Book bans and attempted bans remain at record highs, with 'Sold' topping the list The American Library Association says book bans and attempted bans remain at record highs. Efforts to remove titles have become more coordinated and politicized.

Book bans and attempted bans remain at record highs, with 'Sold' topping the list
apnews.com/article/bans...

8 children between the ages of 1 and 14 are dead after a mass shooting in Louisiana, police say Authorities in Louisiana say a gunman killed eight children in domestic-related shootings at different two homes in the city of Shreveport early Sunday.

"SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A gunman in Louisiana killed eight children in shootings at two different homes early Sunday in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in more than two years, police in Shreveport said."

apnews.com/article/shre...

For some Muslims, the # of Christians, Jews or atheists "reaching out to learn about Muslim traditions offers hope that they can counter stereotypes or distortions." In ... "communities, they have become welcomed neighbors, as they have built food pantries and invested in community infrastructure."

Muslim Southerners Face a Fresh Wave of Hateful Political Rhetoric

Fear is easy. We can all hope curiosity and good will triumph over it despite the rhetoric. And, to be clear, weaponizong a fear of Islam and Muslims is not just a problem in the American South.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/19/u...

Iran says it has closed Strait of Hormuz again over US blockade The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz has quickly escalated again as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States ...

Iran says it has closed Strait of Hormuz again over US blockade
apnews.com/article/us-i...

Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz, but Trump says blockade on Iranian ships and ports will stay in force U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s foreign minister say the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels.

A 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon triggered the opening. The war "has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed."
apnews.com/article/us-i...

Done and Dusted? Trump’s Portrayal of the War in Iran Collides With Reality.

Done and Dusted? Trump’s Portrayal of the War in Iran Collides With Reality. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/u...

Vance Says the Pope Should Be More Careful When Talking About Theology

" “In the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology,” Mr. Vance said."

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/u...

Rubio to host Israel-Lebanon talks in D.C. Here’s what to know. The talks are aimed at securing a ceasefire in Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon but are likely to be fraught with difficulty.

"Israel and Lebanon have not held direct talks with a goal of normalizing relations in decades, and they are likely to be fraught with difficulty as both sides remain far apart.​"

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...

The Trump and Leo chronicles: A president and a pope square off over Iran and its aftermath Pope Leo XIV, a studious and soft-spoken cleric, and Donald Trump, an unapologetically bellicose politician, have long been on a rhetorical collision course.

The Trump and Leo chronicles: A president and a pope square off over Iran and its aftermath
apnews.com/article/dona...

Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign from Congress after sexual assault allegations Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California has announced he will resign from Congress following multiple sexual assault allegations that prompted loud bipartisan calls for him to step down.

"The decision caps a swift political fall for the seven-term lawmaker, who had been seen as a frontrunner in California’s gubernatorial race before dropping out as the allegations surfaced, claims he has continued to deny."

apnews.com/article/cong...

Pope Leo says he does not fear Trump, citing Gospel as he pushes back in feud over Iran war Pope Leo XIV has responded to President Donald Trump's criticism over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, saying the Vatican's peace appeals are rooted in the Gospel.

U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back on President Donald Trump’s broadside against him over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, telling reporters that the Vatican’s appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he doesn’t fear the Trump administration.

apnews.com/article/trum...

Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán concedes defeat in a European electoral earthquake Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after what he called a ″painful″ election result, ending 16 years in power for a dominant figure in the far-right movement allied with U.S.

apnews.com/article/hung...

Artemis II astronauts return from moon with a splashdown to close out a record-breaking lunar voyage The Artemis II astronauts are back on Earth. The three Americans and one Canadian have returned with a dramatic splashdown Friday evening, as their capsule parachuted into the Pacific to close out a n...

Artemis II astronauts return from moon with a splashdown to close out a record-breaking lunar voyage
apnews.com/article/nasa...

How the U.S.-Israeli Strikes on Iran Have Damaged Schools and Hospitals The Times has verified U.S.-Israeli strikes on at least 39 schools and hospitals, a fraction of the devastation so far.

Iran’s Schools and Hospitals in Ruins, Times Analysis Shows www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Federal judge finds Pentagon is violating court order to restore access to reporters A federal judge has ruled that the Defense Department is violating his earlier order to restore access to the Pentagon for reporters. U.S.

"A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the Defense Department is violating his earlier order to restore access to the Pentagon for reporters, a setback in the administration’s efforts to impede the work of journalists."

apnews.com/article/pent...

Soaring gas prices lead to biggest monthly inflation spike in four years The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation in March, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the politi...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation in March, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the political hurdles for the White House.

apnews.com/article/infl...

"The shift brings to an end a streak of successive courts expanding such protections that began with the dawn of the civil rights era."

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Wife of US soldier released from federal immigration detention The wife of a U.S. Army staff sergeant has been released from a federal immigration detention facility where she spent nearly a week after being taken into custody inside a Louisiana military base.

Wife of US soldier released from federal immigration detention
apnews.com/article/army...

Here's where things stand after a tentative, 2-week Iran ceasefire took effect The ceasefire reached Wednesday has raised hopes of halting hostilities between Iran, Israel and the United States, but many issues remain unresolved.

Here's where things stand after a tentative, 2-week Iran ceasefire took effect
apnews.com/article/iran...

Project Jupiter will need nearly 1 million gallons of water a day — where will it come from? While the data center's cooling system has taken much of the heat so far, the natural-gas-powered microgrids require the most water.

A controversial data center in southern New Mexico near Las Cruces will require a million gallons of water a day -- a hefty amount in a parched state already enduring a drought.

www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_n...

Trump pulls back on his Iran threats for 2 weeks, subject to Iran agreeing to ceasefire President Donald Trump says he’s pulling back on his threats to widen attacks in Iran to include an array of bridges, power plants and other civilian targets, subject to Iran agreeing to a two week ce...

Trump pulls back on his Iran threats for 2 weeks, subject to Iran agreeing to ceasefire
apnews.com/article/iran...

US soldier trying to halt wife's deportation after she was detained on Louisiana military base A U.S. Army staff sergeant is trying to halt his Honduras-born wife’s deportation after she was detained inside a military base just days after their wedding.

"The effort to remove the soldier’s wife, who was born in Honduras and remained in a federal immigration detention center Monday, has drawn backlash from military family advocates who called the detention demoralizing in a time of war ..."

apnews.com/article/ice-...

Trump warns a 'whole civilization will die tonight' if a deal with Iran isn't reached Iranian officials urged young people to form human chains to protect power plants, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Tehran does not meet his latest...

"Iranian officials on Tuesday urged young people to form human chains to protect power plants, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Tehran does not meet his latest deadline ..."

apnews.com/article/iran...

More states adopt college entrance exam touted by conservatives despite concerns Military academies and colleges in North Carolina and Indiana will soon accept the Classic Learning Test, embraced by the Trump administration and mainly featuring Western texts.

More states adopt college entrance exam touted by conservatives despite concerns

www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

US service member missing after Iran shot down fighter jet has been rescued A U.S. service member who has been missing since Iran shot down a fighter jet has been rescued, according to two U.S. officials who spoke early Sunday on condition of anonymity ahead of an official an...

US service member missing after Iran shot down fighter jet has been rescued
apnews.com/article/iran...

After 16 years in power, can Viktor Orban finally be unseated? Hungary is going to the polls in nine days - after 16 years in power, can Viktor Orban be unseated?

"Most opinion polls put the opposition Tisza party and its leader Peter Magyar far ahead of Orban's Fidesz - the latest by 58% to Orban's 35%. ... After 16 years of virtually unchallenged rule, Orban ... has just a week left to rescue his government ..."
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Missing Airman Raises Concerns That Iran Could Gain Leverage Over the U.S.

"The downing of a U.S. fighter jet over Iranian territory and the intense search for one of its crew members has raised concerns that the airman could be captured and provide Iran with a potent asset that it could use for leverage against the United States."

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/w...

"The administration said it would couple the proposed increase with a call for $73 billion in cuts across domestic agencies, including the elimination of some climate, housing and education programs."

"If enacted, that amount would set military spending at its highest level in modern history.

"The request, which arrived on Friday as part of President Trump’s new budget, would amount to a roughly 40 percent bump from what the United States spent on the Pentagon this fiscal year.