On the July 15 broadcast of CNN NewsNight, host Abby Phillip and far-left former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross denounced Texas’s mid‑decade redistricting as “racial gerrymandering,” citing the claim that 95 percent of Texas’s growth since 2010 came from Black and Hispanic residents, and gerrymandering would undermine the voting power of minorities on the cusp of midterm elections. Phillip opened the segment by saying Trump wanted to destroy Texas’s congressional districts:  The last time Donald Trump tried to redraw a map, he did it with a Sharpie. This time he wants to do it for the ballot box. The President is telling Texas to essentially blow up their congressional maps to find as many as five seats for Republicans ahead of the midterms.     As the segment unfolded, the audience was shown a clip of Donald Trump at the White House earlier in the day. When asked by a reporter about congressional seats in Texas, President Trump stated: “…five. I think we get five, and there could be some other states. We're going to get another three or four or five in addition. Texas would be the biggest one, and that'll be fine.” This, like anything the President has done, prompted seething outrage from Democrats, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries asserting, “What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is to have politicians choose their voters to undermine free and fair elections.” This clip prompted Cross to insinuate that Texas had a “long history” of not following the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The only example given by Cross of this was a SCOTUS reversal of Sections Three and Five of the Act, which the Court deemed outdated. The two Sections gave the Judicial Branch the power to control voting in states deemed likely to not comply with the Act when it was first enacted– a reasonable concern of the Court at a time when there was real racial and oftentimes violent discrimination at the polls in the 1960s, but not so much in the Year of our Lord 2025. The court felt it was an overreach of the government, so they abolished the Section. However, Cross still insinuated that somehow Texas had something to do with this reversal (despite the case coming from Alabama), implicitly setting the foundation for her further claims of Texas’s racism problem. Liberals have often accused Texas of having discriminatory voting practices by having one of the strictest voter ID laws in the country. Democrats argue that the required forms of identification were difficult for minorities to obtain. The list of acceptable forms of ID to vote in Texas were: Texas Driver License issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by DPS Texas Personal Identification Card issued by DPS Texas Handgun License issued by DPS United States Military Identification Card containing the person’s photograph United States Citizenship Certificate containing the person’s photograph United States Passport (book or card) Despite liberal whining about racial discrimination, the data from Texas tells a different story. Turnout increased more in Texas after introducing photo ID requirements than in states without such laws, with minority turnout rising as fast or faster than white turnout. Texas’s ID law was free, easy to access, and modeled on decades-old practices. The Texas Secretary of State found “no evidence” of racial disparities in turnout due to ID laws. That did not stop Cross from claiming that Trump encouraged Texas to redistrict right before the midterms to undermine minority voices, citing that 95 percent of the population growth in Texas was from “black and brown” people in the last census. From April 2010 to April 2020, Texas’s population climbed from 25.15 million to 29.15 million, adding about 3.99 million people— roughly a 16 percent increase. Hispanic growth accounted for about 2.06 million of that increase, and Black population growth was around 667,000. Together, that’s about 68.3 percent of the growth, not 95 percent. The often-cited 95 percent includes all minorities, including Asians and multiracial individuals, but lumping it all together and implying its solely Black and Hispanic growth is misleading. Phillip and Cross seized on the 95 percent figure to label the redistricting effort as “racial gerrymandering.” Tiffany Cross declared, “It is because the last census told us that from 2010 to 2020, that 95 percent of Texas's population increase has been because of black and brown people in the state. And so when you redraw the congressional maps, you may have more people voting, but they're voting in gerrymandered congressional districts.” She further warned: “This is why I get so frustrated when people say, oh, just hang on until midterms. As if that's going to change anything. This is an example of a long, storied history in this country of manipulating the electoral process.” Redistricting was not some novel scheme or uniquely malicious act, like Cross implied. It was constitutionally mandated every ten years under Article I, Section 2. Scott Jennings pointed out the hypocrisy. When asked what the redistricting by Republicans before a midterm signified, Jennings retorted: “Well, probably the same thing that it signifies when they did it in Illinois and got a 14-3 delegation for D's, Maryland seven to one, Massachusetts nine to zero. We know what happened here in New York, California— even though they have a commission, we all know what goes on there.” When Phillip pressed about the midterm timing, Jennings responded, “Does it matter?” underscoring that Democrats routinely redraw maps to their advantage, like in North Carolina in 2022 which flipped a solid red district to a Democratic majority. On voter ID, critics argue it suppresses minority votes. The data from Texas tells a different story. Turnout increased more in Texas after introducing photo ID requirements than in states without such laws. Texas’s ID law was easy to access, and modeled on decades-old practices. The Texas secretary of state found “no evidence” of racial disparities in turnout due to ID laws. Trump’s call to pick up five seats was a political strategy, not proof of racial animus. The 2020 Census awarded Texas two new congressional seats, reflecting genuine population growth. As Trump explained to CBS News, “No, no. Just a very simple redrawing. We pick up five seats.” Yes, redistricting can be abused. But the claims that Trump and Texas were engaging in racial gerrymandering and overexaggerate figures to fit a narrative was absurd. The entire transcript is below. Click "expand" to read. CNN NewsNight With Abby Phillip July 15, 2025 10:35:08 PM ET ABBY PHILLIP: The last time Donald Trump tried to redraw a map, he did it with a Sharpie. This time he wants to do it for the ballot box. The President is telling Texas to essentially blow up their congressional maps to find as many as five seats for Republicans ahead of the midterms. [SCREEN WIPE TO INTERVIEW] PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: …five. I think we get five, and there could be some other states. We're going to get another three or four or five in addition. Texas would be the biggest one, and that'll be fine. ED O’KEEFE (CBS News): So are you– are you calling in for a complete redrawing of the congressional map? TRUMP: No, no. Just a very simple redrawing. We pick up five seats. [Transition] A couple of other states where we'll pick up seats also. [CUT TO LIVE] PHILLIP: Democrats are calling the move desperate and unconstitutional. [SCREEN WIPE TO PRESS CONFERENCE] HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES (NY-D): In this country, public servants should earn the votes of the people that they hope to represent. What Republicans are trying to do in Texas is to have politicians choose their voters to undermine free and fair elections. [BACK TO LIVE] PHILLIP: So what does it signify that Republicans, ahead of the midterms, believe that– that it's going to be so necessary to get an upper hand that they have to actually redraw an entire state's congressional maps in order to get five seats out of it? SCOTT JENNINGS: Well, probably the same thing that it signifies when they did it in Illinois and got a 14-3 delegation for D's, Maryland seven to one, Massachusetts nine to zero. We know what happened here in New York, California– even though they have a commission, we all know what goes on there. PHILLIP: In the– JENNINGS: All these blue states– PHILLIP: In the mid-cycles specifically– JENNINGS: All these blue states– PHILLIP: Are all of those cases in mid-cycles? JENNINGS: All of these cases are where Democrats use the power they have– PHILLIP: Yeah but– JENNINGS: –to give them an advantage. PHILLIP: But just to be clear, because I– I didn't do the research that you did in the break here, is it that they're changing it after the actual census process where you're supposed to create a, you know, you're supposed to go through the congressional redistricting process? JENNINGS: Does it matter? PHILLIP: It kinda does. [CROSSTALK] PHILLIP: I think that’s the whole point is that– JENNINGS: So it's okay for Democrats to lopside these things? – PHILLIP: No, no, no. I meam– look. JENNINGS: these states? Nine-nothing in Massachusetts. PHILLIP: Here’s what I will say about this– JULIE ROGINSKY: Find me a Republican who can get elected in Massachusetts. PHILLIP: You know, Texas actually has done this before. So, you’re right that it’s not new, but the point is, is that it's unusual. And they're doing it because the midterms are coming. And it seems to suggest that there's a weakness that they're anticipating, and they want to get ahead of it. TIFFANY CROSS: It's not just because the midterms are coming. It is because the last census told us that from 2010 to 2020, that 95 percent of Texas's population increase has been because of black and brown people in the state. And so when you redraw the congressional maps, you may have more people voting, but they're voting in gerrymandered congressional districts. This is why I get so frustrated when people say, oh, just hang on until midterms. As if that's going to change anything. This is an example of a long, storied history in this country of manipulating the electoral process. And we're seeing it play out right before our eyes in Texas. It has a-- gerrymandering that is not illegal. Racial gerrymandering certainly is. And this is exactly what's happening, since SCOTUS obliterated Section Three and Section Five of the Voting Rights Act, of which Texas has a long history of violating. (...)    

California deputies responded just before 6 a.m. Monday to a residence in Taft regarding a reported burglary in progress, officials told KGET-TV. Taft is about 45 minutes southwest of Bakersfield.RELATED: Robbers break into home, but resident grabs gun and fires at suspects — leaving 1 dead and 1 wounded: Sheriff Image source: Kern County (Calif.) Sheriff's OfficeThe Kern County Sheriff’s Office told the station that the homeowner confronted an alleged burglar in his backyard in the 300 block of Montview Avenue.'We have the right to defend ourselves.'The alleged burglar — whom investigators later identified as 36-year-old Felix Cortez Villasenor — was said to have charged at the homeowner while holding an unknown object, KGET said.The homeowner also was holding an object — a gun.Deputies said the homeowner shot Villasenor, the station reported.The sheriff's office said Villasenor was airlifted to Kern Medical and was in the intensive care unit as of Tuesday, KGET said.He was absentee-booked into the Kern County Jail on suspicion of first-degree burglary — and on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant, the station said.RELATED: 5 armed thugs force their way into residence, but gun-toting homeowner isn't about to back down The sheriff's office told KGET that investigators will submit the case to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office for review.Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the sheriff's office at 661-861-3110 or call Secret Witness at 661-322-4040, the station said.One commenter under KGET's Facebook post about the incident implored, "Protect everything you own."In reaction to the incident, an area gun store owner told Blaze News on the condition of anonymity that "our stance is that we have the right to defend ourselves. If that firearm was registered to him, and he was the owner, and he was in fear for his life, he has every right to defend himself."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Pastor John MacArthur passed away on July 14 at 86 years old, leaving an indelible mark as a faithful expositor of God’s word.MacArthur’s unwavering commitment to preaching the gospel led him to take a bold stand against cultural and political pressures — including those imposed on California by Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom.“Some people don’t know that he has actually been a boil on the back of Gavin Newsom for a very long time,” BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey reflects on “Relatable.” Before Newsom was the California governor and closing down churches in California — which MacArthur also fought against — the pastor debated him on “Larry King Live.”“I’m a practicing Catholic. I got married in the church,” Newsom said to MacArthur. “I don’t see what we’re doing in terms of advancing the bond of love and monogamy and extending that to families, families of same sex, in any way, shape, or form takes away anything from the church or the sanctity of the union that my wife and I have.”“I would just like to ask the mayor, as a practicing Catholic, do you believe the Bible is the word of God?” MacArthur asked.“With respect, I guess I do,” Newsom answered, after trying to deflect by explaining that he didn’t want to “get in a theological debate.”“Well, then the Bible says when God created man, he said one man, one woman, cleaved together for life. That’s a family. Jesus in the New Testament reaffirms that. All the writers of the Old and the New Testament affirm it. Adultery, bestiality, homosexuality was punishable by death according to the Old Testament law because it was so serious in those early years, because it literally shattered the hope of civilization,” MacArthur countered.“He’s representing the state,” he continued, speaking about Newsom. “He’s coming back and saying, ‘I’m a Catholic, and somehow this fits into my Catholicism.’ And I’m saying, ‘Well, what’s your authority, then?’”“Absolutely right,” Stuckey comments. “Gavin Newsom brought up his Catholicism as a justification for, you know, saying that he’s okay with gay marriage. And then John MacArthur very expertly said, ‘Okay, well, we’ve got a shared authority there. Let’s see what scripture has to say about it.’”“As I said, John MacArthur was really a thorn in Gavin Newsom’s side for a long time,” she adds.Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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There are plenty of reasons to look forward to iOS 26 -- the debut of Apple's new Liquid Glass design language, custom backgrounds for text conversations, and CarPlay upgrades -- but we are here to give you eight more. This week, the Unicode Consortium unveiled the emoji that will arrive as part of the Unicode 17.0 release this fall. It is a fairly eclectic crew, featuring a treasure chest, an apple core, and even Bigfoot. Sadly, they won't join your iPhone's emoji keyboard on day one, but a future iOS 26 update will include all eight. New emoji coming in iOS 26 First, let's take a look at the standard versions of all eight emoji characters that are being added to the Unicode Standard in Unicode 17.0: New emoji coming in the Unicode 17.0 release. Image source: Unicode Here's a full list of the official names of all the new emoji, in case you're curious: Trombone Treasure Chest Distorted Face Apple Core Fight Cloud Ballet Dancers Hairy Creature  Orca Apple always creates its own variations of the emoji before rolling them out to its software. As a result, iPhone owners often have to wait a few months to get their hands on the new characters. The emoji that arrived in Unicode 16.0 didn't hit iPhones until iOS 18.4 launched in March 2025. That was a full six months after Unicode 16.0 was released. Thankfully, this is a much more entertaining set than what we got in Unicode 16.0. I'm not sure when or where I'll use half of them, but I could see "Fight Cloud" becoming a mainstay in group chats with family members. And that "Distorted Face" sure is something. The post Check out the 8 new emoji coming to your iPhone in iOS 26 appeared first on BGR.