LONDON (AP) — Two men accused of butchering a British soldier had been part of previous investigations by security services, a British official said Thursday, as investigators searched several locations and tried to determine whether the men were part of a wider plot to instill terror on the streets of London.

Here's your look at highlights from the weekly AP photo report, a gallery featuring a mix of front-page photography, the odd image you might have missed and lasting moments our editors think you should see.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Auto sales in May are expected to rise 6 percent to 8 percent and the annual sales pace should rebound back above 15 million vehicles after a disappointing result in the prior month, two research reports said on Thursday. Sales of new cars and trucks in May are expected to top 1.43 million vehicles, while the annual sales pace is forecast to hit 15.2 million vehicles, according to a report by J.D. Power and Associates and LMC Automotive, as well as one by TrueCar.com. Kelley Blue Book's forecast is slightly more conservative, as it sees sales rising 6 percent to almost 1. ...

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Weiner set out to reintroduce himself to voters Thursday as he embarked on a mayoral bid after leaving Congress in a sexting scandal, and he got a supportive reception in his first campaign stop.

By Leah Schnurr NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks slipped on Thursday, recovering from session lows as encouraging domestic economic data and a rally in Hewlett-Packard's shares offset concerns about the timing of any reduction in the Federal Reserve's monetary stimulus. Hewlett-Packard jumped nearly 14 percent and helped support the Dow a day after the world's largest PC maker raised its outlook. HP's sharp gains had briefly helped the Dow edge into positive territory at midday. Signs of improvement in the housing and labor markets also helped indexes come off their lows by midday. ...

(Reuters) - A group of U.S. retailers including Macy's Inc and Target Corp sued Visa Inc and MasterCard Inc on Thursday, breaking off from a proposed $7.2 billion settlement reached last year over fees to process credit card transactions. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on behalf of many retailers that opted out of receiving proposed damages from the settlement. That settlement, pending in federal court in Brooklyn, would end litigation on behalf of merchants that accused Visa and MasterCard of inflating so-called interchange, or swipe, fees. ...

(Anatole Kaletsky is a Reuters columnist but his opinions are his own.) By Anatole Kaletsky (Reuters) - On Wednesday in Washington, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke presented congressional testimony that repeated, virtually word for word, statements about U.S. monetary policy he has been making since last September. The Federal Reserve, Bernanke said, would continue buying $85 billion of bonds monthly until it was confident of reducing unemployment to 6.5 percent. ...

NEW YORK (AP) — However Anthony Weiner does when the polls close, he's certain to add drama to the most competitive New York City mayor's race in more than a decade.

Netflix goes back to the basics, explaining what video streaming is, and how it works

By Arshad Mohammed JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday and acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace negotiations. There were no signs of any breakthrough as Kerry visited Israel for the fourth time in his four months in office to try to revive a peace process that has been moribund for more than two years. ...

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, pointing to resilience in the labor market despite belt-tightening by Washington. The improving employment picture is helping to prop up housing, with rising home prices keeping domestic consumption supported, limiting the drag from tighter fiscal policy that is dampening factory activity. "All the eggs are in housing and the consumers' baskets this quarter. ...

By Andy Bruce and Steven C. Johnson LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chinese factory activity declined in May for the first time in seven months and U.S. manufacturing grew at its slowest pace since October, suggesting it may take a while before the global economy starts to pick up steam. Thursday's downbeat business surveys from the world's two largest economies came a day after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke spooked markets by hinting that the U.S. central bank could soon scale back monthly bond purchases, provided the economy maintained its recent momentum. ...

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Few have explored the remote volcanic islands of the Galapagos archipelago, an otherworldly landscape inhabited by the world's largest tortoises and other fantastical creatures that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

A low pressure system will remain over the Pacific Northwest through the remainder of the week. Expect scattered rain and mountain snow showers. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms may also occur over the mountain areas. Cool temperatures will gradually warm over the next few days.

MOORE, Okla. (AP) — One loved the spotlight. Another was nicknamed "The Wall" because of the force he brought to the soccer field.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stock prices are slightly lower at midday on Wall Street after manufacturing contracted unexpectedly in China this month.

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — The head of the European golf tour has apologized for using the term "colored" during a live television interview in which he was reacting to the spat between Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia.