Trump's fixation on voting has had mixed results. He still has ways to affect November's elections
ATLANTA (AP) — President Donald Trump has tried many ways to tighten his grip on U.S. elections, from signing executive orders to pushing restrictive legislation in Congress. Monday’s Supreme Court ruling siding with states that accept late-arriving mail ballots was the latest example showing the limits of his reach. It followed a series of other setbacks for the Republican president. Still, Trump’s efforts have not been entirely fruitless. He successfully pushed Republican-run states to redraw congressional districts and the Supreme Court has essentially gutted the Voting Rights Act. He also has been directing his Department of Justice to investigate voting and election operations, which Democrats see as a possible prelude to their involvement in November.
Four days to make victims fall in love: How global scammers use US tech to fleece people
Technology from American companies is being used to power a revolution in the scam industry, playing a key role in the industrialization and globalization of fraud in ways that have not been clear until now, an AP/“FRONTLINE” investigation has found. Watchdogs say these companies have the technical capacity to do more to protect against abuse but lack the legal, regulatory and business incentives to crack down on a crime the Federal Trade Commission estimates cost Americans nearly $200 billion in losses in 2024.
Explosion in Monaco injures 3 including Ukrainian tycoon, and suspected attacker flees to France
PARIS (AP) — A blast from an explosive device has seriously injured three people at a residential building in Monaco. Authorities said the attacker fled to neighboring France. The unusual attack Monday night stunned the elite principality on the Mediterranean Coast. French and Ukrainian media reported that a Ukrainian magnate and his family were those injured. Monaco’s leader Prince Albert II called it "an odious act" and said all the country's services were mobilized to ensure security. French and Monaco authorities are searching for the attacker, whose motive is under investigation.
Asian shares mostly higher tracking Wall Street gains and oil stabilizes
HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares are mostly higher tracking Wall Street gains, with South Korea's stock market, rebounding after earlier sharp losses on a tech sell-off. U.S. futures have edged up. South Korea's benchmark Kospi index gained 1.3%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 was up 0.9%. Oil prices are stabilizing after the U.S. and Iran said separately they would be sending delegations to Qatar, although Iran has denied that talks have been arranged with the United States. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading 0.2% lower at above $73 a barrel, slightly higher than pre-war levels. On Monday, Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 added 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 2.1%.
Republican Tom Kean Jr. set to return to Congress after long unexplained absence
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Tom Kean Jr., the New Jersey Republican who’s been away from Congress for almost four months with an unspecified medical condition, is set to re-emerge on Tuesday. Kean represents a battleground district that includes President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club, and he's facing a challenge from Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett. He’s missed more than 100 votes and hasn’t been publicly in Washington or his district. Kean has promised to finally be transparent about why he was away for so long without explanation.
Supreme Court says Fed’s Cook can keep her job for now, but it upholds other Trump firings
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook can remain in her job for now, a rebuke to President Donald Trump’s bid to wrest control of the nation’s central bank. At the same time, the justices Monday dramatically expanded presidential power, upholding the Republican president's firings of the heads of other independent federal agencies. Trump says it's a “Historic and Unprecedented Ruling.” But the court rejected a Trump plea to immediately remove Cook from the Fed based on allegations she committed mortgage fraud, which she denies. Cook says the case was about her refusal to bow to political pressure in setting interest rates. Cook was nominated by then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat.
Supreme Court rules states can count late-arriving mailed ballots, rejecting Trump-led challenge
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is rejecting a Republican-led attack on state laws that allow the counting of late-arriving mail ballots, a target of President Donald Trump. Monday's 5-4 decision leaves in place laws in more than half the states and the District of Columbia that permit mailed ballots to arrive and be counted days after an election, provided they're postmarked by Election Day. The outcome spares officials the headache of changing ballot rules just months before the 2026 midterm congressional elections. The legal challenge was part of the Republican president's broader attack on most mail balloting, which he says breeds fraud despite strong evidence to the contrary and years of experience in numerous states.
Venezuelans search more earthquake ruins as attention turns to humanitarian crisis
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (AP) — With the window for finding survivors shrinking fast, Venezuelans combed through more ruins of buildings toppled by last week’s devastating back-to-back earthquakes. Attention also turned to the country’s humanitarian crisis that could persist for years. Relief organizations say the first 72 hours after a natural disaster is the most crucial time period for rescues, though survival can be extended if people have access to food and water. Five days after the twin quakes, questions loomed about whether the cash-strapped government will be able to coordinate the effort needed to care for thousands of people who have been left homeless. The death toll stood at more than 1,700 people.
US and Iran pause strikes but disagree over next steps on talks
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States and Iran have separately announced they are sending delegations to Qatar this week, though Tehran insists it has not agreed to meet with the U.S. “at any level.” The announcements Monday came after weekend attacks in the Persian Gulf challenged efforts to negotiate an end to the war. U.S. President Donald Trump has tried to preserve a fragile interim deal as hostilities mounted in recent days in the Strait of Hormuz. After four days of trading strikes, both sides appeared to pause their attacks Monday. A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry says its delegation traveling to Qatar plans to discuss terms of the deal without U.S. involvement.
Iran says this. The US says that. A look at the trickiest issues in the unresolved conflict
The 60-day clock is ticking on further talks between the United States and Iran on the interim deal they signed earlier this month, but it's not clear when their negotiators will meet again. The U.S. says Tuesday. Iran says no. The U.S. has said one thing and Iran another about other matters including the status of shipping on the Strait of Hormuz. The AP explores a few of the current issues raising questions, including whether fighting can stop on all fronts, especially in Lebanon. As always, change can come with a single social media post.
