May 5, 2025
From front-page news to powerful moments you may have missed, this gallery showcases today’s top photos chosen by Associated Press photo editors.
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Britain's William, Prince of Wales, left, Prince George, second left, Prince Louis, center, Kate, Princess of Wales, second right, and Princess Charlotte, right, as they appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the flypast during the V-E Day 80th anniversary parade in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
A street musician plays a violin outside the Sant'Angelo castle as the sun sets in Rome, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A bird flies above Alcatraz Island on Sunday, May 4, 2025, in the San Francisco Bay, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Palestinians throw stones at an Israeli security forces vehicle during clashes that erupted following an army raid in the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu walks surrounded by media shortly before polls closing during the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Presidential candidate George Simion addresses supporters via video link after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Firefighters place the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope, at the Vatican, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Russian servicemen march towards the Red Square prior to the Victory Day military parade rehearsal in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
A humpback whale, dolphins and sea birds feed on a school of fish Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Channel Islands, Calif. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)
An audience member yells at U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., during a town hall, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Somers, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Congregants attend an Indigenous blessing ceremony for Communion wafers that will be taken to a priest to be consecrated before they can be given out, in the Simojovel municipality, Mexico, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)
Iraqis walk through the streets during a heavy sandstorm in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives for a press conference at the Prague Castle, Czech Republic, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Quinceañeras ride in limousine as part of their celebration, in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, May 2, 2025. The Sueños Hechos Foundation, led by a former police officer, is hosting a quinceañera celebration on Friday for 24 disadvantaged teen girls. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
A race fan sits in the stands at Churchill Downs before the 151st running of the Kentucky Oaks horse race Friday, May 2, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty to victory in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 3, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A Catholic nun attends rosary prayer and a candlelight procession with the image of Mater Ecclesiae in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican,Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Revelers take part in the Devils and Congos Festival in Portobelo, Panama, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Oleksii Sereda of Ukraine competes in the Men's 10m Platform event for the Diving World Cup Super Final held at the Water Cube, in Beijing, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
People vote at a polling booth at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters after disembarking Marine One upon arrival on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
World War II veterans take part in a parade to mark Liberation Day in Wageningen, Netherlands, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Britain's William, Prince of Wales, left, Prince George, second left, Prince Louis, center, Kate, Princess of Wales, second right, and Princess Charlotte, right, as they appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the flypast during the V-E Day 80th anniversary parade in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
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A street musician plays a violin outside the Sant'Angelo castle as the sun sets in Rome, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
A bird flies above Alcatraz Island on Sunday, May 4, 2025, in the San Francisco Bay, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Palestinians throw stones at an Israeli security forces vehicle during clashes that erupted following an army raid in the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu walks surrounded by media shortly before polls closing during the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Presidential candidate George Simion addresses supporters via video link after polls closed for the first round of the country's presidential election redo in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Firefighters place the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope, at the Vatican, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Russian servicemen march towards the Red Square prior to the Victory Day military parade rehearsal in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
A humpback whale, dolphins and sea birds feed on a school of fish Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Channel Islands, Calif. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)
An audience member yells at U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., during a town hall, Sunday, May 4, 2025, in Somers, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Congregants attend an Indigenous blessing ceremony for Communion wafers that will be taken to a priest to be consecrated before they can be given out, in the Simojovel municipality, Mexico, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)
Iraqis walk through the streets during a heavy sandstorm in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives for a press conference at the Prague Castle, Czech Republic, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Quinceañeras ride in limousine as part of their celebration, in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, May 2, 2025. The Sueños Hechos Foundation, led by a former police officer, is hosting a quinceañera celebration on Friday for 24 disadvantaged teen girls. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
A race fan sits in the stands at Churchill Downs before the 151st running of the Kentucky Oaks horse race Friday, May 2, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates after riding Sovereignty to victory in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 3, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A Catholic nun attends rosary prayer and a candlelight procession with the image of Mater Ecclesiae in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican,Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Revelers take part in the Devils and Congos Festival in Portobelo, Panama, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Oleksii Sereda of Ukraine competes in the Men's 10m Platform event for the Diving World Cup Super Final held at the Water Cube, in Beijing, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
People vote at a polling booth at Sydney's Bondi Beach, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters after disembarking Marine One upon arrival on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
World War II veterans take part in a parade to mark Liberation Day in Wageningen, Netherlands, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Britain's William, Prince of Wales, left, Prince George, second left, Prince Louis, center, Kate, Princess of Wales, second right, and Princess Charlotte, right, as they appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the flypast during the V-E Day 80th anniversary parade in London, Monday, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
ALEPPO, Syria (AP) — First responders on Sunday entered a contested neighborhood in Syria’ s northern city of Aleppo after days of deadly clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led forces. Syrian state media said the military was deployed in large numbers.
The clashes broke out Tuesday in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh and Bani Zaid after the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the main Kurdish-led force in the country, failed to make progress on how to merge the SDF into the national army. Security forces captured Achrafieh and Bani Zaid.
The fighting between the two sides was the most intense since the fall of then-President Bashar Assad to insurgents in December 2024. At least 23 people were killed in five days of clashes and more than 140,000 were displaced amid shelling and drone strikes.
The U.S.-backed SDF, which have played a key role in combating the Islamic State group in large swaths of eastern Syria, are the largest force yet to be absorbed into Syria's national army. Some of the factions that make up the army, however, were previously Turkish-backed insurgent groups that have a long history of clashing with Kurdish forces.
The Kurdish fighters have now evacuated from the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood to northeastern Syria, which is under the control of the SDF. However, they said in a statement they will continue to fight now that the wounded and civilians have been evacuated, in what they called a “partial ceasefire.”
The neighborhood appeared calm Sunday. The United Nations said it was trying to dispatch more convoys to the neighborhoods with food, fuel, blankets and other urgent supplies.
Government security forces brought journalists to tour the devastated area, showing them the damaged Khalid al-Fajer Hospital and a military position belonging to the SDF’s security forces that government forces had targeted.
The SDF statement accused the government of targeting the hospital “dozens of times” before patients were evacuated. Damascus accused the Kurdish-led group of using the hospital and other civilian facilities as military positions.
On one street, Syrian Red Crescent first responders spoke to a resident surrounded by charred cars and badly damaged residential buildings.
Some residents told The Associated Press that SDF forces did not allow their cars through checkpoints to leave.
“We lived a night of horror. I still cannot believe that I am right here standing on my own two feet,” said Ahmad Shaikho. “So far the situation has been calm. There hasn’t been any gunfire.”
Syrian Civil Defense first responders have been disarming improvised mines that they say were left by the Kurdish forces as booby traps.
Residents who fled are not being allowed back into the neighborhood until all the mines are cleared. Some were reminded of the displacement during Syria’s long civil war.
“I want to go back to my home, I beg you,” said Hoda Alnasiri.
Associated Press journalist Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.
Sandbag barriers used as fighting positions by Kurdish fighters, left inside a destroyed mosque in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Burned vehicles at one of the Kurdish fighters positions at the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
People flee the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
A Syrian military police convoy enters the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Burned vehicles and ammunitions left at one of the Kurdish fighters positions at the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)