Here are the AP's top stories and promotable content. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan.
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Here are the AP's top stories and promotable content. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan.
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NATIONAL
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When Rhode Island shooter started firing, bystanders jumped into action to end the carnage
SUMMARY: Moments after Robert Dorgan starting shooting family members at a hockey game, three people in the stands rushed toward the shooter. Among them was Michael Black, who recalled hearing the shots and lunging for Dorgan's gun. Black managed to catch his hand in the gun and jam it. Two others helped him subdue Dorgan, but not before the 56-year-old could reach for a second gun and die from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooter's ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and adult son Aidan Dorgan were killed Monday and three others were injured: Rhonda Dorgan’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan; and a family friend, Thomas Geruso.
WORDS: 704 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 4:31 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIceRinkShootingHerostLdWritethru/fcf58def325c4c6698775e5d46e260fc/text___
Skiers with roots in Lake Tahoe's alpine community among the 8 killed in California avalanche
SUMMARY: The victims of a deadly avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada include a group connected to a skiing academy near Lake Tahoe. Eight people died in the avalanche that hit Tuesday morning. Authorities say one other person is missing and presumed dead. Six others were found alive. Authorities said Wednesday that the eight victims were found fairly close together in the mountains near Castle Peak. The group, which was finishing up a three-day backcountry ski trip when the avalanche hit, has deep ties to the alpine community in nearby Lake Tahoe. A sheriff says one of the victims was married to a member of a backcountry search and rescue team.
WORDS: 808 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 6:59 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCaliforniaAvalancherdLdWritethru/591d11d13b7e259f2e53784bf9835a98/text___
How a defendant in Minnesota went free because of Justice Department turmoil
SUMMARY: The federal prosecutor’s office in Minnesota has been gutted by a wave of career officials resigning or retiring over objections to Trump administration directives. Because of the turmoil, 12-time convicted felon Cory Allen McKay caught a break. He was scheduled to stand trial next month on methamphetamine trafficking charges that could have locked him up for 25 years. Instead, he walked free after the prosecutor on his case retired. The diminished U.S. attorney's office has been forced to dismiss some cases, kill others before charges are filed and seek plea agreements and delays. Local officials worry the office will be unable to bring charges against some of the state’s most serious offenders.
WORDS: 1304 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:08 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementMinnesotaProsecutorsndLdWritethru/142f82b163a8b0d646ba6079251d32be/text___
Bernie Sanders and Gavin Newsom become adversaries over push to tax California billionaires
SUMMARY: Bernie Sanders has traveled to Los Angeles to kick off a campaign for a proposed “billionaires tax” that has set off an uproar in the Silicon Valley and led to divisions among Democrats. Sanders said at a rally that passage of the tax would show “the billionaire class cannot have it all.” The proposal has not qualified for the ballot so far. It calls for a one-time 5% tax on the assets of billionaires to backfill federal health funding cuts for lower-income people. The proposal has created a rift between Gov. Gavin Newsom and prominent members of his party’s progressive wing ahead of this year's elections.
WORDS: 918 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 5:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionCaliforniaBillionairesTaxndLdWritethru/87a1e54f463aad49a2093382969e5cca/text___
Genealogical sites have helped solve major crimes. Police in Nancy Guthrie's case might turn to them
SUMMARY: Authorities trying to solve the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie say they might tap DNA genealogy databases. It's the same step that police took to unravel a series of murders in California and the fatal stabbings of four college students in Idaho. The strategy could pay off: If unknown DNA evidence can be connected to someone in a genealogical database, it could lead investigators to a suspect in Guthrie’s apparent kidnapping in Arizona. A law enforcement database didn't turn up any matches to DNA found in gloves a few miles from Guthrie's home.
WORDS: 549 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 4:50 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSavannahGuthrieMomDNA/10ee20a0186bd8859c9b0a90f1d5c7da/text___
A judge weighs extending protections for refugees in Minnesota facing arrest and deportation
SUMMARY: A federal judge will hear arguments Thursday on whether he should extend an order that protects Minnesota refugees who are lawfully in the U.S. from being arrested and deported. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim blocked the government from targeting these refugees last month via a program it dubbed Operation PARRIS. He says the plaintiffs in the case are likely to prevail on their claims “that their arrest and detention, and the policy that purports to justify them, are unlawful.” But his temporary restraining order will expire Feb. 25 unless he grants a more permanent preliminary injunction.
WORDS: 652 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementMinnesota/87e5e89ee4f68189638f9e77acfb2994/text___
Transportation Department says more than 550 driving schools must close over safety failures
SUMMARY: The federal Transportation Department says more than 550 commercial driving schools in the U.S. that train truckers and bus drivers must close after investigators found they employed unqualified instructors, failed to adequately test students and had other safety issues. The department announced its latest move to improve safety in the trucking industry on Wednesday. Unlike a previous action last fall to decertify up to 7,500 schools that included many defunct operations, this one focused on active schools it said had significant shortcomings. The department has been aggressively going after states that handed out commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants who shouldn’t have qualified for them ever since a fatal crash in Florida in August.
WORDS: 855 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 7:57 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCommercialDriversLicenseSchoolsthLdWritethru/9af984e6d3318cfb722d1fcf48b2c2a4/text___
New Jersey Catholic diocese agrees to $180 million settlement of clergy sexual abuse allegations
SUMMARY: A New Jersey Catholic diocese this week agreed to a $180 million settlement to resolve allegations of clergy sexual abuse, a figure far exceeding agreements in some large dioceses though still dwarfed by other massive settlements. Bishop Joseph Williams of the Diocese of Camden, covering southern New Jersey and its Philadelphia suburbs, announced the settlement Tuesday in a letter. Greg Gianforcaro, one of the attorneys representing victims suing the diocese, credited survivors’ persistence in reaching the agreement. The New Jersey settlement agreement is more than the roughly $80 million settlements in Boston and Philadelphia. In 2024, the Los Angeles Archdiocese agreed to an $880 million payment.
WORDS: 440 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 4:27 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSClergyAbuseNewJerseystLdWritethru/1fcfc715b294acc84e63e36763784426/text___
What to know about avalanches, what causes them and how to stay safe
SUMMARY: Avalanches, masses of snow moving down a slope, happen most often in the wilderness. The National Avalanche Center says watching for forecasts, bringing the proper gear and getting training to prepare for them can help with outings. The center says each winter in the United States, about 25 people die in avalanches. They form on slopes steeper than 30 degrees when layered snow breaks and slides. Experts say wind, rain, heavy snow, or movement can add the final pressure. Victims or their partners trigger about 90% of fatal or injuring slides. Skiers, snowmobilers and snowshoers can check forecasts, travel with a buddy, and carry a beacon, shovel, and probe.
WORDS: 799 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 5:05 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAvalanchesWhattoKnow/79eef3b9371eff4455e6f789ecdcdbfb/text___
Following Trump's lead, some GOP states seek to limit environmental regulations
SUMMARY: Some Republican legislators are pushing to limit state environmental regulations. Alabama lawmakers approved legislation Tuesday limiting state agencies from adopting pollution rules stricter than federal standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. It follows efforts by the Trump administration to roll back rules at the agency. The Alabama measure would allow new state pollution limits only if there is a direct link between exposure and bodily harm. Supporters say the bill reduces regulatory burdens and aligns with President Donald Trump’s deregulatory agenda. Environmental groups and Democrats say the bill prioritizes industry over public health. The bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey.
WORDS: 785 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 3:17 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSStateEnvironmentalRegulationsrdLdWritethru/ffe1e8efb9cecc41c4480d28503cdeeb/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Trump gets pledges for Gaza reconstruction and troop commitments at inaugural Board of Peace talks
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump announced Thursday at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members of the body have agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package. The president said five countries have also agreed to deploy troops to take part in an international stabilization force to the war-battered Palestinian territory. Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania have pledged to send troops for a Gaza stabilization force, while Egypt and Jordan have committed to train police for the efforts. Troops will initially be deployed to Rafah, a major population center where the U.S. administration hopes to first focus reconstruction efforts.
WORDS: 809 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpBoardofPeacethLdWritethru/22e587df67e27cd1e1d96e446cb88378/text___
An arts panel made up of Trump appointees approves his White House ballroom proposal
SUMMARY: A federal panel made up of President Donald Trump's appointees has approved his plan to build a massive ballroom on the site of the former White House East Wing. Approval came Thursday from six of the seven commissioners on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. One commissioner didn't vote because he was the initial architect on the project. Trump’s decision in October to demolish the East Wing prompted a public outcry when it began. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued in federal court to halt construction of the ballroom. A court decision in the case is pending.
WORDS: 421 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 12:38 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpWhiteHouseBallroomthLdWritethru/f2a15d0b1c9c95f24816fe60b6b1ee5f/text___
Trump heads to Georgia, a target of his election falsehoods, as Republicans look for midterm boost
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is weighing military action against Iran, leading an immigration crackdown, and teasing a federal takeover of state elections. But on Thursday, White House insists he will focus on the economy when he visits battleground Georgia. The trip aims to boost the Republican president’s political standing heading into the high-stakes midterm elections. The White House has long said the president would focus more on the economy, but recent months have been dominated by his immigration crackdown, global conflicts and his interest in nationalizing state elections, among other issues. Trump’s visit comes less than a month after federal agents seized voting records and ballots from Fulton County, home to the state’s largest concentration of Democrats.
WORDS: 800 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpGeorgia/29075b0f22be1569aafe144ab7ca025b/text___
Governors arrive in Washington eager to push past Trump's partisan grip
SUMMARY: Governors are arriving in Washington for an annual gathering that has traditionally been a show of bipartisanship. But President Donald Trump has disrupted norms by not inviting all governors to meetings at the White House. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, joined Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, both Republicans, in opening this year’s National Governors Association on a panel where they emphasized bipartisanship regardless of Trump's actions. The break with tradition reflects Trump’s broader approach in his second term. He has taken a confrontational stance toward some state leaders, withholding federal funds from states that draw his ire and deploying federal troops to cities over the objections of local officials.
WORDS: 505 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:15 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSGovernorsTrump/5e078af4172aba3ea3c734c910e4e0c0/text___
Gov. Wes Moore on Trump: 'I pray for him and I just feel bad for him'
SUMMARY: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is pushing back on President Donald Trump while trying to rally Democrats in his state around a mid-decade redistricting fight. On Wednesday, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries visited Annapolis as Moore pushed state lawmakers for a straight vote on new maps. Moore says Trump prompted the issue by urging states to redraw districts. Trump, meanwhile, has been stepping up attacks on Moore, blocking him from a White House dinner and blaming him for a Potomac River sewage spill. Moore notes the sewage pipe sits in Washington, D.C., on federal land.
WORDS: 905 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSGovernorsMooreQAstLdWritethru/93d6c95befbb752a86fb8bbe8cba11d0/text___
Billionaire Les Wexner says he was 'duped' by adviser Jeffrey Epstein, 'a world-class con man'
SUMMARY: The billionaire behind the retail empire that once blanketed shopping malls with names such as Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch has told members of Congress he was “duped by a world-class con man,” his close financial adviser Jeffrey Epstein. Les Wexner also denied knowing about the convicted sex offender’s crimes or participating in Epstein’s abuse of girls and young women. The House Oversight Committee said Wexner “answered every question asked of him” during a six-hour interview. He was subpoenaed after the latest release of Justice Department documents involving Epstein. Wexner told lawmakers he had “nothing to hide.”
WORDS: 1491 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 5:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEpsteinWexnerCongressthLdWritethru/733833f6d648c09e6b3473eb1cd4009d/text___
Public health, green groups sue EPA over repeal of rule supporting climate protections
SUMMARY: A coalition of health and environmental groups is suing the Environmental Protection Agency, challenging the rescinding of a scientific finding that has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. A rule finalized by the EPA rescinded a 2009 government declaration known as the endangerment finding that determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. The Obama-era finding is the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet. The lawsuit filed Wednesday calls the EPA's action unlawful and says the finding supported common sense safeguards to cut climate pollution.
WORDS: 1086 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 1:42 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpClimateChangethLdWritethru/27a69e8e349bd8cc7091af202b81517c/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Iran holds more drills and US carrier nears Mideast in latest preparations for possible war
SUMMARY: Iran held annual military drills with Russia as a second American aircraft carrier drew closer to the Middle East, with the United States and Iran signaling they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out. President Donald Trump has said he hopes to reach a deal with Iran, but talks on its nuclear program have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider U.S. and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups. Indirect talks held in recent weeks made little visible progress, and one or both sides could be buying time for final war preparations.
WORDS: 1159 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 8:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranthLdWritethru/0456903e0d7a24cfcdc33d53732dee2f/text___
UN experts say destruction by Sudan's rebels in el-Fasher in October bears 'hallmarks of genocide'
SUMMARY: U.N.-backed investigators say Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have carried out a campaign in the city of el-Fasher in the Darfur region that shows “hallmarks of genocide” against non-Arab communities. The fact-finding mission says the group inflicted mass killings and starvation-like siege conditions that targeted the Zaghawa and Fur people. U.N. officials say thousands of civilians were killed and many others disappeared after the city fell to the paramilitary forces in late October. The team's report describes executions, rape, torture, abductions and selective targeting of women and girls. It said the violence looks planned, not chaotic. It calls for accountability and stronger civilian protection as the war spreads.
WORDS: 1169 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 7:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUUNSudanGenocidendLdWritethru/85b79539f9e4b18e25dd6ef82d5b53ee/text___
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over ties to Epstein
SUMMARY: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The former Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal titles because of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. While Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with his friendship with Epstein, concerns about the former British prince's links to the late financier have dogged the royal family for more than a decade. But the arrest of a brother of a monarch was an extraordinary development with no precedent in modern times that will no doubt put more pressure on the crown. After Thursday's arrest, King Charles III said that the law must take its course in the investigation.
WORDS: 958 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 10:21 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainEpsteinAndrewthLdWritethru/fb0b9e738bf7ede10651914ee3f3583d/text___
The former Prince Andrew went from helicopter pilot to trade envoy to royal pariah
SUMMARY: The former Prince Andrew is the first senior British royal in modern history to be arrested by police. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was detained on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, in an investigation stemming from his relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was born in 1960, the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip. He spent 22 years in the Royal Navy, serving as a helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War. Named Britain’s special representative for international trade in 2001, he was forced to step down from that role in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein. Last year that friendship cost him his royal title and honors.
WORDS: 777 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 12:22 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainEpsteinAndrewProfilendLdWritethru/d64e61fd0214a68b9a05fc0da95d9486/text___
Trump wants his Board of Peace to solve world conflicts. It still has a lot of work to do in Gaza
SUMMARY: U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is set to meet for the first time on Thursday in Washington. It's an early test of whether one of his marquee foreign policy initiatives can gain broad support or advance the shaky ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Trump’s ballooning ambitions for the board extend from governing and rebuilding Gaza as a futuristic metropolis to challenging the United Nations Security Council’s role in solving conflicts. But they could be tempered by the realities in Gaza, where there has so far been limited progress in achieving the narrower aims of the ceasefire.
WORDS: 1102 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 4:39 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLBoardofPeaceExplainerndLdWritethru/32c489a86937f91d6649df4f48f1dcdc/text___
What to know about the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
SUMMARY: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office that is centered on his close relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. His arrest Thursday follows years of allegations over his links with Epstein, who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019. The accusation at the heart of his arrest is that he shared confidential trade information with the disgraced financier. It is one of the gravest crises to affect the House of Windsor since its establishment more than a hundred years ago.
WORDS: 968 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 3:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainEpsteinAndrewWhatToKnow/18bfbaa26488b45f2db79911bba1b53c/text___
Former South Korean president receives life sentence for imposing martial law in 2024
SUMMARY: Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law to suppress the opposition. The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday found Yoon guilty of mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal attempt to seize the liberal-led National Assembly, arrest politicians and establish unchecked power for a considerable time. Yoon is likely to appeal the verdict. Yoon fell from office after an ill-advised attempt to overcome an opposition-controlled legislature by declaring martial law and sending troops to surround the legislature on Dec. 3, 2024. A special prosecutor had requested the death penalty, saying Yoon deserved harsh punishment for the threat his actions posed to the country’s democracy.
WORDS: 1041 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 5:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASSouthKoreaMartialLawthLdWritethru/5d5f5c3a82590dc805b41b905f5bbca1/text___
Afghanistan faces catastrophic hunger crisis as aid cuts force the WFP to turn away 3 in 4 children
SUMMARY: Afghanistan is facing a surging child malnutrition crisis as aid cuts leave most families without food or treatment. The World Food Program says it has to turn away three out of four acutely malnourished children and that 4 million children are at risk, with more than 500 child deaths logged in recent months. It can now reach only 2 million of the 17.4 million people facing acute hunger. The WFP also reported desperate suicide calls from women.
WORDS: 1057 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 3:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASAfghanistanHunger/9caad6704732530ff4703e4384afea97/text___
A beloved teacher in Morocco unmasked: Frenchman investigated over abuse of 89 boys
SUMMARY: A Frenchman who seemed like a beloved teacher in Morocco now faces accusations of decades of abuse. French prosecutors say Jacques Leveugle is under investigation for raping and sexually assaulting 89 boys across several countries. Prosecutors revealed the allegations last week and say many cases involve North Africa. Investigators tie the claims to a digital memoir found on a USB drive. In Morocco, residents in Khenifra describe shock and shame. Neighbors say he tutored kids, gave money, and organized outings. Advocates say his profile matches common patterns.
WORDS: 1011 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 6:12 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFMoroccoFranceChildRape/8c0d74e68cbf7e045986c928158458a0/text___
Envoys signal no breakthrough on bridging Russia and Ukraine's political and military differences
SUMMARY: The latest U.S.-brokered talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv over Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine have ended with no sign of a breakthrough. Both sides said Wednesday the talks were “difficult,” as the war’s fourth anniversary approaches next week. The negotiations in Switzerland were the third round of direct talks organized by the U.S., after meetings earlier this year in Abu Dhabi that officials described as constructive but which also made no major headway. Expectations for significant progress in Geneva were low. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “trying to drag out negotiations” while it presses on with its invasion.
WORDS: 619 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 9:25 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarthLdWritethru/0f22fa796cafd6606a88ad1b101ab3fb/text___
Why Trump's comment on discussing Taiwan arms sales with China has raised concerns
SUMMARY: U.S. President Donald Trump says he is discussing potential arms sales to Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and that has raised concerns. The island democracy relies on U.S. backing in the face of China’s territorial claims. Trump's comment over the weekend prompted some experts to say it might violate decades-old foreign policy principles defining the U.S. relationship with self-ruled Taiwan. Experts say Trump's comments may be creating a “dangerous precedent” allowing for Beijing to make demands regarding U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Trump says he plans to visit China in April.
WORDS: 974 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 3:23 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASUSTaiwanExplainerstLdWritethru/c466ea5047197b83907b283c5279f85d/text___
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RACE AND ETHNICITY
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Jesse Jackson’s 1988 presidential run inspired generations to carry his message
SUMMARY: The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s two presidential runs and his life of activism inspired leaders across generations. Politicians and activists shared tributes after Jackson's death Tuesday and said his message still guides their work. Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock says Jackson showed him what was possible and pushed him to fight for justice. Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns led Democrats to open up their primary system. That shift helped former President Barack Obama win two decades later. Jackson also mentored young leaders through his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Scores of activists, political operatives and members of Congress credited their careers to Jackson.
WORDS: 1194 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 5:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJesseJacksonLegacy/7c88b376fbfc94697f2b57797edb24bf/text___
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BUSINESS
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Most US stocks are falling, though gains for Walmart and Deere limit the damage
SUMMARY: The majority of U.S. stocks are falling, but gains for Walmart, Deere and other companies are helping to limit the damage. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 141 points, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. The company behind Booking.com and Priceline sank to one of the market's sharper losses as worries continue about whether AI competitors could steal away its customers. Such concerns have been rolling through Wall Street recently and hitting various industries. But Walmart and Deere climbed after reporting bigger profits than analysts expected. Oil prices rose with worries about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict.
WORDS: 669 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 4:24 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/9105f5156c294507738154a714dcd13d/text___
US trade deficit declined in 2025, but gap for goods hits a record despite Trump tariffs
SUMMARY: The U.S. trade deficit slipped modestly in 2025, a year in which President Donald Trump upended global commerce by slapping double digit tariffs on imports from most countries. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the gap the between the goods and services the U.S. sells other countries and what it buys from them narrowed to just over $901 billion from $904 billion in 2024.
WORDS: 438 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 1:41 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTradeGaprdLdWritethru/9eb6bd10ff635d63e46ee99d34ce1d05/text___
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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
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Snow drought helped set the stage for deadly California avalanche, leading to unstable conditions
SUMMARY: Experts say a weekslong “snow drought” in Norther California's Sierra Nevada helped set the stage for Tuesday's deadly avalanche, after several feet of new snow fell on an earlier layer that had hardened. The new snow didn't bond to the earlier layer before the avalanche near Lake Tahoe killed at least eight backcountry skiers, said San Jose State University meteorology professor Craig Clements. Six skiers survived and rescuers were searching for another who was still missing. The group was on a three-day backcountry trek when they were trapped by the avalanche as a winter storm pummeled the West Coast.
WORDS: 617 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 4:46 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCaliforniaAvalancheWeatherConditions/f8afce1e77b4174189ced70c22374014/text___
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SPORTS
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Alysa Liu carries US medal hopes into concluding women's free skate at the Milan Cortina Olympics
SUMMARY: Alysa Liu carries U.S. gold hopes as women’s figure skating heads into its final night at the Milan Cortina Games. On Tuesday, Japan’s Ami Nakai took the short program lead, with Kaori Sakamoto just a point behind. Their Japanese teammate Mone Chiba stayed close too, while Liu sits among that trio. The 20-year-old world champion has returned strong after a two-year retirement, and now Liu is chasing the first Olympic women’s gold medal for the U.S. since 2002. Adeliia Petrosian is the wildcard. The neutral athlete from Russia has the ability to land a quad jump and could upend the standings on Thursday night.
WORDS: 657 - MOVED: 02/19/2026 10:26 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APOLYFIGWomensFreeSkate/437ba97a98c0f43b1317dfc26275b633/text___
Seahawks sale process begins less than 2 weeks after winning Super Bowl, Paul Allen's estate says
SUMMARY: The Seattle Seahawks are going up for sale in accordance with the wishes of late team owner Paul Allen. Allen’s estate announced Wednesday that it has begun the process of selling the team, which is coming off its second Super Bowl victory in franchise history. The Seahawks have been in the Allen family since 1997, when Paul bought the team for $194 million from then-owner Ken Behring. Paul was critical in keeping the Seahawks in Seattle, which is where the team is expected to remain after the sale is finalized. The Seahawks have a lease at Lumen Field that runs through 2032 with three 10-year options.
WORDS: 597 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 6:21 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFBNSeahawksSalethLdWritethru/de44677992a36b2bb4d8d354342a8f6b/text___
Winter Olympics recap: Shiffrin takes slalom gold, Canada and US advance with OT wins in hockey
SUMMARY: American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin has put in two dominant runs to win the women’s slalom by a massive 1.50 seconds. It ended a run of eight straight Olympic races without a medal for perhaps the greatest Alpine skier of all time. Canada and the United States needed overtime to beat Czechia and Sweden, respectively, and advance to the semifinals of the men's hockey tournament. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo’s golden run continued as the Norwegian cross-country star secured his fifth gold at these Games and a record 10th overall by winning the men’s team sprint.
WORDS: 620 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 6:33 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APOLYMilanCortinaRoundupstLdWritethru/da916c274b64073a1c4320eb31647619/text___
Sports helped shape Jesse Jackson's career and inspired the ex-quarterback to fight for equal rights
SUMMARY: The Rev. Jesse Jackson was an athlete from a young age, and throughout his life he immersed himself in the world of sports. He accepted a football scholarship at Illinois, then transferred to historically Black North Carolina A&T after a year. Jackson was a quarterback for the Aggies in the early 1960s and was inducted into A&T’s athletic Hall of Fame in 1984. His sports experiences fueled a deep passion for ensuring athletes were given equal opportunities and treatment, regardless of race, gender, sport or native country. Jackson was a champion of the NFL’s Rooney Rule that attempted to address the lack of minority head coaches. He was a fixture at sporting events, especially the NBA.
WORDS: 931 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 7:33 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJesseJacksonTheAthlete/7d0fd59a20e7894150f507f03e00252b/text___
US star Mikaela Shiffrin becomes 3-time Olympic champion with emotional slalom win
SUMMARY: Mikaela Shiffrin’s eight-year Olympic medal drought is over. The American skiing standout has put in two dominant runs in gorgeous conditions amid the jagged peaks of the Dolomites to show why she is regarded by many as the greatest Alpine skier of all time. It was the third-largest margin of victory in a women’s Olympic slalom, the event she won as a fresh-faced teenager in Sochi in 2014 to underline her status as a skiing star. She delivered again in her favorite race 12 years later for her third Olympic gold and gain redemption after failing to win a medal in Beijing four years ago.
WORDS: 940 - MOVED: 02/18/2026 10:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APOLYSKIWomensSlalomthLdWritethru/eee2ed4bf10364e2d922f29273152502/text___
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