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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Tennessee fails to execute Tony Carruthers after IV difficulties. State won't try again for a year
SUMMARY: Tennessee officials have called off the lethal injection of Tony Carruthers, who was convicted of kidnapping and murdering three people in 1994, after his executioners tried and failed for over an hour to establish an intravenous line. Gov. Bill Lee says the state will not try again for at least a year. The Tennessee Department of Corrections said medical personnel had quickly established a primary IV line Thursday but were unable to find a suitable vein for a backup line as required by the state’s execution protocol. Maria DeLiberato, an attorney for Carruthers, said she saw him “wincing and groaning” Thursday as the medical team worked.
WORDS: 884 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 4:10 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSExecutionTennesseethLdWritethru/225a47554413611c4626702c32a2577d/text___
Texas board faults Camp Mystic leader for inaction during deadly flood
SUMMARY: A Texas board has suspended the nursing license of Camp Mystic’s co-director in a scathing order that accuses her of not helping children evacuate during last year’s catastrophic floods. The suspension is one of the state’s first actions since the July 4 tragedy against a member of the family that owns and operates Camp Mystic. The predawn flooding along the Guadalupe River killed 25 girls and two teenage counselors at the all-girls Christian camp. Mary Liz Eastland, a registered nurse, served as the camp’s medical officer. Camp Mystic attorney Joshua Fiveson says Eastland rejects the findings and will fight the suspension.
WORDS: 512 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 9:24 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTexasFloodsCampMystic/964f95b0b17cfaff2a381e8306756d17/text___
Woman at center of sprawling Minnesota fraud gets nearly 42-year prison sentence
SUMMARY: The former leader of a Minnesota nonprofit has been sentenced to nearly 42 years in prison for her role in a staggering $250 million fraud case. Aimee Bock ran Feeding Our Future, which had claimed it provided millions of meals to children in need during the pandemic. She appeared Thursday in Minneapolis federal court. Her lawyer had argued for a sentence of no more than three years, saying she had been unfairly painted as the mastermind. Authorities later announced charges against 15 more people accused of fraud in receiving federal payments for a variety of social services in Minnesota.
WORDS: 847 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 4:04 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSFraudMinnesotaSentencingthLdWritethru/a13a3afe6b27b2c80180c21584a28b1d/text___
Takeaways from AP’s report on deep-sea mining
SUMMARY: Since President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a deep-sea mining industry, businesses have raised millions from investors, and stock prices have soared. At least nine companies are in talks with the government for access to seabed minerals. Sections of the seafloor from American Samoa to Alaska could be auctioned for offshore mining this summer and through the fall. But a close look at some of the companies involved reveals uncertain track records and histories spattered with legal disputes, while major questions about how the minerals would be processed and refined remain unanswered.
WORDS: 1145 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 11:07 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSDeepSeaMiningTakeawaysstLdWritethru/faf90846196789baa5b088f302ce5720/text___
Companies join a deep-sea mining rush after Trump executive order, as regulators fast-track permits
SUMMARY: Since President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a deep-sea mining industry, businesses have raised millions from investors, and stock prices have soared. At least nine companies are in talks with the government for access to seabed minerals. Sections of the seafloor from American Samoa to Alaska could be auctioned for offshore mining this summer and through the fall. But a close look at some of the companies involved reveals uncertain track records and histories spattered with legal disputes, while major questions about how the minerals would be processed and refined remain unanswered.
WORDS: 3443 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 11:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSDeepSeaMiningthLdWritethru/399faab6fc32922b4c533d3bad9c1ca5/text___
What to know the mysterious deaths in New Mexico linked to unknown substance
SUMMARY: Investigators in New Mexico are trying to identify a mysterious substance that may have contributed to the deaths of three people. The exposure also led to more than a dozen first responders to be briefly quarantined. Authorities were called to a suspected drug overdose Wednesday. They found four people who were unresponsive inside a home in a rural town east of Albuquerque. Three of the people who were in the home died. First responders were evaluated after some began coughing, vomiting and experiencing dizziness. Medical workers checked nearly two dozen people, mostly first responders. Hospital officials said most experienced no symptoms and were discharged. Two people, including one found in the home, were still being treated.
WORDS: 590 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 4:09 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSOverdoseDeathsNewMexicoWhattoKnowthLdWritethru/0570d7d432c86355a9c4b91eec4a592c/text___
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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Blanche thrust into Republican firestorm over $1.8B fund as he seeks to prove his loyalty to Trump
SUMMARY: In pushing to prove his loyalty to President Donald Trump, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has agitated the same Republican lawmakers whose votes he may need to secure the permanent job. Blanche insists he’s not auditioning for the job of attorney general. But a succession of splashy, eyebrow-raising moves since he took the position on an acting basis last month has left no doubt about the impression he’s hoping to make on the president who appointed him. The latest maneuver has put Blanche at the center of a Republican firestorm as he aims to establish himself as the perfect person for the job for the remainder of the president’s term.
WORDS: 1274 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 3:38 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpBlancheSettlementFundndLdWritethru/89a2334ef3ca9ac1398975d6a3528bff/text___
Trump heads to a competitive New York district to sell his tax law as voters sour on the economy
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump is heading to one of the most competitive congressional districts in the country to test his midterm economic message. He plans to appear in New York with GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, who is up for reelection in a closely watched House race. The event focuses on promoting the tax law Trump signed last year, which expanded the state and local tax deduction. Trump established the SALT cap in 2017 through his Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Lawler, one of three House Republicans representing a district that backed Kamala Harris in 2024, has embraced Trump to energize GOP voters. The White House says Trump will highlight his record of making life more affordable for working families.
WORDS: 740 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpNewYorkstLdWritethru/1615fc3c322dc58e000f205f1686f60c/text___
Paxton makes his final pitch in the Texas Senate race against Cornyn, buoyed by Trump's endorsement
SUMMARY: Ken Paxton is playing up President Donald Trump's endorsement as the Texas attorney general heads into the final days of U.S. Senate primary runoff against incumbent John Cornyn. Paxton opened a recent event by talking about the endorsement. He also criticized Democratic nominee James Talarico, who's awaiting the winner of Tuesday's election. The race is the latest campaign where Trump is encouraging voters to oust a politician who's displeased him and elect a challenger more aligned with the president. Cornyn and his allies argue that Paxton's history, including an acquittal in an impeachment trial, will hurt the GOP in the general election.
WORDS: 767 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 11:37 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionTexasstLdWritethru/373272b0c4e997fb8aef8097242b78ef/text___
US says 'slight progress' in Iran talks amid uncertainty about whether war will resume
SUMMARY: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there has been “slight progress” during talks with Iran amid uncertainty about whether a deal will be reached or war will resume. Rubio spoke Friday, days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because negotiations were underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal. Rubio made the comments ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden.
WORDS: 927 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 11:16 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSIranUSrdLdWritethru/c4be639e938fa57533f28f9fd62fb43b/text___
Pushed to the limit, Republicans show rare defiance to Trump's demands
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump’s political revenge tour met its potential match this week as angry Republican senators finally said no, even if temporarily. Pushed to a breaking point by his demand for a $1.776 billion fund for Jan. 6 rioters and others he believes were wrongly prosecuted, senators simply refused and left for break. The moment was a sudden flex from the Republican majority almost always more willing to accommodate the Republican president than confront him. The result left unfinished for now the GOP’s top priority of passing a roughly $70 billion budget package that would fuel Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.
WORDS: 1178 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 11:39 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpRepublicansndLdWritethru/70beefaf7d099ba79f1d36159972e2a9/text___
Rubio embarks on another mission to ease tensions with allies during NATO meeting
SUMMARY: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on his latest mission to assuage nervous U.S. allies in Europe about the Trump administration’s intentions with NATO. Rubio will attend a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden on Friday amid whipsawing changes and uncertainty about American troop reductions in Europe. The meeting also comes amid great uncertainty over the Iran war and whether stalled U.S. efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict will restart. Resentment also still simmers on the continent over President Donald Trump’s criticism of allies and his interest in taking over Greenland, a territory of NATO ally Denmark.
WORDS: 911 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 4:00 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSNATORubiostLdWritethru/4ad6e39e0c31d14b89b419906acbb6dc/text___
Trump says he's sending 5,000 more troops to Poland, stirring confusion about US presence in Europe
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has stirred confusion by saying the U.S. will send an additional 5,000 American troops to Poland. Thursday's announcement follows weeks of changing statements from Trump and his administration about future troop levels in Europe. Trump said on social media that the deployment of additional troops stems from his good relationship with Poland's president. This month began with the Pentagon saying it would pull 5,000 troops from Germany. Then the Pentagon canceled a deployment of 4,000 U.S. troops to Poland. The Pentagon later said the deployment was “a temporary delay."
WORDS: 790 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 11:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTroopsEuropestLdWritethru/499a39701275a553d1ff15bb1756d2fe/text___
Rubio doubtful of diplomacy with Cuba as Trump raises new threat of military action
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has again raised the specter of U.S. military intervention in Cuba. The renewed threat Thursday takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro. Trump said previous U.S. presidents have considered intervening in Cuba for decades, but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters separately that the Trump administration wants to resolve differences with Cuba peacefully, but is doubtful the U.S. can reach a diplomatic resolution with the island’s current government. The Castro indictment has led many to believe that the administration is following the same playbook it did when it ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
WORDS: 933 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 6:47 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSUnitedStatesCubardLdWritethru/a7a470404229ce2cf89b10501e8692b7/text___
Facing intense internal pressure, DNC releases postelection autopsy that criticizes Kamala Harris
SUMMARY: Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has released a critical study of the party’s performance in the 2024 campaign. His decision on Thursday followed intense internal pressure from frustrated Democrats who had publicly demanded the release of the postelection autopsy. The 192-page report, which was concluded last December and authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for Democrats to focus on Middle America and the South. The autopsy also points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, shifts in voter registration, and what it called “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”
WORDS: 1178 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 3:17 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionDemocratsthLdWritethru/a4f67256b4c56ba076aece23c22728ad/text___
Backlash to Trump's $1.8B settlement fund delays GOP immigration bill
SUMMARY: Senate Republicans have departed Washington for the Memorial Day recess without voting on a roughly $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies. Voting on the bill was abruptly called off on Thursday. Republicans are debating whether to try and block a new $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate Trump allies. They failed to reach a resolution after a tense meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Soon after Republican leaders announced that they would not vote on the immigration enforcement measure until they return from a Memorial Day recess, the week of June 1. That had been Trump's self-imposed deadline to pass the bill.
WORDS: 1194 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 4:11 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCongressWhiteHouseBallroomthLdWritethru/d0b0d2ee59a95f6199d80998ab89d7e4/text___
Key federal agency approves the design plan for Trump's Washington arch
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump says it’s “fantastic” that a key federal agency approved the design for the triumphal arch he wants to build at an entrance to the nation’s capital. The Republican president says Washington needs an arch because it’s the only major Western capital without one. His version would rise on a traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts gave its final approval on Thursday to a slightly revised design. A separate agency that oversees construction on federal land must still approve the plan. At 250 feet, critics say the arch is too big for the region.
WORDS: 1141 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 11:05 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpTriumphalArchthLdWritethru/cc2ac43358b652005a108bbd9786c01c/text___
Trump eases refrigerant rule in a bid to address surging grocery costs
SUMMARY: The Trump administration is loosening a federal rule that requires grocery stores and air-conditioning companies to reduce greenhouse gases used in cooling equipment. President Donald Trump says that will help lower grocery costs. But it's not clear how much or how quickly prices could be impacted. Industry groups say it could even raise prices because manufacturers have already redesigned products, retooled factories and trained workers to build and service next-generation refrigerant equipment. The move to relax the Biden-era rules on harmful pollutants known as hydrofluorocarbons is the latest attempt by the administration before the November elections to try to address rising voter concerns over the cost of living.
WORDS: 937 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 1:58 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpEPAthLdWritethru/eb0ffc23a65b42171d834c3700585123/text___
Takeaways from the Democratic National Committee's long-awaited autopsy report on 2024 election
SUMMARY: The Democratic National Committee has released a controversial autopsy report on the 2024 election. The report comes with a disclaimer stating it reflects the author's views, not the DNC's. It also lacks comprehensive analysis, omitting key issues like President Biden's decision to run for a second term and internal disagreements over the war in Gaza. The report criticizes the lack of negative advertising against Trump, stating Democrats falsely assumed voters were aware of his weaknesses. It also highlights that the Biden administration did not adequately prepare Kamala Harris for a successful campaign, leaving her vulnerable to effective attacks from Trump.
WORDS: 919 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 8:07 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSElectionDemocratsTakeawaysstLdWritethru/5c38f3494563748ff06fdcc58af9acd8/text___
Trump calls off AI executive order over concern it could weaken US tech edge
SUMMARY: President Donald Trump has called off plans to sign a new executive order on artificial intelligence hours before an expected White House ceremony. He says he's worried the measure could dull America’s edge on AI technology. Trump said he was postponing the Thursday signing because he didn’t like what he saw in the order’s text. The push for some form of government action to vet the most powerful AI systems follows growing concern within the banking industry and other institutions about AI’s ability to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world’s software.
WORDS: 1022 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 4:34 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpAIExecutiveOrderthLdWritethru/ee318f35acc8a2c43e47f3ebf26cb459/text___
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INTERNATIONAL
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WHO chief says Ebola is spreading rapidly in Congo, upgrades risk assessment
SUMMARY: The head of the World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in Congo is spreading rapidly and poses a “very high” risk at the national level. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the U.N. health agency has revised its assessment of the risk within Congo from high to very high. The risk remains high for regional spread and low at global levels. He noted that 82 cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with seven confirmed deaths. There are almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths. The situation in neighboring Uganda is stable.
WORDS: 764 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 12:35 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCongoEbolardLdWritethru/4e08d8df6d9c34039a9e0b8bad7a8954/text___
NATO allies bewildered by Trump's about-face on US troop moves in Europe
SUMMARY: NATO allies and defense officials have expressed bewilderment at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland. That came just weeks after he ordered the same number of forces pulled out of Europe. The apparent change of mind came after weeks of statements from Trump and his administration about reducing the American military footprint in Europe. Trump’s initial order set off a flurry of action among military commanders and left allies already doubtful about America’s commitment to Europe’s security to ponder what forces they might have to backfill on NATO’s eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine.
WORDS: 819 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 7:48 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUNATOUSTrumpTroopsthLdWritethru/5ee39c29238cdee76c1780233cb6fddc/text___
Explosion at Hungary petrochemical plant kills 1, injures 7
SUMMARY: An explosion at a petrochemical plant in Hungary has killed one person and injured several others. Hungarian energy company Mol Group, which owns the plant, confirmed the incident. The explosion occurred Friday during a restart after maintenance. Prime Minister Péter Magyar said seven people suffered burn injuries. Five helicopters transported the injured to hospitals in Miskolc and Debrecen. The minister of energy said no hazardous materials were detected above the threshold limit. The fire caused by the explosion has been extinguished, and cleanup operations are ongoing. Emergency units are securing the site.
WORDS: 203 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 9:41 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUHungaryExplosion/7aadef802db3539e7b736e6b8b8f9e53/text___
Shoot-and-scoot: Mobile missile launchers play key role in US Pacific deterrence strategy
SUMMARY: The U.S. Marines have demonstrated their capabilities with a live-fire exercise in Japan, showcasing the HIMARS mobile rocket system. The exercise, held at Camp Fuji, is part of a strategy to deter potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan. The HIMARS system allows for quick, precise strikes and rapid repositioning, making it harder to detect. The approach reflects a shift in U.S. tactics in the Pacific, focusing on mobility and precision. The exercise also strengthens ties with Pacific allies, emphasizing deterrence through strength rather than confrontation.
WORDS: 964 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 10:12 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APASUSJapanPacificDefense/43ea25e49c7d853b77fe80efecbe8b88/text___
UK police renew call for witnesses as they broaden inquiry into former Prince Andrew
SUMMARY: British police are appealing for witnesses as they expand their investigation into potential offenses by the former Prince Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Thames Valley Police updated reporters on Friday about allegations of misconduct in public office linked to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February and questioned about these allegations. He has denied wrongdoing. Police are investigating various forms of misconduct, including sexual misconduct and financial impropriety. They are also working with the U.S. Justice Department for more information. The investigation follows the release of documents related to Epstein's activities.
WORDS: 595 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 6:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APEUBritainEpsteinAndrewstLdWritethru/0add5c233b8fd51039779e3c5b1c652c/text___
Sudan's war has left thousands missing. Many are buried in unmarked graves
SUMMARY: Fahmy al-Fateh never made it home from war in Sudan. His wife, Azaher Abdallah, has been searching for him for over a year. Their son shouts at every passing motorcycle, thinking it's his father. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, more than 8,000 people have gone missing during Sudan's three-year war. Many are thought to be in unmarked graves. The conflict has torn families apart, leaving them in agony. Some families keep searching, hoping for closure. Authorities are taking DNA from unidentified bodies, hoping to match them with relatives one day.
WORDS: 927 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 5:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APMLSudanMissingPeoplestLdWritethru/25fb50d331eb03a52a8d8309cf761922/text___
Residents burn an Ebola treatment center in Congo as anger grows over the outbreak
SUMMARY: People have set fire to an Ebola treatment center in one of the towns at the heart of the outbreak in eastern Congo as fear and anger grows over a health crisis authorities and aid agencies are struggling to contain. Aid groups and experts have warned of the steep challenges in slowing the outbreak of a rare Ebola virus that spread for weeks before it was identified. It's hit a region long beset by problems of insecurity, insufficient facilities and the large displacement of people. Authorities have so far announced 148 suspected deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases, though the World Health Organization says the scale of the outbreak is much bigger.
WORDS: 1164 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 10:47 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APAFCongoEbolathLdWritethru/18537353976a958687e55f95434c918c/text___
UN council urged to use 'every means at its disposal' to press Hamas to disarm
SUMMARY: The official overseeing the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza is urging the U.N. Security Council to use “every means at its disposal” to press Hamas to disarm. Nickolay Mladenov is high representative of the Board of Peace, an international body established by President Donald Trump. He is warning that every act of violence in the Palestinian territory risks “unraveling” the agreement. He also says Israel must uphold its obligations under last October’s ceasefire. He points to the killings of Palestinians and restrictions on the flow of humanitarian aid. The board's first report said Hamas' refusal to disarm is the main obstacle to implementing the ceasefire.
WORDS: 474 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 7:33 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUNMideastWarsGazastLdWritethru/2d4c4a8e57aa6bbfa07a25c6cb4bbd23/text___
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RACE AND ETHNICITY
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Free speech or race-baiting? Tennessee shooting stirs debate over livestreamer's approach
SUMMARY: A Tennessee judge has set a $1 million bond for a white livestreamer charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting and wounding a Black man. The case against Dalton Eatherly, who livestreams as “Chud the Builder,” has stoked debate over the extents of free speech and the rights of content creators who profit from hate-filled interactions. As more users of livestreaming social media platforms find being performative with racist language can draw big bucks, the line is blurring between freedom of expression and people's right to feel safe. Racial justice advocates worry that allowing people to profit from provoking strangers in livestreams will only heighten and normalize racist antics.
WORDS: 1275 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 4:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSCourthouseShootingLivestreamingRacismthLdWritethru/5270fbaa1c69b38d674416bf2e19233e/text___
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BUSINESS
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Wall Street keeps rising, even as U.S. households keep getting more discouraged
SUMMARY: The U.S. stock market is rising toward the finish of an eighth straight winning week. The S&P 500 climbed 0.7% Friday and pulled closer to its all-time high set in the middle of last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 408 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6%. Ross Stores, Workday and Zoom Communications helped drive the market higher after reporting stronger profits than analysts expected. Such reports are keeping stocks near records even after a survey showed sentiment among U.S. households fell to a record low on worries about inflation caused by the war with Iran.
WORDS: 798 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 5:18 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APFinancialMarketsthLdWritethru/20c93cae93453da1e1994e676c05e895/text___
Trump immunity from IRS audit shocks experts, who warn it could undermine trust in tax system
SUMMARY: Donald Trump has a reputation for slashing his taxes using techniques that some experts find aggressive. Now the Justice Department has told the president he doesn't have to worry about being called out on it. In an extraordinary decision earlier this week, the IRS is suspending probes into his past returns to settle a lawsuit that Trump brought against the agency. Law experts say the move is unprecedented and unfair to Americans who have to play by the rules. Trump says tax authorities targeted him politically — a claim for which he has given no proof — and that he was right to seek a remedy.
WORDS: 949 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 10:06 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSTrumpIRSDeal/7ba4781b9b9bef99873151df6bfc33ab/text___
Memorial Day: Higher fuel prices have some Americans scaling back their travel plans
SUMMARY: Higher fuel prices and other inflationary pressures are making most forms of travel more expensive as Memorial Day kicks off the summer season in the U.S. Industry forecasts show millions of people still plan to get away during the holiday weekend and over the summer. But elevated prices may be changing the types of trips they take. The nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that Americans will collectively spend an extra $3.5 billion on gasoline this long weekend. The latest consumer price index showed airfares were 20.7% higher in April than a year earlier. Some travelers are opting for shorter getaways, closer destinations and low-cost activities like hiking.
WORDS: 1119 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 1:55 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMemorialDayTravelndLdWritethru/3056bd2cf16bdba6f0f03d69aaf20808/text___
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HEALTH/SCIENCE
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FDA staff blindsided by move allowing more e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches onto US market
SUMMARY: The Associated Press has learned that officials at the Food and Drug Administration were blindsided by a recent policy change allowing more electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches to hit the U.S. market. Two FDA staffers who spoke under condition of anonymity say some agency officials only learned of the change the night before it was published. The new guideline breaks with longstanding FDA policy requiring nicotine products to undergo scientific review before launching. The staffers say there is confusion within the FDA about how the guidelines were developed. The policy was published days before former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned under pressure from vaping lobbyists.
WORDS: 1243 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 4:01 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSMEDVapingChangeFDA/fe31c6e2dcda2f077134faa25e7012ad/text___
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CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
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Atlantic hurricane season forecast to be milder than normal thanks to El Nino
SUMMARY: Meteorologists predict a developing El Nino could dampen the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, but it won't eliminate storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a below-average season with fewer named storms and hurricanes. Colorado State University expects the lowest activity since 2015. El Nino is a warming of the central Pacific that typically reduces Atlantic storms by creating strong wind shear that disrupts storm formation. However, El Nino can increase storm activity in the Pacific, affecting regions like Japan and Korea. The Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30.
WORDS: 1286 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 3:24 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSHurricaneSeasonForecastthLdWritethru/419de66615c5eb9b2974ef14b4d2f50b/text___
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Matthew Perry's family trusted his assistant to help keep him sober. He instead helped him overdose
SUMMARY: Matthew Perry's assistant is set to become the last defendant sentenced in the investigation of the drug death of the “Friends” star. Perry's family wrote letters to the judge saying they had known Kenneth Iwamasa for decades. They were pleased when the actor hired him because they trusted him to help Perry's sobriety. But instead, Iwamasa helped Perry get and inject the ketamine that would lead to his death in 2023. Iwamasa eventually pleaded guilty and become the most important witness in the case that led to five indictments. His lawyers say he wasn't in a position to say no to Perry. He'll be sentenced Wednesday.
WORDS: 929 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 11:01 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APENTMatthewPerry/51101a5a5abb3f321ae931a1cf0c69f4/text___
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SPORTS
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Kyle Busch was more than a villain and the greatest NASCAR driver of his generation
SUMMARY: Kyle Busch grew to expect — even appreciate — the boos. The driver was more comfortable over his 26-year NASCAR career than anyone might imagine with a checkered flag in one hand and fans jeering all around. He leaned into the villain role as the wins mounted and even started encouraging his haters, trying to get the howling to a fever pitch before delivering his signature bow. It was Busch at his best. And it’s the way he should be remembered. The two-time Cup Series champion, who won more races than anyone across NASCAR’s three national series, died Thursday at age 41. Tributes poured in, with many echoing the sentiment that racing had lost one of its fiercest competitors. Busch was that and much more.
WORDS: 1056 - MOVED: 05/22/2026 5:20 AM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCARNASCARKyleBuschTributestLdWritethru/7ed3901f49039d20d73d551f503ea34a/text___
2-time NASCAR champ Kyle Busch dies at 41 after being hospitalized with a 'severe illness'
SUMMARY: Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR’s three national series, has died. He was 41. The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement Thursday saying Busch died after being hospitalized. No cause of death was given. Busch’s family said earlier Thursday that he was hospitalized with a “severe illness,” three days before he was to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Busch’s team or family.
WORDS: 1049 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 2:58 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APCARNASCARKyleBuschHospitalizedthLdWritethru/ce84367f25bd5bd04234f60292fde64f/text___
Howard Fendrich, award-winning AP national sports writer and tennis expert, dies at 55
SUMMARY: Howard Fendrich, a longtime national sports writer for The Associated Press, has died at 55. His persistent reporting and detail-rich prose brought readers inside dozens of taut Grand Slam tennis finals, record-breaking Olympic moments and harrowing trips down the Alpine ski slopes. Fendrich's wife, Rosanna Maietta, said he died Thursday at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He was diagnosed with cancer shortly after returning from Milan in February where he covered his 11th Olympics. Fendrich covered more than 70 Grand Slam tennis tournaments, documenting the careers of Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and more. His numerous writing honors included two Grimsley Awards for best overall body of work among AP sports writers.
WORDS: 1152 - MOVED: 05/21/2026 5:49 PM PST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/APUSObitFendrichstLdWritethru/30ea6a1f7fc981d47b59ecb885ff3509/text___
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