Alabama lawmakers pass plan for new US House primary if courts allow different districts

Southern Republicans moving quickly to capitalize on supreme court ruling in Louisiana case that weakened voting protections for minorities nationwide Alabama lawmakers approved a plan on Friday for new US House primaries if courts allow the state to use different congressional districts in this year’s elections, sending the legislation to the Republican governor, Kay Ivey. … Read more

‘No remedy for Democrats’ after Virginia Supreme Court’s blow to new map

NBC News’ Ryan Nobles and Jane Timm, along with Loyola Marymount University’s Professor Justin Levitt, bring their latest reporting and legal analysis on redistricting efforts throughout the country as the Virginia Supreme Court overturns a new Democratic-drawn congressional map passed by referendum. The NAACP is suing Tennessee over its new Republican-drawn congressional map. The NAACP … Read more

Virginia Democrat who helped lead state’s redistricting push also played part in killing it

A top Virginia Democrat’s support for his state’s redistricting referendum ironically backfired after a judge he previously appointed helped torpedo his party’s bid to redraw the state’s congressional districts. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who endorsed the referendum and appeared at pro-referendum events, gave $100,000 to the campaign behind Virginia Democrats’ redistricting effort, which voters approved … Read more

The week around the world in 20 pictures

Femen and Pussy Riot protest in Venice, Israeli strikes in Gaza, the hantavirus outbreak and Emma Chamberlain at the Met Gala – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Continue reading…

Virginia Supreme Court blocks congressional map favoring Democrats

The Virginia Supreme Court blocked a new Democratic-drawn congressional map from taking effect weeks after the voters narrowly approved the plan in a statewide vote. NBC News’ Jane Timm explains how this delivers a major boost to Republicans as they defend their narrow House majority in the midterm elections.

US removes all enriched uranium from Venezuela reactor, ships materials to SC in major nuclear security op

The U.S. and partners completed the removal of all remaining enriched uranium from a legacy research reactor in Venezuela, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration announced on Friday. “For decades, the RV-1 reactor supported physics and nuclear research. Once that work finished in 1991, its uranium, enriched above the crucial 20 percent threshold, … Read more