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Trump eyes Iranian ports in plan set to unfold after peace talks fail

After Iran and the United States failed to reach a resolution during the negotiations last week, President Trump has resorted to stricter measures against Iran.

Trump announced late Sunday night his latest plan.

‘The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.’

“The United States to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports on April 13 at 10:00 A.M. ET,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

On social media, U.S. Central Command confirmed that the blockade of Iran’s ports would be enforced, pursuant to President Trump’s post: “The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.”

“CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,” CENTCOM added.

RELATED: Pope responds after repeated attacks by Trump over war criticism: ‘I have no fear’

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​Politics, President trump, Iran, United states, Strait of hormuz, Naval blockade, Us central command, Centcom, Truth social 

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Masked men open fire after storming into Chick-fil-A; 1 dead, 6 injured; manhunt underway

One person is dead and six others were injured after masked men stormed into a New Jersey Chick-fil-A on Saturday night and opened fire, WNYW-TV reported.

Police said the shooting began around 9 p.m. at the restaurant on Route 22 in Union Township, the station said.

Democrat New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement posted to X that ‘our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones, and we are hoping for the full recovery of those who were injured.’

Responding officers found seven victims at the scene, WNYW reported, citing the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.

The six surviving victims all suffered non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to recover, the station added.

Investigators told WNYW the masked men went behind the restaurant’s counter before opening fire.

Dashcam video recorded what appeared to be a masked individual running from the restaurant with a gun.

RELATED: 4 dead, at least 20 injured after shooting at South Carolina coastal bar: ‘Screaming and panic and fear’

Authorities believe the shooting was targeted and not a random act of violence, the station said, adding that officials have not released the identity of the person who was killed, and it remains unclear whether the victims were employees or customers.

The suspects remain at large, and a manhunt is underway, WNYW said.

One worker’s father described the scene as a “war zone,” the New York Post reported.

Democrat New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement posted to X that “our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones, and we are hoping for the full recovery of those who were injured,” WNYW noted.

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is asking the public to submit tips by phone at 908-654-TIPS (8477) or online at www.uctip.org — noting that tips resulting in an indictment and conviction can be eligible for a reward of up to $10,000 via Union County Crime Stoppers, the Post reported.

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​Mass shooting, Fatal shooting, Chick-fil-a, Union, New jersey, Police, Manhunt, Masked men, Crime 

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Democrats dump Eric Swalwell after sexual assault allegations implode his career

Democrats have turned on California Rep. Eric Swalwell after former staffers accused him of sexual assault and other sexual misconduct, prompting the gubernatorial hopeful to scrap his campaign altogether.

Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor just two days after several bombshell reports cited ex-staffers accusing the congressman of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. Although Swalwell has denied all the allegations, pressure in the form of leaked videos, investigations, and rescinded endorsements pushed the lawmaker to drop out Sunday.

‘We should take her story seriously.’

“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell said in a statement on X. “To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.”

“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

RELATED: Eric Swalwell’s campaign for governor is collapsing after devastating allegations from former staffer

ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP/Getty Images

Swalwell’s trouble did not stop there, with dozens of his colleagues condemning the congressman in the immediate aftermath of the reports about the allegations.

“I have read the San Francisco Chronicle’s account and I am deeply distressed by its allegations,” Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said in a statement on X. “This woman was brave to come forward, and we should take her story seriously. I am withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and believe that he should withdraw from the race.”

“Following the incredibly disturbing sexual assault accusations against Congressman Eric Swalwell, we call for a swift investigation into these incidents and for the Congressman to immediately end his campaign to be California’s next Governor,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a post on X. “This is unacceptable of anyone — certainly not an elected official — and must be taken seriously.”

Not only did Democrats call for a full-fledged investigation, but several lawmakers and former staffers called for Swalwell’s removal from office.

RELATED: ‘I made a mistake’: Tony Gonzales admits to affair with staffer who set herself on fire

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Lawmakers are now leading a bipartisan effort to expel Swalwell and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who similarly suspended his re-election campaign after admitting to an affair with a former aide who tragically took her own life by setting herself on fire.

“I’ve seen enough,” Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman of California said in a post on X. “With his nuanced statement aimed at defending likely criminal charges, Swalwell all but admits a per se abuse of power under House ethics rules: sex with a subordinate.”

“He must now drop out of the Governor’s race and resign from Congress. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who admitted to the same violation, should also resign. If they don’t, I will support voting to expel both of them.”

The overcrowded Democratic primary for California governor is now down to five candidates. Notably, Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco are leading the general election polls, but Swalwell’s support is likely to shift to the remaining Democrats.

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​Eric swalwell, Congressional democrats, Democrats, House democrats, Senate democrats, Tony gonzales, Sexual assault allegations, Jared huffman, Adam schiff, Hakeem jeffries, Politics 

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Domestic fraud > Iran war: Christopher Rufo says crushing blue-state scams is the GOP’s political winner

On April 3, BlazeTV host Christopher Rufo released an investigative report in City Journal documenting fraud in the state of California under current Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom. According to his team’s research, California lost at least $180 billion to fraud and improper payments in programs like Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid), unemployment insurance, and general welfare since Newsom took office in 2019.

Rufo believes targeting domestic fraud is a fool-proof “political winner” for the Trump administration — certainly more than the Iran war, which he says is “at best a 50/50 issue.”

“Portraying Minnesota and New York and California and other bastions of blue governance as havens of outright fraud, ripping off taxpayers, seems like the kind of domestic policy agenda — along with immigration, along with a couple of other issues — that can be a winner, both substantively … but also politically,” he tells “Rufo and Lomez” co-host Jonathan Keeperman.

Keeperman wholeheartedly agrees: “[Domestic fraud] is such a good thing for us to be focusing our attention on, not just because it’s a huge problem that we need to eradicate from our public life and is creating all sorts of downstream pathologies that are making everyday life just more difficult for ordinary Americans, but because it also demonstrates … the problems of democratic governance.”

The best part is that large-scale fraud isn’t even that difficult to uncover.

“A guy like Nick Shirley just takes a camera, finds some public documentation, and just goes and knocks on some doors, and you can uncover that easily hundreds of millions, if not billions, in fraud,” he says, “and so yes, this is the best message for the GOP and for Republicans going forward.”

The mass exodus of people from California, Keeperman argues, is evidence that domestic issues are what people care about most.

“California has, despite being one of the nicest places to live in the country, has net out domestic migration and has had net out domestic migration for the last decade, if not longer,” he says.

“People are voting with their feet on this, and so yes — this is all just to say [domestic fraud] is an obvious winner.”

Rufo confirms Newsom’s direct role in California’s out-migration.

“There’s two stats that we came across in this reporting that I think are really important,” he says.

“Under Gavin Newsom, the state’s population has declined by 0.2%, which is the first time that California’s population has declined ever since it became a state … but at the same time that the population declined, Medicaid spending … for low-income people doubled.”

“And so you have the population going down and then the health care expenses under Medicaid doubling,” he explains, pointing out the vicious cycle of fraud money flowing to unions, which funds politicians, who expand the system even more.

The result, Rufo says, is a two-tiered society. The combination of astronomical taxes and high cost of living creates a population where residents are either “rich enough where it doesn’t really matter” or “poor enough where it doesn’t really matter because you have every part of your life subsidized.”

“I think that’s why people are saying, ‘I’m out,”’ he says.

To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above.

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​Rufo & lomez, Chris rufo, Jonathan keeperman, Blazetv, Blaze media, California fraud, Domestic fraud, Minnesota fraud, Iran war