One of the senior members of the Alabama House, 84-year-old Democratic Rep. Demetrius Newton, says rumors of his retirement are premature. Newton says that every time he goes out in his district he is approached by constituents who say they've heard he is retiring or who encourage him not to retire.

 A federal appeals court today upheld a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, rejecting an Alabama county's challenge to the landmark civil rights law. The provision requires state, county and local governments with a history of discrimination to obtain advance approval from the Justice Department, or from a federal court in Washington, for any changes to election procedures.

Alabama Democrats failed in the Legislature and in court today to stop new legislative districts proposed by Republicans. Two legislative committees turned down redistricting plans drawn by Democrats and approved Republican-backed plans. Both committees have a majority of Republicans.

Alabama state officials have outlined cuts to Medicaid that have comes as a result of lower than expected state revenue. The cuts include a 10% reduction to payments for certain providers, including doctors, dentists, x-rays, medical equipment and maternity primary contractors.

An Alabama man has filed a lawsuit against a Florida blood bank, charging that a transfusion during a coronary bypass surgery infected him with HIV. The lawsuit alleges that the contaminated blood given to Howard Midkiff came from the Alabama branch of Gainesville, Florida based LifeSouth Community Blood centers.