NPR News: 04-20-2026 7PM EDT

Tim Cook, who took over as Apple CEO 15 years ago with the daunting task of succeeding Steve Jobs, is stepping down. The company announced the leadership change today, with senior vice president John Ternus set to take the reins at the start of September. Ternus has overseen hardware engineering for nearly all of Apple’s most iconic products, including the iPhone and Mac. Cook, best known for overhauling Apple’s manufacturing and deeply embedding its supply chain in China, leaves Ternus significant challenges—most notably on artificial intelligence, where Apple is playing catch-up.

Tariff refund portal opens after Supreme Court ruling

Tens of thousands of business owners are now applying for tariff refunds following a Supreme Court decision two months ago that declared most of President Trump’s tariffs from last year unconstitutional. The government initially argued that processing refunds would be unwieldy, but today it launched a portal for claims. One business owner, who makes backpacks and accessories for new moms, applied for a $20,000 refund on tariffs paid for two shipments from China and Cambodia. She described the process as quick today but noted the preparation was cumbersome. U.S. Customs has not disclosed how many companies have submitted claims so far. This initial phase is meant to cover refunds totaling approximately $127 billion, which represents the major