Politics

Heavy clashes rock Sudan’s capital despite fragile truce

By Samy Magdy, Associated Press

Sudanese residents say heavy explosions and gunfire have rocked parts of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and its twin city of Omdurman, despite the extension of a fragile truce between the county's rival top generals.

In drought-stricken Arizona, fresh scrutiny of Saudi Arabia-owned farm’s water use

By Suman Naishadham, Associated Press

In Arizona, worsening drought has brought renewed attention to a farm owned by a Saudi Arabian company and whether the state should be doing more to protect its groundwater resources.

Why Arab Americans are pushing for a ‘Middle East or North African’ category on the census

By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

The federal proposal for a separate MENA category would lead to more accurate federal data collection for Arab Americans.

Brazilian President Lula resumes recognition of Indigenous land areas

By Carla Bridi, Fabiano Maisonnave, Associated Press

Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has approved the creation of six Indigenous territories, the first such move after a five-year hiatus in Indigenous demarcation.

North Carolina Supreme Court reverses electoral district, voter ID rulings decided last year

By Gary Robertson, Associated Press

North Carolina’s state Supreme Court has thrown out previous rulings that declared illegal both redistricting maps for excessive partisanship and a photo voter identification law for being infected with racial bias.

Hoping to bolster foreign policy credentials, DeSantis’ overseas trip overshadowed by Disney fight

By Brendan Farrington, Associated Press

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is facing questions about losing ground to former President Donald Trump and being taken to court by Walt Disney World.

Abortion bans fail in conservative South Carolina and Nebraska legislatures

By Margery A. Beck, James Pollard, Associated Press

Abortion bans in deeply conservative Nebraska and South Carolina each fell short of advancing in close legislative votes amid heated debates among Republicans.

Republicans use nonviolent state capitol protests to redefine ‘insurrection’

By Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press

The silencing of a transgender lawmaker in Montana marks the third time in five weeks that Republicans have attempted to compare disruptive but nonviolent protests at state capitols to insurrections.

Pots and pans clang anew in France against Macron’s pension law

By Associated Press

Saucepan protests have become a popular way to voice anger at a resented new law raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. Similar actions were staged in several parts of France Thursday where government members were scheduled to travel.

Vermont passes bills aimed at protecting access to abortion pills

By Lisa Rathke, Associated Press

The Vermont Legislature has passed reproductive and gender-affirming health care bills with a late addition aimed at protecting access to a medication widely used in abortions — even if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdraws its approval of mifepristone.