Abortion ruling prompts variety of reactions from states

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion. The ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states, although the timing of those laws taking effect varies. Some Republican-led...

Scottish leader calls for new independence vote next year

LONDON (AP) — Scotland's leader told lawmakers in Edinburgh Tuesday that she plans to hold a fresh referendum on Scotland's independence on Oct. 19, 2023 — even though U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson maintains it wasn't the right time for such a vote. First Minister Nicola...

As Senate-confirmed justices end Roe, how will voters react?

WASHINGTON (AP) — The end of Roe v. Wade started in the Senate. It was the Senate Republican partnership with President Donald Trump to confirm conservative judges, and transform the federal judiciary, that paved the way for the Supreme Court's landmark ruling to overturn the...

Massachusetts' highest court rules that a referendum on imposing a "millionaire tax" can go before voters in November

House panel OKs voucher expansion tied to new school cash

PHOENIX (AP) — Republicans in the Arizona House on Wednesday pushed ahead with their new plan for a universal expansion of the state's private school voucher program that they have tied to new funding for schools in an effort to prevent a voter referendum. Majority Republicans see...

Scotland leader launches campaign for new independence vote

LONDON (AP) — Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched her campaign for a second independence referendum on Tuesday, arguing that Scotland would be economically better off outside the United Kingdom. Sturgeon, who leads the Scottish National Party as well as the devolved...

Republicans face decision on constitutional changes package

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican state lawmakers may soon decide which among the scores of potential amendments to the Pennsylvania Constitution will have any shot of making it to a voter referendum — a tactic that can get politically divisive policies around Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's...

Voters in Kazakhstan approve constitutional changes

MOSCOW (AP) — Voters in the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan have given overwhelming approval to proposed constitutional changes widely seen as an attempt to repudiate the legacy of former strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev, who led the ex-Soviet republic for three decades. ...

Sapporo rejects holding referendum over bidding for Olympics

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's northern city of Sapporo on Monday rejected holding a referendum to give voters a choice over bidding for the 2030 Winter Olympics. The city's assembly, controlled by Japan's Liberal Democratic Party — which is also in charge of the national government —...

Denmark gives 'clear signal' with EU defense policy vote

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said Thursday that he expects Denmark to join the European Union’s common defense policy after two-thirds of voters who cast ballots in a referendum supported abandoning a 30-year-old waiver that kept the EU country out. ...