Politics

U.N. says 40 civilians died in central Yemen in March

By Noha Elhennawy, Associated Press

The UNHCR released a statement Friday saying that at least 70 incidents of armed violence including shelling, crossfire, and air strikes have caused injuries and deaths among civilians during the first quarter of 2021.

Raul Castro confirms he’s resigning, ending long era in Cuba

By Associated Press

Raul Castro says he is resigning as head of Cuba's Communist Party, ending an era of formal leadership by he and his brother Fidel Castro that began with the 1959 revolution.

Interior Secretary Haaland revokes Trump-era orders on energy

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Friday revoked a series of Trump administration orders that promoted fossil fuel development on public lands and waters, and issued a separate directive that prioritizes climate change in agency decisions.

Russia to expel 10 U.S. diplomats in response to Washington sanctions

By Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also said Moscow will add eight U.S. officials to its sanctions list and move to shut down the work of U.S. nongovernmental organizations to end what he called interfering in Russia's politics.

Biden speeds refugee admissions but doesn’t lift Trump cap

By Zeke Miller, Aamer Madhani, Associated Press

President Joe Biden has signed an emergency determination that officials say will speed refugee admissions to the U.S., but he did not lift his predecessor’s historically low cap of 15,000 refugees for this year.

Garland rescinds Trump-era memo curtailing consent decrees

By Michael Balsamo, Associated Press

Garland issued a new memorandum to all U.S. attorneys and other Justice Department leaders spelling out the new policies on civil agreements and consent decrees with state and local governments.

As America embraces voting early, GOP moves to restrict it

By Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press

More than 111 million Americans voted before Election Day in 2020. But Republicans are moving to make it harder for that to happen again.

U.S. setting up $1.7 billion national network to track virus variants

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Zeke Miller, Associated Press

The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome coronavirus mutations whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday.

WATCH: Royal family holds funeral for Prince Philip

By Jill Lawless, Associated Press

Although it is a scaled-down service because of the pandemic, hundreds of servicemen and women from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force will take part in the funeral procession.

WATCH: Biden meets with Japanese prime minister, first guest to White House

By Ellen Knickmeyer, Mari Yamaguchi, Aamer Madhani, Associated Press

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House in a bid to underscore the two countries’ alliance as a counter to an autocratic and increasingly assertive China.