China is coming back – and the timing couldn’t be better: Stephen Jen

Stephen Jen 

April 16, 20264:16 PM PDT

Updated 36 mins ago

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - China has turned a corner, finally. Five years after Beijing began cracking down on its bloated property sector, its economy is now on a much more sustainable path anchored in high-quality growth – and the correction has left far fewer scars than many feared.

Repsol taking back control of Venezuelan oil assets

Agence France-Presse

Apr 16, 2026 

Updated 53 mins ago
Spanish energy group Repsol said on Thursday it has reached an agreement with the Venezuelan government to regain control of its oil business in the country and sharply increase production over the coming years.

U.S. intelligence detects signs China is weighing giving Iran advance radar systems

By James LaPorta, Eleanor Watson, Olivia Gazis, 

Sara Cook and Margaret Brennan

Updated on: April 16, 2026

CBS News

Washington — Days after the U.S.-Israel led war with Iran kicked off last month, American intelligence agencies detected signs that the war risked widening beyond the immediate battlefield as Russia and China sought to support Iran to blunt U.S.-Israeli military operations.

Nancy Guthrie abduction: FBI analyzing DNA recovered from her home, sources say

The sample was collected from Guthrie's house in February, an official said.

By Aaron Katersky and Trevor Ault 

Thursday, April 16, 2026 4:48PM

PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. -- The FBI recently received and is now analyzing potentially critical DNA recovered months ago from the Tucson, Arizona, home of Nancy Guthrie, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News.

BREAKING NEWS: Democrat Analilia Mejia wins New Jersey special election to fill Gov. Mikie Sherrill's House seat

By Owen Auston-Babcock

Apr. 16, 2026

NBC News projects that Mejia, a progressive activist, defeated Republican Joe Hathaway in the State’s Democratic-leaning 11th District.

Democrat Analilia Mejia has won the special election to fill New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s seat in the U.S. House, NBC News projects, defeating Republican Joe Hathaway.

Trump Lashes Out At Judge Blocking Ballroom Construction

By Sara Dorn, Forbes Staff. 

Sara Dorn is a Forbes news reporter who covers politics.

Apr 16, 2026

Topline

President Donald Trump called U.S. District Judge Richard Leon a “mockery to our Court System” on Thursday and accused him of “illegal overreach” in response to Leon’s latest ruling criticizing Trump for a “disingenuous” attempt to claim the ballroom is needed for national security purposes.

First ICE officer charged with assault for threatening people with a gun in Minnesota

Criminal Justice & Policing immigration

By: Max Nesterak-

April 16, 202612:45 pm

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty on Thursday filed criminal charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer for allegedly brandishing his service weapon at two people during Operation Metro Surge in what she said was a first-of-its-kind case in the country.

The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, says the Pope amid Trump's diss and Hegseth's madness

The Greek Courier

April 16, 2026

In a bold statement on his recent trip to Africa, Pope Leo XIV delivered a passionate appeal for peace, condemning what he called “a handful of tyrants” ravaging the world. His remarks came in the wake of sharp criticism from President Donald Trump, who targeted the U.S.-born pontiff on social media, labeling him “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.” This exchange is emblematic of the ongoing tension between the Trump administration and the Vatican, revealing a troubling pattern of disrespect towards religious leadership.

Israel and Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire, Trump says

Published Thu, Apr 16 2026, 11:41 AM EDT

Updated An Hour Ago
Kevin Breuninger

Key Points

• The leaders of Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire after officials from the two countries met in Washington, President Donald Trump said.
• The temporary truce will start at 5 p.m. ET, Trump said on Truth Social.
• The U.S. president wrote that he had just completed “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon.

Lebanon casts doubt on Trump's claim of upcoming talks with Israel

Summary
15 April 2026

• Lebanon has cast doubt on Donald Trump's claim that Lebanese and Israeli leaders are due to hold talks
• On Wednesday night in the US, President Trump wrote: "Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!"
• But on Thursday, an official in Lebanon's presidential office told the BBC they were unaware of upcoming contact with Israel
• In southern Lebanon, Israel issues a new warning to residents as its air strikes continue
• The BBC's Lyse Doucet is reporting from inside Iran - read her first report here, and see her video report at the top of the page

US sending 10,000 more troops to the Middle East despite Iran ceasefire

The US is sending additional troops to the Middle East this month, according to The Washington Post.
By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP
Published On 15 Apr 2026

The United States is sending more than 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East before the end of April as Washington tries to increase pressure on Iran, US officials have told The Washington Post.

Iran Update Special Report, April 15, 2026

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and The Critical Threats Project (CTP) at the American Enterprise Institute are publishing daily updates to provide analysis on the war with Iran. The updates focus on US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the Axis of Resistance’s response to the strikes. The updates cover events from the past 24-hour period.

Key Takeaways: 

1. US naval forces continued to enforce the blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on April 15 that no vessels had breached the blockade on Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of enforcement.
2. The United States has reportedly set two preconditions for another round of negotiations: first, Iran must fully “reopen” the Strait of Hormuz, and second, the Iranian negotiating delegation must have “full authority” to finalize a deal. The second precondition comes amid reports of intra-regime conflict and corroborates ISW-CTP’s assessment that the United States is negotiating with a divided council of hardliners and pragmatists rather than a singular, unified authority.

‘Simple’ Nancy Guthrie Motive Finally Identified: ‘Something Went Very Wrong Inside the House’

Lizzie Lanuza

Tue, April 14, 2026 at 8:31 AM PDT

3 min read

Key takeaways

• Nancy Guthrie's abduction case remains shrouded in mystery, with law enforcement believing she was kidnapped for ransom but unable to provide proof of life, leaving her family in anguish.
• Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer suggests that the motive behind Nancy Guthrie's abduction was likely simple: a kidnapping for ransom that tragically resulted in her death, with the kidnappers attempting to claim ransom without proof of life.
• Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos maintains that investigators know the motive behind Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping but have chosen not to disclose it publicly, while experts speculate that the abduction could have been an act of retribution against her family.

Six Republicans Break Ranks to Oppose Trump on Immigration

Opinion

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling

Wed, April 15, 2026 at 12:46 PM PDT

2 min read

Six House Republicans sided with the Democratic Party Wednesday, forcing a vote on a bill that could expand protections for Haitian immigrants.

Republican Representatives María Elvira Salazar (Florida), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania), Mike Lawler (New York), Don Bacon (Nebraska), Carlos Giménez (Florida), and Nicole Malliotakis (New York) voted alongside 212 House Democrats and one independent to advance a vote to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians for three years.

NASA Selects Voyager for Seventh Private Mission to Space Station

Gerelle Q. Dodson

Apr 15, 2026

RELEASE 26-032

NASA Headquarters

NASA and Voyager Technologies have signed an order for the seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than 2028 from Florida.

Trump says he asked China's Xi not to give Iran weapons

By Susan Heavey and Humeyra Pamuk

April 15, 2026 3:37 AM PDT

Updated 8 hours ago

WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping in a letter not to give Iran ​weapons, and Xi responded that China was not supplying Tehran, the U.S. ‌president told Fox Business Network in an interview that aired on Wednesday.

Donald Trump messed with the wrong pope

Trump fought with Pope Francis before. He’s finding Pope Leo XIV to be a tougher foil.
by Christian Paz

Apr 15, 2026, 10:30 AM PDT

The White House cannot stop fighting with the pope.

On Tuesday night, Vice President JD Vance — who converted to Catholicism in 2019 — accused Pope Leo XIV of not understanding the Church’s stance on war, saying it was “very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.” Later in the evening, President Donald Trump continued to berate the pope for not supporting his strikes on Iran.

Exclusive: Pentagon plans possible Cuba operation awaiting Trump

Kim Hjelmgaard Rick Jervis Francesca Chambers
USA TODAY
Updated April 15, 2026, 

1:07 p.m. ET
Exclusive
WASHINGTON — Military planning for a possible Pentagon-led operation in Cuba is quietly ramping up, in case President Donald Trump gives an order to intervene there, USA TODAY has learned.