Today's Headlines: Amid Conflicting Messages, Optimism for Peace Deal Emerges

April 18, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Amid Conflicting Messages, Optimism for Peace Deal Emerges

On a day when both Iran and the United States declared the Strait of Hormuz opened, hopes for an agreement rose. But statements from President Trump and Iranian leaders about negotiations were sometimes at odds.

Federal Court Temporarily Freezes Nexstar’s Merger With Tegna

The judge said the two television companies could not combine operations while an antitrust lawsuit proceeded. Nexstar said its deal was already done.

Trump’s Dispute With Pope Leo Deepens Divisions on the Right

Sean Hannity criticized the pope. Tucker Carlson attacked Mr. Hannity. And President Trump suggested ranking MAGA figures: “good, bad, and somewhere in the middle.”

World

‘I Just Want to Be Back’: Thousands Rush South in Lebanon Under Cease-Fire

Lebanese people who had been displaced by fighting expressed a mix of excitement and uncertainty about a pause in Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah.

Seeking 1 Trillion Dollars, Carney Invites Investors Summit to Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney has set up a meeting and a new office to speed project approvals and make Canada more attractive to investors.

The Long, Slow Race to Save Timmy, Germany’s Favorite Whale

A month of efforts to help a stranded humpback escape the Baltic Sea have culminated in a tourist and media spectacle, with no guarantee of success.

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U.S.

French Widow Detained by ICE in Alabama Is Released After 16 Days

Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, 85, who was arrested amid an inheritance dispute, has returned to France, its foreign affairs minister said. She came to America last year after reconnecting with and marrying a former G.I.

Prosecutor Withdraws From Trump Team’s Investigation of Ex-C.I.A. Chief

A career Justice Department lawyer, Maria Medetis Long, in Miami is said to have raised concerns about whether the evidence justified moving forward with a bid to prosecute John O. Brennan.

Supreme Court Sides With Oil Companies in Louisiana Coastal Lawsuits

The companies had asked the justices to clear the way to move environmental lawsuits out of state courts, to friendlier federal venues.

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Politics

In Phoenix, Trump Eyes Lower Gas Prices and Frets About the Midterms

President Trump told a crowd of supporters that the price of oil and gas was coming down, part of an effort in recent days to present a rosier picture of the nearly two-month-long Iran war.

With Vaccines Widely Popular, Kennedy Changes Tone, but Maybe Not His Plans

Several moves suggest Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could revive his campaign to question the safety and effectiveness of the shots after the midterm elections.

Dueling Obama Ads Raise Democratic Anxiety Over a Virginia Vote

Democrats may win a referendum to give their party more House seats, but they are growing concerned — in part because of TV ads that might confuse voters about where the former president stands.

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Business

Stocks Extend ‘Astonishing’ Rally as Middle East Tensions Ease Further

The S&P 500’s rise on Friday caps a striking three-week streak, powered by investors’ optimism about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and strong corporate earnings.

Hundreds of Fake Pro-Trump Avatars Emerge on Social Media

The artificial-intelligence-generated fake influencers have surged on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube in an apparent bid to hook conservative voters.

American Airlines Says It Won’t Merge With United

American issued the statement after news reports that United Airlines’ chief executive had discussed the idea with the Trump administration.

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Technology

White House and Anthropic Hold ‘Productive’ Meeting, Aiming for a Compromise

Friday’s meeting at the White House followed the introduction of Anthropic’s powerful new artificial intelligence model, Mythos, which U.S. officials believe could be critical for security.

Cerebras, an A.I. Chip Maker, Files to Go Public as Tech Offerings Ramp Up

The Silicon Valley chip maker filed a prospectus just as SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI prepared for their own listings, in what is shaping up to be a wave of enormous initial public offerings.

How Do You Measure an A.I. Boom?

A chart created by METR, a nonprofit A.I. organization, has become an industrywide obsession as it measures the rapid development of big A.I. systems.

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New York

Arts

Ye Concert in Poland Is Canceled

The announcement came a day after a government official said, “In a country marked by the history of the Holocaust, we cannot pretend that this is just entertainment.”

With A.I. Glasses, Korea’s Theaters Hope for a K-Pop Moment

Producers and the cultural authorities hope that technology can overcome a language barrie