Supreme Court seems inclined to limit race-based electoral districts under the Voting Rights Act
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appears inclined to limit the use of the Voting Rights Act to force states to draw electoral districts favorable to minority voters. In arguments Wednesday, the court’s six conservative justices, to one degree or another, seemed like they’d vote to effectively strike down a Black majority House district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race. A ruling for Louisiana could open the door for legislatures to redraw congressional maps across the South, potentially boosting Republican electoral prospects in the closely divided House by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts that tend to favor Democrats.
Why a Supreme Court case from Louisiana will matter for the future of the Voting Rights Act
WASHINGTON (AP) — Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is the primary way plaintiffs can challenge racially discriminatory election practices. The Supreme Court on Wednesday is hearing arguments in a Section 2 case out of Louisiana. It’s a rehearing of a lawsuit over Louisiana’s redrawn congressional map. At the heart of this case is whether the remedy for racially discriminatory voting and election practices violates the U.S. Constitution. A ruling against Section 2 would leave the 60-year-old law largely neutered, after the court overturned another of its core provisions 12 years ago. A ruling is due next year.
Israeli military says one of the bodies handed over by Hamas is not that of a hostage
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli military says one of the bodies handed over by Hamas the previous day as part of the ceasefire deal is not that of a hostage who was held in Gaza. Four bodies had been handed over by Hamas on Tuesday. They followed the first four on Monday — when the last 20 living hostages were released. Gaza’s Health Ministry says it has received 45 additional bodies of Palestinians from Israel. The bodies of 90 Palestinians have now been transferred. As more aid returns in Gaza, the U.N. warns that “withholding aid from civilians is not a bargaining chip.”
After months in chains and darkness, freed Hamas hostages begin their long road to recovery
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The last 20 living hostages released by Hamas are beginning a difficult path to recovery that will include rebuilding a sense of control over their lives and following a carefully supervised diet. That’s according to Israeli health officials. Along the way, each one will be accompanied by a team of doctors, nurses, specialists and social workers to guide their reentry to society after two years of captivity in Gaza. The process includes treating malnutrition and pain, along with confronting emotions and relearning how to make everyday decisions. All of the hostages were in stable condition Monday following their release, and none required immediate intensive care.
Democrats say they won’t be intimidated by Trump’s threats as the shutdown enters a third week
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown is entering a third week, and Democrats say they’re not intimidated by President Donald Trump’s efforts to fire thousands of federal workers or by his threats of more firings to come. In fact, Democrats appear emboldened. And they’re showing no signs of caving as they return to Washington from their home states. On Tuesday evening, Senate Democrats once again rejected a Republican bill to open the government. At the same time, Republicans are confident in their strategy not to negotiate on Democratic demands on health care until Democrats provide the votes to reopen the government,
Leader of Madagascar’s military coup tells AP he is ‘taking the position of president’
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — The leader of Madagascar’s military coup says he is “taking the position of president” and that the armed forces will remain in charge of the sprawling African island nation for up to two years before elections are held. In his first interview with a global news outlet since taking power, Col. Michael Randrianirina told The Associated Press that he expects to be sworn in as Madagascar’s president in the next few days. Randrianirina announced Tuesday that the armed forces were taking power in Madagascar, capping weeks of youth-led protests against President Andry Rajoelina and his government. The colonel said Wednesday that he’s taking over as head of state after the country’s highest court invited him to do so.
This family visit to a military base ended with ICE deporting a Marine’s dad
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A U.S. Marine says his parents were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after they visited a California military base and one of them was later deported. Steve Rios, of Oceanside, California, told NBC that his parents were detained late last month while picking up his pregnant sister and her husband, who is also a Marine at Camp Pendleton. Rios says his parents came to the U.S. from Mexico three decades ago and had pending green card applications. He says they were initially released with ankle monitors. But after another visit to the base, ICE agents stopped them at the gate and detained his parents. Rios says his father has since been deported.
Scientists hope underwater fiber-optic cables can help save endangered orcas
SAN JUAN ISLAND, Wash. (AP) — Scientists from the University of Washington recently deployed a little over 1 mile of fiber-optic cable in the Salish Sea to test whether internet cables can monitor endangered orcas. The technology is called Distributed Acoustic Sensing. It transforms cables into continuous underwater microphones that can pinpoint whale locations and track their movements. If successful, the world’s 870,000 miles of existing undersea cables could become a vast ocean monitoring network. It could provide real-time data on how marine mammals respond to vessel noise, food scarcity and climate change. The breakthrough would be particularly valuable as new marine protected areas are established under the High Seas Treaty in January.
Stocks remain unsteady on Wall Street amid trade disputes, corporate profit reports
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are wavering in unsteady trading Wednesday as Wall Street contends with an escalating trade war and the latest profit reports from big banking and technology companies. The S&P 500 fell 0.1%, reversing course from an early gain of 1.2%. The index is coming off a roller-coaster day where it careened between a sharp loss and modest gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 110 points, or 0.2%. The Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher. Technology stocks were among the heaviest weights on the market. The sector is particularly sensitive to escalations in the trade conflict between the U.S. and China.
LeBron James, Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry enter season as the NBA’s largest 20-year club
LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Kyle Lowry are making history as they enter their 20th NBA seasons or more. This marks the first time the league has three players in the 20-season club simultaneously. James will soon become the first to play 23 seasons. Despite their age, they continue to contribute significantly, thanks to rigorous personal training programs. Paul recently re-joined the Los Angeles Clippers, while Lowry is balancing his playing career in Philadelphia with a new analyst role at Amazon Prime. Other players say their dedication and longevity is inspiring.