AP News Digest 6:25 p.m.

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 in AP Newsroom.

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NEW/DEVELOPING

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ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-RAFAH IN CHAOS; BIDEN-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS; GEORGIA ELECTION INDICTMENT; CONGRESS-HOUSE SPEAKER; SEVERE WEATHER; MUSIC FESTIVAL-DEATHS; PARIS-TORCH-ARRIVAL; PORTNOW-RECORDING-SEXUAL ASSAULT; TRAVIS KELCE; ELECTION 2024-INDIANA-HALEY; BIDEN-ASYLUM; ELECTION 2024-KENNEDY; ELECTION 2024-BIDEN; EDUCATION-CONGRESS-ANTISEMITISM; 2030 CENSUS-CITIZENSHIP; CUSTODY-DEATH-OHIO; BRAZIL-FLOODS; HUNGARY-XI JINPING VISIT; DODGERS-OHTANI-INVESTIGATION; OBIT-PETE MCCLOSKEY.

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ONLY ON AP

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ROHINGYA-RAPE AND DEATH AT SEA — In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat that was carrying Rohingya refugees when it capsized off Indonesia. The U.N. says another 67 passengers, including at least 28 children, were killed. The AP has interviewed eight surviving passengers who provided the first insights into what happened on board and why the boat capsized. They say the Indonesian captain and crew sexually assaulted four women and girls and grew angry when others refused to join the captain in his bedroom. By Edna Tarigan and Kristen Gelineau. SENT: 3,050 words, photos, video. An abridged version of 990 words is available.

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TOP STORIES

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BIDEN-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — President Joe Biden said that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there. By Zeke Miller and Aamer Madhani. SENT: 1,220 words, photos, audio. With UNITED STATES-ISRAEL-BOMB-EXPLAINER — Why the U.S. paused the delivery of 2,000-pound bombs.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-RAFAH IN CHAOS — As the possibility of a full-scale invasion of Rafah looms, Gaza’s overcrowded southernmost city has been thrown into panic and chaos by Israel’s seizure of the nearby border crossing with Egypt. Families already uprooted multiple times by the war were uncertain where to go: to the half-destroyed city of Khan Younis, to points even farther north, or to an Israeli-declared “humanitarian zone” already teeming with people with little water or supplies? By Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb and Lee Keath. SENT: 1,280 words, photos. With ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — Israel says it reopened a key Gaza crossing after a rocket attack but the U.N. says no aid has entered; UNITED STATES-ISRAEL-GAZA — The Biden administration will soon deliver a verdict on whether Israel’s conduct of its war in Gaza complies with international and U.S. laws.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CAMPUS PROTESTS — Police using pepper spray clear a pro-Palestinian tent encampment at George Washington University and arrest dozens of demonstrators just as Washington, D.C., officials were set to appear before hostile lawmakers in Congress to account for their handling of the two-week-old protest. The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability canceled the hearing after the crackdown. By Ashraf Khalil. SENT: 1,100 words, photos, videos.

GEORGIA ELECTION INDICTMENT — A Georgia appeals court agreed to review a lower court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue to prosecute the election interference case she brought against Donald Trump. The move seems likely to delay the case and is the second time in as many days that the former president has gotten a favorable ruling that could push any future trials beyond the November election. By Kate Brumback. SENT: 630 words, photos.

CONGRESS-HOUSE SPEAKER — Lawmakers overwhelmingly reject hardline Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s call for a vote to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson. Greene of Georgia pressed ahead with her long-shot effort despite pushback from Republicans at the highest levels who are tired of the political chaos. By Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking. SENT: 430 words, photos.

SEVERE WEATHER — At least eight tornadoes have touched down in Ohio and three have been confirmed in Michigan as severe storms barreled through the central U.S., killing one man in Tennessee when a tree toppled onto a vehicle he was in. By Joey Cappelletti, Ed White and Sean Murphy. SENT: 1,260 words, photos, videos, audio. With SEVERE-WEATHER-TORNADO-EMERGENCY — What is a tornado emergency and how is it different from a warning or a watch?

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Russian forces unleashed a nighttime barrage of more than 50 cruise missiles and explosive drones at Ukraine’s power grid, targeting a wide area in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “massive” attack on the day the country celebrated the defeat of Nazism in World War II. SENT: 650 words, photos, video.

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MORE NEWS

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MUSIC FESTIVAL-DEATHS — Nine of 10 wrongful death suits over Astroworld concert crowd surge have been settled. SENT: 630 words, photos.

PARIS-TORCH-ARRIVAL — Olympic torch begins journey across France after festive welcome in port city of Marseille. SENT: 610 words, photos, video, audio.

PORTNOW-RECORDING-SEXUAL ASSAULT — Woman seeks to drop sexual assault lawsuit against ex-Grammys CEO. SENT: 190 words.

TRAVIS KELCE — Travis Kelce lines up another TV job and joins FX’s ‘Grotesquerie’ from Ryan Murphy. SENT: 280 words, photo.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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ELECTION 2024-INDIANA-HALEY — The ghost of Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign is ringing up significant support in state primaries despite her withdrawal from the race in March shortly before Donald Trump had clinched the Republican nomination. SENT: 710 words, photo.

BIDEN-ASYLUM — The Biden administration plans to propose a new rule aimed at speeding up the asylum claims process for some migrants — a potential prelude to a bigger crackdown. SENT: 740 words, photo.

ELECTION 2024-KENNEDY — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenges Trump to a head-to-head debate for when both address a Libertarian convention later this month. SENT: 460 words, photo.

ELECTION 2024-BIDEN — President Joe Biden laced into Trump over a failed project in the previous administration that was supposed to bring thousands of new jobs into southeastern Wisconsin. Biden trumpets new economic investments under his watch that are coming to the same spot. SENT: 990 words, photos.

EDUCATION-CONGRESS-ANTISEMITISM — Leaders of three large public school systems strongly deny allegations that they let antisemitism run rampant, telling a congressional panel that they’re fighting it with education and, when necessary, discipline. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

2030 CENSUS-CITIZENSHIP — Civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers are concerned about a push by some House Republicans to include a citizenship question on the once-a-decade census. SENT: 710 words, photo.

Find the AP’s latest Election 2024 coverage plans, including live video and text plans, our explanatory journalism and highlights from previous cycles and candidate schedules in The Daily Rundown, which publishes around 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.

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NATIONAL

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OBIT-PETE MCCLOSKEY — Pete McCloskey — a pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day — has died. He was 96. SENT: 810 words, photos.

YOUNG BLACK LAWYERS-VOTER ENGAGEMENT — Young Black lawyers and law students are taking on a new role ahead of the general election: Meeting with Black voters in battleground states to increase turnout and serve as watchdogs against voter disenfranchisement. SENT: 700 words, photos.

CUSTODY-DEATH-OHIO — The Rev. Al Sharpton and family members of an Ohio man who died in police custody told mourners at his funeral that they and the community must fight to see that he gets justice. SENT: 510 words, photos, video.

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INTERNATIONAL

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BRAZIL-FLOODS — Authorities in southern Brazil rushed to rescue survivors of massive flooding that has killed at least 100 people, but some residents refused to leave belongings behind while others returned to evacuated homes despite the risk of new storms. SENT: 950 words, photos, video.

HUNGARY-XI JINPING VISIT — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hungary, the final stop on his five-day European tour, where he’s expected to finalize a number of agreements with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that will deepen China’s economic footprint in the region. SENT: 490 words, photos.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

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EXOPLANET-ATMOSPHERE — A thick atmosphere has been detected around a planet that’s twice as big as Earth in a nearby solar system. While the planet is covered by magma oceans and is likely too hot for life to survive, scientists say it’s a promising sign that other such rocky planets with bulky atmospheres could be more hospitable. By Science Writer Adithi Ramakrishnan. SENT: 380 words, photo.

DOG IMPORT RULES — All dogs coming into the U.S. from other countries must be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies, according to new government rules. By Medical Writer Mike Stobbe. SENT: 570 words, photos.

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BUSINESS

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FTX-BANKRUPTCY — FTX, once among the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, said this week that nearly all of its customers will receive the money back that they are owed, two years after its monumental collapse. By Business Writer Michelle Chapman. SENT: 550 words, photo. With FTX BANKRUPTCY-TIMELINE.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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TOURISM-THE SWIFT EFFECT — What does a ride-or-die Taylor Swift fan do if they missed out on her U.S. concert tour last year? For thousands of Swifties, the answer is to follow her across the pond. SENT: 1,550 words, photos, video, audio. An abridged version of 1,150 words is also available.

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SPORTS

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DODGERS-OHTANI-INVESTIGATION — The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said. SENT: 580 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos (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.

Former President Donald Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche walk to speak to reporters following the day's proceedings in his trial, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

A man rows a makeshift boat through an inundated street flooded by heavy rains, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Debris and damage from powerful storms are pictured, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Carl Kelley and Jon Reynolds search through Kelley's mother's home after it was damaged by a severe storm, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Barnsdall, Okla. A tornado destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of a nursing home and toppled trees and power lines when it roared through the small Oklahoma town. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)

Pro-Palestinian protesters chant at University of Chicago police while being kept from the university's quad as the student encampment is dismantled Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on buildings near the separating wall between Egypt and Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramez Habboub)

AP News Digest 3 a.m.

AP News Digest 3 a.m.

John Krasinski’s imaginary friends movie “IF” claimed the top spot at the box office this weekend according to studio estimates Sunday. Its $35 million North American debut was also a bit lower than some projections.

Is that a disappointment? An ominous sign of the box office times? Or is the final story on “ IF " yet to be written? It's not just your imagination: In these bumpy early weeks of the 2024 summer box office season, in which nothing has been a runaway hit and every new movie has more and more pressure to succeed, “IF” hit a nerve.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, and an army of A-list voices including Steve Carell, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Maya Rudolph, “IF” was an original idea from Krasinski, who wrote, directed and co-stars.

Paramount debuted the film, which cost a reported $110 million to produce, in 4,041 locations in North America. Internationally, it earned an estimated $20 million from 56 markets, adding up to a $55 million global debut.

“Families came out in force and they loved the film,” said Chris Aronson, who heads Paramount’s domestic distribution.

There are several somewhat contradictory narratives swirling around its performance as well. With its PG-rating, “IF” was the first major family friendly film to open in theaters in weeks. And unlike a front-loaded superhero or horror movie, family pics are often running a marathon not a sprint. Last June, Pixar’s “Elemental” was assumed to be dead on arrival when it opened with $29.5 million domestically. But it continued earning throughout the summer and ultimately made nearly $500 million globally.

“IF” got middling reviews from critics (it's currently sitting at a “rotten” 49% on Rotten Tomatoes), but, as with “Elemental,” audiences gave it a solid A CinemaScore this weekend. The studio considers it a successful debut and is optimistic about its longevity as summer actually begins for school age children.

“I think it bodes well for moviegoing in general as we move into the summer movie season," Aronson said. "Kids are out of school starting this coming week and I couldn’t think of a better film to be in the marketplace than this one: It’s new, it’s fresh, its original, and it’s such a heartwarming film.”

“ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ” continues to be a bright spot. In just 10 days, it surpassed $100 million domestically and $237 million globally. It came in second place in its second weekend with $26 million (down 55%).

But there also hasn’t been a major movie moment akin to last year’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” in quite some time. Last year on this weekend “Fast X” opened to over $60 million.

“This is a very unusual summer. It got off to an unusual start without a Marvel movie," said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “The box office has been in a holding pattern 20% down from last year.”

“IF” wasn’t the only new film to open this weekend either. Lionsgate’s horror “The Strangers—Chapter 1” overperformed with a $12 million debut from 2,856 locations. The innovative marketing campaign staged some viral moments by bringing the “strangers” to major events, from the Trump trial to Coachella.

The Amy Winehouse biopic “ Back to Black " opened in North America to an estimated $2.9 million from 2,010 screens.

The filmed-for-IMAX documentary “ The Blue Angels ” also made $1.3 million this weekend from 227 screens. It’s playing on the premium large format screens through May 22 before flying to Prime Video on May 23.

The summer, which for Hollywood begins the first weekend in May, is still getting started and could rev up next weekend with the infusion of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Garfield Movie."

Dergarabedian noted that Memorial Day weekend is a time when moviegoers play can play catch up with films they've missed and heard about. For a film like “IF," which picked up over the weekend with word of mouth buzz, that could bode well. Still, there is no sugar-coating the reality that the 2024 box office is not going to build on 2023.

"On almost every level this is a non-traditional summer in the lineup of films and the trajectory of the box office," Dergarbedian said. “But collectively these films should have a solid Memorial weekend.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “IF,” $35 million.

2. “Kingdom of hte Planet of the Apes,” $26 million.

3. “The Strangers—Chapter 1,” $12 million.

4. “The Fall Guy,” $8.5 million.

5. “Challengers,” $2.9 million.

6. “Back to Black,” $2.9 million.

7. “Tarot,” 2 million.

8. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $1.7 million.

9. “The Blue Angels,” $1.3 million.

10. “Unsung Hero,” $1.1 million.

This image released by Amazon Prime shows a scene from the documentary "The Blue Angels." (Amazon Prime via AP)

Actor Marisa Abela attends the premiere of Focus Features' "Back to Black" at AMC Lincoln Square on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from "Back to Black." (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Focus Features shows Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in a scene from "Back to Black." (Focus Features via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Cailey Fleming, left, and Ryan Reynolds in a scene from "IF." (Jonny Cournoyer/Paramount Pictures via AP)

This image released by Paramount Pictures shows Ryan Reynolds, from left, Cailey Fleming, the character Blue, voiced by Steve Carell, and the Blossom, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, in a scene from "IF." (Paramount Pictures via AP)

Emily Blunt, left, and John Krasinski pose with the character "Blue" at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

John Krasinski, left, and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Ryan Reynolds poses with the character "Blue" at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Cailey Fleming, left, and John Krasinski pose with the character "Blue" at the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "IF" at the SVA Theatre on Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)