Here are today's featured stories, posted by DU members and curated by the Administrators. More news items can be found in our Latest Breaking News forum, and for all the most up-to-the-minute stories that are being talked about by DU members, visit the Latest Discussions page.
April 6, 2026
Gulf Funds Agree to Back Paramount's $81 Billion Takeover of Warner
(Wall Street Journal) Paramount has received signed equity commitments of close to $24 billion from three sovereign-wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia to help back its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to people familiar with the matter. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has agreed to provide roughly $10 billion of the nearly $24 billion to Paramount, run by David Ellison, the son of billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
Go to discussion'Unhinged madman': US politicians react to Trump's expletive-laden threat to Iran
(The Guardian) Some US politicians have reacted with alarm and questioned the US president’s mental state after Donald Trump issued an abusive, expletive-laden threat to Iran in which he called on the regime to “open the fuckin’ strait [of Hormuz], you crazy bastards”, as he threatened to further attack the country’s energy and transport infrastructure. One of the world’s most critical shipping lanes for oil and gas, the strait has been effectively shut since the US and Israel launched war on Iran at the end of February, causing oil prices around the world to skyrocket to record highs.
Go to discussionIran mediators make last-ditch push for 45-day ceasefire
(Axios) The U.S., Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war, according to four U.S., Israeli and regional sources with knowledge of the talks. The sources said the chances for reaching a partial deal over the next 48 hours are slim. But this last-ditch effort is the only chance to prevent a dramatic escalation in the war that will include massive strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure and a retaliation against energy and water facilities in the Gulf states. Such attacks could constitute war crimes, and Iran has threatened to retaliate with attacks against infrastructure in Israel and the Gulf states.
Go to discussionOil prices climb after Trump threatens Iran over Strait of Hormuz
(CNN) Oil prices pushed higher Sunday after President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iranian energy facilities if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 1.4% to $110.60. US crude rose 1.8% to $113.60. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday morning.
Go to discussionTrump says US sent 'a lot' of guns to arm Iranian protesters but believes 'the Kurds took' them: report
(The Independent) The U.S. was directly involved in efforts to destabilize and overthrow the Iranian government weeks before strikes were launched across Iran, and as U.S. negotiators were engaging with senior Iranian governmental officials in Europe. Those protests began shortly before the new year and lasted for weeks, ending in the violent subjugation of protesters by the Iranian government. “We sent them a lot of guns. We sent them through the Kurds, and the president says he thinks the Kurds kept them,” (Trey) Yingst said on Fox News, paraphrasing the president.
Go to discussionRepublican divisions, Trump's detachment stymie GOP efforts to reopen DHS
(The Hill) House and Senate Republicans scrambling to end the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history keep running into themselves. Within the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his leadership team haven’t found a formula for containing their rebellious conservative wing. Between the chambers, Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) have been at odds over both substance and strategy. And from the White House, President Trump’s mixed messages have thwarted progress at crucial moments when a breakthrough appeared at hand.
Go to discussionTrump rages at SCOTUS: "The country can only withstand so many bad decisions"
(Daily Beast) Trump went on an unhinged 1 a.m. rant about the Supreme Court as it considers whether to allow him to scrap birthright citizenship. The 79-year-old president suggested on Truth Social that it’s “too bad” the Supreme Court didn’t “study” Mark Levin’s Fox News show, in which the host argued that the 14th Amendment was not intended to grant birthright citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants.
Go to discussionSpecial election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene is TOMORROW (April 7, 2026)
Tomorrow is the day. The balance of the house is on the line. So far we have raised $3,225 for Shawn Harris. There is still time to donate with our DU ActBlue link below. Out of 17 candidates to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, Shawn finished first and forced a runoff against Trump's handpicked Republican.
Go to discussionThe World Cup is supposed to be an economic windfall, but 'you're seeing a number of headwinds' now
(Fortune) The U.S. was set to benefit from its broad offering of existing football mega-stadiums that could be adapted for soccer, a growing domestic fan base, and a new format that expanded the tournament to 48 teams from 32. That combination was meant to make it the biggest and most lucrative World Cup in the worldwide soccer governing body’s history. But with the tournament just over two months away, geopolitical shocks and immigration obstacles in the U.S. are threatening to discourage international visitors and potentially dim the World Cup’s initially rosy ambitions.
Go to discussionAI Is a Threat to Everything the American People Hold Dear
(Sen. Bernie Sanders/WSJ) "The American people understand that AI and robotics will transform our world. They want to make certain that this technological revolution makes life better, not worse, for them and their families. They know that fundamental questions must be answered before we rush forward. They don’t trust the AI oligarchs."