US and Ukraine sign minerals deal after Trump presses Kyiv to pay back US for helping repel Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Ukraine have signed an agreement that will give the U.S. access to Ukraine's vast critical mineral resources. The deal on reconstruction and investment comes after a weekslong press by President Donald Trump on Ukraine to compensate Washington for billions of dollars in military and economic assistance to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion. The deal comes as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. Treasury Scott Bessent said the “agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”

UK military launches airstrikes with US targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The British military has launched airstrikes with the United States targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The strikes Tuesday night marked their first attack in Washington's new intense campaign targeting the Iranian-backed group. The U.K. Defense Ministry on Wednesday described the site attacked as “a cluster of buildings" used by the “Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.” The ministry said that the site was located about 15 miles or 25 kilometers south of Sanaa. The Houthis acknowledged strikes around Sanaa overnight. The U.S. military’s Central Command didn't acknowledge the strike.

Roberts might hold key Supreme Court vote over first publicly funded religious charter school

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts appears to hold the key vote over whether the Supreme Court will allow the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school, in Oklahoma. Roberts was the only justice whose vote seemed in doubt after the court heard more than two hours of arguments Wednesday in a major culture-war clash involving the separation of church and state. Four other conservative justices seemed firmly on the side of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School and the state charter school board that approved it. The three liberal justices seemed just as likely to vote to affirm an Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling that held that the taxpayer-funded school would entangle church and state in violation of the First Amendment.

Trump says US kids may get '2 dolls instead of 30,' but China will suffer more in a trade war

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is acknowledging that his tariffs could result in fewer and costlier products in the United States. He says American kids might "have two dolls instead of 30 dolls.” But he's also insisting China will suffer more from his trade war. The Republican president has tried to reassure a nervous country that his tariffs won't provoke a recession. But a new government report shows the U.S. economy shrank during the first three months of the year. Trump told his Cabinet on Wednesday that his tariffs meant China was “having tremendous difficulty because their factories are not doing business.” He said the U.S. didn’t really need imports from the world’s dominant manufacturer.

The Senate votes down resolution to block Trump's global tariffs amid economic turmoil

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have narrowly voted down a Democratic resolution that would have blocked global tariffs announced by Donald Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win Wednesday as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda. Trump announced the far-reaching tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners April 2 and then reversed himself a few days later after a market meltdown, suspending the import taxes for 90 days. Amid the uncertainty for both U.S. consumers and businesses, the Commerce Department said Wednesday that the U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March.

A Palestinian student at Columbia is freed after his arrest at a citizenship interview

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A judge has released a Palestinian student activist who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University and was arrested by immigration officials during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship. U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford in Burlington, Vermont, issued his ruling Wednesday following a hearing on Mohsen Mahdawi. He is a legal permanent resident for 10 years, and was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on April 14. Mahdawi’s lawyers say he was detained in retaliation for his speech advocating for Palestinian human rights.

Sex assault reports in the US military fell last year, fueled by a big drop in the Army, AP learns

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. defense officials say the number of sexual assaults reported across the military fell by nearly 4% last year and there was a significant drop in the Army. It’s the second year in a row with a decrease. That reverses a troubling trend that’s plagued the Defense Department for more than a decade. The officials say that while the decline is a good sign, the numbers of reported assaults are still too high and the military needs to do more to get victims to report the often undisclosed crime. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the report hasn’t been publicly released.

Harris accuses Trump of 'wholesale abandonment' of American ideals in major post-election speech

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris used a high-profile speech in San Francisco to deliver a sharp-edged critique of President Donald Trump, accusing him of “wholesale abandonment” of American ideals. Wednesday night's speech was Harris' most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January, after her defeat in the presidential election. She praised Democrats who have been especially prolific in criticizing Trump, name-dropping lawmakers diverse in their ideology and style. But she did not take a stand in one of her party’s central divides on how to best combat Trump. The speech comes when Harris has not ruled out a run for California governor or another White House try. Harris spoke to Emerge America, which recruits Democratic women to run for office.

Kuwait frees 10 more Americans in the second release in as many months

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say Kuwait has released 10 more American detainees in an apparent goodwill gesture. It brings to nearly two dozen the total number freed from Kuwait in the past two months. Taken together, the pardons of 23 Americans since March — done as a goodwill gesture by a U.S. ally — amounted to the largest release of U.S. citizens by a single foreign country in years. Ten others were released on March 12, weeks after a visit to Kuwait by Adam Boehler, who is serving as the Trump administration’s envoy for hostage affairs. The releases weren't done as part of a swap and the U.S. wasn't asked to give up anything in return.

'The unthinkable was happening,' Weinstein accuser says of alleged 2006 sex assault

NEW YORK (AP) — Five years after Harvey Weinstein's first trial, one of his accusers has told a new jury that he allegedly held her down on a bed and forced oral sex on her after she told him no. Miriam Haley dabbed her eyes Wednesday as she recalled the alleged July 2006 assault and called it “unthinkable.” Weinstein shook his head as she spoke. Haley is the first of the ex-Hollywood honcho’s accusers to testify at his retrial. It's happening because New York’s highest court overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction. He's facing charges based on allegations from Haley and two others accusers. The 73-year-old Weinstein has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting anyone.