The LOOP
The Thursday Loop - April 9, 2026
IRAN DECLARES HORMUZ STRAIT CLOSED, CITING ISRAELI STRIKES
After Iranian officials declared the Strait of Hormuz would be closed again in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Lebanon following the ceasefire agreement, the White House denied that the waterway was closed. Vice President JD Vance also told reporters that Lebanon was not covered in the ceasefire agreement, though he said Iran seemed to think it was.
ISRAEL HITS LEBANON WITH MASSIVE STRIKE CAMPAIGN
Over 250 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded yesterday as Israel launched its largest coordinated wave of strikes across Lebanon since early March. Lebanese officials condemned the "barbaric" strikes as attacks on civilian areas committed "in utter disregard" for international law.
DECARLOS BROWN
Jr. FOUND 'INCOMPETENT' TO STAND TRIAL Jr., the man charged in the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train last year, has been found incompetent to stand trial. Brown is homeless and has told police he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He faces both state and federal murder charges.
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TRUMP'S EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF: RESTRAIN ISRAEL
Joe Kent, President Donald Trump’s former counterterrorism chief, is urging the President to restrict U.S. military support to Israel. In a video statement published when news first broke of the deal, Kent warned that, unless restrained, Israel could sabotage the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
POPE LEO SPINS A HARLEM GLOBETROTTER BASKETBALL
Pope Leo XIV welcomed the Harlem Globetrotters to St. Peter's Square yesterday, where a player helped him learn to spin their red, white, and blue basketball on his finger.
TRUMP'S APPROVAL SINKS TO RECORD LOW
As concerns over the Iran war and rising gas prices weigh on voters, Trump’s approval rating has fallen to a net -19, the lowest of his second term.
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CHOOSE LIFE THIS EASTER
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CATHOLICS OFFER HELP TO VICTIMS IN LEBANON
The Order of Malta, a Catholic lay religious order, met with Lebanese village leaders during Holy Week and pledged to stand by them “at all costs,” launching plans for medical aid, rebuilding efforts, and long-term support for communities caught in the crossfire.
ISRAELI STRIKE REPORTEDLY DESTROYS SYNAGOGUE IN TEHRAN
An Israeli airstrike reportedly destroyed a historic synagogue in Tehran this week. The Israel Defense Forces stated that it "regrets the collateral damage to the synagogue" but had only intended a strike on an Iranian military commander.
SEEING THE RESURRECTION THROUGH ART
Zeale’s Rose Church breaks down how a Renaissance painting of the Resurrection reveals Christ’s victory over death.
CATHOLIC 101
In the latest installment of the “Virtue of Patriotism” series, Cardinal Raymond Burke said authentic love of country must be rooted in the Christian virtue of piety, describing patriotism as an expression of gratitude, duty, and ordered love shaped by a recognition of God’s providence.
SAINT OF THE DAY
After a life of sexual exploitation, St. Mary of Egypt tried to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre but found herself physically unable to step inside — a mystery that led to her complete repentance. She fled to the desert for nearly 50 years, where she lived in radical penance and prayer.
DAILY PSALM
"O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
NEW EPISODE
What if you skipped college and went into the trades? Tom joins a local Indiana plumber for a day to get a real look at what the job is actually like—and to answer the question more young Americans are asking: is it worth it? Find out on the newest episode of Tom Across America, now streaming on Zeale.
