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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Snow and wind hit Eastern US and Midwest, closing schools and grounding more than 3,000 flights
SUMMARY: Extreme weather conditions from coast to coast put more than half the American public in the path of rough conditions Monday. Storms across the nation’s eastern half forced airlines to cancel more than 3,000 flights nationwide Monday, and many schools closed early in the mid-Atlantic states where high winds and tornadoes were in the forecast. Blizzards buried parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota while torrential rains flooded homes and washed out roads in Hawaii. California is dealing with unusually high temperatures for this time of year. Areas near San Francisco could see temperatures in the high 80s.
WORDS: 809 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSSevereWeatherthLdWritethru/a8bbd037aba99aaf0cc930e91fdb72ca/text___
3,800 workers are on strike at one of the largest meatpacking plants in the US
SUMMARY: About 3,800 workers are striking at one of the nation’s largest meatpacking plants. Union representatives in Colorado say it's the first strike at a U.S. beef slaughterhouse since the 1980s. The walkout at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley began Monday after the union said 99% of the workers voted to authorize the strike, seeking higher wages and better healthcare. Swift Beef owner JPS USA says it complies with labor and employment laws and any employee who doesn’t strike will have work and be paid. Union officials say the company charges many workers more than $1,000 each to pay for their safety equipment.
WORDS: 792 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 4:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMeatpackingPlantStrikerdLdWritethru/02e9d57762af09a609b34d8e577f0c37/text___
Israeli military claims brother of man who attacked Michigan synagogue was Hezbollah commander
SUMMARY: Israel's military is claiming that the brother of a man who attacked a Michigan synagogue last week was a Hezbollah commander. Ibrahim Ghazali was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon along with three other of the attacker’s relatives on March 5 — a week before authorities allege Ayman Mohamad Ghazali drove his car into a major synagogue outside Detroit and killed himself after security fired at him. The Israeli military on Sunday alleged Ibrahim Ghazali was a Hezbollah commander who managed weapons for a unit that fired rockets at Israel. The FBI declined to comment about the Israeli military’s claim about Ibrahim Ghazali.
WORDS: 568 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 3:47 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMichiganSynagogueAttackrdLdWritethru/5d77acb920b9435e4fb8d3bd340868cb/text___
'Radiant' mother from Kentucky was among 6 US service members killed in air crash in Iraq
SUMMARY: The U.S. military is identifying the six service members who died last week when a KC-135 refueling plane crashed in western Iraq. The crew members are tied to National Guard and Air Force units in Alabama, Florida and Ohio. U.S. Central Command has said the crash happened while in “friendly” airspace as part of the war with Iran. Families are remembering their loved ones as devoted parents and steady leaders. The KC-135 refuels aircraft in midair and also supports medical evacuations and other missions.
WORDS: 1376 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 5:46 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSPlaneDownstLdWritethru/ad3196de72ca6248045e42daa0cd9ce7/text___
Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade among nation’s largest Irish heritage celebrations
SUMMARY: Thousands of spectators were expected to line the streets of South Boston on Sunday for the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, one of the largest celebrations of Irish heritage in the country. Marching bands, veterans’ groups, local organizations and floats are set to make their way along the traditional route through the neighborhood. City officials have coordinated security, traffic restrictions and public transit plans as large crowds gather for the event.
WORDS: 183 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 4:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSStPatricksDayBostonstLdWritethru/249063fa73ddbf10d952a407776f3f28/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Trump says chief of staff Susie Wiles has breast cancer but will keep working through treatment
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer but will continue working during her treatment. Trump said Monday Wiles’ prognosis is “excellent” and described her as “one of the strongest people" he knows. The Republican president says Wiles plans to begin treatment immediately but makes no suggestion she's pulling back on her work as one of his closest advisers. It comes as Trump confronts mounting challenges on global and national fronts, including the war in Iran, soaring oil prices and this fall’s midterm elections. Wiles spent decades as a lobbyist and political operative in Florida and led Trump’s 2016 effort in the state.
WORDS: 313 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 4:38 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpChiefofStaffCancerthLdWritethru/882fc9cfa9bd036d83a8d76ad8e4d79f/text___
Trump side-stepped diplomacy on his way to war in Iran. Now, he's asking China and others for help
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump relied on his gut and largely side-stepped diplomatic coordination as he made the decision to launch strikes on Iran with Israel. But now with the Iran war’s economic and geopolitical consequences unfurling rapidly, the Republican president is cajoling allies and other global powers to help mop up the mess. Trump says he’s asked roughly a half-dozen other countries to send warships to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic. So far, none has committed. Trump even indicated he'd use his long-planned trip to China to pressure Beijing to help with the coalition — a notion his Treasury secretary later downplayed.
WORDS: 1103 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 4:36 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSTrumpChinathLdWritethru/7ce3b6cd9ca6bd222dfe3236e10f8266/text___
Republicans resist calls for Iran war hearings, creating a new standoff with Democrats
SUMMARY: The United States’ war with Iran is entering its third week, but Congress has yet to publicly test the Trump administration’s case for the conflict. Republicans in Congress have so far side-stepped public debate over the war. But Senate Democrats are reaching for every tool at their disposal to demand hearings with Trump administration officials. Some Democrats are threatening this week to force a series of votes on the war, hoping that the efforts to gum up the Senate’s voting schedule will prod Republicans to action.
WORDS: 1010 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 2:41 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSCongressstLdWritethru/a42ec470eb35bc341249d602114ef856/text___
Analysis: Two weeks into war with Iran, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels
SUMMARY: Two weeks into the war with Iran, President Donald Trump has increasingly been knocked back on his political heels. He's struggled to sell the war at home as oil prices rise, his polling numbers fall and his electoral coalition shows signs of splintering. Trump has fumed at news coverage and sent mixed signals on goals. He's now asked other countries to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open and said “about seven” countries were talking to the U.S.. But it's unclear when that might happen. Iran says it'll keep using the strait as leverage. The turmoil has allowed Democrats to try to seize the moment and unite before the November elections.
WORDS: 1270 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranTrumpTwoWeeksthLdWritethru/e4919b1a69f90f47f8f61c5967e12fac/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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Israel steps up campaign in Lebanon, as Iran keeps stranglehold on shipping
SUMMARY: Fears of a global energy crisis persist as the war in the Middle East rages on. More U.S.-Israeli strikes hit the Iranian capital Monday and Israel again bombarded Lebanon. An Iranian drone strike temporarily shut Dubai’s airport. That's a crucial global travel hub and the attack underscored the threats to the world economy. Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran more than two weeks ago, Tehran has regularly fired on Israel, American bases in the region, and Gulf Arab countries’ energy infrastructure. It has also effectively stopped shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. That has dramatically increased the price of oil and put pressure on Washington to do something to ease the pain consumers are feeling.
WORDS: 1261 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 5:32 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLIranUSthLdWritethru/5f56cff945472db519d91dd5036ead9d/text___
China warns Trump's latest tariff moves could damage trade ties
SUMMARY: China says U.S President Donald Trump’s latest tariff moves could harm the countries' trade relationship. Beijing's international trade representative said his government expressed serious concern during high-level talks in Paris. The meeting was meant to prepare for Trump's planned trip to China in about two weeks, though the U.S. president has warned that it could be delayed. The Iran war has emerged as a potential stumbling block just as the U.S. and China were patching up relations following a tariff war and truce. The U.S. treasury secretary says any postponement wouldn’t be to pressure China on that new issue.
WORDS: 565 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 1:54 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUUSChinandLdWritethru/c506344b213fa28d811a8376cae3b584/text___
Poland is now among the world's 20 largest economies. How it happened
SUMMARY: Poland once was in economic ruins when communism fell more than three decades ago. Now it's the 20th largest economy in the world. Poland edges out Switzerland with more than $1 trillion in annual output. The Trump administration is taking note by inviting Poland to attend the Group of 20 summit of leading economies this year. Poland prospered by turning decisively toward the European Union and dodging the corruption that plagued other countries that had been in the Soviet orbit. Poland's entrepreneurs aren't afraid to take risks and start new businesses. All that means many educated young people see their future at home instead of abroad.
WORDS: 1182 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 5:34 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUPolandNewfoundProsperitythLdWritethru/26fe06e120398410f8d773ba5661e7aa/text___
Iranian women’s team leaves Malaysia for Oman after asylum reversal
SUMMARY: Iran’s women’s soccer team has left Malaysia for Oman after five of the seven squad members who sparked a diplomatic furor by seeking asylum in Australia reversed their decisions and rejoined the team in Kuala Lumpur. On Monday night, the team flew out from the Malaysian capital after hours of quiet waiting at the airport. Officials gave no reasons for why the players changed their minds. Two players remain in Australia in an undisclosed safe location. The Asian Football Confederation said the Iranian embassy arranged the trip and that the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA plan regular welfare check-ins.
WORDS: 905 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 8:29 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APSOCWomensAsiaCupIranExitthLdWritethru/bfa42b14841ed4e27490e2664c2d5e69/text___
Hospital officials say Israeli strikes killed 12 in Gaza, including 2 children and a pregnant woman
SUMMARY: Palestinian hospital officials say Israeli airstrikes hit a home and a police vehicle in central Gaza and killed at least 12 Palestinians, including two boys, a woman pregnant with twins and eight police officers. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported the first strike hit a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp killed a couple and their 10-year-old son, as well as a 15-year-old neighbor whose body went to Awda hospital in Nuseirat. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital also reported a separate strike hit a police vehicle in central Gaza and killed eight police officers. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. There has officially been a ceasefire since October but Israeli fire is still frequent, Gaza officials say.
WORDS: 688 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 8:02 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLMideastWarsGazathLdWritethru/6b085df37d118091c442e29e481f0d91/text___
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BUSINESS
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Falling oil prices send Wall Street toward its best day since the Iran war began
SUMMARY: Oil prices are down, and stocks are up, though such moves have been quick to reverse since the war in Iran began. The S&P 500 rose 1.2% Monday and was on track for its best day in five weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 484 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.4%. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude fell below $94 after topping $102 earlier in the morning. Falling oil prices not only helped boost stocks of companies with big fuel bills, they also helped ease Treasury yields in the bond market.
WORDS: 810 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 5:24 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/f982468f7ed277b058836387b04622b4/text___
Tricky negotiations begin Monday to renew a trade pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada
SUMMARY: Every day more than $4 billion worth of goods cross the United States’ borders with Canada and Mexico – U.S. auto parts headed for car factories in northern Mexico, cartons of Mexican avocados bound for California supermarkets, Canadian aluminum destined to become cans of Campbell Soup. Much of this cross-border commerce is duty-free, thanks to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that President Donald Trump negotiated during his first term. But the future of the trade pact, which took effect July 1, 2020, is cloudy as the three countries begin what could be a tempestuous attempt to renew the pact this year.
WORDS: 1034 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 10:02 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APTrumpNorthAmericanTrade/7a838812f96da25af9f7975461421ed2/text___
US-China trade talks open in Paris, paving the way for Trump-Xi summit
SUMMARY: China's official news agency Xinhua reports that representatives from Beijing and Washington have begun their economic and trade talks in Paris. Sunday's meetings, led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are expected to pave the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in about two weeks. The White House has said that Trump will travel to China from March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has not officially confirmed it. Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said it would be a “big year” for China-U.S. relations.
WORDS: 537 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 9:55 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASChinaUSTradeTalksthLdWritethru/304947f60609fce139602b57b214c468/text___
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HEALTH/SCIENCE
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Oldest known whale recording could unlock mysteries of the ocean
SUMMARY: Researchers say the discovery of the oldest known recordings of whale sounds could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate. The recording captured the song of a humpback whale, a marine giant beloved by whale watchers for its docile nature and spectacular leaps from the water. Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts, say it was recorded in March 1949 in Bermuda. The recording predates the discovery of whale song by nearly 20 years. Scientists say the recording is important because it documents whale song during a time when the ocean was quieter.
WORDS: 652 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 12:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSWhaleRecordingthLdWritethru/867e200d248f5d55453797d8b8dcf935/text___
Is spring really — finally — here?
SUMMARY: Spring gets its official start Friday in the Northern Hemisphere with the arrival of the vernal equinox. But what does that mean? The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle as it travels around the sun. On the equinox, the Earth’s tilt is neither toward nor away from the sun, so both hemispheres get the same amount of sunlight. This means day and night last about the same amount of time. It also marks the start of a new season. Days will get a little longer every day in the Northern Hemisphere until the solstice in June.
WORDS: 596 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 2:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APSCIEquinoxSolsticeExplainerstLdWritethru/e70d97f42571da5d863ba0887399909c/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Key Oscar moments: Paul Thomas Anderson and Amy Madigan wins, outstanding songs and sad goodbyes
SUMMARY: Paul Thomas Anderson won big at the Oscars with “One Battle After Another” but “Sinners” also landed major wins. But in the shadow of those big movies, actor Amy Madigan ended a 40-year wait between nomination and winning for “Weapons,” and the show honored Rob Reiner and Robert Redford in a long in memoriam section. Anderson, one of the most respected filmmakers of his generation, finally won an Oscar. Then he won another. Then he won the biggest one. There were also two stunning musical performances — “I Lied to You” from “Sinners” and “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters.”
WORDS: 1439 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 7:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTOscarsMomentsndLdWritethru/24c5cdbe4af2a91798a5ad61067732cb/text___
'One Battle After Another' triumphs at 98th Academy Awards in coronation for Paul Thomas Anderson
SUMMARY: Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” has been crowned best picture at the 98th Academy Awards. Jessie Buckley won best actress and Michael B. Jordan won best actor at the 98th Academy Awards. After a lionized career stretching back three decades, Paul Thomas Anderson won his first Oscar for best director, a long-in-coming coronation for the “One Battle After Another” filmmaker. “Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw has made Oscar history, becoming the first female director of photography to win the award in the 98 year history of the Academy Awards. Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler won their first Oscars and moving tributes were paid to Robert Redford, Diane Keaton and Rob Reiner at the 98th Academy Awards.
WORDS: 1447 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 4:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTOscarsthLdWritethru/b868da63dd16aa6ca289ba4a8ac3a157/text___
‘Hoppers’ holds onto the No. 1 box office spot as 'Reminders of Him' overperforms
SUMMARY: Pixar’s “Hoppers” held onto its spot atop the box office, bringing in $28.5 million in its second weekend. That's according to studio estimates released Sunday. After its $45.3 million debut, The Walt Disney Co.’s “Hoppers” dipped a modest 37% in its second weekend, a promising sign for an animated movie. The weekend results also show Colleen Hoover’s “Reminders of Him” added to the author’s box-office streak. The Universal film debuted in second place with a better-than-expected $18.3 million. The film is the first from a screenplay that Hoover co-wrote, but not the first of her novels to successfully translate to the big screen. “Undertone,” a micro-budget horror movie from A24, opened with $9.3 million.
WORDS: 628 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 4:19 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTFilmBoxOfficestLdWritethru/07ff18fe699c00c38e2c7f56626dc6cc/text___
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SPORTS
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NBA owners will work on expansion again next week with Vegas and Seattle the targets, AP sources say
SUMMARY: The NBA may move a step closer to adding teams in Seattle and Las Vegas next week when expansion will be again discussed by the league’s board of governors, two people with knowledge of the matter tell The Associated Press. It is expected that a vote on whether to go forward with those two cities as the sole targets for expansion at this time takes place next week as well, the people said. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because those were not released publicly. It would take a three-fourths majority of governors to go forward.
WORDS: 488 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 4:04 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKNNBAExpansion/e9a697d07529303653e59d3bac490b1d/text___
UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina, all No. 1 seeds, top final AP Top 25 before March Madness
SUMMARY: UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina are the top four teams in The Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25, matching the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. The top-ranked Huskies are the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA women's bracket. UConn received 29 first-place votes from a national media panel while UCLA got the other two. The team that was No. 1 in the poll heading into March Madness has won the NCAA championship 17 times out of 43 early March polls dating to 1982, the first year of the women’s tournament.
WORDS: 320 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 3:25 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKWTWomensPoll/88f39d263c2ffdc637af666fa8d26799/text___
Aaron Judge hails World Baseball Classic crowds as 'bigger and better than the World Series'
SUMMARY: Aaron Judge says the World Baseball Classic has become baseball’s biggest stage. Speaking after the U.S. beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 in semifinal, Judge said as the crowd's atmosphere: “It’s bigger and better than the World Series.” Junior Caminero's second-inning homer off winner Paul Skenes put the Dominicans ahead but the U.S. rebounded on fourth-inning drives by Gunnar Henderson off Luis Severino and Roman Anthony against loser Gregory Soto. U.S. relievers pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a game that ended with a controversial called third strike to Geraldo Perdomo from Mason Miller on a slider that appeared to be low.
WORDS: 760 - MOVED: 03/16/2026 9:25 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBBIWBCGamefortheAgesstLdWritethru/522c2d881f9834a5fc98e4dcd29359ea/text___
Duke, Arizona, Michigan, Florida get top seeding for March Madness. Miami (Ohio) gets a shot
SUMMARY: Duke is the top overall seed in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament, with Arizona, Michigan, and Florida also landing on the No. 1 line. Miami (Ohio), which opened the season 31-0 before a loss early its conference tournament, got in as an 11 seed despite a weak schedule. They play a First Four game on Wednesday against SMU. The tournament begins Tuesday with other play-in games, including Texas versus North Carolina State.
WORDS: 1110 - MOVED: 03/15/2026 4:08 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APBKCNCAATournamentthLdWritethru/83a97346c5d05058d5a10cf62bff93a8/text___
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