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Top Stories Digest

Posted 6/27/25

Here are the AP's latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org.

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Top Stories Digest

Posted

Here are the AP's latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org.

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NATIONAL

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US--SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-DIDDY

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyer mocks sex trafficking case in closing, says charges ‘badly exaggerated’

SUMMARY: A defense lawyer says in his closing argument that the government “badly exaggerated” its evidence against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, turning the swinger lifestyle, drugs and threesomes into a racketeering conspiracy. The lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, was expected to spend several hours Friday trying to convince the New York jury to exonerate his 55-year-old client of charges including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. A prosecutor on Thursday had labeled Combs as a serial sex trafficker who manipulated his girlfriends over a 20-year period to participate in sexual performances with male escorts that Combs filmed.

WORDS: 614 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:26 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4fcd417c10b276d0c4efca95c4e5d65d&mediaType=text

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US--MINNESOTA-LAWMAKERS SHOT

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman to lie in state as suspect faces court date

SUMMARY: Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman will lie in state at the Minnesota Capitol rotunda. Hortman, her husband, and their dog were killed in a June 14 attack. The public can pay respects from noon to 5 p.m. Friday. A private funeral is set for Saturday. The suspect, Vance Boelter, who is charged with murder and attempted murder, is due in federal court Friday. Prosecutors allege he targeted multiple Democrats in what they call a political assassination. Boelter could face the federal death penalty. His wife has expressed shock and sympathy for the victims, calling the violence a betrayal of their beliefs.

WORDS: 784 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 5:50 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1558dffabc9bbf087a4e45f9cf868b09&mediaType=text

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US--IMMIGRATION LAWSUIT-ICE DETENTION

Family sues over US detention in what may be first challenge to courthouse arrests involving kids

SUMMARY: A mother and her two young kids are fighting for their release from a Texas immigration detention center. The lawsuit filed Tuesday is challenging the Trump administration’s policy on immigrant arrests at courthouses. It’s believed to be the first lawsuit involving children. It argues that the family’s arrests after entering the U.S. legally using a Biden-era online appointment app violate the family’s Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. The mother, her 6-year-old son and her 9-year-old daughter have been held for a month after fleeing Honduras. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

WORDS: 774 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:48 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:dee230ec5a6c31e1ac498d9fafd89e5f&mediaType=text

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US--DEPORTATION ERROR-THINGS TO KNOW

What to know about Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release and risk of deportation

SUMMARY: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is back in the United States and facing human smuggling charges in Tennessee, but his future is far from certain. A federal judge has ruled that he has a right to be released while awaiting trial. But the judge is keeping him in jail for now while attorneys spar over whether prosecutors can prevent his deportation if he is released. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys expect U.S. immigration officials to try to quickly deport him. The Salvadoran national became a flashpoint over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies when he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March.

WORDS: 1315 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:02 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:523fdb48ead56dde2a3c2c4b28fef6d9&mediaType=text

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ENT--OBIT--BILL MOYERS

Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary turned acclaimed TV journalist, dead at 91

SUMMARY: Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary who became one of television’s most honored journalists, has died at 91. His career ranged from President Lyndon Johnson’s press secretary to newspaper publisher and senior news analyst at CBS News. But it was for public television that Moyers produced some of TV’s most intelligent and provocative programs. During hundreds of hours on PBS, he proved at home with subjects ranging from government corruption to modern dance, from drug addiction to media consolidation, from religion to environmental abuse. He called himself a “citizen journalist.”

WORDS: 1265 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 6:02 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:eed7ecae0e20c2db4b82500996916dfe&mediaType=text

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US-PLANNED PARENTHOOD-THINGS TO KNOW

What to know about states blocking Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court is letting South Carolina block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. For abortion opponents, it’s a victory for the idea that states with more restrictive abortion laws shouldn’t have to support groups that provide services policymakers disagree with. Abortion rights supporters frame the ruling as a blow to health care access. The ruling comes as the U.S. Senate is considering a national ban on federal funds for Planned Parenthood. Federal policy already blocks paying for most abortions. The restrictions in question would bar public funding for other services offered by Planned Parenthood.

WORDS: 901 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 3:45 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:80c56455e6313385c57d82fe522779b3&mediaType=text

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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US--TRUMP-PARDONS-TAKEAWAYS

What to know about prisoners crafting clemency petitions to capture Trump’s attention

SUMMARY: Among the people who’ve received clemency in President Donald Trump’s second term are a pair of reality TV stars, a straw donor who gave $900,000 to Trump’s first inaugural committee and a Virginia sheriff sentenced to 10 years for deputizing several businessmen in exchange for cash payments. The clemency has prompted widespread hope among federal prisoners, several of whom are crafting their own petitions to capture Trump’s attention. One of them is disgraced federal narcotics agent Chad Scott, who’s serving a 13-year sentence in Kentucky for corruption. Scott wrote a letter to Trump seeking to draw parallels between his own prosecution and that of the Republican president.

WORDS: 950 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 1:22 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a81cb5e1115dd7f9e3df69cfb19c948b&mediaType=text

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US--IMMIGRATION-BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions, but fate of Trump birthright citizenship order unclear

SUMMARY: A divided Supreme Court has ruled that individual judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions, but the decision leaves unclear the fate of President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship. The outcome Friday was a victory for Trump, who has complained about individual judges throwing up obstacles to his agenda. But a conservative majority left open the possibility that the birthright citizenship changes could remain blocked nationwide. The Republican president’s order would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who are in the country illegally. Trump says the court’s decision is “amazing” and a “monumental victory for the Constitution,” the separation of powers and the rule of law.

WORDS: 779 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:49 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9da9e11d83f2fd3cbf95e6a733651daf&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME COURT-PORN-AGE VERIFICATION

Supreme Court upholds Texas law aimed at blocking kids from seeing pornography online

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has upheld a Texas law aimed at blocking kids from seeing pornography online. The court ruled Friday. More than a dozen states have passed similar age verification laws as smartphones and other devices make it easier to access online porn. An industry trade group challenged the Texas law after the adult-content site Pornhub shut down in several states. The group said the law puts an unfair burden on adults by requiring them to submit personal information that could be vulnerable to hacking or tracking. District courts initially blocked laws in Indiana and Tennessee as well as Texas, but appeals courts reversed the decisions and let the laws take effect.

WORDS: 299 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 11:43 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:12a73197796fe8c4bef0d888259543cf&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME COURT-LGBTQ BOOKS

Supreme Court says Maryland parents can pull their kids from public school lessons using LGBTQ books

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has ruled that Maryland parents who have religious objections can pull their children from public school lessons using LGBTQ storybooks. The justices Friday reversed lower-court rulings in favor of the Montgomery County school system in suburban Washington. The high court ruled that the schools likely could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material. The decision was not a final ruling in the case, but the justices strongly suggested that the parents will win in the end. The court ruled that policies like the one at issue in the case are subjected to the strictest level of review, nearly always dooming them.

WORDS: 443 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 11:27 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c0b0fb4b96531636fcb98b08aabc3cf9&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME-COURT-TELECOMMUNICATIONS FEE

Supreme Court OKs fee that subsidizes phone, internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has upheld the fee added to phone bills to provide billions of dollars a year in subsidized phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas. The justices Friday reversed an appeals court ruling that had struck down as unconstitutional the Universal Service Fund, the charge that’s been added to phone bills for nearly 30 years. At arguments in March, liberal and conservative justices alike expressed concerns about the potentially devastating consequences of eliminating the fund, which has benefited tens of millions of Americans. The Federal Communications Commission collects the money from telecommunications providers, which pass the cost to customers. A Virginia-based conservative advocacy group had challenged the practice.

WORDS: 386 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 10:59 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d02052fc7c4617eb0dd4f27cac680865&mediaType=text

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US--TRUMP-PARDONS

Pardon applications are being carefully crafted with one man in mind: Donald Trump

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s unconventional approach to clemency has spread hope among federal prisoners and formerly incarcerated people around the United States, prompting a wave of petitions carefully crafted to capture his attention. Like other presidents, Trump has drawn criticism for granting pardons and commutations to political allies. But legal scholars say the Republican president also has cast aside the traditional criteria and a clemency process historically overseen by nonpolitical Justice Department personnel. Trump has pardoned and commuted the sentences of more than 1,600 people since January. Administration officials say Trump decides on clemency requests after they’re vetted by the White House Counsel’s Office, the White House pardon czar and the Justice Department.

WORDS: 2098 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 8:32 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c13bb01491b3d5956ff48572983302fb&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME COURT-UNDECIDED CASES

Supreme Court meets Friday to decide 6 remaining cases, including birthright citizenship

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court is meeting Friday to decide the final six cases of its term, including President Donald Trump’s bid to enforce his executive order denying birthright citizenship to U.S.-born children of parents who are in the country illegally. The justices take the bench at 10 a.m. for their last public session until the start of their new term on Oct. 6. The birthright citizenship order has been blocked nationwide by three lower courts. The Trump administration made an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to narrow the court orders that have prevented the citizenship changes from taking effect anywhere in the U.S.

WORDS: 562 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:01 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2f8e856024885aa58d323c05cfeeeea6&mediaType=text

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US--CONGRESS-TAX CUTS

Key Medicaid provision in Trump’s bill is found to violate Senate rules. The GOP is scrambling

SUMMARY: The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a Medicaid provider tax overhaul central to President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending bill doesn’t adhere to procedural rules. It’s a blow to Republicans rushing to finish the package this week. The guidance from the parliamentarian is rarely ignored and GOP leaders swiftly worked to revise the proposal. Majority Leader John Thune says, “We have contingency plans.” Trump hosted GOP lawmakers Thursday for an event at the White House with Americans the administration says will benefit from the bill. He said he doesn’t want any “grandstanders” to hold up the bill and wants it passed by the Fourth of July.

WORDS: 1167 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 7:32 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f6f4343bbc9c9a279bd7861c2e5c1b7b&mediaType=text

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US--MARYLAND DEPORTATION ERROR

Justice Department says Kilmar Abrego Garcia will face US trial before any move to deport him again

SUMMARY: The Justice Department says it intends to try Kilmar Abrego Garcia on federal smuggling charges in Tennessee before it moves to deport him, addressing fears that he could be expelled again from the U.S. within days. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes in Nashville, Tennessee, recently ruled that Abrego Garcia has a right to be released from jail while awaiting trial on the smuggling charges. But she decided Wednesday to keep him in custody for at least a few more days over concerns that U.S. immigration officials would swiftly detain him and try to deport him again. But DOJ spokesperson Chad Gilmartin told The Associated Press on Thursday that Abrego Garcia will first be tried in court on the charges.

WORDS: 804 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 6:50 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c96844906793b35a80f9bbb4afa07e94&mediaType=text

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US--MIDEAST-WARS-CONGRESS

Senators diverge sharply on damage done by Iran strikes after classified briefing

SUMMARY: Senators are emerging from a classified briefing with sharply diverging assessments of President Donald Trump’s bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites. Republicans called the mission a clear success, while Democrats expressed deep skepticism. The briefing Thursday was given by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Kaine. It comes as questions swirl about the effectiveness of the attack and what’s ahead for America’s military involvement in the Middle East. Senators are also weighing their support for a resolution affirming that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran.

WORDS: 959 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 4:40 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bccfbfe5c52b39eacdf02a0a8323847f&mediaType=text

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US--SUPREME COURT-PLANNED PARENTHOOD

States can block Medicaid money for health care at Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court says

SUMMARY: The Supreme Court says states can block the country’s biggest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid money for health services such as contraception and cancer screenings. Planned Parenthood says the court’s Thursday ruling will hinder access to certain kinds of care for 1 million patients in South Carolina and could allow for wider funding cuts in other states. South Carolina’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster, applauds the court’s ruling. South Carolina argued no public money should go to Planned Parenthood, even if it’s not paying for abortions. The White House says the ruling underscores President Donald Trump’s position that states should determine abortion policy.

WORDS: 943 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 3:09 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e056395b9e5646d13539e76605027a1f&mediaType=text

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US--MIDEAST WARS-US-IRAN

Pentagon leaders cite military tactics to show destruction from US attacks on Iran

SUMMARY: Pentagon leaders have laid out new details about military tactics and explosives to bolster their argument that U.S. attacks had destroyed key Iranian nuclear facilities. But at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, little more emerged on how far back the bombing had set Tehran’s atomic program. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine tried to shift the debate from whether the nuclear targets were “obliterated” as President Donald Trump has said. Hegseth was asked whether Iran’s highly enriched uranium was moved before the weekend strikes. He said the Pentagon is looking at the intelligence to ensure “we have a sense of what was where.”

WORDS: 1014 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 3:07 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:78499bef6b34ebb970b5c9d074021044&mediaType=text

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INTERNATIONAL

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EU--ITALY-VENICE-BEZOS-WEDDING

The best that Bezos’ money can buy: The billionaire’s Venice wedding to Lauren Sánchez causes a stir

SUMMARY: The sky itself is no limit for billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sánchez. They have traveled into space, and expectations are just about as high for their wedding in Venice. The team of the world’s fourth-richest man has kept details under wraps. Still, whispers point to events spread across the lagoon city, adding complexity and cost. On Thursday, dozens of private jets touched down at Venice’s airport as yachts pulled into the city’s famed waterways. Aboard were athletes, celebrities, influencers and business leaders, converging to revel in extravagance that is as much a testament to the couple’s love as to their extraordinary wealth. The nuptials have also become a lightning rod for protests.

WORDS: 1207 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 1:29 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:cd8a6472407ce2f4c1d9e111db9beab9&mediaType=text

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ML--MIDEAST WARS

Trump says Iran must open itself to inspection to verify it doesn’t restart its nuclear program

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn’t restart its nuclear program. Asked during a White House news conference Friday if he would demand during expected talks with Iran that the International Atomic Energy Agency or some other organization be authorized to conduct inspections, Trump responded the Islamic republic would have to cooperate with that group “or somebody that we respect, including ourselves.”

WORDS: 852 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:33 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e30d8ae4e3c6d13e4cfb562c35dd744b&mediaType=text

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AS--JAPAN EXECUTION

Japan executes man convicted of murder for killing and dismembering 9 people in his apartment

SUMMARY: Japan’s Justice Ministry says a man convicted of murder for killing and dismembering nine people in his apartment near Tokyo was executed Friday. Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the “Twitter killer,” was sentenced to death in 2020 for the killings in 2017 of the nine victims, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on social media. He was hanged in high secrecy with nothing disclosed until the execution was done. The execution was carried out as calls grew to abolish the capital punishment following the acquittal of the world’s longest-serving death-row inmate Iwao Hakamada last year.

WORDS: 410 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 11:18 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:896b8dedd9c02719abca64acbb04cc04&mediaType=text

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AS--KOREAS-TENSIONS

6 Americans detained in South Korea for trying to send rice and Bibles to North Korea by sea

SUMMARY: Police have detained six Americans in South Korea for allegedly trying to send 1,600 plastic bottles filled with rice, U.S. dollars bills and Bibles toward North Korea by sea. Police said the Americans tried to throw the bottles into the sea so they could float toward North Korean shores by the tides. They were detained Friday to be investigated on allegations they violated a safety law. The police officers gave no further details on the Americans, including whether they had made previous attempts to send bottles toward North Korea. Activists floating plastic bottles or flying balloons carrying anti-North Korea propaganda across the border has long caused tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

WORDS: 434 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 10:09 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:93eeb8ee546b4e4793f5ba18fc38b860&mediaType=text

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ML--MIDEAST WARS-GAZA

An Israeli strike kills 18 Palestinians in central Gaza as turmoil mounts over food distribution

SUMMARY: Palestinian hospital officials say an Israeli airstrike has hit a street in central Gaza, killing 18 people. Witnesses say the strike targeted a crowd receiving flour from a Palestinian police unit that had confiscated goods from looters. The unit, part of Gaza’s Hamas-led Interior Ministry, was distributing aid when the attack occurred. Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid, while Gaza faces ongoing turmoil over food distribution. Armed gangs and desperate crowds have disrupted aid efforts, with tribes now stepping in to guard convoys. Meanwhile, limited aid continues to trickle into Gaza, where millions struggle with hunger and violence.

WORDS: 954 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 10:03 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a5c3052d1d983329b5d9a2f3986811fe&mediaType=text

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AS--PAKISTAN-FLOODING

Flash floods in Pakistan kill 8 after deluge sweeps away dozens

SUMMARY: Flash floods triggered by pre-monsoon rains swept away dozens of tourists in northwest Pakistan on Friday, killing at least eight people. The nationwide death toll from rain-related incidents rose to 18 over the past 24 hours, officials said. Nearly 100 rescuers are searching for missing tourists along the Swat River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Rescuers have saved 58 people and recovered eight bodies so far. Heavy rains have caused widespread damage, with more rain expected this week.

WORDS: 335 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 7:26 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b74792eaf0088f70c21e9ef388f91705&mediaType=text

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ML--IRAQ-IRAN-KURDISH DISSIDENTS

Iranian Kurdish dissidents abroad watch for signs of Tehran vulnerability after war with Israel

SUMMARY: Iranian Kurdish dissidents have been watching from abroad for signs that the government in Tehran might falter after the 12-day Israel-Iran war. They include a handful of exiled Iranian Kurdish groups based in northern Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region. Leaders of two of the groups say they are trying to organize politically to ensure that Iran’s Kurds will not be sidelined should the current Iranian government lose its hold on power. They did not say publicly that their groups were preparing an armed uprising if it turns out that change is coming to Tehran, but at least one official left the possibility open.

WORDS: 981 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 4:37 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2ce4976aafbf225d8955b24c3bc31d42&mediaType=text

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EU--EUROPE-SUMMIT

EU leaders seek a big boost in Ukraine military support but make little progress on Russia sanctions

SUMMARY: European Union leaders are calling for greater efforts to help meet Ukraine’s pressing military needs. The leaders expressed support for Kyiv’s quest to join their ranks, but they made little headway with new Russia sanctions. In a summit statement Thursday they said it was important to deliver more “air defense and anti-drone systems, and large-caliber ammunition, to help Ukraine.” They underlined the need to help support Ukraine’s defense industry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the meeting via videolink. The leaders also deplored the “dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.” They said foreign ministers would debate the future of EU-Israel ties on July 15.

WORDS: 989 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 1:44 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:fe37c213eb72f7f1589840387db5a7a1&mediaType=text

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LT--ECUADOR- GANG-LEADER-RECAPTURED

Ecuador reveals how notorious gang leader ‘Fito’ hid in his hometown for 18 months after jailbreak

SUMMARY: Ever since Ecuador’s most notorious gang leader vanished from his prison cell in January 2024, the mystery of his whereabouts has been the buzz of the nation. Authorities had issued an international arrest warrant for Adolfo Macías, alias “Fito,” and searched the world for the past 18 months, offering a $1 million reward for information that could lead to his arrest. As it turns out, the hide-out of Ecuador’s most wanted man was a family member’s luxurious mansion in his hometown. In a remarks to reporters Thursday, authorities revealed further details about their efforts to locate Macías and the hiding place where he spent his final weeks as a fugitive.

WORDS: 696 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:34 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7c7f82ca71d23a8f6d72c56333164a4d&mediaType=text

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CB-DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-WANDER FRANCO TRIAL

Tampa Bay Rays’ Wander Franco convicted of sexually abusing a child and gets a suspended sentence

SUMMARY: Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has been found guilty of sexually abusing a child. A Dominican Republic court handed him a two-year suspended sentence Thursday. Franco was accused of having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl and transferring money to her mother for consent. He was found not guilty of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking. Prosecutors sought a five-year prison term for Franco and a 10-year sentence for the girl’s mother, who was also found guilty and will serve her full term. Major League Baseball said it would conclude its own investigation later. Franco’s baseball career remains on hold amid ongoing legal issues.

WORDS: 542 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 9:59 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f1ffcb27549164cc39c3d4aa4f889161&mediaType=text

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EU--FRANCE-STORMS

Storms in France cause flooding, 2 deaths and a leak in parliament

SUMMARY: Torrential storms in France caused two deaths, flooded Paris streets and created a leak in parliament’s roof that interrupted a prime minister’s speech. Seventeen people were injured, and the storms Wednesday evening also left 110,000 homes without power. Parliamentary debate was paused for 15 minutes while fire officers addressed the leak. French media said a falling tree killed a 12-year-old in the southwest, while a man died in the northwest after his quad-bike struck a toppled tree.

WORDS: 168 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 9:40 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ed3f5cd9fac1a683d356effb45fa32a9&mediaType=text

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EU--RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR

Ukraine has halted Russia’s advance in the northern Sumy region, commander says

SUMMARY: Ukrainian forces claim to have stopped Russia’s advance into the northern Sumy region, stabilizing the front line near the border. Ukraine’s top military commander said on Thursday that this success has prevented Russia from redeploying 50,000 troops, including elite units, to other areas. Russian officials have not commented on the claim. Fighting continues along the 1,000-kilometer front line, with Ukraine relying on drones to counter Russia’s slow but costly advances. In Donetsk, Russia claims to have captured two villages as part of its offensive. Both sides are also launching long-range drone strikes, causing injuries and damage across multiple regions.

WORDS: 500 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 9:37 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:75c3a87cd55b003e5bc7578f80bf9694&mediaType=text

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ML--ISRAEL-US-TRUMP-NETANYAHU TRIAL

Israelis love Trump. But some are unnerved by his vow to save Netanyahu from his corruption trial

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s call for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial to be thrown out has plunged the American leader into one of Israel’s most heated debates, unnerving many in its political class just days after they unanimously praised his strikes on Iran. Trump’s social media post condemning the trial as a witch hunt and his vow that the United States will save Netanyahu from serious corruption charges, came just two days after he called off an Israeli bombing raid in Iran. Both were dramatic interventions in the affairs of ally that previous U.S. administrations had insisted was a sovereign nation that made its own decisions.

WORDS: 787 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 4:01 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e7cedec1c1a48101f83dc3fff0c2ac28&mediaType=text

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BUSINESS

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FINANCIAL MARKETS, 3RD LD-WRITETHRU

Stocks gain ground and put Wall Street on a path for all-time highs

SUMMARY: Stocks rose and put Wall Street on track to finish the strong week at an all-time high. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Friday and is on track to surpass its record set in February. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.6% and is also on track for a record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.2%. A record for the S&P 500 would mark a sharp turnaround from just three months ago, when the index fell nearly 20% from the February high on fears that the Trump administration’s trade policy could harm the economy. Nike soared despite warning of a steep hit from tariffs.

WORDS: 747 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:25 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:53ddd3e8d11be4d09419418b4f141382&mediaType=text

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CHINA-US-TRADE

Deal with Beijing will speed China’s export of minerals to the US, treasury secretary says

SUMMARY: Washington and Beijing have signed a trade agreement that will make it easier for American firms to obtain magnets and rare earth minerals from China that are critical to manufacturing and microchip production. That’s according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday. The agreement comes after China had retaliated against steep import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration on Chinese goods by slowing export of rare earth minerals and magnets much-needed by U.S. industrial interests. Bessent tells Fox Business Network “rare earth magnets” are “starting to flow back to the U.S.” and calls it a “de-escalation” of trade tensions between both countries.

WORDS: 877 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 12:13 p.m. EDT

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FINANCIAL MARKETS

US stocks rise to the brink of a record and recover nearly all their 20% springtime drop

SUMMARY: U.S. stocks ran up to the edge of another record. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% Thursday and is just 0.05% below its all-time closing high, which was set in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 0.9%, and the Nasdaq gained 1%. McCormick helped lead the market after the seller of cooking spices delivered a better-than-expected profit report. Treasury yields eased in the bond market following a couple of better-than-expected reports on the U.S. economy, including jobless claims and orders for long-lasting manufactured goods. Stock indexes were mixed across much of Europe and Asia.

WORDS: 841 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 4:51 p.m. EDT

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US--COLLEGE GRADS-UNEMPLOYMENT

Unemployment among young college graduates outpaces overall US joblessness rate

SUMMARY: Young people graduating from college this spring and summer are facing one of the toughest job markets in more than a decade. The unemployment rate for degree holders ages 22 to 27 has reached its highest level in a dozen years, excluding the coronavirus pandemic. Joblessness among that group is higher than the overall unemployment rate, and the gap is larger than it’s been in more than three decades. That worries many economists as well as officials at the Federal Reserve because it could be an early sign of trouble for the economy. It suggests businesses are holding off on hiring new workers because of rampant uncertainty stemming from the Trump administration’s tariff increases

WORDS: 1224 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 3:02 p.m. EDT

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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US-MED--KENNEDY-VACCINE PROMISES

RFK Jr.’s made promises about vaccines. Here’s what he’s done as health secretary

SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken unprecedented steps to change how vaccines are evaluated, approved and recommended. That’s despite his saying during his Senate confirmation hearings that he wouldn’t undermine vaccines. Back then, he promised senators he wouldn’t change existing vaccine recommendations. He also said his department wouldn’t delay vaccine approvals and that review standards wouldn’t change. But Kennedy has changed recommendations around COVID-19 vaccines and changed the approval criteria for COVID shots. His latest move: ousting all 17 members of the science panel that advises how vaccines should be used.

WORDS: 1092 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 11:21 a.m. EDT

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SCI--OLDEST ROCKS

These Canadian rocks may be the oldest on Earth

SUMMARY: Scientists have identified what could be the oldest rocks on Earth from a rock formation in Canada. The Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in Quebec has long been known for its ancient rocks, but researchers disagree on exactly how old they are. Samples from a new site place the rocks at approximately 4.16 billion years old, in the earliest period of Earth’s history. Ancient rocks are hard to find, but they give scientists a rare window into how early Earth may have looked and even how life got started. The new research was published Thursday in the journal Science.

WORDS: 478 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 11:15 p.m. EDT

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US-MED--CDC-VACCINE COMMITTEE

Kennedy’s advisers back flu vaccination, but not shots with a rarely used preservative

SUMMARY: U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory committee endorsed fall flu vaccinations Thursday for just about every American but with a twist: The group says people should only be given shots free of an ingredient antivaccine groups have falsely tied to autism. The seven-member panel, which includes vaccine skeptics, replaced the previous 17-member group earlier this month. Public health officials are worried that ideological decisions could make vaccines less accessible and more expensive for millions of Americans.

WORDS: 1001 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 5:11 p.m. EDT

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ENTERTAINMENT

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ENT-FASHION-ANNA WINTOUR

Anna Wintour is seeking a new Vogue editor-in-chief but will maintain editorial control

SUMMARY: Anna Wintour is appointing a head of editorial content at Vogue to manage daily operations while retaining her influential role. On Thursday, Wintour informed staff about the change, which aligns with Condé Nast’s global reorganization of editorial teams. The new role at American Vogue will report directly to Wintour. She will remain chief content officer for Condé Nast and global editorial director of Vogue. The move allows her to focus on overseeing all Condé Nast brands worldwide, except The New Yorker. Wintour is known for modernizing Vogue with celebrity covers and championing emerging designers. Vogue says in a statement on its website the addition of an editorial lead will free up Wintour to serve other titles in her portfolio.

WORDS: 530 - MOVED: 06/26/2025 4:23 p.m. EDT

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SPORTS

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HKN--LABOR DEAL-EXPLAINER

An 84-game season is among the changes coming to the NHL as part of the new labor deal

SUMMARY: An 84-game season is coming to the NHL as part of an extension of the collective bargaining agreement. The league and the Players’ Association have reached a deal through 2030. It still must be ratified by the Board of Governors and the full NHLPA membership. Extending the regular season from 82 to 84 games is also expected to come with a reduction in exhibition play. The maximum length of contracts getting shortened and a playoff salary cap being implemented are among the other changes.

WORDS: 693 - MOVED: 06/27/2025 1:10 p.m. EDT

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