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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The origins of Memorial Day and how it has evolved
SUMMARY: Memorial Day in the United States is officially about mourning fallen service members. But it has come to signal the unofficial start of summer and retail discounts. The first national observance was shortly after the American Civil War and was then called Decoration Day. Veterans decorated war graves with blooming flowers. But even in the 19th century, grave ceremonies were often followed by picnics and other leisure activities. The holiday evolved with the arrival of baseball, the five-day work week and summer vacation. In the mid-20th century, a small number of businesses began to open. Sales and traveling are now commonplace.
WORDS: 843 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 8:23 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMemorialDayWhattoKnowrdLdWritethru/2e6085ce93ea0c0e46e1ff1e095ba860/text___
There's no longer a risk of explosion from a damaged California chemical tank. Here's what to know
SUMMARY: Authorities scrambling to find a safe resolution after a tank containing a hazardous chemical at a Southern California aerospace plant was damaged believe the risk of a catastrophic explosion has been eliminated. But they said Monday that the evacuation order affecting tens of thousands of residents remains. The tank overheated last week and began venting vapors into the air around Garden Grove, a city in Orange County. Officials said Monday that a crack that developed in the tank relieved pressure and cooled the chemical. No injuries have been reported but more than 50,000 residents were under an evacuation order over the Memorial Day weekend.
WORDS: 551 - MOVED: 05/24/2026 7:40 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSouthernCaliforniaChemicalTankWhattoKnowthLdWritethru/3689e6be99e12811d54517179b5c5de7/text___
Risk of a catastrophic explosion has been eliminated at chemical tank in California, authorities say
SUMMARY: The risk of a catastrophic explosion of a damaged chemical tank Southern California has been eliminated following a close overnight inspection that confirmed a crack in the tank has relieved pressure and cooled the chemical. Officials said crews conducted tank temperature checks at night to reduce risks to firefighters, avoiding daytime operations when heat from the tank made conditions around it most dangerous. The overnight mission allowed crews to verify the crack and confirm temperatures were falling, Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said Monday morning.
WORDS: 849 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 4:13 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSouthernCaliforniaChemicalTankthLdWritethru/770af6de585b1771824539b163555eaa/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Democrats feud over stock trading as they sharpen anti-corruption case against Trump
SUMMARY: Democrats are increasingly critiquing each other over their personal stock trades as the party looks to hone its anti-corruption message against President Donald Trump in the midterm elections. In primary races across the country, Democrats are critiquing individual stock trades and the personal wealth of their rivals in a bid to build credibility with voters. Polls show the public takes a dim view of insider trading in Washington and supports more guardrails against corruption. The debates have scrambled ideological lines inside the party, with some more moderate lawmakers attacking progressive rivals over past stock trades. Progressives express skepticism that Democrats who have recently highlighted the issue are offering genuine critiques about money in politics.
WORDS: 1446 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 12:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionDemocratsStockTrading/97c1dc2f144cb3b7457ca062741a6e78/text___
Texas GOP Senate candidates scarce in public but unavoidable on TV in final day of runoff campaign
SUMMARY: Texas Republican Senate candidates Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton are going to be scarcely visible in public on the last day of campaigning ahead of Tuesday's runoff. But their faces will be unavoidable on TV, given their heavy final round ad spend. There were no public campaign events scheduled for Cornyn or Paxton on Monday, after their yearlong quest for the GOP nomination. Instead, their fight for Tuesday’s runoff continues as it has for months via advertising that has topped $109 million between the two campaigns and groups that support them.
WORDS: 526 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 12:47 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionTexasstLdWritethru/00cc96aa8db7fb1844f4ce8d39629f53/text___
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Texas US Senate Republican primary runoff
SUMMARY: Texas voters will pick a Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in a primary runoff election on Tuesday. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was the top vote-getter in the March 3 primary, but strong showings by two GOP challengers forced the four-term incumbent to a head-to-head matchup with state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton placed second in the primary and received President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Also on the ballot are primary runoffs in more than a dozen congressional districts, plus state contests for lieutenant governor, attorney general and others.
WORDS: 1147 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 2:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionDecisionNotesTexas/faec04ca286773a53cac190bd67fc9fe/text___
Trump says Iran deal should include additional countries joining Abraham Accords
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says any agreement with Iran should include a requirement for several additional Muslim-majority countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to join the Abraham Accords. The U.S.-brokered accords, aimed at normalizing relations with Israel, were forged during Trump’s first term. In a social media post on Monday, Trump said negotiations are “proceeding nicely,” and he tied any eventual agreement to expanded participation in the agreements first signed in 2020. He pointed to Saudi Arabia and Qatar as countries that should “immediately” sign on, followed by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan. It remains unclear when or how any deal with Iran might be completed.
WORDS: 303 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 3:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranTrump/01a13e9a63ece786a0a7fa4933dbf09b/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Pope calls for robust regulation of AI in manifesto that ponders the future of humanity
SUMMARY: Pope Leo XIV has called for robust regulation of artificial intelligence and for its developers to work for the common good rather than profit. He made the call in a sweeping manifesto on safeguarding humankind as the technology impacts everything from work to war. Leo’s first encyclical is called “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity). Its release Monday has been eagerly awaited ever since history’s first U.S.-born pope announced days after his election that he considered AI to be the biggest challenge facing humanity today.
WORDS: 1317 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 9:31 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURELVaticanArtificialIntelligencethLdWritethru/d92d0108730d146baa46da041b8523da/text___
Leaders keep a wary eye on Belarus for signs it might offer Russia help in Ukraine
SUMMARY: Belarus' exiled opposition leader visits Kyiv as the city recovers from Russia’s largest missile attack of the year. World leaders are closely watching Belarus' potential support for Russia's invasion. Last week, Russia and Belarus held joint nuclear drills, raising concerns about a new front in northern Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday about the war. Russia warns of more "systemic strikes" on Kyiv. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges international support for air defense. The situation remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue.
WORDS: 853 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 10:24 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarthLdWritethru/e4bac36b2e74e67d64d23eeaac5885c0/text___
What we know and don't know about the emerging deal to end the Iran war
SUMMARY: The United States and Iran appear to be closing in on a deal to end the war. Regional officials say the deal would gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see the U.S. end its blockade of Iranian ports, easing a global energy crisis. Iran would give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with further talks needed on the details. The deal would also include sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds, and end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. But other issues, like Iran's missile program and the status of Iran’s uranium enrichment, appear to remain unaddressed.
WORDS: 1040 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 7:27 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSExplainerndLdWritethru/b1659232611edc10808612e30647c17d/text___
Rubio's visit to India focuses on US trade tensions, the Quad alliance and sightseeing
SUMMARY: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India highlights efforts to stabilize relations between Washington and New Delhi. The two countries aim to strengthen strategic and economic ties despite recent trade tensions. Rubio met Sunday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss trade, energy, defense and maritime security. Rubio has expressed optimism about a broader trade deal. His four-day trip also includes talks with officials from the Quad alliance that includes India, Australia and Japan. The visit underscores India's role as a key partner in countering China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
WORDS: 697 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 5:44 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASIndiaUSWhattoKnow/75597b60d20980e7c29fefe48ebfd520/text___
Trump says not to rush as details emerge of a potential Iran deal
SUMMARY: Regional officials say the United States is close to a deal with Iran to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump said negotiations are proceeding constructively but he advised not rushing into a deal. The regional officials say the agreement would see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The strait's reopening would happen in parallel with the U.S. lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. That would begin to ease the global energy crisis. The deal would also end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, though Israel remains concerned about Hezbollah's threat.
WORDS: 1013 - MOVED: 05/24/2026 10:34 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/e603a7759d6cbd70ce5ed01f439a29dc/text___
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RELIGION
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Pope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Vatican's role in legitimizing slavery
SUMMARY: Pope Leo XIV has made a historic apology for the role the Holy See played in legitimizing slavery. Leo’s own family history includes both enslaved people and slave owners. He delivered the apology in his first encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” or Magnificent Humanity which was released on Monday. Past popes have apologized for Christians’ involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But no pope has ever publicly acknowledged much less apologized for the role that past popes played in giving European kings explicit authority to subjugate and enslave “infidels.” One expert calls this “a truly remarkable moment.”
WORDS: 1207 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 9:31 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURELVaticanSlaverythLdWritethru/78df993c5604eb098b19f255b89b3155/text___
Muslims begin the annual Hajj in sweltering heat against a backdrop of war concerns
SUMMARY: The annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, has begun. More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the country. The faithful have been pouring into the country for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related regional tensions and uncertainty. Typically on the first day, which fell on Monday this year, many pilgrims in Mecca converge on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert. Ahead of that, pilgrims have been circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in sweltering temperatures.
WORDS: 890 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 4:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLRELSaudiArabiaHajjthLdWritethru/b3bac12f3dec8e927dfd4e1a961572fa/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Norway-set drama about political polarization ‘Fjord’ wins Palme d’Or at Cannes
SUMMARY: Cristian Mungiu’s Norway-set drama about political polarization “Fjord” has won the Palme d’Or. The Cannes Film Festival’s top honor on Saturday went for the second time to the Romanian director of “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” This year’s edition of the festival saw few films breakout but “Fjord” found wide admiration for its engrossing tale of what Mungiu called “left-wing fundamentalism.” The film stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as Romanian Evangelicals who move to Norway, but soon after have their children taken from them by child services for spanking them.
WORDS: 832 - MOVED: 05/23/2026 5:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTCannesPalmedOrthLdWritethru/fb18c10e9f8339e882b6f638ad52fc9f/text___
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SPORTS
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NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell tells Kyle Busch family 'we got you' before start of Coca-Cola 600
SUMMARY: NASCAR has honored the late Kyle Busch at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell stood with Busch's widow Samantha and their children, Brexton and Lennix, offering support. Former driver Kurt Busch and Kyle's parents also attended. Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, died Thursday at 41 from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. The tributes included a large No. 8 on the frontstretch grass, a moment of silence, and an eighth-lap silence during the race. The racing community almost mourned his loss earlier in the day at the Indianapolis 500.
WORDS: 708 - MOVED: 05/24/2026 6:16 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCARBuschTributesthLdWritethru/60bc7d1bbccae4b88f3b4a6a9f8e98d9/text___
Late pass sends Felix Rosenqvist past David Malukas for the closest Indianapolis 500 win in history
SUMMARY: Felix Rosenqvist swung to the outside of David Malukas, then found a way past the Team Penske driver to win the closest Indianapolis 500 in history by a margin of 0.0233 seconds. Malukas looked like he was in position to win when he passed race leader Marcus Armstrong off the final restart with one lap to go while Rosenqvist and Armstrong battled wheel to wheel down the back straightaway and through the final turn. Rosenqvist had just enough power to pull away from Armstrong and snake behind Malukas before making the decisive pass in the final 50 feet. The closest previous finish came in 1992 when Al Unser Jr. beat Scott Goodyear across the yard of bricks by 0.043 seconds.
WORDS: 1083 - MOVED: 05/24/2026 3:12 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCARIndianapolisthLdWritethru/f462b60e9f742f38ed61ea83e1040a3b/text___
Daniel Suarez wins the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 after NASCAR honors the late Kyle Busch
SUMMARY: Daniel Suarez benefited from a crucial pit call, then caught a break from Mother Nature to win the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, capping an emotional day in which the auto racing world honored the memory of the late Kyle Busch. Suarez became the first Mexican-born driver to win the Coca-Cola 600. It was his third Cup Series win and first since 2024. A non-factor for most of the race, Suarez gambled and took two tires during a pit stop then twice beat Christopher Bell on two separate restarts before the race was called when the skies opened up with rain. NASCAR quickly made the decision to call the race. The victory was especially sweet for Suarez, who ran for Kyle Busch Racing.
WORDS: 712 - MOVED: 05/25/2026 3:46 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCARNASCARCocaColandLdWritethru/741a65107e66848bc18c7f97892f7abe/text___
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