- WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to continue building a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling a day after a lower court judge continued to block above-ground construction on the site of the former East Wing. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the […]
- HAGATNA, Guam (AP) — An airplane search crew spotted an overturned ship matching the description of a cargo vessel that went missing with six people on board near the U.S. territory of Saipan, though authorities were not able to confirm whether it was the one that was lost, the Coast Guard said Saturday. The HC-130 […]
- BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. (AP) — About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader. It was the second attempt in as many months by […]
- Iran Blocks Strait of Hormuz, Says It Will Remain Closed Until ‘War Fully Ends’ By The Media Line Staff Iran on Saturday blocked the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US naval blockade, saying the waterway will remain closed until “the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region.” Speaking to reporters at […]
- Former President Barack Obama met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a child care center where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong. The meeting comes as Mamdani, a democratic socialist who marked his 100th day in office just over a week ago, is also trying to […]
- Construction on Trump’s White House ballroom can continue for now, US appeals court says
on April 18, 2026 at 11:18 pmWASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court is allowing President Donald Trump to continue building a $400 million ballroom at the White House, ruling a day after a lower court judge continued to block above-ground construction on the site of the former East Wing. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit late Friday put on temporary hold the order by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon halting part of the project. The panel scheduled a hearing for June 5 to review the case. In his ruling Thursday, Leon continued to block above-ground construction of the 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom addition while allowing only below-ground work to continue on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site. Trump tore down the East Wing last fall to build the massive ballroom in that space. The National Trust for Historic Preservation later sued to block construction, arguing that Trump had overstepped his authority by moving forward with the project without first getting approval from key federal agencies and Congress. Leon ruled in favor of the nonprofit group at the end of March, but put his decision on hold for a brief period while allowing the underground work to continue. The administration appealed. Trump has said the ballroom is a long-overdue addition to the White House complex and argues that he has the right to build it because the cost will be covered by donations from wealthy individuals and corporations, though taxpayer dollars will pay for the security aspects. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- US Coast Guard spots overturned vessel near Saipan during search for missing ship with 6 on board
on April 18, 2026 at 11:18 pmHAGATNA, Guam (AP) — An airplane search crew spotted an overturned ship matching the description of a cargo vessel that went missing with six people on board near the U.S. territory of Saipan, though authorities were not able to confirm whether it was the one that was lost, the Coast Guard said Saturday. The HC-130 Hercules crew saw the vessel early in the day about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northeast of the Mariana’s last known position, the Coast Guard said. It was 34 nautical miles (63 kilometers) northeast of Pagan, a small island north of Saipan in the western Pacific Ocean. The agency said in a statement that it confirmed the overturned ship matched the description of the Mariana, a 145-foot (44-meter) dry cargo vessel registered in the U.S. The Mariana suffered engine failure Wednesday as a massive typhoon bore down on Saipan and nearby islands with fierce winds and relentless rain. After the crew reported that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance, the Coast Guard set up a one-hour communication schedule with the vessel. But contact was lost Thursday. A HC-130 plane launched that morning to conduct a search, but it returned to Guam due to heavy winds. The Mariana’s last known position was about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north-northwest of Saipan, which is about 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Hawaii. Coast Guard officials in Honolulu were gathering information on the capsized ship, the agency said in a statement. The guard did not know the nationalities of the Mariana’s missing crew members. A U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew; a Coast Guard cutter; and a Japanese coast guard aircrew and vessel equipped with a specialized dive team were to take part in the search. Typhoon Sinlaku triggered floods, tore off roofs and overturned cars on Saipan. Officials said the storm’s large size meant that the island endured roughly 48 hours of fierce winds, which delayed responders’ ability to assess damage and help communities. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- Hundreds trying to storm Wisconsin beagle research facility met with rubber bullets, pepper spray
on April 18, 2026 at 11:18 pmBLUE MOUNDS, Wis. (AP) — About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader. It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Madison. Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering. “This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said. The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon. Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. “I just feel defeated,” activist Julie Vrzeski told the newspaper about three hours into the operation after no dogs had been successfully seized. Activists later moved from the Ridglan facility to protest outside the jail in downtown Madison. The group Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs had publicized plans to seize the dogs Sunday but launched its operation a day earlier. The X account of the group’s leader, Wayne Hsiung, posted a picture of him being arrested. The sheriff’s department said a person who “recklessly” drove a pickup through the front gate of the property was arrested, “preventing a potentially deadly outcome.” Protesters broke into the facility in March and took 30 dogs. Twenty-seven people were arrested on trespassing and other charges. Ridglan has denied mistreating animals but agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on animal mistreatment charges. On its website it says “no credible evidence of animal abuse, cruelty, mistreatment or neglect at Ridglan Farms has ever been presented or substantiated.” Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- The Media Line: Iran Blocks Strait of Hormuz, Says It Will Remain Closed Until ‘War Fully Ends’
on April 18, 2026 at 8:49 pmIran Blocks Strait of Hormuz, Says It Will Remain Closed Until ‘War Fully Ends’ By The Media Line Staff Iran on Saturday blocked the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US naval blockade, saying the waterway will remain closed until “the war fully ends and lasting peace is achieved in the region.” Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Trump played down the development and said broader contacts with Tehran were still progressing. Iran “got a little cute” by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump said, adding that talks are “working really well.” He said, “They wanted to close up the strait again,” and maintained that “they can’t blackmail us.” In a statement, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that received a new US proposal via Pakistan, and although there was no specific comment on the contents, the council warned that the US must abandon “excessive demands and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground.” The council also said the US naval blockade violated the truce and that, as a result, the Strait of Hormuz would be blocked until further notice. An Iranian official told CNN that Tehran would prioritize ships that are willing to pay a fee. “Given the limitation on the number of vessels that will be allowed to pass,” the official tells the US outlet, “Iran has decided to give priority to those vessels that respond more quickly to the new Strait of Hormuz protocols and pay the costs of security and safety services.” The official said vessels that do not pay will have their passage “postponed.” The policy reflects an earlier Iranian proposal to impose a fee on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move Washington rejected while insisting on free passage to all ships. At the same time, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US military is preparing in coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, citing US officials. According to the report, the move would widen Washington’s naval pressure campaign beyond the Middle East. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
- Obama meets Mamdani in New York City before reading to preschoolers
on April 18, 2026 at 8:18 pmFormer President Barack Obama met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a child care center where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong. The meeting comes as Mamdani, a democratic socialist who marked his 100th day in office just over a week ago, is also trying to build a working relationship with Republican President Donald Trump. Obama and Mamdani did not take questions after reading the book “Alone and Together” to the children and leading a singalong of “The Wheels on the Bus.” The former two-term president and standard-bearer for the Democratic Party has offered to be a sounding board for Mamdani, 34, whose star power, youth and progressive agenda has made him stand out in Democratic politics. Mamdani took office in January after a campaign centered on making New York City a more affordable place to live, centering his agenda on refocusing the vast power of government toward helping the city’s struggling working class. Mamdani has met twice with Trump at the White House in November and February to discuss issues affecting New York. Despite those friendly meetings, their relationship has shown signs of strain recently, with Trump posting on social media Thursday that Mamdani was “DESTROYING New York” with his taxing policies and threatened to pull federal funding for the city. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com
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