Trump sues Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over reporting on Epstein ties

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, a day after the newspaper published a story reporting on his ties to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in Miami. It seeks at least $10 billion in damages. The move came shortly after the Justice Department asked a federal court to unseal grand jury transcripts in Epstein’s sex trafficking case. The Trump administration is trying to contain a firestorm that erupted after it previously announced it would not be releasing additional government files from the case.

Trump administration seeks release of Epstein grand jury records but not Justice Department files

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under intense pressure from President Donald Trump’s own supporters, his administration now is asking a federal court to unseal secret documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s case. It's an effort to put to rest for good a political crisis largely of the administration's own making. But even if those records eventually become public, it’s far from certain they will appease critics enraged over the administration’s unfulfilled promises of full transparency about the evidence against the wealthy financier. Meanwhile, the administration remains dogged by questions about its refusal to release other records in its possession.

Trump signs new stablecoin regulations into law, a major milestone for crypto industry

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed the GENIUS Act into law, setting new regulations for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency tied to assets like the U.S. dollar. The law, passed with bipartisan support, introduces consumer protections and aims to boost confidence in the crypto industry. On Friday, Trump called the move a step toward cementing U.S. dominance in global finance and crypto technology. A provision bans Congress members from profiting off stablecoins but excludes the president and his family. Meanwhile, the House passed two additional crypto-related bills, now heading to the Senate, to reshape market structures and limit Federal Reserve actions.

Training facility blast kills 3 LA deputies in one of sheriff's department's worst losses of life

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training facility killed three veteran deputies from the arson and explosives unit. Sheriff Robert Luna said it was the department’s worst loss of life since 1857. The blast occurred around 7:30 a.m. Friday at the Biscailuz Training Facility. Officials are investigating the cause, with assistance from the FBI and ATF. Luna said the scene took over four hours to secure. The deputies, with 19, 22, and 33 years of service, were described as highly trained experts. No one else was injured.

Venezuela releases jailed Americans in deal that frees migrants deported to El Salvador by US

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela has released 10 jailed U.S. citizens and permanent residents in exchange for getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador months ago under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The arrangement represents a diplomatic achievement for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and helps President Donald Trump in his goal of bringing home Americans jailed abroad. El Salvador will send back some 300 Venezuelan migrants whom the Trump administration agreed to pay $6 million to house in a notorious Salvadoran prison. The arrangement drew immediate blowback when Trump invoked an 18th century wartime law to quickly remove men his administration had accused of belonging to the violent Tren de Aragua street gang.

Christian patriarchs make rare visit to Gaza after deadly Israeli strike on church

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Top church leaders have visited Gaza after its only Catholic church was struck by an Israeli shell the day before. The attack Thursday killed three people and wounded 10, including a priest who had developed a close friendship with the late Pope Francis. The strike drew condemnation from the pope and U.S. President Donald Trump, and prompted a statement of regret from Israel, which said it was a mistake. Since ending a ceasefire in March, Israel has regularly launched far deadlier strikes across Gaza against what it says are Hamas militants, frequently killing women and children. Strikes killed 18 people overnight, health officials said Friday.

Brazil's former President Bolsonaro ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor, his press office has confirmed. The development on Friday came as federal police conducted searches at his home and his party’s headquarters in Brasília. The former president is facing trial at the Supreme Court for allegedly leading a coup attempt to overturn the 2022 election. Bolsonaro has called the trial a “witch hunt,” echoing statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has defended him. On Thursday, Trump wrote to Bolsonaro describing his ally’s treatment by the Brazilian legal system as terrible and unjust. “This trial should end immediately!,” the U.S. President said, adding that he “strongly voiced” his disapproval through his tariff policy.

US envoy says Syria and Israel agree to ceasefire as Druze minority and Bedouin clans clash in Syria

MAZRAA, Syria (AP) — U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack says that Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire following Israel’s intervention this week in fighting between Syrian government forces and . The announcement came as clashes continued between Druze groups and members of Bedouin clans in Syria’s southern Sweida province, leaving tens of thousands of people displaced in a worsening humanitarian crisis. Government forces had withdrawn from Sweida following a separate ceasefire agreed upon with Druze groups on Wednesday after Israel launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters.

Did money or politics cause Colbert cancellation? Either way, the economics are tough for TV

CBS parent Paramount insists that this week's decision to cancel Steven Colbert's “Late Show” was strictly financial, and had nothing to do with politics. Skeptics abound — Colbert has been a fierce critic of President Donald Trump — but there's no denying the economics of television are not looking good. TV is rapidly losing eyeballs to streaming services and making hard decisions about programming. Late-night was once a valuable audience for advertisers because the genre had a lot of hard-to-reach young men. Now many of them are streaming, either to watch something else or see highlights of late-night comics that are hard for networks to monetize.

Alan Bergman, Oscar-winning lyricist who helped write 'The Way We Were,' dies at 99

Oscar-winning lyricist Alan Bergman has died at 99. A family spokesperson said he died late Thursday in Los Angeles. Bergman teamed with his wife, Marilyn, for an enduring and loving partnership that produced such old-fashioned hits as “How do You Keep the Music Playing?,” “It Might Be You” and the classic “The Way We Were.” The Bergmans were among the most successful and prolific teams of their time. They provided words and occasional music for hundreds of songs, including movie themes that became as famous as the films themselves. Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett and many other artists performed their material.