Marijuana Reclassified: The US Drug Enforcement Administration is moving towards reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The move would recognize the medical issues of cannabis and acknowledge that the drug has less potential for abuse than others. The classification would bring the drug from Schedule 1, those with no medical use and high potential for abuse, to Schedule 3.
Hamas Peace-Talks in Egypt: On May 2, Hamas announced that it was sending a delegation to Egypt for further cease-fire talks. With negotiations sounding more promising, the question still remains if Israel will accept an end to the war without reaching its stated goal of destroying Hamas. A new U.N. report claims that if the war were to end today, it would take until 2040 to rebuild all the homes that have been destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
Arizona Abortion Ban Repeal: Arizona has repealed the 1864 abortion ban on May 2, following talks in the Senate and a final vote of 16-14 to gain approval on May 1. The near-total ban permitted abortions only to save patient lives and provided no exceptions in cases of incest or rape. This repeal means that the 2022 statue banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy is the prevailing law for the state.
College Protests Persist: More than 1,750 protestors have been arrested over the last two weeks at universities across the U.S., including University of Texas at Austin, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, California State Polytechnic University, and Humboldt. The protests come as students speak out against the rising death toll in Gaza, calling for universities to divest from companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza.
The First Glow-In-The-Dark Animals: In a new study, scientists report that deep-sea corals that lived 540 million years ago may have been the first animals to glow. Important in deep waters, light signaling is one of the earliest forms of communication. Many of the coral light up when touched or bumped. Scientists remain unsure whether the light mechanism is meant to attract or repel other organisms, or both.
All information gathered from AP News–an independent, nonprofit news organization.