https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/in-the-present-at-present.1576445/
I think the difference is that at present specifies a point in time.
At present I am typing this. In five minutes I will post it.
In the present is less specific. It simply refers to the immediate moment,
whenever it may be. To tell the truth, I would not be likely to use it in a
sentence like your sentence #3. I would be more likely to say "Newspapers
report events that are happening currently", or something like that.
Here one example of how I would use in the present.
My dog always lives in the present.
That means, he doesn't worry about the past or the future. He only responds
to what is happening now.