AP Afternoon Wire

"Jet fuel shortage, Sudan, 'Chinamaxxing.'"

Views expressed in this World and U.S. news update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 16 April 2026, 1611 UTC.

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By Bridget Brown April 16, 2026

Good afternoon and welcome to your afternoon news update from AP. In an interview, the head of the International Energy Agency tells AP that Europe is rapidly running out of jet fuel as the Iran war blocks supplies; Sudan enters a fourth year of war that’s being called an “abandoned crisis”; and how 20-somethings around the world are taking to social media enthusing about how they are embracing the Chinese ways of life. UP FIRST International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, at the IEA headquarters in Paris, Thursday. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,’ IEA chief says The head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press that Europe could face flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war. Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he said was “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. Read more.   RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Energy agency head tells AP about the crisis As energy costs rise, some states back off ambitious climate goals Consecutive Israeli strikes kill 4 Lebanese medics as Israel-Hezbollah war grinds on Children killed in Lebanon as Israeli strikes hit homes far from the front lines of war with Hezbollah

TOP STORIES Internally displaced Sudanese children collect water at the Al Heshan camp in Port Sudan, Sudan, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) War in Sudan enters fourth year as officials lament an ‘abandoned crisis’ The Iran war is overshadowing the fighting in Sudan that has forced 13 million people to flee their homes. Sudan is described as the world’s largest humanitarian challenge, notably in terms of displacement and hunger. There is no end in sight to the conflict between the military and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, which witnesses and aid groups say has laid waste to parts of the vast Darfur region. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: The war in Sudan enters its fourth year A look at Sudan’s war by the numbers The conflict in photos The ‘becoming Chinese’ meme shows that China’s soft power moment is here In recent months, 20-somethings around the world have taken over social media with posts enthusing about how they’re embracing the Chinese ways of life. Videos proclaiming users are “Chinamaxxing,” or “in a very Chinese time of their lives” – namely by drinking hot water with boiled goji berries, eating dumplings or wearing slippers in the house, or flying to China and gushing about its modern infrastructure – are racking up millions of views. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ China’s economy grows at 5% in first quarter, shrugging off initial impact of Iran war

ADVERTISEMENT IN OTHER NEWS BREAKING: Former Virginia lieutenant governor killed his wife then himself, police say AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New Jersey’s special congressional election ‘Alligator Alcatraz’: Lawyer says guards abused detainees at Florida detention center Ukraine: Zelenskyy receives international prize honoring him and his country’s courage and resilience Wisconsin: Floodwaters inundate streets, trapping drivers, as Midwest rebuilds after storms New York City: Apartment building workers authorize a possible strike as contract talks stall Gatorade: Inventor of the sports drink is getting a rebrand targeting non-athletes WATCH: Rolls-Royce unveils its limited-edition electric luxury car  TRENDING A plaque erected by the City of London to commemorate where William Shakespeare lived on a wall is pictured in London, Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Precise location of Shakespeare’s London house revealed Fans of William Shakespeare know that the great playwright came from Stratford-upon-Avon, the riverside English town where tourists still throng to see his childhood home. But he made his name in London, though few traces of him remain in the British capital. A newly discovered 17th-century map sheds new light on the Bard’s London life, pinpointing for the first time the exact location of the only home Shakespeare bought in the city, and where he may have worked on his final plays.

Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Bridget

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