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
———----———————
A criminal sentence for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma clears the way for completing its settlement
SUMMARY: A judge is expected to sentence OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to forfeit $225 million to the U.S. government. The criminal sentence Tuesday will mark a major step toward the company finalizing a settlement of thousands of lawsuits it faces over the toll of opioids. The sentence is part of a 2020 deal to resolve federal criminal and civil probes. The broader settlement could become effective as soon as May 1, with the first payments rolling out to state, local and Native American tribal governments and some individual victims. Some people who lost loved ones to overdose are still pushing for criminal charges against the company's owners.
WORDS: 890 - 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, the third time this case has gone to trial
SUMMARY: Jurors are hearing opening statements in Harvey Weinstein’s New York rape retrial. A new jury on Tuesday got its first look at a case that remains unresolved nearly eight years after the former movie tycoon’s arrest. 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 and has said that he never assaulted anyone.
WORDS: 583 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSexualMisconductHarveyWeinsteinrdLdWritethru/a7a6cd1ce33658980c298ee4afc6ee05/text___
A preschool classroom is shaken by loss after a mass killing in Louisiana
SUMMARY: Across Shreveport, Louisiana, schools were limping through the day, stung by the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in more than two years. Seven siblings and a cousin were killed Sunday. The children ranged in age from 3 to 11. At a preschool program in the city, teacher Angela Hall lasted until noon. One of the dead was a student, a boy she described as a “cool little dude.” She had just pulled his mother aside last week to brag that he could write his first and last name. Now she is praying. “Just give us that strength.”
WORDS: 640 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 11:55 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMassShootingLouisianaVictimsstLdWritethru/248d58b5a78e7c5b255269100cfd6836/text___
Deadly domestic violence cases stir calls for more prevention resources for Black communities
SUMMARY: Two deadly cases of domestic violence — one in Louisiana and the other in Virginia targeting Black mothers — have sparked a national conversation about domestic violence prevention and mental health care resources available to Black communities. Specifically, advocates in the aftermath of the headline-grabbing cases say the tragedies highlight troubling underlying issues. They see Black women as more likely to experience domestic violence and are calling for the nation to confront disparities in access to care. Authorities say a man on Sunday fatally shot seven of his children and another child in Shreveport, Louisiana. And last week, police say, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot his estranged wife and then killed himself.
WORDS: 1123 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSDomesticViolenceBlackCommunities/2fae3b15c897a5126c2541b565656a9b/text___
What to know about a Louisiana father fatally shooting 8 children, including his own
SUMMARY: A Louisiana father fatally shot his seven children and another child, wounded his wife and another woman the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in more than two years. The killings occurred Sunday morning at two homes in a Shreveport neighborhood, and authorities identified the gunman as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins. They said Elkins died after a police pursuit that ended with officers firing on him, authorities said. The murdered children ranged in age from 3 to 11 and were all at the home of Elkins's wife. The shootings began before sunrise Sunday. Elkins and his wife were separating and were due in court Monday.
WORDS: 660 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 10:12 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMassShootingLouisianaWhattoKnow/b31fd4a559b4731ba1584dbaaff1ee17/text___
Louisiana community is struggling to understand after man killed 8 children
SUMMARY: Police say a Louisiana man who fatally shot seven of his children and another child used an an assault-style weapon despite a 2019 felony firearms conviction. The attack early Sunday in Shreveport, Louisiana, was one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings in recent years. The shooter, identified as Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit that ended with officers firing on him. Louisiana law says a person convicted of certain violent felonies are banned from having a gun for at least 10 years. Officials say the children who died ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old. Police say two people escaped by jumping from a roof.
WORDS: 1048 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 5:58 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMassShootingLouisianathLdWritethru/981e69dcfee2361fe81e27199c8b9b05/text___
Animal welfare protesters converge on Wisconsin governor's office seeking release of beagles
SUMMARY: Animal welfare activists converged outside of Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ Capitol office on Monday, chanting “Free the dogs!” and demanding that the governor and attorney general do what they can to shut down a beagle breeding and research facility where many of the protesters clashed with police two days earlier. An estimated 1,000 activists from around the country came to Ridglan Farms in an attempt Saturday to free an estimated 2,000 beagles kept there. Police repelled them with tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray. Many of those who were at the facility returned to the Capitol on Monday to demand that Evers take action. Ridglan has denied mistreating animals.
WORDS: 537 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 6:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAnimalRightsProtestWisconsin/9c6e9d7ad717146b47315cd7feaeb021/text___
Mother and 6 children killed in explosion and fire at central Pennsylvania home
SUMMARY: Authorities say an Amish woman and her six children ranging in age from 3 to 11 were killed in an explosion and fast-moving fire at a rural Pennsylvania home. Pennsylvania State Police say firefighters responding in Clinton County on Sunday morning found that seven people were trapped, but they couldn't search the house engulfed in flames. All seven died. Police identified them as 34-year-old Sarah Stoltzfus, four sons and two daughters. The cause is under investigation. Police say a propane leak inside the home may have caused the explosion and fire. An obituary posted online by a local funeral home identified Stoltzfus as a member of the Old Order Amish Church community.
WORDS: 353 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 12:55 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPennsylvaniaFatalFirerdLdWritethru/aa9e80049a845185c80e1174184f19fb/text___
Search is on for 6 from a ship that overturned near the Northern Marianas during a typhoon
SUMMARY: Searchers from several countries are scouring the Pacific near the Northern Mariana Islands for six crew members from a cargo ship that overturned during a typhoon that tore through the U.S. territory. The U.S. Coast Guard says an HC-130 Hercules crew from the U.S. Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron confirmed Sunday night that the overturned ship was the cargo ship Mariana. It says the plane deployed boats and divers, who might use an underwater drone to search the overturned vessel. It says the guard and partnering agencies from Guam, Japan and New Zealand have already searched more than 99,000 square miles.
WORDS: 481 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 10:48 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMissingBoatPacificTyphoonthLdWritethru/06386f4a15356f275b67070e0be489a6/text___
2 killed, 5 injured as planned fight between teens turns into deadly shooting at North Carolina park
SUMMARY: Authorities say a planned fight among young people escalated into a shooting at a North Carolina park Monday morning that left two teenage boys dead and five other people injured. Winston-Salem police say a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old died at the scene Monday morning after being shot at Leinbach Park. Five others between the ages of 14 and 19 were shot and suffered injuries ranging from critical to minor. Winston-Salem police Chief William Penn said no one was in custody, but authorities believe some of those injured may have also been involved in the shooting
WORDS: 261 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 3:53 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSNorthCarolinaParkShootingthLdWritethru/8036b934a84c4ba5fba4988a0220ff3c/text___
—————————----—
WASHINGTON/POLITICS
———----———————
US military pushes for boost in 2027 spending on drones and air defenses used in Iran war
SUMMARY: U.S. military officials are calling for spending tens of billions of dollars in the next budget year on drones, air defense systems and fighter jets that have been a key part of fighting the Iran war. As part of President Donald Trump’s push to boost defense spending to $1.5 trillion in the 2027 budget, the Pentagon wants to triple spending on drones and related technology to more than $74 billion and invest over $30 billion into more critical munitions, including missile interceptors, whose stockpiles have become critically low during the Iran war. U.S. military officials didn't discuss Tuesday how much they’ll be requesting in additional funds for the war. But officials said that some of the war's costs will overlap with plans to buy more crucial weapons systems.
WORDS: 432 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:23 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPentagonBudget/ad774d2d427b70d09752ddfba277a42a/text___
Virginia voters deciding on redistricting plan that could boost Democrats' seats in Congress
SUMMARY: Virginia voters are deciding on a mid-decade redistricting plan that could help Democrats gain four more U.S. House seats. The proposed constitutional amendment bypasses the state's bipartisan commission, allowing lawmakers to use new districts approved for this year's midterm elections. This move tests Democrats' ability to counter President Donald Trump's influence. Trump previously urged Texas Republicans to redraw districts in their favor, and other states soon joined in a national redistricting battle. Tuesday's vote in Virginia might not be the final word on the issue because Republicans have filed legal challenges, including one that is before the state Supreme Court.
WORDS: 1294 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionRedistrictingVirginiathLdWritethru/78e0e68100119011b1b439634f6b6fa1/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 on social media that U.S. forces “conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction” and boarded the M/T Tifani “without incident.” A U.S. defense official says the tanker was captured in the Bay of Bengal and 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 in the U.S. war on Iran to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government.
WORDS: 916 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 12:24 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSTifanithLdWritethru/bd0190ae22d133d85f331cb300b179bf/text___
Southern Poverty Law Center says it faces a Justice Department criminal probe over paid informants
SUMMARY: The Southern Poverty Law Center says it’s the subject of a Justice Department criminal investigation and faces possible charges over its use of paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups. The Alabama-based civil rights organization made the announcement Tuesday, saying President Donald Trump's administration appears to be preparing legal action against it or its employees. Center CEO Bryan Fair says the focus appears to be its “prior use of paid confidential informants" to gather intelligence on violent groups. Fair says the information on extremist groups' activities was often shared with law enforcement. The center is a popular target among Republicans who call it overly leftist and partisan. The Justice Department has no comment.
WORDS: 543 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 1:31 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJusticeDepartmentSouthernPovertyLawCenterthLdWritethru/db7fdcf9baa0d1b24b8f1e1f2cebc0be/text___
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving Trump's Cabinet after abuse of power allegations
SUMMARY: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is out of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet after multiple allegations of abusing her position, including an affair with a subordinate and drinking on the job. She is the third Trump Cabinet member to leave recently. Reports of investigations into her conduct began surfacing in January. A New York Times report last Wednesday revealed that the Labor Department’s inspector general was reviewing inappropriate communications involving Chavez-DeRemer and her aides. The White House initially dismissed the allegations, but as more emerged, her job security became uncertain. At least four Labor Department officials have already been forced from their jobs as the investigation progressed.
WORDS: 1057 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 9:22 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpChavezDeRemerthLdWritethru/926a5d655890fe5ec348cbf959233481/text___
Witnesses subpoenaed to testify before DC grand jury in John Brennan investigation, AP sources say
SUMMARY: The Justice Department has subpoenaed several witnesses to testify before a federal grand jury in Washington as part of its investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan. That's according to three people familiar with the matter. The subpoenas represent an effort by the department to press forward with the investigation even as a Florida-based career prosecutor who’d been helping lead the inquiry left the case after expressing doubts about the legal viability of a criminal prosecution. The department last year received a referral from Republicans in Congress alleging that Brennan made false statements before a committee about the preparation of an intelligence assessment about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Brennan denies any wrongdoing.
WORDS: 588 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 6:13 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpRussiaProbestLdWritethru/269b28a3e795a3f00359176ac799fa7f/text___
With no end in sight to their deployment, National Guard troops roam Washington
SUMMARY: Eight months after President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital and called up the National Guard, more than 2,500 troops remain. The National Guard deployment has grown increasingly routine, with no clear end in sight. Even with pivotal elections looming this year, the guard’s lingering presence is barely mentioned in city council meetings or by candidates running for mayor and Congress — perhaps reflecting both competing priorities and a sense that local officials have little power to stop it. Unless the courts step in, the National Guard will remain at least through the end of the year, if not longer.
WORDS: 1148 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 10:39 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpDCNationalGuardstLdWritethru/7db1c795056a51c9fdc2d9c7f4c2147c/text___
—————————----—
INTERNATIONAL
———----———————
As US-Iran ceasefire deadline nears, uncertainty hangs over possible talks
SUMMARY: Last-minute ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran look uncertain as a two-week truce is set to expire and both sides say they’re prepared to resume fighting. A White House official says Vice President JD Vance, who is expected to lead the U.S. delegation if talks resume in Pakistan, remained in Washington on Tuesday and had meetings scheduled Wednesday morning. Pakistan’s information minister says Iran has not formally confirmed whether it will participate. The ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday. Both sides remain firm, with President Donald Trump warning of potential conflict and Iran hinting at new strategies. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says there has been “no final decision” on whether to attend ceasefire talks.
WORDS: 1178 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 8:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/177a2d0701ef172c3e51686bc1f18f30/text___
Iran's leadership survived US-Israeli bombardment. But talks to end the war present a new challenge
SUMMARY: After U.S.-Israeli bombardment eliminated Iran’s supreme leader and much of its top echelons, the Islamic Republic’s leadership didn’t fall apart. But negotiations to end the war offer a new test. For decades, the supreme leader successfully managed several powerful factions, bringing to heel those who challenged his authority while listening to rival opinions. It’s now unclear who wields that kind of authority over the collection of civilian figures and powerful generals from the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who appear to be in charge. They have found unity for now by taking a tough line. But disagreements over how much to concede in negotiations with the United States could reveal fault lines.
WORDS: 1278 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 1:30 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranWhoRunsIranndLdWritethru/24061a2a22ea5d74d3df89149ebcc3da/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: 885 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 8:17 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainMandelsonStarmerthLdWritethru/9c8ddb3f8269cf21c477d6597b74842b/text___
Japan scraps a ban on lethal weapons exports in a change of its postwar pacifist policy
SUMMARY: Japan is scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change of its postwar pacifist policy as the country seeks to build up its arms industry and deepen cooperation with defense partners. The approval Tuesday by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet of the new guideline clears a final set of hurdles for Japan’s postwar arms sales. The move comes as the country accelerates its military buildup in the face of growing security challenges in the region. While the change of policy met with China’s criticism, it has been largely welcomed by Japan’s defense partners like Australia and attracted interests from Southeast Asia and Europe.
WORDS: 878 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 1:31 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASJapanLethalWeaponsthLdWritethru/767250e58084ea3d585ab736372deeac/text___
Gunman shoots several tourists at historic pyramids in Mexico, killing a Canadian
SUMMARY: Mexico's government says a Canadian tourist has been killed and 13 other people injured when a man with a gun opened fire at the Teotihuacan pyramids. The tourist site is north of Mexico’s capital. The shooter, identified as a 27-year-old Mexican man named Julio Cesar Jasso, later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities said the injured were receiving medical attention. The local government said seven people were wounded by gunshots. The injured people included American, Colombian, Russian, Brazilian and Canadian tourists. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum sent her condolences.
WORDS: 724 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 7:51 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTMexicoTeotihuacanShootingthLdWritethru/cfb0ee81bf45ab5df335a17363631296/text___
Driven by the pressures of war, Iran gives its field commanders more power over militias in Iraq
SUMMARY: Iran has granted its commanders more autonomy over militias in Iraq, allowing some to act without Tehran’s approval. Three militia members and two other officials described the shift to The Associated Press, on condition of anonymity to speak freely about sensitive matters. It comes amid the pressures of the Iran war. Many Iran-backed militias are funded through Iraq's state budget and embedded within Iraq's security apparatus. The conflict in the Middle East has exposed the fragility of Iraq’s institutions. Baghdad has struggled to control the militias. Officials and experts say that even if a fragile ceasefire deal holds, the U.S. is expected to intensify efforts against them. A decentralized structure allows factions to operate independently, complicating efforts to rein them in.
WORDS: 1222 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 6:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranIraqIraqiMilitias/c2fce96e2769bc8b3be43a729da5517b/text___
Earthquake sets off brief tsunami alert and a megaquake advisory in northern Japan
SUMMARY: A 7.7 magnitude earthquake Monday off northern Japan sparked a short-lived tsunami alert and an advisory of a slightly higher risk of a possible megaquake. The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a megaquake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches. Officials said the advisory was not a prediction but urged residents in northeastern coastal towns to raise their preparedness. Two people were injured and a small tsunami was measured in two ports.
WORDS: 418 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 8:19 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASJapanEarthquakethLdWritethru/0746aebae49fc6cc37e20836ca37d570/text___
Tired of political turmoil, Bulgarians give ex-president a convincing mandate for change
SUMMARY: Bulgaria's center-left coalition led by ex-president Rumen Radev has won the parliamentary election, according to the central electoral commission. With all the ballots counted Monday, the Progressive Bulgaria coalition received 44.6% of the vote, far ahead of the center-right GERB party and the pro-Western reformist bloc. Radev described the victory as a triumph of hope over distrust. He emphasized Bulgaria's commitment to its European path while advocating for critical thinking and pragmatism. Radev, known for his Russia-friendly views, resigned from the presidency to pursue the role of prime minister.
WORDS: 843 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 10:25 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBulgariaElectionstLdWritethru/2f821c5a659a8ca4ab9dfe28b9138236/text___
Starmer admits mistake in appointing Mandelson as UK ambassador but resists calls to resign
SUMMARY: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledges he made a mistake appointing Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to Washington. He says he was unaware Mandelson failed security checks. On Monday, Starmer faced calls in the House in Commons to resign but blamed Foreign Office officials for not informing him. Mandelson was fired in September after details emerged about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer insists he wouldn’t have appointed Mandelson if he had known. Critics argue Starmer's judgment is flawed, pointing to his struggles with economic growth and public services. Mandelson is under investigation for misconduct but denies wrongdoing.
WORDS: 880 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 4:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainMandelsonStarmerthLdWritethru/1f434ae174c37ae8a1a0c11204573f83/text___
Here's what to know about Timmy, the humpback whale that's sick and stranded in the Baltic Sea
SUMMARY: A humpback whale’s likely final days in the Baltic Sea have been livestreamed across the globe as multiple rescue efforts failed to coax it back into deeper waters while the marine mammal gets sicker and weaker. Nicknamed Timmy by local media, many fear it may soon die in the Baltic Sea’s shallow waters near the eastern German town of Wismar. The animal faces long odds in finding its way back out into the North Sea, a journey of several hundred kilometers (miles), and then to the Atlantic Ocean. Timmy was first spotted swimming in the region on March 3.
WORDS: 555 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 12:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUGermanyWhaleRescueWhattoKnowndLdWritethru/99a82d205e019b28e78d2e0a450467f9/text___
—————————----—
BUSINESS
———----———————
Stocks and oil prices hold relatively steady in the countdown to US-Iran ceasefire talks
SUMMARY: U.S. stocks are wavering as Wall Street weighs the latest round of profit reports from big companies with the lingering risks from the ongoing war between the U.S. and Iran. UnitedHealth Group and other big companies showed they’re making even bigger profits than analysts expected. Oil prices, meanwhile, remained relatively stable Tuesday as optimism seems to be sticking in financial markets that the United States and Iran will avoid a worst-case scenario for the economy, even with their war ongoing. The S&P 500 fell 0.3% Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 85 points, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2%.
WORDS: 746 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 3:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/2a433707e09976e2e77f2eba3a225f3d/text___
Retail sales up 1.7% in March from February driven by a spike in gas prices due to the Iran war
SUMMARY: Shoppers accelerated their spending in March from February, but they spent a good chunk of their money at the gas pump. A spike in gas prices due to the Iran war, now in its eighth week, resulted in a hefty 1.7% gain in March after a revised 0.7% increase in February, according to the Commerce Department’s report on Tuesday. The report marks the first read on spending to capture the effects of the Iran war. Excluding gas prices, the growth was a 0.6%, helped in part by government tax refunds and warm weather.
WORDS: 733 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 12:43 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSRetailSalesrdLdWritethru/f760bbaba29f9ba040ae7da8041e9388/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: 784 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 11:08 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAppleNewCEOrdLdWritethru/374bd6399b3fbd14695286055228cd58/text___
Warsh says Trump has not pressured him to cut rates, even as president calls for reductions
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: 873 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 11:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFederalReserveWarshthLdWritethru/dd88a3f06eddcada4db555fe11e547eb/text___
Tim Cook will step down as Apple CEO and hand reins over to the iPhone maker's hardware leader
SUMMARY: Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down from the job that he inherited from the late Steve Jobs, ending a 15-year reign that saw the company’s market value soar by more than $3.6 trillion during an iPhone-fueled era of prosperity. The 65-year-old Cook will hand the CEO duties to Apple’s head of hardware products, John Ternus, on Sept. 1 while remaining involved with the Cupertino, California, company as executive chairman. Although he never shook the perception that he lacked Jobs’ vision, Cook leveraged the popularity of the iPhone and other breakthroughs orchestrated by his predecessor to lift Apple to heights that seemed unfathomable when it was on the brink of bankruptcy during the mid-1990s.
WORDS: 1033 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 9:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAppleTimCookCEOChangerdLdWritethru/3e179f3ba156f37ebdc4da5c137a8263/text___
Businesses begin claiming refunds for Trump tariffs struck down by US Supreme Court
SUMMARY: A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court eventually struck down has launched. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said importers and their brokers could begin claiming refunds online beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday. It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States. Some users reported glitches with the new system. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in late February that President Donald Trump usurped Congress’ taxation authority when he set double-digit import tax rates on products from almost every other country.
WORDS: 996 - MOVED: 04/19/2026 7:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTariffsRefundsrdLdWritethru/08861f153801156d213c30c4e2f6a683/text___
—————————----—
RELIGION
———----———————
Trump and other top Republicans will read passages in a marathon Bible event
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump and many of his conservative Christian supporters are participating in a marathon Bible reading event. The America Reads the Bible event is being livestreamed from the Museum of the Bible in Washington and other locations. Trump on Tuesday is set to read an Old Testament passage that calls for national repentance. Participants include Republican politicians and evangelical supporters. The event is organized by Christians Engaged and is part of a larger project connecting America's 250th birthday with a Christian vision. The reading includes the entire Bible, from famous verses to obscure passages. Critics argue the event is partisan, with a focus on Christian nationalism.
WORDS: 1004 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 10:54 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APRELTrumpBibleReadingndLdWritethru/453a6a5abdfd757a97b6053b6da1dbed/text___
Pope criticizes colonization of Africa's minerals as he arrives in Equatorial Guinea
SUMMARY: Pope Leo XIV has denounced the “colonization” of minerals and the “lust for power” in Equatorial Guinea. He arrived on Tuesday at the end of his four-nation African trip. It's a country whose repressive leader has been in office since 1979. Adoring crowds in the largely Catholic country lined the road from the airport into Malabo, cheering the first pope to visit since St. John Paul II in 1982. The former Spanish colony on Africa’s western coast is run by Africa’s longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. He has been accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism.
WORDS: 1123 - MOVED: 04/21/2026 5:13 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFRELAfricaPopethLdWritethru/0134a6982c295c125259c5fa4eb73395/text___
Did Pope Leo find his voice in Africa? Or did the world finally hear him?
SUMMARY: There is a case to be made that Pope Leo XIV found his voice on his epic and ongoing trip through Africa. He has been criticizing the “handful of tyrants” and “chains of corruption” that have held parts of the continent hostage for centuries. But Leo has been preaching this kind of message for a while, including in the context of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. It just took U.S. President Donald Trump’s unprecedented broadside and Vice President JD Vance’s claims of theological superiority for many people to pay attention, especially American Catholics.
WORDS: 1234 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 12:41 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFRELAfricaPopeTrumpndLdWritethru/d72ee89589d821785fa4ed195f0e99f6/text___
—————————----—
ENTERTAINMENT
———----———————
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___
Singer D4vd pleads not guilty to murder in death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez
SUMMARY: Singer D4vd has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the death of a 14-year-old girl who authorities say was found dismembered in his Tesla last year. Los Angeles prosecutors said Monday that the 21-year-old singer whose legal name is David Burke was charged with first-degree murder and other charges in the killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. She was 13 when her family last saw her in 2024 and she was last known to be alive in April 2025. Her long-dead body was found in September. Burke's lawyers said after he was arrested Thursday that he did not kill Rivas Hernandez and they will defend his innocence.
WORDS: 1085 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 5:10 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTDvdArrestthLdWritethru/a5ae08c1dda921dad1750d3ceda16c47/text___
—————————----—
SPORTS
———----———————
Victor Wembanyama is a unanimous selection as the NBA's defensive player of the year
SUMMARY: There had never been a unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Until now. Victor Wembanyama was announced Monday night as the league’s top defensive player. The San Antonio center was second in the voting for DPOY as a rookie. Wembanyama was the favorite last season until a medical condition ended his season prematurely, then left no doubt this year. At 22, the native of France is the youngest winner of the award. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren was second and Detroit’s Ausar Thompson was third.
WORDS: 851 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 10:25 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKNNBADefensivePlayerndLdWritethru/dbd39d98e652802acfc0b02a29334af0/text___
Defending champion John Korir breaks Boston Marathon record and Sharon Lokedi also repeats
SUMMARY: Defending champion John Korir broke the Boston Marathon course record, riding a tailwind to outrun the fastest field in event history and win in 2 hours, 1 minute, 52 seconds for his second straight victory. The Kenyan broke away from the pack as it headed into Heartbreak Hill in Newton and opened a 40-second lead, peeking behind him as he went through Kenmore Square with a mile to go. Sharon Lokedi joined her fellow Kenyan as a back-to-back champion, winning the women’s race in 2:18:51. Marcel Hug of Switzerland won his ninth wheelchair title in 1:16:06. Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Britain won her second women's wheelchair title in Boston.
WORDS: 1053 - MOVED: 04/20/2026 11:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APATHBostonMarathonthLdWritethru/5a1c7ad49573bf15475f3544490f79a9/text___
<END>
