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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The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after King, has died at 84
SUMMARY: The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson has died. He was 84. Jackson was a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King and became a leader of the Civil Rights Movement for decades after King was assassinated in 1968. A two-time presidential candidate, Jackson led a lifetime of political crusades. He advocated for the poor and underrepresented on issues from voting rights and job opportunities to education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders and channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms. He used his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to pressure executives to make America a more open and equitable society. His family confirmed he died Tuesday.
WORDS: 1982 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 10:14 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSObitJesseJacksonthLdWritethru/43abb84d2ffc76d967f9a5596ebd0be1/text___
Police credit a good Samaritan for ending a deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink
SUMMARY: A gunman who opened fire at a Rhode Island youth hockey game, killing two adults and injuring three others, was stopped after a fellow spectator intervened. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves said Monday that the shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. Goncalves says investigators think the shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket on Monday afternoon was targeted and may have involved a family dispute. Video online shows players and fans scrambling for cover and rushing to exits. Gov. Dan McKee says the state is grieving again after another recent mass shooting.
WORDS: 439 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 2:31 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIceRinkShootingndLdWritethru/4e9c9df9c3a2b0a524f0e9bdd0908d45/text___
AP Was There: A profile of Jesse Jackson as he prepared his 1984 campaign for the presidency
SUMMARY: In 1983, The Associated Press profiled the Rev. Jesse Jackson when he was a 41-year-old civil rights activist preparing his historic 1984 campaign for the presidency. Jackson at the time described himself much like a prophet. In the ’60s, he battled for equal rights, picketing restaurants and marching for open housing. In the ’70s, he stressed self-respect and economic justice. In the '80s, he turned to leadership, making a run for president. Friends and foes described him similarly. They mention his ego, his drive, his grand ideas, his weakness as an organizer, and his clever courting of the media.
WORDS: 1718 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 11:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAPWasThereJacksonforPresidentndLdWritethru/3fa5495ad3a9a7f500692d572a510fb7/text___
Trump administration ordered to restore George Washington slavery exhibit it removed in Philadelphia
SUMMARY: A federal judge has ordered an exhibit about nine people enslaved by George Washington to be restored at his former home in Philadelphia after President Donald Trump’s administration took it down last month. The order came on Presidents Day, the federal holiday honoring Washington’s legacy. The city of Philadelphia sued last month after the National Park Service removed the panels from Independence National Historical Park. The removal followed a Trump executive order on “restoring truth and sanity to American history” at the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe said all materials must be restored while a lawsuit challenging the removal’s legality plays out.
WORDS: 762 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 11:26 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSlaveryExhibitRemovedrdLdWritethru/2a32236320f280ba3e647d900c1301b4/text___
California walloped by winter storm with high winds and heavy rain and snow
SUMMARY: California is being walloped by a powerful winter storm carrying thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy snow in the mountains. Millions of residents in Los Angeles County were facing a flash flood warning as rain pounded the region. Residents in some areas scarred by last year's devastating wildfires faced an evacuation warning. Meanwhile, state emergency officials are deploying rescue resources for flooding and debris flows. Forecasters expect extreme Sierra snow through late Wednesday. The storm comes amid a snow drought across much of the American West.
WORDS: 608 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 3:53 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSevereWeatherthLdWritethru/3624c992a6fac8d3735b61beffa509e8/text___
Opening statements held in the trial of a Georgia high school shooting suspect's father
SUMMARY: The trial has started for a man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school in 2024. Lawyers gave opening statements Monday in the case against Colin Gray. Prosecutors say Gray gave his son, Colt, access to a gun and ammunition despite warning signs. They link that decision to the four deaths at Apalachee High School. Investigators say the 14-year-old planned the attack and brought a rifle in his backpack. Gray's attorney says his client wasn't told about the planning and timing of the shooting and shouldn't be held criminally responsible The trial is being held in Winder, where the shooting happened, with jurors from nearby Hall County.
WORDS: 787 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 6:39 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSGeorgiaHighSchoolShootingrdLdWritethru/50b94cfc66b3e68cd2ccd07219eceddf/text___
Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigators work with Walmart after identifying suspect’s backpack
SUMMARY: Investigators working on the disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother are consulting with Walmart management to develop leads. That's because a backpack the suspect was wearing is sold exclusively at Walmart stores. Chris Nanos, the sheriff of Pima County, Arizona, told The Associated Press in a text message on Monday that the suspect's “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” is the only clothing item that has been “definitively identified.” Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. The Federal Bureau of Investigation released surveillance videos of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door the night she vanished.
WORDS: 387 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 7:17 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSavannahGuthrieMomMissingrdLdWritethru/9b90363ef0e59fe69a7bd65e1445aa03/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Texas Republican Paxton steps up his Senate bid against GOP Sen. Cornyn ahead of early voting
SUMMARY: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is stepping up his race for the U.S. Senate with early voting about to begin for the March 3 GOP primary. On Monday night the Republican headlined his first scheduled campaign rally since entering the race. He's running against longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Paxton told supporters at an east Texas bar on Monday that Cornyn is backed by "the D.C. establishment." Republican Senate leaders have spent heavily attacking Paxton over his impeachment and personal scandals. Early voting starts Tuesday. Paxton plans several stops across Texas and has started airing ads that tie himself to President Donald Trump.
WORDS: 1344 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 6:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionTexasSenaterdLdWritethru/fe2787bbac917c5cb22918ac1e34c458/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Iran says it temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz as it held more indirect talks with the US
SUMMARY: Iran has announced the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz for live fire military drills. The rare show of force came as its negotiators held another round of indirect talks with the United States over its disputed nuclear program. It was the first time Iran has announced the closure of the key international waterway, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, since the U.S. began threatening Iran and rushing military assets to the region. It was not immediately clear if the strait had been closed, but such a rare and perhaps unprecedented move could further escalate tensions that threaten to ignite another war in the Middle East.
WORDS: 1176 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 5:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUIranTalksthLdWritethru/dbed41b78ce2ddabc8a04349e72abeba/text___
Russian and Ukrainian officials meet in Geneva for US-brokered talks after almost 4 years of war
SUMMARY: Russian and Ukrainian delegations are meeting in Geneva for U.S.-brokered talks although both sides are far apart on issues such as land, security and a possible ceasefire. The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, posted photos on social media of the meeting at a Swiss hotel. The talks are due to run over two days. A person familiar with the talks said that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be taking part. The same person also said military chiefs will discuss how a ceasefire monitoring could work. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia’s latest drone and missile attacks undermine the push for peace.
WORDS: 914 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 9:32 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarthLdWritethru/a2308f6af1d7817f8886013b921409eb/text___
Bangladesh’s new prime minister is sworn in after his party’s landslide election win
SUMMARY: Bangladesh’s new prime minister has been sworn in after his party’s landslide win in parliamentary elections last week, the country’s first since the massive 2024 uprising. The vote was billed as key to Bangladesh’s future political landscape after years of intense rivalry and disputed polls. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, whose term will last the next five years, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman. He is also Bangladesh’s first male prime minister in 35 years. The country’s figurehead President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office. Dozens of Cabinet members and members of the new government were also being sworn in on Tuesday.
WORDS: 639 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 10:19 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASBangladeshElectionthLdWritethru/fbc4222e01bbc5aa7ac120801218ef24/text___
Suicide bomber and gunmen kill 11 soldiers and a child in northwestern Pakistan
SUMMARY: Officials say a suicide bomber and gunmen have attacked a military checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, killing 11 soldiers and a child. The military said troops stopped the vehicle at the post and the blast collapsed part of the compound. The attack happened Monday night in Bajaur, near the Afghan border. Police say militants then tried to slip into the post and triggered a shootout. The military said its forces killed 12 attackers and that a search operation was underway. Officials say the blast also damaged nearby homes and wounded seven civilians. Leaders condemned the attack as violence linked to the Pakistani Taliban rises.
WORDS: 467 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 9:20 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASPakistanMilitantAttackndLdWritethru/ea4f5dbbbed85be5749be2addaa14007/text___
Lunar New Year prayers, robots and festivities usher in the Year of the Horse
SUMMARY: People are celebrating the Lunar New Year with prayers, fireworks and street festivals for the Year of the Horse. On Tuesday, crowds gather at temples and events across Asia and beyond. In Hong Kong, people lined up at midnight to light incense and make wishes. In Vietnam, singers led countdown shows and fireworks light up city skies during Tet. In Moscow, two weeks of Lunar New Year events are underway with food stalls and red lanterns. In Taiwan, worshippers heard a temple bell ring 108 times and left flower offerings.
WORDS: 604 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 2:19 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLunarNewYearthLdWritethru/37a6166548b209eda42e19c9fa3b61e0/text___
Rubio plugs Orbán's bid for another term in Hungary's elections
SUMMARY: Marco Rubio is backing Viktor Orbán ahead of Hungary’s April election during a visit to Budapest. On Monday, Rubio praised Orbán’s close personal relationship with Donald Trump, saying that bond strengthens U.S.-Hungarian cooperation. Rubio also signed a civilian nuclear deal which covers small modular reactors, U.S. nuclear fuel, and spent fuel storage. Rubio’s trip follows a stop in Slovakia on Sunday. Orbán has invited Trump to Budapest and offered to host a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace summit. The long-serving leader has remained friendly with Russia and continues purchasing Russian energy.
WORDS: 764 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 7:51 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUHungaryRubioOrbanthLdWritethru/552c03d93e7517f954388f130f1f7901/text___
US troops arrive in Nigeria to help train its military, Nigerian military says
SUMMARY: The Nigerian military says about 100 U.S. troops plus equipment have arrived in Nigeria to help train soldiers in the West African country. The arrival followed a request by the Nigerian government to the U.S government to for training, technical support intelligence-sharing, the military said in a statement Monday. The deployment follows an easing of tensions that had flared between the U.S. and Nigeria when U.S. President Donald Trump had issued threats against Nigeria over allegations that the government was not protecting its Christian citizens.
WORDS: 360 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 5:41 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFNigeriaUSTroopsrdLdWritethru/29eed3ae3dfe7c5dede9d06074a8afc2/text___
2 years on, Navalny's death still casts a shadow over Russia and wider Europe
SUMMARY: Mourners in Moscow have marked two years since Russian opposition leder Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic prison, as a new European analysis fuels claims he was killed by poisoning. On Monday, his family, supporters, and several European diplomats laid flowers at his grave under heavy security. His mother says Russian authorities killed him. The Kremlin says Navalny died of natural causes. On Saturday, the U.K., France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands said lab tests found a rare toxin in samples from his body. Epibatidine is linked to poison dart frogs. Navalny’s allies remain in exile and struggle to unite.
WORDS: 928 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 4:15 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaNavalnyAnniversaryWhattoKnowrdLdWritethru/539748ce105ab9822c80245be729f8bd/text___
Prosecutors plan to charge an Israeli settler with killing a Palestinian activist in the West Bank
SUMMARY: Israeli prosecutors say on Monday they plan to charge a settler in the killing of a Palestinian activist during a confrontation that was caught on video. That would open a rare prosecution of violence by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank. Attacks from settlers and home demolitions by authorities have spiked dramatically over the past two years. But the death in July of Awdah Hathaleen has drawn particular attention due to his involvement in the 2025 Oscar-winning film “No Other Land.” The case also stands out because the confrontation was captured on video from multiple vantage points.
WORDS: 1145 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 5:20 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLMideastWarsWestBankstLdWritethru/86621a794e0d3828b946c753bf08a4ea/text___
Abduction of Mexican mine workers raises doubts over touted security improvements
SUMMARY: The abduction of 10 mine workers in Mexico's Sinaloa state has raised questions again about the government's touted security improvements. In late January, gunmen abducted workers from a Canadian-owned silver and gold mine near Panuco. Authorities have identified five bodies and are working to identify five more. Since September 2024, two Sinaloa Cartel factions have fought across the state. President Claudia Sheinbaum points to lower homicide rates but analysts say episodes like this undermine her message. Security forces have added troops and made arrests, yet residents say fear, displacement and the numbers of missing people keep rising.
WORDS: 1193 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 5:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTMexicoViolencerdLdWritethru/72cfd0a96077ab5b42de4c1bf156c044/text___
Brazil's Lula gets image boost at Rio Carnival, but also faces legal risks
SUMMARY: A Rio Carnival samba school has honored Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with a glowing parade, but his rivals are calling it illegal early campaigning. On Sunday night, Academicos de Niteroi filled Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome with floats and songs about Lula’s rise from poverty to national power. The school’s organizer says it is a cultural tribute, not campaign material. Analysts say the risk sits with any link to his administration. Brazil's top electoral court has rejected attempts to block the parade but judges say they might review the case if they find that rules were broken.
WORDS: 1099 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 4:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTBrazilCarnivalLulathLdWritethru/ae3703e42b4bd52255f20c7fcedfda42/text___
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BUSINESS
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EU privacy investigation targets Musk's Grok chatbot over sexualized deepfake images
SUMMARY: X faces a new EU privacy investigation after its Grok chatbot generated nonconsensual deepfake images on the platform. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said on Tuesday that it has opened the case under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. The regulator says Grok has created and shared sexualized images of real people, including children. Researchers say some examples appear to involve minors. X did not respond to a request for comment. X had added some limits to Grok, but European authorities weren't satisfied. X also faces other probes in Europe over illegal content and user safety. That includes Spain, which has has ordered prosecutors to investigate X, Meta and TikTok for alleged crimes related to AI-generated child sex abuse materials on their platforms.
WORDS: 494 - MOVED: 02/17/2026 12:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUIrelandGrokDeepfakesthLdWritethru/9d3d096a1f4dc0baddde3d5d91e050b7/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Robert Duvall, Oscar-winning actor and 'Godfather' mainstay, dead at 95
SUMMARY: Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor whose classic roles included the wily confidant of the first two “Godfather” movies, has died at age 95. He first gained notice for a small part as the reclusive neighbor in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” He won an Academy Award as best actor for portraying the over-the-hill country music singer in the 1983 film “Tender Mercies.” He also won four Golden Globes, including one for playing the philosophical cattle-drive boss in the 1989 miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” a role he often cited as his favorite.
WORDS: 1455 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 6:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSObitRobertDuvallrdLdWritethru/6ddb67ba5e2242ba9dd96f29b4ce242a/text___
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SPORTS
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Winter Olympics recap: Meyers Taylor finally gets gold for US and Eileen Gu wins second silver
SUMMARY: Small margins are deciding gold medals at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Eileen Gu had to settle for her second silver medal in defense of her big air ski freestyle title and Elana Meyers Taylor of the U.S. finally won bobsled gold in her fifth Olympics. Also on Day 10 of the Winter Games, a Norwegian contender’s emotional reaction overshadowed the last men’s Alpine ski event and the U.S. and Canada advanced to the women’s hockey gold medal game that will be played Thursday.
WORDS: 764 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 4:24 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APOLYMilanCortinaRounduprdLdWritethru/a8a22f9aefa87a01682ddb5042fc2d79/text___
Michigan rises to No. 1 in AP Top 25 men's hoops poll for 1st time since January 2013
SUMMARY: Michigan is No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time in 13 years, ending Arizona’s nine-week reign. The Wolverines claimed 60 of 61 first-place votes in Monday’s new poll to climb one spot and supplant the Wildcats. Arizona had been unbeaten entering last week before falling at Kansas and at home to Texas Tech. It marks Michigan's first No. 1 ranking since January 2013. Houston, Duke, Arizona and UConn rounded out the top five. No. 24 Wisconsin and No. 25 Alabama were the week's new additions. They replaced Clemson and Kentucky.
WORDS: 734 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 6:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKCTMensPollstLdWritethru/c8609da09f04c8475fc32d4e25ba38be/text___
Geno Auriemma ties Tara VanDerveer for most AP Top 25 appearances as UConn stays No. 1
SUMMARY: Geno Auriemma has tied Tara VanDerveer for most appearances in the AP women’s basketball Top 25 poll when UConn remained No. 1. Auriemma has led the Huskies to 654 appearances in the poll during his 41-year Hall of Fame career to match VanDerveer, who retired from Stanford in 2024. UConn has been ranked for the past 621 consecutive weeks, dating to the preseason 1993-94 poll, and once again was a unanimous choice at No. 1 from the 31-member national media panel. Monday was the 900th poll in the 50-year history of the rankings.
WORDS: 444 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 5:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKWTWomensPollstLdWritethru/ed9b503cb40a9886a13fcd112ea6517f/text___
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