George Santos says he's becoming a first-time parent 

By: The Hill

Published on: April 9, 2026, 3:11 am

Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who had a brief but notable stint in Congress in 2023, said he is becoming a parent for the first time. “So, we are having kids next year, and that's a big deal for us,” Santos said on Meghan McCain’s livestreamed show “Citizen McCain.” “We're going to be parents next...

Trump slams NATO after meeting with Mark Rutte

By: The Hill

Published on: April 9, 2026, 2:05 am

President Trump went after the NATO alliance following a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte -- comments that came after the Trump administration had recently expressed frustration with members of the alliance. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN,...

Respiratory viruses lingering longer than usual this year

By: The Hill

Published on: April 9, 2026, 2:02 am

While spring has officially begun, concerns about respiratory viruses are lingering longer than usual, with cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cropping up later than expected and a new COVID-19 variant spreading across much of the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a recent update that RSV had started later...

Emmanuel Macron condemns Lebanon strikes, says he's spoken with country's leaders 

By: The Hill

Published on: April 9, 2026, 1:04 am

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday criticized recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon and said he’s spoken with its leaders, following a U.S.-Iranian ceasefire being on shaky ground do to the strikes. “I have just spoken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam,” Macron said in a Wednesday evening post on the social...

Appeals court rejects Anthropic's bid to temporarily halt Pentagon designation

By: The Hill

Published on: April 9, 2026, 12:03 am

A federal appeals court has rejected Anthropic's bid to temporarily halt the Pentagon's labeling of the artificial intelligence company as a supply chain risk, finding the firm failed to meet the strict requirements for an emergency stay. The order, issued Wednesday evening by a three-panel judge in Washington, D.C., blocked Anthropic's bid to pause the...

Ex-Army employee with top-secret clearance charged with leaking information to journalist

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 11:46 pm

An ex-Army employee that had top-secret clearance has been charged with leaking classified information, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). In a Wednesday press release, the DOJ said that 40-year-old Courtney Williams of North Carolina was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday regarding “her...

Trump’s fragile ceasefire with Iran already showing cracks

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 11:37 pm

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story Trump’s fragile ceasefire with Iran already showing cracks Israel launched a barrage of attacks without warning in Lebanon on Wednesday as a fragile ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran hangs in the balance. © AP...

What to know about Iran's 10-point plan that Trump called 'workable basis' for talks

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 11:30 pm

Amid the tenuous two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, it is unclear what exactly is in the 10-point plan from the Iranian government that President Trump deemed a "workable basis" on which to negotiate. While the Iranian government publicly released a 10-point proposal Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later that day...

Ruling in Colorado conversion therapy case brings up free speech debate

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 11:27 pm

Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care   The Big Story SCOTUS ruling stirs First Amendment discourse The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a case arguing that a ban on conversion therapy was a violation of free speech, igniting debate over free expression in the health care services...

Elon Musk's SpaceX prepares for public offering

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 11:12 pm

SpaceX, Elon Musk’s spacecraft and satellite communications company, is preparing to go public after reportedly filing paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). After months of speculation, the company has confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO) and is aiming for a June listing, according to multiple outlets. Bloomberg reported that it is...

Oil prices drop amid ceasefire

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 11:05 pm

{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story Oil prices drop amid ceasefire Oil prices plummeted Wednesday after President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. © AP Photo Futures for international benchmark Brent crude were down about 12 percent to about $97 per barrel. While oil prices are still higher than before the war with...

Zeldin gives keynote address at climate skeptic conference

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 10:56 pm

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin gave the keynote speech Wednesday at a conference hosted by a climate denial group. Zeldin told the attendees of the conservative Heartland Institute’s conference to “celebrate vindication.” He claimed that in the past, a “cabal” was deciding which climate model the U.S. would base its climate forecasts on. “What happened...

The Memo: Trump’s dash for off-ramp in Iran fuels fears of strategic defeat

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 10:17 pm

There are huge questions hanging over the Trump administration’s strategic objectives in Iran, especially now that a tentative ceasefire has hit immediate turbulence. Global relief on Tuesday evening, when President Trump backed off his ominous threat to lay waste to Iranian “civilization,” gave way to uncertainty and confusion Wednesday.  A key figure in Tehran, the...

March sets new record for most abnormally hot month in continental US

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 10:16 pm

Last month was the hottest March on record in U.S. history, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Wednesday.  Average temperatures across continental America in March 2026 topped the 20th-century average by 9.4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the new data.  A total of 10 states set records for the...

4 big questions hanging over Trump’s ceasefire with Iran

By: The Hill

Published on: April 8, 2026, 9:57 pm

Within 24 hours this week, President Trump jumped from threats to wipe out Iran’s civilization to announcing that Tehran had presented a plan that led him to agree to a 14-day ceasefire — less than two hours before his deadline to attack Iranian infrastructure. About 24 hours later, the ceasefire is already showing severe cracks,...