City in Tennessee, a Mississippi River hub and county seat of Shelby County
The Supreme Court has kept the core protections of the Voting Rights Act intact while ruling that Louisiana’s map-drawing to favor a Black-majority district was unconstitutional, signaling a shift in how race can be used in redistricting and prompting immediate map reviews in several states.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Louisiana’s congressional map constitutes an illegal racial gerrymander, prompting state officials to suspend or delay House primaries. Early voting is starting as absentee ballots have already been mailed, with a path forward being developed with lawmakers and the Secretary of State.
Tennessee Republicans have unveiled a new congressional map that dismantles a majority-Black district and is poised to secure an all‑GOP federal delegation, following a Supreme Court ruling that loosened protections under the Voting Rights Act. The plan splits Memphis-Shelby County and reshapes districts around Nashville, potentially removing Rep. Steve Cohen and strengthening Rep. Andy Ogles.
The Guardian reports that South Carolina’s proposed map redraw would dismantle James Clyburn’s district, a long-standing symbol of Black political representation in the state. The move comes as Republicans respond to the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling, raising fears of renewed racial gerrymandering and a shift in power.
The South Carolina governor has signaled a special session on redistricting as Republicans push to redraw maps. Key issues include potentially eliminating Rep. Jim Clyburn’s Democratic seat and concerns about a “dummymander” that could dilute Black representation. The move follows pressure from Trump allies and intra-party splits among Republicans.
Rep. Cohen has announced he is stepping back from Congress amid controversy over mid-decade redistricting that splits his majority-Black Memphis district into three Republican-leaning districts. He says the map was drawn to beat him, and he may return if court actions restore his old district. Primary elections are set for Aug. 6.
Since mid-May 2026, Republican-led Southern legislatures have been moving to redraw U.S. House maps after a Supreme Court ruling weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act. Federal judges in Alabama have blocked a new map, South Carolina lawmakers have stalled a Trump-backed redistricting push, and Tennessee and Louisiana have enacted plans that would dilute Black-majority districts.
A wave of local and state actions is shaping the data-center boom. New rules aim to curb power use, water consumption and cost pressures, while critics warn of overreach and uneven economic impacts.
A $14m renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has produced a dark blue lining that is peeling and the water has returned to bright green from an algae bloom. Federal crews have been treating the water with ozone nanobubbles and hydrogen peroxide and are vacuuming algae, while the administration has claimed vandalism and reported arrests without publicly releasing evidence.
The Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool is facing renewed repairs after algae blooms and peeling blue paint mar the Trump‑backed renovation. Officials warn repairs will require draining water; several arrests and citations are being reported in connection with alleged vandalism. The situation has drawn national scrutiny amid ongoing debates over the project’s cost and execution.
Reflection AI has inked a multiyear deal with SpaceX to access Nvidia GB300 AI chips and related hardware at SpaceX’s Colossus 2 data center in Memphis. The pact, valued at up to $6.3 billion if extended through 2029, begins July 2026 and can be terminated by either side with 90 days’ notice after three months. The arrangement positions Reflection among providers of frontier AI infrastructure as it pursues open-weight models.
China's LineShine has been named the world's fastest supercomputer on the TOP500 list, marking its debut at the top. The system runs entirely on CPUs and achieves 2.198 exaflops, surpassing El Capitan in the US. Analysts say the result signals recognition of China’s chip-design efforts, though AI workloads and list methodology cloud the claim.
A sweeping heatwave is driving extreme temperatures across the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. Health officials warn of heat-related risks as Fourth of July events unfold; cooling centers are opening and cities urge hydration and precautions.
The Verge reports SpaceX plans to invest at least $55 billion in a Terafab chip plant in Austin, Texas, with potential expansion to $119 billion. The project aims to supply chips for SpaceX and Tesla, powering AI, robotics, and data centers. Intel is assisting design and fabrication efforts.
A heat dome has pushed temperatures to dangerous levels across the central and eastern United States. Forecasters warn heat indexes could reach 40–46C (104–115F), with nights offering little relief. Emergency measures are under way in several cities as heat threatens the holiday weekend.
The NBA has adopted a single free-throw rule for summer leagues in Salt Lake City, Northern California and Las Vegas to speed up play. The rule replaces multi-shot free throws with one shot worth the total points and applies only to non-final periods, not overtime.
Two National Guard members opened fire during a Memphis pursuit, killing Tyrin Johnson, 20. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is examining the shooting as officials call for transparency while debates over federal task force deployments continue.
Federal agents with the Memphis Safe Task Force shot and killed a man during a hotel-room arrest in Memphis. The incident followed a separate fatal shooting last weekend involving the same task force. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry and will review both cases for potential charges.
MacIntyre has failed to challenge for the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale after back-to-back rounds of 71 on the weekend left him two under for the tournament. He has admitted to temper issues and accepts warnings as part of his game, while Cameron Young has set the clubhouse lead with a 64. The Open is led by Lucas Herbert after a 62 from him and Sam Burns.
AMD has unveiled its Helios AI rack system at Advancing AI in San Francisco, promising higher throughput and lower cost per token. The system targets hyperscalers and data centers, with partnerships across Microsoft, Anthropic, OpenAI, and others. The move intensifies the race with Nvidia as AMD argues Helios delivers greater inference efficiency.
A coalition of major US tech firms has urged policymakers to avoid premature restrictions on open-weight AI models, arguing open access fosters competition and innovation. Officials are signaling possible actions against Chinese models amid concerns of distillation and IP theft, while Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 tops benchmarks in some areas.
The latest data from multiple outlets shows a nationwide trend of falling homicide rates in 2026, with significant declines in many cities and pockets of increases in a few, including San Francisco and Norfolk. Experts say factors are widespread and not tied to one policy or leadership style, while some cities dispute the official tallies.