AP Top Stories Digest

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.

——————————

NEW AND DEVELOPING

——————————

——————————

NATIONAL

——————————

GYM--USA-GYMNASTICS-ABUSE-INQUIRY

Gym owner says she reported grooming concerns about coach years before arrest in sex abuse case

SUMMARY: Concerns about a banned gymnastics coach arrested amid allegations he abused girls he coached surfaced years before police or sports authorities took action. The Associated Press has learned that a former boss of Sean Gardner brought concerns in 2018 about “grooming” behavior to the agency overseeing U.S. gymnastics. Girls he coached and their parents told AP they sounded alarms about Gardner’s inappropriate behavior to coaches at the renowned academy where he worked after that. The parents spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their daughters. Gym’s owner Liang “Chow” Qiao kept Gardner on and promoted him. Not until 2022 was Gardner banned from gymnastics. Shortly after, Qiao and others at the gym were sanctioned for failing to report sexual misconduct reports against Gardner.

WORDS: 1432 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 1:04 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2108ae9da6046f62ae3bf07323860d3a&mediaType=text

___

US--LABOR DAY-WHAT TO KNOW

Labor Day weekend has arrived. What to know about the holiday

SUMMARY: Labor Day is a holiday celebrating the American worker. But from barbecues to getaways to shopping the sales, many people across the U.S. mark it by finding ways to relax. It’s celebrated on the first Monday of September. While actions by unions in recent years to advocate for workers have been a reminder of the holiday’s activist roots, the three-day weekend it creates has become a touchstone in the lives of Americans marking the unofficial end of summer.

WORDS: 789 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 1:02 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:932032c4aa5e9d8000da016bb114be44&mediaType=text

___

US--ELECTION 2026-REDISTRICTING

Texas governor signs new voting maps pushed by Trump to gain five GOP seats in Congress in 2026

SUMMARY: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed into law a new congressional voting map designed to help Republicans gain more seats in the 2026 midterm elections, delivering a win for President Donald Trump and his desire to hold on to a slim GOP majority in the U.S. House. The Texas maps drafted in rare mid-decade redistricting have prompted a gerrymandering tug-of-war for voters with Democrats in states across the country. Outnumbered Democrats tried in vain to stop the Texas vote. At one point, they staged a two-week walkout. Democrats have vowed to challenge the new map in court.

WORDS: 391 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:56 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:33bfdc8790cdf8201d80c8c89258df3d&mediaType=text

___

US--TRUMP-VENEZUELA-IMMIGRANTS

Appeals court blocks Trump administration from ending legal protections for 600,000 Venezuelans

SUMMARY: A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration’s plans to end protections for 600,000 people from Venezuela who have had permission to live and work in the United States. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a lower court ruling that maintained temporary protected status for Venezuelans while the case proceeded through court. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco found in March that plaintiffs were likely to prevail on their claim that the administration overstepped its authority in terminating the protections. Chen ordered a freeze on the terminations, but the Supreme Court reversed him without explanation.

WORDS: 376 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:49 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7c70b2d301c43663a6f506af527637a4&mediaType=text

___

US--TRACKING IMMIGRANTS

Employers have used E-Verify for years. ICE’s arrest of a Maine police officer raises new questions

SUMMARY: The case of a Maine police officer arrested by immigration authorities even though he was vetted by a government system called E-Verify is raising questions about what employers can do to make sure they’re employing people who can legally work. E-Verify is an online system that compares information entered by an employer from an employee’s documents with records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin accused Old Orchard Beach, Maine, of showing “reckless reliance” on the E-Verify program when it hired Jamaica national Jon Luke Evans, who has since agreed to leave the country. But experts say there are few other options.

WORDS: 1230 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:24 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9303ab3ab07041def46373d9f0d927eb&mediaType=text

___

US--DEPORTATION ERROR-ABREGO GARCIA

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers worry he can’t get a fair trial and request gag order for top US officials

SUMMARY: Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia are concerned he can’t get a fair trial in his human smuggling case in Tennessee. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys say Trump administration officials keep attacking him with prejudicial and false statements and are asking a federal judge to order officials involved with his case to hold back on their comments. Those officials would include Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Abrego Garcia became a flashpoint over President Donald Trump’s immigration polices when he was wrongfully deported to El Salvador. Trump’s Republican administration is trying to deport Abrego Garcia again, this time to Uganda. The Trump administration says Abrego Garcia has “committed heinous crimes.”

WORDS: 631 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:12 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e0655bd18589904a3f957aa41514ca42&mediaType=text

___

US--SCHOOL SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS

Father of 8-year-old boy killed in Minneapolis church shooting wants him remembered for his love

SUMMARY: The families of the two Catholic school students fatally shot while celebrating Mass at a Minneapolis church are continuing to wrestle with their grief. The father of the 8-year-old boy killed wants his son remembered “for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.” Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski were killed Wednesday, and more than a dozen of their schoolmates were wounded when a shooter fired 116 rifle rounds through the church’s stained-glass windows. Police said Thursday that the shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, idolized mass killers and wanted to terrorize innocent children. The children were celebrating Mass during the first week of classes at the Annunciation Catholic School.

WORDS: 967 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 11:58 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e116fe0dd0d0662bbe69f5026e3fb313&mediaType=text

___

US--NATIONAL GUARD-CITIES-CRIME

Trump suggests more US cities need National Guard but crime stats tell a different story

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to Chicago and other big cities as a way to fight crime. Yet behind the aggressive talk, data actually shows that most U.S. violent crime has been in a steady decline. Homicides through the first six months of 2025 were down significantly in Chicago, New York City, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. It’s a continuation of a trend since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aggravated assaults were also down, with the exception of New York, where they were virtually unchanged. The Associated Press relied on numbers from AH Datalytics, which tracks crimes across the country.

WORDS: 991 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 11:07 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:92ee575c0d445320aa633f6abe2a26b9&mediaType=text

___

US--ELECTRIC VEHICLES-ROAD USER FEE

Oregon could join Hawaii in mandating pay-per-mile fees for EV owners as gas tax projections fall

SUMMARY: Oregon lawmakers are considering a proposal that would make the state the second in the nation to require electric vehicle owners to enroll in a pay-per-mile program. The measure is part of a larger transportation funding package that lawmakers will consider during a special session that starts Friday. States are facing transportation budget shortfalls partly stemming from projected declines in gas tax revenues as more people adopt fuel-efficient and electric cars. Under Oregon’s proposal, EV drivers would pay a fee based on distance traveled or pay an annual fee. In 2023, Hawaii became the first state to create a mandatory road usage charge for EVs.

WORDS: 736 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:06 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ceb4872e2d2e35f252fb3e27f5bd1f71&mediaType=text

___

US--MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTING VICTIMS

Parents of students killed in Minneapolis church shooting share emotional pleas

SUMMARY: The parents of two schoolchildren fatally shot in a Minneapolis church have spoken out, urging the community to address the root causes of school shootings. Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed on Wednesday morning when a shooter opened fire at a Mass attended by students at Annunciation Catholic School. Fifteen other students and three adults were also shot. Only one person - a child - was in critical condition. Moyski’s parents hope her memory fuels action against gun violence and mental health issues. Merkel’s father expressed gratitude for the heroic actions that prevented further tragedy.

WORDS: 777 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 10:41 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2d6f42878e210383e4b5cef108aa78b0&mediaType=text

___

US--SCHOOL SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS-WHAT TO KNOW

What to know about the shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school

SUMMARY: A shooter opened fire during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school, killing two children and injuring 18 other people. Authorities say the 23-year-old shooter fired more than 100 rifle rounds through the windows of the church at Annunciation Catholic School before dying by suicide. The children who were killed have been identified as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel 10-year-old Harper Moyski. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Thursday that the shooter was a former Annunciation student and had previously been a member of the church. Investigators say the shooter left behind extensive writings, but authorities are still working to determine why he targeted the church on Wednesday.

WORDS: 767 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 8:59 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:271e65d699d38e01e83a6502c18df155&mediaType=text

___

US--FLORIDA IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTER

Florida may lose $218M on empty ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as judge orders shutdown

SUMMARY: Florida could be on the hook for the $218 million cost of converting an airport in the Everglades into an immigration detention center that may soon be empty of detainees. A federal judge has ordered operations to wind down at the center due to environmental concerns. The facility, known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” has been emptying of detainees. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams on Wednesday denied requests to pause her order, despite claims it would disrupt immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security says it’s complying and moving detainees elsewhere. Civil rights groups also have filed lawsuits over detainee treatment at the facility.

WORDS: 840 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 8:35 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:445e7cc7f6163d6a4749d452f2d57630&mediaType=text

___

US--TYRE NICHOLS

New trial ordered for 3 Memphis ex-officers in connection with the beating death of Tyre Nichols

SUMMARY: A judge has ordered a new trial for three former Memphis police officers who were convicted of federal charges in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The order comes after defense lawyers argued that another judge who presided over their trial was biased against the men. U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman issued the order for a new trial for Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith. The three were found guilty in October 2024 of obstruction of justice through witness tampering in the January 2023 beating death of Nichols after he fled a traffic stop.

WORDS: 1086 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 8:32 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bcc6ab20519bd780f09efa5d650848d1&mediaType=text

___

US--FLORIDA EXECUTION

Man convicted of triple murder put to death in record 11th execution in Florida this year

SUMMARY: A man convicted of killing his girlfriend, her mother and a man he claimed owed him money has been put to death in Florida. Curtis Windom received a lethal injection Thursday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke. It was a record 11th execution in Florida this year as Windom also became the 30th person executed in the U.S. so far in 2025. He was convicted of the November 1992 Orlando area murders of girlfriend Valerie Davis, the woman’s mother and the man he said owed him $2,000. A 12th execution is scheduled to be carried out in Florida on Sept. 17.

WORDS: 691 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 7:11 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c080d940c93d97fa2ec2cb67fe5d7f66&mediaType=text

___

US--SCHOOL SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS-SHOOTER

What we know about the shooter who killed 2 and wounded 18 in Minneapolis

SUMMARY: The shooter who fired into a Minneapolis Catholic school’s church was quiet, often alone and seemed to resent school as an eighth grader there seven years ago. That is what a former classmate told The Associated Press. Officials identified the shooter who killed two children and injured 18 worshippers during Wednesday’s Mass as Robin Westman, aged 23. Officials said Thursday that Westman was a former student at Annunciation Catholic School. One classmate recalled Westman once hid in the bathroom to avoid going to the all-school Mass. YouTube videos allegedly posted by the shooter suggest Westman experienced depression and admired other acts of mass violence but didn’t spell out any specific ideology.

WORDS: 1215 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 6:34 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c4ebf0eaa7b4f67c697d93d679cb0e4b&mediaType=text

___

US--SCHOOL SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS-INSIDE THE CHURCH

Minneapolis Catholic schoolchildren listened to a prayer, then ducked for cover from gunfire

SUMMARY: The pews of a Minneapolis church were packed with teachers, parents and schoolchildren paired with older ‘buddies’ listening to a prayer on their third day of the new school year. Then people scrambled for safety after a shooter opened fire Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School. Two children were killed and 17 people were wounded. The shooter was found dead by suicide behind the church. Police said all the wounded victims are expected to survive. The shooting has shaken the tight-knit community built around the century-old Catholic school and parish.

WORDS: 704 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 4:59 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:09e2fb36ee076f89b7ffed4f7e371e0d&mediaType=text

___

US--SHARPTON-WALL STREET

Al Sharpton leads pro-DEI ‘March on Wall Street’ on anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington

SUMMARY: The Rev. Al Sharpton led a protest through Manhattan’s Financial District to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader joined clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration dubbed the “March on Wall Street” that was timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton vowed to “keep the dream alive on Wall Street.” He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled back policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.

WORDS: 568 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 3:49 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:2c942bd5dfe685d55ce75aecb16f94f4&mediaType=text

___

——————————

WASHINGTON/POLITICS

——————————

US--TRUMP-HARRIS-SECRET SERVICE

Trump ends ex-Vice President Harris’ Secret Service protection early after Biden had extended it

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has revoked former Vice President Kamala Harris’ Secret Service protection that otherwise would’ve ended next summer. That’s according to senior Trump administration officials. Former vice presidents typically get federal government protection for six months after leaving office, while ex-presidents do so for life. But another person familiar with the matter says then-President Joe Biden quietly signed a directive, at Harris’ request, that had extended protection for her. The people insisted on anonymity Friday to discuss a matter not made public. Trump is a Republican. Biden and Harris are Democrats. Trump defeated Harris in the presidential election last year after Biden dropped out of the contest and Harris replaced him.

WORDS: 704 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:17 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:894d6ca3f202c0a854390d653c101673&mediaType=text

___

US--TRUMP-FOREIGN AID

Trump blocks $4.9B in foreign aid Congress OK’d, using maneuver last seen nearly 50 years ago

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has told House Speaker Mike Johnson he won’t be spending $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch. The Republican president is using what’s known as a pocket rescission — when a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so Congress cannot act on the request in a 45-day timeframe and the money goes unspent as a result. It’s the first time in nearly 50 years a president has used one. Trump’s move has drawn backlash in the Senate. The fiscal year draws to a close at the end of September.

WORDS: 973 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 11:51 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:374c63e6b4004e819a657e33b76f502e&mediaType=text

___

US--TRUMP-IMMIGRATION

Trump administration asks military base near Chicago for support on immigration operations

SUMMARY: The Trump administration has asked a military base outside of Chicago for support on immigration operations. The move offers a clue of what its expanded law enforcement crackdown might look like in the nation’s third-largest city. A base spokesperson says the Department of Homeland Security asked Naval Station Great Lakes for “limited support in the form of facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical needs to support DHS operations.” The spokesperson says no decisions have been made on the request, and that the base hasn’t received an official request to support a National Guard deployment. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker have pushed back against a possible mobilization, saying crime has fallen in Chicago. They plan to sue.

WORDS: 1061 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 8:26 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4be8ec065a8749bafd326333a1f1c767&mediaType=text

___

US--TRUMP-IMMIGRATION-FORT BLISS

Mystery surrounds $1.2 billion Army contract to build huge detention tent camp in Texas desert

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s administration has awarded a $1.2 billion contract to a tiny Virginia company to build and operate what’s expected to become the nation’s largest immigration detention complex at Fort Bliss in Texas. Acquisition Logistics LLC has no experience running correction facilities and had never won a federal contract for more than $16 million. The Pentagon refuses to disclose the Army’s contract with Acquisition Logistics or explain why it selected the company to build the massive tent camp. The Department of Homeland Security oversees the camp and says it’s “working at turbo speed on cost-effective and innovative ways” to fulfill the president’s promise of mass deportations.

WORDS: 1391 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 7:47 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3595746cd420c6f83c4ffd0b331ae056&mediaType=text

___

US--AP POLL-TRUMP-ANALYSIS

What polling shows about Trump’s pivot from immigration to crime

SUMMARY: A new analysis by The Associated Press shows President Donald Trump’s recent focus on crime in Washington and other big cities came as views of his handling of immigration had been souring. Immigration was the early focus of Trump’s second term. A new AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows Trump’s approach to crime is now a clear strength for him. The Republican president’s tough-on-crime turn happened alongside a small boost in his overall approval rating. It’s another case of Trump shifting the national conversation to his advantage, often by seizing on Americans’ most deep-seated fears and using hyperbolic language and shock-and-awe tactics that push legal bounds. Trump pledges to “End Crime and Restore Law and Order.”

WORDS: 1333 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 1:49 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9d9f35f2e62aba108db47556a3f3ebfc&mediaType=text

___

——————————

INTERNATIONAL

——————————

US-PALESTINIANS-UN-VISAS

US revokes visas of Palestinian officials ahead of UN General Assembly

SUMMARY: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the U.S. visas of a number of Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization officials ahead of next month’s high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly. The State Department said in a statement Friday that Rubio also had ordered some new visa applications from Palestinian officials be denied. The statement didn’t specify how many visas had been revoked or how many applications had been denied. It wasn’t immediately clear if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would be affected. The Palestinian ambassador to the U.N. said the Palestinian Authority would respond. The Trump administration has taken a number of steps to target Palestinians with visa restrictions.

WORDS: 419 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 1:15 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4bb2a424ecdd8805f9a7a153848b3ad7&mediaType=text

___

ML--MIDEAST-WARS-GAZA

Israel declares Gaza’s largest city a combat zone as death toll surpasses 63,000

SUMMARY: The Gaza Health Ministry says the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 63,000 as Palestinians face the start of Israel’s expanded offensive in Gaza City. The count does not distinguish between fighters and civilians killed in the 22-month war between Israel and Hamas. The ministry says five people have died from malnutrition-related causes over the past day, raising the toll to 322, including 121 children, since the war began. A military official says Israel intends to continue helping aid reach Gaza City during the offensive, but a U.N. humanitarian group fears “a horrific impact” on people already deprived of basic needs.

WORDS: 1257 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 11:20 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:da2b9fa41fc50b922b826343f7ce49ab&mediaType=text

___

EU--RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR

Zelenskyy seeks talks with Trump and European leaders on slow progress of peace efforts with Russia

SUMMARY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukrainian officials want to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders next week to discuss recent developments in efforts to end the three-year war with Russia. The proposed meetings appear designed to add momentum to the push for peace. Zelenskyy expressed frustration Friday with what he called Russia’s lack of constructive engagement in the process while it continues to launch devastating aerial attacks on civilian areas. Trump has bristled at Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s stalling on an American proposal for direct peace talks with Zelenskyy.

WORDS: 882 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 10:31 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:47e0fa10cded79063cf8cb9db7a2bcb7&mediaType=text

___

AS--THAILAND-POLITICS

Thai court dismisses prime minister over compromising phone call with Cambodian leader

SUMMARY: Thailand’s Constitutional Court has dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for violating ethics rules in a phone call with a Cambodian official. The court’s decision ends the term of Thailand’s youngest prime minister and impacts the Shinawatra political dynasty. On Friday, judges ruled that her conduct in a June 15 call with Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen compromised national interests. The call, which became public before a deadly border conflict, sparked outrage in Thailand. Paetongtarn defended her actions, saying her tone was a negotiating tactic. The court’s ordfer leaves the ruling coalition on shaky ground and affects her father Thaksin’s political influence.

WORDS: 837 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 8:58 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:7720be8eff0b9327fda88aa1285d86f7&mediaType=text

___

AS--SOUTH KOREA-MARTIAL LAW

Wife of ousted president Yoon, and ally, indicted by special prosecutors

SUMMARY: South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo have been indicted as part of investigations into the administration of ousted President Yoon Suk-Yeol and his attempt to overcome opposition by declaring martial law. Prosecutors say that Kim is being charged with violating financial market and political funding laws and receiving bribes, while Han is being charged with abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents, and lying under oath. Yoon was removed from office in April and rearrested last month over his December martial law decree, and three special prosecutor investigations into Yoon and his allies have been launched by the new government.

WORDS: 819 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 4:26 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:904f15fbf1f368170b1c0b287d9bb447&mediaType=text

___

IRAN-NUCLEAR

UK, France and Germany initiate ‘snapback’ sanctions on Iran over status of nuclear program

SUMMARY: France, Germany and the United Kingdom have moved to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. The effort that began Thursday further isolates Tehran after its atomic sites were repeatedly bombed during a 12-day war with Israel. The process is termed a “snapback” by the diplomats who negotiated it into Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. It was designed to be veto-proof at the U.N. and could take effect in a month. The sanctions would again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran and penalize any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program, among other measures.

WORDS: 1160 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 4:31 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:cadaa70e892e9836a76e92b64cf60201&mediaType=text

___

AF--AFRICA-RWANDA-US-DEPORTATIONS-WHAT TO KNOW

What to know after the US deports more migrants to Africa

SUMMARY: The Trump administration has deported more migrants from the United States as it expands its program to send people to countries they have no ties with. A Rwandan government spokesperson said Thursday that seven deportees arrived from the U.S. earlier this month. Two other African nations, South Sudan and Eswatini, have already accepted a small number of deportees from the U.S., while Uganda said it has an agreement in principle to take deportees. Here’s what we know about the deportations.

WORDS: 722 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 2:23 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:32bedc12562cc893e2fa5f165ea4c37e&mediaType=text

___

ML--MIDEAST WARS-YEMEN

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemeni capital, but no casualties reported

SUMMARY: Israeli airstrikes have hit the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, targeting areas controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group. Residents have reported feeling like an earthquake struck on Thursday. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it hit a Houthi “military target” in Sanaa without offering further details. Earlier in the day the Israeli military said it intercepted a drone launched by the rebels, the third such strike in the past week. Tensions in the region are high as France, Germany, and the UK move to reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, a move Iran condemned as unjustified.

WORDS: 368 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 1:57 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0af1a06ff8078a9659b44aa54d47f0c4&mediaType=text

___

——————————

RACE AND ETHNICITY

——————————

US--HURRICANE KATRINA-20 YEARS LATER

New Orleans marks 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with solemn memorials, uplifting music

SUMMARY: Residents of New Orleans are marking the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s devastating landfall on the Gulf Coast. Events from solemn memorial services to uplifting musical performances are being held in the city Friday to honor the dead, the displaced and the determined survivors who helped rebuild. A wreath-laying ceremony kicked off the day at New Orleans’ memorial for dozens of unidentified storm victims. Thousands were expected for an event in the Lower Ninth Ward, a majority Black neighborhood where the federal levee system was breached on Aug. 29, 2005. Residents and dignitaries also marked Katrina’s anniversary in Mississippi, where hundreds more perished in the storm.

WORDS: 805 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:53 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c9627a4a48efde1298a4a3d5228e5129&mediaType=text

___

——————————

BUSINESS

——————————

US--FEDERAL RESERVE-COOK

Fed governor Cook seeks court order blocking her firing by Trump

SUMMARY: A case that could provide the Trump administration with new and expansive power over the traditionally independent Federal Reserve got its first court hearing Friday. Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has requested an emergency injunction to block President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire her over allegations that she committed mortgage fraud when she purchased a home and condo in 2021. She was appointed to the Fed’s board by former president Joe Biden in 2022. If her firing is allowed to stand, it would likely erode the Fed’s longstanding independence from day-to-day politics. No president has ever fired a Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history.

WORDS: 1019 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 12:55 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e9933d518af5155250bebbdc29fd3f2b&mediaType=text

___

TARIFFS-END OF DE MINIMIS

Duty-free no more: Parcels worth under $800 no longer qualify for a US tariff exemption

SUMMARY: Low-value imports no longer are eligible to enter the U.S. duty-free. An order signed by President Donald Trump eliminated a widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on Friday. The national postal services of more than 30 countries have temporarily suspended sending some or most U.S.-bound packages because of the change. They say they didn’t have enough time or information to prepare for collecting the new import taxes on small parcels. Logistics experts say that in addition to bringing new costs for sellers and buyers, the end of the “de minimis” exception is likely to delay orders.

WORDS: 1208 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 10:50 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:48862fc5b6a563a077284e364fb14f08&mediaType=text

___

FINANCIAL MARKETS

Stocks add a bit to their records on Wall Street

SUMMARY: Stocks moved further into record territory on Wall Street. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Thursday, its second record in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.2%, eking out an all-time high of its own. The Nasdaq composite added 0.5%. The advances were driven largely by gains in huge tech companies including Broadcom, Alphabet and Amazon, even as many stocks fell. Spam maker Hormel sank after reporting earnings that fell short of Wall Street’s forecasts and cutting its outlook for the year. Treasury yields were little changed in the bond market following some mixed reports on the economy.

WORDS: 868 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 5:43 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:43ab1eb16a201e9a923a9c73bd57d7c4&mediaType=text

___

US--FEDERAL RESERVE-COOK LAWSUIT

Fed official sues Trump over attempt to fire her, challenging his power over the independent agency

SUMMARY: Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook is suing the Trump administration in an effort to overturn the president’s attempt to fire her, launching an unprecedented legal battle that could significantly reshape the Fed’s longstanding political independence. No president has sought to fire a Fed governor in the institution’s 112-year history until President Donald Trump posted a letter on his Truth Social media platform late Monday saying that Cook was fired. Trump said the reason for her removal were allegations that she committed mortgage fraud in 2021, before she was appointed to the board.

WORDS: 970 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 4:05 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:308f2e6ac04f62643d96b8347d5b2417&mediaType=text

___

——————————

HEALTH/SCIENCE

——————————

US-MED--CDC DIRECTOR

CDC gets new acting director as leadership turmoil leaves agency reeling

SUMMARY: Jim O’Neill, a deputy to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will serve as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two Trump administration officials confirmed the move, requesting anonymity to discuss a personnel change that has not been formally announced. The administration wants O’Neill to replace Susan Monarez, who is fighting her removal just a month after starting the job. The situation has caused bipartisan concern as Kennedy pushes anti-vaccine policies. The turmoil comes before a key meeting of an advisory committee that Kennedy has reshaped with vaccine skeptics. Two Republican senators have called for oversight, and some Democrats want Kennedy fired. Monarez’s removal has left the CDC in chaos.

WORDS: 1360 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 8:04 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:17fd8a19064e39906bc0125fd81e3525&mediaType=text

___

US-MED--CDC DIRECTOR-WHAT TO KNOW

Departures roil the CDC leadership. What’s next for the agency?

SUMMARY: Operations at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are in jeopardy after the ousting of the CDC director and the resignation of several high-profile agency leaders. It could take several months to identify and confirm a replacement for CDC Director Susan Monarez, who was dismissed on Wednesday. And it could take more time to fill at least four vacated positions that oversee disease outbreaks, vaccines and public health data. Americans could see immediate effects, from confusion over availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the fall to delayed responses to outbreaks of infectious disease and foodborne illness.

WORDS: 952 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 6:16 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c31fd1b880cbc709a1adf6cd7ff22b1b&mediaType=text

___

——————————

RELIGION

——————————

REL--AI PROPHETS--IN THEIR WORDS

How Silicon Valley is using religious language to talk about AI

SUMMARY: As the rapid, unregulated development of artificial intelligence continues, the language people in Silicon Valley use to describe it is becoming increasingly religious. Geoffrey Hinton, a Nobel Prize winner, suggests that creating thinking machines might challenge religious beliefs about human uniqueness. Mark Zuckerberg notes that some in tech view AI as a god-like creation. Some, like Ray Kurzweil, are predicting a transhumanist apocalypse where people merge with AI by 2045. Others, like Dylan Baker, are more skeptical. This blending of technology and spirituality reflects the profound impact AI is having in Silicon Valley.

WORDS: 617 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 7:55 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ec449ccedbf8054764547356757ff335&mediaType=text

___

REL--AI PROPHETS

AI Apocalypse? Why language surrounding tech is sounding increasingly religious

SUMMARY: Geoffrey Hinton is sounding the alarm about the risks of artificial intelligence. He believes AI could become a superintelligent entity that might threaten humanity. Known as the “Godfather of AI,” Hinton has voiced concerns since leaving Google in 2023. He urges public awareness to pressure politicians for regulation. Some tech leaders, like OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, describe AI in almost divine terms. Others, like Ray Kurzweil, predict humans will merge with AI, enhancing intelligence. While some praise AI’s potential, skeptics like Max Tegmark caution against unregulated development, fearing hubris in the tech industry.

WORDS: 1397 - MOVED: 08/29/2025 7:54 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:dfb0aa9e5e96c583461bdd56fb21568a&mediaType=text

___

——————————

SPORTS

——————————

FBN--PARSONS TRADE

Micah Parsons traded to the Green Bay Packers from the Cowboys after contract dispute

SUMMARY: Micah Parsons is headed to the Green Bay Packers after a blockbuster trade, leaving the Dallas Cowboys following a lengthy contract dispute. A person with knowledge of the details said Parsons and the Packers have agreed on a record-setting $188 million, four-year contract that includes $136 million guaranteed. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms haven’t been announced. Parsons, a two-time All-Pro edge rusher, becomes the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

WORDS: 975 - MOVED: 08/28/2025 9:44 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:dae0fa122c83ecddaf1c38a93ce9d23e&mediaType=text

___