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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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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NATIONAL
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Harvey Weinstein's lawyers question his accuser at his rape retrial
SUMMARY: Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers are questioning his accuser at his rape retrial. It’s the third time she has had to answer his lawyers’ questions in a New York court. But different attorneys are now defending the onetime Hollywood powerbroker. Their cross-examination began Wednesday and resumed Thursday. The 73-year-old Weinstein is in the midst of his third trial on a charge of raping the woman in a New York hotel in 2013. The two also had a consensual sexual relationship, and his lawyers maintain that she was a willing partner in everything that happened.
WORDS: 647 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 2:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSexualMisconductHarveyWeinsteinstLdWritethru/70fa9cec4c316d598547605ed2f73078/text___
10 current and former Mexican officials accused in US indictment of aiding drug trafficking
SUMMARY: The U.S. government has charged the governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state and nine other current and former Mexican officials with drug trafficking and weapons offenses in a federal indictment. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. It alleges the defendants played influential roles in helping the Sinaloa Cartel ship massive quantities of illicit drugs from Mexico into the U.S. Mexico's government said it soon after received extradition requests from the U.S. but did not say how it would respond. Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya called the accusations baseless and a political attack. Some of those indicted were members of the progressive ruling party of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is seeking to offset mounting U.S. pressures.
WORDS: 1117 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 7:22 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMexicanOfficialsChargedthLdWritethru/3313a6ca22d651df07ea8481dde71771/text___
Texas tornado leaves 5 injured, buildings collapsed and homes without roofs
SUMMARY: Officials have confirmed a tornado with winds of at least 120 mph tore through a small Texas city where manufacturing buildings got flattened and roofs were torn from homes. Christopher Hester said Wednesday he and his wife sheltered in the hallway of their apartment in Mineral Wells to see the roof lift off and their belongings get swept into the sky. National Weather Service meteorologist Allison Prater said a team is surveying the destruction to determine how powerful Tuesday's twister was. City officials told reporters five people were taken to a hospital with injuries. Mayor Regan Johnson said she is grateful and amazed no one was killed.
WORDS: 636 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 3:17 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSevereWeatherthLdWritethru/66a830d170533935d23f8926692621fd/text___
Transponders to be installed on New York area airport ground vehicles following deadly collision
SUMMARY: Transponders that might have helped pinpoint the location of a fire truck that collided with a landing Air Canada jet in New York will soon be installed on ground vehicles at the region’s three major airports. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the sites, said Tuesday that the trackers will be put on fire trucks and other rescue vehicles. The transponders can provide air traffic controllers with more precise information about the vehicles and their locations by constantly sending signals to the control tower. The National Transportation Safety Board noted the lack of transponders in a preliminary report it issued last week about the March 22 accident at LaGuardia Airport.
WORDS: 370 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 6:43 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSLaGuardiaCrash/18578e94f2f7ec67b5ed45e9a92a4eb7/text___
New report details suspect's worsening behavior before 2 USF students' killings
SUMMARY: Family members say the behavior of a suspect in the murders of two University of South Florida students worsened over time because of marijuana use. Hisham Abugharbieh was arrested three years ago for punching his brother and kicking his mother. He was delusional, claiming to be “son of Mary.” He was taken to jail under the Baker Act for mental health observation. Last week, Abugharbieh, 26, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The remains of his roommate, Zamil Limon, were found in a trash bag. Authorities have not confirmed if a body found in the same area is Limon’s girlfriend, Nahida Bristy.
WORDS: 593 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 7:54 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMissingGradStudentsFloridandLdWritethru/e169f746bbb2fe497198eea9e616c8ee/text___
What to know about The Onion's new effort to take over Alex Jones' Infowars
SUMMARY: The Onion is taking another stab at getting control of Alex Jones’ Infowars platforms and turning them into comedy sites spoofing the conspiracy theorist. A Texas judge is set to hold a hearing Thursday on whether to approve the satirical news outlet's proposed takeover through a temporary licensing agreement. It comes amid ongoing legal fights over more than $1 billion Jones owes to relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Jones has vowed to fight an Onion takeover. He has said he will continue broadcasting without interruption on his personal social media accounts, new websites and dozens of radio stations that air his program.
WORDS: 764 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 8:59 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSNewtownShootingInfowarsWhattoKnowndLdWritethru/ea8e30b071ee1ab5b14fa29ad481779a/text___
In one state, voters will get to decide whether to eliminate the income tax. Will more follow?
SUMMARY: Do you prefer to pay income taxes or sales taxes? Missouri voters will get to choose in a unique ballot question later this year. A proposed constitutional amendment will give people the option of gradually eliminating the individual income tax in exchange for the possibility that lawmakers could expand the sales tax to more services. This marks the first time a U.S. state legislature has asked voters to make such a choice. Kentucky, Mississippi and Oklahoma also recently passed laws that could phase out their income tax if revenue benchmarks are met. But those didn't go to voters.
WORDS: 1100 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSNoIncomeTaxStatesndLdWritethru/9d0e1d42d8b8bdea2703ce363eee0926/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Hegseth clashes for a second day with Democrats in Congress over the Iran war
SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is clashing with Democratic lawmakers in Congress for a second day. At the start of a hearing Thursday in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth rejected senators’ accusations that the Iran war was launched without evidence of an imminent threat and waged with no coherent strategy. He called Democratic lawmakers “reckless naysayers” and “defeatists from the cheap seats.” He said they have failed to recognize the many successes of the military against the Islamic Republic over the last two months and in other operations since President Donald Trump returned to office.
WORDS: 917 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPentagonCongressthLdWritethru/f19fffd017024cf963cd43b42d638f12/text___
Man accused of trying to kill Trump at correspondents' gala agrees to remain jailed for now
SUMMARY: A man accused of trying to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner with guns and knives and attempting to kill President Donald Trump has agreed to remain jailed for now while he awaits trial. Cole Thomas Allen didn't enter a plea during his brief appearance before a judge in Washington. Prosecutors say Allen planned his attack for weeks and tracked Trump’s movements online. At the hearing, the defense left the door open to pressing in the future for Allen’s release before trial. The incident took place at the Washington Hilton hotel during one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital.
WORDS: 538 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 2:39 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpCorrespondentsthLdWritethru/5c4d9a26fbcca29ca56f49da34fefc25/text___
Louisiana congressional primaries are suspended as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling
SUMMARY: Louisiana’s top elected officials say the state’s congressional primaries won’t be going forward as scheduled in May as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The high court on Wednesday struck down a majority Black congressional district. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill say that means the state is prohibited from holding elections under the state’s current U.S. House districts. Early voting had been scheduled to begin Saturday in advance of the May 16 primaries. Landry and Murrill said they will work with the Legislature and state election officials to develop a plan.
WORDS: 643 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 2:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionVotingRightsLouisianathLdWritethru/03cdb6951d7fefb448bfd2f37f98c0ea/text___
Maine Gov. Mills drops Democratic US Senate bid against Platner, lamenting a lack of campaign funds
SUMMARY: Democratic Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner says he hopes to work with Gov. Janet Mills to turn Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ seat “blue again” now Mills has dropped out of their primary. Platner said Thursday he and Mills entered the Senate race because they know how critical it is to defeat Collins and Mills’ decision “reflects a commitment to that.” Mills says she has the passion and commitment but not the financial resources to continue her campaign. Mills had the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and prominent left-leaning advocacy groups but struggled to outshine Platner, an oyster farmer and first-time candidate. Collins has thanked Mills for her decades of service.
WORDS: 980 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 12:56 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionSenateMainethLdWritethru/e26930c7ff77fcbb2b513f42b6092246/text___
The Black Caucus is the 'conscience of Congress.' Supreme Court ruling has it bracing for a big hit
SUMMARY: Black members of Congress are bracing for a crippling shake-up of their ranks after a Supreme Court ruling gutted a key section of the Voting Rights Act that had protected minority communities in political redistricting and helped boost their representation. Wednesday's decision clears the way for Republican-led states to redraw U.S. House districts without regard to race, potentially creating many more GOP-friendly seats. It’s not clear how many seats will ultimately be affected by the ruling, but redistricting experts predict that more than a dozen now held by minorities could be swept away. The Black Caucus expects to be involved in multiple legal fights for members whose districts will be targeted.
WORDS: 906 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtVotingRightsBlackCaucusstLdWritethru/83eb45911c4e1a744f9d543318ba1e5e/text___
Supreme Court hollows out a landmark law that had protected minority voting rights for 6 decades
SUMMARY: The Voting Rights Act over its six decades became one of the most consequential laws in the nation’s history, preventing discrimination against minorities at the ballot box and helping to elect thousands of Black and Hispanic representatives at all levels of government. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court knocked out a major pillar of the law that had protected against racial discrimination in voting and representation. It was a decision that came more than a decade after the court undermined another key tenet of the law. Voting and civil rights advocates say the decisions hollow out the law and will lead to a severe erosion of minority representation.
WORDS: 1141 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 10:49 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtVotingRightsActstLdWritethru/4e3225083caccda5ec73a98533a79add/text___
Supreme Court weakens the Voting Rights Act and aids GOP efforts to control the House
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has weakened a landmark Civil Rights-era law that has increased minority representation in Congress and elsewhere. In a 6-3 ruling, the court's conservative majority on Wednesday struck down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana. The decision opens the door for more redistricting across the country that could aid Republican efforts to control the House. The effect of the ruling may be felt more strongly in 2028 because most filing deadlines for this year’s congressional races have passed. It's unclear now how much is left of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That law is the main way to challenge racially discriminatory election practices.
WORDS: 1097 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 2:11 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtVotingRightsthLdWritethru/aa5d7dbde7c13654f341d152c2ad5229/text___
House approves bill to extend divisive US surveillance program
SUMMARY: The Republican-controlled House gave approval to a three-year extension of a key U.S. surveillance program after weeks of infighting. The measure adds new oversight, including monthly reviews of FBI searches involving Americans, potential criminal penalties for misuse and a government audit of targeting practices. But it stops short of the central demand from critics: requiring a warrant to access Americans’ communications. Leaders argue the program is vital to national security, while opponents say it still allows warrantless surveillance. Even with the bill's passage Wednesday, next steps in the Senate remain uncertain.
WORDS: 670 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 7:48 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressForeignSurveillancendLdWritethru/920925cdd34e86fdaac9567771d4c7d9/text___
Supreme Court ruling will reshape American politics. The only question is when
SUMMARY: The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority has handed Republicans their biggest victory yet in the battle to control the House of Representatives and statehouses across the country. But Wednesday's decision might have come too late to have much of an effect on this year’s midterm elections. The 6-3 ruling effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act’s requirement that districts be drawn to give minority voters a chance to elect representatives of their choosing. Republican lawmakers across the country — and especially in the South — have a freer hand to eliminate Democratic-leaning districts and boost the number of U.S. House seats they can win.
WORDS: 1254 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 8:20 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtVotingRightsRedistricting/b2e730330fa39f139f74c443320567ff/text___
Supreme Court sides with anti-abortion center raising First Amendment fears about state probe
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court is siding with a faith-based pregnancy center that raised First Amendment concerns about an investigation into whether it misled people to discourage abortions. The high court’s ruling Wednesday is a procedural victory for First Choice Women’s Resource Centers. The group is challenging a New Jersey investigation of its practices. The Supreme Court’s decision lets First Choice sue over a state-issued subpoena in federal court, though the ruling doesn't resolve the underlying case. The conservative-majority court has given abortion opponents high-profile wins in recent years. But this case also drew support from the American Civil Liberties Union, which favors abortion rights but backed the group’s First Amendment concerns.
WORDS: 486 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 2:08 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtAntiAbortionCenterrdLdWritethru/57709656fc444ed125165227d985705f/text___
Florida legislature approves new congressional map intended to boost Republicans in midterms
SUMMARY: Republicans have scored another victory in the nationwide redistricting battle. The Florida Legislature approved a new congressional map on Wednesday intended to help the party gain four seats. The vote came the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The decision could make it harder for Democrats to challenge Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts in ways that limit the influence of nonwhite voters. Florida's new map is certain to face lawsuits, especially because the state constitution prohibits redistricting for explicitly partisan purposes.
WORDS: 1164 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 7:12 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionFloridaSpecialSessionstLdWritethru/13e14f95a8d2b6afbc7e3e698f5f9256/text___
Supreme Court mulls Trump administration push to end protections for migrants from Haiti and Syria
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has heard arguments in a case about the Trump administration’s push to end legal protections for migrants fleeing war and natural disaster. The case heard Wednesday offers the latest test of how the justices will assess the legality of the president’s far-reaching immigration crackdown. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett likely hold the key votes. The government is appealing lower court orders that blocked the Department of Homeland Security from immediately ending temporary protected status for people from Haiti and Syria. The court has sided allowed the end of the program for people from Venezuela as lawsuits continue to play out.
WORDS: 941 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 4:18 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtTPSthLdWritethru/f051fee0f9b2b95acf6bb4dc64deb43a/text___
Man convicted of aiding IS group, but jury deadlocks on alleged role in deadly Kabul airport bombing
SUMMARY: An alleged Islamic State group militant from Afghanistan has been convicted of aiding the terror organization that took credit for a deadly suicide bombing at a Kabul airport. But a Virginia jury couldn’t agree Wednesday on whether the man bears some responsibility for that attack during the U.S. military’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Mohammad Sharifullah faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years after his conviction in an international terrorism case President Donald Trump heralded during a speech to Congress. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in the attack at the airport's Abbey Gate entry point. Sharifullah’s defense says prosecutors failed to present evidence tying him to the bombing besides his own words during FBI questioning.
WORDS: 796 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 5:53 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAfghanistanAttackTrialthLdWritethru/64709c8a7420bc900f919716b6382947/text___
Comey appears in court in Trump threat case that's likely to pose a challenge for Justice Department
SUMMARY: Former FBI Director James Comey has appeared briefly in court, kick-starting a criminal case against him that legal experts say presents significant hurdles for the prosecution and will likely be a challenge for the Justice Department to win. Comey was indicted in North Carolina on Tuesday on charges of making threats against President Donald Trump related to a photograph he posted on social media last year of seashells arranged in the numbers “86 47.” The Justice Department contends those numbers amounted to a threat against Trump, the 47th president. Comey says he did not interpret the numbers as a call to violence against the Republican president. Comey did not enter a plea Wednesday in Virginia.
WORDS: 1110 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 4:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJusticeDepartmentComeythLdWritethru/0286ff6e5e731dec09bba2dea6ff41e0/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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The first direct US-Venezuela commercial flight in 7 years is heading to Caracas
SUMMARY: The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela has departed for the Venezuelan capital Caracas. Thursday's nonstop flight comes seven years after the U.S. Homeland Security Department suspended flights over safety concerns. Flight AA3599 departed Miami in the morning. It was expected to arrive around three hours later in Caracas. The resumption follows the U.S. reopening its embassy in Caracas and restoring full diplomatic relations. U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans in January to open airspace over Venezuela. American Airlines was the last U.S. airline flying to Venezuela before suspending flights in 2019.
WORDS: 575 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 9:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTVenezuelaUSFlightsthLdWritethru/5d9a5e8dde5d3384c8f96a6f5096755d/text___
Zelenskyy says he's seeking details of Putin’s May 9 ceasefire proposal
SUMMARY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's seeking more details about a short-term ceasefire that Russia proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a May 9 ceasefire to coincide with Victory Day in Russia in a phone call to Trump Wednesday. Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukraine is seeking a longer-term ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Thursday killed one person in Dnipro and wounded dozens in Odesa as Ukraine continues to strike industrial facilities inside Russia. A Ukrainian drone attack hit Russia’s Perm region, but no casualties were reported. In Odesa, the regional head said Ukrainian air defense downed many targets, but debris damaged buildings and caused fires.
WORDS: 749 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 10:34 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarstLdWritethru/f6401f0bd72a2866486408fcfd5dc586/text___
Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi moved from prison to house arrest
SUMMARY: Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest, state television announced Thursday night. The news was also released in a short text message to journalists from the government’s Military Information Team. It accompanied a photo showing the 80-year-old Suu Kyi sitting on a wooden bench in a skirt and traditional white blouse. She is sitting behind a low table facing two unidentified men, one in a police uniform and the other wearing another kind of uniform.
WORDS: 812 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 8:54 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASMyanmarAmnestyndLdWritethru/a9fe9907edb714d2cd0dd1ea81d76be3/text___
Iran’s supreme leader vows to protect nuclear and missile capabilities
SUMMARY: Iran's supreme leader says the Islamic Republic will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities as a national asset. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei made the statement Thursday, likely drawing a hard line as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a wider deal to cement the war's shaky three-week ceasefire. Khamenei also said Americans belong “at the bottom” of the Persian Gulf. His remarks come as Iran's oil industry is struggling under a U.S. Navy blockade and as the global economy feels the strain of Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. World oil prices surged above $126 a barrel on Thursday. The Trump administration is trying to persuade other nations to help reopen the strait.
WORDS: 806 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 10:45 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/5cbf26dc89ce5e868e414320178f4c1b/text___
UK calls antisemitism an emergency as police probe stabbing attack on 2 Jewish men
SUMMARY: The British government has declared antisemitism in the U.K. an emergency and announced plans to spend millions on increasing security around Jewish sites. This follows a string of arson attacks and a double stabbing in London’s Golders Green neighborhood. Two Jewish men were seriously injured, and a suspect has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Authorities are investigating possible links to Iranian proxies. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized the urgency of addressing antisemitism. Some say the government has not done enough and there are calls for pro-Palestinian marches to be banned. The Community Security Trust charity has reported a rise in antisemitic incidents since the October 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel.
WORDS: 850 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 8:36 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainAntisemitismAttackthLdWritethru/f854ca92cd6c741f82b72cf9c656b23a/text___
Media organizations call on Israel to allow foreign reporters independent access to Gaza
SUMMARY: Leaders of major media companies are urging Israel to lift a ban preventing foreign journalists from independently entering Gaza. This restriction has been in place since the war began in October 2023. The executives released a statement Thursday emphasizing the importance of on-the-ground reporting for questioning official accounts and speaking directly with civilians. Despite a ceasefire and reduced fighting, Israel has not responded to discussions about lifting the ban. Initially, Israel said the ban was necessary because foreign journalists allowed into Gaza could give away the positions of Israeli soldiers and endanger them.
WORDS: 759 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 9:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLPressFreedomGazaCoveragethLdWritethru/0b3e72a7d73e211944fb5ff1c9d5d645/text___
With mass evacuation warnings, Israel upends lives and reshapes south Lebanon
SUMMARY: The warnings to flee come suddenly: Texts pinging thousands of phones, automated calls from strange numbers, hard-to-read maps shared on social media. Some maps cover broad swaths of Lebanon while others show specific buildings. Sometimes there is no warning at all before strikes, which have continued despite a nominal ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Large areas have been depopulated, with over a million people fleeing at the height of the fighting. Israel says the warnings are designed to keep civilians out of harm’s way in its war with Hezbollah. Lebanese residents say they are terrifying and often confusing, and that nowhere feels completely safe.
WORDS: 1268 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 5:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLLebanonIsraelEvacuationWarningsstLdWritethru/e1e41f62527e28bc30c767d907b67990/text___
Inquiry into antisemitic attack that left 15 dead in Sydney recommends gun reform
SUMMARY: A government inquiry into a rise in antisemitism across Australia before two gunmen believed to be inspired by the Islamic State group allegedly killed 15 people at a Sydney Jewish festival in December has recommended that authorities prioritize gun reform.The government established the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion after father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram allegedly opened fire with legally-owned guns at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.The commissioner made 14 recommendations on Thursday in an interim report. The recommendations included the federal and state governments prioritise implementing nationally consistent gun laws and a gun buyback.
WORDS: 683 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:45 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASAustraliaShooting/2b1af9f921a6ba03196949a08a0ddc10/text___
Hezbollah adopts a new weapon: Fiber-optic drones, used widely in the war in Ukraine
SUMMARY: The Israeli military is dealing with a new threat from Hezbollah. It faces small drones controlled by fiber-optic cables the width of dental floss that avoid electronic detection. These drones are small, hard to detect and can be lethal. Unlike traditional drones, these can't be jammed or tracked electronically. Fiber-optic drones have been used widely in the war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, Hezbollah has aired videos showing attacks with the new fiber-optic drones.
WORDS: 1165 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 6:08 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIsraelLebanonDronesstLdWritethru/00cd07852f49ade04ed0a6fde505d987/text___
The AP Interview: Ukraine bets on battlefield AI as the race for weapons autonomy intensifies
SUMMARY: Ukraine is accelerating the use of artificial intelligence to retain an edge on the battlefield, as the war with Russia enters a new technological phase. In an interview with The Associated Press, the head of a new AI defense agency, Danylo Tsvok said AI is helping Ukraine hold ground while reducing risks to soldiers. He cautioned that full integration of autonomous systems could take three to five years. Ukraine is testing drone swarm technology and expanding robotic ground platforms and data-sharing partnerships with Western allies. Officials say the goal is faster decision-making and coordinated defense – not creating fully autonomous weapons – as AI becomes central to modern warfare.
WORDS: 506 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 5:29 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarBattlefieldAI/a7d2cce367f68caa3598f4e0bd8b50c9/text___
King Charles III and Queen Camilla honor 9/11 victims on visit to New York
SUMMARY: King Charles III and Queen Camilla have begun their trip to New York City with a visit to the National 9/11 Memorial, honoring victims of the 2001 attacks. Charles and Camilla are on a closely watched diplomatic trip to the U.S. to mark the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence from England. The king laid flowers at the memorial, and the royal couple met with 9/11 first responders and victims’ families. Camilla visited the New York Public Library, where she delivered a Roo doll for the library’s collection of Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed animals as the children’s character turns 100.
WORDS: 1144 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 4:14 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSUSBritainRoyalVisitthLdWritethru/63f8929b0af8268eed30d3a1ebfcebcf/text___
London police say stabbing of 2 Jewish men is an act of terrorism
SUMMARY: Two Jewish men have been stabbed and injured in London on in what police call an act of terrorism. Authorities arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder. Wednesday's attack left two men hospitalized. Counterterrorism police are investigating possible links to recent arson attacks on synagogues. Politicians including Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack. The security organization Shomrim said members detained the suspect before police arrested him. Surveillance footage showed the suspect lunging at a man with a knife. Police are investigating all possible motives including links to Iranian proxies.
WORDS: 842 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 11:51 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainStabbingthLdWritethru/3fba4e0c5d8467e3e497a9a05dfe976c/text___
The Latest: Iran war has cost an estimated $25 billion so far, Pentagon official tells Congress
SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced nearly six hours of questioning Wednesday from House lawmakers for the first time since President Donald Trump’s administration launched the war against Iran. Democrats have contested the war as a costly conflict of choice waged without congressional approval. He’ll return tomorrow to face the Senate. Trump, meanwhile, told Axios that he’s rejecting Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a lift of the U.S. blockade — a plan that would postpone discussions of Iran’s nuclear program. Until now, Hegseth has avoided public questioning from lawmakers about the war, although he and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine have held televised Pentagon briefings.
WORDS: 3689 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 10:47 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSTheLatestthLdWritethru/4b74b9d583433ed609c17df830ce3880/text___
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BUSINESS
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Tax refunds and AI boom have offset some US economic pain from Iran war and high gas prices, so far
SUMMARY: Americans are paying for the war in Iran with every visit to the gas station, but some of the damage to the U.S. economy is being offset — for now anyway — by big tax refunds and an investment boom driven by artificial intelligence. According to a slew of economic data released Thursday, prices rose at the fastest pace in almost three years last month, U.S. economic growth is steady and layoffs fell last week. But an inflation gauge closely monitored by the Fed had its biggest gain in three years, driven by soaring gasoline prices.
WORDS: 794 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:47 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEconomyIranWar/4f33f5a6b1427ab1e40bb8a879d69e1b/text___
Oil prices whipsaw while US stocks hover above their record heights
SUMMARY: The U.S. stock market is hovering above its record heights following more whipsaw moves for oil prices. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% Thursday and is just a bit above its all-time high set earlier this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 732 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2%. Strong profit reports from companies like Alphabet helped support Wall Street, where trading was mostly calm even though oil prices surged overnight. Crude prices regressed later in the morning, which helped Treasury yields ease in the bond market. A report also said the U.S. economy's growth accelerated by slightly less than expected.
WORDS: 810 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:34 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/42120b305ce6298712931e79b66a20de/text___
Key inflation gauge jumps to highest level in 3 years as Iran war spikes gas prices
SUMMARY: A key inflation measure jumped in March as gas prices soared, the latest sign that the Iran war is pushing up the cost of living and delaying any interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The Commerce Department said Thursday an inflation gauge monitored by the Fed rose 0.7% in March from February, up slightly from the previous month. Compared with a year ago, prices rose 3.5%, the biggest increase in almost three years.
WORDS: 635 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 12:37 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSConsumerPricesthLdWritethru/5c2037950e57d8e5d402a40b8fc41384/text___
Teens embrace social media and influencers for news but remain skeptical
SUMMARY: A new survey finds teenagers are more likely to get news from nontraditional sources like social media and influencers than their elders are. Experts say that's likely heralding a generational shift in how people seek out information. The results are from the Media Insight Project. The survey finds 57% of teenagers get daily news from social media, compared with 36% of adults. Similarly, 57% of teens get some news from influencers, compared with 43% of adults. The new poll points to the pervasiveness of social media in teenagers’ lives and shows how more teens are consuming their news from these platforms or independent content creators, rather than directly from national or local news sources.
WORDS: 973 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 11:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAPPollMedia/1d610a09ca6f929c53351c4522d67f14/text___
U.S. economy grew 2% from January-March, recovering from federal shutdown; Iran war clouds outlook
SUMMARY: The U.S. economy accelerated at the start of 2026, expanding at a modest 2% pace from January through March after recovering from last fall’s 43-day federal government shutdown. But the outlook is clouded by the Iran war. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — rebounded from a lackluster 0.5% expansion the last three months of 2025. Growth in consumer spending slowed to 1.6% in the first quarter from 1.9% at the end of 2025. But business investment, likely driven by investments in artificial intelligence, rose at an 8.7% pace.
WORDS: 504 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 12:39 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEconomyGDPrdLdWritethru/2e09bd656cd8ad1f9999c3cb7aac75e1/text___
Powell plans to remain on Fed board, cites legal actions by Trump administration
SUMMARY: Jerome Powell plans to remain on the board of the Federal Reserve after his term as chair ends next month “for an undetermined period of time,” saying the “unprecedented” legal attacks by the Trump administration have put the independence of the nation’s central bank at risk. The Fed Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting but signaled it could still cut rates in the coming months, moves that attracted the most dissents since October 1992. The Senate Banking Committee earlier approved Powell's successor as chair, Trump appointee Kevin Warsh, on a party-line vote.
WORDS: 1181 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFederalReservethLdWritethru/4e09e4cdb25856635c94abe0021fc1d3/text___
Elon Musk tells his side of OpenAI's beginnings in trial pitting him against CEO Sam Altman
SUMMARY: Elon Musk took the stand for the second day Wednesday in the landmark trial that pits the world’s richest person against Sam Altman, a fellow OpenAI co-founder he accuses of betraying promises to keep the company as a nonprofit dedicated to humanity’s benefit. The trial centers on the 2015 birth of the ChatGPT maker as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion. It started Monday and is expected to last about four weeks. Questioned by his lawyer, Musk said by late 2022 he was concerned Sam Altman was trying to “steal the charity.”
WORDS: 597 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 5:57 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMuskOpenAITrialstLdWritethru/a4a8930b17b534d49a13e53d581d9e4c/text___
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HEALTH/SCIENCE
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Push for raw milk intensifies across the US, despite illness outbreaks and scientists' warnings
SUMMARY: Proponents of raw milk are pushing to make the unpasteurized product more widely available and easy to obtain. More than three dozen bills supporting raw milk have been introduced in statehouses across the nation, the AP found. The momentum is growing even as a new outbreak sickens U.S. children. Health officials have long warned that raw milk can contain potentially deadly germs. But government officials like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with social media influencers, have fueled sharp new interest in unproven health benefits.
WORDS: 1914 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 12:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMEDRawMilkLegislationstLdWritethru/02c67adf7845d188c41ab0af06e97869/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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David Allan Coe, who wrote 'Take This Job and Shove It' and other country hits, dies at 86
SUMMARY: Outlaw country singer-songwriter David Allan Coe, who wrote the blue-collar anthem “Take This Job and Shove It'' and created a singing career after a stint in prison, has died. He was 86. A statement to People said he died Wednesday. The cause was not disclosed. Coe had a cult following based on his raw, often obscene lyrics and a checkered, somewhat mysterious past. His hits included “You Never Even Call Me by My Name” in 1975 and “The Ride” in 1983. He was also the first country singer to record “Tennessee Whiskey,” which has since become a genre standard.
WORDS: 834 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 5:27 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSObitDavidAllanCoethLdWritethru/9530dc55b3ac47a19a3c3f7db0b89d86/text___
Prosecutors say singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez to death to silence her
SUMMARY: Prosecutors say singer D4vd killed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez by stabbing her multiple times. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office shared what they said the evidence would show in a document filed Wednesday. The form says D4vd (pronounced “David”), whose legal name is David Burke, met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11, began a sexual relationship with her when she was 13 and he was 18, and killed her when she threatened to reveal their inappropriate relationship. Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other counts. His lawyers have said he did not cause the girl’s death.
WORDS: 959 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 9:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSENTDvdGirlKilledthLdWritethru/5f0f75063da762ad8b73951851b1f0d6/text___
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SPORTS
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Prediction markets say they're different from sportsbooks. Gambling addicts say it's all the same
SUMMARY: Clinicians who treat gambling disorders are concerned about their patients turning to prediction markets. Two gambling addicts who spoke to The Associated Press say they had relapses on prediction markets after they took legal action to protect themselves from the allure of sports betting. Their stories reflect what experts say they see with some of their clients. The rapid growth of prediction markets has sparked a high-stakes debate that is playing out in courts and legislatures all over the country. For clinicians and addicts, when it comes to sports betting and prediction markets, the end result is virtually the same.
WORDS: 1657 - MOVED: 04/29/2026 7:45 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPredictionMarketsSportsGamblingstLdWritethru/45ffa90f68402461fcad768ce54caf6d/text___
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