WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued what he called a “last warning” to the terror group Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza, directing a sharply worded message after the White House confirmed that he had recently dispatched an envoy for unprecedented direct talks with the group.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Twelve Chinese nationals, including mercenary hackers, law enforcement officers, and employees of a private hacking company, have been charged in connection with global cybercrime campaigns targeting dissidents, news organizations, U.S. agencies, and universities, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s two stuck astronauts are just a few weeks away from finally returning to Earth after nine months in space. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have to wait until their replacements arrive at the International Space Station next week before they can check out later this month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump took credit for “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration, and foreign policy Tuesday in an address to Congress and the American people.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Powerful storms killed two people in Mississippi, tore the roofs off an apartment building and a nursing home in a small town in Oklahoma, and threatened more communities across the nation Tuesday with wide-ranging weather.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance is making the case that a U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals deal is a more practical deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin than an international security force for post-war Ukraine proposed by key allies Britain and France.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to U.S. assistance to Ukraine as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia.

Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died Monday. He was 82.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday for suggesting that the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine is still likely “very, very far away."

President Donald Trump signed on Saturday an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States. The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English.

PHOENIX (AP) — White House officials and Republicans in Congress used news show appearances to demand that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy display more gratitude for U.S. support and an openness to potential war-ending concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some suggested Zelenskyy should consider resigning even as Ukrainians rally around him.

Crews battled wildfires in North and South Carolina on Sunday amid dry conditions and gusty winds as residents were forced to evacuate in some areas.

DALLAS (AP) — The number of people with measles in Texas increased to 146 in an outbreak that led this week to the death of an unvaccinated school-aged child, health officials said Friday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers became the first in the nation to approve legislation removing gender identity as a protected class from the state’s civil rights law Thursday. The bill also explicitly defines female and male, as well as gender, which would be considered a synonym for sex and “shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.”

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — For most people in Florida, misdemeanor theft can result in up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. But, if the culprit is in Florida illegally, that same crime now carries a felony punishment of up to five years behind bars and a $5,000 fine.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Oscar-winner Gene Hackman, his wife, and one of their dogs were apparently dead for some time before a maintenance worker discovered their bodies at the couple's home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, investigators said.

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog were found dead in their New Mexico home, authorities said Thursday. Foul play was not suspected, but authorities did not release circumstances of their deaths and said an investigation was ongoing.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A person who was hospitalized has died from measles in West Texas, the first death in an outbreak that began late last month. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center spokesperson Melissa Whitfield confirmed the death Wednesday. It wasn’t clear the age of the patient, who died overnight.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing, according to a new survey Wednesday from the Pew Research Center.

Five people including prominent Democratic political operatives in Connecticut's largest city were arrested Friday on allegations of absentee ballot tampering during a 2023 local election, including accusations that led to a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral election and helped fuel skepticism about voting security in the U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court refused Monday to hear a pair of cases from advocates who say laws limiting pro-live demonstrations near clinics violate their First Amendment rights.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Gov. Andy Beshear announced late Monday afternoon that President Donald Trump has approved his request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration, which includes public assistance for local governments and individual assistance for Kentuckians in the 10 counties affected by the most recent storms.

Federal employees across the country, many of whom have worked from home since the COVID-19 pandemic, were back at agency offices Monday under President Donald Trump’s return-to-office mandate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that he was replacing the top lawyers for the military services because he didn't think they were “well-suited” to provide recommendations when lawful orders are given.

WASHINGTON (AP) — New FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to be named the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a Justice Department official said Saturday.