Actors and writers strike together for the first time since 1960

Plus, the ICC probes Darfur ethnic violence.   Hollywood actors and writers strike over unmet demands; the International Criminal Court investigates alleged Darfur war crimes. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.   TOP NEWS Actors and writers shut down Hollywood David McNew/Getty Images - Television and film actors are heading to the picket line with screenwriters in the first double strike since 1960, effectively shutting down Hollywood. [[Vox / Alissa Wilkinson](] - SAG-AFTRA, the union representing 160,000 actors and performers, wants better pay in the streaming era, protections from artificial intelligence, and other concessions. The Writers Guild of America has been on strike for similar reasons since May. [[NPR / Mandalit del Barco](] - Studios said they offered a “historic” deal and blamed the actors for the strike. The Actors Guild president said the proposal was “insulting.” [[CNBC / Sarah Whitten](] - Most films and television shows will immediately cease production, and upcoming projects may be delayed or canceled. Actors are not allowed to promote their work or do interviews. [[Los Angeles Times / Ryan Fonesca](] - The strike could go on for a while; the most recent actors’ and writers’ strikes each lasted about three months. [[Associated Press / Andrew Dalton](] 📍 If you read just one story Vox’s Li Zhou explains how amendments from far-right House Republicans stacked a must-pass defense bill with culture war issues. [[Vox / Li Zhou](]  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Ethnic violence returns to Sudan’s Darfur - The International Criminal Court is investigating possible war crimes after the discovery of a mass grave with at least 87 bodies in Sudan’s western Darfur region. [[CNN / Sharon Braithwaite and Lindsay Isaac](] - The probe comes amid reports of widespread violence against the non-Arab, Masalit ethnic group as Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battle for control of Darfur. [[Al Jazeera](] - Refugees accuse the RSF of killing Black Africans and forcing thousands to flee to neighboring Chad. The RSF was formerly a militia responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in Darfur 20 years ago. [[BBC / Mercy Juma and Peter Ball](] - More than 3 million people have been displaced by the violence since April. The UN secretary-general warned this week that Sudan is at risk of all-out civil war. [[Reuters / Anthony Deutsch](]   MISCELLANEOUS On Friday, the World Health Organization classified the common sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The US FDA, however, disagrees with the WHO findings. [[Vox / Keren Landman](] - Police arrested a 59-year-old architect in connection with a series of Long Island murders featured on the 2020 Netflix show Lost Girls. [[AP / Michael Balsamo, Jake Offenhartz, and Michael R. Sisak](] - The Biden administration announced a new plan to cancel $39 billion in student loans for over 800,000 borrowers who faced long-term repayment issues. [[Vox / Nicole Narea](] - The campaign of scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos (R-NY) paid him $85,000 between April and June for loans he made to the campaign while running for election in 2022. [[Politico / Jessica Piper](]   CROSSWORD OF THE DAY What's a four-letter word for put an end to? [Solve today's new Vox crossword puzzle]([,]( and stay tuned for more puzzles coming out Monday through Saturday. Want more crosswords? [Sign up for our crossword newsletter here]( and get a dedicated crossword reminder each weekend.   VERBATIM “At some point the jig is up. You cannot keep being dwindled and marginalized and disrespected and dishonored.” [[SAG-AFTRA union president Fran Drescher on the Hollywood strike / Los Angeles Times](]   LISTEN TO THIS The Joshua Generation A group of evangelical Christians raised their children to become influential in the White House, on Capitol Hill, and in the Supreme Court. Now, as adults, the "Joshua generation" are reckoning with their upbringing. [Listen now ▶](   Read more from Vox [What’s worse than a cruel animal experiment? A cruel and fake animal experiment.]( [The scary question at the heart of the Mission: Impossible movies]( [Why aren’t we treating poverty like a major public health crisis?]( [Elon Musk is just throwing money at popular Twitter users now]( [Meta and Google are blocking links to news in Canada. The US might be next.](  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( [unsubscribe](param=sentences). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved.