The US Supreme Court has delivered a significant victory to former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, ruling that Texas can proceed with a newly redrawn congressional map that favours GOP candidates. The decision, handed down on Tuesday, overturns a lower court's ruling and could add up to five Republican-leaning districts ahead of next year's critical midterm elections.
Court Overturns Lower Court's Gerrymandering Ruling
In an unsigned order, the court's 6-3 conservative majority granted an emergency request from Texas to stay a previous ruling. A federal district court had struck down the state's new map in November, finding it likely constituted unlawful racial gerrymandering by sorting voters based on race. That lower court had ordered Texas to use the district boundaries established after the 2020 census for the upcoming election.
The Supreme Court's brief order argued that the district court had "improperly inserted itself into an active primary campaign, causing much confusion and upsetting the delicate federal-state balance in elections." The court's three liberal justices – Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson – dissented from the decision.
Pentagon Announces Another Lethal Strike in Pacific
In a separate development, the Pentagon confirmed that the US military conducted a lethal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four men. US Southern Command stated the boat was suspected of carrying illegal narcotics and was operated by a designated terrorist organisation.
Footage released by the military shows a small boat being engulfed by a large explosion. A statement explained the action was taken "at the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth," noting that "intelligence confirmed that the vessel was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route." The legality of such strikes continues to be questioned.
EU Scrambles to Secure Ukraine Funding as Cash Dwindles
European Union leaders are engaged in emergency talks to salvage a crucial financing package for Ukraine. With Kyiv's funds running dangerously low and Russian attacks intensifying, the bloc faces a severe credibility test. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to find a solution.
The crisis is compounded by Washington's push for peace negotiations that some European capitals fear could favour Moscow, potentially sidelining EU influence. The outcome of these talks is seen as vital for Ukraine's continued resistance.
In other international news, Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting New Delhi for a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This marks Putin's first trip to India since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and occurs as the US increases pressure on India to reduce its trade ties with Russia.
Additional News Highlights
Sudan: The city of El Fasher is described as resembling a massive crime scene, with reports of large piles of bodies in the streets as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are accused of attempting to destroy evidence of a massacre.
United States: A grand jury declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on mortgage fraud allegations. In a separate matter, former President Donald Trump has replaced the architect for his planned $300 million gilded ballroom due to disagreements over the design and the firm's capacity.
Record Breaker: A three-year-old chess prodigy from India, Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha, has become the youngest player in history to earn an official FIDE rating. At three years, seven months, and 20 days old, he defeated three rated players to secure the record.
Climate & Environment: A new study has found that over 60,000 African penguins have starved to death off the coast of South Africa due to a catastrophic collapse in sardine numbers, linked to the climate crisis and overfishing.
Culture & Tech: A new documentary on investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, famed for exposing stories from the My Lai massacre to Abu Ghraib, is being released. Separately, a feature explores the disturbing story of 'Mr DeepFakes', the world's most notorious AI porn site, and the technology used to humiliate countless women.
And Finally: Spotify's new "listening age" feature is causing a stir, offering users insights that sometimes confound expectations—suggesting youthful tastes for some older listeners and vice versa.
