DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The U.S. military says its forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers Friday after exchanging fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz overnight. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, reported another missile and drone attack Friday. The violence further undermines a month-old ceasefire that U.S. officials insist remains in effect. Iran says the U.S. strikes violate the truce. Washington is awaiting Tehran’s response to the latest U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Alabama lawmakers are set to vote on a measure that could change the state’s congressional primaries as part of a bid to switch its U.S. House districts. This comes after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a Louisiana case weakened Voting Rights Act protections for minorities. Alabama has asked federal judges to lift a court order requiring a second Black-majority district. Legislation awaiting a final vote Friday would allow new primaries to be scheduled if a court grants the state’s request. The Alabama action comes as Democrats suffered a setback in Virginia, where a court struck down a Democratic redistricting plan for procedural reasons.
A cyberattack has caused chaos for students at thousands of schools as they study for finals. The attack Thursday targeted a system that schools and universities use to manage grades, assignments and lecture videos. The hacking group named ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach at Instructure, the company behind the learning management system Canvas. An expert says the hacking group posted online that nearly 9,000 schools worldwide were affected, with billions of private messages and other records accessed.
WEST GLACIER, Montana – Authorities say a missing hiker’s death in Glacier National Park was likely caused by a bear attack. It would be the first time a bear killed someone at the iconic Montana park since 1998. The National Park Service said the body was found in a wooded area off a trail Wednesday. The written statement didn’t identify the hiker, but authorities had been searching since the weekend for a 33-year-old man from Florida. Some of the park’s trails were closed while authorities investigate. Glacier National Park is home to grizzly bears and black bears. A bear last August swatted a 34-year-old hiker, injuring her shoulder and arm.
– The Associated Press
