Supreme Court rules on key Voting Rights Act rule as Republicans and Democrats wage redistricting war
The Supreme Court on Wednesday limited the scope of a key Voting Rights Act provision that restricts how states draw districts affecting minority voters, constraining states’ use of race as a factor when drawing congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. Justices for the 6-3 majority ruled that Louisiana’s newly redrawn congressional map, which created a second majority-Black district, constituted an “illegal” racial gerrymander. Though the justices acknowledged that compliance with the Voting Rights Act can be a compelling interest for states, they ruled that it did not require Louisiana to create the new map with a second, majority Black district. Compliance with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, “as properly construed, can provide such a reason,” Justice Samuel Alito said, writing for the majority. “Correctly understood, Section 2 does not impose liability at odds with the Constitution, and it should not have imposed liability on Louisiana for its 2022 map.” “Compliance with Section 2 thus could not justify the State’s use of race-based redistricting here,” he added. JUDGES SAY THEY’LL REDRAW LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THEMSELVES IF LAWMAKERS CAN’T While the ruling does not overturn the Voting Rights Act or Section 2, it is likely to narrow how minority representation influences multiple states’ congressional maps, and trigger a new wave of legal challenges over congressional boundaries. The case, Louisiana v. Callais, was first argued last March before the Supreme Court, and centered on whether Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map, which had added a second majority-Black district, amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The dispute reached the high court after months of legal back-and-forth, including oral arguments last March, and a rare second round of arguments last October, focused on whether Louisiana’s map (and creation of the second majority-Black district under the VRA) violated the 14th or 15th Amendments of the Constitution. Conservative justices appeared skeptical during October’s arguments about keeping Section 2 of the VRA in place, as is, and pressed the lawyer for the NAACP on whether she believed there should be a time duration limit on the intentional use of race in drawing voting districts under the law. During those arguments, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and other conservatives on the high court appeared open to the idea that Congress, in passing the 1965 Voting Rights Act law, may have intended a sort of “sunset period” for Section 2, allowing it to weaken over time. That possibility was invoked by Kavanaugh several times during oral arguments, as he pressed lawyers for the state of Louisiana and the NAACP for more specifics. Hashim Mooppan, the principal deputy solicitor general, told the court the congressional map in Louisiana that was drafted in response to Section 2 of the VRA could also be construed as a “reverse partisan gerrymander,” and one that is also based on “purely racial” considerations. Meanwhile, NAACP lawyer Janai Nelson, arguing the case on behalf of Black voters, told the high court that siding with Louisiana’s request to reverse the map would be a “staggering reversal of precedent,” which she said “would throw maps across the country into chaos.” NEW MAJORITY-BLACK LOUISIANA HOUSE DISTRICT REJECTED, NOVEMBER ELECTION MAP STILL UNCERTAIN A ruling from the high court has long been expected to have major implications for future elections. Critics have warned in recent months that weakening VRA could further erode protections for minority voters under the Voting Rights Act, at a time when several Republican-led states have attempted to aggressively push through new congressional maps ahead of the midterms. They argued in filings to the Supreme Court that non-Black voters failed to show the direct harm required for equal protection claims or prove race was the main factor in redrawing the map. But lawyers arguing the case on behalf of the NAACP and Black voters in the state have warned that a ruling in favor of Louisiana could have a staggering impact on races in 2026 and beyond. A recent report from the nonprofit groups Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter Fund estimates that an overhaul of the VRA could swing an estimated 12 Democratic-held House districts in favor of Republican candidates. This is a breaking news story. Check back shortly for updates.
Photo of Trump assassination attempt suspect Cole Allen in hotel room released as DOJ seeks to keep him jailed
The Department of Justice is urging a federal court to keep Cole Allen, the suspect accused of opening fire at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, behind bars pending trial. The DOJ’s filing on Wednesday includes a new photo showing Allen armed and inside a hotel room before the shooting unfolded. “The United States of America, by and through its attorney, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, respectfully submits this memorandum in support of its oral motion to detain defendant Cole Tomas Allen pending trial,” a filing notes. Jeanine Pirro is the U.S. district attorney for the District of Columbia. COLE ALLEN CHARGED IN TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN FIRST COURT APPEARANCE AFTER WHCA DINNER SHOOTING “At approximately 8:03 p.m., while back inside his hotel room, the defendant used his cellphone to take a photograph of himself in the mirror,” the filing states, explaining that Allen “appeared to be wearing a small leather bag consistent in appearance with the ammunition-filled bag later recovered from his person (item 1), a shoulder holster (item 2), a sheathed knife consistent in appearance with one of the knives later recovered from his person (item 3), and pliers and wire cutters consistent in appearance with those later recovered from his person (item 4).” The filing asserts that Allen was seeking to kill President Donald Trump. UNEARTHED VIDEO REVEALS COLE ALLEN AS QUIET INVENTOR YEARS BEFORE ALLEGED BID TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP “Had the defendant achieved his intended outcome, he would have brought about one of the darkest days in American history. The defendant traveled across the country with the explicit aim to kill the President of the United States,” the document declares, describing the effort as “a planned attack of unfathomable malice.” The Justice Department strongly argued that the suspect should not be released pending trial. REAGAN SHOOTER CALLS LINK TO WASHINGTON HOTEL ‘SPOOKY’ AFTER ALLEGED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT SAME SITE “The facts and circumstances in this case compel the conclusion that there is no condition or combination of conditions that would reasonably assure the community’s safety if the defendant were released pending trial,” the filing asserts. “Detention is warranted based on the gravely serious and highly calculated nature of the defendant’s crimes, the overwhelming evidence of his guilt, and the intolerable risk that he will again resort to extreme violence to register political disagreement,” the document states.
Senator demands probe after truck driver who allegedly fraudulently obtained license, citizenship kills family
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is calling on multiple departments to investigate the gaps in oversight that allowed for a foreign national to fraudulently obtain a commercial driver’s license and possibly U.S. citizenship before allegedly causing an accident that killed an Ohio family. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Moreno urged top federal officials to launch a sweeping probe into how the driver, Modou Ngom, was able to remain in the United States for decades while allegedly evading immigration enforcement and obtaining official identification under false pretenses. “Simply put, he is a criminal and should never have been in the U.S. in the first place,” Moreno wrote in the letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, adding that the situation amounts to an “inexcusable failure” in a variety of areas. Ohio officials revealed last week that a semitruck driver charged in a fiery interstate crash that killed a young family of three fraudulently obtained an Ohio driver’s license, a commercial driver’s license and later U.S. citizenship under an alternate identity. FATHER OF GIRL INJURED BY ILLEGAL MIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER SLAMS ‘INSENSITIVE’ RHETORIC DURING NOEM HEARING Ngom, 50, was arrested after authorities said he caused the April 11 chain-reaction crash on Interstate 71 northbound near U.S. 36, when his semitrailer slammed into slowed traffic in a construction zone and ignited a deadly fire, killing Lynnea Soposki, 36, Luke Soposki, 37, and their 1-year-old son, Logan. The senator cited state and federal records indicating Ngom allegedly used multiple names and birthdates over the years, securing both state and federal identification before eventually becoming a naturalized citizen using a false identity. “This case is not an isolated administrative failure — it is a systemic breakdown with fatal consequences,” Moreno wrote. TOM HOMAN VOWS ACTION AS CALIFORNIA SET TO RELEASE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO KILLED TWO TEENS Moreno praised the local prosecutors for charging Ngom with vehicular homicide but said the case demands a broader federal response and courtesy copied both the Department of Justice and State Department on the letter. “The Department of Justice should bring all appropriate federal charges against Ngom, including, potentially, immigration fraud, false statements, and identity-document crimes,” Moreno wrote. Moreno also called on the State Department to review Ngom’s citizenship status, suggesting denaturalization proceedings if fraud is confirmed. The senator warned in the letter that the case highlights vulnerabilities in both immigration enforcement and the commercial trucking industry, arguing that bad actors are able to “game the system” while law-abiding drivers follow the rules. “It is outrageous that honest truckers follow the rules while criminal aliens game the system and operate 80,000-pound vehicles that are capable of mass harm on our highways,” Moreno wrote. “When the federal government turns a blind eye and fails to police its own borders, it is innocent American families on Ohio roads who pay the ultimate price,” the senator added. BLUE STATE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER ICE BUSTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WITH ‘NO NAME GIVEN’ ON LICENSE Moreno thanked Duffy and Mullin for their leadership and commitment to “protecting the American people” but requested answers to several questions within 30 days, including for a full accounting of how Ngom was able to enter and remain in the United States while allegedly using multiple identities to obtain legal status and credentials. Moreno asks federal officials to identify how Ngom entered the U.S. and through which port of entry, what aliases and identities he used to obtain state and federal identification, and whether he submitted fraudulent documents during both the immigration and naturalization processes, including how those discrepancies were not caught by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). He also presses agencies to determine whether Ngom received any federal benefits and what records exist related to those interactions. Moreno asks what documentation Ngom used to obtain a CDL and how a potentially fraudulent identity passed verification, whether Ngom or his trucking company committed additional unreported crimes, and what corrective actions federal agencies will take to close the loopholes that allowed this case to occur. “These needless tragedies are avoidable with staunch enforcement of our immigration laws,” Moreno writes. “Fortunately, President Trump has taken historic steps to remove illegal aliens from our nation. We must choose the safety of American families over those who spit in the face of our laws and customs. When that responsibility is neglected, the consequences are measured in American lives. If we cannot protect our own citizens from fraudsters, then our immigration and licensing regimes are not just broken—they are complicit.” A DOT spokesperson told Fox News Digital the department will respond directly to Moreno and pointed to a previous press release on preventing unqualified drivers from being on the road. Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ, State Department and DHS for comment.
Powell could remain at the Fed despite looming end of chair term
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is set to deliver what is expected to be his final news conference as head of the Fed on Wednesday. The end of his chairmanship next month, however, may not mark his departure from the world’s most powerful central bank — and the circumstances are setting the scene for a standoff between Powell and President Donald Trump. If Powell steps aside, it would open a seat for Trump to fill, giving him another opportunity to shape the Fed’s leadership. If he stays, he would retain influence over U.S. monetary policy, intensifying tensions with the president. TRUMP VS THE FEDERAL RESERVE: HOW THE CLASH REACHED UNCHARTED TERRITORY What began as a disagreement over interest rates has escalated into a broader confrontation between Powell and Trump, marking one of the most fraught periods of his eight years as Fed chair. Trump has intensified his pressure campaign in recent months, publicly criticizing the Fed’s benchmark interest rate decisions and, at times, resorting to personal attacks. Powell’s tenure at the central bank dates back to 2017, when he was selected by Trump to succeed Janet Yellen. He was reappointed to a second four-year term by President Joe Biden in 2022, which expires on May 15. However, his underlying term as a Fed governor runs longer, allowing him to remain at the central bank until 2028. In March, Powell told reporters he had not decided on his next steps and declined to say whether he would remain on the Fed’s board after his term as chair ends. Powell’s decision could now carry major implications for markets and policy — and further inflame those tensions. ONE LITTLE-KNOWN MEETING HELPS DECIDE WHAT AMERICANS CAN AFFORD — AND WHAT THEY CAN’T Attention is now turning to who will lead the Fed next. And at the same time, the Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on a case involving Fed Governor Lisa Cook, which could test the limits of presidential power over the central bank. Trump has selected millionaire Kevin Warsh as Powell’s potential successor. The contentious confirmation process had been delayed by a Justice Department investigation into Powell’s congressional testimony related to renovations of the Fed’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., which some lawmakers said needed to be resolved before moving forward. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called the DOJ investigation “bogus” and vowed to block Warsh’s nomination until it was dropped — even if he didn’t object to the quality of Trump’s pick. THE ONE LINE IN WARSH’S TESTIMONY SIGNALING A BREAK FROM THE FED’S STATUS QUO With the investigation now closed, a Senate panel is expected to take up Warsh’s nomination, putting the former Morgan Stanley banker on track for a full Senate vote. Like Powell, Warsh is not an economist by training, instead bringing a background in law and finance. He previously served on the Fed’s Board of Governors, becoming the youngest member in its history at age 35. His potential return comes at a critical moment for the central bank. The question of leadership at the Fed comes as policymakers weigh persistent inflation, the economic impact of the war in Iran and a fragile global outlook ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
Trump to feature on limited-edition US passports for 250th anniversary
The passports are part of broader plans to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. United States President Donald Trump will feature on a new, limited-edition US passport being issued to mark the country’s 250th anniversary in July, officials said, the latest area of public life to receive Trump’s personal branding. The commemorative passports are part of broader plans to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, with events planned across the country next July. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Images released by the White House and the Department of State on Tuesday show Trump’s portrait incorporated into the design, set against elements of the Declaration of Independence and the US flag. The rendering also includes the president’s signature in gold. Another page will feature an illustration of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence. “As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” said Tommy Piggott, a spokesperson for the US State Department. The commemorative passports will be available to US citizens applying through the Washington Passport Agency, with distribution set to begin this summer and continue while supplies last. Current US passports feature images tied to the country’s history and identity. The inside front cover shows a painting of Francis Scott Key after the Battle of Fort McHenry, when he saw the US flag still standing after an attack. This moment inspired him to write a poem that later became the US national anthem, with lines from it printed alongside the image. Advertisement Other pages include moments from American history, such as the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and symbols like the Statue of Liberty. Trump links branding push to 250th anniversary plans The passport redesign is the latest example of efforts by Trump and his administration to place his name, image or signature on institutions and initiatives across Washington and the country. Some of those efforts have already been implemented. This year’s national park passes, for example, display Trump’s image alongside George Washington, a departure from the programme’s traditional focus on natural landscapes. The United States Mint has also released draft designs for a $1 coin featuring Trump’s profile as part of the 250th anniversary commemorations. Proposed imagery for the coin redesign includes his portrait alongside inscriptions such as “Liberty” and “In God We Trust”. The reverse depicts him raising a clenched fist in front of an American flag with the phrase “FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT”, referencing a chant he used after a 2024 assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump has pushed Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer to rename New York’s Penn Station after him, linking the idea to the release of federal infrastructure funding, but the effort has failed to gain traction. Trump has also placed his face on government buildings around Washington, DC, in the form of long banners. Even the architecture of the US capital city is changing to reflect his tastes: Last October, he tore down the White House’s East Wing to build a massive ballroom, and he has plans to build a triumphal arch in the capital, similar to the one in Paris, France. In December, Trump’s name was added to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, just one day after his hand-picked board members controversially voted to rename the art venue, the first time a national institution has been named after a sitting US president. Within days, workers had added metal lettering to the building’s exterior, renamed as “The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts”. Adblock test (Why?)
US, Latin America countries criticise China’s retaliation over Panama Canal
China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships after a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Canal, US officials say. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have released a joint statement in support of Panama, while criticising Chinese economic retaliation, after a Hong Kong-based conglomerate lost a legal dispute over the management of ports on the Panama Canal. Panama’s Supreme Court in late January annulled contracts that had allowed a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison to administer the Balboa and Cristobal port terminals on the Panama Canal after deeming the decades-old agreements unconstitutional. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list In their joint statement on Tuesday, the six countries claimed that following the court ruling, China has retaliated against Panama with “targeted economic pressure” on Panamanian-flagged ships. China detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships in March, according to the US Federal Maritime Commission, a number “far exceeding historical norms”. “These actions – following the decision of Panama’s independent Supreme Court regarding the Balboa and Cristobal terminals – are a blatant attempt to politicise maritime trade and infringe on the sovereignty of the nations of our hemisphere,” the signatories said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said separately on X that Washington was “deeply concerned” by China’s economic pressure on Panama. “We stand in solidarity with Panama. Any attempts to undermine Panama’s sovereignty are a threat to us all,” he said. China has previously accused the US of “bullying” and trying to smear its reputation in Latin America, while it described the Panamanian Supreme Court ruling as “absurd” and “shameful”. US Federal Maritime Commission head Laura DiBella said last month that Beijing’s detention of Panamanian ships had repercussions for both Panama and the US. Advertisement “These intensified inspections were carried out under informal directives and appear intended to punish Panama after the transfer of Hutchison’s port assets,” DiBella said. “Given that Panama‑flagged ships carry a meaningful share of US containerised trade, these actions could result in significant commercial and strategic consequences to US shipping,” she said. ‘States know how vulnerable shipping is’ Panama’s decision to invalidate the contracts held by CK Hutchison’s subsidiary Panama Ports Company was made at a time of heightened media attention around the Panama Canal amid threats by US President Donald Trump to seize the strategic waterway. Trump had made the approximately 80km (49-mile) waterway a focus of his second administration, alleging in his inaugural address in January 2025 that China was “operating” the canal and pledging that the US would “take back” control. US officials allege that, in addition to targeting Panama and its interests, China has also retaliated against shipping giants Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), whose subsidiaries were granted 18-month contracts to administer the Balboa and Cristobal terminals after CK Hutchison was removed. Representatives of Maersk and MSC were both summoned by China’s Ministry of Transport for “high-level discussions”, the Federal Maritime Commission said in March, while Chinese shipping giant COSCO has suspended operations at the Balboa terminal. CK Hutchison, through its Panama Ports Company subsidiary, is separately pursuing international arbitration against the government of Panama and seeking more than $2bn in damages. David Smith, an associate professor at the University of Sydney’s US Studies Centre, said that the Panama Canal dispute and China’s retaliation were the latest example of how shipping has become a political target, from Latin America to the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea in the Middle East. “We have taken for granted that the world runs on container ships just freely sailing around the world,” he told Al Jazeera. “What we’re seeing now is that states know how vulnerable shipping is. They know they can cut shipping lanes off if necessary. It should not surprise us from now on if ships and shipping in general become pawns in international politics.” Adblock test (Why?)
UN aid chief says situation in Somalia worsened by US war on Iran
NewsFeed UN relief coordinator Tom Fletcher has slammed the war on Iran during a visit to Somalia where he says people in Mogadishu are suffering more as a result of the US-Israeli conflict 3,000km away. He says resources being diverted away from aid have exacerbated food shortages and worsened health conditions. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Assembly Exit Polls 2026: Ahead of May 4 Verdict, Zee News’ AI Anchor Zeenia Predicts Winners in 5 Key States
The Assembly Elections 2026 will conclude on April 29 after West Bengal ends voting at 6 pm. Exit polls will then start coming for the predictions of the high-stake battle in the five polling bound states.
‘Lone-wolf, self-radicalisation’: Was Mumbai stabbing incident a terror attack? Here’s how case is linked to religion
Two security guards stabbed in the wee hours of April 27 by a young man; this incident has left many questions. A terror attack? Why were they asked about their religion? What was the motive behind? Though these questions have not been solved yet, they remain a marker of rising religious discontent in India.
‘Are you a Hindu?’: Mumbai security guard Subroto Sen attacked by Zuber Ansari recounts stabbing attack horror
Subroto Sen, a security guard who was stabbed in a violent assault by 31-year-old Zaib Zuber Ansari in Mumbai’s Naya Nagar, has narrated to the police the sequence of events from the horrifying night that left him and his supervisor, Rajkumar Mishra, seriously injured.