Top stories

Lead: The pontiff told reporters on a flight to Angola that his recent criticism of “tyrants” was not directed at President Donald Trump, saying the text had been written a fortnight before Mr Trump commented on him. The comments came days after a public spat between the two leaders and amid the Pope’s multi-country Africa … Read more

Lead Sources report the Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to trade their No. 10 pick in next week’s NFL draft to the New York Giants for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The move, first reported late Saturday night, would bring a 6-foot-4, 340-pound interior force to Cincinnati and immediately alter the team’s defensive identity. … Read more

Lead: In June 2016, 14-year-old Jade Colvin ran away from a shelter in Iowa and vanished. Years later a coalition of local detectives, the U.S. Marshals Service and state agents reopened her file, tracing social media, phone records and witness reports to a rural Decorah farm. That long inquiry produced photos and deleted messages that … Read more

Lead On Saturday, Iranian forces reversed a brief reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on at least one tanker attempting to transit the waterway, saying they will keep controls in place while a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continues. The British United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported the tanker and … Read more

On April 18, 2026 at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. The gap in personnel and experience became clear late, with New York pulling away after a porous first-half defensive showing. Jalen Brunson exploded early, finishing with 28 points, and Karl-Anthony … Read more

Lead On April 18, 2026, a lone gunman opened fire in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, killing at least six people before taking hostages inside a supermarket; Ukrainian tactical police later shot and killed the attacker after a failed 40‑minute negotiation, officials said. The Interior Ministry identified the shooter as a man born in 1968 and said … Read more

Lead On Saturday morning, a U.N. peacekeeping patrol near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came under small-arms fire, killing one French peacekeeper and wounding three others, two seriously. France and the U.N. mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) pointed to Hezbollah as responsible; the group denied involvement and urged patience until Lebanon’s military investigation concludes. … Read more

On Friday night in New York City, Amanda Batula and West Wilson were photographed sharing a public kiss during the New York Yankees game against the Kansas City Royals, a moment that appeared on the stadium’s big screen. The appearance and on-camera kiss followed the couple’s public confirmation last month that they are dating. The … Read more

Lead: On Friday of Coachella 2026 Weekend Two, Madonna made a surprise return to the festival during Sabrina Carpenter’s headline set, joining the pop star for duets of “Vogue” and “Like a Prayer.” The appearance ignited the crowd in Indio, California, and included a preview of a new Madonna track tied to her forthcoming album … Read more

Lead On Friday night of Coachella Weekend Two, pop icon Madonna joined headliner Sabrina Carpenter onstage in Indio, California, delivering duets of the 1990 hit “Vogue” and a renewed rendition of “Like a Prayer” that electrified the crowd and streamed viewers. The surprise appearance occurred in the middle of Carpenter’s set and included a short … Read more

Lead On April 17–18, 2026, the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns each won their SoFi Play-In Tournament games to claim the Eastern and Western Conference No. 8 seeds in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Orlando routed the Charlotte Hornets 121–90 behind Paolo Banchero’s 25 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, while Phoenix beat the Golden State … Read more

Lead: On April 17, 2026, President Trump announced that Iran had agreed to “completely open” the Strait of Hormuz, a development that U.S. officials said bolstered hopes the cease-fire struck last week is holding and that negotiators are nearing a framework for broader peace talks. The claim accompanied reports that U.S. and Iranian teams may … Read more

Fans traveling from Manhattan to MetLife Stadium for World Cup matches this spring face a steep increase in transit costs: a $150 round-trip train fare for the roughly 15-minute, 9-mile journey from New York Penn Station, officials confirmed. That is about 12 times the regular $12.90 ticket for the same route. New Jersey says the … Read more

Lead: U.S. equity markets rallied on Friday after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz would be open to commercial traffic for the duration of the Israel–Lebanon ceasefire. The Dow climbed roughly 800 points while the S&P 500 traded above 7,100 for the first time, lifting small caps and consumer discretionary names. Oil prices plunged sharply, … Read more

Lead: U.S. equity markets surged on April 16, 2026, after Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open” to commercial traffic during a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1,049 points (2.2%), while the S&P 500 climbed 1.4% and crossed 7,100 intraday for the first time; the … Read more