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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Former Miami Congressman David Rivera is convicted of secretly lobbying for Maduro's Venezuela
SUMMARY: A former Miami congressman and close friend of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was convicted Friday in connection with a secret $50 million lobbying campaign on behalf of Venezuela’s socialist government during the first Trump administration. Jurors found Republican David Rivera and an associate guilty on all counts, including failing to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of its work for former President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The seven-week trial offered a rare glimpse into Miami’s role as a crossroads for foreign influence campaigns aimed at shaping U.S. policy toward Latin America.
WORDS: 980 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 3:53 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSVenezuelaForeignLobbyingTrialthLdWritethru/e797f94aed52b4a031b39eae7eba0992/text___
Florida sheriff identifies body found in Tampa Bay as 2nd missing student from Bangladesh
SUMMARY: A Florida sheriff says a body found in Tampa Bay has been identified as the second missing University of South Florida doctoral student from Bangladesh. Nahida Bristy’s remains were in a garbage bag, discovered by a kayaker whose fishing line got snagged. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. The positive identification was eventually made using DNA and dental records. The body of her friend, fellow USF doctoral student Zamil Limon, was found in another garbage on a bridge over the bay. Limon’s roommate, Hisham Saleh Abugharbeih, was taken into custody the same day and faces two charges of murder.
WORDS: 456 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 3:48 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMissingGradStudentsFloridandLdWritethru/b96cf627c4d979ab1079f4a63a8ec47c/text___
A small plane has crashed in Texas Hill Country, killing all 5 on board, officials say
SUMMARY: A small plane has crashed in Texas Hill Country, killing all five people on board. A Hays County officials says the crash happened Thursday night in Wimberley, about 40 miles southwest of Austin. The Federal Aviation Administration says the Cessna crashed just before midnight with a pilot and four passengers. Officials have not released the names of the people killed. The plane's flight history shows it took off from Amarillo, Texas, and was headed to New Braunfels National Airport. Stacey Rohr, who lives nearby, says she heard a crash and “felt everything vibrate.”
WORDS: 333 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 1:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTexasPlaneCrashthLdWritethru/57cd22e7f5d91eb68a04a43a66b4ab5a/text___
Meta raises specter of shutting down service to New Mexico in legal clash over child safety
SUMMARY: Meta is raising the prospect of shutting down social media services in New Mexico in response to a push by state prosecutors for fundamental changes to platforms, including Instagram, to protect the mental health and safety of children. The possibility emerged Thursday amid legal gamesmanship in the runup to a bench trial next week on allegations that Meta poses a public nuisance. In a court filing and public statement, Meta said it was unfeasible for the company to meet proposed requirements. Prosecutors are seeking a series of changes to social media platforms for child accounts aimed at reining in compulsive use and preventing child sexual exploitation.
WORDS: 681 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 10:48 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMetaNewMexicordLdWritethru/9b3d0594dcf48495469d7441c17e2e10/text___
2 employees fatally shot in a bank robbery in Kentucky
SUMMARY: Two bank employees have been fatally shot during a robbery in Kentucky, and a search is underway for the suspect. A Kentucky State Police spokesperson says a man wearing a gray-white hoodie, gloves and a mask entered a branch of U.S. Bank in Berea and shot a male and female employee. Authorities say law enforcement officials have been going door to door in search of information and surveillance video. They also used helicopters, drones and dogs. State police posted a photo of the suspect on social media and asked people to call if they recognize him or have information.
WORDS: 348 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 12:22 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFatalBankRobberyndLdWritethru/e8c10057a09fbedac6bf9d3aef01f3c8/text___
Massive explosion at NYC home sends police officers flying
SUMMARY: A massive, fiery explosion at a house in Queens sent several New York City police officers flying through the air as they were responding to a call of a man inside armed with a knife and the smell of gas. Eight officers were treated for minor injuries — including burns and at least one head laceration — after the blast early Thursday morning. All of the people who were inside the building have been accounted for and several were taken to a hospital, police said. Police said the man arrived at the home intoxicated and carrying a knife and two garbage bags filled with canisters containing an “unknown substance.”
WORDS: 340 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 10:49 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSHouseExplosionNYCstLdWritethru/664b719af1bd34fea1f384fa09591ad7/text___
Stabbing at Washington state high school wounds 6, including suspect, police say
SUMMARY: A Tacoma high school student has been booked on five counts of first-degree assault after four students and an adult security guard were injured in a stabbing at the school. Tacoma police said Thursday the five victims were either stabbed or cut. The suspect was also cut in the altercation. The Fire Department says responders took five patients to hospitals from Foss High School. Four patients were critical condition and one had minor injuries. A sixth injured person was in police custody and taken to a hospital with minor injuries. All were in stable condition as of late afternoon.
WORDS: 228 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 12:12 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWashingtonHighSchoolStabbingndLdWritethru/25c81da405e358dae113f7891fd1c2ef/text___
Amtrak may make it easier to bring guns on its trains despite the alleged attempt on Trump's life
SUMMARY: Amtrak is considering allowing people to store guns in lockboxes on most of its trains, which critics say would weaken security measures that instead should be strengthened in light of the shooting at last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Two people familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that Amtrak hasn't abandoned the proposed plan despite Saturday's attack at the Washington, D.C., event. They say the Trump administration started pushing for Amtrak to make the change months ago. Authorities say a California man traveled by rail across the country with his guns intent on killing President Donald Trump and other administration officials.
WORDS: 1086 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 9:32 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpCorrespondentsTrainSecurity/11a7874e0a7e7cabbf21874bd0f5659b/text___
Weinstein rape accuser wrote a note to herself. It ended up in evidence
SUMMARY: Court ended early for the day at Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial after his accuser struggled on the witness stand. It happened Thursday after a defense lawyer showed jurors a previously undisclosed note that the woman wrote to herself two days after the alleged assault in 2013. The note described her feeling “emotionally attached” to someone and wanting a loving partnership. Weinstein's defense pointed out that the note says nothing about the alleged rape two days earlier in a Manhattan hotel. Weinstein says everything that happened between him and the woman accusing him was consensual. She straightforwardly answered questions Thursday but then said she felt “spacey” from the stress of testifying. That prompted the judge to adjourn court early.
WORDS: 749 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 2:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSexualMisconductHarveyWeinsteinthLdWritethru/70fa9cec4c316d598547605ed2f73078/text___
Camp Mystic drops summer reopening plan over outrage by families and Texas lawmakers
SUMMARY: Camp Mystic officials have withdrawn their application for a license to operate this summer, a year after devastating floods tore through the river-side camp site, killing 25 young campers and two teenage counselors. Thursday's decision follows months of outrage by Texas lawmakers and the families of the girls who died in flood over the July 4 weekend last year. The camp’s owner, Dick Eastland, was also killed by the deluge. A spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed the camp withdrew its application. The decision was praised by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has opposed reopening the camp while investigations continue.
WORDS: 899 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 6:08 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTexasFloodsCampMysticthLdWritethru/27c49f3d478c3923dfff0cd97824382b/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Trump says he'll place 25% tariff on autos from EU, accusing bloc of not complying with trade deal
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he'll increase the tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union next week to 25%, a move that could jolt the world economy at a fragile moment. Trump said Friday in a social media post the EU is not complying with a fully agreed to trade deal, though he did not flesh out his objections. Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to the trade deal last July. It set a 15% tariff on most goods. The U.S. and the EU had previously confirmed their commitment to preserving the trade framework, known as the Turnberry Agreement, named after Trump’s golf course in Scotland.
WORDS: 574 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 4:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTariffsthLdWritethru/800e6ed469b73cd4c144edb65e40ba72/text___
After major enforcement operations, the Trump administration recalibrates its immigration crackdown
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s administration appears to be recalibrating its centerpiece policy of mass deportations after a series of major immigration enforcement operations in American cities soured the public’s mood on it. But that doesn’t mean the Republican administration is giving up on its ambitious deportation goals. While the high-profile surges appear to have subsided for now, the Trump administration has quieter tools it can use to meet its targets. Immigrant advocates are bracing for the Trump administration to turn its attention more intently to stripping away protections for migrants with temporary legal status. Conservatives want more enforcement of workplace restrictions.
WORDS: 1196 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 11:32 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementWhatsNextstLdWritethru/77ca6741fe11ac35852c8b15d3016991/text___
Speaker Mike Johnson once longed for a 'normal Congress,' but that seems long gone in the House
SUMMARY: House Speaker Mike Johnson has lamented he would like to preside over a “normal Congress.” But the chamber the Republican is leading is anything but. There are all-night sessions. Hours of dead zones with no action on the floor. Legislation being written on the fly, behind closed doors. Sudden votes scheduled. Spectacular failures. And, as happened this week, stunning turnarounds in which the House actually passes bills. Johnson acknowledges what he calls a sometimes ugly process. But Johnson said this week the lawmakers "got it done.” Republicans are trying to persuade voters in November to keep them in power. Democrats are trying to regain majority control and say Republicans can't govern.
WORDS: 819 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 12:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressHouseGOP/f33caf02251b5c8514e9014c865ea784/text___
Bessent wants Americans to avoid easy-money traps and invest in financial literacy
SUMMARY: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says he’s concerned about the allure of easy money — lottery tickets, buy now, pay later loans and the promise of a crypto windfall. Bessent worries the get-rich-quick mindset often leads Americans farther from financial stability, not closer to it. The billionaire hedge fund manager and the first openly gay treasury secretary has a personal history marked by financial struggles, with humble beginnings in rural South Carolina. Bessent hopes part of his Treasury Department legacy will be promoting financial literacy, helping Americans budget and save. This push comes as the government amasses record debt and critics say Bessent should focus more on lowering Americans' cost of living.
WORDS: 1269 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 11:08 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSBessentProfile/6ae242f0c3ad3643e052fd1a19d7154b/text___
Louisiana congressional primaries are suspended as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling
SUMMARY: Louisiana’s congressional primaries are not going forward as scheduled in May as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on Thursday issued an executive order suspending the congressional primary to give time for state lawmakers to draw new House districts. That came after the high court on Wednesday struck down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana. Early voting had been scheduled to begin Saturday in advance of the May 16 primaries. Primaries for other state offices will go forward as scheduled. President Donald Trump is urging other states to also consider revising their districts in response to the court ruling.
WORDS: 1146 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 2:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionVotingRightsLouisianathLdWritethru/03cdb6951d7fefb448bfd2f37f98c0ea/text___
Florida Republicans slice and dice congressional districts: How a new map could cost Democrats seats
SUMMARY: The redrawn congressional district lines that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon sign into law are intended to help Republicans pick up as many as four U.S. House seats in November — a scenario that would cost some Democrats their seats. The GOP-drawn map uses two redistricting tools called packing and cracking. In Tampa, officials cracked up a Democratic-held district across multiple districts. In Orlando, they packed Democratic voters from two districts into one. In south Florida, they redrew several seats to reduce five contiguous Democratic seats into a map that could limit Democrats to no more than three seats over the same extended area across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
WORDS: 986 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 4:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionFloridaRedistricting/d5183cbb646230f9d23908c9a897be3e/text___
Trump administration says its war in Iran has been 'terminated' before 60-day deadline
SUMMARY: The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April. That's an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid a federal law requirement for congressional approval of military action that extends beyond 60 days. A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration’s position, said for purposes of that law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.” Democrats and some Republicans have demanded formal approval for further military action. Legal experts argue the administration's interpretation stretches the law's intent.
WORDS: 651 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 12:35 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpWarPowersndLdWritethru/422311a4443b987af87cd4ca35d54f48/text___
Republicans say they will defer to Trump on Iran war despite arrival of 60-day deadline
SUMMARY: Republican lawmakers say they will continue to defer to President Donald Trump, for now, during the fragile ceasefire with Iran. Under the War Powers Act of 1973, Congress must declare war or authorize the use of force within 60 days of its start, or within 90 days if the president requests an extension. Many Republicans who have been uneasy with Trump’s war in Iran have, for weeks, pointed to a May 1 deadline for Congress to intervene. But the date is now set to pass with no action from GOP lawmakers. The reluctance to defy Trump on the war comes at a politically perilous time for Republicans, with public frustration mounting over the conflict and its impact on gas prices.
WORDS: 970 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 4:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranCongress/41ef029df176a6486422e9d68aa6d872/text___
Prosecutors release video of armed man storming correspondents’ dinner
SUMMARY: Federal prosecutors have released a video showing the moment authorities say an armed man with guns and knives tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in an attempt to kill President Donald Trump. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, posted the video Thursday on social media amid questions over whose bullet struck a Secret Service officer as Cole Tomas Allen ran through security with a long gun toward the gala packed with journalists, administration officials and others. Prosecutors had previously claimed the agent was shot in the bullet-resistant vest during the melee, but had not confirmed it was Allen who shot the agent. Pirro, however, said Thursday that there is no evidence that the officer was hit by friendly fire.
WORDS: 682 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 2:39 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpCorrespondentsthLdWritethru/5c4d9a26fbcca29ca56f49da34fefc25/text___
Trump signs bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, ending record shutdown
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has signed a bill funding much of the Department of Homeland Security and ending the longest agency shutdown in history. The bipartisan funding package passed the House earlier Thursday. The Trump administration had warned that temporary funds to pay Transportation Security Administration and other personnel would “soon run out” if Congress failed to act. The shutdown lasted for more than 70 days as Democrats refused to fund Trump’s immigration enforcement operations without changes. Republicans instead adopted a budget resolution to eventually provide $70 billion for immigration enforcement though a separate process on their own, without Democratic help.
WORDS: 931 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 5:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressHomelandSecuritythLdWritethru/d377a15c40ad0f430983b6d918b24bb6/text___
Trump pulls Casey Means' stalled surgeon general nomination. New pick is radiologist Nicole Saphier
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he's nominating former Fox News Channel contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier for surgeon general after Dr. Casey Means’ path forward stalled in the Senate. In a social media post Thursday, Trump said Saphier is “a STAR physician who has spent her career guiding women facing breast cancer through their diagnosis and treatment.” Senators of both major political parties grilled Means on her vaccine stance and other health topics during a tense confirmation hearing. Means told The Associated Press her nomination fell apart after a “smear campaign." Saphier has aligned with many of Trump's positions but in at least one case pushed back on his messaging around Tylenol during pregnancy.
WORDS: 1124 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:57 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpSurgeonGeneralthLdWritethru/cebadfb452fb577b6cd5254e2e55d86b/text___
Takeaways from Hegseth's first hearings in Congress since the start of Iran war
SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has appeared before Congress at a pair of hearings this week for the first time since the Trump administration started the Iran war. Hegseth faced tough questions from skeptical Democrats. He seemed to emerge with solid Republican support over his leadership and handling of the war. But a few GOP lawmakers questioned his dismissal of a top Army general. Some also sought assurances that the Pentagon is doing everything possible to prevent civilian deaths. The hearings on Wednesday and Thursday were before the House and Senate Armed Services committees. They were held officially to review the Trump administration’s 2027 military budget proposal.
WORDS: 1181 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPentagonCongressthLdWritethru/f19fffd017024cf963cd43b42d638f12/text___
Trump says he's lifting certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after royal visit
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he's removing certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after this week’s White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom. Trump posted on social media Thursday that the royal couple got him to do "something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!” Trump says people had wanted this change, especially with regard to the wooden barrels in which the spirits of Scotch and bourbon can be aged. His post left it unclear if the tariffs were being lifted on bottles of Scotch or on the materials used to produce alcohol in both countries. The White House did not respond to emails seeking clarification.
WORDS: 564 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 6:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTariffsWhiskythLdWritethru/b1f3815e2b30be2236b04266cdb41da9/text___
Senate bans its own members and staff from betting in prediction markets
SUMMARY: The Senate has approved a bipartisan resolution to prevent its members from using prediction markets. A resolution passed by voice vote Thursday bans senators and their staff from making bets on upcoming events. It's a change to the Senate’s rules, so it will go into effect immediately. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calls the move a “no-brainer” and he's encouraging the House and Trump administration to follow suit. The rule change comes as lawmakers increasingly voice concerns about prediction markets and people making wagers on current events, including the war with Iran.
WORDS: 471 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 6:45 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressPredictionMarkets/f067c97278654caeacd9e336b5474f1d/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: 1252 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 10:49 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtVotingRightsActndLdWritethru/4e3225083caccda5ec73a98533a79add/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Trump says he's 'not satisfied' with Iran's latest proposal to end war with US
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump said on Friday that he’s “not satisfied” with Iran’s latest proposal in negotiations to end war between the countries. “They want to make a deal, I’m not satisfied with it, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters Friday at the White House. Trump did not elaborate on what he sees as the proposal’s shortcomings. The president said negotiations have continued by phone after he called off his envoys’ trip to Pakistan last week. He expressed frustration with Iran’s leadership, which he described as fractured. “It’s a very disjointed leadership,” he said. “They all want to make a deal, but they’re all messed up.”
WORDS: 718 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 3:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSstLdWritethru/b48635e586e2907caae65b58bd03f5b7/text___
What to know about May Day demonstrations as workers face rising energy costs due to Iran war
SUMMARY: Activists worldwide have held May Day rallies, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions. Many workers are struggling with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. May 1 is International Workers’ Day, marked by rallies focusing on wages, pensions, and inequality. Demonstrations took place in cities like Seoul, Sydney and across Europe and the U.S. In Manila, protesters demanded higher wages and lower taxes. In Jakarta, workers called for stronger protection from rising prices. In the U.S., activists opposed to President Trump’s policies are planning marches and boycotts.
WORDS: 1128 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 1:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMayDayWhattoKnowthLdWritethru/e681138b292048ef190e3cb9588649dc/text___
Man jailed after being charged with attempted murder in stabbings of Jewish men in London
SUMMARY: A 45-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in the stabbings of two Jewish men in London. Essa Suleiman was remanded into custody after appearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on two counts of the charge related to the attack in Golders Green, and a third related to an attack elsewhere in the city the same day that left a man with minor injuries. The British government pledged to tackle antisemitism after the stabbings Wednesday. Britain’s official terror threat level has been raised from substantial to severe.
WORDS: 421 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 6:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainAntisemitismAttackthLdWritethru/d892f8e3446b03fdcb0e59d97465ccd7/text___
Ukraine says a strike hit Tuapse oil terminal, the fourth attack on the region in 2 weeks
SUMMARY: Ukrainian forces have struck an oil terminal in the Russian Black Sea city of Tuapse, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. This marks the fourth attack on the region's oil infrastructure in just over two weeks. Local officials in Russia said a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a blaze, but no casualties were reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue to hit Ukraine. On Friday, Russia attacked the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil with over 50 drones, wounding at least 10 people. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia continues to target energy and civilian infrastructure with drone strikes.
WORDS: 311 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 1:44 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APRussiaUkraineWarstLdWritethru/2efb9ac87f60bd4ef7f2646240922192/text___
War-battered Syria now sells itself as a safe corridor amid regional conflict
SUMMARY: Syria was once a battleground, enduring 14 years of civil war. But now the country offers relative peace in a region wracked by turmoil. Syrian leaders aim to leverage their neutrality to rebuild relationships with Arab and Western countries that shunned Syria under former President Bashar Assad. He was ousted in December 2024 by rebels, who then installed a new government. Syria has positioned itself as a safe alternative for exports during the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Despite staying out of the conflict, Syria could still face economic challenges from the war. Gulf countries may have fewer resources to help with Syria’s reconstruction.
WORDS: 1073 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 5:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLSyriaIranStayingOutofWarstLdWritethru/c021a2a077bd10f9a57ab322328aedfa/text___
EU-Mercosur trade deal takes provisional effect, boosting hopes and concerns for millions
SUMMARY: The long-awaited trade deal between the South American bloc Mercosur and the European Union is finally on, at least provisionally. The initiative creates a trans-Atlantic market estimated at $22 trillion, with 720 million potential consumers. Some nations expect to boost their exports by more than 10% once it is fully implemented in 2038. The European Commission president’s move to sidestep the EU Parliament to provisionally enact the deal is being challenged by EU lawmakers at the bloc’s judiciary. The agreement will be halted if the European body rules against it.
WORDS: 597 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 5:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTEUMercosurndLdWritethru/571f8814c51667650cc7fa3e0a754b10/text___
Former leader Aung San Suu Kyi moved from prison to house arrest in Myanmar
SUMMARY: Myanmar’s former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest. The announcement included a photo showing the 80-year-old Suu Kyi sitting on a wooden bench in a skirt and traditional white blouse. Uniformed men sit around the low table. It wasn't clear when or where the photo was taken. Suu Kyi was detained Feb. 1, 2021, when the army seized power from her elected government. She has not been seen publicly since then. Earlier Thursday, authorities had announced Suu Kyi’s sentence was being reduced as part of a prisoner amnesty marking a Buddhist holiday.
WORDS: 940 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 8:54 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASMyanmarAmnestythLdWritethru/a9fe9907edb714d2cd0dd1ea81d76be3/text___
Iran's monthslong internet shutdown is crushing businesses in an already battered economy
SUMMARY: Iran’s 90 million people have been cut off from the global internet for most of 2026, one of the world’s longest and strictest national shutdowns. That is devastating an online economy that had defied years of government restrictions and international sanctions. From fashion to fitness, to advertising and retailers, many have seen their incomes evaporate. Despite an uneasy truce with the U.S. and Israel, Iran’s rulers have refused to reverse the shutdown they have depicted as a wartime necessity. But they are facing an outcry as it adds to mass job losses from strikes on key industries and an ongoing U.S. blockade.
WORDS: 1146 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 5:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranWarInternet/9e1cc7c871cfea25978e3e518065cc26/text___
The first direct US-Venezuela commercial flight in 7 years lands in Caracas
SUMMARY: The first direct commercial flight between the United States and Venezuela has arrived in 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 arrived 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: 566 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 9:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTVenezuelaUSFlightsthLdWritethru/5d9a5e8dde5d3384c8f96a6f5096755d/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/APMLLebanonIsraelEvacuationWarningsndLdWritethru/e1e41f62527e28bc30c767d907b67990/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/APEURussiaUkraineWarndLdWritethru/f6401f0bd72a2866486408fcfd5dc586/text___
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BUSINESS
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Apple leads Wall Street toward more records as oil prices pull back
SUMMARY: The U.S. stock market is rising toward more records after Apple, Estee Lauder and others joined the list of companies delivering fatter profits for the start of the year than analysts expected. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Friday and added to its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 27 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 1.2% to its own record. Easing oil prices also helped to steady the stock markets around the world that are still open on the May Day holiday. Treasury yields fell in the bond market.
WORDS: 607 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 2:50 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/906fc294e936b548ee3993af4664f8e8/text___
Profit for the biggest US oil companies declined in the first quarter, but only on paper
SUMMARY: Profit for the two largest oil companies in the U.S. tumbled during the first quarter, a three-month period in which the price of crude and gasoline rocketed higher. It’s a setback on paper only, however, the result of financial hedges that backfired after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. Exxon Mobil and Chevron reported quarterly results on Friday, with adjusted profits for both companies topping Wall Street expectations. The shares of both companies, up sharply this week, ticked higher before the opening bell.
WORDS: 773 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 12:15 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSBigOilIranrdLdWritethru/d900e3092cf157304abd659eae6388c5/text___
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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
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Chonkers the sea lion draws crowds to San Francisco's Pier 39
SUMMARY: A massive sea lion nicknamed Chonkers is charming tourists and locals at San Francisco's Pier 39. On Thursday morning, visitors snapped photos of the Steller sea lion as he flopped on the pier among much smaller California sea lions. Chonkers is estimated to weigh between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds. He likely came from waters off Washington or Oregon. Laura Gill from The Marine Mammal Center says the pier offers protection from predators and plenty of food. Sea lions have gathered at the pier since after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, becoming a tourist attraction.
WORDS: 391 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 8:40 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSanFranciscoGiantSeaLionstLdWritethru/b265382b50fbb07a0debb0db8b25d4b5/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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A converted church in rural Pennsylvania is becoming an incubator for Amish roots music
SUMMARY: A converted church in rural central Pennsylvania has become a place where musicians with Amish roots are coming to record music and make videos that are drawing millions of views. Ragamuffin Hall in McCoysville was the setting last weekend for a concert by two of the rising stars in that burgeoning scene, the married couple Ben and Rose Stoltzfus. Ben and Rose performed along with the musician and producer behind Ragamuffin Hall, Conrad Fisher. Fisher describes most of what gets recorded at Ragamuffin Hall as “clean country music” and rootsy bluegrass, with a heavy dose of gospel.
WORDS: 1613 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 12:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAmishMusicndLdWritethru/c2aefc058464943852af5268975bab0f/text___
‘Mormon Wives’ star Taylor Frankie Paul and ex-partner ordered to stay 100 feet apart
SUMMARY: Taylor Frankie Paul, a reality TV star from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” and the father of her 2-year-old son were ordered Thursday to stay 100 feet (30 meters) away from each other for the next three years as a Utah court commissioner continues to assess custody plans for the child. Paul has been unable to spend unsupervised time with her son since an April 7 hearing, when Third District Court Commissioner Russell Minas said Paul had a history of volatile behavior directed at her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, while kids were present. Minas on Thursday described the pair’s dynamic as “very toxic” before granting Paul and Mortensen’s dueling requests for protective orders against each other.
WORDS: 978 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 4:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTaylorFrankiePaulProtectiveOrderthLdWritethru/90291283565644690b4814afa634cdfa/text___
Britney Spears charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
SUMMARY: Britney Spears has been charged in California with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office says Spears was charged Thursday with a single misdemeanor count of driving under the combined influence of alcohol and at least one drug. The California Highway Patrol said the 44-year-old pop star was driving erratically in her BMW on March 4 on U.S 101 near her home outside of Los Angeles. She was arrested and jailed after taking several sobriety tests. A representative for Spears called her actions “completely inexcusable” and said she planned to comply with the law. Spears' representative later said she voluntarily checked into a substance abuse treatment facility.
WORDS: 571 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 8:26 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTBritneySpearsArrestthLdWritethru/395ba1c567ec3865a80ffe57e92ad127/text___
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: 999 - MOVED: 04/30/2026 5:27 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSObitDavidAllanCoethLdWritethru/9530dc55b3ac47a19a3c3f7db0b89d86/text___
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SPORTS
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Exorbitantly expensive tickets for early World Cup games still on general sale
SUMMARY: Tickets for most of the World Cup group games remain on general sale with just over a month to go until the tournament kicks off on June 11. But prices are exorbitantly high. They top out at $4,105 for the United States’ opening game against Paraguay in Los Angeles and many cost around $2,000. Tickets are still available on FIFA’s official website through its “last-minute sales” section after batches had been released through various phases since September.
WORDS: 663 - MOVED: 05/01/2026 3:08 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APSOCWCupTickets/9a5a713fabdd0ec3743222e5b6c8a384/text___
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