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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Texas high court rejects removal of Democratic lawmakers who led quorum break over redistricting
SUMMARY: The Texas Supreme Court has refused to declare that Democratic state lawmakers who briefly left the state last year in a quorum break to stop a vote on new congressional voting maps pushed by President Donald Trump vacated their offices. The all-Republican court dealt a blow to Gov. Greg Abbott and state Republicans on Friday in their efforts to severely punish the more than 50 Democrats who bolted for New York, Illinois and Massachusetts in a bid to stop a vote on the maps during a special session. State Republicans had sought their arrest and threatened fines to bring them back to the state Capitol.
WORDS: 652 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 3:13 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTexasRedistrictingLawmakersthLdWritethru/8e9bf10b5c80a057989fd668e3b2a74f/text___
A Texas town may offer a preview of a Trump plan to force noncitizens from public housing
SUMMARY: A bungled message from a South Texas housing authority prompted mass flight. The situation in Port Isabel offers a glimpse of what could happen nationwide if a Trump administration proposal takes effect to end housing assistance to families in which at least one member is in the country illegally. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development wants to reverse a policy in effect for decades that allows families with at least one person with legal status to occupy a home as long as those here illegally pay a full, unsubsidized share of rent. Advocates estimate up to 80,000 people may lose their homes.
WORDS: 1016 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrantsPublicHousingstLdWritethru/04507b6124efea6ec662cc4f4f98cd57/text___
Florida court to consider whether new US House map violates state ban on partisan gerrymandering
SUMMARY: New U.S. House districts in Florida are facing their first test in court. A state judge is set to hear arguments Friday on a request to block the new districts from being used in the midterm elections. Several lawsuits contend the districts violate a state constitutional provision against partisan gerrymandering. Republicans already hold 20 of the state’s 28 U.S. House seats. The new districts signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis could improve Republicans' chances to win four additional seats. Florida is one of several states to redraw congressional districts after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to do so.
WORDS: 625 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionRedistricting/41b9143465d07a388662ee081cac4a18/text___
Former Oklahoma death row prisoner freed from jail as he awaits retrial in 1997 killing
SUMMARY: An Oklahoma man who has narrowly avoided execution three separate times could walk free from a county jail after a judge agreed to grant him bond while awaiting retrial. Judge Natalie Mai on Thursday set bond for Richard Glossip in the amount of $500,000. Glossip must wear an electronic monitoring device and will not be allowed to travel outside Oklahoma. He also must not contact any witnesses in the case, or consume any drugs or alcohol. The decision paves the way for the 63-year-old Glossip to be freed for the first time in nearly 30 years. Glossip has long maintained his innocence in the 1997 murder-for-hire killing of his former boss.
WORDS: 633 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 4:32 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSOklahomaDeathSentenceOverturnedthLdWritethru/93cb95674a05161d219b2a54139d531f/text___
What to know about a Tennessee man known for making racist videos now charged with attempted murder
SUMMARY: A Tennessee man who goes by the moniker Chud the Builder and is known for posting racist videos is charged with attempted murder. Dalton Eatherly posted audio to social media on Wednesday admitting to shooting a man who he says hit him. He says the shooting was self-defense. Eatherly also notes that he shot himself in the arm. Eatherly, who is white, posts videos to social media where he tries to provoke Black passersby by using racial slurs and racist dog whistles. He has claimed it is free speech, but the fact that he also openly carries a pistol could make it a crime under Tennessee law.
WORDS: 902 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 8:35 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCourthouseShootingWhattoKnow/36364e29234cdcfef2f6f20b2ed94ae3/text___
Muskets like those from 1776 are mostly exempt from today’s gun laws
SUMMARY: Guns that are antiques or replicas of antiques are not considered firearms under federal law. The United States exempts guns manufactured in or before 1898 from most regulation, saying it would be an undue burden on collectors and history buffs. Most states have adopted that federal language, meaning even convicted felons can order black powder guns over the internet. However, at least three states make no distinction between a single-shot flintlock musket and an AR-15 semiautomatic assault rifle. A Revolutionary War reenactor says treating his musket the same as an assault rifle is silly because antique guns aren't the best weapon if someone wanted to commit mass violence.
WORDS: 1041 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSAmericaMusketLoopholendLdWritethru/4aba06f4d5254dd3f2c03b0193794323/text___
Small medical plane crashes in New Mexico mountains, killing all 4 people aboard
SUMMARY: A small medical plane crashed in a mountain range outside Ruidoso, New Mexico, killing all four people aboard and sparking a wildfire in the surrounding forest. The fire had grown by midday Thursday amid dry, windy conditions as crews worked to contain it. Officials say the cause of the crash is unknown. The victims were flight crew and medical personnel. Their names have not yet been made public. The plane was on a medical transportation mission and was reported overdue after losing communications and radar contact. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
WORDS: 566 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 4:12 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPlaneCrashNewMexicothLdWritethru/3556b511a0286bad19a503bb52bc288e/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen ending campaign after redraw of his Memphis district
SUMMARY: Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee is ending his bid for reelection. He's just the latest lawmaker to have his career upended by the redistricting battles that are sweeping the country. Republicans in Tennessee this month enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up a Cohen’s majority-Black district, reshaping it to the GOP’s advantage. It's part of President Donald Trump’s strategy to hold on to a slim Republican majority in the November midterm elections. Cohen has represented his Memphis-based district for nearly two decades. He lamented that Tennessee would likely shift to an entirely Republican delegation after the next election.
WORDS: 664 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 3:33 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionSteveCohenthLdWritethru/e1512c0a65ba6de5d0ec0c15e3831a95/text___
Justice Department to seek death penalty for man charged with killing 2 Israeli Embassy staffers
SUMMARY: The Justice Department will seek the death penalty for the man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum. Prosecutors disclosed the decision in a court filing Friday. Elias Rodriguez faces federal hate crime and murder charges in the killings of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at the museum last May. The charges against Rodriguez include a hate crime resulting in death. The indictment also includes notice of special findings, which allows prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.
WORDS: 386 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:25 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIsraeliEmbassyStaffersKilledstLdWritethru/531f93de927b2ce6d4f7cd80e79c10ae/text___
FBI offers $200,000 reward to catch ex-Air Force specialist wanted on espionage charges in Iran
SUMMARY: The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the capture of a former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist who defected to Iran in 2013. Monica Elfriede Witt was indicted in February 2019 on espionage charges. She remains at large. Witt allegedly transmitted national defense information to Iran. She served in the Air Force from 1997 to 2008 where she was trained in the Farsi language and was deployed overseas on classified counterintelligence missions, including to the Middle East. She later worked as a Defense Department contractor. The FBI believes someone knows her whereabouts and urges them to come forward.
WORDS: 352 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 12:59 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSCounterintelligenceDefectorstLdWritethru/1e11b09b9cb7d8a0d568019d8adf7942/text___
Democrats test a new red state strategy: Back independents over their own nominees
SUMMARY: Democratic leaders are embracing independent candidates in red states where their party brand struggles. In places like Nebraska and Alaska, Democrats are subtly or openly supporting independents they believe can outperform their own candidates. The Democratic National Committee and some Washington allies are quietly backing this strategy. In Nebraska, Democrat Cindy Burbank is expected to suspend her Senate campaign to support independent Dan Osborn. Democratic leaders see Osborn as having a better chance against Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts. This approach is part of a broader strategy across several high-profile races. Some Democrats worry this could undermine their party's long-term competitiveness.
WORDS: 1258 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 9:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionIndependentsndLdWritethru/307c163f3ee4a3cb295ee4b592901dc2/text___
Supreme Court voting rights ruling fuels a new push to defend Black representation
SUMMARY: A new generation of civil rights leaders is rallying against efforts to dismantle the Voting Rights Act. NAACP President Derrick Johnson emphasizes the urgency of responding to these challenges. On Saturday, groups will gather in Alabama to honor the Civil Rights Movement and push for renewed activism. The Supreme Court's recent decision weakens the VRA, prompting activists to fight for diverse political representation. They face a conservative movement entrenched in power. Legal battles and campaigns are underway to protect Black representation. Johnson stresses that this is an American problem, not just a Black issue, and calls for unity in the fight.
WORDS: 1375 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSRedistrictingCivilRightsMovement/de5f9b55f091649210dcfd176f1eec32/text___
Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion pill, while lawsuit plays out
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has preserved women’s access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion, rejecting lower-court restrictions while a lawsuit continues. The court’s order Thursday allows women seeking abortions to continue obtaining the drug, mifepristone, at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Access is likely to remain uninterrupted at least until well into next year as appeals play out in a suit filed by Louisiana, including a potential appeal to the high court. The court is dealing with its latest abortion controversy four years after its conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed more than a dozen states to effectively ban abortion outright.
WORDS: 1000 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 9:31 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtAbortionPillsthLdWritethru/637acaa2f233de067e3756bea50bd723/text___
Emails show FBI Director Kash Patel's Hawaii trip included 'VIP snorkel' at a Pearl Harbor memorial
SUMMARY: Government emails obtained by The Associated Press show that FBI Director Kash Patel went on a “VIP snorkel” session last summer at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The FBI didn't publicize the excursion or Patel's return to Hawaii after official visits to Australia and New Zealand. With few exceptions, snorkeling and diving are off-limits around the USS Arizona. The battleship is now a military cemetery reachable only by boat. It has stood as one of the nation’s most hallowed sites since Japan bombed and sank the ship in 1941. A Navy spokesperson confirms the outing but says the service wasn't able to track down who initiated it.
WORDS: 1315 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 6:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFBIPatelSnorkelthLdWritethru/192a81cde7a5879aab747bc0ba4b78b9/text___
Lawyers urge judge to block Trump order that would create eligible voter list, limit mail ballots
SUMMARY: Voting rights groups are arguing that a federal judge should stop President Donald Trump's executive order restricting mail voting because he doesn’t have the authority to do so. Lawyers for the groups made their arguments Thursday during a hearing before a federal judge. They are seeking a temporary restraining order against Trump's executive order issued earlier this year. Trump directed the federal government to compile a list of eligible voters in every state and the Postal Service to refuse to deliver ballots for those not on it. Democrats and voting rights groups sued to block it. They argued the Constitution gives control of elections to states, not the president.
WORDS: 603 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 10:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpElections/ac61e7d4bb77f9901eb6f1a2c1f4b087/text___
Vance promotes Trump administration's work to counter fraud while criticizing Democrats in Maine
SUMMARY: Vice President JD Vance is highlighting the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud in a visit to Maine ahead of the state’s primary elections for several high-profile races. The vice president, who was tapped by Trump to chair an anti-fraud task force, said Thursday that misuse of government social programs is not a victimless crime, but instead a harm to every American taxpayer. Vance's visit marks his first focused solely on anti-fraud efforts. The trip comes as Maine residents begin voting ahead of the June 9 primary elections. A few dozen demonstrators stood across the street from the airport holding signs denouncing Vance and the Trump administration.
WORDS: 1134 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 10:22 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSVanceMainethLdWritethru/952059a3702da29487d05b1941e2f6b9/text___
US Border Patrol chief Michael Banks is resigning, in latest DHS leadership change
SUMMARY: The head of U.S. Border Patrol has announced his resignation. Michael Banks’ decision is the latest leadership shake-up of officials implementing President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. His move also and comes as the Trump administration appears to be recalibrating its approach. Banks tells Fox News that he feels he's stabilized an agency that's heavily involved in President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement. The White House hasn't commented on the resignation. Banks' departure coincides with leadership changes at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is also leaving.
WORDS: 749 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 4:57 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpImmigrationBorderPatrolndLdWritethru/846fb883c40bb4643a81e73139249482/text___
Senators approve withholding their own pay during government shutdowns
SUMMARY: Senators have unanimously approved a resolution to withhold their pay during government shutdowns. Lawmakers said the measure approved Thursday would discourage future funding standoffs after a series of record-breaking shutdowns. The proposal requires the secretary of the Senate to hold senators’ salaries during shutdowns and release the money once funding resumes. It'll take effect the day after the Nov. 3 general election but doesn't apply to the House. Republican Sen. John Kennedy, the bill’s sponsor, says the measure ensures lawmakers share the burden faced by unpaid federal workers. Senators earn an annual salary of $174,000, but many are independently wealthy.
WORDS: 487 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 4:07 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSenateShutdownPayndLdWritethru/face16eac3196ad4c3bedf3d699be87f/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Iran's top diplomat says a lack of trust is impeding talks to end war with the US
SUMMARY: Iran’s foreign minister says that a lack of trust remains the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the U.S. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages from the U.S. have made Iran reluctant about its intentions in the stalled ceasefire negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran’s latest formal proposal as “garbage.” Trump has demanded a major rollback of Iran’s nuclear activities while Iran has said that it has a right to enrich uranium. Iran’s top diplomat says the issue of its enriched uranium stockpile is another one of the difficult sticking points in its negotiations.
WORDS: 951 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 2:11 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSndLdWritethru/5a1d5142470e0de7349c409e2d566fce/text___
Kyiv mourns as death toll from Russian attack in the Ukrainian capital rises to 24
SUMMARY: The death toll from a Russian missile attack that flattened a Kyiv apartment building has risen to 24. It was one of the deadliest attacks on the capital in the 4-year-old war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said three teenagers were among the victims. He led an official day of mourning Friday in Kyiv, a day after the Russian cruise missile struck the nine-story corner block amid what the Ukrainian air force said was Russia’s biggest barrage of the country since its full-scale invasion in 2022. Throughout the day, people came to the rubble-strewn site to leave bouquets and stuffed toys. Zelenskyy said Thursday's assault mostly targeted the Ukrainian capital, where 48 people were wounded.
WORDS: 631 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 7:45 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarthLdWritethru/58db0cf78615952f3f090c19e104387f/text___
A new Ebola outbreak is confirmed in a remote Congo province, with 65 deaths recorded
SUMMARY: Africa's top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo's remote Ituri province. There are 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths so far. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says preliminary results suggest a non-Zaire Ebola strain, with sequencing ongoing. The World Health Organization notes Congo has a stockpile of treatments and vaccines, but they target the Ebola Zaire strain. The Africa CDC is concerned about further spread due to population movement and regional instability. An urgent coordination meeting is planned with health authorities and partners.
WORDS: 799 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 7:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFCongoEbolathLdWritethru/63c078e0e43edfcb8b33e440a5c26ef9/text___
Takeaways from AP's interview with Colombian woman deported to Congo by US
SUMMARY: The Trump administration has deported 15 Latin Americans to the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite U.S. court orders protecting them from deportation to their homelands. The Associated Press reports that most deportees had legal orders shielding them from removal. A Colombian woman, granted protection under the U.N. Convention Against Torture, was detained and sent to Congo. The Trump administration has deals with at least eight African countries to accept deportees who are not their nationals. The International Organization for Migration manages deportees' lives in Kinshasa. Their legal status in Congo is precarious, and they face difficult choices.
WORDS: 719 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 1:18 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFTakeawaysUSCongoDeportationstLdWritethru/187ec4e9aebb5349a744a54854d243a5/text___
Trump says Xi is considering a detained pastor's case, but freeing activist Jimmy Lai is 'tough'
SUMMARY: U.S. President Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is considering the case of detained pastor Ezra Jin Mingri. Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One as he flew back on Friday. Jin is from an underground church called the Zion Church and was detained in October during what critics have called a crackdown on religious freedoms in China. However, Trump says Xi finds releasing pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai a “tough one.” Lai is a critic of Beijing who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February under a national security law. Activists say Beijing is less willing to release prisoners under Xi's rule.
WORDS: 608 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 2:58 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASChinaTrumpDetainees/29d069645e077108d1ecc9bce04f1139/text___
Authorities search waters in the Maldives for bodies of Italians who died in cave dive accident
SUMMARY: Maldivian authorities are conducting a high-risk search for four Italian divers who died in a scuba accident. The body of a fifth diver was recovered Thursday. Officials say the cause of the deaths remain under investigation. Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the dead included academics, marine researchers and a diving instructor. The divers were exploring a deep underwater cave in the Vaavu Atoll when they went missing. Maldivian authorities launched a major search operation, deploying boats, aircraft and dive teams. Rough weather could delay further dives. Italy’s Foreign Ministry is coordinating with local authorities and providing assistance to the victims’ families.
WORDS: 512 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 9:54 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUItalyMaldivesDiveAccidentthLdWritethru/f9c8c0f741a1cde4c458e8a0f08ac38b/text___
Latin American nationals deported by the US to Congo face an uncertain future
SUMMARY: Fifteen people deported from the U.S. to Congo under the Trump administration's policy face difficult conditions. A Colombian woman describes how she was deported despite a U.S. judge's protection order. Now in Congo, she faces confinement and limited outings, supervised by the United Nations-affiliated International Organization for Migration. Her three-month visa is ending, and she must choose between returning to Colombia, where she fears persecution, or staying in Congo without support. Legal experts criticize the deportations as a violation of rights. The AP has interviewed other deportees sent to African nations who been forced to make risky decisions.
WORDS: 1413 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 1:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFUSCongoDeportationstLdWritethru/a68d2f2f00b0af2f11e7d2cf08bddcd5/text___
War worsens Lebanon's economic crisis with job losses, price gouging and slow business
SUMMARY: The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have sent economic shock waves across the Mideast. In Lebanon, those woes have been compounded by the country’s existing economic problems and by largely unregulated markets that are vulnerable to price gouging. Lebanon was already battered in Hezbollah and Israel’s last war, which ended in late 2024 and cost the country an estimated $11 billion in damage and economic losses. The renewed fighting made the situation worse. Now 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced. Many are sheltering in schools with no work or draining whatever money they have renting out apartments or hotel rooms.
WORDS: 1030 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLLebanonEconomyBatteredbyWarstLdWritethru/66cab202c080e0a5fba683dcbe32775d/text___
Trump weighs Taiwan arms package after summit aimed at steadying US-China ties
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says he’s not yet made a decision on whether a major sale of U.S. arms to Taiwan can move forward following his three-day visit to China. The president spoke to reporters Friday as he flew back on Air Force One. Trump's Republican administration has authorized the sale, but it has yet to proceed. China opposes the deal and has suggested that Washington’s relationship with the self-governing island is the key factor in China-U.S. relations. Trump also says he raised a potential three-way nuclear deal involving the U.S., Russia and China.
WORDS: 1289 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 12:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASChinaTrumpthLdWritethru/e7a3cdf161c608de152ac1c6e5755452/text___
Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion and say today's catastrophe is worse
SUMMARY: Millions of Palestinians are marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba. That's Arabic for “catastrophe,” referring to the mass expulsion and flight of some 750,000 Palestinians from what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation. Friday's anniversary is the third commemoration of the Nakba since the war in Gaza began. More than six months after an October ceasefire, Gaza’s more than 2 million people are now crammed into less than half of the 25-mile-long strip along the Mediterranean coast. They are surrounded by an Israeli-controlled zone. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country's military now controls 60% of the Gaza strip.
WORDS: 1279 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 5:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLMideastWarsNakbaAnniversarystLdWritethru/4230f1ef1a1a36a1f72b664b1ae12acf/text___
Tensions flare near Strait of Hormuz as a ship is seized and another is sunk
SUMMARY: Tensions are escalating again near the Strait of Hormuz after a ship anchored off the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken toward Iran and another was attacked and sank near the coast of Oman. The incidents reported on Thursday came as a senior Iranian official reiterated his country’s claim to the waterway. Another Iranian official says Tehran has a right to seize oil tankers connected to the U.S. The British military says the ship seized near the UAE was moving toward Iranian territorial waters. The seizure comes as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
WORDS: 1069 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 7:33 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/efb53c39ee6334733e1cb22ca4a6c279/text___
6 passengers from hantavirus-hit ship arrive in Australia for 3-week quarantine
SUMMARY: Six passengers from a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak have arrived in Australia for a quarantine expected to last at least three weeks. The jet carrying five Australians and one person from New Zealand landed Friday at an air base outside Perth in Western Australia. The passengers and crew were to spend their quarantine in a facility built for the COVID-19 pandemic. Australia's health minister says all six tested negative for the virus. Three people among the 11 cases in the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius ship have died. The ship was on a cruise from Argentina to the Antarctic and then to several South Atlantic islands when the outbreak was identified.
WORDS: 340 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 5:26 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APHantavirusShipstLdWritethru/5872e351c6c2bc0f881b4165651e5611/text___
CIA Director John Ratcliffe met with Raul Castro's grandson in Havana, US and Cuban officials say
SUMMARY: Cuban and U.S. officials say that CIA Director John Ratcliffe has met with Cuban officials including Raul Castro’s grandson during a high-level visit to the island. Ratcliffe met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Interior Minister Lázaro Álvarez Casas and the head of Cuban intelligence services, and discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and security issues. A CIA official confirmed the meetings to the AP. Ratcliffe was there “to personally deliver President Donald Trump’s message that the United States is prepared to seriously engage on economic and security issues, but only if Cuba makes fundamental changes."
WORDS: 493 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 9:21 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCBCubaUSthLdWritethru/9a3e7946460f8e5e48424f3a59df3fe8/text___
UK health secretary resigns, setting up a potential Labour leadership challenge to Keir Starmer
SUMMARY: Efforts to unseat British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have erupted into open rebellion within his party. Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned Thursday, expressing a lack of confidence in Starmer's leadership. Streeting criticized Starmer for lacking vision and direction. Starmer faces mounting pressure after poor election results last week. Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham are potential challengers. Starmer insists on staying, warning that a leadership contest could destabilize the government. Despite political turmoil, the British economy showed unexpected growth, offering some positive news for the government.
WORDS: 970 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 7:25 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainPoliticsthLdWritethru/6bd359148664c9478ed01b36ebb6e37d/text___
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BUSINESS
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Stock markets worldwide drop from records as worries about oil prices rattle the bond market
SUMMARY: The U.S. stock market is falling from its records and joining a worldwide drop for stocks, as higher oil prices send a shiver through the bond market. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday from its all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 518 points, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.4% from its own record. Technology stocks led the market lower, particularly AI winners. They had shot so high that some critics said they had gone too far. Oil prices continued rising as the war with Iran drags on. Yields jumped in the bond market on worries about how much more it will worsen inflation.
WORDS: 820 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 5:21 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/7a29502a1b592d3fbe0ede548421ba58/text___
Powell's tenure as Fed chair marked by fight for independence while trying to tame inflation
SUMMARY: When Jerome Powell was sworn in as chair of the Federal Reserve eight years ago, economists worried that inflation and interest rates were too low and that too few Americans had jobs. Now, as Powell steps down after eight tumultuous years atop the Fed, the U.S. economy is transformed. All the while, Powell shrugged off relentless personal attacks from President Donald Trump that began just months after his appointment. But in January, he pushed back against an unprecedented legal investigation by the Justice Department, becoming one of the few top officials in Washington to stand up to the Trump White House. His success at protecting the Fed’s independence from day-to-day politics will be a key part of his legacy.
WORDS: 1464 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 8:00 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJeromePowellLegacystLdWritethru/cd7a9819b5ac72ea9c68bb1c36892f7b/text___
Trump says China agreed to buy 200 Boeing planes and signaled interest in as many as 750
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says American aircaft manufacturer Boeing has a deal to sell at least 200 planes to China.Trump told reporters about the sale on Air Force One on Friday as he flew back from a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump says China reserved the right to buy as many as 750 Boeing planes. Neither the Chinese government nor Boeing issued statements confirming the purchase agreement. The deal would represent a significant breakthrough for Boeing in a market that was once central to its long-term growth. Trump says the deal also calls for General Electric to supply China with at least 400 engines.
WORDS: 576 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 1:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSChinaTrumpBoeingrdLdWritethru/5dbc392537048dca743fd3b115e252d5/text___
Lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI make their final case in a trial that could shape AI's future
SUMMARY: Lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI made their final arguments Thursday in the landmark trial whose outcome could shape the future of artificial intelligence. Musk, the world’s richest man, was a co-founder of OpenAI, the company that launched in 2015 and went on to create ChatGPT. After Musk invested $38 million in its first years, his lawsuit filed in 2024 accused OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and his top deputy of shifting into a moneymaking mode behind his back.
WORDS: 1205 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 4:55 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMuskOpenAITrialthLdWritethru/3bda5ebbec28c23ac9e481a4edcad725/text___
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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
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Iran war energy shock drives interest in ethanol and other biofuels across hard-hit Asia
SUMMARY: Nations across Asia are pushing for the use of more biofuels in transportation in order to slash dependence on imported fossil fuels, which have been disrupted by the Iran war. Asia is hardest hit by the ongoing energy shock since most of the fossil fuel shipments through the now-closed Strait of Hormuz were Asia-bound. India is considering allowing vehicles to run on 85%, or even 100% ethanol. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Malaysia are both racing to increase fuel blending with similar ambitions of cutting back on imported fuels. Experts are split on the climate benefit of these fuels, with some stressing that other forms of renewable energy would likely be more efficient.
WORDS: 1280 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 2:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASClimateAsiaFuelBlendingndLdWritethru/33b5a9d9aac68e4143c66a24dd4451fc/text___
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RELIGION
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Journey of a lifetime: A US teen Buddhist lama is now a monk studying in the Himalayan foothills
SUMMARY: A teenage Buddhist lama recently blessed thousands at a monastery in the Himalayan foothills. Just six months earlier and thousands of miles away, he was pulling all-nighters to play Madden NFL on his Xbox at his home in a Minneapolis suburb. Both world's are Jalue Dorje's. He grew up a typical American teen, loving rap music, video games and football. But he's also an aspiring spiritual leader — recognized from an early age by the Dalai Lama as a reincarnated lama. He graduated from high school last year and is now studying at monasteries in India and Nepal. His goal: become “a leader of peace,” like Nelson Mandela, Gandhi and the Dalai Lama.
WORDS: 1884 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APRELTeenageBuddhistLamastLdWritethru/25f9543dcce005a43b90e74b7f56c6cf/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Finland's hotly tipped Eurovision performance features flames, a valuable violin and a safety plan
SUMMARY: At the Eurovision Song Contest, performers get just three minutes to impress. This year, Finnish duo Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius are favorites with their song "Liekinheitin," or "Flamethrower." Their act combines pop and classical music with dramatic staging, including jets of flame and a valuable 18th-century violin. Eurovision rules usually require prerecorded instruments, but they secured special permission for Lampenius to play live. The pair has been rehearsing since November, trying to ensure their performance is flawless. Behind the scenes, a team of stagehands known as "ninjas" help manage the complex staging, keeping everything safe and seamless.
WORDS: 583 - MOVED: 05/15/2026 4:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUAustriaEurovisionFinland/ad262917c16f334af3d4bc0445eead28/text___
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SPORTS
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Scottie Scheffler part of 7-way tie for the lead at PGA Championship
SUMMARY: The PGA Championship has its biggest logjam after one round in 57 years. One name stands out. Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, took everything Aronimink gave him on a tough day in the Philadelphia suburbs. Scheffler made two long birdie putts and got one big break for a 67. The other seven players tied for the lead are Martin Kaymer, Stephan Jaeger, Aldrich Potgieter, Alex Smalley, Ryo Hisatsune and Min Woo Lee. Scheffler had at least a share of the lead for the first time after the opening round of a major. Rory McIlroy struggled to a 74.
WORDS: 1031 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 11:25 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APGLFPGAChampionshipthLdWritethru/57b88736cf845aeae0b60811a0a97a67/text___
Anticipation builds ahead of the full schedule release for the upcoming NFL season
SUMMARY: The full 2026 NFL schedule will be released Thursday night, completing the list of 272 games over 18 weeks. The season kicks off on Sept. 9 when the Seahawks raise their Super Bowl banner. It’ll be the second time the NFL season opens on a Wednesday — the Giants hosted the Cowboys on Sept. 5, 2012. Several games already were announced, including a record nine international games across four continents. The 49ers face the Rams in Melbourne on Sept. 10 in the first international game of the season. The Steelers play the Saints on Oct. 25 in Paris in the NFL’s first regular-season matchup in France.
WORDS: 280 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 3:27 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFBNNFLSchedule/8ff938b5ad393d030bf2ea889354e2e1/text___
FIFA announces Super Bowl-style World Cup final halftime show featuring Madonna, Shakira and BTS
SUMMARY: The World Cup final will feature a star-studded halftime show headlined by Madonna, Shakira and boy-band BTS. FIFA has announced that for the first time the final at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19 will include a Super Bowl-style concert. The governing body said the show would support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising $100 million to help children access education and soccer. It will be curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
WORDS: 283 - MOVED: 05/14/2026 8:59 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APSOCWCupHalftimeShowndLdWritethru/f08a3cc88e5c1dfccf0517941458df2f/text___
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