The case challenges South Carolina's congressional district map adopted in 2022, which was brought by Black South Carolinians alleging that the state is diluting Black voters’ power. A three-judge federal district court panel found that the map had “bleached … African American voters out of the district”. The Supreme Court will decide whether the process was illegal racial discrimination or simply partisan politics.
News Mash
On Sunday, a pro-Palestinian rally was held in Times Square, New York, attended by a heavy police presence and resulting in clashes between pro-Palestinian activists and pro-Israel demonstrators. President Joe Biden condemned the attack, confirming that 14 Americans are among the dead, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., condemned the bigotry and callousness displayed at the rally. The attack has taken the lives of more than 1,000 Israelis and counting, and the international community must come together to find a way to end the violence and ensure a safe and secure future for both sides.
Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was hit with 23 additional charges Tuesday, including allegations of identity theft and fraud, according to federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York. The charges allege that Santos and his former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, used individuals' personal credit card information to make unauthorized charges in support of his political campaign and submitted false financial reports to the FEC. If convicted, Santos could face up to 20 years in prison.
Allen Weisselberg, former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, is testifying in a civil trial in New York, accused of fraud connected with the former president's financial statements. Weisselberg is expected to testify about his role in preparing Trump’s annual financial statements, while responding with variations of "I don't recall" to dozens of questions. He has been involved in the Trump Organization for decades and recently served a jail stint for tax fraud.
Special counsel Jack Smith is investigating former President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, and has demanded to know whether Trump plans to argue in court that he was following the advice of his lawyers. Several lawyers in Trump's circle have already said they told him his attempts were unfounded, but he chose to rely on a fringe group of lawyers. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for Trump and his legal team.
Israel is facing a major obstacle in its hunt for Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip, as the densely populated area is home to millions of people, including the Hamas fighters who know the area better. The Israeli military has called up more than 300,000 troops in preparation for a possible ground offensive, but the densely packed urban areas present a major obstacle. The international community is watching the situation closely, as the death toll continues to rise.
Special Counsel Jack Smith has filed court documents seeking further protections for jurors in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump due to his intimidating behavior on social media. Smith has asked U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan to allow potential jurors to fill out a written questionnaire and limit how much each party can dig into the potential jurors' identities. The filing is an attempt to protect jurors from similar intimidation and is part of a pattern of Smith tussling with Trump's attorneys in the D.C. and South Florida cases.
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner have announced their split and have reached a temporary child custody agreement involving their two young daughters. The two have agreed to keep the children in New York and Turner can return to the U.K. whenever she has the children. They have yet to reach a permanent agreement on child custody and it is unclear what the future holds for the two.