AP-Newswatch

Coast-to-coast Super Tuesday contests poised to move Biden and Trump closer to November rematch

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump are poised to have the biggest day of the primary campaign move them to the brink of winning their party’s presidential nominations and set up a historic rematch that many voters would rather not endure. Super Tuesday elections are being held in 16 states and one territory. Hundreds of delegates are at stake, the biggest haul for either party on a single day. In a dramatic departure from competitive Super Tuesdays of the past, the contests are effectively sealed this year. Both Biden and Trump have easily repelled challengers despite polls showing voters don’t want this year’s general election to be identical to 2020’s.

Takeaways from Trump’s Supreme Court win: He stays on ballot, but his legal peril is just starting

DENVER (AP) — Former President Donald Trump scored a clear win at the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, which unanimously ruled that states don’t have the ability to bar him — or any other federal candidates — from the ballot under a rarely used constitutional provision that prohibits those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office. The decision shuts down a push in dozens of states to end Trump’s candidacy through a clause in the 14th Amendment, written to prevent former Confederates from serving in government after the Civil War. But it may open the door to further electoral uncertainty, exposing more state officials to disqualification under the provision and setting up a constitutional showdown should Trump win the election.

The latest talks on Gaza have ended with no breakthrough, officials say. Ramadan is days away

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian officials say three days of negotiations with Hamas over a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages have ended without a breakthrough. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent weeks trying to broker an agreement in which Hamas would release up to 40 hostages in return for a monthlong cease-fire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners and an influx of aid to address the humanitarian catastrophe. Two Egyptian officials say Hamas has presented a proposal that mediators would discuss with Israel in the coming days. Israel did not send a delegation to the latest round of talks.

What you should know from the opening of China’s legislature

BEIJING (AP) — China’s Premier Li Qiang promoted an image of confidence as he announced modest economic growth goals for the country at one of its most important political gatherings. Li announced that the GDP growth target was 5% this year — a modest target that is still going to be difficult. China is grappling with an economic slowdown and a real estate market in crisis after a crackdown on excess borrowing led to a liquidity crisis among developers. Li’s report had stronger language on self-ruled Taiwan and a similar increase in defense spending as last year. It also indicated the central government may consider reforming the hukou system through which China allocates social benefits.

Gangs in Haiti try to seize control of main airport in newest attack on key government sites

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Heavily armed gangs have tried to seize control of Haiti’s main international airport as they exchanged gunfire with police and soldiers trying to repel them. The Toussaint Louverture International Airport was closed when the attack occurred Monday, with no planes operating and no passengers on site. It is the biggest attack on the airport in Haiti’s history. It occurred just hours after authorities ordered a nighttime curfew following an explosion of violence in which armed gang members overran the two biggest prisons and freed thousands of inmates over the weekend.

Ukraine claims it has sunk another Russian warship in the Black Sea using high-tech sea drones

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine claims it has sunk another Russian warship in the Black Sea using high-tech sea drones as Kyiv’s forces continue to take aim at targets deep behind the war’s front line. Russian authorities did not confirm the claim on Tuesday. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency said a special operations unit destroyed the large patrol ship Sergey Kotov overnight with Magura V5 uncrewed vessels. They are designed and built in Ukraine and laden with explosives. The patrol ship, which Ukraine said was hit near the Kerch Strait, reportedly can carry cruise missiles and around 60 crew. The Ukrainian claim could not immediately be independently verified.

Alabama lawmakers aim to approve immunity laws for IVF providers

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers, who face public pressure to get in vitro fertilization services restarted, are nearing approval of immunity legislation for providers. Three IVF providers paused services after the state Supreme Court’s ruling last month that frozen embryos were children under the state’s wrongful death law. Legislative committees on Tuesday will debate the bills that would protect clinics from lawsuits and criminal prosecution for the “damage or death of an embryo” during IVF services. Lawmakers are aiming to get the bills approved Wednesday.

Supreme Court temporarily blocks Texas law that allows police to arrest migrants

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ plans to arrest migrants who enter the U.S. illegally and order them to leave the country is headed to the Supreme Court in a legal showdown over the federal government’s authority over immigration. Justice Samuel Alito on Monday issued an order that puts the new Texas law on hold for at least next week while the high court considers what opponents have called the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago. The law had been set to take effect Saturday under a decision from an appeals court. Alito’s order pushed that date back until March 13.

Small plane crashes near Nashville interstate and 5 people aboard were killed, police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Police in Nashville say that five people have died after a small plane crashed near an interstate highway, shutting down multiple lanes. The Metro Nashville Police Department says the single-engine plane crashed Monday night just off of Interstate 40 in the western part of the city. Police posted a photo of charred wreckage of the small plane in the grass along the interstate. The eastbound lanes have been closed. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. The Tennessean reports that a Nashville International Airport spokesperson says the aircraft left Mount Sterling, Kentucky, and was set to arrive at John C. Tune Airport in Nashville.

AI pervades everyday life with almost no oversight. States scramble to catch up

DENVER (AP) — Lawmakers in at least seven states are taking big legislative swings to regulate bias in artificial intelligence. As AI has quietly spread through everyday life, filtering job resumes, rental apartment and home loan applications, studies and lawsuits have found they can discriminate based on race, gender or more. In the absence of federal regulation, the state bills would require transparency from companies that use AI to make consequential decisions for Americans, including how AI figures into the determinations and the risk of discrimination in its assessments. Tech industry groups have supported some of these proposals, but so far states are struggling to get the regulations signed into law.