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Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Tori.
Today is Tuesday, April 14th, 2026.
And we begin with the eyes of the world fixed on the Strait of Hormuz.
As of 10 am yesterday morning, the United States began blocking ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports that line this critical oil highway, presumably to prevent Iran from making money on its exports.
The military action ordered by President Trump follows 21 hours of weekend peace talks that went nowhere.
The tension has caused oil prices to soar once again on world markets.
But is all hope lost?
Apparently not.
One regional source involved in negotiations told Axios, We are not in a complete deadlock.
The door is not closed yet.
Both sides are bargaining.
A Picasso for $116?
You heard that right.
Today, a French charity is raffling off a 1941 painting by the famed artist to anyone who bought a ticket for 100 euros, which is about 116 in the US.
The 15 by 10 inch piece is called Tête de Femme, or Woman's Head, and was painted in Paris during World War II.
It's valued at more than $1 million and could raise up to $14 million for Alzheimer's research.
This is the third such Picasso raffle, an event in 2013 helped preserve the ancient city of Tyre in Lebanon, and in 2020 supported clean water programs in Africa.
As one billionaire art collector once told the Associated Press, Picasso was very generous.
He gave paintings to his driver, his tailor.
He wanted his art to be collected by all kinds of people, not only by the super rich.
This year's Masters Tournament was one for the record books.
Irish golfer Rory McIlroy won his second consecutive title, making him only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back green jackets.
He joins the elite club of Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.
Almost obscured by the win, Shane Lowry, who notched his second career hole-in-one at the event, making him the only golfer to get two holes-in-one at the Augusta Georgia major.
The first was back in 2016.
Lowry finished this year's tournament in fourth place.
French fries, loved by many despite or maybe because they're just not that good for you.
The reason?
They soak up a lot of oil when they're cooked, which means more fat in every bite.
But scientists at the University of Illinois have figured out that if you microwave and fry them, the result is the same, but somewhat healthier.
Microwaving them keeps the potatoes' own water inside, so they don't have room to absorb as much of the oil, and the frying still allows for a perfect crunchy outside.
No one would confuse these newfangled fries with health food, but they're a step in the right direction, and the scientists are putting their money where their mouth is.
They've published their recipe so home cooks can try it out for themselves.
Speaking of food, back in the 1960s and 70s, NASA astronauts had to settle for pretty unappetizing meals when spacebound.
Freeze-dried, bland, and mushy.
The Artemis II crew, though, enjoyed a much tastier cuisine.
Their menu included barbecued brisket, macaroni and cheese cobbler tortillas, cookies and even five kinds of hot sauce.
189 options in all and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said much of it tasted close to what you get on Earth.
The Artemis crew also had lots of great wake-up music to start each day, including songs like Sleepyhead by Young and Sick, Green Light by John Legend and Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie.
Still to come, a broken bat is a common event in baseball, but not usually in an unveiling.
But first, we want to wish a happy belated 13th birthday to Graham Mackey of Tallahassee, Florida.
Graham, your mom, dad brud and your dog Charlie tell us life is an adventure with you and that you are creative and kind, an avid reader and a master Lego artist who goes rogue with amazing off-script builds.
They can't wait to see what your next lap around the sun brings.
Happy belated, Graham.
Now, today's Kid News Quiz.
President Trump ordered a partial blockade of what major oil passageway?
The Strait of Hormuz.
What did golfer Shane Lowry do at the Masters golf tournament that has never been done before?
He hit his second Masters hole-in-one.
The first was in 2016.
A painting by which famous artist is being raffled off today?
Pablo Picasso.
A recipe workaround by University of Illinois researchers is making what fast food staple just a little less unhealthy.
French fries.
In today's Kid News Kicker.
What was meant to be a celebration of one of baseball's best went a bit sideways on Friday when the tarp was pulled off a statue honoring former Seattle Mariners superstar Ichiro Suzuki.
The bat his bronze likeness was holding snapped in half.
The break was audible and very visible.
The statue was left holding nothing but a nub.
Mr. Suzuki was amused and took the accident in stride, and the broken bat's since been fixed.
The unveiling outside T-Mobile Park in Seattle came a year after the right fielder was near-unanimously voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, capping an 18-year Major League career.
Thanks again to the Mackeys of Tallahassee, Florida for sponsoring today's quiz.
A shout out to Graham, who just turned 13, and hello to his sixth grade teachers at McClay and all his friends in the Dungeons and Dragons Club and on the middle school track team.
It's shout out time for our terrific teachers, Mrs Montgomery and her eagles at Avalon School in Apache Junction, Arizona.
Mrs. Brenner and her Oakley Park owls at Oakley Park in Commerce, Michigan.
Mrs. Pughan and her Lander Leopards at Lander School in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.
And Mrs. Fincher and her Giants at Sequoia in Santa Rosa, California.
Thanks for listening.
If you have feedback for us, we'd love to hear it.
Please email us at wehearyou at kidnews.org.
Have a great day.
We'll see you back here for more Kid News tomorrow morning.
