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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Alabama Republicans look to set new US House primaries if courts allow redistricting
SUMMARY: Alabama lawmakers are set to vote on a measure that could change the state's congressional primaries as part of a bid to switch its U.S. House districts. This comes after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Louisiana case weakened Voting Rights Act protections for minorities. Alabama has asked federal judges to lift a court order requiring a second Black-majority district. Legislation awaiting a final vote Friday would allow new primaries to be scheduled if a court grants the state's request. The Alabama action comes as Democrats suffered a setback in Virginia, where a court struck down a Democratic redistricting plan for procedural reasons.
WORDS: 1171 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionRedistrictingstLdWritethru/81f6a232ea75a9d62efe3e40f14f8488/text___
Authorities to update public on search of home tied to man convicted of killing Kristin Smart
SUMMARY: Authorities plan to update the public Friday on a search of a home tied to the man convicted of killing 19-year-old college student Kristin Smart in 1996. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office in California has planned a news conference for 9 a.m. The office served a warrant this week on the home of Susan Flores but has not said what prompted the search. Her son Paul Flores was convicted in 2022 of killing Smart, whose body was never found. Scientists took soil samples from outside the house and in a neighbor’s yard this week.
WORDS: 502 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCaliforniaKristinSmartsKillerndLdWritethru/a3b00d011839c62b08700c2a1b0e0629/text___
Epstein cellmate says he found a suicide note. Justice Department says it's seeing it for first time
SUMMARY: A note attributed to Jeffrey Epstein in his first suspected jail suicide attempt in 2019 has been made public. But that's not because of the U.S. Justice Department’s release of records related to the sex offender. The note was released Wednesday as part of an unrelated case involving a man who shared a cell with Epstein in Manhattan. The government says it never had the note. Nicholas Tartaglione says he discovered the note in a book he was reading after Epstein was found in their cell with a strip of bedsheet around the financier’s neck. Epstein was found dead in his own separate cell a few weeks later.
WORDS: 560 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 9:08 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEpsteinNoteJusticeDepartmentstLdWritethru/5297f49736e625a06d0db3c7b737b997/text___
US lifts hold on immigration applications for doctors, but leaves others waiting
SUMMARY: U.S. immigration officials have quietly lifted a hold on green card and visa applications for doctors from three dozen countries. The move means physicians whose cases have been paused for months could soon get them renewed. But scientific researchers and other professionals from countries including Iran, Venezuela and Afghanistan said their immigration applications still won't be reviewed. The Trump administration put a pause on applications from those countries citing a need to improve security screening. Some immigrants have filed lawsuits to try to get immigration officials to decide their cases.
WORDS: 928 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationPauseDoctors/128fed537a91e2cc714d9ed9c7672a6b/text___
Survivors of Mississippi tornadoes crawled under furniture and held onto their kids
SUMMARY: Powerful storms that spawned at least three tornadoes tore through several Mississippi counties. Authorities say the storms damaged nearly 500 homes, knocked down trees and power lines, and injured at least 17 people. There were no immediate reports of deaths. The storms struck late Wednesday. A mobile home park in Bogue Chitto was severely damaged. Krystal Miller and six others, including several young kids, survived the apparent tornado picking up their home and sending it cartwheeling through the air. She says she's just grateful they made it out alive. Other survivors told of crawling under furniture and of hiding in a closet.
WORDS: 799 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 10:28 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSevereWeatherthLdWritethru/4f30e7f3e6713f42051714719cc2159b/text___
DeSantis says 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center always was meant to be temporary
SUMMARY: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” always was meant to be temporary. His comments Thursday on the same day that The New York Times reported state and federal officials were in early talks about shutting down the facility in the Florida Everglades. DeSantis says the facility has processed and deported 22,000 detainees since it opened last summer. Department of Homeland Security officials have not said they want the facility closed. But DeSantis says the idea has been discussed since DHS got a new secretary, Markwayne Mullin, in March. Detainees have described poor physical conditions and difficulty accessing lawyers.
WORDS: 329 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 11:34 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAlligatorAlcatraz/2c7565b2b7470941e855bf40c810c5b3/text___
Ex-deputy found guilty of reckless homicide in shooting of Black man entering grandmother's home
SUMMARY: Jurors in Ohio have convicted a former sheriff’s deputy of reckless homicide in the shooting of a Black man who was carrying sandwiches into his grandmother’s home. But the judge declared a mistrial on the murder charge after they couldn't agree on that count Thursday. Jason Meade shot Casey Goodson Jr. five times in the back and once in the side as the 23-year-old returned home in Columbus in December 2020. Meade is the second white officer in Ohio to be convicted in the killing of a Black man since George Floyd’s death turned national attention on the issue. There was no video of this shooting.
WORDS: 796 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 8:10 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSOhioPoliceShootingTrialthLdWritethru/63ec59557ebb6ef8640b0f23d128fd4a/text___
Tennessee enacts new US House map carving up majority-Black district in Memphis
SUMMARY: Tennessee has enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up a majority-Black district in Memphis. The new voting districts signed into law Thursday by Republican Gov. Bill Lee gives the GOP a chance to win all nine of the state’s congressional seats in the November midterm elections. Tennessee is the first state to adopt new districts since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week that undermined a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. President Donald Trump has urged more Republican-led states to redraw their districts in light of the court ruling. Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina also have taken steps toward redistricting.
WORDS: 1229 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 4:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionRedistrictingthLdWritethru/33d3a24a63aeb1a0b3702d362e1325c9/text___
Rapper Kodak Black arrested in Florida on felony MDMA trafficking charge and pleads not guilty
SUMMARY: Rapper Kodak Black has been arrested on a drug trafficking charge in central Florida. He was booked into the Orange County Jail on Wednesday for trafficking MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly. On Thursday, he entered a written plea of not guilty and requested a jury trial. His arrest followed a police encounter in Orlando in December. Officers found a pink bag containing MDMA, $37,000, and documents with his name during a vehicle search. The bag matched one seen in a photo on his Instagram. Kodak Black has faced previous legal issues, including drug-related charges and a commuted prison sentence.
WORDS: 523 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 7:53 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSKodakBlackArreststLdWritethru/c529ec01116ab42fe76643b8fb6d657b/text___
Man who sprayed vinegar at Rep. Ilhan Omar during town hall pleads guilty to assault
SUMMARY: The man charged with assault for spraying vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis has pleaded guilty in federal court after reaching a deal with prosecutors. He is awaiting sentencing. He gave only a fragmentary explanation Thursday of the Jan. 27 assault, which came as a city was already on edge after the fatal shootings of two people by federal agents during a White House crackdown that brought thousands of immigration officers to Minnesota. After being asked what he remembered of the assault, he told the judge: “It's fuzzy.”
WORDS: 505 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 8:27 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSOmarSprayedMinnesota/5614d33c516539c76d6a4f7253769556/text___
Ex-Ohio State players, including NFL veterans, to join a sexual abuse lawsuit against the school
SUMMARY: Thirty former Ohio State football players, including some former NFL players, are agreeing to join a federal lawsuit against the university over the sexual abuse of student-athletes decades ago by a team doctor. A lawyer in the case, Rocky Ratliff, said Thursday that the men have signed letters of agreement to join a lawsuit. Ohio State has fought lawsuits brought by former student-athletes over its failure to stop abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss. Hundreds say they were abused by him. Ratliff says some other former football players have settled with the school in sealed agreements. Ohio State says it has tried to reconcile with survivors through settlements, counseling services and medical treatment.
WORDS: 630 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 7:39 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSOhioStateTeamDoctorndLdWritethru/249c284f1c8cedceaacd3dfd28c171cf/text___
Southern Poverty Law Center leader pleads not guilty for organization in federal donor fraud case
SUMMARY: The leader of the Southern Poverty Law Center has pleaded not guilty on behalf of the organization to charges that the civil rights group has defrauded donors by failing to disclose that money would be paid to informants inside extremist groups. The group’s interim president and CEO, Bryan Fair, appeared Thursday in federal court in Montgomery. A grand jury indictment was filed April 21 by the U.S. Justice Department. The charges are an extraordinary strike against the organization, which works to combat discrimination and racism particularly in the Deep South. The SPLC has denied wrongdoing. No individuals are charged in the case.
WORDS: 346 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 4:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSouthernPovertyLawCenterChargesstLdWritethru/402d65cb62a67324b7a8fb4ab44e9f40/text___
Man who firebombed a demonstration in Colorado, killing 1, is sentenced to life in prison
SUMMARY: A man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to killing one person and injuring a dozen others while they were demonstrating in Boulder, Colorado, in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Mohamed Sabry Soliman apologized to the victims but said he didn't deny opposing Israel. Prosecutors are weighing whether to seek the death penalty in a federal hate crimes case. Authorities say Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at the demonstrators at a pedestrian mall. An 82-year-old woman who was injured in the attack later died.
WORDS: 692 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 4:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSBoulderAttackthLdWritethru/d59db32f926f83cfd2836b73099e32ec/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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First batch of UFO files is released as Trump urges the public to draw its own conclusions
SUMMARY: The Pentagon has begun releasing files on UFOs, tapping into public curiosity about unidentified phenomena. The files feature intriguing sightings, such as a bright object making 90-degree turns over Kazakhstan and Buzz Aldrin observing a light source during Apollo 11. The release aims to promote transparency, though experts warn these videos can be misinterpreted. Some members of Congress are pushing for further disclosure, while the Pentagon's recent report found no evidence of alien technology. President Donald Trump says in a Truth Social post on Friday the release of the files allows people to decide for themselves, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?”
WORDS: 1159 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 12:28 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpUFOsthLdWritethru/3e658d2cf3742465127c0049c872240a/text___
Virginia Supreme Court strikes down Democrats' redrawn US House maps, giving Republicans a win
SUMMARY: The Virginia Supreme Court has struck down a Democratic congressional redistricting plan that had won voter approval. The court’s 4-3 decision Friday marked a major setback for Democrats in a nationwide redistricting battle with Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. The plan approved April 21 by voters could have helped Democrats win up to four additional U.S. House seats. But the court said state lawmakers violated procedural requirements when referring the plan to the ballot. A recent U.S, Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act has been used by Republicans in several Southern states to try to eliminate congressional districts held by Black Democratic lawmakers.
WORDS: 1176 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 2:15 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionRedistrictingVirginiathLdWritethru/12a31037f3c9a94d3cb9fbcaaf84d94f/text___
US isn't looking at imminent military action in Cuba despite Trump threats, AP sources say
SUMMARY: Officials say the U.S. isn't looking at imminent military action against Havana despite President Donald Trump’s threats that “Cuba is next.” Trump has suggested that American warships deployed in the Middle East for the Iran conflict could return to the U.S. by way of the island. U.S. officials involved in preliminary discussions with Cuban authorities say they aren't optimistic that the communist government will accept an offer for tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid, free internet access for all Cubans, agricultural assistance and infrastructure support. But they say Cuba has not yet outright refused the offer even after the Trump administration imposed new sanctions Thursday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks.
WORDS: 1078 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 9:29 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSUnitedStatesCubastLdWritethru/26b89fa6c057eb419d099a39e38d5b98/text___
Federal court rules against new global tariffs Trump imposed after loss at the Supreme Court
SUMMARY: A federal court has ruled against the new global tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. A split three-judge panel of the Court of International Trade in New York found the 10% global tariffs were illegal after small businesses sued. The court ruled 2-1 Thursday that Trump overstepped the tariff power that Congress had allowed the president under the law. The tariffs are “invalid″ and “unauthorized by law,” the majority wrote. At issue are temporary 10% worldwide tariffs the Trump administration imposed after the Supreme Court in February struck down even broader tariffs the president had imposed last year on almost every country on Earth.
WORDS: 517 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 9:42 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTariffsTradeCourtthLdWritethru/df01218b89ca925015fe41c700d6beb9/text___
Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year’s trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says goods from the European Union will face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year’s trade framework by July 4. Trump's announcement on social media Thursday appears to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25% tariff starting this week. Trump is displeased that the European Parliament has yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year. It was further complicated in February by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
WORDS: 301 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 7:19 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTariffsstLdWritethru/bd6748c3e85533d3ce3644f257f8e326/text___
Comey seeks to cancel upcoming court appearance in North Carolina in Trump threat case
SUMMARY: Former FBI Director James Comey is seeking to cancel his upcoming court appearance in North Carolina. He says it's unnecessary because he's already surrendered in Virginia, where he lives, and has gone before a judge there. The Department of Justice is supporting the request. Comey was charged in a two-count indictment last week with “knowingly and willfully” communicating a threat against President Donald Trump by posting an Instagram photo of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.” Comey has said he assumed the arrangement he found on a beach reflected only a political message. He removed the Instagram post once he saw some people were interpreting it as a threat.
WORDS: 381 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 5:33 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJusticeDepartmentComeystLdWritethru/e5bc21eff896758df550504501a989ae/text___
US will start revoking passports for thousands of parents who owe child support, AP learns
SUMMARY: The State Department will begin revoking the U.S. passports of thousands of parents who owe a significant amount of unpaid child support. The department told The Associated Press on Thursday that the revocations would begin Friday and be focused on those who owe $100,000 or more. That would apply to about 2,700 American passport holders. The revocation program, plans for which were first reported by the AP in February, soon will be greatly expanded to cover parents who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support. That's the threshold set by a little-enforced 1996 law.
WORDS: 480 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 7:28 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSUnitedStatesPassportsChildSupport/42d90cfa8a06ee349bb9145f668919b6/text___
Clarence Thomas becomes the second longest-serving Supreme Court justice in American history
SUMMARY: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is now the second longest-serving justice in history, overtaking someone who was nominated by President Abraham Lincoln. Thomas' tenure as of Thursday tops 34 years. The only justice with a longer tenure is William O. Douglas. Thomas will overtake Douglas in 2028 if he remains on the court — and there’s no sign he plans to retire anytime soon. Thomas was confirmed in 1991 after contentious hearings that included sexual harassment allegations he denied. More recently, Thomas' acceptance of luxury trips has raised ethics questions. Thomas has nevertheless gone from near-silence at oral arguments to asking the first questions and penned a landmark ruling expanding Second Amendment rights.
WORDS: 716 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 11:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtClarenceThomasrdLdWritethru/ae7e6b941d021bcbeb7cf530501d6e9f/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Rubio presses Europe on Iran action as he seeks to mend ties with Italy and Vatican
SUMMARY: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged European allies to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete action against Iran, even as he sought to repair strained ties with Italy and the Vatican. Speaking Friday after meetings with Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Rubio warned that Tehran was attempting to assert control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, calling the move “unacceptable” and a threat to global security. Rubio’s visit comes after weeks of sharp disagreements between Washington and Rome over the Iran war, tariffs and U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of both Meloni and Pope Leo XIV.
WORDS: 919 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 7:30 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUItalyUSRubiothLdWritethru/a52a9b1d7eaa83f29317453533fb98cd/text___
Starmer says he won't quit after local elections deliver losses for Labour and wins for Reform UK
SUMMARY: Partial results from local elections in England show significant losses for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party and gains for Reform UK. Starmer insists he won't resign after the votes, which are seen as an unofficial referendum on his leadership. Starmer's popularity has plummeted since his election. Starmer said Friday he takes responsibility for the “very tough” results. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, won hundreds of local council seats in traditional Labour areas. The results reflect a fragmentation of British politics, with Labour losing votes to Reform UK and the Green Party. Many analysts doubt Starmer will lead Labour into the next national election.
WORDS: 908 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 5:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainElectionsthLdWritethru/f17a122a0cfcc3595ef01f142517b0b6/text___
US fires on and disables 2 more Iranian tankers as tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz
SUMMARY: The U.S. military says its forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers Friday after exchanging fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz overnight. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, reported another missile and drone attack Friday. The violence further undermines a month-old ceasefire that U.S. officials insist remains in effect. Iran says the U.S. strikes violate the truce. Washington is awaiting Tehran's response to the latest U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.
WORDS: 957 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 3:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/6490db55a65880a61a6233eff7acc68b/text___
David Attenborough, the excited but hushed voice of nature programs, turns 100
SUMMARY: David Attenborough, the world’s most famous wildlife presenter, is celebrating his 100th birthday on Friday. The BBC is hosting a party at the Royal Albert Hall, and cinemas are playing his nature films. Despite the accolades, Attenborough prefers the animals to be the stars. Over 70 years, his documentaries have brought the wonders of nature into homes worldwide. His work has educated people on evolution, animal behavior, and biodiversity. Attenborough has also raised awareness about climate change and other environmental threats. He remains committed to his work, feeling privileged to continue sharing his passion.
WORDS: 1064 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 5:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainAttenboroughthBirthdayrdLdWritethru/db91049358ead2a725920b782d10ed72/text___
Spain readies for evacuations as a hantavirus-hit cruise ship heads for the Canary Islands
SUMMARY: Spanish authorities are preparing to receive over 140 passengers and crew from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed for the Canary Islands. Health officials plan careful evacuations when the ship arrives in Tenerife this weekend. At least three passengers have died, and several others are sick. The United States and the U.K. are arranging flights to repatriate their citizens. The World Health Organization says the risk to the wider public is low. Health authorities are tracking passengers who disembarked before the outbreak was detected. None of the remaining passengers or crew is currently symptomatic.
WORDS: 628 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 7:41 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APHantavirusShiprdLdWritethru/e5b35d12be9dc30213d7a2b8b4955a88/text___
The death toll from an explosion at a fireworks plant in China rises to 37
SUMMARY: The death toll from an explosion at a fireworks plant this week in central China has risen to 37, state media reported. Local authorities said one person remains missing, according to China’s official news agency Xinhua. The blast occurred Monday at a fireworks plant in the city of Changsha in Hunan province. Authorities have said they are still investigating the cause and have ordered the halt of all fireworks manufacturing in the surrounding area.
WORDS: 186 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 6:23 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASChinaFireworksExplosion/855af57e6c81f050294d15b22623a3d6/text___
Hungary's incoming prime minister plans a 'regime-change celebration' to mark Orbán's departure
SUMMARY: Péter Magyar takes office as Hungary's prime minister on Saturday, ending Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule. Magyar's Tisza party defeated Orbán's Fidesz in a historic landslide last month. This victory allows Tisza to reverse many of Orbán's controversial policies. Magyar has invited Hungarians to a “regime-change” celebration on Saturday. He aims to tackle corruption and mend ties with the European Union. Magyar plans to hold former officials accountable and overhaul Hungary’s government structure. He has nominated internationally recognized figures for key cabinet positions.
WORDS: 696 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:55 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUHungaryMagyarInaugurationPreview/8a3b2a6acf7175d463e465567de894de/text___
Both engines shut off and cockpit struggle came before 2022 China plane crash, NTSB data suggests
SUMMARY: Both engines were intentionally shut down and there was a cockpit struggle before a China Eastern Airlines jet slammed into a mountain in 2022. All 132 people on board died. In response to a public records request, the National Transportation Safety Board released a report on what the Boeing 737-800’s flight data recorder revealed. Aviation safety experts agree that the data shows both engines stopped and someone sent the plane into a nosedive and a 360-degree roll. And the back-and-forth movement of the controls suggests a struggle in the cockpit. Chinese authorities have yet to release a final report.
WORDS: 801 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 9:17 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSChinaPlaneCrashInvestigationrdLdWritethru/1bd76be0fd8c8bd7b24d59b6f898b7e5/text___
Russia says Ukraine launched a major drone attack after Moscow shunned ceasefire offer
SUMMARY: Russia's Defense Ministry reports that air defenses shot down 347 Ukrainian drones overnight. This major attack comes after Moscow rejected Kyiv’s ceasefire earlier in the week. Drones were destroyed in over 20 Russian regions, including Moscow. The attack is Ukraine’s second-biggest aerial assault since Russia's invasion over four years ago. It occurred ahead of Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Tensions have risen as the celebrations approach, with Russia scaling back its traditional military parade due to security concerns. Authorities blame Ukraine for the heightened security measures.
WORDS: 714 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 8:38 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarthLdWritethru/3fd7de0bc63bc349422117e1517e724d/text___
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BUSINESS
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US stocks rise toward records as solid data on the job market overshadows higher oil prices
SUMMARY: U.S. stocks are rising toward records following the latest sign that the nation’s job market is doing better than economists expected. The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% Friday and was on track for an all-time high after a report said employers added more jobs last month than expected, even though the war with Iran is raising fuel costs and uncertainty. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 15 points, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1.3% toward its own record. Monster Beverage, Akamai Technologies and other big companies reporting better profits than analysts expected helped lead the market. Stocks rose even as oil prices climbed.
WORDS: 745 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:53 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/28e493ba47e80517a743ecd54fb6acbc/text___
US employers defy economic shock from Iran war and add a surprisingly strong 115,000 jobs in April
SUMMARY: America’s employers delivered a surprising 115,000 new jobs last month despite an economic shock from the Iran war. Hiring was better than the 65,000 that economists had expected, though it decelerated from the 185,000 jobs created in March. The unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%. The war has caused the biggest disruption of global oil supplies in history and sent average U.S. gasoline prices surging past $4.50 a gallon this week. But the conflict hasn’t done much damage to the American job market so far.
WORDS: 1189 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 6:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEconomyJobsReportthLdWritethru/2cf46bfbf7748403ea0245100af45504/text___
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HEALTH/SCIENCE
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How public health officials are tracing people who came in contact with hantavirus victims
SUMMARY: Health officials in several countries are trying to identify and follow people who may have been exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship. In addition to contact tracing, they are trying to learn more about the virus as fast as they can. Questions include whether it has mutated and how exactly it spreads. Hantaviruses usually spread when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings. While human cases are rare, small outbreaks have been documented around the world. And the Andes virus implicated in the outbreak unfolding on a cruise ship now in the Atlantic Ocean may be able to spread between people in rare cases.
WORDS: 890 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 7:58 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMEDHantavirusContactTracingndLdWritethru/e7e64b81dbee4b21c5301be9e1d945c5/text___
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RELIGION
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Joni Lamb, who started of one of the largest Christian TV networks, has died
SUMMARY: Joni Lamb, who cofounded one of the world's largest Christian TV networks with her late husband, has died. The Daystar Television Network said she died Thursday after suffering from serious health issues. She was 65. The network says its ministry will continue and that Lamb made sure a leadership team was in place. Based in the Dallas area, the Daystar Television Network says it is broadcast in more than 200 countries. Joni Lamb was the network's president and could be seen on the air hosting her signature daily women’s show.
WORDS: 378 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSObitJoniLamb/4978349d813c000cd7ee7f4dc377f14e/text___
Pope Leo XIV sought a pastoral role in his first year, but verbal sparring with Trump intervened
SUMMARY: In his first year as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV seems driven not by the dramatic gesture or tensions that often fueled the papacy of his predecessor, but by a calm, persistent zeal to preach the Gospel and emphasize community and harmony. His verbal feud with U.S. President Donald Trump over the Iran war may have complicated his effort, but he insists his essential role is that of a pastor accompanying his flock. After Pope Francis’ sometimes divisive 12-year papacy, Leo has brought a calming balm to the Vatican and the church at large. He seems intent on healing divisions, even as new threats of schism emerge.
WORDS: 1368 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 5:17 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURELVaticanAYearofLeostLdWritethru/3e6070c6474d425b4cc6ee8e03ceafc7/text___
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EDUCATION
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A Canvas outage tied to a cyberattack has wreaked havoc on colleges' final exam season
SUMMARY: Schools and universities across the country are recovering from an outage tied to a cyberattack that knocked down Canvas. The online platform manages exams, course notes, lecture videos and grades. The disruption hit in the middle of finals period for many colleges, a high-stress time when students and instructors rely heavily on the platform. Instructure is the parent company of Canvas and says the platform is available again to most users as of late Thursday. A threat analyst at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft says the hacking group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach.
WORDS: 546 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 3:53 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEducationCanvasWhattoKnow/209a51692f043a959459dbe37fb34e4b/text___
Canvas system used by thousands of schools is back online after a cyberattack disrupted studies
SUMMARY: A system that thousands of schools and universities use to support instruction was back online Friday after it went down during a cyberattack, creating chaos as students tried to study for finals. The hacking group named ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach at Canvas, said Luke Connolly, a threat analyst at the cybersecurity firm Emisoft. Instructure, the company behind Canvas, said in an update late Thursday that the system was available for most users. An expert says the hacking group posted online that nearly 9,000 schools worldwide were affected, with billions of private messages and other records accessed.
WORDS: 456 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 2:38 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEducationSchoolsCanvasOutage/446c240d5aeb1b1a1e3795fb92237563/text___
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SPORTS
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NFL and referees agree on a 7-year collective bargaining agreement, avoiding potential work stoppage
SUMMARY: The NFL and the NFL Referees Association have agreed on a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement that avoids a potential work stoppage and use of replacement officials. The deal runs through the 2032 NFL season. The league began the onboarding process for replacement officials last month because negotiations weren’t progressing. But they won’t be necessary.
WORDS: 280 - MOVED: 05/08/2026 4:54 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFBNNFLOfficialsstLdWritethru/4114c54b7debc5c47f9601efd27873c3/text___
Fueled by beer ads, March Madness tournaments will expand to 76 teams each starting next season
SUMMARY: The NCAA will expand its March Madness tournaments by eight teams each next season. It will add more early-round games in the first week without altering the overall format. The new 76-team brackets for men and women will feature 12 games involving 24 teams. The winners will join the main 64-team bracket starting Thursday for men and Friday for women. Most new slots are expected to go to power conference teams.
WORDS: 1136 - MOVED: 05/07/2026 7:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKONCAATournamentExpansionrdLdWritethru/5430c958e232afd8eb9226aa255e9c76/text___
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