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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No, George Washington didn't have wooden teeth. Yes, he led the Siege of Boston
SUMMARY: More than a decade before he became the country’s first president, George Washington was leading a critical campaign in the early days of the American Revolution. The Siege of Boston was his first campaign as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and, in many ways, would set the stage for his later military and political success. Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, militias had pinned down the British in Boston in April 1775. The Continental Congress, recognizing the need for a more organized military effort, elected Washington to lead the newly formed army.
WORDS: 962 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 6:41 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPresidentsDayGeorgeWashingtonrdLdWritethru/5fcf9c85e1887af7aab9398a5e0d08d4/text___
NAACP asks judge to protect against 'misuse' of voter data seized by FBI in Georgia's Fulton County
SUMMARY: The NAACP and allied groups are asking a judge to limit how the federal government uses voter data seized in an FBI raid near Atlanta. In a motion filed late Sunday, they asked the judge to bar any use beyond the stated criminal investigation. They also asked for a full inventory of what agents took during the Jan. 28 seizure at the Fulton County elections hub and who has accessed it. FBI agents arrived at the elections warehouse with a warrant seeking 2020 Fulton County election records. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
WORDS: 530 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 2:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSGeorgiaElectionsInvestigation/e0eb5970169ade6f775e317f7fa12d5e/text___
FBI: DNA recovered from glove found near Guthrie home that appears to match glove worn by suspect
SUMMARY: The FBI says a glove containing DNA was found about two miles from Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home and appears to match those worn by a masked person outside her front door the night she vanished. The glove, found in a field near the side of the road, was sent off for DNA testing. The discovery was revealed days after investigators had released surveillance videos of the masked person outside Guthrie’s front door in Tucson. Guthrie is the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie and was last seen at her home on Jan. 31. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.
WORDS: 531 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 7:52 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSavannahGuthrieMomMissingthLdWritethru/710d3acdef86d1c3935b94f58f763d72/text___
A storm system sweeps across the Southeast triggering tornado watches and damaging winds
SUMMARY: A strong storm system has brought tornado watches and damage in parts of the Southeast just as the Northeast starts to warm up. On Sunday, the National Weather Service reports some of the worst damage near Lake Charles, Louisiana. High winds overturned a horse trailer and a Mardi Gras float. They also damaged an airport jet bridge and knocked an awning into power lines. The weather service also reports snapped and toppled power poles near Jena, Cheneyville, and Donaldsonville. No deaths or serious injuries are being reported. Meanwhile, California braced for a powerful winter storm that was expected to bring thunderstorms, damaging winds and heavy snow to mountain areas.
WORDS: 483 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 5:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSevereWeatherthLdWritethru/ed98b3ad57a2a59b0c61f4fc98e2b4d1/text___
Teen daughter of a Chicago man detained in an immigration case dies from a rare cancer
SUMMARY: A Chicago teen who spoke out for her father’s release after he was detained last fall by immigration officials has died after battling a rare form of cancer. The family says 16-year-old Ofelia Giselle Torres Hidalgo died Friday. She had been diagnosed in December 2024 with the aggressive form of soft tissue cancer and had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The family's statement says an immigration judge ruled three days before Ofelia’s death that her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, was conditionally entitled to receive “cancellation of removal” due to the hardships his deportation would cause his children born in the United States. The children are U.S. citizens.
WORDS: 521 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 5:35 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFederalEnforcementChicagostLdWritethru/9e9877ea2b93a8af768512a99d6223ce/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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US military boards another oil tanker in Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean
SUMMARY: The U.S. military says it's boarded another sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon said in a statement Sunday that U.S. forces boarded the Veronica III after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea. Venezuela had faced U.S. sanctions on its oil for several years and relied on a shadow fleet of tankers. President Donald Trump ordered a quarantine of sanctioned tankers in December to pressure then-President Nicolás Maduro before Maduro was captured in a U.S. military operation. The Defense Department says U.S. forces boarded the Veronica III overnight. The Pentagon’s social media post doesn't say whether the ship was formally seized.
WORDS: 453 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 1:56 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPentagonOilTankerthLdWritethru/682ddfc053bbd54ba3c477929c5b13f2/text___
No clear path to ending the partial government shutdown as lawmakers dig in over DHS oversight
SUMMARY: Lawmakers and the White House are offering no signs of compromise in their battle over oversight of federal immigration officers. That impasse has led to a pause in funding for the Department of Homeland Security. A partial government shutdown began Saturday after congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump’s team failed to reach a deal on legislation to fund the department through September. Democrats are demanding changes to how immigration operations are conducted after the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal officers in Minneapolis last month. Congress is on recess until Feb. 23, and both sides appear dug into their positions.
WORDS: 625 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 6:49 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressHomelandSecurityndLdWritethru/bd2b84b6f38f1c916637b205854a3c83/text___
Trump's border czar says 'small' security force will remain in Minnesota after enforcement drawdown
SUMMARY: More than 1,000 immigration agents have left Minnesota’s Twin Cities area and hundreds more will depart in the days ahead as part of the Trump administration’s drawdown of its immigration enforcement surge. That word comes from White House border czar Tom Homan. He tells CBS' “Face the Nation” that a “small” security force will stay for a short period to protect remaining immigration agents and will respond “when our agents are out and they get surrounded by agitators and things got out of control.” He didn't define “small.” The Trump administration announced last week it was drawing down its immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
WORDS: 343 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 5:35 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSImmigrationEnforcementMinnesotandLdWritethru/5a7940eb9b5100d46efc33a97f524da0/text___
Trump says Board of Peace will unveil $5 billion in Gaza reconstruction pledges at inaugural meeting
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says that members of his newly created Board of Peace have pledged $5 billion toward rebuilding Gaza and will commit thousands of personnel to international stabilization and police forces for the territory. Trump said Sunday that the pledges will be formally announced when members of the board gather for their first meeting Thursday in Washington. Trump isn't detailing which board member nations are making the pledges for reconstruction or would contribute personnel to the stabilization force. But Indonesia’s military says up to 8,000 of its troops are expected to be ready by the end of June for a potential deployment to Gaza.
WORDS: 498 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 4:45 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpGazastLdWritethru/685251b3e8f24cf8779d6fe3f5f2ca04/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Iran meets UN nuclear watchdog in Geneva ahead of a second round of US talks
SUMMARY: Iran's top diplomat has held talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog in Geneva a day before a second round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi and later planned to hold talks with Oman’s foreign minister. Oman is hosting the U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva on Tuesday. After U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an additional aircraft carrier to the region, Iran on Monday launched a second naval drill in weeks, state TV reported. Also, sailors passing through the region received by radio a warning that the northern lane of the Strait of Hormuz, in Iranian territorial waters, likely would see a live-fire drill.
WORDS: 1069 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 10:09 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUIranTalksthLdWritethru/8628f2dbd4c911cb4cda5fb92c1aadef/text___
Abduction of Mexican mine workers raises doubts over touted security improvements
SUMMARY: The abduction of 10 mine workers in Mexico's Sinaloa state has raised questions again about the government's touted security improvements. In late January, gunmen abducted workers from a Canadian-owned silver and gold mine near Panuco. Authorities have identified five bodies and are working to identify five more. Since September 2024, two Sinaloa Cartel factions have fought across the state. President Claudia Sheinbaum points to lower homicide rates but analysts say episodes like this undermine her message. Security forces add troops and make arrests yet residents say fear, displacement and missing people keep rising.
WORDS: 1140 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 5:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTMexicoViolencestLdWritethru/72cfd0a96077ab5b42de4c1bf156c044/text___
Brazil's Lula gets image boost at Rio Carnival, but also faces legal risks
SUMMARY: A Rio Carnival samba school has honored Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with a glowing parade, but his rivals are calling it illegal early campaigning. On Sunday night, Academicos de Niteroi filled Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome with floats and songs about Lula’s rise from poverty to national power. The school’s organizer says it is a cultural tribute, not campaign material. Analysts say the risk sits with any link to his administration. Brazil's top electoral court has rejected attempts to block the parade but judges say they might review the case if they find that rules were broken.
WORDS: 933 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 4:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APLTBrazilCarnivalLulardLdWritethru/ae3703e42b4bd52255f20c7fcedfda42/text___
Expectations are low for the latest US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine
SUMMARY: A Ukrainian delegation is heading to Geneva for another round of U.S.-brokered talks with Russian officials, days before next week’s fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor. There was no anticipation of any significant progress on ending the war at the Tuesday-Wednesday meeting in Switzerland. Both sides are sticking to their negotiating positions on key issues despite the United States setting a June deadline to reach a settlement. Ukraine is locked in a war of attrition with Russia’s bigger army on the front line while Ukrainian civilians endure Russian aerial barrages that repeatedly knock out power and smash homes.
WORDS: 584 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 10:57 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEURussiaUkraineWarstLdWritethru/000a60378c5b744de10189e25dc8fc7a/text___
Rubio plugs Orbán's bid for another term after April elections during a visit to Budapest
SUMMARY: Marco Rubio is backing Viktor Orbán ahead of Hungary’s April election during a visit to Budapest. On Monday, Rubio praised Orbán’s close personal relationship with Donald Trump, saying that bond strengthens U.S.-Hungarian cooperation. Rubio also signed a civilian nuclear deal which covers small modular reactors, U.S. nuclear fuel, and spent fuel storage. Rubio’s trip follows a stop in Slovakia on Sunday. Orbán has invited Trump to Budapest and offered to host a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine peace summit. The long-serving leader has remained friendly with Russia and continues purchasing Russian energy.
WORDS: 768 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 7:51 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUHungaryRubioOrbanrdLdWritethru/552c03d93e7517f954388f130f1f7901/text___
Suspect in mass shooting at Bondi Beach Jewish festival appears in court
SUMMARY: A man accused of killing 15 people in a mass shooting at a Jewish festival on Sydney’s Bondi Beach has appeared in court for the first time since his release from the hospital. Naveed Akram did not enter pleas to the charges against him, including murder and committing a terrorist act. Monday's court appearance focused on extending a gag order that suppresses the identities of victims and survivors of the attack who have not chosen to identify themselves publicly. Defense lawyer Ben Archbold told reporters that it was too early to indicate any intention of pleas. Akram was wounded and his father Sajid Akram was killed in a gunbattle with police after the shooting in December.
WORDS: 254 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 6:35 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASAustraliaShootingrdLdWritethru/68b5620be1b3bef45189ae94537bcbdf/text___
Gaza's Nasser Hospital condemns MSF decision to suspend most services
SUMMARY: Nasser Hospital in Gaza has condemned the decision by Doctors Without Borders to suspend most work at the facility due to concerns over armed men in the compound. MSF had said security breaches, arbitrary arrests and intimidation put staff and patients at risk. Nasser Hospital is one of Gaza's last functioning large hospitals. It rejects the MSF claims and says police are inside to protect patients and staff. Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll since the current ceasefire has surpassed 600. At least 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the last 24 hours.
WORDS: 1027 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 10:15 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLMideastWarsthLdWritethru/345d17db61847356e5036407ed84a439/text___
Iran’s top diplomat to attend 'indirect' talks with US in Geneva, state-run IRNA news agency says
SUMMARY: Iranian state media reports that Iran’s top diplomat is traveling to Geneva where the second round of nuclear negotiations with the U.S. will take place. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation left for the Swiss city on Sunday after the first round of indirect talks took place in Oman last week. Oman will mediate the talks in Geneva, the IRNA state-run news agency reported on its Telegram channel. Araghchi is also expected to meet with his Swiss and Omani counterparts, as well as the director general of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
WORDS: 639 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 4:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSTalksthLdWritethru/02f5495590387700ab5fbbb593aa6a2b/text___
Israel will begin contentious West Bank land registration in new step to deepen control
SUMMARY: Israel is beginning a land registration process in the occupied West Bank that critics say can shift large areas into state control. On Sunday, the Cabinet approved a decision to restart the long-frozen process, which means Israeli authorities can declare an area up for registration. The Peace Now settlement watchdog says the process likely amounts to a major land grab from Palestinians. The decision is the latest step to deepen Israeli control over the West Bank. The proposal had been put forward by some of Israel’s far-right members of the ruling coalition.
WORDS: 769 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 4:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLWestBankLandRegulationrdLdWritethru/4fab1fbdf76b9db674c38a9ba18ff32e/text___
Europeans push back at US over claim they face 'civilizational erasure'
SUMMARY: A top European Union official has rejected the notion that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” pushing back at criticism of the continent by the Trump administration. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a somewhat reassuring message to European allies. He struck a less aggressive tone than Vice President JD Vance last year but maintained a firm tone on Washington’s intent to reshape the trans-Atlantic alliance and push its policy priorities.
WORDS: 470 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 11:03 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUGermanySecurityConferencestLdWritethru/0efc0b3d464f118e3e5d6748113c9271/text___
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BUSINESS
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Presidents Day 2026: Here's what's open and closed on the holiday
SUMMARY: Government offices, the stock market and schools are closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day, but most big retailers are open. When in doubt, call ahead or look up more specific schedules online for stores in your neighborhood. U.S. stock markets and banks are closed Monday but will reopen on Tuesday. National parks are open and free to U.S. residents on Presidents Day. The official designation for the holiday is Washington’s Birthday after first President George Washington, although it has come to be known informally as Presidents Day.
WORDS: 211 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 12:40 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSPresidentsDayWhatsOpen/4f4955a83d4b04a3e49078ebc0b95b50/text___
World shares mostly advance and Japan falls ahead of Lunar New Year holidays
SUMMARY: Global markets have mostly advanced but Japan's Nikkei 225 dipped ahead of Lunar New Year holidays after new data showed weaker-than-expected economic growth in the latest quarter. Hong Kong's stock market traded for half a day, while the markets in mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan were closed. U.S. markets are also closed Monday for a holiday. On Friday, Wall Street steadied after investors reassessed their AI fears. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 0.2%. Stocks also got some help from a report showing inflation cooled last month.
WORDS: 503 - MOVED: 02/16/2026 5:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsndLdWritethru/5de9dfd0f4c9fb67b6f77e2aaa6a89ff/text___
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HEALTH/SCIENCE
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As some people push to make profound autism its own diagnosis, this family is raising twins with it
SUMMARY: As the definition of autism has widened, there’s a growing push to separate profound autism into its own diagnosis. People with this condition, such as 9-year-old twins from Massachusetts, need lifelong care. Proponents of separating out this condition seek to ensure that people like them get the support and services they need. But some in the autism community worry this would reduce attention on the broader spectrum and the individual needs of everyone on it. The debate is gaining prominence as the Trump administration focuses on autism, awarding money for research projects while promoting unproven and debunked claims about what causes it.
WORDS: 1557 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 12:28 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMEDProfoundAutismstLdWritethru/8b1d269a0672fc33a3de66c0c8e9d7fe/text___
Should people with autism and very high needs have a separate diagnosis? Takeaways from AP's report
SUMMARY: As the definition of autism has widened, there’s been a growing push to separate profound autism into its own diagnosis. Proponents seek to ensure that autistic people who need lifelong care get the support and services they need. Judith Ursitti, president of the Profound Autism Alliance, said people in this category now lack appropriate treatments, support and enough providers trained to handle their level of care. And the vast majority of clinical research doesn’t include them. But some in the autism community worry that creating a separate diagnosis of profound autism would reduce attention on the broader spectrum and the individual needs of everyone on it.
WORDS: 532 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 12:37 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMEDProfoundAutismTakeawaysstLdWritethru/dd46d3c79dd4b5afc4d23943a358e844/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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'Adolescence' and 'Train Dreams' win top prizes at Film Independent Spirit Awards
SUMMARY: Clint Bentley’s Netflix film “Train Dreams” has taken the top prize at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, as Netflix’s “Adolescence” swept the TV categories. On Sunday in Los Angeles, Bentley also won best director. Rose Byrne won the lead acting prize for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” Organizers are keeping acting awards gender neutral. “The Secret Agent” won international feature. “The Perfect Neighbor” won documentary. “Sorry, Baby” earned a screenplay win, and Naomi Ackie took the supporting acting prize. The show was held at the Hollywood Palladium for the first time since 1994, as its longtime beachside perch in Santa Monica is undergoing renovations.
WORDS: 501 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 5:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTFilmSpiritAwardsthLdWritethru/c7bbc4945ffa0f84d006fdf57c0fb97a/text___
Powered by women, ‘Wuthering Heights’ digs up $34.8 million at the box office for a No. 1 debut
SUMMARY: Emerald Fennell’s new “Wuthering Heights” has opened in first place at the North American box office. Studio estimates on Sunday say it made $34.8 million in its first three days. The total could climb to about $40 million by the end of Monday’s holiday. PostTrak says 76% of ticket buyers for the Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi film were women. Second place went to the animated basketball film “Goat,” which earned $26 million. “Crime 101” made an estimated $15.1 million in its first three days. Further down the charts was the sci-fi comedy “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,” which made $3.6 million.
WORDS: 853 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 4:36 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTFilmBoxOfficestLdWritethru/d10e1c446826f2ef7b7029953d468875/text___
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SPORTS
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Michael Jordan’s Daytona 500 ring: Tyler Reddick’s 1-lap lead delivers NASCAR’s biggest win
SUMMARY: Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win. Reddick, in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, led only one lap: the one to the checkered flag for the team owned by the NBA Hall of Famer and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Jordan was the face of the December federal antitrust lawsuit that NASCAR settled on the ninth day of trial. The settlement changed the revenue-sharing model in the United States’ top motorsports series.
WORDS: 1040 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 7:35 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCARNASCARDaytonathLdWritethru/5ef03306d4ffca28da7b23328c760877/text___
Winter Olympics recap: Brignone's double gold after broken leg, Klaebo sets a medal record
SUMMARY: Federica Brignone and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo have glided into history at the Winter Olympics in very different ways. Host nation Italy was delighted as Brignone’s sensational comeback continued with a second gold medal of the Olympics. She's still in pain after a badly broken leg last year. Klaebo has the most gold medals of any Winter Olympian in history with nine after taking gold with Norway’s cross-country men’s relay team. Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam won another medal but it was silver, not gold, as her teammate Femke Kok won the women’s 1,000 meters.
WORDS: 788 - MOVED: 02/15/2026 4:34 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APOLYMilanCortinaRoundupndLdWritethru/bf4dd32834eddafd36ce524654045731/text___
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