengthen measures in northern France. An additional 160 million pounds or $216 million will depend on the success of new tactics. The agreement includes boosting police numbers and creating a new unit to combat irregular migration. It also expands surveillance with drones and helicopters. Home Office statistics show about 46,000 people were detected entering the U.K. via illegal routes in 2025 with 89% arriving by small boat.