Here are the AP’s top stories and promotable content. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan.

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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NATIONAL

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US--JUNETEENTH

Juneteenth celebrations across the US commemorate the end of slavery

SUMMARY: Celebrations are being held around the country to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas. The observances on Thursday come even as the Trump administration has been removing content about African American history from federal websites. Nevertheless, the day remains a federal holiday. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire has been holding events for the last two weeks, though the state itself hasn’t made the holiday a permanent paid and legal one. Organizers say they want participants to think about how the story of America would change if told by the descendants of enslaved people.

WORDS: 683 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 1:16 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3c03fd1e722dcfda2cfa9b30a4a3777c&mediaType=text

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US--SPACEX-STARSHIP-LAUNCH

SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas explodes, but no injuries reported

SUMMARY: A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas has exploded, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky. The company says the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. Wednesday while on the test stand at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. The company says in a statement on X that “all personnel are safe and accounted for.” SpaceX says there are no hazards to nearby communities. It has asked people not to try to approach the site. It marked the latest in a string of incidents this year involving the massive rockets.

WORDS: 299 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 10:30 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:88b94b223d06b258d3e5a2308b7db2c5&mediaType=text

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US--BIRD FLU-DUCK FARM

Ducks return to a Long Island farm that lost its entire flock to the bird flu

SUMMARY: Long Island’s last commercial duck farm is rebuilding after a bird flu outbreak forced the destruction of its entire 100,000-bird flock in January. The first wave of more than 900 young ducks arrived at Crescent Duck Farm in Aquebogue at the end of May. More arrived this month and others will arrive later. They were raised at a nearby farm while the original site was thoroughly sanitized. Crescent Duck Farm owner Doug Corwin said the ducklings hatched from eggs that health officials allowed it to preserve from the outbreak. Long Island was once a center of U.S. duck production with more than 100 farms.

WORDS: 853 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 7:36 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ca4ab176025aae8a66c19936345868f0&mediaType=text

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US--KAREN READ-TRIAL-THINGS TO KNOW

Things to know about jury’s verdict of not guilty of murder in Karen Read’s second trial

SUMMARY: The jury has returned a not guilty verdict on the top charge of murder in the second trial of Karen Read, who was charged with killing her Boston police officer boyfriend. The jury returned a guilty verdict on a charge of operating under the influence and cleared Read on other lesser charges. Jurors began deliberations late last week, more than a month after the trial started. The third full day of deliberations began Wednesday, the day of the verdict. Read was accused of striking John O’Keefe with her car outside a suburban Boston house party and leaving him to die in the snow in January 2022. She had been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene.

WORDS: 773 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 10:02 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d2b3cfe12e4634edbea209fbaca3dca9&mediaType=text

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US--KAREN READ TRIAL

Karen Read found not guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of drunken driving in boyfriend’s death

SUMMARY: A jury has found Karen Read not guilty of second-degree murder in death of her Boston police officer boyfriend but guilty of a lesser charge of drunken driving. The jury handed down its decision Wednesday after deliberating for at least 22 hours since June 13. The verdict comes nearly a year after a separate jury deadlocked over whether Read killed John O’Keefe in 2022. Along with the second-degree murder charge, Read also faced charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene for allegedly striking O’Keefe with her SUV during a blizzard and leaving him to die in the snow. The case attracted international attention, with many people siding with the defense argument that Read was framed by police.

WORDS: 1065 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 9:26 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e636f03f40f3c03f24338d5ba7d40bd1&mediaType=text

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US--UTAH-NO KINGS DEATH-THINGS TO KNOW

What to know about the fatal shooting at a Utah ‘No Kings’ rally

SUMMARY: The “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City was struck by violence when a man allegedly brandished a rifle near the crowd. That prompted a volunteer for the event to fire three shots, hitting both the alleged gunman and a protester who later died. Arturo Gamboa never shot his rifle. But police said they arrested him on a murder charge, accused of creating the dangerous situation that led to the death of protester Arthur Folasa Ah Loo. Ah Loo was a celebrated fashion designer from Samoa. Police say they are investigating whether the man who shot Gamboa and Ah Loo was justified in firing his gun.

WORDS: 911 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 6:30 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6924737dc62e175c88e6e814c5adc2c1&mediaType=text

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US--TRANSGENDER HEALTH-THINGS TO KNOW

What to know about the impacts of the Supreme Court’s ruling on transgender care for youth

SUMMARY: The U.S. Supreme Court said Tennessee did not violate the constitution by banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The case is sure to resonate nationally. Twenty-six other states have passed similar laws, and nearly all of them are also facing legal challenges. The new ruling could help the states withstand them. It could also bolster President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut off federal funding for the treatments, though a court has put that order on hold. The bans are just one way that states have been adopting laws aimed at transgender young people. There are also laws on sports participation and public bathrooms.

WORDS: 1042 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 6:08 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2222e833fdbb51d5afb93a09fd47fc43&mediaType=text

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US--OPIOID CRISIS-PURDUE PHARMA

Purdue Pharma’s $7B opioid settlement could advance soon after states back it

SUMMARY: A judge intends to rule this week on a plan for local governments and individual victims to vote on OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids. The deal would be among the largest in a wave of opioid settlements. It calls for members of the Sackler family who own the company to give up ownership and to contribute up to $7 billion over time. Of that, about $890 million could go to people who were victims of the drug epidemic, or their survivors. Most of the rest is to be used by state and local governments to fight the crisis.

WORDS: 551 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 2:45 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:88080f18790ba45b1bba5a75831bc53e&mediaType=text

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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US--TRUMP-STUDENT VISAS

US resumes visas for foreign students but demands access to social media accounts

SUMMARY: The U.S. State Department says it’s restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas but says all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for review. The department says consular officers will be on the lookout for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the United States, its government, culture, institutions or founding principles. In a notice made public Wednesday, the department said applicants who refuse to set their social media accounts to “public” and allow them to be reviewed may be rejected as the refusal could be a sign they are trying to evade the requirement or hide their online activity.

WORDS: 767 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 11:22 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME COURT-TRANSGENDER HEALTH

Supreme Court OKs Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for kids, a setback for transgender rights

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, a jolting setback to transgender rights. The justices’ 6-3 decision in a case from Tennessee effectively protects from legal challenges many efforts by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration and state governments to roll back protections for transgender people. Another 26 states have laws similar to Tennessee’s. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for a conservative majority that the law banning puberty blockers and hormone treatments for trans minors doesn’t violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same. An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer says the decision is “a devastating loss for transgender people.”

WORDS: 1175 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 7:45 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9&mediaType=text

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US--MIDEAST WARS-TRUMP-MAGA

Trump says supporters ‘more in love’ with him than ever, as MAGA world splits over Iran

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is downplaying any notion that his supporters are cooling on him amid uncertainty over whether he will order a U.S. strike on Iran. Addressing a rift between some of his most vocal MAGA backers and national security conservatives, Trump told reporters: “My supporters are more in love with me today, and I’m more in love with them, more than they even were at election time where we had a total landslide.” Trump’s comments came as some longtime defenders of his America First mantra are calling him out for weighing a greater U.S. role in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

WORDS: 767 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 4:07 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7ffad821874e1a68b63ff1308c5ba4e9&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME COURT-UNDECIDED-CASES

Supreme Court work goes on with 16 cases to decide, including birthright citizenship

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court is in the homestretch of a term that has lately been dominated by the Trump administration’s emergency appeals of lower court orders seeking to slow President Donald Trump’s efforts to remake the federal government. But the justices also have 16 cases to resolve that were argued between December and mid-May. One of the argued cases was an emergency appeal: the administration’s bid to be allowed to enforce Trump’s executive order denying birthright citizenship to U.S.-born children of parents who are in the country illegally. The court typically aims to finish its work by the end of June.

WORDS: 919 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 2:48 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:66f330166fa6c2960c30b4725ba414e7&mediaType=text

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US--PENTAGON-HEGSETH

Hegseth says the Pentagon has given Trump options for Israel-Iran conflict

SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon has provided possible options to President Donald Trump as he decides any next steps on Iran. But Hegseth would not tell lawmakers on Wednesday whether the military was planning to assist with Israeli strikes, an action that could risk dragging America into a wider war in the Middle East. Hegseth is testifying in the last of a series of often combative hearings before Congress. Hegseth said “maximum force protection” is being provided for U.S. troops in the Middle East and that it is Trump’s decision whether to provide Israel a ”bunker buster” bomb to strike at the core of Iran’s nuclear program. He wouldn’t indicate what the U.S. may do next.

WORDS: 988 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 1:43 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8a0814d29f204addede54202d40e954d&mediaType=text

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INTERNATIONAL

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ML--MIDEAST-WARS

Trump to decide within 2 weeks whether to strike Iran, the White House says

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump will decide within the next two weeks whether to strike Iran, the White House said Thursday, saying Trump still sees a “substantial” chance that negotiations can achieve U.S. and Israeli demands on Iran’s nuclear program.

WORDS: 1270 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 2:05 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/pronto/b508817b78ed8d2f6067c1516215cf94

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EU--RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR

Zelenskyy calls for more pressure on Russia after deadly missile strike in Ukrainian capital Kyiv

SUMMARY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging greater international pressure on Moscow. Zelenskyy’s remarks came two days after a Russian missile strike hit a Kyiv apartment building and killed 23 people. Zelenskyy visited the site with top officials on Thursday. He called the attack a sign that Russia is rejecting ceasefire efforts. Zelenskyy thanked allies ready to push the Kremlin to “feel the real cost of the war.” The strike was part of Russia’s largest assault on Kyiv this year amid a broader offensive along the front line. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he’s open to talks on ending the war. Putin has effectively rejected U.S. ceasefire offers.

WORDS: 786 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 12:38 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:91245843b6ef6f191313686458676b82&mediaType=text

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EU--RUSSIA-ECONOMY

Russia’s economy minister says the country is on ‘the brink of recession’

SUMMARY: Russia’s Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov says the country is on the brink of a recession. Reshetnikov delivered the warning Thursday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual event designed to highlight the country’s economic prowess and court foreign investors. “Judging by the way businesses currently feel and the indicators, we are already, it seems to me, on the brink of going into a recession,” the minister was cited by the Russian business news outlet RBC as saying, The economy has outperformed predictions since imposition of a slew of sanctions after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. But it is unclear how long the militarized economy can keep going.

WORDS: 338 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 12:11 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9d105fd1ac8c28908839b01f7d300ebd&mediaType=text

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LT--TROPICAL WEATHER

Erick makes landfall in southern Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane

SUMMARY: Hurricane Erick has made landfall in the western part of Oaxaca state in Mexico. Earlier, forecasters upgraded Erick to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane before lowering it to a Category 3. Early Thursday, the hurricane’s center was located about 20 miles east of Punta Maldonado. Its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 125 mph (205 kph). It was moving northwest at 9 mph.

WORDS: 949 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 12:07 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f2e27fe7d8d30a48de2aa2b4cf952c0d&mediaType=text

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ML--MIDEAST WARS-IRAN-CRYPTOCURRENCY

Hackers say they wiped out $90 million from Iran cryptocurrency exchange

SUMMARY: Hackers with possible links to Israel have drained more than $90 million from Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex and leaked company data. That’s according to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, which said the attack was likely politically motivated. The hacking group that claimed responsibility for the attack has accused Nobitex of having helped Iran’s government evade sanctions and transfer money to militants. While Israeli media have widely reported that Gonjeshke Darande is linked to Israel the country’s government has never officially acknowledged ties to the group. The hacks appear to be motivated by escalating tensions in the Israel-Iran conflict.

WORDS: 421 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 9:47 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8febb3c9c2acf4de2894a7a8a92aa88c&mediaType=text

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AF--CONGO-PEACE

Congo and Rwanda will sign a peace deal on June 27, a major step in ending fighting in eastern Congo

SUMMARY: Congo and Rwanda have committed to signing a peace agreement in Washington on June 27. The move was announced in a joint press release from the two nations and the U.S. Department of State. Both countries have agreed to the terms of the deal aimed at ending fighting in eastern Congo. Congo has accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in the east of the country and U.N. experts say the rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from the neighboring nation. The decades-long conflict escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic Congolese city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February.

WORDS: 374 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 9:01 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e6c714e70fcd9b5c792824414d01f820&mediaType=text

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ML--MIDEAST WARS-ISRAEL-IRAN-THINGS TO KNOW

What to know about the conflict between Israel and Iran

SUMMARY: The open conflict sparked by Israel’s sudden barrage of attacks against Iran’s nuclear and military structure shows no signs of abating. An Iranian missile hit a hospital in southern Israel early Thursday, while others struck an apartment building in Tel Aviv and other sites in central Israel, wounding at least 40 people. The barrage led Israel’s defense minister to overtly threaten Iran’s supreme leader. Israel, meanwhile, struck Iran’s heavy water reactor, part of the country’s nuclear program which its government insists is meant for peaceful purposes only.

WORDS: 980 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 8:55 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5adea3ffa51264e0c7c803d8acfde338&mediaType=text

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AS--JAPAN-EMPEROR-HIROSHIMA

Japan’s royal couple mourn A-bomb victims ahead of Hiroshima’s 80th anniversary

SUMMARY: Japan’s Emperor Naruhito has paid respects to atomic bombing victims in Hiroshima as the city marks the 80th anniversary of the tragedy later this year. Naruhito, accompanied by his wife, Empress Masako, bowed deeply at the cenotaph for the atomic bombing victims and offered white flowers. The atomic bomb dropped by the United States on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, destroyed the city, killing 140,000 people. A second bomb dropped three days later on Nagasaki killed 70,000 more. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II and its nearly half-century aggression in Asia.

WORDS: 287 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 8:15 a.m. EDT

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ML--EMIRATES-GREENPEACE-OIL TANKER

Greenpeace warns of potential environmental disaster as oil tankers collide near Strait of Hormuz

SUMMARY: Greenpeace has warned of a “potential environmental disaster” after two oil tankers collided near the Strait of Hormuz. Giant tankers ADALYNN and Front Eagle, crashed and caught fire in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday before the Emirati national guard intervened to evacuate crew members. Satellite imagery from the crash site shows a plume of oil stretching to about 1500 hectares. The environmental organization says ADALYNN may have been carrying around 70,000 tons of crude oil. The Strait of Hormuz is the strategic maritime entryway to the Persian Gulf and sees about a fifth of the world’s oil pass through it.

WORDS: 411 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 7:18 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:316060acbce974b715e43e41b80945cc&mediaType=text

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EU--RUSSIA-PUTIN

Putin says Russia could help broker a deal between Iran and Israel

SUMMARY: Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting Moscow could help negotiate a settlement that could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns. Speaking Wednesday at a roundtable session with senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that “it’s a delicate issue,” but added that “in my view, a solution could be found.” Putin said that he shared Moscow’s proposals with Iran, Israel and the United States. Putin has made a mediation offer in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump. The American president said he told Putin to focus on finding an endgame to his conflict with Ukraine.

WORDS: 1077 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 11:24 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:03d60264ef63da388001baa68e11f5df&mediaType=text

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AS--INDIA-FLIGHT-DISRUPTIONS

Air India faces disruptions as crash prompts deeper checks and flight delays

SUMMARY: Air India faces disruptions following last week’s fatal crash as additional safety inspections on its Dreamliner fleet lead to flight delays, cancellations and growing passenger anxiety. India Directorate General of Civil Aviation says that since the June 12 crash that killed 270 people, Air India has cancelled operations of 83 wide-body flights including 66 Dreamliner. The regulator says surveillance conducted on Air India’s Dreamliner fleet has found no major safety concerns. Aviation experts say the airline’s challenges are temporary and it will continue with ambitious expansion plans, albeit delayed.

WORDS: 699 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 6:55 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:25102fbb58822ea572b00fa3da048682&mediaType=text

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ML--MIDEAST WARS-US INTERVENTIONS-EXPLAINER

As Israel strikes Iran, many wonder if the US will deepen its involvement

SUMMARY: As Israeli strikes kill top Iranian generals, take out air defenses and damage nuclear sites, many wonder if President Donald Trump will deepen U.S. involvement in the conflict. Trump has long railed against what he refers to as the “stupid, endless wars” waged by his predecessors. That includes conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq where the U.S. helped overthrow governments. Iran’s government is looking increasingly fragile, and if the U.S. does get involved, its strikes could help severely damage the country’s nuclear program or even end its 4-decade-old theocracy. The recent history of U.S. attempts to remake the Middle East by force is one of costly blunders and colossal failures, and there are plenty of hard-earned lessons for anyone who wants to try it again.

WORDS: 777 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 1:51 p.m. EDT

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RACE AND ETHNICITY

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US--JUNETEENTH-EXPLAINER

A guide to what the Juneteenth holiday is and how to celebrate it

SUMMARY: It was 160 years ago that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed — after Civil War’s end and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Many Americans are celebrating Juneteenth, that day in 1865 when a Union officer announced liberation. For generations, Black Americans have recognized the end of one of history’s darkest chapters with joy — such as parades or cookouts. It would take another century and a half and lots of rallying until President Joe Biden made Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021. This year will be the first Juneteenth under the second Trump administration, which has banned DEI initiatives including Black history content.

WORDS: 1248 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 9:05 a.m. EDT

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BUSINESS

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US--FEDERAL RESERVE

Fed leaves key rate unchanged as it awaits the impact of tariffs and Trump again scolds Powell

SUMMARY: The Federal Reserve kept its key rate unchanged Wednesday as it waits for additional information on how tariffs and other potential disruptions will affect the economy this year. The Fed’s policymakers signaled they still expect to cut rates twice this year, even as they also project that President Donald Trump’s import duties will push inflation higher. They also expect growth to slow and unemployment to edge up, according to their latest quarterly projections. Fed policymakers had cut their rate three times late last year but have since have been on hold.

WORDS: 878 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 6:09 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:fa91e7b38ca858ff54f57bc642111188&mediaType=text

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US-AMAZON-ROBOTAXI FACTORY

Amazon hopes to deliver 10,000 robotaxis annually with new factory, challenging Waymo

SUMMARY: Amazon is gearing up to make as many as 10,000 robotaxis annually at a sprawling plant near Silicon Valley as it prepares to challenge self-driving cab leader Waymo. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also vying to join the autonomous race. The 220,000-square-foot (20,440-square-meter) robotaxi factory announced Wednesday heralds a new phase in Amazon’s push into a technological frontier. Amazon began eyeing the robotaxi market five years ago when it shelled out $1.2 billion for self-driving startup Zoox, which will be the brand behind a ride-hailing service that plans to charge for rides in Las Vegas late this year. Meanwhile, Waymo’s robotaxi service has already given more than 10 million paid rides since 2020.

WORDS: 783 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 5:15 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8c34ae849ccb10eaa7e6e5266d6de8e8&mediaType=text

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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SCI--EARLY HUMAN MIGRATIONS

Early humans survived in a range of extreme environments before global migration, study says

SUMMARY: Humans are the only animal that lives in virtually every possible environment, from rainforests to deserts to tundra. This adaptability is a skill that long predates the modern age. A new study published Wednesday in Nature says ancient Homo sapiens developed the flexibility to survive by finding food and other resources in a wide variety of difficult habitats before they dispersed from Africa about 50,000 years ago.

WORDS: 508 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 10:37 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d7c15932203b50221d3ff321f10da44b&mediaType=text

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US-MED--HIV PREVENTION

The world’s only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV could stop transmission — if people can get it

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration has approved the world’s only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV. In two groundbreaking studies, Gilead Sciences’ shot, a drug named lenacapavir, nearly eliminated new infections in two groundbreaking studies of people at high risk. It will be sold under the brand name Yeztugo. Wednesday’s approval marks the first step in an anticipated global rollout that experts say could protect millions — if they can get access. Drastic cuts to public health in the U.S. and abroad cloud the prospects.

WORDS: 994 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 8:31 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:80fb37e2c5ac9b452488d7b86a10d568&mediaType=text

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US--SOCIAL SECURITY-MEDICARE

Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates pushed up due to rising health care costs, new SSA law

SUMMARY: The go-broke dates for Medicare and Social Security’s trust funds have moved up as rising health care costs and new legislation affecting Social Security benefits have contributed to closer projected depletion dates. That’s according to an annual report released Wednesday. The go-broke date is the date at which the programs would no longer have funds to pay full benefits. Medicare’s go-broke date for its hospital insurance trust fund was pushed up to 2033 in the new report. Last year’s report put the go-broke date at 2036. Meanwhile, Social Security’s trust funds — which cover old age and disability recipients — will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2034, instead of last year’s estimate of 2035.

WORDS: 936 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 3:27 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:74e13292f510739724a555d7ded7c1a3&mediaType=text

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SCI--MOTH NAVIGATION

Meet the bug that uses the stars to navigate hundreds of miles

SUMMARY: A new study finds an Australian moth follows the stars during its yearly migration, using the night sky as a guiding compass. When temperatures heat up, nocturnal Bogong moths fly hundreds of miles to cool down in caves by the Australian Alps. The moths are the first known invertebrates, or creatures without a backbone, to find their way across such long distances using the stars. Scientists put the moths in a night sky flight simulator and found that they relied on the night sky for direction. The study was published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

WORDS: 460 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 3:08 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:63e4e1349e3875a93cbd205b5d4983a5&mediaType=text

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MED--COVID VARIANT

What to know about the COVID variant that may cause ‘razor blade’ sore throats

SUMMARY: A new COVID-19 variant may be causing “razor blade” sore throats in people who get it. The Nimbus variant is driving a rise in COVID cases globally and in some U.S. states. By mid-May, the new variant had reached nearly 11% of sequenced samples reported globally. But experts say there’s no evidence that the variant is make people sicker or vaccines less effective.

WORDS: 355 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 1:47 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4688df53917022cb61204e08b41d5952&mediaType=text

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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT

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US--CLIMATE-HEAT WAVE-HUMIDITY

Heat dome will blanket much of the US, with worrisome temperatures in Midwest

SUMMARY: Summer will make a dramatic entrance in the U.S. this week with a heat dome that will bring stifling heat and uncomfortable humidity to millions. The heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts. This will be the first stretch of true summertime weather for many from Midwest to the East Coast, according to meteorologist Tom Kines of AccuWeather. The soupy conditions will stretch into next week and the humid conditions will make it feel extra toasty.

WORDS: 784 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 7:24 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e42735a682f43ab29ec3367472f19910&mediaType=text

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US--CLIMATE-THREE YEARS LEFT

Scientists warn that greenhouse gas accumulation is accelerating and more extreme weather will come

SUMMARY: A team of 60 international scientists report that by early 2028 society will have emitted enough greenhouse gases that the Earth will be pretty much locked into hitting the internationally agreed upon preferred limit for global warming. That is less than three years away and a year sooner than what the same team calculated in 2024. The threshold is when the world will be committed to 1.5 degrees Celsius of long-term warming since preindustrial times. One scientist and co-author of the report says things aren’t just getting worse, they are getting worse faster. The Thursday report’s lead author calls it a depressing picture.

WORDS: 1001 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 6:04 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2727e81c4d7f57062ab9b1637a0b4ddf&mediaType=text

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ENTERTAINMENT

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ENT-SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-TYLER PERRY

Tyler Perry sued by actor on ‘The Oval’ for sexual assault and harassment

SUMMARY: An actor who worked on the Tyler Perry-created TV drama “The Oval” has filed a lawsuit alleging Perry leveraged his power in the entertainment industry to sexually assault and harass him. The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by actor Derek Dixon seeks at least $260 million in damages. The lawsuit says Perry used the fear of Dixon’s character getting killed off to keep him quiet amid constant sexual harassment and several sexual assaults. Perry’s lawyer said Dixon’s claims are fabricated and are an attempt to shake down Perry.

WORDS: 680 - MOVED: 06/18/2025 2:19 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:45c6b19ed17e728e67aceb0ab130aa0d&mediaType=text

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SPORTS

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BKN--LAKERS-SALE

Buss family to sell controlling stake of Lakers to Mark Walter for $10B valuation, AP source says

SUMMARY: The Buss family has agreed to sell the controlling stake of the Los Angeles Lakers to TWG Global CEO and Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, doing so with a franchise valuation of $10 billion — the most ever for a professional sports franchise, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. As part of the deal, Jeanie Buss — whose family has had control of the Lakers since her father bought the team in 1979 — intends to remain as governor, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side immediately announced details.

WORDS: 853 - MOVED: 06/19/2025 9:07 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:76c25e08bfe36d69c8bb8e0621dd1ead&mediaType=text