President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the FDA to accelerate reviews of psychedelics like ibogaine for veterans' PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. The FDA will issue national priority vouchers for three psychedelics next week, clearing the way for the first US human trials of ibogaine, despite known cardiovascular risks and the fact these substances remain banned under the federal government's most restrictive drug category.

At least two merchant vessels, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, were hit by gunfire from Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps boats in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Iran reimposed restrictions on the waterway, stating control had returned to its previous state under strict military management, in response to a continuing U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping and ports.

Australia and Japan have officially signed a contract for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to build the first three of Australia's new general-purpose frigates, with the deal struck in August. The Japanese-designed Mogami-class fleet will replace Australia's ageing ANZAC-class frigates, and the first frigate is scheduled for delivery in December 2029.

President Donald Trump stated the US will have to start dropping bombs again if no US-Iran deal is reached by Wednesday, adding that the US and Israel would resume attacks if negotiations failed. This follows a temporary two-week ceasefire announced on April 8, 2026, after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026.

Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, placing it under the strict control of its armed forces and warning it will block transit while the U.S. maintains its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Tehran accused the U.S. of violating a deal to reopen the waterway, while President Trump stated the American blockade will continue until Iran reaches a new agreement on its nuclear program.

Elon Musk stated that universal high income via government checks is the best way to address unemployment caused by AI, arguing AI and robotics will produce goods exceeding money supply growth. The proposal has drawn criticism from economist Sanjeev Sanyal, who said it would bankrupt governments, and Merlin AI CEO Pratyush Rai, who argued the math does not add up. Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang tweeted that AI will fund universal income and it should happen soon.

The US Treasury Department extended a 30-day waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products from April 17 through May 16. The extension came hours after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was completely open to all commercial ships, aiming to control global energy prices amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

President Donald Trump announced at a political rally in Arizona that a Pentagon UFO review he ordered has found many interesting documents and the first releases will begin very soon. He said he saved the announcement for the Arizona rally because he knew people there were really into UFOs. The move follows growing Washington interest including the 2023 UAP Disclosure Act and the Pentagon's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering Nexstar to halt all integration efforts with Tegna's TV stations, siding with DirecTV's argument that integration could cause irreparable harm. The injunction strengthens a temporary restraining order granted earlier, blocking the $6.2 billion merger until an antitrust lawsuit is resolved. Nexstar has vowed to appeal the ruling.

US-Iran negotiations took a sudden turn with President Trump asserting a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and Iran agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials immediately contradicted the claim about the strait, stating it would not open while a US blockade continues. Trump's announcement during a France- and Britain-led videoconference with dozens of world leaders caused a stir among attendees.