GOP Wants AI Regulation on the Ballot

Republican candidates are making Artificial Intelligence a campaign issue in some key races.

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VERBATIM:

Doug Fiefia (fee-uh-FEE-uh) once worked at Google. Now he’s a Utah state representative running to be a state senator. And like some other tech employees who’ve gone into politics, he’s made regulating the artificial intelligence industry a campaign centerpiece. That’s put him on a collision course with President Donald Trump’s administration!

Earlier this year, it helped block the lawmaker’s state proposal requiring companies to include child safety protocols. The White House wants a single national AI standard. But with no progress on that front in Congress, state lawmakers are struggling to address concerns about the game-changing technology.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Mortgage Rates Below Seven Percent

Mortgage rates are lingering right below 7 percent after reaching a four-week low last Friday.

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VERBATIM: The weekly national average for 30-year mortgage rates has hit 6.36 percent, according to Bankrate, and the national average for 15-year mortgage rates has hit 5.73 percent.

It follows a February drop below 6 percent for 30-year mortgages, which happened for the first time in more than three years. But starting in March, rates started to tick up.

Homeowners are hoping to see lower rates stick as predicted by Fannie Mae. The Federal Housing Finance Agency said rates are expected to hit 5.7 percent by the fourth quarter.

State Dept. Restricts Sinoloa Cartel

The State Department on Monday issued visa restrictions for 75 people who they say are linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in an effort to quell the Mexican transnational crime organization’s drug trafficking operations.

VERBATIM:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a statement, “The Sinaloa Cartel smuggles illicit fentanyl, which the President designated as a Weapon of Mass Destruction, and other deadly drugs that harm American communities.”

In September, the U.S. Treasury Department also sanctioned members of a Sinaloa Cartel faction known as Los Mayos.

President Trump created the “Shield of the Americas” to partner with other heads of state on efforts to end transnational drug trafficking, illegal immigration and violent activity in the Western Hemisphere.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Businesses Can Apply for Tariff Refunds

A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court eventually struck down… is scheduled to launch on Monday. Reporter Bernie Bennett has the story.

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VERBATIM:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds online beginning at 8 a.m.

It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States.

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.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Paul Revere Commemorative Ride Will Be ReEnacted

BOSTON (AP) – The historic midnight ride of Paul Revere is set to be reenacted Monday but with some modern-day tweaks: It will be run in the middle of the day, and the horse and rider will get a police escort.

VERBATIM:
Revere’s ride took place on April 18, 1775, when the silversmith and express rider was dispatched to Lexington to warn Revolutionary leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming to arrest them.

Revere reached Lexington around midnight, and another rider, William Dawes, got there along a different route soon after with the same message.

Their efforts resulted in militiamen confronting a much larger contingent of British regulars marching from Boston on the Lexington Battle Green. The British regulars were eventually chased back to Boston, where militias pinned them down for 11 months in what became known as the Siege of Boston.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

A top Election Official in Arizona to Get more Authority

PHOENIX (AP) – The top election official in Arizona’s most populous county will get more authority in running elections after a judge sided with his office in a legal fight with the local board that shares responsibility for overseeing the vote.

VERBATIM:
The decision could have broad implications in one of the nation’s most prominent battleground states, which will have several high-profile races this fall.

Justin Heap, the Republican recorder in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, sued the predominantly Republican county board of supervisors last summer alleging it had illegally taken control of certain aspects of election administration.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney mostly sided with Heap’s office in his ruling, which was filed Thursday but appeared on the public docket Friday.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

U.S.S. Gerald Ford Returns to Gulf Region

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has again entered the waters of the Middle East. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

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VERBATIM: The Ford, which until recently was operating in the Eastern Mediterranean, transited the Suez Canal, along with a pair of destroyers, the USS Mahan and the USS Winston S. Churchill, and is now operating in the Red Sea, according to a defense official.

The Ford’s arrival makes it the second aircraft carrier in the region in addition to the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. The USS George H. W. Bush is also heading toward the region and is currently off the coast of S. Africa.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

China Willing to Store Uranium from Iran

China is willing to take custody of highly enriched uranium from Iran. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM: China is open to taking possession or downgrading some 970 pounds of enriched uranium that President Trump says must be removed from Iran as part of a deal to end the war.

At the moment, it appears President Trump wants the U.S. to take custody of the material that is believed buried under nuclear sites badly damaged in an American bombardment last June.

But China, which is Iran’s biggest trading partner, is signaling it would be open if asked by Washington and Tehran to take the uranium or down-blend to levels that could be used for civilian applications.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Iran Said it Opened Strait of Hormuz… BUT….

BEIRUT (AP) – Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels, but President Donald Trump said the American blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program.

VERBATIM:
Iranian officials said the blockade was a violation of last week’s ceasefire agreement between Iran and the U.S. Iran’s parliamentary speaker posted on X early Saturday that the strait “will not remain open” if the blockade continues.

President Trump imposed the blockade earlier this week after Iran restricted traffic through the strait due to fighting in Lebanon, which Iran claimed was a breach of the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire. Mr. Trump later suggested a second round of direct US-Iran talks could happen this weekend.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Will Kirk’s Trial Be Televised?

Cameras in the courtrooms have long exposed the inner workings of some of America’s most spectacular criminal cases. Now calls to bar cameras from Tyler Robinson ‘s trial in the killing of Charlie Kirk is reigniting the debate over whether they belong.

VERBATIM:
Robinson’s attorneys want cameras banned from a Utah courtroom, pointing to sometimes sensationalist media coverage they fear will foster widespread bias against their client as he faces prosecution in last September’s shooting death of the conservative activist on a college campus.

Prosecutors want cameras allowed, and suggested they could help dispel conspiracy theories and “distorted narratives” swirling around the case since Kirk was shot while speaking to a crowd of thousands.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Strait of Hormuz is Open to All

Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz to be open!

VERBATIM:
Iran’s foreign minister says the crucial Strait of Hormuz trade route “is declared completely open” for commercial vessels. Abbas Araghchi said the move was made “in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon,” and “for the remaining period of ceasefire.” Ships would have to use the “coordinated route” laid out by Iranian authorities.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister says Tehran rejects any temporary ceasefire and is seeking a comprehensive end to the war across the region.

A Hezbollah official announced that the group will approach the ceasefire with “caution and vigilance”.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Israel & Lebanon Hold Ceasefire

JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has agreed to a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

VERBATIM:
In a video statement, Netanyahu said he was taking the step in an attempt “to advance” peace efforts with Lebanon.
Speaking with reporters outside the White House, President Donald Trump says he’s hopeful.

IS-LEB-TRUMP CUT-a-06-THUpm “the White House”

Israel and Lebanon opened negotiations this week in Washington aimed at forging a peace agreement. The Hezbollah militant group, which has been fighting Israel for six weeks, has said it opposes the dialogue.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

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Former Lt. Gov. Kills Wife and Self

A former candidate for Governor of Virginia, takes his own life and that of his wife. Bernie Bennett has this report.

VERBATIM:
Police say that Justin Fairfax, Virginia’s former Lt. Governor and a rising star in the Democratic party before his career was derailed by sexual assault allegations, killed his wife before killing himself.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis says the couple was found dead at their northern Virginia home in Annandale after their teenage son called 911 shortly after midnight Thursday.

Fairfax and his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, were going through a divorce, and Fairfax was served recently with paperwork that indicated when he was next to appear in court.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Europe Has Only 6 More Weeks of Jet Fuel

The head of the International Energy Agency says Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left.’

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VERBATIM: IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Dr. Birol says the impact will be “higher petrol prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices.”

In Europe, he said, “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Maine Democrat Candidate for U.S. Senate is pro-Hezbollah

Video surfaces in a Senate contest in Maine of the Democrat candidate praising Hamas for killing Israelis in 2014.

VERBATIM:
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner repeatedly praised the tactics used by Hamas terrorists in comments made about a graphic video of a Hamas raid into Israel in 2014, in which terrorists killed at least five Israeli soldiers.

In archived posts from his now-deleted Reddit profile under the username “P-Hustle,” Platner commented on a video post titled “Helmet Footage from Hamas cross-border raid,” which showed the attack on multiple Israeli soldiers.

I’m Bernie Bennett.

New Jersey Election Could Decide House Majority

A race for an open House seat in New Jersey goes to the polls today (Thursday).

(POSSIBLE OUTCUE:
The winner will serve out the final months of Sherrill’s term, and the two could meet again in November.)

VERBATIM: Analilia Mejia will try to expand Democratic momentum in New Jersey as she and Republican Joe Hathaway compete in Thursday’s special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Mikie Sherrill when she was elected governor last year.

Mejia, who has support from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, emerged from a crowded Democratic primary in February, while Hathaway, a council member in suburban Randolph, was unchallenged.

The contest will decide which party controls the seat in the closely divided House, with the midterms of President Donald Trump’s second term on the horizon.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Treasury says 53 Million Americans used Trump Tax Exemptions

The Treasury Department says 53 million Americans used new Trump tax exemptions before the deadline April 15th tax deatline. (EXPIRES AT MIDNIGHT)

VERBATIM:
It’s Tax Day, the deadline for most Americans to file taxes, and the Trump administration says millions of people have already used new breaks such as no tax on tips and overtime, exemptions for interest on certain car loans, deductions for some seniors, and Trump Accounts for children’s savings.

More than 53 million filers claimed a deduction under one of those provisions from Republicans’ massive tax and spending law, with 6 million people claiming no tax on tips, 21 million claiming the overtime deduction and 30 million older Americans claiming the enhanced deduction.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Maryland: Democrats Fail Redistricting

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Maryland Democrats have failed to redraw the state’s congressional map to boost their party’s chances in the midterm elections, a setback for Gov. Wes Moore who tried to blunt President Donald Trump’s own redistricting campaign.

VERBATIM:
The clock officially ran out on the proposal late Monday night as the state legislative session ended, a casualty of internal party disagreements. In the end, the Maryland Senate left the bill in a committee, with Democrats who control the chamber concerned it could backfire under judicial review.

As the unusual mid-decade redistricting continues next week, Democrats will not be poised to pick up a seat in Maryland, where the proposed map would have made it easier for voters to oust the state’s lone Republican member of the U.S. House.

Gov. Moore calls President Trump’s effort to redraw congressional maps to favor Republicans… unfair.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

U.S. Wholesale Prices

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. wholesale prices surged last month as the Iran war drove up the cost of energy.
Bernie Bennett reports.

VERBATIM:
The Labor Department reported Tuesday that its producer price index – which measures inflation before it hits consumers – rose 0.5% from February and 4% from March 2025. The year-over-year gains was the biggest in more than three years. Energy prices surged 8.5% from February.

Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core producer prices rose a modest 0.1% from February and 3.8% from a year earlier. The gains in wholesale prices were smaller than economists had forecast.

The surge in prices complicates the work of the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve, who have faced intense pressure from President Donald Trump to lower their benchmark interest rate. But some Fed policymakers are inclined to raise rates instead, as higher energy costs increase the inflation threat.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Oil Prices

Oil holds at just under $100 a barrel, though US stocks hold steady on hopes for US-Iran talks to succeed. More from Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Oil prices are hovering just under $100 per barrel after 21 hours of ceasefire talks failed to end the U.S.-Iran war. But U.S. stocks are nevertheless holding steady in an indication that Wall Street still sees a chance to avoid a worst-case scenario for the global economy.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% in afternoon trading after erasing an earlier dip. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 32 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.7% higher. Prices pared earlier spikes as the morning progressed.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

The Bible in Texas Public Schools

Biblical stories like Jonah and the whale would be required reading for Texas public schools students under proposals that are putting the state at the center of another debate over the role of religion in classrooms.

OUTCUE: That’s Bernie Bennett reporting.

VERBATIM: Pastors, teachers, parents and students spent hours last Tuesday before the state education board arguing about the reading list for the state’s 5.4 million kindergartners to 12th-graders.

The board also is considering social studies standards that have been criticized as too state-centric. The list stems from a state law passed in 2023 that calls for the creation of a state-approved list of high-quality reading materials.

AI Chatbots

The faith-based AI market is expanding, with tools for various religions. We hear more on this from Bernie Bennett.

OUTCUE: That’s reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: For example, there’s an AI Jesus that – for $1.99 per minute – will offer words of prayer and encouragement.

As AI tools designed with religion in mind become increasingly common, many are reckoning with how these technologies shape their relationship to faith and spiritual guidance.

Concerns include misinformation and data privacy as well as spiritual and ethical implications. Some worry about AI’s potential to exploit religious users, while others see it as a tool for spiritual exploration.

A New Lawsuit on Trump’s Tariff Policy

The centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s economic policy is under legal assault again. Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
The U.S. Court of International Trade heard oral arguments Friday in an attempt to overturn the temporary tariffs that President Trump turned to after the Supreme Court in February struck down his preferred choice – even bigger, even more sweeping tariffs.

Defeated at the high court, Mr. Trump reached for a stopgap solution – imposing temporary worldwide tariffs under a 1974 trade law. Now two dozen states and some businesses are challenging the president’s authority to impose the new tariffs.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Six-Month Anniversary of the Gaza Ceasefire

Friday marks six months since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, but progress remains limited.

VERBATIM:
The fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants has mostly stopped, yet challenges persist. Disarming Hamas, deploying an international stabilization force and beginning reconstruction are pending. The U.S.-created Board of Peace has not met since its initial meeting, and Hamas has not responded to a disarmament proposal.

Such challenges could represent what’s to come in the latest war in the Middle East, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to peacemaking appears to focus on stopping bombardment while leaving the bigger picture for others to work out.

Berne Bennett reporting.