The Biden administration has intensified its focus on tracing cryptocurrency payments that some of the most dangerous Mexican drug cartels use to buy fentanyl ingredients from Chinese chemical companies, the latest step in a renewed attempt to crack down on the multibillion-dollar fentanyl trade that kills thousands of Americans each year.

One of the eyewitnesses believed Treat Williams 'was going to pull through' after the accident as he appeared to be fully conscious

An association that lobbies for health care facilities says President Joe Biden’s decision to require nursing homes to comply with federal rules on staffing levels will cost them billions of dollars

ISTANBUL Airlines said on Sunday they are ready to avoid a repeat of last year's travel chaos, but

The European Union says the American candidate to become one of the bloc’s chief economists will now not take up the position because of the political controversy it has stirred

Undaunted by their underdog status, Turkish activists are trying to bridge the political divide in a grassroots campaign aimed at helping President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's...

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a visit that underscores China’s support for Moscow during its war in Ukraine as well as Russian backing for China's bid to expand its economic and diplomatic influence abroad. The two countries have forged an informal alliance against the United States and other democratic nations that is now complicated by the Israel-Hamas war. China has sought to balance its ties with Israel against its relations with Iran and Syria, two countries that are strongly backed by Russia and with which China has forged ties for economic reasons as well as to challenge Washington's influence in the Middle East. Putin's plane was met by an honor guard as the Russian leader began his visit that is also a show of support for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s signature “Belt and Road” initiative to build infrastructure and expand China’s overseas influence. In an interview to Chinese state media, Putin praised the massive but loosely linked BRI projects. “Yes, we see that some people consider it an attempt by the People’s Republic of China to put someone under its thumb, but we see otherwise, we just see desire for cooperation,” he told state broadcaster CCTV, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin on Monday. Putin will be among the highest profile guests at a gathering marking the 10th anniversary of Xi’s announcement of the BRI project, which has laden countries such as Zambia and Sri Lanka with heavy debt from contracts with Chinese companies to build roads, airports and other public works they could not otherwise afford. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has praised the Chinese policy as bringing development to neglected areas. Asked by reporters Friday about his visit, Putin said it would encompass talks on Belt and Road-related projects, which he said Moscow wants to link with efforts by an economic alliance of former Soviet Union nations mostly located in Central Asia to “achieve common development goals.” He also downplayed the impact of China’s economic influence in a region that Russia has long considered its backyard and where it has worked to maintain political and military clout. “We don’t have any contradictions here, on the contrary, there is a certain synergy,” Putin said. Putin said he and Xi would also discuss growing economic ties between Moscow and Beijing in energy, high-tech and financial industries. China has also grown in importance as an export destination for Russia. Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, said that from China’s view, “Russia is a safe neighbor that is friendly, that is a source of cheap raw materials, that’s a support for Chinese initiatives on the global stage and that’s also a source of military technologies, some of those that China doesn’t have.” “For Russia, China is its lifeline, economic lifeline in its brutal repression against Ukraine,” Gabuev told The Associated Press. “It’s the major market for Russian commodities, it’s a country that provides its currency and payment system to settle Russia’s trade with the outside world — with China itself, but also with many other countries, and is also the major source of sophisticated technological imports, including dual-use goods that go into the Russian military machine.” Gabuev said that while Moscow and Beijing will be unlikely to forge a full-fledged military alliance, their defense cooperation will grow. “Both countries are self-sufficient in terms of security and they benefit from partnering, but neither really requires a security guarantee from the other. And they preach strategic autonomy,” he said. “There will be no military alliance, but there will be closer military cooperation, more interoperability, more cooperation on projecting force together, including in places like the Arctic and more joint effort to develop a missile defense that makes the U.S. nuclear planning and planning of the U.S. and its allies in Asia and in Europe more complicated,” he added. The Chinese and Soviets were Cold War rivals for influence among left-leaning states, but China and Russia have since partnered in the economic, military and diplomatic spheres. Just weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, Putin met with Xi in Beijing and the sides signed an agreement pledging a “no-limits” relationship. Beijing’s attempts to present itself as a neutral peace broker in Russia’s war on Ukraine have been widely dismissed by the international community. Xi visited Moscow in March as part of a flurry of exchanges between the countries. China has condemned international sanctions imposed on Russia, but hasn’t directly addressed an arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court on charges of alleged involvement in the abductions of thousands of children from Ukraine. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

'My Big Fat Fabulous Life' star Whitney Thore's earnings from the TLC show have helped her amass a small fortune

Former Justice Department lawyer Jeffrey Clark and former Georgia Republican Party chair David Shafer, who were indicted last week along with former President Donald Trump, have filed paperwork to transfer the case to federal court

Women who sued Texas after saying they were denied abortions despite serious risks to their health are asking a court to step in

Puerto Rican police have discovered a body which is assumed to be of missing Indianapolis art teacher Amanda Webster

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan. ————————— ONLY ON AP ————————— VICTIM COMPENSATION-REFORMS — Thousands of violent crime victims turn to compensation programs in every state for help with medical bills, relocation, funerals and other expenses. The programs disperse millions of dollars each year, but The Associated Press found racial inequities and other barriers in how claims are denied in many states. By Claudia Lauer and Mike Catalini. SENT: 1,580 words, photos, video. With VICTIM COMPENSATION-REFORMS-TAKEAWAYS. ————————— TOP STORIES ————————— DEBT LIMIT — Hard-fought to the end, the debt ceiling and budget cuts package is heading toward a crucial U.S. House vote as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assemble a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to push it to passage over fierce blowback from conservatives and some progressive dissent. By Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves. SENT: 930 words, photos, videos. DEBT LIMIT-WORK RULES — A Republican attempt to expand work requirements for federal food aid in debt legislation moving through Congress would increase spending by $2.1 billion over 10 years — far from the cuts GOP lawmakers had envisioned. By Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 1,040 words, photos. KOSOVO-SERBIA-TENSIONS — Troops from the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo placed metal fences and barbed wire barriers in a northern town following clashes with ethnic Serbs that left 30 international soldiers wounded. Hundreds of ethnic Serbs began gathering in front of the city hall in Zvecan in their efforts to take over the offices of one of the municipalities where ethnic Albanian mayors took up their posts last week. SENT: 220 words, photos. With BOSNIA-WAR CRIMES — U.N. court issuing appeal ruling in trial of two Serbs accused of crimes in Balkan wars. ELECTION 2024-DESANTIS — Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis begins his first full day of presidential campaigning with a blitz through Iowa, trying to prioritize personally connecting with voters while proving he can handle the scrutiny of the national spotlight. By Thomas Beaumont and Will Weissert. SENT: 380 words, photos. UPCOMING: 700 words after 10 a.m. event in Sioux City. SUPREME COURT-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION — As an alternative to affirmative action, colleges from California to Florida have tried a range of strategies to achieve the diversity they say is essential to their campuses. But after years of experimentation — often prompted by state-level bans on considering race in admissions — there’s no clear solution. By Education Writer Collin Binkley. SENT: 1,240 words, photos. CHINA-ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE — China’s ruling Communist Party is calling for beefed-up national security measures, highlighting the risks posed by advances in artificial intelligence. Scientists and tech industry leaders recently issued a new warning about the perils that AI poses to humankind. SENT: 330 words, photo. ————————— MORE NEWS ————————— NEW ZEALAND-AIRLINE WEIGHING PASSENGERS — New Zealand airline is asking passengers to weigh in before their flights. SENT: 320 words, photos. MANSON FOLLOWER-PAROLE — Manson follower should be paroled, California appeals court rules. SENT: 790 words, photo. JAM MASTER JAY KILLING — Third man charged in 2002 shooting death of Jam Master Jay. SENT: 270 words, photo. WARHOL FORGERY SCHEME — Florida art dealer sentenced in Warhol forgery scheme. SENT: 180 words. GAZA-WATERMELON SALAD — Gaza’s Palestinians polarized by unorthodox watermelon delicacy. SENT: 520 words, photos. ————————— WASHINGTON ————————— CONGRESS-OVERSIGHT-BIDEN — The chairman of the House Oversight Committee said he is moving forward with holding FBI Director Chris Wray in contempt of Congress because the department has not turned over a bureau record that purports to relate to Biden and his family. SENT: 600 words, photos. ————————— NATIONAL ————————— CHILDREN REMOVED-LAWSUIT — A Massachusetts couple whose young children were taken by social workers and police in the middle of the night are suing, arguing they were unconstitutionally removed without a warrant or court order. SENT: 1,170 words, photo, video. FLORIDA BEACH SHOOTING — Police launched a search for three suspects they believe to be the gunmen who opened fire along a crowded Florida beachside promenade on Memorial Day, wounding a 1-year-old and eight others while sending people frantically running for cover. SENT: 610 words, photos, video. SCHOOL SHOOTING-FLORIDA DEPUTY — A former Florida sheriff's deputy is about to be tried on charges he failed to confront the gunman who murdered 17 at a Parkland high school five years ago. SENT: 390 words, photos. TRUMP-INDICTMENT — Ten months before Donald Trump is scheduled to stand trial in his historic New York City criminal case, Manhattan prosecutors are turning the former president’s words against him in a tug of war over precisely where he will be tried. SENT: 790 words, photo. BORDER PATROL-CHIEF — The head of the U.S. Border Patrol announced that he was retiring, after seeing through a major policy shift that seeks to clamp down on illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border following the end of Title 42 pandemic restrictions. SENT: 590 words, photo. ABORTION PROTECTIONS-NEVADA — Nevada’s Joe Lombardo became one of the first Republican governors to enshrine protections for out-of-state abortion patients and in-state providers, adding the western swing state to the list of those passing new laws to solidify their status as safe havens for abortion patients. SENT: 590 words, photo. MISSING DOCTOR-MISSOURI — The body of a Missouri emergency room doctor who has been missing for more than a week has been found in northwest Arkansas, his brother told The Associated Press. SENT: 410 words, photos. BUILDING COLLAPSE-IOWA — Five residents of a six-story apartment building that partially collapsed Sunday in eastern Iowa remained unaccounted, and authorities feared at least two of them might be stuck inside rubble that was too dangerous to search. SENT: 1,270 words, photos, video. ————————— INTERNATIONAL ————————— VATICAN-MISSIONARY MONEY — Pope Francis has asked aides to get to the bottom of how at least $17 million was transferred from the Vatican’s U.S.-based missionary fundraising coffers into an impact investing vehicle run by a priest. SENT: 1,720 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,240 words is also available. SOUTH SUDAN-DEMINING A COUNTRY — Many South Sudanese are returning to areas riddled with mines left from decades of conflict as they trickle back into the country after a peace deal was signed in 2018 to end a five-year civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people and displaced millions. SENT: 640 words, photos. KOREAS-TENSIONS — North Korea’s attempt to put the country’s first spy satellite into space failed in a setback to leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise. SENT: 1,060 words, photos. JORDAN-ROYAL WEDDING-BRIDE AND GROOM — He’s heir to the Jordanian throne and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. She’s a Saudi architect with an aristocratic pedigree of her own. Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II and Rajwa Alseif are to be married Thursday. SENT: 870 words, photos. BRAZIL-REGIONAL SUMMIT — The Brazilian president’s strong support of Venezuela’s authoritarian leader marred the unity at a South American summit that Brazil convened in hopes of reviving a bloc of the region’s 12 politically polarized countries. SENT: 980 words, photos. —————————— HEALTH/SCIENCE —————————— SPACEX-CREW FLIGHT — A private SpaceX flight carrying two Saudi astronauts and other passengers returned to Earth night after a nine-day trip to the International Space Station. By Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn. SENT: 210 words, photos, video. ————————— BUSINESS/ECONOMY ————————— CEO PAY — Pay packages for the men and women who run companies in the S&P 500 saw the smallest increase in eight years, according to a survey compiled for the AP by Equilar. By Business Writer Alexandra Olson. UPCOMING: 1,260 words, photos, graphics by 5 a.m. THERANOS-FRAUD-HOLMES-PRISON — Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes entered a Texas prison where she could spend the next 11 years for overseeing a blood-testing hoax that became a parable about greed and hubris in Silicon Valley. SENT: 910 words, photos, video. AMAZON PROTEST — Corporate workers in Amazon's Seattle headquarters will stage a walkout to protest the company's return-to-office mandate and to lobby for more accountability in the retail giant's climate change policies. SENT: 590 words, photos. FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian stock markets sank ahead of a vote by Congress on a deal to avert a government debt default, while a downturn in Chinese factory activity deepened, adding to signs global economic activity is weakening. By Business Writer Joe McDonald. SENT: 530 words, photos. ————————— SPORTS ————————— JAPAN-FEMALE KNUCKLEBALLER — Japanese knuckleballer Eri Yoshida is taking her unusual pitch to an independent league in the United States. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 750 words, photos. ————————— HOW TO REACH US ————————— At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Masayo Yoshida (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide South Sudan struggles to clear mines after decades of war as people start returning home UN court issuing appeal ruling in long-running trial of 2 Serbs accused of crimes in Balkan wars Gaza Strip's Palestinians polarized by unorthodox watermelon delicacy