WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will pause planned strikes on Iranian energy facilities for 10 days, claiming that talks between the two sides are "going very well."
"As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time," Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social. (U.S.-Trump-Iran)
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TEHRAN -- More than 350 vessels are waiting for Iran's permission to transit the Strait of Hormuz, 27 days into the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Thursday.
Citing the latest reports and field developments, Fars said the strategic waterway remains closed to the United States, Israel, and their allies, with no vessel allowed to pass without Iran's permission. (Iran-Strait of Hormuz-Permit)
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THE HAGUE -- A Dutch court on Thursday banned Grok and X from generating and distributing "undressing" images and child pornography. The ruling applies to content depicting individuals residing in the Netherlands, as well as to the production and distribution of such content within the country.
The Dutch online abuse expertise center Offlimits and the independent civil society group Victim Support Fund announced last month that they had initiated summary proceedings against Grok, an AI tool available on social media platform X. The organizations sought an immediate ban, arguing that the tool enables users to partially or fully undress individuals without their consent and to generate and share images depicting the sexual abuse of minors. (Netherlands-Court-Grok)
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DHAKA -- The death toll from a bus that plunged into the Padma River, Bangladesh, on Wednesday has risen to 26, a senior official said Thursday.
The incident occurred at a ferry terminal in Bangladesh's Rajbari district, about 125 kilometers south of Dhaka. (Netherlands-Court-Grok) ■
