Tuesday morning news: April 21, 2026

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Iran » Vice President JD Vance heads to Pakistan today for another shot at peace with Iran.

That after negotiators left Islamabad earlier this month emptyhanded.

Preparations are underway in Pakistan for another round of talk, though Iran still hasn’t committed to participating.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott says President Trump prefers diplomacy to more bombs.

PIGOTT: He wanted to see a deal before Operation Midnight Hammer. He wanted to see a deal after Operation Midnight Hammer. He continues to wanna see a deal, but he's going to see his objectives completed here. The fundamental, the fundamental one of which is that the Iranian regime can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

Operation Midnight Hammer was the US strike last June that hit three Iranian nuclear sites.

Tehran has refused to commit to never pursuing a nuclear weapon.

The current ceasefire expires Wednesday evening, but Trump says an extension is "highly unlikely."

Tensions grew sharper over the weekend. Sunday, a US Navy destroyer intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. After six hours of ignored warnings the destroyer radioed the vessel called Touska:

AUDIO: Vessel Touska, [SIC] vessel Touska, vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire.

Five-inch rounds tore into the engine room and US Marines rappelled onto the deck. Iran has vowed revenge.

Israel-Lebanon » In Jerusalem:

SOUND: [Siren]

A nationwide siren heard Monday night in recognition of Israel's Memorial Day.

SOUND: [Trumpet]

A trumpet also was blown at sundown as the day officially began. Followed by a Jewish prayer.

SOUND: [Prayer]

The siren is scheduled to play again today for two minutes as Israelis honor those who have fallen defending the country. That Day of Remembrance to be followed by celebrations this evening to mark the beginning of Israel's Independence Day.

Meanwhile, Israel and Lebanon have reached the midpoint of an agreed-upon 10-day ceasefire.

Negotiators are hoping to extend the truce. The Times of Israel reports that a second round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will take place on Thursday.

The Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah—based in Lebanon—has criticized the talks. Nevertheless, the group has thus far chosen to observe the ceasefire.

House Ethics on Sexual Misconduct » The House Ethics Committee weighed into a growing conversation about sexual harassment on Capitol Hill with a statement on Monday.

WORLD’s Harrison Watters has more.

HARRISON WATTERS: The committee says convincing witnesses to go on the record is a challenge, and that it only goes public if their allegations have been substantiated.

This comes after independent reporting led to the dual resignations of Texas Republican Tony Gonzales and California Democrat Eric Swalwell. Both lawmakers faced investigation for various degrees of sexual impropriety with staffers.

In March, South Carolina Congresswomen Nancy Mace forced the House to vote on a resolution requiring the Ethics Committee to publish records on sexual abuse allegations in Congress.

That bill failed, but on Monday, the Committee voluntarily listed the names of 28 House lawmakers going back to 1976 who were investigated for sexual abuse and improper relationships with staff. The list includes an ongoing investigation of Florida Republican Cory Mills for alleged sexual misconduct.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Harrison Watters.

Missing scientists » At least 10 American scientists are dead or missing, many with national security clearances. Now Congress wants answers. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer:

COMER: It, it's very unlikely that this is a coincidence. So, uh, Congress is very concerned about this. Our committee is, is making this, uh, one of our priorities now because, uh, we view this as a national security threat.

Comer sent letters Monday to the FBI, NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Pentagon demanding briefings by next Monday. The scientists worked on nuclear weapons, rocket propulsion, and classified aerospace projects. Some vanished on hiking trips. Others turned up dead — under circumstances colleagues can't explain.

FBI Director Kash Patel says his agency is running down every case, looking for links to classified access and foreign actors. But a former FBI agent who reviewed the cases says each has a plain explanation. One case was an unrelated shooting. Another involved a neighbor with a violent criminal record.

Louisiana shooting » In Shreveport, Louisiana, teddy bears and flowers keep piling up at a makeshift memorial after a father shot and killed eight children before dawn Sunday — including seven of his own.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith:

SMITH: This by far, uh, was probably one of the most challenging incidents that SPD has ever faced.

Police say 31-year-old Shamar Elkins also wounded his wife and her sister. The murdered ranged from three to eleven. One was his nephew.

Elkins died after a police chase. Investigators say it's unclear if officers killed him, or he took his own life. The shooter did have a criminal record.

SMITH: The FBI, our partners, uh, that is a piece that, uh, they're taking on to find out as much as possible about Mr. Elkins past.

Court records show Elkins had a 2019 felony firearms conviction. His brother-in-law says Elkins sought treatment for mental health issues VA hospital in January and seemed to be doing better when he came home.

I'm Kent Covington.

Still ahead: What’s next for Cuba’s communist regime? And later, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on America250.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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