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In the news today: How the nationwide redistricting fight is escalating following a Supreme Court ruling; a suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus on a cruise ship that killed three people; and the new U.S. effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Also, competitive napping in South Korea.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks about Virginia’s redistricting vote, at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, April 22. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
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Redistricting war accelerates winner-take-all political combat that’s straining American democracy
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By weakening a requirement that states draw congressional districts in a way that gives minorities an opportunity to control their own fate, the Supreme Court escalated the nationwide redistricting war that has seen Democrats and Republicans casting aside decades of tradition in hopes of gaining an edge over the competition. New sessions are scheduled to begin this week in two Republican-controlled states to eliminate U.S. House districts represented by Democrats, with more on the horizon. Read more.
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- It’s the latest example of how the American democratic experiment has been pushed to the breaking point in the decade since Donald Trump rose to power. Extreme rhetoric has become commonplace. There’s been a spike in political violence. Five years after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Trump’s allies are trying to harness the same falsehoods about voter fraud to reshape elections.
“I’ve never subscribed to the idea we’re in a civil war, but the gerrymandering wars and the recent decision from the Supreme Court do not make the United States more united,” said Matt Dallek, a political scientist at George Washington University. “It speeds up the hyperpartisan force and atmosphere that people feel on both sides.”
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A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus on a cruise ship in the Atlantic kills 3 people
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Among the victims were an elderly married couple, and at least three others were sickened, the World Health Organization and South Africa’s Department of Health said Sunday. Read more.
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In a statement to The Associated Press, WHO said an investigation was underway but that at least one case of hantavirus had been confirmed. The Dutch company that operates the cruise said the ship was now sitting off the coast of Cape Verde, an island nation off Africa’s west coast, and local authorities were assisting but had not allowed anyone to disembark.
Hantaviruses, which are found throughout the world, are a family of viruses spread mainly by contact with the urine or feces of infected rodents like rats and mice. They gained attention after the late actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year. While rare, WHO said hantavirus infections can be spread between people. There is no specific treatment or cure, but early medical attention can increase the chance of survival.
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Ships told to reroute on first day of new effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
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The United States said Monday it is ready to “guide” commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz in a new effort to end the blockade wreaking havoc on the global economy. A day after President Donald Trump announced what he called “Project Freedom,” the Joint Maritime Information Center said Monday that the U.S. had set up an “enhanced security area” south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities “due to anticipated high traffic volume.” Read more.
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The U.S.-led maritime task force’s announcement marked the start of the effort to revive traffic and restore confidence among commercial vessels transiting the strait. It risked unraveling the fragile ceasefire that has held even without progress on the issues that sparked the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. It was unclear as of Monday morning whether any vessels, many of which have become essentially stranded by the standoff, were attempting to cross or whether ships were staying put. Iran’s military command said on Monday that ships passing must coordinate with them.
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A participant on Saturday with a sign saying, “Don’t wake me up unless it’s a prince.” (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
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Sleep takes center stage at Seoul’s Han River Nap Competition
The city government of South Korea’s capital thinks a lot of people in the busy city could use more rest. So it stages the Han River Nap Competition to promote the importance of sleep. Many competitors dress up before dozing off in Yeouido Hangang Park. Check out our photo gallery to see some stylish pajamas and fun costumes.
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