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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Wildfires across Georgia and Florida have destroyed nearly 50 homes and are forcing evacuations
SUMMARY: Wildfires are intensifying across the southeastern U.S. They've destroyed nearly 50 homes in southeastern Georgia. The fires also have forced evacuations and school closures. Some of the biggest blazes are along Georgia’s coast and around Jacksonville, Florida. A long drought, low humidity, and strong winds are fueling the fires. Georgia’s two largest wildfires have burned over 31 square miles. In Brantley County, 800 evacuations have taken place, and five shelters have opened. In Florida, firefighters are battling 131 wildfires that have burned 34 square miles. The National Weather Service warns that low humidity and winds will keep the fire danger elevated.
WORDS: 535 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 2:57 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWildfiresndLdWritethru/6827c25fb87f651be0ae9c1d0b60c176/text___
Gun used to kill 8 children was stolen from truck, Louisiana man tells investigators
SUMMARY: The owner of the gun that was used by a gunman to kill eight children in Louisiana on Sunday says the firearm was stolen from his truck, according to court documents. The alleged gun owner said he noticed the weapon was missing in early March. The gun was used last weekend by Shamar Elkins, who killed seven of his children and a nephew in Shreveport, Louisiana. Elkins’ wife and another woman were also shot and wounded. Elkins died after fleeing and a police pursuit
WORDS: 537 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 10:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMassShootingLouisianastLdWritethru/2767ce8e081f2b7fb6e28a05c39b80b2/text___
Teen charged with killing Florida stepsister on cruise ship pleads not guilty
SUMMARY: A teenager charged with killing his stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship has filed a not-guilty plea and waived his appearance at a hearing in Miami federal court. Timothy Hudson's lawyer says the 16-year-old received the indictment and is waiving his appearance at an arraignment scheduled for Wednesday. Hudson is being prosecuted as an adult in the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner. Her body was found under a bed in a Carnival Horizon room that she was sharing with him and another teen during a family trip in November.
WORDS: 255 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 9:21 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCruiseShipStepsisterKilled/adaf16bc7b283e1f794e8559897d6b0f/text___
Florida's attorney general launches criminal probe into ChatGPT over FSU shooting
SUMMARY: Florida's attorney general has opened an investigation into OpenAI's ChatGPT. The probe, announced Tuesday, examines the AI app's interactions with a gunman charged with a fatal shooting at Florida State University last year. Attorney General James Uthmeier says prosecutors reviewed chat logs between ChatGPT and the gunman, Phoenix Ikner. They aim to determine if the app aided or abetted the crime. Florida's Office of Statewide Prosecution has subpoenaed OpenAI for records. Ikner faces charges of murder and attempted murder, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. An OpenAI spokeswoman called the FSU shooting a tragedy but said the company had no responsibility.
WORDS: 626 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 7:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSChatGPTInvestigationFloridandLdWritethru/b32a7276426f621193f61a0f904f924c/text___
What to know about the Southern Poverty Law Center
SUMMARY: The Southern Poverty Law Center is in the spotlight after the civil rights group announced Tuesday that it is the subject of a U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation because of its past use of paid informants. The SPLC was created 55 years ago to support civil rights and expanded to label and track hate groups. In recent years, the organization has faced criticism from conservatives who say it unfairly maligns viewpoints of some of the groups it tracks. The FBI cut ties with SPLC in 2025, calling it a “partisan smear machine.”
WORDS: 894 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 6:22 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSouthernPovertyLawCenterWhattoKnowndLdWritethru/8e89883257af70bf153b7b044acd76f0/text___
Judge postpones OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma's sentencing to let opioid victims attend in person
SUMMARY: A judge has rescheduled a hearing in which she is expected to sentence OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to forfeit $225 million to the U.S. government. U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo was had scheduled the proceeding Tuesday by videoconference only. But after seeing protesters outside her Newark, New Jersey, courthouse, she said she decided it would be best held with the option for victims of the opioid crisis to appear in person. The hearing is now scheduled for next Tuesday. When it happens, the criminal sentence will mark a major step toward the company finalizing a settlement of nearly all of the thousands of lawsuits it faces.
WORDS: 965 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:28 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSOpioidCrisisPurduePharmaWhattoKnowthLdWritethru/def8261eef8a6bfa23bb4aaa591314f8/text___
Harvey Weinstein's rape retrial opens in New York for the third time
SUMMARY: Jurors have heard opening statements in Harvey Weinstein’s New York rape retrial. Prosecutors once again portrayed Weinstein as a onetime Hollywood power player who used his sway as a tool of sexual assault. His lawyer countered during opening statements Tuesday that the case actually “is about consent, about choice and about regret.” Weinstein has been convicted of some sexual assault charges and acquitted of others in trials on two U.S. coasts. But the rape charge involving an 2013 encounter in a Manhattan hotel has lingered, due to an overturned conviction followed by a jury deadlock. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty.
WORDS: 852 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSexualMisconductHarveyWeinsteinthLdWritethru/a7a6cd1ce33658980c298ee4afc6ee05/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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RFK Jr. goes before the Senate. One lawmaker's competing loyalties will be on display
SUMMARY: Sen. Bill Cassidy faces a tough situation as he questions Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in two Senate hearings. Cassidy supported Kennedy's confirmation as health secretary but is a strong vaccine advocate and has clashed with him over vaccine policies. Kennedy was a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering politics and has moved to dramatically scale back vaccine guidance in his time in President Donald Trump's Republican administration. The hearings come as Cassidy faces a competitive primary election in his home state of Louisiana in less than a month. In his first opportunity to question Kennedy on Wednesday, Cassidy didn't bring up vaccines at all, instead focusing on some of his other health care priorities around affordability and fraud.
WORDS: 1197 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 4:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionCassidythLdWritethru/de23656aac2f41ec592c5243d83333b0/text___
Supreme Court rules for Michigan in its fight to shut down an aging energy pipeline
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has sided with Michigan in ruling that the state’s lawsuit seeking to shut down a section of an aging pipeline beneath a Great Lakes channel will stay in state court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for a unanimous court Wednesday that the Enbridge energy company waited too long to try to move the case to federal court. The case is part of a messy legal dispute about a pipeline that has carried crude oil and natural gas liquids between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario, since 1953. Enbridge argues the case affects U.S. and Canadian trade. The pipeline is at the center of a legal dispute in Wisconsin as well.
WORDS: 625 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 2:40 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtEnbridgePipelinestLdWritethru/ee1936195d1a8e4b1d877c5dbb438ade/text___
Supreme Court revives wounded veteran’s lawsuit against a contractor over suicide bombing
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court is clearing the way for a veteran wounded by a suicide bomb in Afghanistan to sue the government contractor for whom the attacker was working when he built the explosive. The court ruled Wednesday in the case of a former Army specialist, Winston Hencely. He was wounded in a 2016 explosion at Bagram Airfield that killed five people. Hencely sued after an Army investigation faulted the company’s failure to supervise an Afghan employee who built the vest on the job site inside the base. Wednesday's ruling reverses lower courts that found the company was immune because it was working during wartime for the federal government.
WORDS: 294 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 2:29 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtBombVestLawsuitndLdWritethru/abdb654d49b927d8b2febf4d4976194b/text___
Beneath Trump's ballroom legal case: A brief history of the White House bunker
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s court fight over the $400 million White House East Wing ballroom casts some light on an underground bunker at the site. Secrecy surrounding White House security makes details hard to come by. But the bunker emerged recently in the Trump administration's court fight against the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is challenging the ballroom project in Washington. The bunker beneath the East Wing dates to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, when an underground bomb shelter was installed in 1942 after the U.S. entered World War II. High-profile flights to an underground bunker at the White House include Vice President Dick Cheney being taken there on Sept. 11, 2001.
WORDS: 771 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 10:32 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWhiteHouseBunkerstLdWritethru/10782ef742e77343e2833be8cfcf42e1/text___
2 US officials killed in Mexico crash after anti-drug operation worked for CIA, AP sources say
SUMMARY: Two U.S. officials killed in a vehicle crash as they returned from destroying a clandestine drug lab in northern Mexico over the weekend were working for the CIA. That's according to a U.S. official and two other people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity Tuesday. The crash also killed two Mexican investigators. Mexican authorities say the group was returning from an operation to destroy the drug labs of criminal groups. The crash has sparked debate over U.S. involvement in Mexican security operations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum faces pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to crack down on cartels. The CIA and State Department have declined to comment.
WORDS: 702 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 5:41 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMexicoUSEmbassyDeathsCIAthLdWritethru/9a237fbbb7dca4f286727c65974396da/text___
Virginia voters approve redistricting plan that could boost Democrats’ seats in Congress
SUMMARY: Virginia voters have approved a congressional redistricting plan that could help Democrats win up to four additional U.S. House seats in this year’s midterm elections. Voters passed a constitutional amendment authorizing the unusual mid-decade redistricting. But their vote may not be the final say because the question still faces legal challenges, including before the state Supreme Court. The Virginia referendum is the latest development in a national redistricting battle that began after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to pass a map more favorable to the GOP. Virginia is the second Democratic-led state to back redistricting, after California voters approved a new map last November.
WORDS: 1144 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionRedistrictingVirginiathLdWritethru/78e0e68100119011b1b439634f6b6fa1/text___
Democrat Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida resigns before the House can sanction her in ethics case
SUMMARY: Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned, doing so just moments before the start of a hearing that could have led to a recommendation that she be expelled from Congress. Cherfilus-McCormick says she would not pretend that a yearslong ethics investigation had been anything other than a “witch hunt,” and rather than play political games she would resign. The committee had been set to weigh what punishment to recommend after an investigative panel found Cherfilus-McCormick committed 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards. Cherfilus-McCormick also faces federal criminal charges accusing her of stealing $5 million in coronavirus disaster relief funds. She denies any wrongdoing.
WORDS: 851 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 11:36 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressEthicsCherfilusMcCormickthLdWritethru/376eaaa9ff51a7bf66a9a5528822d2ef/text___
In reversal, Justice Department withdraws subpoenas in John Brennan investigation, AP sources say
SUMMARY: The Justice Department has withdrawn subpoenas issued in the investigation of former CIA Director John Brennan, with officials asking for voluntary interviews instead of testimony before a grand jury. That's according to two people familiar with the matter. A small handful of subpoenas were known to have been issued over the weekend for witnesses to appear before a grand jury in Washington. But investigators on Monday evening informed lawyers that the subpoenas were being withdrawn in favor of requests for voluntary interviews, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss developments in an ongoing investigation.
WORDS: 581 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 8:07 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpRussiaProbendLdWritethru/e6f29e0e084c72bb54de74466b3d4c5d/text___
Southern Poverty Law Center charged with defrauding donors with payments to extremist informants
SUMMARY: The Southern Poverty Law Center has been indicted on federal fraud charges alleging it improperly raised millions of dollars to secretly pay leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups for inside information. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the charges Tuesday against the civil rights group. The Justice Department alleges the SPLC defrauded donors by using their money to fund the very extremism it claimed to be fighting. The SPLC says it “will vigorously defend ourselves, our staff, and our work” against what it described as false allegations. The group says its now-defunct informant program saved lives.
WORDS: 955 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 1:31 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJusticeDepartmentSouthernPovertyLawCenterthLdWritethru/db7fdcf9baa0d1b24b8f1e1f2cebc0be/text___
Trump's approval on economy falls in AP-NORC poll, showing new warning signs for president
SUMMARY: A new AP-NORC poll finds that President Donald Trump’s approval rating on the economy has slumped over the past month as the Iran war drives prices higher. Trump’s approval rating on the economy dropped to 30% in April from 38% in a March AP-NORC poll. A similarly low share of U.S. adults, 32%, approve of the president’s leadership on Iran, which is unchanged since last month. Even Republicans are showing less faith in his leadership, according to the poll, which shows a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.
WORDS: 1219 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 8:05 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAPPollTrumpIranEconomyndLdWritethru/fff492898cc8ff34e11df90ec4837a79/text___
US forces board a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, the Pentagon says
SUMMARY: U.S. forces have boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia. The Pentagon said Tuesday that the military “conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction” of the M/T Tifani “without incident.” A U.S. defense official says the tanker was captured in the Bay of Bengal and was carrying Iranian oil. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing military operation, says the U.S. military will decide in the next four days what to do with the vessel. It’s the latest move by the U.S. to stop any ship tied to Iran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government.
WORDS: 976 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 12:24 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSTifanithLdWritethru/bd0190ae22d133d85f331cb300b179bf/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Iran fires on 3 ships in the Strait of Hormuz as US maintains blockade and diplomacy stalls
SUMMARY: Iran has fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them. The intensification of Iran's assault on shipping in a waterway crucial to global energy supplies comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire but pressed on with an American blockade of Iranian ports. The latest salvos complicate already faltering efforts to bring the United States and Iran together for talks to end the war. The effective closure of the strait has already sent gas prices skyrocketing far beyond the region and raised the cost of food and a wide array of other products.
WORDS: 1045 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 5:39 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/267230f7f32b436822484479313840f7/text___
AP Exclusive: Cyprus president says the EU needs a clear playbook on helping members under attack
SUMMARY: The president of Cyprus says fellow European Union leaders meeting on the island nation need to start preparing a playbook on what should happen if an EU country under attack puts out the call to bloc partners for help. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, President Nikos Christodoulides said Tuesday that EU leaders will discuss “giving substance” to Article 42.7 of the bloc’s treaties, which oblige all 27 member states to assist each other in times of crisis. He said more needs to be done to bring about cooperation between the EU and Middle Eastern countries.
WORDS: 934 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUCyprusEUDefenserdLdWritethru/2c8f1d530eea810d582f870a50ee799c/text___
Iranians have long sought work and relative stability in Turkey. The war could force some to return
SUMMARY: Tens of thousands of Iranians live in neighboring Turkey, drawn by economic opportunities and relative stability. But it's a precarious existence, with most living on short-term visas that can be expensive to renew. The war could force many to return as income sources inside Iran dry up. Turkey has not yet seen an influx of refugees, but the future is clouded with uncertainty as a shaky ceasefire is at risk of collapse.
WORDS: 935 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 5:13 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLTurkeyIraniansinLimbondLdWritethru/d5a32bc8f4694ad365b505ebbd471a90/text___
Searchers find the body of 1 of 6 missing crew from a ship that overturned during a typhoon
SUMMARY: Authorities have found the body of one of the six missing crew members from a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during a typhoon. The U.S. Coast Guard says the body was recovered Tuesday by U.S. Air Force divers searching the overturned vessel, called the Mariana. None of the other five crew were found inside the ship, and rescuers hope they made it to a life raft. The crew notified the U.S. Coast Guard on April 15 that the boat had lost its starboard engine and needed assistance. The guard lost contact with the vessel the next day and the overturned ship was spotted Saturday.
WORDS: 441 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 10:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMissingBoatPacificTyphoonthLdWritethru/d47f72f41321f28067fb41e5ff59dcef/text___
Ukraine wants a Zelenskyy-Putin summit to jolt stalled US-led peace efforts
SUMMARY: Kyiv’s top diplomat says Ukraine is pushing for direct talks between President Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin. A summit is seen as crucial to add fresh momentum to U.S.-led efforts to end Russia’s invasion. Kyiv has asked Turkey and other countries to host these talks. Meanwhile, officials say Wednesday that a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia demolished a residential building, killing a woman and a child. Ukraine has developed long-range drones targeting Russia’s military infrastructure. The ongoing conflict continues with heavy casualties, and U.S.-mediated talks have stalled as Washington focuses on the Iran war.
WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 10:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWar/dcd076caeda4cf67f5592274beed6364/text___
PHOTO ESSAY: AP photographer chronicles Chernobyl’s painful legacy of silence, sacrifice and danger
WORDS: 1269 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 5:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUUkraineChernobylWitnessingDisasterPhotoEssaystLdWritethru/2bcb2a72cf3989ec93e2e36f3080c293/text___
Gunman who fired on tourists at Mexican pyramid carried materials related to 1999 Columbine massacre
SUMMARY: The gunman who opened fire on tourists at Mexico’s iconic Teotihuacan pyramids carried materials that were apparently related to the deadly 1999 shooting at Columbine High School. That's according to authorities who spoke Tuesday, a day after the attack that killed a Canadian woman and left at least 13 people injured. Although officials did not mention Columbine by name, they referred to several books and handwritten notes that belonged to the gunman and referenced attacks in the United States in April 1999. Monday marked the 27th anniversary of the massacre in Colorado. The assailant, who authorities said acted alone, shot and killed himself.
WORDS: 966 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 3:43 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTMexicoTeotihuacanShootingthLdWritethru/3f4e43decf5559a438b4cd89ae3a3eca/text___
What to know as ceasefire in the Iran war hangs in the balance
SUMMARY: The ceasefire in the Iran war hangs in the balance as Pakistan’s capital stands prepared for possible new talks between Tehran and Washington. As of right now, the two-week ceasefire will expire Wednesday. But the truce between Iran, Israel and the United States started after multiple deadlines posed by U.S. President Donald Trump that threatened Iran’s very “civilization” at one point. Further delays or sudden changes likely will be the norm leading up to the deadline. Serious challenges still face the talks.
WORDS: 781 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 10:49 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSWhattoKnowrdLdWritethru/beb5625f8537ceaf22c061cf073210aa/text___
Takeaways from former top UK official's testimony on the Mandelson appointment scandal
SUMMARY: The former leader of Britain's Foreign Office has revealed details about the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the U.K.'s ambassador to Washington despite failing security checks. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is coming under increasing pressure to resign over Mandelson's appointment. Starmer has defended his decision, saying he wasn't told about security concerns vetting officials raised about Mandelson. However, Olly Robbins' testimony Tuesday raises questions about Starmer's judgment. Robbins says he was pressured to expedite Mandelson's appointment despite incomplete security vetting. The security concerns were unrelated to Mandelson's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
WORDS: 885 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 5:05 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainMandelsonStarmerTakeaways/725f077d6fd88561a99e96f9114b0864/text___
Fired former UK official says he felt political pressure to approve Mandelson as US ambassador
SUMMARY: The former civil servant behind the decision to approve Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.K. ambassador to Washington says he felt pressure from the prime minister's office to rush through the appointment despite security concerns. Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired Olly Robbins from his post as head of the Foreign Office last week. Starmer is facing calls to resign. Robbins told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday there had been an “atmosphere of pressure.” He said there was a “very strong expectation” that Mandelson “needed to be in post and in America as quickly as possible.” Robbins said the vetting problem didn't involve Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
WORDS: 957 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 8:17 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainMandelsonStarmerthLdWritethru/9c8ddb3f8269cf21c477d6597b74842b/text___
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BUSINESS
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Trump media company replaces ex-congressman Nunes as CEO after stock plunge that wiped out billions
SUMMARY: The Trump business behind Truth Social is replacing a former congressman and big supporter of the U.S. president as leader of the social media platform after a stock collapse in the past year. Devin Nunes, a former California congressmen in Donald Trump’s first term, is being replaced temporarily by digital media executive Kevin McGurn as chief executive officer. The company, Trump Media & Technology, didn’t give a reason for Nunes leaving. After soaring following Trump’s re-election in November 2024, stock in the company plunged 67%, wiping out more than $6 billion in investor wealth.
WORDS: 469 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 12:13 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpMediaCEOOutndLdWritethru/f528dc294683c7f132c063b4a21dd68e/text___
A robot is beating human pros at table tennis. Its maker calls it a milestone for machines
SUMMARY: A paddle-wielding robot is so adept at playing table tennis that it is posing a tough challenge to elite human players and sometimes defeating them, according to a new study in the journal Nature that shows how advances in artificial intelligence are making robots more agile. Japanese electronics giant Sony built the robotic arm it calls Ace and pitted it against professional athletes. Ace proved a worthy adversary, though one with some non-human attributes: nine camera eyes positioned around the court and an uncanny ability to follow the ball’s logo to measure its spin.
WORDS: 990 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 3:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAITableTennisRobotstLdWritethru/995b239945e0dc8d7bea918a850969dc/text___
US stocks rise toward more records while Brent oil tops $100 on uncertainty about the Iran war
SUMMARY: The U.S. stock market is rallying toward more records after GE Vernova and other big companies joined the list of those reporting fatter profits for the start of the year than analysts expected. But caution is still hanging over Wall Street Wednesday, and oil prices are also rising on uncertainty about what will happen in the war with Iran. The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% and was on track to top its all-time high set on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 312 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.2%. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil topped $100.
WORDS: 699 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 5:36 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/142590614bfb627bda4f94ab2edcf046/text___
Researchers have spent decades breeding better potatoes for chips, and their work isn't done
SUMMARY: There’s a surprising amount of science in a bag of potato chips. Researchers have spent decades developing chipping potatoes that can grow in all kinds of climates, avoid diseases and pests, sit in storage for months and still deliver a satisfying crunch. There are about 50 varieties of potatoes used for chips in the U.S. right now. A Michigan State University professor who developed five new potato varieties for chips in the the last 15 years is currently growing seeds for commercial testing of another. It's a bioengineered potato that can maintain a proper sugar balance when stored at colder temperatures to prevent rotting. he also has developed disease-resistant potato varieties for farmers in Africa.
WORDS: 829 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 8:59 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMakingBetterChipsstLdWritethru/114043b882cf51d056254ddae29944c2/text___
Warsh says he got no pressure from Trump to cut rates even as president publicly pushes for them
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the Federal Reserve says that he never promised the White House he would cut interest rates, even as the president renewed his calls for the central bank to do so. The comments underscore the challenge faced by Kevin Warsh, 56, a former top Fed official whom Trump named in January to replace the current Fed chair, Jerome Powell. Democrats on the committee accused Warsh on Tuesday of flip-flopping on interest rates over the years, supporting higher interest rates under Democratic presidents and advocating rate cuts during Trump’s time in office.
WORDS: 1052 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 11:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFederalReserveWarshthLdWritethru/dd88a3f06eddcada4db555fe11e547eb/text___
The Iran war could drive up costs for petroleum-derived products like clothes and crayons
SUMMARY: The Iran war’s most tangible and immediate effect for many people outside the Middle East has been spiking gasoline prices. But crude oil isn’t just refined as fuel. Petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas go into making more than 6,000 consumer products. A list produced by the U.S. Department of Energy includes everyday items ranging from computer keyboards, lipstick, tennis rackets and chewing gum to aspirin, umbrellas and nylon guitar strings. Petroleum derivatives also are used in a lot of product packaging. Shoe and apparel trade groups and companies that sell stuffed animals, home products and medical supplies are looking at price increases or other ways to offset higher materials costs.
WORDS: 1228 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 4:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranOilEverydayProductsrdLdWritethru/cdbcc14cca17d7db49b34e016adebac1/text___
Apple's new CEO John Ternus steps into the spotlight after flying under the radar for years
SUMMARY: Apple has announced that John Ternus will become the next CEO, taking over from Tim Cook on September 1. Ternus is a company veteran who has been with Apple for 25 years, most recently overseeing hardware engineering for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Despite his significant role, Ternus has kept a low profile outside the company. His appointment comes at a pivotal time for Apple, which has fallen behind in the artificial intelligence race. Analysts say Ternus faces the challenge of advancing Apple's AI capabilities. Ternus expressed humility and commitment to Apple's values in his new role.
WORDS: 979 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 11:08 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAppleNewCEOthLdWritethru/374bd6399b3fbd14695286055228cd58/text___
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RELIGION
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Pope calls for justice and closing income gap in Equatorial Guinea Mass with presidential family
SUMMARY: Pope Leo XIV is urging Equatorial Guineans to work for freedom, justice and to close the gap “between the privileged and the disadvantaged.” Leo opened his day with a Mass in Mongomo. The eastern city is on the border with Gabon and has experienced major development since Equatorial Guinea’s oil boom in the 1990s. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo who has been accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism comes from Mongomo. He and his wife were on hand for the Mass as was their son who has been convicted of embezzling millions of euros by a French court.
WORDS: 1071 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 6:57 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFRELAfricaPopethLdWritethru/538f891c41446fbaa97eb36b9b1c2284/text___
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EDUCATION
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Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in classrooms, court rules
SUMMARY: A U.S. appeals court says Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. The ruling Tuesday by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals was a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools. The ruling sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said in the decision that Texas’ law did not violate the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom and prevents the government from establishing a religion. Critics have said the law violates the separation of church and state.
WORDS: 711 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 11:24 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTenCommandmentsSchoolsthLdWritethru/43e679cf473e6b98b091d575578824eb/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Dave Mason, co-founder of Traffic known for 'We Just Disagree' and 'Feelin’ Alright,' dies at 79
SUMMARY: Dave Mason, co-founder of the psychedelic British band Traffic and songwriter behind “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe,” died Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada. He was 79. A cause was not immediately revealed. Mason canceled his remaining tour dates last summer, citing health issues stemming from an infection. Mason was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 for classics including “Feelin' Alright?” which he co-wrote with Traffic frontman Steve Winwood. It wasn't an immediate hit, but became one after it was covered by the likes of Joe Cocker, the Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Grand Funk Railroad.
WORDS: 456 - MOVED: 04/22/2026 3:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTObitDaveMason/244eb6fd1ca3a213db899b196e8538c2/text___
South Korean police seek to arrest K-pop mogul behind BTS
SUMMARY: South Korean police are seeking to arrest music mogul Bang Si-Hyuk, chairman of the agency behind K-pop supergroup BTS, as they expand an investment fraud investigation. Bang is under investigation over allegations that he misled investors in 2019 by telling them Hybe had no plans to go public, inducing them to sell their shares to a private equity fund before the company proceeded with an initial public offering. Police believe that the fund may have paid Bang around 200 billion won $136 million. Bang, a music executive and producer who founded Hybe as Big Hit Entertainment in 2005, is one of the most powerful figures in K-pop, overseeing some of the industry’s most popular acts, including Seventeen, Le Sserafim and Katseye.
WORDS: 531 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 3:38 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASSouthKoreaKpopMogulArrestthLdWritethru/00e181bfbe471c541118d67f7ccad7bd/text___
Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the Osmonds, has died at 76
SUMMARY: Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the million-selling family act The Osmonds, has died after decades with multiple sclerosis. He died Monday at his Utah home at the age of 76. According to a family spokesperson, Alan’s wife and their eight sons were with him at the time of his death. The Osmond Brothers became regulars in the 1960s on “The Andy Williams Show,” where they made their name and forged their wholesome and peppy image. They peaked as a quintet in the early 1970s, as younger brother Donny Osmond became the breakout star. Alan Osmond helped write some of the Osmond Brothers' biggest hits, including “One Bad Apple.”
WORDS: 665 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:22 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTObitAlanOsmondndLdWritethru/7a31e43e8ed3e82eb262d0f060d468e7/text___
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