SUMMARY: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to quickly sign a new GOP-favored congressional map designed to help Republicans maintain their slim House majority. The Texas Legislature approved the redistricting plan, which adds five Republican-leaning seats, amid fierce Democratic opposition and accusations of unlawfully diluting minority votes. Democrats vowed legal challenges, citing Voting Rights Act violations. This move aligns with broader national GOP efforts, encouraged by Trump, to redraw maps in states like Indiana and Missouri ahead of the 2026 midterms. Meanwhile, Democratic-controlled states like California employ independent commissions to create maps favoring their party, intensifying the partisan redistricting battle.

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SUMMARY: An under-construction railway bridge in Qinghai Province, northwest China, collapsed early Friday, killing at least 12 workers and leaving four missing. The accident occurred during a tensioning operation when a steel cable snapped around 3 a.m. The 1.6-kilometer-long bridge, spanning the Yellow River with a deck 55 meters above the water, suffered a large section collapse, with a bent portion hanging downward. Rescue efforts involve boats, a helicopter, and robots searching for the missing workers. The incident was reported by state media and documented by aerial photos from Xinhua News Agency.

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SUMMARY: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to continue the state’s immigration detention program despite a federal judge’s injunction halting operations at the Everglades-based “Alligator Alcatraz” facility. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled the state violated federal environmental laws by locating the camp in Big Cypress National Preserve and ordered its closure within 60 days. DeSantis called the ruling judicial activism and announced plans to appeal while expanding detention capacity with a new Baker County facility. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe praised the ruling as a victory for the Everglades and tribal sovereignty. The legal battle now moves to the appellate court.

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