Southern states move to redraw congressional districts after ruling | JQJO

Birmingham, Alabama. On Monday Democratic leaders including Congresswoman Terri Sewell and Senator Cory Booker held a town hall at the Boutwell Auditorium to push back against Alabama’s special legislative session on redistricting called by Gov. Kay Ivey following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision altering race-based guidance for congressional maps.

This week state Republican legislators in Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina convened special sessions or announced plans to redraw districts; federal judges had ordered a temporary court map in Alabama through the 2030 Census while legal appeals and public protests intensified, and activists warned that proposed changes could reduce majority-Black districts ahead of November.

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 on the Bandwagon‑5 rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 7:04 a.m. on Tuesday, 22 minutes before sunrise. The 32‑payload flight created a brief “space jellyfish” cloud, visible for about a minute, though it lacked the orange‑blue hues of last week’s larger display. The first‑stage booster completed its 19th flight and landed on the droneship *A Shortfall of Gravitas* in the Atlantic. Among the payloads was SpaceX’s Starfall system, designed for short‑term microgravity experiments, and several communication and navigation satellites. The launch marked the 60th of 2026 from the Space Coast, with SpaceX accounting for all but seven of those missions. The company has reduced its Florida launch cadence to focus on building the Starship and Super Heavy launch tower at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39‑A. Only four other launches have occurred since August 30, and other providers have yet to announce new flight targets.

In Edmonton, voters in Alberta overwhelmingly chose to remain in Canada, with seventy‑seven percent supporting unity and twenty‑three percent favoring a path toward separation. The unofficial results, based on more than one million votes, were announced early Tuesday, boosting Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for national unity amid U.S. trade tensions. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomed the outcome, emphasizing support for a stronger province within a united Canada. Separatist leaders noted that a quarter of Albertans still feel the province should be treated better, but the referendum’s result will allow Canada to advance trade diversification and infrastructure projects.

Samsung’s 2026 flagship OLED TV, the S95H (S99H in Europe), has earned wide acclaim for its picture quality and swept all best‑TV awards in HDTV’s 2026 shootout. The model is available in four U.S. sizes, with a list price ranging from $2,500 for the 55‑inch version to $6,500 for the 83‑inch variant. The S95H uses a QD‑OLED panel (except the RGB Tandem OLED panel in the 83‑inch model) and offers a 165‑Hz refresh rate and robust gaming features. For buyers who want Samsung’s top customer‑satisfaction brand without the flagship price, the S85H OLED TV is a viable alternative. The S85H starts at $1,200 for its 48‑inch model and is available in five sizes up to 83 inches. It uses a WOLED panel, 4K resolution, 120‑Hz refresh rate with VRR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos support, but lacks Dolby Vision. The TV runs Tizen with One UI and includes seven years of OS upgrades, a rare industry feature. Experts from Rtings.com, Tom’s Guide, Trusted Reviews, and WhatHiFi praise the S85H’s performance and sleek design.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quietly visited Israel on Monday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a senior U.S. military official. The unannounced visit occurred just over a week before Netanyahu’s Likud party faces elections. It also follows President Trump’s suggestion of resuming military operations against Iran after the midterm elections. Hegseth confirmed his presence in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility on X, sharing a photo of himself addressing American service members on a historic mission. The Pentagon declined to comment, and CBS News has sought Israeli government input.

Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin was carted off in an air cast after a significant knee injury early in Monday night’s 23‑17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. McLaurin fell near the sideline during a route in the first quarter; replay showed his left knee buckling as he planted to the outside. He remained on the field in pain before a cart arrived, and he hopped onto the vehicle with his entire left leg in a full air cast. The Commanders ruled him out with a knee injury, and head coach Dan Quinn said the injury could be significant. McLaurin had one 27‑yard catch before going down. He entered the game with 203 receiving yards and a touchdown in four games this season. The injury comes as Washington sits 1‑4‑1, last in the NFC East, and could complicate quarterback Jayden Daniels’ plans as the team heads toward the midway point of the season.