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.
…
Join our family of readers for as little as $14.99 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Already a member? Log in to continue. Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
Please log in to continue |
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.
—————————----—
NATIONAL
———----———————
Shooting of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro has police still searching for a suspect
SUMMARY: Police intensified their search for a suspect in the fatally shooting of a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Norfolk District Attorney’s Office says Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a 47-year-old professor of nuclear science and engineering, was shot Monday night in Brookline and died Tuesday at a local hospital. Officials say no suspects are in custody. Loureiro, who is from Portugal, joined MIT in 2016 and had been named last year to lead its Plasma Science and Fusion Center.
WORDS: 493 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 2:56 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMITProfessorKilledndLdWritethru/f310824e354180816c33c9f40c0c5195/text___
Investigators seek older video that might show the Brown campus shooter days before the attack
SUMMARY: Authorities are asking the public to review any security or phone footage from the week before the mass shooting at Brown University in the hopes it might help investigators identify the suspect, believing he may have cased the scene ahead of time. With the search for the Brown University shooter in its fifth day Wednesday, Providence is on edge, with investigators showing no sign that they're close to figuring out who was behind Saturday's attack that killed two students and wounded nine others. The request to review older video came after authorities released several from the hours and minutes before and after the attack. In all of those, the suspect was masked or had his head turned.
WORDS: 912 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSBrownUniversityShootingstLdWritethru/ea65594e4a11fd487ae615b833019293/text___
What Americans think about giving cash as holiday gifts, according to a new AP-NORC poll
SUMMARY: A new AP-NORC poll finds that most U.S. adults are on board with giving cash or gift cards as holiday presents. Only 30% find secondhand gifts “very” acceptable. The poll also shows that nearly half of Americans plan to be asleep before midnight on New Year's Eve. About 44% of adults won't stay up to greet 2026, and that's especially true of those over age 45. Additionally, 35% of adults plan to leave holiday decorations up after New Year's Day. About one-quarter of U.S. adults say they’re planning to watch sports on Christmas Day. Only 5% say they’ll go see a movie in a theater.
WORDS: 957 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 12:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APYEAPPollGiftsndLdWritethru/b74a68e6417e48523dcd08e8d809edb6/text___
Border Patrol official who is the face of Trump's crackdown back in Chicago amid immigration raids
SUMMARY: Senior Border Patrol official Greg Bovino has returned to the Chicago area, about a month after leaving to lead immigration crackdowns in other cities. Bovino initially arrived in the Chicago area in September amid Operation Midway Blitz, which netted thousands of arrests and fueled fear among immigrant communities. The operation has become known for its aggressive tactics. As the face of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Bovino was photographed Tuesday in a predominantly Mexican American neighborhood as activists blew whistles and shouted. Before, when Bovino left Chicago in November, immigration operations continued but were noticeably subdued with fewer tense confrontations.
WORDS: 500 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 11:36 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFederalEnforcementChicagordLdWritethru/394dd88fa1902a0f4805a58dafe0ae34/text___
Damage from record flooding in Washington state is profound, with more on the way, governor says
SUMMARY: Gov. Bob Ferguson says the extent of the damage in Washington state is profound but unclear after more than a week of heavy rains and record flooding. A barrage of storms from weather systems stretching across the Pacific has dumped close to 2 feet (0.6 meters) of rain in parts of the Cascade Mountains, swelling rivers far beyond their banks and prompting more than 600 rescues across 10 counties. More rain, snow, high winds and mudslides are in the forecast. As of Tuesday, there had been only one death — of a man who drove past warning signs into a flooded area. Key highways have been buried or washed out and entire communities inundated.
WORDS: 718 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 12:48 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPacificNorthwestFloodsthLdWritethru/5a5d085e96e98d24c96a889b4d7d8e6c/text___
—————————----—
WASHINGTON/POLITICS
———----———————
Republicans defy Speaker Johnson to force House vote on extending ACA subsidies
SUMMARY: Four centrist Republicans have broken with their party's leadership over health care. They've signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans. The stunning move Wednesday comes after House Republican leaders pushed ahead with a health bill that doesn't address the soaring monthly premiums coming for those with insurance through the Affordable Care Act. A House vote on the subsidies could come as soon as January. Even if it passed, it would face an arduous climb in the Republican-led Senate.
WORDS: 703 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 3:34 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressHealthCarethLdWritethru/1087a9f64168d66b2acf9082af16c253/text___
Jack Smith tells lawmakers his team developed 'proof beyond a reasonable doubt' against Trump
SUMMARY: Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has told lawmakers in a closed-door interview his team “developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt” President Donald Trump criminally conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss. That's according to portions of Smith's opening statement obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Smith says investigators had “powerful evidence” Trump broke the law by hoarding classified documents from his first term as president at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and by obstructing government efforts to recover the records. Smith says decisions in the investigations were made without regard to consideration of Trump’s Republican candidacy in 2024. Trump says he'd rather see Smith testify publicly.
WORDS: 646 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 10:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressJackSmithndLdWritethru/d35557d525fcfe51a20d08c6abb7f71d/text___
Trump will witness the dignified transfer for 2 National Guard members killed in Syria
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is going to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to witness the dignified transfer for two Iowa National Guard members who were killed in an attack in Syria. The ritual Wednesday is in honor of U.S. service members killed in action. Trump traveled to Dover several times in his first term as president. He once described this duty as “the toughest thing I have to do” as president. The Army says that Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard of Iowa died in the attack Saturday. They were among hundreds of U.S. troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group.
WORDS: 415 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTroopsSyriastLdWritethru/06bc3fd83167c56b5db4be583987c4c9/text___
Trump is previewing his 2026 agenda in an address to the nation as his popularity wanes
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump plans to give a preview of his 2026 agenda in a speech at the White House. Wednesday night's remarks come as Trump's popularity erodes. Polls show most U.S. adults are frustrated with Trump's handling of the economy. The Republican president's mass deportations of immigrants are also unpopular. The president and his party are less than a year away from midterm elections that will decide control of the House and the Senate. Trump has said he thinks more Americans would back him if they heard more about what he sees as his accomplishments.
WORDS: 558 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 1:07 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpSpeechstLdWritethru/65d3b79a613cfb778432bcc719a313ab/text___
China exploits US-funded research on nuclear technology, a congressional report says
SUMMARY: A congressional report says China is exploiting partnerships with U.S. researchers to provide the Chinese military with access to sensitive nuclear technology and other innovations with economic and national security applications. Wednesday's report by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party looked at research collaborations that received Energy Department funding. Investigators found 4,300 academic papers published in the past two years that involved partnerships between Energy Department-funded scientists and Chinese researchers. The report's authors say the U.S. must do more to ensure the results of taxpayer-funded work don’t benefit Beijing. The Energy Department hasn't commented. A message seeking comment has been left with the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
WORDS: 745 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 11:19 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSChinaNuclearResearchstLdWritethru/470549567520c89c04be1b30b218fe33/text___
FCC leader Brendan Carr faces Senate questioning for first time since Kimmel controversy
SUMMARY: Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr appeared before lawmakers for the first time since pressuring broadcasters over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Since being appointed to the position last November, Carr has closely aligned with the administration’s aggressive posture toward media outlets it views as hostile. Carr earlier this year warned broadcasters, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way," after he said comments Kimmel made regarding Charlie Kirk were “truly sick." Carr's remarks drew bipartisan criticism and raised concerns about government interference in the media.
WORDS: 550 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:16 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressFCCstLdWritethru/8f9060b80036356c970fb3bf463c7852/text___
Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned oil tankers' into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on Maduro
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he is ordering a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on the country’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro. The moves comes after U.S. forces last week seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, an unusual move that followed a buildup of military forces in the region. In a post on social media Tuesday night announcing the blockade, Trump alleged Venezuela was using oil to fund drug trafficking and other crimes. Venezuela’s government accused Trump of “violating international law, free trade, and the principle of free navigation” with “a reckless and grave threat.”
WORDS: 1013 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 11:56 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpVenezuelathLdWritethru/625a7c9a3106e316c97ceb68a42a1cb5/text___
Trump expands travel ban and restrictions to include an additional 20 countries
SUMMARY: The Trump administration has announced an expansion of travel restrictions to include 20 more countries. This move doubles the number of nations affected by previous limits on travel and immigration to the U.S. The administration cites national security concerns, including the arrest of an Afghan national suspect, as reasons for the expansion, among others. Critics argue it unfairly targets a broad range of countries. The restrictions exempt those with visas, lawful permanent residents and certain visa categories. It's unclear when these new restrictions will take effect. The expansion includes full bans and partial restrictions on various countries.
WORDS: 1053 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 8:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTravelBanthLdWritethru/9dde0aecb3ffe418266700d9eefef937/text___
Hegseth says he won't publicly release video of boat strike that killed survivors in the Caribbean
SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will not publicly release unedited video of a strike that killed two survivors of an initial attack on a boat allegedly carrying cocaine in the Caribbean. Hegseth said that members of the Armed Services committees in the House and Senate would have an opportunity this week to review the video. But he did not say whether all members of Congress would be allowed to see it as well. President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members overseeing national security were on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to defend the swift escalation of U.S. military forces and deadly boat strikes in international waters near Venezuela.
WORDS: 1068 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 12:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressHegseththLdWritethru/6eaa178757a39803f0d4b5324dd43c1f/text___
Sen. Mark Kelly calls Pentagon investigation into his remarks a move to chill military dissent
SUMMARY: Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona says the Pentagon’s escalating investigation into his plea to troops to refuse unlawful orders is part of an effort to silence dissent within the military. He told reporters Tuesday that it was meant to send a message to “not speak out against this president or there will be consequences.” Kelly said the Defense Department did not notify him of an investigation. The Pentagon confirmed late Monday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office escalated a preliminary review of Kelly to an official command investigation over “serious allegations of misconduct.” Such investigations are very common but not against a retired service member, much less a sitting member of Congress.
WORDS: 834 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 7:05 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPentagonKellyndLdWritethru/8577539c6ae211ccf7f75fa0cfa0c9e2/text___
Takeaways: Susie Wiles pulls back the curtain on the Trump administration in revealing interviews
SUMMARY: White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has offered an unusually candid look inside an ongoing presidency. There are several takeaways from her series of interviews with Vanity Fair magazine, which published a two-part piece Tuesday on Wiles and Trump's second presidency. Wiles defends Trump while comparing his personality to an alcoholic, even though the president doesn't drink. She also says she wanted his ongoing revenge crusade to be shorter. She tells Vanity Fair that Trump's tariffs are more painful than she expected and that the administration has made mistakes in some deportations. Meanwhile, her statements on foreign affairs differ from public White House positions. Notably, she says plainly that Trump wants Nicolas Maduro out of power in Venezuela.
WORDS: 1283 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 9:20 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpChiefofStaffTakeaways/a9b42bf0580f9ebdf93a45e7d19382f5/text___
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, criticizes Bondi and opines on Trump in Vanity Fair
SUMMARY: White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is criticizing Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and broadly defending Donald Trump's second presidency in a series of interviews published Tuesday. Wiles told Vanity Fair that Bondi mismanaged the Epstein case with talk about a “client list” sitting on her desk. On Venezuela, Wiles says Trump will continue to be aggressive, and she also is defending Trump's retribution against people he perceives as political enemies. After the story was published, Wiles disparaged it as a “disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history.” She did not deny the quotes that were attributed to her.
WORDS: 1196 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 3:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpChiefofStaffthLdWritethru/5c995a046318973b1a3dfe8ed89cf3cf/text___
Trump will go to Delaware for the dignified transfer of the 2 National Guard members killed in Syria
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump will go to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday for a dignified transfer for the two Iowa National Guard members killed in an attack in the Syrian desert. The guardsmen killed Saturday were 25-year-old Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, of Des Moines, and 29-year-old Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, of Marshalltown. Both were members of the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment. A U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, identified Tuesday as Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Macomb, Michigan, was also killed. The ritual honoring U.S. service members killed in action is one of the most solemn duties undertaken by the commander in chief.
WORDS: 621 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 7:19 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSUnitedStatesSyriaTroopsthLdWritethru/d0e348d9e143a81527fe03b614f7fe9f/text___
—————————----—
INTERNATIONAL
———----———————
Myanmar declares a 'zero tolerance' policy for cyberscams. But the fraud goes on
SUMMARY: Myanmar’s military leadership has vowed to crack down on cyberscam centers, starting with the notorious KK Park. They raided and bombed the compound, but questions remain about the long-term impact. Despite the destruction, the scam industry is adapting quickly. Workers have scattered to other centers, and job ads are appearing on Telegram. The government claims to have demolished hundreds of buildings, but many remain standing. Critics argue that without arresting syndicate leaders and seizing assets, the crackdown is incomplete.
WORDS: 1807 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 4:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASMyanmarScamCentersndLdWritethru/fbc28599699ba718b052bc1cd5dd64d5/text___
Takeaways from the AP's report on the impact of aid cuts on Rohingya children in Bangladesh
SUMMARY: Severe foreign aid cuts imposed this year by U.S. President Donald Trump, along with funding reductions from other countries, shuttered thousands of schools and youth training centers in camps for Rohingya in Bangladesh and crippled child protection programs. In addition to unwanted marriages, scores of children as young as 10 were forced into backbreaking manual labor, and girls as young as 12 forced into prostitution. In a statement to the AP, the State Department said the U.S. has provided more than $168 million to the Rohingya since the beginning of Trump’s term and had “advanced burden sharing and improved efficiency” in the Rohingya response.
WORDS: 863 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:31 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASForeignAidTheLostChildrenTakeaways/b87e5175ea38b7905941c05e4c7f8353/text___
Takeaways from The Associated Press report on Myanmar's crackdown on cyberscam centers
SUMMARY: Myanmar’s military leadership has vowed to crack down on cyberscam centers, starting with the notorious KK Park. They raided and bombed the compound, but questions remain about the long-term impact. Despite the destruction, the scam industry is adapting quickly. Workers have scattered to other centers, and job ads are appearing on Telegram. The government claims to have demolished hundreds of buildings, but many remain standing. Critics argue that without arresting syndicate leaders and seizing assets, the crackdown is incomplete.
WORDS: 797 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 4:07 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASMyanmarScamCentersTakeawaysstLdWritethru/69f1076987a51cb0c2ca98d406d505da/text___
Putin warns that Russia will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if peace talks fail
SUMMARY: Russian President Vladimir Putin is warning that Moscow will extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin's demands in peace talks. Speaking at an annual meeting with top military officers Wednesday, Putin said Moscow would prefer to achieve its goals and “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” by diplomatic means. But he added that “if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means.” Putin was referring to Ukrainian territory seized by Russia — action widely condemned in the West as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and an unprovoked act of aggression.
WORDS: 1000 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 1:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarrdLdWritethru/4bdd3a5c442838174c6179305d9396c9/text___
Louvre workers vote to extend a strike as the museum partially reopens
SUMMARY: Employees at the Louvre Museum have voted to extend a strike that has disrupted operations at the world’s most visited museum. The Louvre partially opened Wednesday to allow visitors to enjoy the Mona Lisa and other highlights. The museum said visitors had access to a limited “masterpiece route.” Union workers are protesting chronic under-staffing, building deterioration and recent management decisions. The pressures were intensified by a brazen crown jewels heist in October that exposed serious security lapses. Culture Ministry officials held crisis talks with unions Monday and proposed measures that union leaders said fell short.
WORDS: 294 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 9:19 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUFranceLouvrethLdWritethru/a90f45a603b4348c2543392aa6ee4ebf/text___
Accused gunman in Bondi Beach shooting charged with 15 counts of murder
SUMMARY: An accused gunman in Sydney’s Bondi Beach massacre has been charged with 59 offenses including 15 charges of murder as hundreds of mourners gathered in Sydney to begin funerals for the victims. Two shooters slaughtered 15 people on Sunday in an antisemitic mass shooting targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, and more than 20 other people are still being treated in hospitals. All of the victims identified so far were Jewish. A police official said that Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old suspected shooter, was charged in a Sydney hospital on Wednesday, where he has been since police shot him and his gunman father at Bondi. His 50-year-old father Sajid Akram died at the scene, a police official said.
WORDS: 1102 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 2:41 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASAustraliaShootingthLdWritethru/9625940bc9b2a746c7811bacdae9a0a2/text___
Trafficked, exploited, married off: Rohingya children’s lives crushed by foreign aid cuts
SUMMARY: Severe foreign aid cuts imposed this year by U.S. President Donald Trump, along with funding reductions from other countries, shuttered thousands of schools and youth training centers in camps for Rohingya in Bangladesh and crippled child protection programs. In addition to unwanted marriages, scores of children as young as 10 were forced into backbreaking manual labor, and girls as young as 12 forced into prostitution. In a statement to the AP, the State Department said the U.S. has provided more than $168 million to the Rohingya since the beginning of Trump’s term and had “advanced burden sharing and improved efficiency” in the Rohingya response.
WORDS: 3173 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:25 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASForeignAidTheLostChildrenndLdWritethru/ebd7a05e2f507b810194e71ae6b3c515/text___
Australia to hold funerals for the 15 victims of an antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach
SUMMARY: Australia is preparing for the funerals of some of the victims of an antisemitic mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The first funerals were to be held on Wednesday. Authorities say the attack was inspired by the Islamic State group. The suspects are a father, who was killed, and his son, who is in a hospital. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese plans to tighten gun laws following the attack. Many Australians are donating blood and paying respects at the scene of the massacre. Stories of heroism have emerged, including those of Ahmed al Ahmed, who tackled one shooter, and Bondi Beach lifeguards who helped during the chaos.
WORDS: 1159 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 3:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASAustraliaShootingthLdWritethru/6813e5ca68afb47495a3a5f4b210d64e/text___
Gaza families struggle to recover from days of torrential rains that killed 12 people
SUMMARY: Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to recover from torrential rains that have battered the enclave for days, flooding camps for the displaced, collapsing buildings already badly damaged in the two-year war and leaving at least 12 dead, including a two-week-old baby. The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, said on Tuesday that the two-week-old died of hypothermia as a result of the weather. The baby was brought to the hospital a few days ago and was transferred to intensive care but died on Monday. Shifa Hospital says a man died in Gaza City after a home already damaged in Israeli strikes, collapsed because of the heavy rainfall.
WORDS: 607 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 6:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLMideastWarsstLdWritethru/32f41cd1cbc8e144ec6bd9cb02cf49b2/text___
—————————----—
BUSINESS
———----———————
What to know about bidding war between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros.
SUMMARY: Warner Bros. is telling shareholders of the company that it believes a $72 billion buyout offer from Netflix is superior, and to reject a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance. Paramount went hostile with its bid last week, asking shareholders to reject the deal with Netflix favored by the board of Warner Bros. Paramount is offering $30 per Warner share, or $77.9 billion, to Netflix’s $27.75 per share. A Warner Bros. merger with either company would alter the landscape in Hollywood and will face intense scrutiny from U.S. regulators as it would impact movie making, consumer streaming platforms and, in Paramount’s case, a major source of news for millions of people.
WORDS: 885 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 4:48 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWarnerBrosWhattoKnow/a366c4fd4c388af6582dd3c0b295acdd/text___
More drops for AI stocks drag Wall Street toward a 4th straight loss
SUMMARY: More drops for AI stocks are dragging the U.S. market lower, and Wall Street is heading toward a fourth straight loss. The S&P 500 fell 0.6% Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 89 points, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 1.1%. The majority of stocks across Wall Street rose, including oil producers that benefited from a jump in crude prices after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers into Venezuela. But continued drops for stocks in the artificial-intelligence industry drowned out such gainers. Nvidia was the heaviest wight on the S&P 500. Treasury yields held relatively steady.
WORDS: 640 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:14 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/d6a0aeeb54fd06320cb22f80e32eaa5e/text___
Warner Bros asks investors to reject takeover bid by Paramount Skydance
SUMMARY: Warner Bros. is telling shareholders to reject a takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, saying that a rival bid from Netflix will be better for customers. It said Wednesday that it “strongly believes” a merger with Netflix will allow it to reach a broader audience. Paramount went hostile with its bid last week, asking shareholders to reject the deal with Netflix favored by the board of Warner Bros. Paramount’s bid isn’t off the table altogether. While Wednesday’s letter to shareholders means Paramount is not the offer favored by the board at Warner Bros., shareholders can still decide to tender their shares in favor of Paramount’s offer for the entire company — including cable stalwarts CNN and Discovery.
WORDS: 898 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 12:19 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APWarnerBrosthLdWritethru/d025a585f7a77cb9d8b066e65576101f/text___
—————————----—
HEALTH/SCIENCE
———----———————
Saturn's moon Titan may not have a buried ocean as long suspected, new study suggests
SUMMARY: Saturn's giant moon Titan may not have a vast underground ocean after all. New research suggests Titan instead may hold deep layers of ice and slush more akin to Earth's polar seas instead of a buried ocean as long suspected. In a study published Wednesday, scientists said there may also be pockets of melted water beneath the moon's surface where life could possibly survive and even thrive. They're basing their findings on observations made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft years ago, but with a fresh look. Titan is the second largest moon in the solar system.
WORDS: 622 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 4:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSCISaturnMoonTitan/826b80d16af4a5ba7c37726285d6e036/text___
—————————----—
RELIGION
———----———————
Church altar featuring homeless man goes on display a stone's throw from his grave at the Vatican
SUMMARY: In 2018, German artist Michael Triegel asked a homeless man in Rome to pose for a drawing, thinking that he would make an ideal model for St. Peter if he ever needed to paint the first pope. Seven years on, the man’s likeness has gone on show a stone’s throw from his grave, a reunion of sorts that came about by improbable chance. The saga brings together religious reconciliation, a dispute over the location of an altar and a tragedy that caught the attention of Pope Francis: homeless German man Burkhard Scheffler’s death in 2022 on the edge of St. Peter’s Square.
WORDS: 1260 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 6:12 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUVaticanGermanyAltarndLdWritethru/890811e00fad60b5cf383b8d674e4456/text___
—————————----—
ENTERTAINMENT
———----———————
Rob Reiner’s son Nick set to appear in court on 2 counts of murder in killing of his parents
SUMMARY: Nick Reiner, son of Rob Reiner, is expected to appear in court Wednesday as he faces charges of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges Tuesday. The 78-year-old actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead from stab wounds in their Los Angeles home Sunday. Nick Reiner was arrested hours later. Prosecutors added special circumstances of multiple murders and a special allegation of using a knife, which could lead to a greater sentence. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings.
WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 5:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTRobReiner/a6ed355ff2f54a20497b7492a3ebd4b2/text___
Billy Crystal, Albert Brooks and other close friends of Rob and Michele Reiner pay tribute
SUMMARY: Some of Rob and Michele Reiner's closest friends, including Billy Crystal and Larry David, have released a heartfelt statement mourning the couple. The statement praises Rob's storytelling talent, noting his range from comedy to drama. It highlights his love for actors and writers, emphasizing his ability to bring out their best. The couple's commitment to Democratic and political causes is also celebrated. The Reiners were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of murder. The statement concludes with a quote from Rob's favorite film, "It's a Wonderful Life."
WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 12/17/2025 1:51 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTRobReinerReactionsndLdWritethru/bdbf416e73bc4c42d13820359fbb135a/text___
Prosecutors charge Rob Reiner’s son Nick with 2 counts of murder in killing of his parents
SUMMARY: Rob Reiner’s son Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges against 32-year-old Nick Reiner at a news conference on Tuesday. The announcement of the charges comes two days after the famed actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home. Their son Nick Reiner was arrested hours later. Nick Reiner’s attorney Alan Jackson says medical reasons kept his client from making his first court appearance Tuesday and it's been postponed to Wednesday.
WORDS: 929 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 5:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTRobReinerInvestigationthLdWritethru/331fa106817847d4d6a1e5db2add056f/text___
Doctor who helped sell ketamine to actor Matthew Perry before his overdose death avoids prison time
SUMMARY: A doctor who pleaded guilty in a scheme to supply ketamine to actor Matthew Perry has been sentenced to 8 months of home confinement. A federal judge in Los Angeles has sentenced Dr. Mark Chavez of San Diego to 3 years of supervised release on Tuesday. The “Friends” star died from an overdose in 2023 from ketamine, which can be used legally as a treatment for depression. Chavez had acquired the ketamine and given it to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who sold it to Perry. Plasencia was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison earlier this month.
WORDS: 540 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 8:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTMatthewPerrythLdWritethru/31a0d227960c970f995e7fe873843cfe/text___
—————————----—
SPORTS
———----———————
Indiana's Curt Cignetti becomes the first back-to-back winner of AP coach of the year
SUMMARY: Curt Cignetti has been named The Associated Press coach of the year in college football for the second consecutive season. He is the first coach to win the award back-to-back since it was first presented in 1998. Cignetti has led Indiana to unprecedented success, with a 24-2 record over two seasons. The Hoosiers are 13-0 this year, Big Ten champions for the first time since 1967, and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Cignetti received 47 first-place votes. Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea received two each, and Virginia’s Tony Elliott got one.
WORDS: 492 - MOVED: 12/16/2025 4:58 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFBCAPCoachoftheYearstLdWritethru/cf177fc230d69e794bba129ecccd9267/text___
<END>
