Lebanon Ceasefire, Evolution, Shipwreck Discovery

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Adam Rogers
April 17, 2026

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President Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire beginning at 5 p.m. EST, a deal that grew out of the first direct talks between the two countries in decades. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the agreement. Israel had not yet confirmed it.
The ceasefire comes as more than 2,100 people have been killed in Lebanon and over 1 million displaced since fighting broke out last month when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Iran had insisted that a Lebanon ceasefire was essential to any broader peace deal. Trump personally asked Netanyahu last week to scale back Lebanon strikes to protect the wider negotiations.
Hezbollah, which was not part of the talk, is the deal's central uncertainty. A senior official said a ceasefire "would be subject to consideration" by the group.
Trump invited PM Salam and PM Netanyahu to the White House for peace talks and directed Vance and Rubio to work toward a lasting settlement.

The US government will launch an online tariff refund portal on April 20, giving businesses a way to reclaim money after the Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump's emergency tariffs were illegal. The government could owe businesses up to $175 billion, and more than 56,000 importers have already registered. But refunds are not automatic — businesses must opt in, submit paperwork, and wait 60 to 90 days for approval.
Only tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act are eligible. Even then, 37% of duties are excluded from the initial rollout and could take years to resolve. The burden falls entirely on importers, as CBP does not automatically identify who is owed money.
Some hedge funds are buying businesses' refund claims outright, offering immediate cash in exchange for taking on the administrative burden.

A new study found natural selection has shaped nearly 500 genes in West Eurasians over the past 10,000 years, challenging the long-held belief that human evolution largely slowed after early history.
By analyzing DNA from about 16,000 ancient humans and 6,000 modern individuals, researchers identified genetic shifts tied to traits like lighter skin, red hair, HIV and leprosy resistance, and lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis and male-pattern baldness.
Scientists say many changes likely reflect environmental pressures — such as low sunlight driving the spread of fair skin for vitamin D synthesis, or new pathogens shaping disease resistance — while others remain unexplained. A preprint study of East Asian populations found similar patterns, suggesting human evolution continues to be shaped by local environments worldwide.

A new Gallup Poll found that young American men are now more religious than young women for the first time in 25 years, with 42% calling religion very important, up from 28% in 2022. (More)

An ICE agent was charged with felony assault after allegedly pointing his gun at two civilians from a moving car during Minnesota's Operation Metro Surge immigration enforcement in February. (More)

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, at their Annandale home Wednesday night before dying by suicide. (More)

Sudan's civil war enters its fourth year with no end in sight. The army holds Khartoum and the east, while the RSF controls Darfur. 26 million people face acute food insecurity. (More)

The EU is launching an optional age-verification app within weeks to block kids from porn, gambling, and social media. (More)

Migrants are faking domestic abuse claims to get UK residency, with applications topping 5,500 a year, up 50% in three years. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Thursday (S&P +0.26%, Nasdaq +0.36%, Dow +0.24%). The S&P and Nasdaq notched another all-time high this week after ceasefire news broke between Israel and Lebanon. (More)

QVC Group, which owns shopping channels QVC and HSN, plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after struggling to compete with TikTok livestreams and online marketplaces. (More)

China's economy grew 5% in the first quarter, beating forecasts, driven by strong exports. But an energy shock from the Iran war threatens to slow that momentum going forward. (More)

Mike Trout hit a home run in all four games against the Yankees this week, finishing with five homers and nine RBI in the series as the Angels won Thursday 11-4. (More)

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil told staff the league's 2026 season will continue as planned, pushing back on reports that Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund was pulling its financial backing. (More)

Lana Del Rey and composer David Arnold released the title song for "007 First Light," a James Bond origin story video game starring Patrick Gibson as a 26-year-old Bond, out May 27. (More)

Rising colorectal cancer deaths in younger adults are concentrated almost entirely among people without college degrees, a new study found. (More)

Scientists have measured the energy output of Cygnus X-1's jets for the first time. The black hole, confirmed in 1971 and 7,000 light-years away, is 21 times more massive than the sun. (More)

Anthropic launched Claude Opus 4.7, calling it its most capable generally available model but noting weaker cyber tools than its restricted Claude Mythos Preview, which remains limited to select companies. (More)

16-day Great American State Fair will take over the National Mall in June.

Ancient shipwreck discovered in Bay of Gibraltar.

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