News for April 18, 2026

A federal appeals court let President Donald Trump keep building his White House ballroom for now, pausing a lower court order that had tried to stop the project.

The Justice Department has tapped lawyer Joseph DiGenova to oversee its criminal probe of former CIA Director John Brennan, raising new concerns about political influence in the case.

ICE released delayed death reports for detainees as scrutiny grows over rising deaths in custody, including the deaths of Victor Manuel Diaz and Heber Sanchez Dominguez.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said it has put strict controls back on the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump kept the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports in place.

Trump said the U.S. could resume attacks if the Iran ceasefire and talks do not produce a deal, as tensions rose again over the Strait of Hormuz and fighting in Lebanon continued.

Carfentanil, a drug far stronger than fentanyl, is showing up in more U.S. drug seizures and is causing more deaths, including the death of Michael Nalewaja.

President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign on Cuba is now paired with quiet U.S. talks aimed at pushing reforms and preventing the island’s crisis from getting worse.