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.
…
Join our family of readers for as little as $14.99 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Already a member? Log in to continue. Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
Please log in to continue |
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.
—————————----—
NATIONAL
———----———————
Virginia man gets life in prison for double murder scheme in affair with Brazilian au pair
SUMMARY: A Virginia man who was having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of his wife and a man who was lured to the couple’s home as a fall guy. Brendan Banfield claimed he shot Joseph Ryan after he came across Ryan attacking his wife on the morning of Feb. 24, 2023. But prosecutors said Brendan Banfield and the au pair set Ryan up in a scheme to get rid of Christine Banfield. During Friday's sentencing hearing, the judge called Brendan Banfield's actions evil and calculated. Some media have dubbed the case the “au pair affair.”
WORDS: 570 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 11:58 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSVirginiaWifeKillingthLdWritethru/b28c0b8d57a0faac3a7264b210b86e63/text___
What to know about the New World screwworm fly and its reappearance in the US
SUMMARY: The New World screwworm fly is threatening the $113 billion U.S. cattle industry for the first time in more than a half century. An infestation from its flesh-eating larvae has been confirmed in south Texas in a 3-week-old calf in La Pryor, about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio. Federal and state officials had been working to keep the parasite from reaching Texas since its late 2024 appearance in southern Mexico. Before that, it had been contained in Panama for years. The U.S. eradicated the pest by the early 1970s by breeding sterile male flies and dropping swarms from planes to mate with wild females. Millions are being released each week now.
WORDS: 1175 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 7:05 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSScrewwormLivestockWhattoKnowndLdWritethru/813099c492b7b9607e087dd3cca58457/text___
Trump administration has separated dozens of children from their parents for a second time, AP finds
SUMMARY: An Associated Press investigation reveals that dozens of children who were separated under the first Trump administration have been reseparated, despite a judge's order to reunite them. Some of their parents have been locked in immigration detention facilities for months, others deported back to their home countries after being taken from their families once again. Ederson Galicia Alva, now 11, was separated from his mother twice. After nearly a year in Guatemala, his family returned to Florida last week under a federal judge's order. The Trump administration's push for mass deportations has led to more separations, with some families deported despite legal protections.
WORDS: 2910 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APImmigrationSeparatedAgainndLdWritethru/71a610d15af5207a68f989fcafb55039/text___
Murder charge dropped for Arkansas sheriff nominee who killed daughter’s alleged abuser
SUMMARY: A judge has dismissed a murder charge against an Arkansas sheriff nominee who was accused of killing his teenage daughter’s alleged abuser in 2024. Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the case against Aaron Spencer on Thursday because a dash camera memory card that may have captured the shooting was lost by law enforcement. His trial on the second-degree murder charge was expected to begin in just a few weeks. Spencer’s attorneys did not deny that he shot and killed 67-year-old Michael Fosler. Fosler was out on bond after being charged with dozens of sexual offenses against Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter.
WORDS: 659 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 10:50 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMurderSuspectArkansasSheriffrdLdWritethru/2653efe9b36053d0d93d915c072e4b9c/text___
Homicide convictions reversed for Colorado paramedics who injected ketamine into Elijah McClain
SUMMARY: A Colorado court reversed homicide convictions against two paramedics on Thursday in the ketamine overdose death of Elijah McClain after the Black man was pinned down by police. The court ordered new trials for Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec. McClain had been forcibly restrained by police, who responded to a suspicious person complaint and stopped the massage therapist as he walked home from a convenience store in 2019. Cooper and Cichuniec were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide. Cichuniec also was convicted of felony assault, and the appeals court affirmed that conviction.
WORDS: 890 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 7:51 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElijahMcClainParamedicsthLdWritethru/48f989417c7df4a4947c722dd95c1770/text___
Prosecutor tells jury that teen's killing at a Texas track meet was murder, not self-defense
SUMMARY: Lawyers have delivered opening statements in the trial of a former Texas high school athlete who is accused of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old competitor from a rival team at a track meet. A prosecutor said Karmelo Anthony provoked Austin Metcalf before stabbing him in the chest. The killing last year stunned a Dallas suburb where the teenagers attended school and quickly drew wider attention, in part because of social media posts about race. The accused, Karmelo Anthony, is Black and the victim, Austin Metcalf, was white. Anthony's lawyer says the teen was defending himself.
WORDS: 671 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrackMeetStudentKilledthLdWritethru/eb2693465642bae5ba94212a0faa81f2/text___
Karen Read sues the police agencies that investigated her Boston police boyfriend's death
SUMMARY: Karen Read has filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton, alleging misconduct, negligence and failures in oversight during the investigation that led to her prosecution in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend. The complaint, filed in Bristol County Superior Court, argues that Read’s acquittal on murder and manslaughter charges in the January 2022 death of Officer John O’Keefe exposed systemic failures within state and local law enforcement. The lawsuit devotes significant attention to former State Trooper Michael Proctor and former Canton police Sgt. Sean Goode, alleging their conduct reflected broader problems in supervision and accountability within the agencies.
WORDS: 682 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 3:19 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSKarenReadLawsuitthLdWritethru/e55ff3681ba221bdb18dc37cfe24a68f/text___
—————————----—
WASHINGTON/POLITICS
———----———————
Trump's back-and-forth on troops in Europe potentially cost millions, US officials say
SUMMARY: The U.S. military is still waiting for clarity from the Pentagon following President Donald Trump’s back-and-forth on troop levels in Europe. That's upending the lives of military personnel and potentially costing taxpayers millions of dollars. That's according to two U.S. defense officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters. NATO allies were bewildered in May when Trump said he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number pulled out of Europe. U.S. Transportation Command says sending all the equipment to Europe for the canceled unit cost the military $32 million.
WORDS: 1296 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 3:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTroopsEuropestLdWritethru/bb43a4fd108a663e69ba4bc9b9f6e6ce/text___
Senate OKs $70B immigration bill after rejecting efforts to permanently ban Trump's settlement fund
SUMMARY: The Senate has passed legislation to fund President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies, sending it to the House. The Friday morning passage came after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that threatened to derail the bill. Senators voted for the $70 billion legislation to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for the next three years, through the end of Trump’s term. The final vote came after Republicans narrowly defeated multiple attempts to add language to the bill that would permanently ban Trump’s settlement fund to compensate allies who believe they've been politically persecuted. The House is expected to take up the bill next week.
WORDS: 1057 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 5:20 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressHomelandSecuritythLdWritethru/93b9f5b487997b629d87bf59a046d7ec/text___
Senate blocks extending key surveillance program following backlash over Trump pick to lead intel
SUMMARY: The Senate has blocked a procedural vote on extending a key surveillance program used by U.S. intelligence agencies. The vote complicates efforts to renew the program before it expires June 12. Six Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in opposing the measure, which would have set up a final vote next week. The setback comes as lawmakers in both parties raise concerns about President Donald Trump’s selection of housing finance regulator Bill Pulte to serve as director of national intelligence. Sen. Mark Warner, who helped negotiate the bill, voted against it and pointed at Pulte’s appointment. Republican leaders can bring the legislation back next week ahead of the deadline.
WORDS: 502 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 9:51 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressForeignSurveillance/e6525371304fad3cd664761b6108b2db/text___
US sanctions Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel in latest move to pressure island's leadership
SUMMARY: The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, his wife and three other individuals. The action Thursday is the latest move by the Trump administration to pressure the island’s leadership, and it drew immediate condemnation from Havana. Included in the sanctions are the son and grandson of former President Raúl Castro as well as the current Cuban president's stepson. The new penalties come as U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba and then ordering an energy blockade. Díaz-Canel says “these measures are aimed at reinforcing the blockade and escalating the conflict between Cuba and the United States.”
WORDS: 1095 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 9:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpCubathLdWritethru/1cd7096822e8397dbfeffaf8e70aa536/text___
House passes bill to aid Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia
SUMMARY: The House has passed a bill to aid Ukraine and sanction key segments of the Russian economy. That's despite Republican leaders warning the legislation will undermine negotiations designed to achieve a comparable but stronger result. The legislation seeks to cement U.S. assistance for Ukraine by providing more than $1 billion in security and reconstruction aid, and making another $8 billion available for Ukraine’s defense through loans. The vote Thursday represents the House's second major foreign policy break this week with President Donald Trump. It comes one day after the House approved a war powers resolution that would halt the U.S. military action against Iran.
WORDS: 929 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 5:34 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressUkrainerdLdWritethru/c01c9e068b63d195d26e3134ed586a71/text___
Graham Platner to hold Maine rally with Rep. Ro Khanna as scandals shake up campaign
SUMMARY: Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner is hosting his first major campaign event since media reports surfaced that he previously exchanged sexually explicit text messages with several women while he was married. Platner, an oyster farmer and progressive activist, is key to the Democrats' hopes to take back the U.S. Senate this year as the party needs him to defeat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Platner is scheduled to appear in Bar Harbor on Friday with progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California and a pair of Democratic Maine candidates. It’s billed as a “get out the vote” rally.
WORDS: 988 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionPlatner/8b01a5c9a6eb5dceae18496a9b6cdc64/text___
Ex-national security adviser John Bolton will plead guilty in classified information case: AP source
SUMMARY: Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information under a deal with the Justice Department that could allow him to avoid prison time. That's according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal would resolve a criminal case filed in October that charged Bolton with 18 counts of either retaining or sharing diary-like notes with family members. Officials said the material contained classified information as he was preparing a memoir of his time in government. The person familiar with the matter insisted on anonymity to discuss a deal that hasn't been made public.
WORDS: 871 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 2:46 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSJusticeDepartmentJohnBoltonthLdWritethru/3a92a8f87521cee9a7627db53a75e9c1/text___
Kennedy Center moves to erase Trump references after judge said they were illegally added
SUMMARY: The Kennedy Center is removing references to President Donald Trump after a federal judge ruled they were added illegally. A memo to staff Thursday from the Kennedy Center's Office of General Counsel said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.” The changes must be completed by June 12. A federal judge ruled on May 29 that Trump’s name had been illegally added to the venue. The judge also blocked the administration from closing the venue for major renovations planned for July.
WORDS: 379 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 9:20 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpKennedyCenterstLdWritethru/b27248c91b59594da972b95191c4035f/text___
With Trump in a holding pattern on Iran war, allies and critics worry he risks getting boxed in
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump insists he's comfortable with the current holding pattern in the Iran war. But the Republican president faces warnings from foes and allies alike that he’s getting boxed in on a conflict he sold as a quick military incursion. There’s growing concern within the administration and among key advisers and allies. Trump now finds himself in a bind. That's according to a U.S. official and another person familiar with the administration’s internal deliberations. Trump is buffeted by Democrats looking to seize on surging global oil prices sparked by the war and warnings from hawkish members of his base that an early exit from the conflict would amount to capitulation.
WORDS: 1302 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSTrumprdLdWritethru/f6c5007b28e596e562c88b93ee785d91/text___
Supreme Court sides with Trump administration on federal regulation of telecom companies
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has sided with the Trump administration in a case about the power of federal regulators over telecommunications companies. In an 8-1 ruling Thursday, the justices preserved one of the Federal Communications Commission’s key enforcement tools. Verizon and AT&T challenged multimillion-dollar penalties imposed after the agency determined that the companies failed to safeguard customer location data. The companies argued that the FCC's process was unconstitutional and they hoped to build on a line of Supreme Court cases limiting the power of federal agencies. The high court disagreed, though after the administration said companies didn't have to pay the fines right away.
WORDS: 433 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 2:34 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSupremeCourtFCCrdLdWritethru/c0d184c82a104d653c8f1452357f68bd/text___
—————————----—
INTERNATIONAL
———----———————
Putin rejects Zelenskyy's offer to meet, saying he sees 'no point' in it
SUMMARY: Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a face-to-face meeting, saying he sees “no point” in it. Speaking Friday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin described Zelenskyy’s open letter a day earlier proposing the meeting as “boorish.” In earlier remarks at the investment forum, Putin said that by freezing Russian assets abroad, Western nations eroded trust in their own currencies. He alleged that soaring state debt had helped undermine global trust in Western institutions. The Russian leader said the world needed a “modern, flexible and responsible financial architecture — free from risks, bans and barriers.”
WORDS: 1020 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 2:15 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaPutinthLdWritethru/a57c76d347f580eaf8325062ed13a6ec/text___
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week in first visit since 2019
SUMMARY: Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week in what will be his first visit in years. His trip will the latest in a series of steps by China to reinforce its close ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor, whose leader Kim Jong Un has reached out to Russia in recent years, notably by sending troops and conventional weapons to support its war against Ukraine. The announcement was made by both countries Friday a day after North Korea unveiled a new facility to produce nuclear fuel. Experts say the plant’s disclosure implies that Kim is eager to cement his country’s status as a nuclear weapons state ahead of Xi’s visit.
WORDS: 705 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 2:19 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASChinaNorthKoreathLdWritethru/4def48720a7cb66f820d3efc256a941c/text___
As Ebola spreads in Congo, a radio station tries to stop health misinformation
SUMMARY: In Congo, the battle against the rare Bundibugyo type of Ebola has been complicated by skepticism, attacks on health workers and misinformation. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported at least 63 deaths from 397 confirmed cases as of Friday. Many locals dismissed the outbreak as a conspiracy. In response, journalist Vérité Johnson launched a radio program in Bunia to combat rumors and educate residents. The World Health Organization and Africa CDC have launched a $518 million response plan. Resistance to health protocols is common in Congo, fueled by mistrust and misinformation, complicating efforts to contain the virus.
WORDS: 865 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 7:29 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFCongoEbolaRadiothLdWritethru/f1beb232d0e894b8ee0701f33c31d8b4/text___
Israel strikes southern Lebanon after evacuation warnings to several villages
SUMMARY: Israel's air force has struck parts of southern Lebanon, and the military issued evacuation warnings for nine villages. Lebanon's state news agency reports six people killed. The strikes come after Hezbollah rejects a ceasefire agreement, demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal. The war threatens efforts to end the Iran conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to continue the offensive until Hezbollah is no longer a threat. Nearly 2,500 displaced people were sheltering in one of the villages that was hit, Anqoun. U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanese troops arrived at Dibbine after Israeli forces withdrew following clashes.
WORDS: 1072 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 10:47 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLLebanonIsraelHezbollahrdLdWritethru/303de2f806c493917150e9443ab99c03/text___
Hezbollah rejects latest ceasefire agreement as Israeli strikes kill 4 in Lebanon
SUMMARY: Hezbollah has rejected the latest ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government and demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal. Thursday's announcement came as local authorities said Israeli strikes killed at least four people. A U.N. peacekeeper was also killed in the crossfire. Hezbollah's leader said the agreement’s demand that Hezbollah fighters leave southern Lebanon under fire would mean surrender and defeat. The ongoing fighting in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have seized large swaths of the south, threatens efforts to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
WORDS: 1155 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 12:27 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/06ea585ce43fd28e26c4d21d46a4df83/text___
In public letter, Ukraine's Zelenskyy calls on Putin for direct negotiations in a neutral country
SUMMARY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for face-to-face negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a public letter on Thursday, Zelenskyy criticized Putin's long tenure and proposed a meeting in a neutral country like Switzerland, Turkey, or Arab states. He highlighted Ukraine's recent battlefield gains and Russia's intensified aerial attacks. Zelenskyy accused Moscow of trying to prolong the war and destabilize regions like Transnistria. He claimed significant Russian casualties and proposed a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. Zelenskyy emphasized that global fatigue is growing with Russia, not Ukraine.
WORDS: 512 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 8:10 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarndLdWritethru/c5d735ba02ba98199ccac4e6faf51bd0/text___
—————————----—
BUSINESS
———----———————
The US job market is strong but many Americans are still frustrated by prospects and rising prices
SUMMARY: U.S. employers added a surprising 172,000 jobs in May as the labor market continued to show resilience in the face of rising costs from the Iran war. The Labor Department reported Friday that job growth was down slightly last month from a revised 179,000 in April. The unemployment rate stayed at a low 4.3%. The job market has been recovering this year from a miserable 2025, so far shrugging off higher energy prices and increased economic uncertainty since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February.
WORDS: 1014 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 3:46 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEconomyJobsReportthLdWritethru/94068a0f4e441024b05e72eb370b3a15/text___
Stocks slump as Big Tech sinks and a strong May jobs report boosts odds for higher interest rates
SUMMARY: Stocks are sinking on Wall Street as big technology companies lost ground and weighed down the broader market. Meanwhile, bond yields surged as a strong jobs report boosted expectations that the Federal Reserve will be forced to hike interest rates at some point this year. The S&P 500 fell 1.6% Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 373 points, or 0.7%. The Nasdaq composite fell 2.6%. Nvidia and Broadcom were among the heaviest weights on the market. The Labor Department reported that employers added 172,000 jobs in May, roughly double what forecasters had expected. Oil prices fell.
WORDS: 653 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 5:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/b5e10863b81cb1d6399f688ad8885c46/text___
Longtime CBS correspondent Scott Pelley lived many workers' fantasy: Telling your boss off
SUMMARY: Scott Pelley may have lost his job after publicly blasting CBS management. But for many workers, he lived out a fantasy. In a staff meeting this week, the longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent questioned the qualifications of top executives and accused them of undermining the storied news program. While his bosses dismissed him, saying he exhibited “remarkable incivility and contempt," many others are cheering Pelley, saying it was like watching a fantasy play out after years of biting their tongues around bosses they viewed as clueless.
WORDS: 915 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 4:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMinutesTalkingBack/1f23c4cde8e2f0c5908d03d6febde363/text___
Average US long-term mortgage rate falls to 6.48%, retreating from its highest level in 9 months
SUMMARY: The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate eased this week from its highest level in nine months, welcome relief for prospective homebuyers. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate fell to 6.48% from 6.53% last week. The average rate remains below 6.85%, where it was a year ago. When mortgage rates decline they give homebuyers more purchasing power. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.
WORDS: 624 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 4:06 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMortgageRatesrdLdWritethru/65ec8f18b64ce54173a5cb1e21ccdeb8/text___
—————————----—
RELIGION
———----———————
4 years running, Southern Baptists weigh tightening ban on churches with women pastors
SUMMARY: Southern Baptists will gather for their annual meeting on Tuesday. And for the fourth year in a row, they'll debate whether to formally ban churches with a woman in any role resembling that of pastor. One thing they're unlikely to debate is any noticeable change in the politics of many Southern Baptists. They form the vanguard of the broader white conservative evangelical support for President Donald Trump. More than 11,000 church representatives have preregistered for the two-day meeting in Orlando, Florida. The Southern Baptist Convention's membership has declined to its lowest since 1973, but it remains influential as the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.
WORDS: 1272 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 11:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APRELSouthernBaptists/e0ebf89837380add5bf614d8870a07f1/text___
Pope Leo's visiting Europe's migration hot spots. Catholics hope he'll ease political tensions
SUMMARY: Pope Leo XIV will visit two flashpoints of migration from Africa to Europe over less than a month starting on June 11. He will go first to Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic and then Italy’s Lampedusa island in the Mediterranean. These remote outposts of Europe have struggled with the arrivals of tens of thousands of migrants on often deadly trafficking routes. Even as new arrivals decrease this year, especially in the Canaries, illegal immigration and integration remain vastly controversial politically in the historically Catholic countries. Many in the front lines of helping migrants say they hope the papal visit will help lower the temperature, and refocus attention on the human plight and away from political slogans.
WORDS: 1361 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APRELPopeMigrationSpainstLdWritethru/7c1cb350eecd3266bb5e6f1bd8eab8be/text___
—————————----—
EDUCATION
———----———————
Trump officials went after dozens of colleges. Now they're rewriting the rules for all of academia
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump's administration put dozens of college campuses under investigation last year and cut federal funding unless they came in line with his Republican agenda. Now federal officials are taking a wider approach. As new investigations have been dialed back, multiple agencies are rewriting federal rules governing all of higher education. The new tactic goes after many of the same targets, including diversity, equity and inclusion; transgender athletes; and antisemitism. New rules under consideration would require colleges to end DEI policies and ensure they have “intellectual diversity,” a veiled call for more conservative voices. Some people in higher education welcome the approach, saying it invites conversations that didn't happen during last year's investigations.
WORDS: 1312 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 11:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSEducationTrumpCollegesstLdWritethru/83d79bc1b371191f77ae571c1df3490d/text___
—————————----—
ENTERTAINMENT
———----———————
Actor Anthony Head, known for ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' has died at 72
SUMMARY: Actor Anthony Head, known for his roles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Ted Lasso,” has died at 72. His family announced Friday that he passed away peacefully due to complications from pneumonia, surrounded by loved ones. Head first gained recognition in the 1980s on British TV as part of a romantic couple in Nescafe ads. He later achieved U.S. fame as Rupert Giles in the supernatural series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which aired from 1997 to 2003.
WORDS: 197 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 3:47 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainObitHeadthLdWritethru/a1c56edf560de048e730a2cf337e4223/text___
Actors' union approves 4-year contract with studios and streamers
SUMMARY: Television and movie actors have voted to ratify a four-year contract with studios and streaming services. This comes after union leaders negotiated protections against synthetic actors created by artificial intelligence. The ratification was widely expected, and a strike like the one in 2023 never seemed likely during the drama-free negotiations. More than 90% of Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists members approved the agreement. The new deal, like on recently reached by Hollywood writers, is for four years instead of the usual three. This provides extra labor stability in the industry. The contract includes provisions to keep the use of AI actors minimal.
WORDS: 335 - MOVED: 06/05/2026 5:56 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTHollywoodStrikesstLdWritethru/0f10cac7171f06751b23c3f1bebe0e37/text___
—————————----—
SPORTS
———----———————
Sipping tea fuels Polish qualifier Chwalinska's run to French Open final against teenager Andreeva
SUMMARY: Sipping tea every night has helped Maja Chwalinska of Poland become just the second qualifier to reach a Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era. She did so by beating Diana Shnaider of Russia 7-6 (4), 6-4. The 24-year-old Chwalinska can match Emma Raducanu’s title run at the 2021 U.S. Open when she plays 19-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in Saturday’s final. According to stats provider Opta, Chwalinska and Raducanu stand alone among men and women in reaching a major singles final from qualifying since the Open Era began in 1968. Andreeva reached her first Grand Slam final by beating Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3.
WORDS: 923 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 2:03 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APTENFrenchOpenthLdWritethru/483dbbf0e39d1d6ad94ee5eb55f122e0/text___
AP exclusive: Iran players describe how the war affects their World Cup preparations
SUMMARY: Iran is heading to the World Cup amid tensions with the main host nation, creating a unique situation in tournament history. Two Iranian players shared their struggles to stay focused on soccer. Saeid Ezatolahi, a 29-year-old midfielder, said it's challenging to manage the political situation while preparing for his third World Cup. The team has been training in Turkey and plans to move to Tijuana, Mexico, due to visa issues. Mohammad Ghorbani, attending his first World Cup, emphasized the importance of playing for their people. He said the team aims to bring joy and pride to Iranians.
WORDS: 789 - MOVED: 06/04/2026 9:08 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APSOCWCupIranPlayersndLdWritethru/047aeccaa71cdafb3f73074d2130adaa/text___
<END>