El Salvador President Bukele says he won't be releasing a Maryland man back to the US

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s top advisers and El Salvador president Nayib Bukele say that they have no basis for the small Central American nation to return a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there last month. Trump administration officials are emphasizing that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to a notorious gang prison in El Salvador, was a citizen of that country and that U.S. has no say in his future. And Bukele, who has been a vital partner for the Trump administration in its deportation efforts, said “of course" he won't release him back to U.S. soil. The Supreme Court has called for the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Abrego Garcia to the U.S.

Trump considers pausing his auto tariffs as the world economy endures whiplash

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he might temporarily exempt the auto industry from tariffs he previously imposed on the sector, to give carmakers time to adjust their supply chains. Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office on Monday automakers “need a little bit of time” to relocate production to the U.S. The Republican president's statement hints at yet another round of reversals on tariffs. Trump’s onslaught of import taxes has panicked financial markets and raised deep concerns from Wall Street economists about a possible recession. The chief economist for the Northern Trust global financial firm warns damage to consumer, business and market confidence may be irreversible.

Hamas says it's sending a delegation to Qatar to continue Gaza ceasefire talks

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Hamas official says that the Palestinian militant group is sending a delegation to the Gulf Arab state of Qatar to continue the indirect ceasefire talks with Israel. The Hamas official said on Monday that teams have been discussing terms for a new ceasefire agreement over recent days in Cairo, including a proposal to free eight to 10 hostages held in Gaza. But he said a major sticking point remained over whether the war would end as part of any new deal. Officials from Israel and Qatar had no immediate comment. Meanwhile, Gaza's Health Ministry said that 38 people were confirmed dead over the past day.

UN: Civilian death toll in Sudan's Darfur attacks tops 300 in 2 days as war nears 2-year mark

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. humanitarian agency says more than 300 civilians were killed in two days of intense fighting in Sudan’s conflict-wracked Darfur region. The attacks launched by Sudan’s notorious paramilitary group on two famine-hit camps for displaced people in North Darfur and its nearby capital on Friday and Saturday were initially reported to have left more than 100 dead, including 20 children and nine aid workers. But the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported the much higher death toll Monday, citing local sources that were not identified. The Associated Press could not independently verify the numbers due to the conditions and communications on the ground. The Sudan war hits the two-year mark on Tuesday.

Officials work to uncover the motive for fire set at Pennsylvania governor's residence

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Investigators are working to uncover the motive behind an arson fire over the weekend at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion, the latest act of political violence in the U.S. They are digging into Cody Balmer’s background after authorities said he scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion. He was denied bail Monday after a brief court appearance. Balmer has not entered a plea to charges that include attempted homicide, terrorism and arson. Authorities say Balmer had planned to beat Gov. Josh Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him early Sunday.

Trump administration freezes $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard over campus activism

BOSTON (AP) — The federal government says it is freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard University. The institution says Monday it won’t comply with a list of demands from the Trump administration as part of its campaign against antisemitism. The list at Harvard was updated Friday, and includes government and leadership reforms, as well as a requirement to institute what it calls a “merit-based” admissions and hiring policy. It also includes an audit of the study body and faculty on their views about diversity, as well as a ban on face masks which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters.

Russia claims its deadly attack on Ukraine's Sumy targeted military forces as condemnation grows

BRUSSELS (AP) — Russia claims that its deadly missile attack on Ukraine’s city of Sumy that killed and wounded scores on Sunday had targeted a gathering of Ukrainian troops. Children were among the dead. European leaders on Monday condemned the attack as a war crime. There were calls for more sanctions on Russia. A Kremlin spokesman says Russia’s military only strikes military targets. Russia’s Defense Ministry asserts that the strike targeted a gathering of senior military officers. Ukraine has called for a global response to the attack. Poland holds the European Union’s rotating presidency and says Russia is mocking ceasefire efforts.

Study finds more people are obtaining abortions but fewer are traveling to other states for it

A new study has found that fewer people crossed state lines for abortions in 2024 than the previous year. One reason is likely the increase of availability of abortion pills. The Guttmacher Institute has found that the number of abortions in states where they're legal increased by less than 1% last year and the number of people crossing state lines to get them dropped by about 9%. State-level numbers changed far more dramatically in places where bans took effect or were lifted, as well as places nearby. The survey doesn't count abortions using pills mailed to states where they're banned.

A Palestinian activist expecting a US citizenship interview is arrested instead by ICE in Vermont

A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University has been arrested at a Vermont immigration office where he expected to be interviewed about finalizing his U.S. citizenship. Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who has held a green card since 2015, was detained Monday. His attorneys, who have filed a petition in federal court seeking an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country, say they do not know where he is. At Columbia, he organized campus protests of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza until March 2024. He also co-founded the Palestinian Student Union with Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian permanent resident of the U.S. who recently was detained by ICE.

Paige Bueckers is No. 1 pick in WNBA draft, going to the Dallas Wings

NEW YORK (AP) — Paige Bueckers is headed to Dallas as the first pick in the WNBA draft. The versatile UConn star is the latest Huskies standout to go No. 1, joining former greats Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. Bueckers will have plenty of company, especially with the WNBA having its first expansion team in 17 years and the Golden State Valkyries making their debut draft selection at No. 5 overall. The first round will feature 12 picks, with 13 in each of the final two rounds.