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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US ELECTION 2026- GERRYMANDERING EXPLAINER

Texas dispute highlights nation’s long history of partisan gerrymandering. Is it legal?

SUMMARY: A spat over congressional redistricting in Texas marks the latest episode in a long national history of gerrymandering. Democratic lawmakers have fled Texas to try to block Republicans from redrawing congressional districts in their favor. The term “gerrymander” originated over 200 years ago to describe political manipulation in legislative districts. It was coined in 1812 to describe a district signed into law by Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry that critics said was shaped like a salamander. Gerrymandering has continued since then. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that federal courts don’t have the authority to decide challenges to alleged partisan gerrymandering.

WORDS: 681 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 1:07 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413&mediaType=text

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US--AP POLL-COST OF LIVING

The vast majority of US adults are stressed about grocery costs, an AP-NORC poll finds

SUMMARY: A new poll finds the vast majority of U.S. adults are feeling some stress about the cost of groceries, as prices continue to rise and concerns about the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs remain widespread. Only 14% say it’s not a source of stress, underscoring the pervasive anxiety most Americans continue to feel about the cost of everyday essentials. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds about 4 in 10 Americans under age 45 say they’ve used what are known as “buy now, pay later” services to make small purchases on entertainment or restaurant meals or to pay for essentials like groceries or medical care.

WORDS: 1139 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 9:56 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:cd183c59f034f6e87525675f3ca04864&mediaType=text

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ENT--OBIT-LONI ANDERSON

Popular 1980s actor Loni Anderson of the hit TV series ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ has died

SUMMARY: Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist Jennifer on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” has died. It was just days before her 80th birthday. Her longtime publicist says Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness. “WKRP in Cincinnati” aired from 1978 through 1982 and was set in a lagging Ohio radio station trying to reinvent itself with rock music. As the station’s receptionist, Jennifer’s efficiency often kept the station running in the face of others’ incompetence.

WORDS: 572 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 9:54 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3614dc44dbad987f74fc4cd64bd3e7fc&mediaType=text

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US--MONTANA SHOOTING

Former US soldier suspected of killing 4 in Montana remains at large

SUMMARY: Authorities say a former US soldier suspected of killing four people at a Montana bar is still at large and believed to be armed. The shooting occurred on Friday morning at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana. Officials say they believe 45-year-old military veteran Michael Paul Brown committed the shooting with a rifle. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen on Sunday warned residents that Brown could return to the area. Investigators are considering all possible options for Brown’s whereabouts. Brown served in the Army and Montana National Guard and has struggled with mental illness for years, family members say.

WORDS: 911 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 6:38 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:38a642f1f2a66ab9e6408fc74766e08e&mediaType=text

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US--ABANDONED INFANT-FOUR DEAD

Men charged in Tennessee case involving 4 dead family members of abandoned infant

SUMMARY: Tennessee authorities have arrested two men they say are connected to the case of four murdered family members who were related to an abandoned infant. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation charged Tanaka Brown and Giovonte Thomas with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Authorities allege both men “assisted” 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond in the murders, but did not specify how. Authorities have left many unanswered questions, including how the four relatives were killed and how the family’s baby ended up in a car seat in a yard in the Tigrett area. Law enforcement officers are still searching for Drummond.

WORDS: 420 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 2:29 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d604c6cc37a93a53a79379b5eeee5140&mediaType=text

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US-EARTHQUAKE-NEW-JERSEY-THINGS TO KNOW

What to know about the earthquake that shook the New York area Saturday night

SUMMARY: A relatively mild 3.0 magnitude earthquake shook the New York metropolitan area Saturday night. The earthquake hit in the New Jersey suburb of Hasbrouck Heights at a depth of about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) and was felt fairly widely in northern New Jersey, southern New York and even in southern parts of Connecticut. There were no initial reports of serious injuries or significant damage in New Jersey or across the Hudson River in New York City

WORDS: 649 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 2:11 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f8b8af56e358a0e057b308231eeb92d1&mediaType=text

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ENT-FILM-BOX-OFFICE

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” holds its lead atop the box office

SUMMARY: Marvel’s first family faltered in its sophomore weekend at the box office, recording a 66% dip in North American theaters. But the movie still managed to hold on to the No. 1 spot this weekend. “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” earned $40 million, bringing total earnings to $198 million domestically. “The Bad Guys 2” and “The Naked Gun” snagged the second and third spots. Marvel’s previous film, “Thunderbolts,” took a 55% dive in its second weekend and is almost on par with “Captain America: Brave New World.” That film landed in theaters earlier this year and fell 68% after its debut weekend.

WORDS: 576 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 1:44 p.m. EDT

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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US--ELECTION 2026-TEXAS REDISTRICTING

Texas governor threatens to remove Democrats who left the state over Trump-backed redistricting

SUMMARY: Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he will begin trying to remove Democratic lawmakers from office if they do not return after dozens of them left the state. The Democrats left Sunday in an attempt to block the adoption of redrawn U.S. House maps sought by President Donald Trump. Some of the lawmakers accused Abbott on Monday of using “smoke and mirrors” to make threats that go beyond his legal authority. The revolt by Democrats in the state House and Abbott’s threat ratcheted up a widening fight over congressional maps that began in Texas but expanded to include Democratic governors who have floated the possibility of rushing to redraw their own state maps in retaliation.

WORDS: 1055 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:19 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:136cfeddc717f9fc69337bd3d39b1819&mediaType=text

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US--ELECTION-2026-REDISTRICTING-EXPLAINER

How redistricting in Texas and other states could change the game for US House elections

SUMMARY: Redistricting usually happens after the once-a-decade population count by the U.S. Census Bureau or in response to a court ruling. Now, Texas Republicans want to break that tradition. And other states could follow suit. Democrats in Texas’ House have left the state to prevent a vote on a redistricting plan pushed by President Trump that will send five more Republicans to Washington and make it harder for Democrats to regain the majority and blunt his agenda. There’s no national impediment to a state trying to redraw districts in the middle of a decade for political reasons.

WORDS: 905 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 7:37 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1c6287fc23214548be734bbbf7056117&mediaType=text

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US--ELECTION-2026-REDISTRICTING-THINGS-TO-KNOW

Texas Democrats fleeing state to block redistricting vote follows strategy that’s had mixed results

SUMMARY: Texas Democrats have fled the state in an effort to keep Republicans from approving a new U.S. House map that could boost their slim congressional majority next year. The Sunday walkout is the minority party’s way of preventing Republicans in charge from having enough votes for maps that would add five new Republican-leaning congressional districts. Though such theatrics are uncommon, both parties have used walkouts to deny quorum in state legislatures from Oregon to New Hampshire. In some places, walking off the job, whether for a day or weeks at a time, has led to punishments including fines, civil arrest warrants or being booted from the ballot.

WORDS: 601 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 5:43 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8bb099ee19c0638c86b27143ef70d268&mediaType=text

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INTERNATIONAL

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ML--ISRAEL-STARVING HOSTAGES

Videos of emaciated Israeli hostages in Gaza increase pressure on Netanyahu for a ceasefire

SUMMARY: New images of emaciated Israeli hostages held in Gaza have horrified Israelis and added pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire with Hamas. The videos released late last week by militant groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad show two skeletal hostages pleading for their lives. Netanyahu says the videos have strengthened his resolve to topple Hamas. He met with the Red Cross to ask that it bring hostages food — access that the organization says it has never been granted by Hamas. Israel has requested an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting. Concerns about famine in Gaza are growing.

WORDS: 1085 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 1:09 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c9951a33a7f8d47d4ad77705d1267fbd&mediaType=text

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EU--BRITAIN-STORM

Storm Floris batters Scotland with 90 mph winds, disrupts travel and festivals

SUMMARY: Authorities in Scotland have canceled trains and closed parks as a rare summer storm brings destructive winds to northern Britain. The U.K.’s Meteorological Office on Monday issued an “amber” wind warning in Scotland for Storm Floris, indicating potential risks to lives and property. Wind gusts reached 90 miles per hour, along with heavy rain. Floris hits during the busy tourism season, affecting events like the Edinburgh Fringe arts festival. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo has canceled Monday’s outdoor performance. Train services across much of Scotland have been canceled and some ferry crossings have also been scrapped. The storm also could hit parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, and northern England.

WORDS: 310 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:51 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:a06726a4f537cf35ba09bb514a6ea19a&mediaType=text

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EU--RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR

Trump’s deadline for the Kremlin looms but Putin shows no sign of making concessions

SUMMARY: The coming week could be pivotal in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected in Moscow midweek. Trump has set a Friday deadline for Russia to stop its aggression or face severe economic penalties. The diplomatic stalemate remains challenging, with Ukraine losing territory but showing no signs of a defense collapse. Trump has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of sanctions, while Russia continues its military advancements. The conflict has resulted in significant civilian casualties, with over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians killed according to the United Nations.

WORDS: 757 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:45 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9444ab7b042944090d51a73ae871571a&mediaType=text

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ML--MIGRATION-YEMEN-SHIPWRECK

The UN says 68 African migrants were killed when a boat capsized off Yemen

SUMMARY: The U.N.’s migration agency reports that at least 68 African migrants have died and 74 others are missing after their boat capsized off Yemen. The mishap took place on Sunday. Abdusattor Esoev, head of the International Organization for Migration in Yemen, says the boat carried 154 Ethiopian migrants and capsized near Yemen’s Abyan province. Twelve migrants survived the shipwreck. The bodies of 54 migrants washed ashore in the district of Khanfar, and 14 others were found dead and taken to a hospital morgue in Zinjibar, the provincial capital of Abyan on Yemen’s southern coast.

WORDS: 310 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:43 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c2c28d70e51ed01086493aaece2e4f35&mediaType=text

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ML--MIDEAST-WARS-GAZA

Dozens killed as Palestinians in Gaza scramble for aid from air and land

SUMMARY: Witnesses and health officials say dozens of Palestinians have been killed or wounded as desperate crowds headed toward food distribution points or airdrops in Gaza. Israel’s blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid. That’s contributing to the territory’s slide toward famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas. Aid groups say Israel’s week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas. The U.N. says several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while seeking food aid.

WORDS: 867 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:42 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:93bc19dab679685f995156b3619bd4a1&mediaType=text

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EU--RUSSIA-CONCERT-HALL-ATTACK

Trial begins for suspects in 2024 Moscow concert hall attack that killed 149 people

SUMMARY: A trial has begun under tight security for 19 defendants accused of involvement in last year’s shooting rampage in a Moscow concert hall that killed 149 people and wounded over 600 in one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in years. A faction of the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the March 22, 2024, massacre at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in which four gunmen shot people who were waiting for a show by a popular rock band and then set the building on fire. President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have claimed, without presenting evidence, that Ukraine had a role in the attack. Kyiv has strongly denied any involvement.

WORDS: 258 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 11:35 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:de1befa242d8ba10ec108927140105da&mediaType=text

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LT--TROPICAL WEATHER

Tropical Storm Dexter churns in the Atlantic, but it’s expected to move away from the US coast

SUMMARY: A tropical storm is churning in the western Atlantic Ocean, but forecasters say it is expected to move away from the U.S. coast and stay north of Bermuda. Tropical Storm Dexter is the fourth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed late Sunday and is heading northeast Monday, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center says Dexter is about 250 miles northwest of Bermuda. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Some slight strengthening of the storm is forecast during the next few days.

WORDS: 102 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 11:13 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:23abe3c001ee9cffe510590c4e291aea&mediaType=text

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AS--KOREAS-TENSIONS

South Korea begins removing border propaganda speakers in conciliatory gesture toward North

SUMMARY: South Korea’s military says it has begun removing loudspeakers along its border with rival North Korea in a move aimed at reducing tensions. The speakers had previously been used to blast anti-North Korean propaganda across the border, but the South’s new liberal government halted the broadcasts in June in a conciliatory gesture as it looks to rebuild trust and revive dialogue with Pyongyang. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the physical removal of the loudspeakers from the border was another “practical measure” aimed at easing tensions between the war-divided Koreas and that it does not affect the South’s military readiness.

WORDS: 464 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 3:17 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:0ee53f235ea436916f29a96b6af2bb51&mediaType=text

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LT--CHILE-MINE COLLAPSE

The bodies of all 5 miners are found and identified in Chile’s El Teniente mine after collapse

SUMMARY: Authorities in Chile say they have found and identified the bodies of all five miners trapped in a collapsed shaft at the world’s largest underground copper mine. The miners were trapped on Thursday following a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that caused the collapse. The last miner’s body was found on Sunday afternoon. Rescue teams had drilled through rock to reach the workers, but communication was not possible. Investigations are underway to determine if the earthquake was natural or caused by mining activities. The mine, El Teniente, is owned by state company Codelco, which halted operations and evacuated 3,000 people after the collapse.

WORDS: 315 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 5:21 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ba67897a73be96720278a956f2d0870f&mediaType=text

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ML--ISRAEL-MINISTER-EXPLAINER

Israel minister who led prayers at a controversial holy site has a record of provocative actions

SUMMARY: Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has led prayers at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, sparking international condemnation. This visit comes amid strong criticism of Israel over the war in Gaza. Ben-Gvir frequently visits the contested Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount. The site is a flashpoint for tensions and violence. Since 1967, Jews have been allowed to visit but not pray there. Prime Minister Netanyahu insists the status quo remains unchanged. It was the latest act of defiance by the 49-year-old ultranationalist settler leader who transformed himself over the decades from an outlaw and provocateur into one of Israel’s most influential politicians.

WORDS: 985 - MOVED: 08/03/2025 2:43 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e3ddff00c655f991b8e284c8531eacae&mediaType=text

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BUSINESS

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FINANCIAL MARKETS

Wall Street rallies and US stocks recover much of Friday’s wipeout

SUMMARY: U.S. stocks are rallying to recover more than two thirds of their sharp loss from Friday’s wipeout. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 558 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.8%. Gains for Tyson Foods and other companies following profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations helped offset a drop for Berkshire Hathaway. This upcoming week may have fewer fireworks on Wall Street than last week, which was punctuated by a disappointingly weak report on the U.S. job market. That raised worries that President Donald Trump’s tariffs may be punishing the economy.

WORDS: 844 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 1:21 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f91c267abb95fbe2fecd0e29bde661a8&mediaType=text

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US--TESLA-MUSK-STOCK

Tesla awards CEO Musk millions of shares valued at about $29 billion

SUMMARY: Tesla is awarding CEO Elon Musk 96 million shares of restricted stock valued at approximately $29 billion, just six months after a judge ordered the company to revoke his massive pay package. The electric vehicle maker said in a regulatory filing on Monday that Musk must first pay Tesla $23.34 per share of restricted stock that vests, which is equal to the exercise price per share of the 2018 pay package that was awarded to the company’s CEO. In December Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick reaffirmed her earlier ruling that Tesla must revoke Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. She found that Musk engineered the landmark pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent.

WORDS: 562 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:47 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:1abc89c2a3a4f36c376788d8cab99728&mediaType=text

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US--BOEING-STRIKE

Thousands of Boeing workers who build fighter jets and weapons go on strike

SUMMARY: Several thousand workers at three Midwest manufacturing plants where Boeing develops military aircraft and weapons are on strike early. The strike started early Monday at Boeing facilities in St. Louis; St. Charles, Missouri; and Mascoutah, Illinois, after about 3,200 local members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted to reject a modified labor agreement. It included a 20% wage increase over four years and $5,000 ratification bonuses. The walkout potentially complicates Boeing’s progress in regaining its financial footing following a bruising 2024. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told analysts last week that the impact would be much less than a walkout last year by 33,000 workers who assemble the company’s commercial jetliners.

WORDS: 567 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:45 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3cc6357adc8bda4bacb334204d081fd4&mediaType=text

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AF--SOUTH AFRICA-TRUMP-TARIFFS

US tariffs put 30,000 South African jobs at risk, officials say

SUMMARY: South African authorities have warned that U.S. reciprocal tariffs could put an estimated 30,000 jobs at risk. The U.S. plans to impose a 30% tariff on South African goods, creating uncertainty for export industries. On Monday, officials said that if the response to these tariffs is mismanaged, significant job losses could occur. The U.S. is South Africa’s third-largest trading partner, and the tariffs have prompted a scramble for new markets. The government is working to diversify export markets, focusing on intra-African trade and opportunities in Asia and the Middle East. An Export Support Desk has been established to help affected manufacturers.

WORDS: 675 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 11:17 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d005147714f7c499ab9e0a345c961ec3&mediaType=text

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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SCI--SEA STAR DISEASE

Scientists say they have solved the mystery of what killed more than 5 billion sea stars

SUMMARY: Scientists have solved the mystery of what killed over 5 billion sea stars — also known as starfish — off the Pacific coast of North America. Starting in 2013, a wasting disease caused a mass die-off from Mexico to Alaska, devastating more than 20 species. The sunflower sea star was worst hit, losing around 90% of its population. Researchers have identified the culprit as a bacterium that also infects shellfish. The findings, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, could help scientists intervene to save sea stars. This is crucial for Pacific ecosystems, as healthy starfish control sea urchin populations that threaten kelp forests.

WORDS: 642 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 11:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:f2ab802ae8787618a5905c566d38e0c5&mediaType=text

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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT

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LT--ECUADOR-AMAZON-ENVIRONMENT

In Ecuador, environmentalists worry Noboa is unwinding nation’s green reputation

SUMMARY: Recent moves in Ecuador have environmental interests concerned that the South American nation is unwinding some of the basis for its green reputation. President Daniel Noboa has eliminated the Environment Ministry as an independent institution, folding it into the Energy and Mines Ministry. Activists and Indigenous leaders say the move weakens protections for some of the world’s most biodiverse areas and paves the way for expanded oil and mining projects. They also warn that a proposed law ostensibly aimed at choking off money for illegal mining and organized crime will actually cause serious harm to nonprofits. The government argues the changes will improve efficiency and curb illicit financing.

WORDS: 1007 - MOVED: 08/04/2025 12:37 p.m. EDT

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