Heats

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new congressional maps set to strip Democrats of additional House seats ahead of 2026 midterms. • In contrast, Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed redistricting plan threatening Republican incumbents. • The coast-to-coast battles reflect volatile gerrymandering disputes shaping midterm battlegrounds.

Six candidates clashed over homelessness and cost of living crisis in first debate since Eric Swalwell’s exit – with a clear frontrunner still yet to emergeSix candidates vying to become the next governor of California sparred on Wednesday in the first debate since the already topsy-turvy race was plunged into upheaval by the sudden collapse of former congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign after sexual assault and misconduct allegations.With a clear frontrunner still yet to emerge, the unusually wide-open race to replace the outgoing governor Gavin Newsom in the heavily Democratic state has left nearly a quarter of voters undecided ahead of the 2 June primary. Continue reading...

The story of a wildflower that adapted to a severe drought in California raises hopes that evolution will come to the rescue of species hit by climate change, but there are limits

New York Yankees defeated Atlanta Braves 6-4 in spring training action on Friday at 1 p.m. ET in North Port, Florida, with Aaron Judge hitting a two-run homer. Other key games included San Diego vs. Oakland split squad and Houston vs. St. Louis in Jupiter. These exhibitions feature top prospects and tune up rosters ahead of Opening Day on March 27. Injuries reported: Yankees' Jazz Chisholm day-to-day with hamstring strain.