Capital city of Alabama, cradle of civil rights history
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, 81, is recovering at the Governor’s Mansion after a procedure to remove lung fluid. She was hospitalized for two nights following discomfort and shortness of breath. Ivey plans to return to work next week. She previously battled lung cancer in 2019.
A federal court has blocked Alabama from using a Republican-backed map that would erase a majority-Black district following a Supreme Court ruling weakening protection for minority voting power. Activists vow to keep fighting as debates over redistricting and the Voting Rights Act continue to unfold across the South.
Italian prosecutors are investigating Caddell Construction, citing labor-exploitation allegations linked to a Milan consulate project. Two Italian managers have been arrested; the probe involves ~70 workers, mostly from India, with claims of wage deductions, 10-hour days, and threats. The U.S. State Department says it is collaborating.