Top Stories — Wednesday, April 15, 2026
What is trending in the USA today? Here is Breaking News:
- Chip giant ASML raises 2026 guidance as AI semiconductor demand stays strong — CNBC
- DOJ sues Connecticut, New Haven over sanctuary policies: 'Open defiance' — Fox News
- Trump takes aim at Pope Leo again, days after calling him 'weak on crime' — CNBC
Chip giant ASML raises 2026 guidance as AI semiconductor demand stays strong
Source: CNBC • Published: 4/15/2026, 12:04:40 PM
ASML raised its sales forecast for 2026 after it beat first-quarter revenue and profit expectations, driven by continued demand for chips related to AI.
The company previously forecast that its first-quarter sales would be between 8.2 billion euros ($9.7 billion) and 8.9 billion euros.
The Dutch firm said it now sees 2026 net sales to be between 36 billion euros and 40 billion euros, compared to a previous forecast of 34 billion euros to 39 billion euros.
"The semiconductor industry's growth outlook continues to solidify, driven by ongoing AI-related infrastructure investments," ASML CEO Christophe Fouque said in a press release.
"Demand for chips is outpacing supply. In response, our customers are accelerating their capacity expansion plans for 2026 and beyond, supported by long-term agreements with their customers."
The Dutch firm is often seen as a bellwether for chip demand as it makes the tools required to manufacture the most advanced semiconductors.
One of its top customers, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), last week reported record first-quarter revenue as demand for AI chips continues to remain strong.
There is a continued shortage of memory chips which has driven prices of that component to unprecedented highs. Memory is key to AI systems and data centers. As a result, South Korean firms Samsung and SK Hynix are planning to ramp up production capacity, which will require ASML machinery.
ASML said 51% of net sales of its new tools in the first quarter went toward memory, versus 30% in the previous quarter. Customers in South Korea accounted for 45% of sales, while those in Taiwan represented 23%.
However, ASML is facing its own challenges, including headwinds in China, where it is not able to ship its most advanced machines because of export restrictions. Earlier this month, a group of bipartisan U.S. lawmakers introduced a law that would even ban ASML's less-advanced machines for export to China. That law still needs to work its way through the U.S. legislative process.
System sales to China fell to 19% of overall sales in the first quarter, compared to 36% in the December quarter.
DOJ sues Connecticut, New Haven over sanctuary policies: 'Open defiance'
Source: Fox News • Published: 4/15/2026, 11:27:58 AM
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Connecticut and its city of New Haven, arguing that their sanctuary policies interfere with federal enforcement of the nation's immigration laws.
The lawsuit names Connecticut, its Gov. Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong, as well as New Haven and its Mayor Justin Elicker as defendants.
The complaint takes issue with the state’s "so-called Trust Act" and other state and local sanctuary policies that the DOJ argues are illegal under federal law.
The DOJ claims these policies have allowed "dangerous criminals" to be released into communities in the Nutmeg State. It also alleges that Connecticut and New Haven have made "intentional efforts" that the lawsuit argues obstruct federal law enforcement, put people at risk and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said that state laws "do not prevent federal authorities from enforcing immigration law." (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
"For years, Connecticut communities have paid the price of these misguided sanctuary policies," Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the DOJ's Civil Division said in a statement. "This lawsuit seeks to end such open defiance of federal law."
But Elicker contends that the lawsuit misrepresents the city's immigration policies. He said the city will fight the lawsuit and that he is confident they did nothing wrong.
"The complaint that’s been submitted by the federal government has untruths in it and is misleading. There’s actually quotes from the executive order that have ‘dot dot dot’ where they don’t finish the sentence and the last part of the sentence of the executive order actually clarifies the beginning part," Elicker told Fox 61.
After Elicker was elected mayor in 2020, he signed an executive order barring law enforcement from asking for the immigration status of anyone they are working with.
READ THE FULL COMPLAINT FILED BY THE DOJ BELOW
The mayor said his city and its employees have not taken any action to obstruct the federal government's efforts to enforce immigration laws.
"Our employees are abiding by both city, state, and federal law with the executive order that we have, and we will continue to do that," Elicker said.
Lamont said in a statement that state laws "do not prevent federal authorities from enforcing immigration law," adding that they instead "reflect a longstanding principle: the federal government cannot require states to use their personnel or resources to carry out federal enforcement responsibilities."
"We will defend Connecticut’s laws vigorously against the complaints outlined in the federal government’s lawsuit. Our Trust Act and related policies are consistent with the Constitution and reflect our responsibility to govern responsibly, protect public safety, and uphold the rights of all residents," the governor said.
"Connecticut respects the rule of law and the constitutional roles of both federal and state governments," he added. "Connecticut law enforcement prioritizes serious criminal activity and works every day to keep our communities safe, while also respecting constitutional protections afforded to residents and maintaining trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."
The lawsuit was filed against Connecticut, its Gov. Ned Lamont and Attorney General William Tong, as well as New Haven and its Mayor Justin Elicker. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Tong, in a statement of his own, said the "sovereign people of Connecticut have exercised our right to pass state laws like the Trust Act that prioritize public safety and ensure that all people can trust and rely on law enforcement to keep us safe."
"It is a shame that the President and the Department of Justice are not focused on public safety but are wasting federal resources on attacking Connecticut with a baseless lawsuit that has no foundation in law or fact. Connecticut is not a 'sanctuary' state, whatever that means. This term is meaningless and has no basis in Connecticut law. We will defend Connecticut and Connecticut families and fight this lawless attack with every fiber of our being," he said.
The DOJ has sued Connecticut and its city of New Haven over their sanctuary policies. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
This is the latest effort by the DOJ to target sanctuary policies in cities and states across the country.
Last month, a federal judge threw out a DOJ lawsuit accusing Colorado and Denver of interfering with the federal enforcement of immigration laws.
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Trump takes aim at Pope Leo again, days after calling him 'weak on crime'
Source: CNBC • Published: 4/15/2026, 11:05:56 AM
U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at Pope Leo XIV again, suggesting that he was unaware of Iran's repressive actions against its own people and building on his criticism of the Catholic pontiff.
"Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable," Trump said in a Truth Social post just before midnight Tuesday stateside.
This comes after Trump lashed out against the pontiff on Sunday, saying that he did not want a pope who was critical of the U.S. president.
Pope Leo has called for a ceasefire and urged dialogue to resolve the Iran conflict, while Trump has lambasted him for criticizing U.S. military actions against Iran and Venezuela.
"I have no fear of the Trump administration," Leo told reporters on Monday, "I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems."
Trump on Sunday posted an AI-generated image of himself appearing like Jesus Christ on Truth Social that drew swift condemnation from religious leaders and Democratic lawmakers, and prompted a sharp response from the Vatican, which called the imagery "deeply disrespectful."
"I don't know if the President thought he was being funny or if he is under the influence of some substance or what possible explanation he could have for this OUTRAGEOUS blasphemy," wrote Megan Basham, a conservative Christian commentator, in a post about the image on X.
Trump later deleted the image, claiming he was meant to depict him as a doctor. "I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support," he told reporters at the White House.
"Only the 'fake news' could come up with that one," Trump said, dismissing reports that he had cast himself as Jesus. "It's supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better," he said. "And I do make people better. I make people a lot better."
— CNBC's Dan Mangan contributed to this report.
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