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Federal agents in Orange County on Thursday arrested alleged gang members with ties to the infamous Mexican Mafia in a series of early morning raids.

The jury previously heard how Davey was allegedly suffocated to death by Varley, just four months after he was placed in the couple's care.

The Bishop of Rome has admonished the Trump administration's immigration policies as "inhumane" and "morally indefensible."

Neighboring houses shook, and a loud boom was heard as the unidentified materials were safely exploded.

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The NBA playoffs didn't take long to provide drama.

Your budget has limits. Way Day does not. Save on our favorite finds for under $500.

US Business Confidence Soared In April Amid "Panic, Emergency" Buying Ahead Of Price Spike

Despite the recent slide in 'hard' macro data, analysts expected an incremental improvement in the preliminary April S&P Global PMI data this morning.

Consensus was right as both Services and Manufacturing surveys signaled an uptick in April

US business activity growth recovered slightly in April having slowed to near-stagnation in March following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. However, the overall pace of expansion remained subdued, most notably in the services economy where demand faltered.

• Flash US Services PMI Business Activity Index: 51.3 (March: 49.8). 2-month high.

• Flash US Manufacturing PMI: 54.0 (March: 52.3). 47-month high.

Source: Bloomberg

“A rebound in business output growth in April is good news after the near-stagnation seen in March," but, warns Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence:

"...over the past three months we have seen the weakest expansion of output recorded since the start of 2024 with the war in the Middle East squarely to blame."

The April PMI is broadly consistent with the economy struggling to manage annualized growth in excess of 1%, with the vast service sector acting as the principal drag.

"Orders for services ranging from travel and tourism to financial products barely rose as the war caused hesitancy for spending among both household and business customers, with surging prices and the prospect of higher borrowing costs acting as a further deterrent."

There was better news from manufacturing:

"here an expansion of output and orders could be partly traced to the building of safety stocks, with survey respondents reporting “panic” and “emergency” buying ahead of price hikes and supply shortages in echoes of the problems seen during the pandemic.

While there is no prices paid (nor other subcomponents) released in the flash PMI, the market is looking for signs of inflation and margin pressures in the press release.

Prices paid have already picked up in the March ISM, although less so far in the PMI surveys.

And, as Williamson notes, not surprisingly, prices are already spiking higher in this environment, and not just for energy but for a wide variety of goods and services.

"The overall inflation picture is now the most worrying for almost four years."

Balancing the risks of inflation lifting sharply higher against the underlying weakness of economic growth presents policymakers at the Fed with a growing dilemma.

However, as Williamson concludes, it will likely be increasingly hard to make a case for rate cuts if inflation follows the path signalled by the PMI while the economy continues to eke out only modest growth.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/23/2026 - 09:53

Create chef-worthy meals in less than 18 minutes.

The "One Battle After Another" actress says it's "all about that finishing touch."

The "One Battle After Another" actress says it's "all about that finishing touch."

The girl suffered a concussion and was taken by EMS to Harlem Hospital in stable condition, police and sources said.

Yesterday, a host of artists met with a handful of lawmakers for events including a roundtable focused on AI. 

It was all so cloak and dagger. The strictly enforced anonymity of a source, hidden behind a blacked out Zoom screen refusing to identify himself out of fear that he too could be targeted. But by whom exactly? The Mafia? Some drug cartel?

Even the Mets can now point and laugh at the Phillies.

Things came to a head after the pilots reportedly decided to take off despite the fact that dozens of the passengers hadn't made it through security.

Tanker Seizures By Iran Don't Breach Ceasefire: White House

Not only did President Trump this week unilaterally extend the Iran ceasefire by at least three to five days (upon initial announcement), but he has refrained from ordering new attacks against the Islamic Republic even as the IRGC navy continued intercepting foreign tankers.

By Tuesday, he had extended the ceasefire indefinitely, writing on Truth Social: "Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal."

Iranian state media

On Wednesday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had targeted two cargo vessels - the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, a Greek-owned ship, and forced them to Iran's coast, effectively seizing them.

Iran's interceptions of 'unauthorized' vessels as it tries to maintain its side of the blockade has not abated, but has only intensified, and yet there's no bombs away from the US or Israel.

This has left pundits wondering why the act of brazen tanker seizures by Iran does not constitute a ceasefire violation in Washington's eyes. Both the US President and his Press Secretary have responded and explained:

President Trump told Fox News on Wednesday that there was "no time pressure" on holding a new round of talks or on the cease-fire, and "no timeline" for ending the war. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told Fox separately that Mr. Trump did not view Iran’s reported ship seizures as a violation of the cease-fire.

The reported seizures happened after the U.S. Navy prevented dozens of ships from leaving or accessing Iranian ports as part of a blockade ordered by Mr. Trump.

"These were not US or Israeli ships, these were two international vessels," Leavitt had sought to clarify in her comments to Fox News, explaining that the naval blockade the US has imposed "continues to be incredibly effective."

Despite that on the US side of the blockade - which aims to halt any vessel going in or out that visited or plans to visit Iranian ports (or which is under sanctions) - it remains that shipping companies are mostly keeping vessels away from the strait due to the lingering immense risk. Thus far, at least a couple dozen of acceptable and US 'approved' ships have made it out based on CENTCOM permission

.@PressSec: "Iran has gone from having the most lethal navy in the Middle East to now acting like a bunch of pirates. They don’t have control over the Strait—this is piracy that we are seeing on display, and the naval blockade that the United States has imposed continues to be… pic.twitter.com/yCnQGfIe2c

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 22, 2026

All of this also comes after Wednesday reports that Iran had fired on a third ship, after already interdicting at least two, amid threats to continue to keep up the pressure and inflict pain on the global economy.

Some pundits have highlighted that it is the White House side that keeps backing off its threats to bomb Iran, while moving the goalposts of what constitutes a breach of the ceasefire. Perhaps US officials are increasingly aware they are on the brink of entering an intractable quagmire, but perhaps it's already too late.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/23/2026 - 09:40

Fly now — pay later.

Pot Stocks Soar As DoJ Reclassifies Medical Marijuana As Less Dangerous Drug

Pot stocks are moving higher in premarket trading in New York after the Justice Department and DEA announced that FDA-approved marijuana-based drugs and state-licensed medical marijuana products will be moved immediately from Schedule I to Schedule III. This is a major shift in how the federal government classifies these types of cannabis products.

*DOJ RECLASSIFIES MEDICAL MARIJUANA AS A LESS-DANGEROUS DRUG: AP

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 23, 2026

The classification is designed to expand access to approved therapies, support state-regulated medical marijuana programs, and make research easier, while still keeping federal controls in place against black market operators.

The reclassification legitimizes medical marijuana programs already operating in 40 states. It also creates a faster DEA registration path for state-licensed medical marijuana operators and protects researchers using state-licensed cannabis products.

"The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated in a press release.

Blanche continued, “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”

It appears the Trump administration is taking a two-track approach: immediate relief and policy clarity for medical marijuana and researchers, while also setting up a faster legal roadmap toward broader federal reclassification later.

The news sent marijuana stocks soaring in premarket trading:

• Canopy Growth (CGC): $1.48, up about 7%

• Tilray Brands (TLRY): $8.50, up about 8%

• Aurora Cannabis (ACB): $4.01, up about 5.5%

• Cronos Group (CRON): $3, up about 7%

• Organigram Global (OGI): $1.67, up about 5%

• SNDL (SNDL): $1.77, up about 6.6%

• Village Farms (VFF): $3.31, up about 7%

Amplify Alternative Harvest ETF (MJ), which holds several of the major cannabis names listed above, is up nearly 6% in premarket trading. MJ remains flat year-to-date but has rallied 33% over the past month.

Related: 

• Half Of Americans Live In States Where Weed Is Legal

Late last year:

• "People Begging Me To Do This": Trump Signs Executive Order Reclassifying Cannabis

Trump is on a roll: 

• Psychedelic Stocks Soar After Trump Order; RBC Says Commercialization Path Could Accelerate

DoJ noted, "Today’s order is reflective of the Department of Justice’s continued dedication to common-sense policies and the prioritization of the safety and well-being of all Americans."

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/23/2026 - 09:20

President Trump claimed Thursday he had ordered the US Navy to take lethal action against Iranian mine-laying vessels attempting to obstruct trade through the Strait of Hormuz — in another apparent blow to the recently extended cease-fire between Washington and Tehran. An IRGC boat allegedly taking part in an operation to seize ships attempting to...