Alabama lawmakers pass plan for new

primary; Dems suffer defeat in Virginia

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama lawmakers have approved a plan for new U.S. House primaries if courts allow the state to use different congressional districts in this year’s elections.

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the measure into law Friday shortly after the legislature approved it.

The action came on the same day that the Virginia Supreme Court dealt a major setback to Democrats by overturning a redistricting plan that could have helped Democrats win as many as four additional House seats. The Alabama law could set aside the results of the May 19 primaries, if courts lift an injunction requiring it to use a map with two districts that have large black populations.

Evidence points to human remains

at home linked to Smart’s killing

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. — A California sheriff says that evidence suggests human remains were present at a home connected to the man convicted of killing 19-year-old college student Kristin Smart in 1996.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said Friday that they cannot say whether the remains are those of Smart. The office served a warrant this week on the home of Susan Flores but has not said what prompted the search.

Her son Paul Flores was convicted in 2022 of killing Smart, whose body was never found. Scientists took soil samples from outside the house and in a neighbor’s yard this week.

Bright lights and hot orbs: UFO

files shed light on recent sightings

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has begun releasing files on UFOs, tapping into public curiosity about unidentified phenomena.

The files feature intriguing sightings, such as a bright object making 90-degree turns over Kazakhstan and Buzz Aldrin observing a light source during Apollo 11. The release aims to promote transparency, though experts warn these videos can be misinterpreted. Some members of Congress are pushing for further disclosure, while the Pentagon’s recent report found no evidence of alien technology. President Donald Trump says in a Truth Social post on Friday the release of the files allows people to decide for themselves, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?”

Cruise passengers fearing stigma

MADRID — A hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has sparked fear among Spanish passengers, not from illness, but from potential stigma upon returning home. Sensational news and memes have fueled anxiety, with many joking online about the ship being sunk.

The World Health Organization emphasizes that hantavirus is not like COVID-19 and poses low public risk. However, some Spanish politicians express concern. Despite the ordeal, two Spanish passengers interviewed by The Associated Press remain optimistic about future cruises, viewing the event as a rare misfortune.

Rubio defends Trump’s Cuba sanctions

HAVANA) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended the Trump administration’s decision to impose new sanctions on Cuba. The largest target of the sanctions announced Thursday is GAESA, a business conglomerate run by the Cuban military. The sanctions, announced Thursday, also affect Moa Nickel, a joint venture with Canada’s Sherritt International, which plans to withdraw from Cuba. Economist Pavel Vidal calls the measures “very concerning” for Cuba’s economy, which is already struggling.

The Associated Press