Steve Fowler, left, and Sam Wilson, right, rehearse with their band on Thursday in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Sophie Bates) |
Tennessee redistricting plan splits Memphis neighbors and reshapes midterms as other states follow |
For 21 years, Steve Fowler and Sam Wilson have performed together in a band on Memphis’ renowned Beale Street. And for the past decade, the men have been neighbors on a quiet, leafy avenue. But as of Thursday, they will no longer cast the same ballot despite living across the street from each other. “I think it’s horrible,” said Fowler, who is white. “This isn’t just going to be bad for Black folks in Memphis, but poor whites in these new districts also aren’t going to get services.” A new congressional map in Tennessee splits the majority-Black city of Memphis into three districts. The move by the Republican-controlled legislature follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that weakened parts of the landmark Voting Rights Act. And it may serve as an early example of how states may eliminate long-required majority-minority districts before the November elections. Read more.
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Iran responds to ceasefire proposal as drones target Gulf nations |
Iran has sent its response to the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal to Pakistani mediators and wants negotiations to focus on permanently ending the war, Iran’s state-run media said Sunday. State TV said Iran seeks to end the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and ensure the security of shipping. Washington’s latest proposal had addressed a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and roll back Iran’s nuclear program, an issue that Tehran would rather discuss later. There was no immediate comment from the White House about Iran’s reply. Read more.
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