Cover News: Supreme Court allows Texas to use redrawn congressional map to favor GOP

In our news cover on Thursday, the Texas Supreme Court allowed the use of a redrawn congressional map that could add seats for Republicans in the midterms, only one hostage body remains inside Gaza after Israeli officials identified the last of the remains to be turned over, and the New York Times filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon, saying that restrictive new press rules violate both First Amendment and due process rights.

Amna Nawaz:

In other headlines of the day, there are two urgent legal developments.

The Supreme Court, in a brief, unsigned opinion, allowed Texas to use a redrawn congressional map that could add Republican seats in next year’s midterm elections. It overturns a lower court decision that found the new limits were likely to be unconstitutional.

Separately, a federal grand jury in Virginia declined to reassign New York Attorney General Letitia James on charges of alleged mortgage fraud. This comes just 10 days after a federal judge dismissed charges against both James and former FBI Director James Comey, because Trump’s chosen prosecutor in both cases, Lindsey Halligan, was illegally appointed. It is possible that the Justice Department will attempt to file an indictment against James for a third time.

Now moving to the Middle East, there is only one hostage body left inside Gaza after Israeli officials determined that the last remains handed over by Palestinian militants were that of Sudthisak Rinthalak from Thailand. The last hostage remaining in Gaza is deceased Israeli police officer, Ran Gevili.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today pledged to secure his immediate return.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through translator):

We are committed to returning Ran for a proper burial in Israel and will spare no effort to do so.

Amna Nawaz:

Separately, an audit by the Israeli Ministry of Justice found that Palestinian prisoners held by Israel since the October 7 Hamas attack face harsh conditions that include overcrowding, starvation and near-daily beatings. This is a rare admission by Israeli officials of what former prisoners claimed they were subjected to long ago.

The leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement today aimed at ending the decades-long conflict. Government forces in eastern Congo have clashed with rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda.

President Donald Trump:

Today, we are succeeding where many others have failed.

Amna Nawaz:

President Trump celebrated the deal, which includes vital mineral cooperation. The area is full of rare earth elements and is integral to much of the world’s technology.

Trump hosted his African counterparts at the former US Institute of Peace, which had remained vacant since his administration laid off most of the institute’s employees this spring. Trump renamed the building for himself yesterday.

The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon, saying the new restrictive rules for the press violate their First Amendment and due process rights. The rules, which took effect in October, give Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the power to revoke press credentials or bar journalists from researching or reporting information that has not been approved for publication.

Most organizations refused to agree to the rules and withdrew en masse. That left the mostly pro-Trump conservative media that agreed to the terms in place. The Pentagon itself has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

On Wall Street today, stocks held their all-time highs but finished mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell, but only slightly, while the Nasdaq rose 50 points. The S&P 500 also closed higher, just half a percent below its all-time high.