A ‘Messy’ Cease-Fire, and a 15-Year Sentence for the ‘Ketamine Queen’

Summary

The Headlines — April 9, 2026

Episode Title: "A ‘Messy’ Cease-Fire, and a 15-Year Sentence for the ‘Ketamine Queen’"
Host: Traci Mumford, The New York Times
Date: April 9, 2026

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Episode Overview

On this episode, Traci Mumford presents a roundup of major international and domestic news stories. The lead story examines the precarious cease-fire between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, as well as concerns over the Strait of Hormuz and conflict escalation in Lebanon. The episode also covers President Trump’s controversial use of foreign steel for a White House project, the sentencing of the "Ketamine Queen" in the Matthew Perry case, the guilty plea of the Gilgo Beach Killer, and global debates over social media bans for minors.

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Main Topics & Key Insights

1. The “Messy” Cease-Fire Between the U.S., Iran, and Israel

[00:33–04:08]

• Strait of Hormuz Status:

  • Confusion reigns over whether the strategic waterway is open or closed.
    • Iranian state media claims closure; the White House offers mixed messages but demands reopening.
      • “I will reiterate the president's expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely.” – White House statement (00:59)
  • Data shows only four ships made passage, none carrying oil or gas — attributed to nervousness after Iranian mining and new requirements to coordinate with the Iranian navy.

• Cease-fire Under Stress:

  • Situation in Lebanon is a critical point. Israel struck over 100 targets, killing more than 200, accused of violating the cease-fire.
  • Iran decries the strikes as violations, but American officials push back.
    • "Ceasefires are always messy." – Political Analyst [02:01]
    • “Neither the US nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the ceasefire... We're on the right track. We got a lot more to do.” – Political Analyst [02:10]

• Diplomatic Efforts:

  • Permanent peace talks scheduled in Pakistan, led by Vice President J.D. Vance with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

• Voices from Iran:

  • Times reporter Yegana Torbati discusses mixed emotions among Iranians:
    • Initial relief the airstrikes have ceased; underlying fear persists due to continued government repression.
    • “We've lost major pieces of infrastructure... and yet we're still with this government that a lot of us had protested in January.” – Yegana Torbati [03:09]
    • Ongoing executions and arrests signal the regime is reasserting control post-ceasefire.

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2. President Trump and the White House Steel Donation

[04:08–05:54]

• Trump announces a $37 million steel donation for White House renovations, but does not name the donor.
• Investigation reveals the steel is from Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, contradicting Trump's longstanding support for American-made steel.
  • Raises questions about domestic industry support and transparency, as some donors remain anonymous and could benefit from administration policy.
• Shortly after the donation, new tariff provisions that favor the donating company are introduced, though the White House denies any connection.
  • “The company has not yet received the tariff exemption and the provision could benefit other steel companies, too.” – White House official (paraphrased, [05:36])

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3. Major Criminal Justice Updates

a. The "Ketamine Queen" Sentenced in Matthew Perry Case

[05:54–06:55]

• Jasmine Sanga, nicknamed the "Ketamine Queen," receives a 15-year prison sentence for selling the ketamine that killed actor Matthew Perry.
• She is among five guilty pleas in the case; prosecutors note she sought to erase digital evidence after Perry’s death.
  • "[She] told an associate to, quote, 'delete all our messages.'" – Traci Mumford [06:24]
• Case draws attention to ketamine’s expanding, controversial use in mental health and its dangers, especially for those with substance abuse histories, like Perry.

b. Gilgo Beach Killer Guilty Plea

[06:55–07:50]

• Rex Humerman, the "Gilgo Beach Killer", pleads guilty to murdering eight women after a case plagued by dysfunction since 2010.
  • “He said he hired the women as escorts before strangling them and dumping their bodies near the ocean…” – Traci Mumford [07:00]
• As part of his plea, he will work with FBI behavioral analysts to shed light on serial killer motivations, aiding future investigations.

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4. Global Crackdowns on Youth Social Media

[07:50–09:50]

• Greece’s Prime Minister releases a video (complete with a “6,7” youth shout-out) introducing a social media ban for under-15s starting next year.
  • Goal: Address concerns over youth mental health and development.
• Spain, France, Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark considering similar measures; Australia’s existing ban for under-16s is circumvented by tech-savvy teens.
  • “Australian teens told the Times they have all kinds of ways for getting around it, like using VPNs or their older siblings accounts.” – Traci Mumford [08:54]
• In Ireland, one village goes further: a community-wide, voluntary no-smartphone pact for children, leading to reports of more outdoor play and stronger peer relationships.
  • The principal reflects: “more kids are making plans in person, playing outdoors and, quote, just being kids.” – Traci Mumford [09:36]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the cease-fire’s fragility:
  “Ceasefires are always messy.” — Political Analyst [02:01]

• Iranian perspective on the cease-fire:
  “There was a feeling that, okay, at least I know that I'm not gonna get killed or my friends or family are not gonna get killed in a strike. But then I think pretty quickly underneath that, when you keep talking to people, there’s a deep sense of worry.” — Yegana Torbati [02:42]

• Jasmine Sanga's (Ketamine Queen) attempt to cover her tracks:
  “…she tried to hide her involvement, telling an associate to, quote, delete all our messages.” — Traci Mumford [06:24]

• Principal on banning smartphones:
  “More kids are making plans in person, playing outdoors and, quote, just being kids.” — Local principal, Ireland [09:36]

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Timestamps Overview

• Cease-fire and Strait of Hormuz confusion: 00:33–02:24
• Voices from Iran & continued repression: 02:42–04:08
• Trump’s steel donation controversy: 04:08–05:54
• Matthew Perry case & “Ketamine Queen” sentencing: 05:54–06:55
• Gilgo Beach Killer guilty plea: 06:55–07:50
• Global youth social media bans: 07:50–09:50

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This episode deftly weaves together the day’s urgent international crises, intriguing developments in U.S. politics and criminal justice, and global explorations of youth and technology. The tone remains brisk, informative, and reflective of the original reporting style of The New York Times.

Transcript

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[Traci Mumford]

From the New York Times, it's the Headlines. I'm Traci Mumford. Today's Thursday, April 9th. Here's what we're covering. A day into the ceasefire with Iran, two major issues are testing whether it will hold. The first is the Strait of Hormuz actually open? Iranian state media said yesterday that the waterway is closed. These reports publicly are false. Then the White House offered its own confusing update, denying the strait is closed, while at the same time calling for it to be reopened. And I will reiterate the president's expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely. According to data provided to the Times by a global ship tracking firm on Wednesday, just four ships had made it through. None of them were oil or gas tankers. The lack of traffic could reflect that. Sailors and the companies that insure their ships are still nervous. Iran laid mines in the waterway and the country's official broadcaster said vessels must coordinate with the Iranian navy to safely cross. The ceasefire is also being tested by uncertainty about the situation in Lebanon. Israel hit more than 100 targets there yesterday, where it's been fighting the Iran backed militia Hezbollah. According to Lebanese officials, more than 200 people were killed, making it the deadliest attack there in the war so far. Iran said those strikes violated the deal.

[Political Analyst]

Ceasefires are always messy.

[Traci Mumford]

An hour after the president, Vice President J.D. vance has pushed back, though, denying Lebanon was covered by the agreement.

[Political Analyst]

Neither US nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the ceasefire. Again, we're working with people to try to get through some of these things, but it's, it's really fundamentally we're on the right track. We got a lot more to do.

[Traci Mumford]

Talks about a more permanent peace deal will be held this weekend in Pakistan. A White House official said Vance is going to lead the US Delegation and that he'll be joined by Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff and his son in law Jared Kushner. Meanwhile, inside Iran, I think the immediate

[Yegana Torbati]

feeling among people that we spoke with was relief. There was a feeling that, okay, at least I know that I'm not gonna get killed or my friends or family are not gonna get killed in a strike. But then I think pretty quickly underneath that, when you keep talking to people, there's a deep sense of worry.

[Traci Mumford]

My colleague Yegana Torbati has been talking with Iranians on the ground there by phone and text message about what the ceasefire feels like with the regime still in charge.

[Yegana Torbati]

One major concern is, you know, we've gone through all of this. We've lost major pieces of infrastructure, hospitals, schools, bridges, roads, and yet we're still with this government that a lot of us had protested in January and which both the Israeli government and the American government had made claims of, you know, wanting drastic changes to Iran's political system. And so Iranians are sort of right now thinking, well, the government is still in place and in some ways has not shown any sign of letting up on repression. We've seen a string of executions in the last couple weeks of people that were arrested in January during the protests. We've seen the arrest of a very prominent human rights lawyer and the promise that those sorts of things will continue. And I think people are very concerned that they're going to be facing a government that may want to sort of show who's really in control in the weeks and months to come.

[News Correspondent]

In Washington last fall, great steel company, great man, actually. He said, sir, I'd like to donate the steel for your ballroom.

[Traci Mumford]

President Trump talked up what he said was a $37 million donation of steel for his massive White House renovation project.

[News Correspondent]

Like everything else, including human beings, steel could be high quality, and it can be low quality. He wants to make sure it's high quality.

[Traci Mumford]

At the time, Trump didn't say who had called him up. But the Times has now learned from two people familiar with the plans that the steel is coming from a Luxembourg based company called ArcelorMittal. Trump's decision to use foreign steel on a White House project is notable given the fact that he has spent years promising to strengthen the American steel industry, and it could anger domestic manufacturers and unions. The revelation about the steel has also highlighted the limited transparency around the $400 million ballroom project. Some donors have been allowed to stay anonymous, and many are companies that could directly benefit from the administration's policies. In this case, two days after Trump announced the steel donation, the White House issued a long, legalistic proclamation with a provision that would benefit the steel company by tweaking tariff rates. When asked about the timing of that announcement, a White House official pushed back on the idea that there was any connection between the donation and the president's proclamation. The official noted that the company has not yet received the tariff exemption and that the provision could benefit other steel companies, too. ArcelorMittal declined to comment. Now two updates on criminal cases that have captured national attention.

[News Correspondent]

She was dubbed the Ketamine Queen. Jasmine Sanga, who was a drug dealer

[Traci Mumford]

sentence in LA yesterday. The woman who sold the ketamine that killed Matthew Perry in 2023 was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors say she was known to her customers as the Ketamine Queen. And she's one of five people who have pleaded guilty in the death of the Friends actor. According to court documents, after she saw the news about Perry's death, she tried to hide her involvement, telling an associate to, quote, delete all our messages. Perry's death put a harsh light on ketamine treatment. It was approved by the FDA more than 50 years ago for one purpose, sedating patients for surgery. But some doctors see it as a promising alternative therapy for depression. That's how the actor started using it. Others, though, have raised concerns about the danger of addiction, especially for people who have a history of substance abuse like Perry did. And in New York, the guilty plea of Rex Humerman represents a measure of

[News Correspondent]

accountability in a case that has deeply impacted our communities.

[Traci Mumford]

The man who became known as the Gilgo Beach Killer pleaded guilty yesterday to murdering eight women. He said he hired the women as escorts before strangling them and dumping their bodies near the ocean on a stretch of Long Island. The first group of bodies was found in 2010, but the investigation was marred by dysfunction and corruption, and it took more than a decade to solve. As part of his plea, he agreed to speak with behavioral analysts at the FBI to answer questions about his motivations, what drove him, etc. The FBI hopes that could help investigators hunt down others with similarly violent tendencies. And finally, the prime minister of Greece released a video message yesterday trying to get kids attention.

[News Correspondent]

Six, seven six seven.

[Traci Mumford]

He tried to show he was really down with the youth with a quick 6, 7 shout out before he got to the real point. He said he thinks kids need to spend less time online and that Greece plans to ban social media for those under the age of 15 starting next year. Greece is just the latest country trying this kind of thing over concerns that the platforms can be bad for kids development and mental health. Spain, France, Malaysia, Indonesia and Denmark are all considering similar bans, and Australia actually put one in place recently, kicking kids under 16 off sites like Instagram and TikTok. That said, it's an open question of how effective this kind of ban really is. Australian teens told the Times they have all kinds of ways for getting around it, like using VPNs or their older siblings accounts. At the same time, some places have gone even further to get kids off of screens. One village in Ireland has banded together to agree not to give kids smartphones at all. Parents and teachers pushed for it after dealing with kids who couldn't sleep because they were up late looking at their phones, refusing to come to school because they'd been bullied online or downloading calorie counting apps. They are three years into the experiment now, and a principal of a local school told the Times that more kids are making plans in person, playing outdoors and, quote, just being kids. Those are the headlines today on the Daily the Times investigation into one of the tech world's biggest mysteries. Who invented Bitcoin? You can listen to that in the New York Times app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow with the latest and the Friday News quiz. Running a business means checking a lot of boxes. Let's see, payroll Check inventory Check insurance. Ah, good thing Simply Business makes getting

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