Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that he is in direct communication with MV Hondius cruise captain Jan Dobrogowski and WHO expert Dr. Freddy Banza-Mutoka, who said no one on board the ship is showing symptoms of hantavirus. U.S. health officials also confirmed there are no symptomatic people on the ship.

In a message to the people of Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, Ghebreyesus acknowledged that people are scared about the hantavirus, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID," he said. "The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I have said this unequivocally, and I will say it again to you now."

MV Hondius is expected to arrive in Tenerife early Sunday morning. Passengers will be ferried ashore at Granadilla, away from residential areas, in sealed, guarded vehicles through a completely cordoned-off corridor before being taken directly to their home countries, Ghebreyesus said.

"You will not encounter them. Your families will not encounter them," Ghebreyesus told the people of Tenerife.

Around 147 people were on the cruise ship when the outbreak was first reported to the WHO earlier this month, and 34 previously disembarked. Three passengers died, with a total of eight cases of the hantavirus reported on the ship as of Friday.

Spain's interior minister said on Saturday Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands are sending planes to evacuate their citizens on the cruise ship upon their arrival, Reuters reported. Two additional planes are being sent by the European Union for the rest of the European citizens.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking 17 U.S. citizens on board the ship and seven who previously returned to the U.S., an official from the CDC told reporters on a call Saturday.

The American cruise passengers will be taken to the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska to be assessed before returning to their home states. It is the only federally funded quarantine unit in the U.S.

“We are prepared for situations exactly like this,” Dr. Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, said in a statement. “Our teams have trained for decades alongside federal and state partners to make sure we can safely provide care while protecting our staff and the broader community. We are proud to support this national effort.”

Passengers can expect an overall monitoring period of 42 days, the CDC official said, though this will "not necessarily" all take place in Nebraska.

"We will continue to assess and monitor the passengers. We're coordinating with state and local health departments as well," the CDC official said.

Exposed passengers are recommended to limit activities outside the house that involve "extensive interactions with other people," the CDC official added.

In the call with reporters, the CDC official said they hope that the passengers will only be in Nebraska for a "limited amount of time."

He said the CDC is "not quarantining anybody."

"What we're doing is assessing and monitoring the passengers, but we're also doing coordination with the passengers and also with the jurisdiction where they ultimately will go," the CDC official said.

Two officers were shot. It is still unknown how the third was injured. All are listed in stable condition.

Police said 911 calls were made about a man walking around scaring people with a machete. He then reportedly used the machete on a dog. When police arrived to the man's apartment with a search warrant, he began shooting.

Just before 5 p.m. police reported the suspect was taken into custody. The incident lasted more than five hours.

Federal agents are reportedly on the scene to assist with the investigation.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke each year. About 85% are ischemic strokes, caused by a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the brain. Survivors of these strokes face a higher risk of another one, especially if the underlying cause is not identified and treated.

“Stroke is extremely common and really disabling,” said Dr. Christopher Ray, a neurologist with WashU Medicine at Barnes‑Jewish Hospital. “When strokes aren’t prevented or treated correctly, the consequences can be life‑changing. That’s why awareness is so important.”

May is Stroke Awareness Month, a national effort led by the American Stroke Association to educate the public about stroke prevention, warning signs and the importance of calling 911 immediately.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures and bleeds. In both cases, the brain is deprived of oxygen, causing brain cells to begin dying within minutes. The longer treatment is delayed, the greater the chance of long‑term disability or death.

Doctors stress that recognizing symptoms quickly is critical. The most common signs are captured in the acronym B.E. F.A.S.T: Balance loss; Eye (vision) changes; Facial drooping; Arm weakness and Speech difficulty, making it Time to call 911.

“Time is brain,” Ray told Straight Arrow. “Calling 911 allows paramedics to begin care immediately and alert the hospital’s stroke team before the patient arrives. Driving yourself or waiting for symptoms to pass can cost valuable time.”

Health experts estimate that up to 80% of strokes can be prevented. Controlling high blood pressure is one of the most effective steps. Managing cholesterol and blood sugar levels, monitoring irregular heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation, and following up regularly with a health care provider also reduces risk.

Lifestyle choices play a major role. Doctors recommend not smoking, limiting alcohol use, eating a healthy diet low in salt and saturated fat, and getting regular physical activity.

“Aerobic exercise is one of the most important things people can do to lower their stroke risk,” Ray said.

For people who have already had a stroke, prevention becomes even more critical. New clinical guidelines emphasize tailoring treatment to the specific cause of the first stroke, using medications to prevent clots or blockages, managing risk factors closely and involving patients in shared decision‑making about their care.

Structured rehabilitation programs that combine exercise, education and counseling have also been shown to reduce the risk of future strokes while improving overall health.

Although stroke is more common in older adults, doctors emphasize it can happen at any age.

Pediatric strokes can occur before birth, during infancy or throughout childhood. Risk factors depend on age and may include congenital heart disease, infections, sickle cell disease, autoimmune disorders or head trauma.

“Most stroke doctors have seen strokes across the entire age spectrum,” Ray said. “That’s why everyone— not just older adults — needs to know the signs.”

Health care providers also note that stroke does not affect all communities equally. People in historically under‑resourced communities, including Black and Hispanic populations, face higher stroke risk due to a combination of medical, social and economic factors. Addressing those disparities is a growing focus in stroke prevention and recovery efforts.

Despite the seriousness of the condition, Ray said progress in stroke care over the past few decades has been significant. Treatments have improved, especially for patients who arrive at the hospital quickly.

“Most strokes can be prevented,” he said. “Living a healthy lifestyle, seeing your doctor regularly, and knowing when to call 911 can make all the difference. If symptoms appear, don’t wait.” 

In a copy of the motion obtained by The Hill, the state, Virginia’s House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, a Democrat, and others requested the state Supreme Court “delay issuing its mandate” on the referendum. They plan on filing an emergency petition to the U.S. Supreme Court as well.

“Today’s action is an imperative step in the process we promised to pursue to explore every available option to restore the will of the voters," Rae Pickett, spokesperson for Democratic Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, said in a statement to The Hill. "We will continue moving through that process deliberately, responsibly, and with full respect for the voters who made their voices heard."

Jones put out a statement after the state Supreme Court's decision came down saying that his team is "carefully reviewing this unprecedented order."

"We are evaluating every legal pathway forward to defend the will of the people and protect the integrity of Virginia’s elections," Jones had said.

Friday's ruling restored maps issued by the court in 2021 that had six Democratic and five Republican seats. The referendum would have increased Democrats’ possible seats from six to 10, and reduced Republicans’ from five to one.

A majority of the court said because the state's General Assembly passed the referendum as Virginians were voting in the November election, its passing violated the legislature's rules.

The state requires constitutional amendments to pass the General Assembly twice, and in two separate legislative sessions, with an intervening House of Delegates election before they are sent to the governor for consideration.  

“This constitutional violation incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy," Justice D. Arthur Kelsey wrote Friday. 

State Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, a Republican, wrote on X Friday that the court ruling affirms that “you cannot violate the Constitution to change the Constitution.” 

“The justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia after careful and thorough review of this matter affirmed that even the General Assembly must follow the law,” McDougle wrote. “This ruling is not a partisan one — it’s a constitutional one.” 

Chief Justice Cleo Powell was joined by Justice Thomas Mann and Justice Junius Fulton III in the dissent. Powell argued that the majority broadened the meaning of the word "election" to include the early voting period.

"This is in direct conflict with how both Virginia and federal law define an election," Powell said. "Under the facts of this case, I believe the circuit court erred and I respectfully disagree with the majority’s conclusion that the General Assembly did not strictly comply with Virginia’s constitutional requirements."

Jones wrote in his statement that the "Republican-led majority" of the state Supreme Court "contorted the language" of Virginia's constitution.

"The consequences of their error are grave," Jones said. "The strength and stability of our democracy depends on adherence to the rule of law, the execution of free and fair elections where every eligible voter can cast their ballots to choose their leaders, and public trust in the institutions that provide accountability and protect our democratic processes. This Court’s ruling follows a dangerous trend of tilting power away from the people."

Scott responded to the state Supreme Court's decision by saying, "this is not the time to despair — this is the time to keep fighting."

"Keep your head up and keep moving forward," he said on X. "One battle at a time, one fight after another. We’ve come too far to stop now."

The individual who was hit was pronounced dead at the scene and has not been identified. Officials said the person was not believed to be an airport employee.

About 30 seconds after receiving clearance for departure, the pilot of Frontier Flight 4345 radioed the tower: “Tower, Frontier 4345, we’re stopping on the runway. We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The Airbus A321 was departing Denver for Los Angeles International Airport at about 11:19 p.m. and was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, airport officials said.

As controllers coordinated emergency crews, they asked the flight crew to confirm how many people were aboard. The pilot replied, “We have 231 souls on board … there was an individual walking across the runway.”

Moments later, the pilot warned that conditions inside the aircraft were worsening. 

“We’ve got smoke on the aircraft, we’re going to evacuate on the runway,” he said, according to the audio recording.

Passengers slid onto the runway and were later bused back to the terminal. Most continued to their destination on a replacement Frontier flight, airport officials said.

Denver airport authorities said the person struck breached security by jumping a perimeter fence and was hit within minutes while crossing the runway. Inspections found the fence line intact, officials said.

Twelve people reported minor injuries related to the evacuation, and five were taken to local hospitals for evaluation. No serious injuries among passengers or crew were reported.

In a statement, Frontier Airlines confirmed the aircraft struck a pedestrian during takeoff and said smoke in the cabin prompted the aborted departure and evacuation. The airline said it is cooperating with investigators and is “deeply saddened by this event.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the person as a “trespasser” and emphasized that breaching airport security can have catastrophic consequences. 

“No one should EVER trespass on an airport,” Duffy said in a statement following the incident.

Runway 17L was closed for several hours as authorities investigated. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified, and the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration are assisting in the investigation, officials said.

All signs and vines point to No Mow May, an annual movement meant to encourage more food for bees and other pollinators, and lower carbon footprints. The main idea: To skip lawnmowing for the month of May, allowing native flowers to bloom and increasing the number of flowers for bees and other pollinators. 

Intentionally skipping mowing in May has taken on a life of its own in recent years, spurring debate over the best ecological solution for pollinators. 

“No Mow May is not a one-size-fits-all solution for helping pollinators in the spring,” said Elise Bernstein, a native bee researcher at the University of Minnesota Bee Squad. “It is not a phrase that should be taken literally.”

Skip No Mow May, and take part in Slow Mow Summer

While Bernstein told Straight Arrow that the idea behind No Mow May is valid and should be encouraged, she prefers other ways to maintain lawns and support pollinators. 

The University of Minnesota’s bee lab is buzzing with a new alternative this year: Slow Mow Summer.

“Slow Mow Summer is a more science-based approach to supporting urban pollinators,” Bernstein told Straight Arrow. 

And it’s rather simple to take part in. 

“The main goal of Slow Mow Summer is to mow after lawn flowers bloom,” Bernstein said. “Refraining from spring yard cleanup until trees are blooming can help hibernating pollinators, too. Leaving leaves on the ground until you see lots of blooming trees and active bees makes sure that hibernating pollinators have insulation until they are ready to emerge.”

Simply allowing grass to grow in a yard without naturally blooming flowers won’t provide pollinators with food, she said. Instead, it could damage lawns and increase environmental impacts. 

“May is a time of year when grass grows very quickly, and grass goes to seed if it gets too tall,” Bernstein said. “Going from 18 to 24 inches tall down to 3 to 4 inches can be really stressful and potentially kill your lawn.”

And a dead lawn can lead to issues with stormwater runoff, bringing contaminants to nearby bodies of water. 

The bee squad is not completely discouraging No Mow May, but it advises against skipping mowing for the entire month. 

“If your lawn is full of flowers like dandelions, clovers and creeping charlie, reducing your mowing may be helpful — but stopping mowing altogether may do more harm than good,” Bernstein said. 

But homeowners don’t always get the final say in how long to let a lawn grow. Cities often have a say as well. 

What are the legalities of No Mow May? 

As of May 2026, none of the 50 states have statewide laws banning No Mow May. Rather, the legalities of the annual conservation effort vary from place to place. 

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, residents who wish to take part in No Mow May must register their lawn before the season begins or before someone files a complaint about their lawn’s height. 

“If a complaint is received for a property prior to the property being registered, the property will be investigated, and a notice of violation will be issued if weeds and tall grass are found in excess of seven inches in height,” the Milwaukee Public Works website reads. 

It notes that all lawns must be mowed by June 1, 2026 or face additional fines. 

Other cities in Wisconsin, including Appleton, which helped popularize No Mow May, have effectively banned the movement, adopting Slow Mow Summer. 

Things can become even more confusing when it comes to state laws. Some states, like Minnesota, allow “native landscapes,” meaning a resident can’t be punished for having a yard with native plants, including wildflowers, prairie grass and pollinator-friendly landscaping. But under Minnesota law, the landscaping must be intentional. And No Mow May, which is much less intentional native planting and more overgrowth, doesn’t quite fit that bill. 

If you’re unclear where your city or state stands with No Mow May, it may behoove your beehive to adopt Slow Mow Summer instead. 

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

That means there will be a process called discovery, in which the public will see deleted text messages and other records from Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“This opens the door for the truth to come out without political games to try to avoid the curtain being pulled back,” Alison MacCracken, a fire rebuild liaison, told Straight Arrow.

Court decision

Elected leaders have attempted to shift blame for the fire away from themselves, especially Bass.

A lawsuit filed by many Pacific Palisades residents who were impacted by that fire alleges numerous charges against city and state leaders, including negligence.

Those leaders made every attempt to stop this case from moving forward, especially because they did not want to go to discovery.

That’s where both sides exchange evidence, documents, and testimony to learn what the other side knows before trial, and it typically becomes available to the public.

The court has now thrown out its last attempt.

“It's great, it's giving people some hope,” Kambiz Kamdar, owner of Pali Construction, told Straight Arrow. “At the end of the day, you've got a group of people that wants accountability and wants the city and the state and DWP and whoever else might be involved to be accountable.”

What it means

Now that the lawsuit is moving forward, those victims will get the chance to see a lot more of the moves made behind the scenes from elected officials, as the fire that killed 12 people and burned more than 6,000 structures began.

That’s especially true of Bass, who was in Africa when the fire began.

Bass spoke a little about what happened during a mayoral race debate earlier this week, where she continued to blame former fire chief Kristin Crowley.

“The primary problem there was that the chief sent home a thousand firefighters,” Bass said.

“The same way that LA was not prepared, neither was the county,” Bass continued.

Crowley has filed a lawsuit against Bass over her termination.

The fact that the lawsuit by residents against Bass and others is moving forward means we’ll likely learn a lot more about her communication with Crowley and the fire department as the fire spread.

“It does seem coincidence that she's starting to mention some of these things as they lost that portion of the lawsuit,” Kamdar said.

What happens next?

Things do not typically move quickly through American courts, so it will likely be some time before victims learn more through the discovery phase.

“The attorneys that are representing the victims will continue to pursue uncovering all of the information to put together their case to hopefully reach the conclusion that they believe they already have, which the fires were not caused by natural causes, and that they could have been prevented,” MacCracken said.

Of course, rebuilding continues in the Palisades.

This lawsuit could have an impact on that as well. If leaders are found to have been negligent, it could bring more money to the victims and the rebuilding efforts.

If nothing else, this decision is a little bit of hope for those who lost so much.

“It restores a little bit of faith in a system that they don't have faith in at the moment,” MacCracken said.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

People packed the Louisiana State Capitol on Friday evening as legislators mulled over four proposed congressional maps, each having varying boundaries for the Pelican state. The public hearing is the first after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a previous map for creating a second Black-majority district.

State Sen. Ed Price, D-Gonzales, submitted a map with two possible Democratic districts. State Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, submitted three maps that had either one Democratic leaning district or none. 

“We know one thing for sure: The current maps did not survive a challenge,” Morris said. “They have been declared unconstitutional, and we are here to pass what we hope will be a constitutional map in accordance with the law.”

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the state’s congressional primary on April 30, just two days before absentee voting began. It effectively halted the U.S. House primary, with the U.S. Senate being a statewide race. 

Debates over the maps became heated at times during the hearing, reflecting what’s happening across the nation in Alabama, Florida and Tennessee. In those states, legislators either erupted in screaming matches or led chants decrying redistricting attempts.

Several civil rights groups put out requests the day before for people to “pack” the hearing room to convince lawmakers to pass a map with two Democratic seats in Louisiana.

Senate and Government Affairs Committee chair Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Grosse Tete, often reminded speakers about decorum to prevent shouting matches seen in other legislatures. 

“The people of Louisiana have elected us to do a job, not to do the bidding of a party, not to do the bidding of an individual, but to do the bidding of the people,” U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, said during the hearings. He’s the state’s fourth Black U.S. representative since 1877.

Senators propose maps to outlast legal challenges

The maps pulled out emotional testimonies from several faith leaders and people who lived during segregation, warning Morris’ maps would reverse the clock in Louisiana. Morris opined that his maps were fair and, by chance, had Republican majorities. 

Morris said he filed the three bills before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. 

Each of Morris’s three maps — introduced as Senate bills 116, 121 and 130 — evenly split the six districts, population-wise. The first map has no potential Democratic majorities in the second district, with about 49% of the vote share registered Democrats, while the others were firm Republican majorities. He noted the map was coined the “6-0” map for eliminating Democratic seats. 

“I asked the demographer to work with me, don't make race or party a consideration, consider the traditional boundaries, and this is what we came up with," Morris said.

His second map compacted Democratic voters — and Black voters — more intensely into the second district at 61% and 60%, respectively. It was used in the 2022 elections, he noted.

Morris’ third map shifted the Democratic majority to the 6th District, with 60% of registered voters being Democrats, and Republicans having a slight majority in the remaining five districts. This map also concentrated Black voters in the 6th District, with 60% of the district’s population being Black. 

“I believe this map would probably pass Constitution muster inasmuch as it is very similar to the bill, the map reflected in Senate Bill 121,” Morris said of Senate Bill 130.

Price’s map — introduced as Senate Bill 407 — splits all six districts roughly equally, by population, giving future representatives about 776,292 constituents. It still retains the party’s advantages, but shifts Democrats’ advantage to the 5th District. 

Districts were generally split among parish lines, with deviations in Lafayette, Orleans, Ouachita and Vernon parishes, to name a few. 

All four Black US representatives at hearing

The meeting hit a historic moment when the state’s first Black U.S. representative, former Rep. William Jefferson, 79, spoke at the meeting about redistricting as he was flanked by the state’s other Black U.S. representatives. 

They are current Reps. Carter and Cleo Fields, both Democrats, and former Reps.  Jefferson and Cedric Richmond. Carter, Jefferson and Richmond each represented the state’s 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses New Orleans. Fields represents the district the U.S. Supreme Court nullified, which included Shreveport, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. 

Fields spoke in favor of Price’s map, but said a better map would have an equal Democrat-to-Republican split based on population counts. 

“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves where we are in the state of Louisiana today,” State Sen. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, said. “The Callais decision was dropped at a time that has created nothing but chaos and confusion."

The department’s notice states that current regulations allow the state to deny reissued passports and even revoke them for those who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support. Officials said they would begin with those who have $100,000 or more in child support debt, which is about 2,700 people, according to PBS. But they soon plan to "greatly" expand the revocations to include those who owe more than $2,500.

"Notices about passport revocations will be sent from the Department of State directly to the passport holder via email or to the mailing address provided on the most recent passport application," the State Department said in the notice.

Can the government revoke passports?

The rule allowing the government to revoke passports comes from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. The law, which former President Bill Clinton signed in 1996, was a major part of the Republican Party’s “Contract with America” agenda. 

The State Department said it was working with the Department of Health and Human Services at an "unprecedented scale" to speed up revocation in support of children. 

“This action supports the welfare of American children by exacting real consequences for child support delinquency under existing federal law,” the State Department wrote. “The State Department is putting American families first through our passport process.”

The State Department told The Associated Press that it had observed that parents who owed money quickly resolved their debts after the department announced it was expanding the program in February. But there was a caution to the data. 

“While we can’t confirm the causation in all of those cases, we are taking this action precisely to impel these parents to do the right thing by their children and by U.S. law,” the department said.

The administration previously said that the child support program was already a “powerful tool” to get parents to repay their debts. Since it began in 1998, the department said the program has collected more than $650 million.

Who will this impact?

Despite passing with bipartisan support, the bill faced opposition from Democrats. Critics claimed that the program was racist and was designed to destroy the national safety net. 

Several top officials at the HHS resigned in protest over the law. Political analysts who reviewed the policy following its passage found that it negatively affected minority groups, poorer Americans and immigrants the most.

Data from California found that 80% of those who owed child support made less than $20,000, and 60% made less than $10,000. A large portion of unpaid support came from low-income fathers. Racial demographics also play into child support statistics, with Black fathers about three times more likely to be jailed for child support debt compared to fathers overall. 

But those with passports and those who owe child support aren’t typically in the same group. Passport holders are usually younger, college-educated and well-off. 

Some critics of the Trump administration have tried to connect the plan to voter suppression, saying it could disenfranchise some if Congress passes the SAVE America Act. The act would require Americans to show identification to register to vote, but a driver’s license wouldn’t work in most cases. Instead, Americans would have to use a passport or birth certificate to register, and married women would likely be required to show more documents. 

But the argument gets cold since the bill has stalled as Democrats control enough seats to block passage despite President Donald Trump’s insistence.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

The ruling immediately restored the maps the court issued in 2021, which had six Democratic and five Republican seats. The majority of the court opined that because the state’s General Assembly passed the first version of the bill while Virginians were voting in the November election, the legislation’s later passing violated the legislature’s rules. 

The state requires constitutional amendments to pass the General Assembly twice, and in two separate legislative sessions, with an intervening House of Delegates election before they are sent to the governor for consideration.  

“This gives voters two opportunities — one indirect, the other direct — to voice their views on the proposed amendment,” Justice D. Arthur Kelsey wrote Friday. Chief Justice Cleo Powell, Justice Thomas Mann and Justice Junius Fulton III dissented. 

“The majority’s definition creates an infinite voting loop that appears to have no established beginning, only a definitive end: Election Day,” Powell wrote. “Further, the majority also makes no mention of the two-day gap that begins at ‘5:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding the election,’ id., or its effect on the ‘election’ process.”

State Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, a Republican, wrote on X Friday that the court ruling affirms that “you cannot violate the Constitution to change the Constitution.” 

“The justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia after careful and thorough review of this matter affirmed that even the General Assembly must follow the law,” McDougle wrote. “This ruling is not a partisan one — it’s a constitutional one.” 

Democrats have yet to comment on the court opinion. 

The referendum, which narrowly passed, would have increased Democrats’ possible seats from six to 10, and reduced Republicans’ from five to one. The state’s Democratic party celebrated the passage on Facebook, writing, “10-1 here we come.”

“Under the proposed new map, approximately 47% of Virginians that voted for representatives of one of the major political parties in the last congressional election would now be represented by 9% of Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives — while the approximately 51% of Virginians that voted for the other major political party would now be represented by 91% of Virginia’s congressional delegation,” Kelsey wrote.

Where does the country stand on redistricting?

President Donald Trump thrust the country in a fight over congressional maps as he sought Texas politicians to solidify Republicans’ chances of winning the midterm elections. Typically, the sitting president’s party has lost seats in the midterms. 

Since then, a number of states have either joined or declined to join in the mid-decade map-drawing melee. 

For Louisiana, the legislature is holding public hearings on proposed maps that diluted a Black-majority district into nearby Republican districts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling killed the state’s map that had two Democratic seats and four Republican seats. 

As of late, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed a new map into law that his party drew to give them a possible advantage heading into the November election. It eliminated the state’s lone Democratic seat — held by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis — to create nine Republican-friendly districts. 

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton, a Republican, argued that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana’s maps paved the way for politicians to redistrict off of partisan lines. The new map splits Memphis, splintering the city into several nearby districts. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a map into law that his office proposed that gave Republicans a possible four-seat advantage in the state. The map dispersed districts around Tampa, Kissimmee and the Everglades.

The news has taken over the internet, getting broad coverage from news organizations and spreading rapidly on social media. That massive spread has led to a lot of fear, a lot of misinformation and a lot of misleading information. 

And having just been through a deadly pandemic a few years ago, it makes sense that some may see the headlines and immediately revert to their COVID-19 personas. But a look at the facts behind the outbreak should be enough to stop people from hoarding toilet paper. 

The internet is spiraling

Searching hantavarius on TikTok brings a flood of videos from people saying they’ve once again started wearing face masks at airports. Others are joking about stocking up on toilet paper before the “world shuts down again,” and purchasing ring lights so they don’t miss out on their opportunity to become an influencer. 

All this, as there have been just a few confirmed cases. 

Just this week, a user posted a thread on Reddit asking if the virus is “something to worry about.”

“I’m starting to get really freaked out about hantavirus,” The user wrote. “It seems like something people don’t survive, I feel like it might just be because I’m seeing so many videos, but I can’t stop thinking about it.”

The user is expressing what many are probably feeling, and depending on the platform you’re using, responses vary. On TikTok, comments are flooded with scared Americans, some spreading false information, adding to the concern regarding the virus outbreak and what could happen next.

Meanwhile, users on Reddit are trying to calm people down, acknowledging that the disease can be serious but has also been around for decades. 

One user replied to the Reddit Thread, saying that fact is what many are missing. 

“This is what people are missing,” the user replied.  “We've been dealing with this for decades. It's not new. Doesn't mean it can't become the worst outbreak, but there's no real reason to think it will.”

And despite folks trying to quell some fears, fearful comments seem to be overpowering social media, likely leading to a lot of anxiety. So, let’s look at the facts. 

Here’s what’s really happening

The outbreak was first reported earlier this week, when three passengers died after being on board the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise ship carrying around 150 passengers. 

As of Thursday, there have been five additional confirmed cases and three suspected infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) told NBC News. 

Three people were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday, two with hantavirus and one suspected of having the infection. They were flown to Europe for treatment. 

An additional 29 passengers, including six Americans, left the vessel on April 24, after the first Hantavirus death. Now, the CDC is working to track down those passengers and monitor their health. 

The ship remains at sea, and health officials are monitoring the health of the remaining passengers and crew. 

The facts of Hantavirus

Now, while all that sounds scary, it’s important to note a few other things. For one, this disease has been around for decades. The U.S., specifically, began tracking the disease in 1993, during an outbreak in the Four Corners region of the Southwest. 

From then, through 2023, the U.S. has seen a total of 890 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority occurred on the West Coast, spanning from Texas and Kansas to California. 

Of those cases, 564 patients lived. 

Another important takeaway is the disease's transmissibility. Primarily, rodents carry the disease, which is most often transmitted through exposure to infected droppings or urine.

While human-to-human transmission is possible, the WHO said it remains uncommon. When it does occur, WHO says it's limited to people who have experienced close, prolonged contact, particularly between household members and intimate partners. 

Public health expert Professor Lawrence Gostin, an internationally recognized scholar at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University, spoke with Straight Arrow’s Craig Nigrelli about the disease's transmissibility. 

He told Craig, “It’s very unlikely that, being in close quarters, you’ll contract the virus from another person.” 

When speaking of those on board the ship, he said it’s more likely that if they get the disease, it’s because they were exposed to contaminated rat or mice droppings. 

COVID-19 left a lasting impact

Many of the facts from WHO should be enough to quell fears regarding the outbreak, but the COVID-19 pandemic could be playing a part in hanatavirus anxiety.

As Straight Arrow previously reported, COVID-19 broke something in many Americans, and in the years since, things haven’t quite returned to normal. Many are living in “survival mode,” a state where a person’s nervous system remains activated, waiting for the next crisis to drop in their lap. 

Dr. Ash Bhatt, chief medical director at Legacy Healing Center, told Straight Arrow that people have an “ongoing hypervigilance.” Folks are feeling constantly “on” and mentally overloaded. 

That ongoing high-stress feeling could be contributing to what the internet is promoting as the next big crisis across the globe. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Musk recently failed to appear voluntarily for questioning by French prosecutors. Earlier this year, investigators also raided X’s offices in Paris as part of the investigation into allegations the platform used a biased algorithm.

The allegations 

The Journal reported the case has expanded significantly and now includes allegations involving violations of correspondence secrecy, the dissemination of child sex abuse material and the creation of sexualized deepfake images by X’s AI chatbot, Grok.

The New York Times reported French authorities are also examining claims Grok spread Holocaust denial content. France has strict criminal laws against Holocaust denial and hate speech.

French prosecutors seek to have both Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino answer to the preliminary charges.

Under French law, preliminary charges trigger an investigation overseen by a magistrate — a process that can take months or even years. The magistrate ultimately decides whether the case moves to trial or is dismissed.

X has previously called the investigation “law enforcement theater” and has denied wrongdoing. 

Broader tech crackdown

The Journal reported the case is part of a broader push by European authorities to hold tech executives accountable for content appearing on their platforms.

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Unbiased. Straight Facts.^TM

The European Union fined X roughly $140 million in 2025 over violations tied to the platform’s blue check verification system.

In recent years, European regulators have moved aggressively to impose tougher rules around content moderation, hate speech and AI-generated material.

So far, French prosecutors have not sought Musk’s arrest.

US Justice Department pushes back

The U.S. Justice Department has refused to cooperate with the French investigation, calling it a politically motivated attempt to regulate speech and business activity.

The Trump administration has also accused the European Union of using digital regulations to suppress dissent.

Meanwhile, both the EU and the U.K. have reportedly opened investigations into sexualized AI-generated images created by Grok.

The EU is also advancing efforts to ban so-called “nudifier” tools — software used to create explicit images of people without their consent.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Mexico’s diplomatic footprint in the U.S. is the largest of any foreign nation, with facilities heavily clustered along the southern border and in regions with significant Mexican-American populations. These outposts supply millions of Mexican expats with necessary paperwork, legal assistance and other critical resources.

The scrutiny arrives during escalating strain between the Trump White House and a vital neighboring ally. Recent diplomatic friction has centered around security cooperation, cartel violence and a deadly U.S. counter-narcotics operation south of the border.

The review and the claims behind it

The State Department has not said what the review will specifically involve. Dylan Johnson, a department spokesman, said the agency is “constantly reviewing all aspects of American foreign relations” to ensure they align with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda and advance American interests.

The accusations that appear to have prompted the review were amplified by Peter Schweizer, a far-right author and Breitbart contributor. His most recent book, “The Invisible Coup,” claims that “mass migration” has become “the most powerful political weapon ever aimed at the United States — one engineered by elites at home and aided by adversaries abroad.” 

Another of his books, “Blood Money,” carries the subtitle, “Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills America.” The cover features photos of prominent Democrats, including former President Joe Biden, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

In recent months, Schweizer has been among the conservative commentators who have routinely accused the Mexican consulates of meddling in U.S. elections and driving mass waves of migration.

Schweizer has publicly accused Mexican consular workers of coordinating protests, actively resisting the Trump administration's agenda and interfering in domestic affairs. He further claims that Mexico leverages state-published textbooks and migrant assistance networks to cultivate political power on American soil.

"The Mexican government gives textbooks to school districts in the United States from Los Angeles to Orlando," Schweizer told Fox News Digital. "Those textbooks are designed to make sure that migrant children view themselves as Mexican first, not as Mexican–American."

While it’s true that the Mexican government provides Spanish-language textbooks to some U.S. school districts, Mexico rejected Schweizer’s claims about its intent. President Claudia Sheinbaum called his allegations “absolutely false,” and Mexico’s embassy in Washington said consulates help Mexican nationals with matters such as documentation and support for crime victims.

“There is nothing political about consular work,” the embassy added.

Strained relationship

U.S.-Mexico relations took a major hit last month following a fatal car crash during a counter-narcotics mission in northern Mexico. The accident killed two Mexican investigators and two Americans, whom CBS News later identified as CIA operatives. Sheinbaum then publicly questioned whether the American agents had authorization from Mexico’s federal government.

That friction has only escalated as American prosecutors pursue legal action against high-ranking Mexican leaders. The U.S. recently unveiled weapons and drug trafficking indictments targeting several top officials, issuing extradition demands for figures such as Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya.

Rocha dismissed the accusations. Additionally, The New York Times reported Sheinbaum declined to apprehend the governor, arguing that American authorities failed to hand over sufficient proof of his involvement in drug cartels. She indicated her government formally asked the U.S. Justice Department for evidence, promising a domestic investigation if the American intelligence proves legitimate.

The consumer sentiment index fell to 48.2 in preliminary May data, signaling Americans’ deeply pessimistic views about their finances, prices and the broader economy. 

This is the lowest reading since the monthly survey began in 1952. Consumer sentiment had previously reached its lowest point last month, dipping below levels seen during the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic shocks. 

Joanne Hsu, who directs the consumer survey, attributed this month’s drop to “a surge in concerns about high prices both for personal finances as well as buying conditions for major purchases.” Hsu wrote that “real income expectations continued a decline” and that about a third of consumers surveyed spontaneously mentioned gas prices and tariffs. 

“Taken together, consumers continue to feel buffeted by cost pressures, led by soaring prices at the pump,” Hsu wrote. “Middle East developments are unlikely to meaningfully boost sentiment until supply disruptions have been fully resolved and energy prices fall.”

This long-running survey is closely followed by economists and policymakers. 

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told Straight Arrow this month that record low consumer sentiment “makes the case that people are feeling pretty uncomfortable with what’s going on,” which could affect November’s midterm elections. 
He described last month’s survey results as “stark” and said they illustrate a growing anxiety that’s “affecting the collective psyche” of everyday Americans.

In a note shared with Straight Arrow, Oliver Allen, a senior economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote that “the recent resilience in consumers’ spending probably is on borrowed time.” 

Allen wrote that U.S. consumers recently got a fleeting boost from strong tax refunds that has obscured a “looming drag from the hit to real incomes due to higher gas prices.” He expects consumer spending to drop substantially in May and June.  

Media Miss by the left: Trump reportedly offered Fetterman GOP support 

President Donald Trump reportedly offered Democratic Sen. John Fetterman his endorsement and financial backing if the Pennsylvania senator switches to the Republican party.

Trump first floated the idea publicly during a March interview with Fox's Sean Hannity.

Fetterman, who has drawn attention for breaking with Democrats on issues like immigration and Israel, rejected the idea at the time. In an interview with Politico last week, he reinforced that stance, saying, "I'm a Democrat, and I'm staying one."

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Media Miss by the right: Canadian Trump critic sues DHS over Google data request

An unidentified Canadian man is suing DHS after the agency allegedly sought his personal data from Google.

According to the lawsuit, DHS requested activity logs, location history, account information, and other data after the man made critical posts about the Trump administration following deadly immigration officer-involved shootings that killed two Americans.

DHS argues it had the authority to seek the records under the Tariff Act of 1930, which gives Customs and Border Patrol the jurisdiction to obtain records tied to the importation or transportation of goods.

For more stories missed or minimized by partisan media, visit Straight Arrow’s Media Miss archive.

Media landscape

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Straight Arrow News identifies Media Misses based on coverage data available at the time of publication. Some outlets may choose to cover a story after our analysis is published. Our methodology prioritizes timely, prominent coverage across a range of sources, but we continually review and refine our approach to ensure balance and accuracy.

Well, your stance might change after you read this. 

The Defense Department just released a batch of previously confidential files detailing unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP’s. 

The department worked with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI to release the records, calling it an “unprecedented, historic undertaking.”

Why now?

In March, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon and other departments to identify and release files related to alien and extraterrestrial life. He announced the order shortly after former President Barack Obama fielded questions — somewhat jokingly — about aliens on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast.

“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama said, adding that they’re not being kept in Area 51, “unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the president.”

He elaborated a few days later after a clip from the podcast went viral. 

The universe is vast, he wrote on Instagram, so life elsewhere is plausible. But, he insisted, “I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!”

That’s when Trump jumped into the conversation. He claimed Obama had shared classified information by discussing aliens and said he would get the former president “out of trouble” by declassifying files. 

So what did the department actually share?

Now, the fun part. The department released hundreds of PDFs, detailing all sorts of UAP accounts dating back at least to the 1940s. 

The Defense Department said all of Friday’s files are materials from unresolved cases, “meaning the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena.”

One file includes paperwork from a 1947 FBI investigation into a flying disc spotted outside Chicago. It notes an 18-year-old woman reported seeing a disc flying over Lake Michigan at around 3:30 a.m. 

Other files detail individuals across the country claiming to see strange lights, floating devices and other weird phenomena. In New Mexico in 1948, the Air Force recorded numerous instances of aerial phenomena, including green fireballs, discs in the sky, meteors and more. 

“Since 1948, approximately 150 observations of aerial phenomena referred to above have been recorded in the vicinity of installations in New Mexico,” the files read. 

In addition to files, the department shared something even more fun for those of us interested in all things extra-terrestrial: photos. 

Some show weird black spots in the sky, and some are a little harder to make out. But the fact that the government hasn’t been able to identify these things is rather… spooky. 

“Under this Administration, we will pursue the truth and share our findings with the American people,” the department said Friday. But the age-old question remains. Aliens: are they real or not? 

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

“We should know something today,” Rubio said during a press gaggle in Rome, adding he hopes it’s a “serious offer.”

The administration sent the latest peace proposal over this week, which would formally end the fighting and open a 30-day window for talks on bigger issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

"The hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation," Rubio said. 

Rubio also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. has seen reporting that Iran is trying to establish some control. 

“That would actually be unacceptable,” Rubio said.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak from the Rose Garden on Friday, though the White House has not said what his remarks will focus on.

What Iran is saying

Iran, meanwhile, says the country will “never bow to pressure.” It condemned the U.S. on Thursday after the U.S. said it stopped attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliated against Iranian military facilities.

“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X. “Whatever the causes, the outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure and diplomacy is always the victim.”

The U.S. minimized the strike, with Trump saying the ceasefire still holds. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called it “aggressive and provocative.”

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

The slightly better-than-expected monthly jobs report shows that the labor market is growing, although at modest pace after months of uneven hiring. 

A ‘mixed bag’ report

“This is a good, not great report,” Guy Berger, senior advisor at Access/Macro, told Straight Arrow. “We’ll see how that strength survives later in the year as higher energy prices start to bite.” 

Samuel Tombs, Chief US Economist at Pantheon Maroeconomics, echoed that reaction, telling Straight Arrow that Friday’s report is a “mixed bag.” 

Tombs said while the labor market appears to be regaining strength, it is “too soon to sound the all-clear” given the continued weakness of hiring intentions and pressures from the surge in energy prices.

The U.S. economy gained jobs in health care, transportation and warehousing and retail trade. Meanwhile, the federal government employment continued to decline.

While the labor market appears somewhat stable despite the continued disruptions from the Iran war and energy shocks, one troubling sign is that the number of workers employed part-time for economic reasons increased by 445,000 to 4.9 million in April.

Job openings and hires suggest a stable but uneven labor market

Separately, the Labor Department on Tuesday released its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, known as JOLTS, which showed that U.S. job openings were little changed at 6.9 million in March. 

The ratio of job openings to unemployed job seekers increased to 0.95 in March from 0.91 in February, suggesting that the labor market remains relatively stable.

The report also found that hiring picked up significantly in March, while layoffs also rose.

“While the headline numbers were largely steady, underlying data show the market’s broad resilience is far from uniform,” wrote Sneha Puri, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab. 

Layoffs rose in the information sector, which includes many tech jobs, as well as in professional and business services. Companies like Pinterest and Dow have tied recent job cuts, in part, to artificial intelligence or automation, while others, such as Amazon and Meta, have signaled that AI is likely to reshape their workforces going forward. 

Puri said this week’s JOLTS data line up with findings from the Indeed Job Postings Index, which also tracks job openings but closer to real time. That index found that tech-adjacent sectors had some of the largest job posting declines relative to pre-pandemic levels. For example, she said, IT infrastructure, operations, and support had around 30% fewer roles than before the pandemic.

Meanwhile, job openings in manufacturing and retail rose from a year earlier, and layoffs in health services, construction, government, and financial activities were steadier or lower than in the sectors facing the sharpest increases. 

“Put simply, a software engineer, a construction worker, and a retail trader looking at the same headline job opening numbers or hires rate are experiencing fundamentally different realities as job seekers,” Puri wrote. 

“Stability, in this market, is less a general condition and more a matter of where you are standing.” 

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

The cyberattack knocked the service offline for hours at a critical time in the academic year, with students preparing for finals and wrapping up classes.

Major universities, including Columbia, Princeton, Harvard and Georgetown, all reported outages. In some cases, a ransom note appeared directly on the school Canvas homepages.

By Thursday night, Instructure — the parent company of Canvas — announced the platform had been restored for most users. At that point, however, many institutions had adjusted finals schedules and extended deadlines. 

What happened?

Much of the early information came from student-run news organizations, which reported students tried to log on and found a ransom note from the hacking group “ShinyHunters.”

The group reportedly threatened to leak sensitive data unless a ransom was paid by May 12. Canvas is widely used by schools to manage grades, coursework, assignments and internal communications.

It’s unclear whether the negotiations are ongoing or if the threat is active.

In the ransom message, ShinyHunters claimed it had targeted Canvas “again,” implying it had been done before, CNN reports. The group accused  Instructure of ignoring earlier warnings. “Instead of contacting us to resolve it, they ignored us and did some ‘security patches.’”

Instructure disclosed a separate cyberattack on May 1, but said the breach was “contained.” It’s unclear if that attack was by ShinyHunters, but Instructure said students’ names, email addresses, student ID numbers and communications were exposed.

ShinyHunters also claimed responsibility for a 2024 Ticketmaster hack and threatened to sell user data on the dark web. 

Which schools were impacted?

A full list of affected schools has not been released, but the disruptions stretched across major Ivy League universities, private universities like Creighton and Duke, and even public institutions such as the Universities of Pennsylvania, Illinois and Oklahoma. 

K-12 districts were also hit. ShinyHunters claimed roughly 9,000 institutions were affected overall.

“The biggest cause of fear and anxiety in me is that I was deprived of significant resources to study and do the best,” University of Pennsylvania junior Anish Garimidi told CNN.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Emergency officials stated that passengers and crew will be directed to a "completely isolated, cordoned-off area" for safe evacuations.

Why the outbreak is now a multinational response

The outbreak is no longer confined to the ship. Health officials are now trying to trace passengers who got off earlier in the voyage and people who may have encountered them afterward, including airline contacts and travelers who returned to their home countries.

Roughly 30 passengers representing a dozen different nations disembarked on April 24, before officials realized the virus was on board. In the United States, five states are monitoring former passengers, while the CDC says it is tracking American travelers tied to the voyage.

The concern is heightened because health officials identified the virus as the Andes strain, a rare form of hantavirus. However, the World Health Organization says the risk to the wider public is low, and medical experts say a widespread outbreak remains unlikely.

What officials say about the cases and timeline

The ship's operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, noted that no one currently on the vessel is showing signs of illness.

Three people have died: a Dutch couple and a German woman. Two British nationals from the voyage are currently hospitalized in the Netherlands and South Africa. A third Briton is being monitored as a suspected case on Tristan da Cunha, an isolated island territory in the South Atlantic.

The timeline remains central to the investigation. The first passenger death occurred on April 11, but hantavirus was not suspected at the time because the symptoms resembled other respiratory illnesses. Health authorities did not confirm a case of hantavirus in a ship passenger until early May.

When evaluating how the virus is spreading, health officials are showing caution. The virus is primarily contracted by breathing in infected rodent waste and rarely spreads directly from human to human. However, the identified Andes strain can spread from person to person, especially through close and prolonged contact, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

How the response is expanding

A Dutch woman whose husband died on the ship became too ill to continue traveling after boarding a flight in Johannesburg and died the next day in South Africa. Dutch authorities are tracing passengers from that flight. A KLM flight attendant who was working on the plane that the sick woman briefly boarded later tested negative.

In the U.S., monitored passengers in Georgia, Texas, Virginia, Arizona and California are not showing symptoms. The ship's operator confirmed that six Americans were among that initial group of 29 guests who departed the voyage early.

Medical experts warn the threat is far from over. Director of the WHO Center on Global Health Law, Lawrence Gostin, previously told Straight Arrow the incubation period can stretch from roughly two to eight weeks and that severe cases may require intensive supportive care because there are no antiviral treatments.

What happens next

The next phase is controlled evacuation and continued monitoring. U.S. officials are organizing a flight to bring 17 Americans home, while the U.K. is coordinating a separate charter for roughly 20 British nationals. That leaves roughly 140 remaining passengers and crew members for Spanish authorities to safely evacuate.

From there, health authorities across several continents are expected to keep tracing contacts and watching for new symptoms.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.