Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman.
Chapter 2: What recent Supreme Court ruling affects Louisiana's voting map?
The Supreme Court this week ruled that Louisiana's voting map is unconstitutional and that ruling is weak in protections for minority voting power. Leslie Burl McLemore is an emeritus professor at Jackson State University and was a student civil rights leader in the early 1960s. He says the country wasn't a real democracy until 1965, and now it seems to be moving in the wrong direction again.
Of course, progress has been made throughout the country, but racism is still very alive and well. As one of my college roommates used to say, in the American South now, some whites will smile at your face and stab you in the back. So it is not as blatant as it was when I was growing up in Mississippi, but clearly we have a problem in this country.
Louisiana officials suspended congressional races this week after that Supreme Court ruling. As Aubrey Juhasz of member station WWNO reports, candidates and voters are now challenging that decision.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed in federal and state courts. Plaintiffs argue Louisiana's governor doesn't have the authority to cancel elections and challenge the move on procedural grounds.
Chapter 3: How does Leslie Burl McLemore view democracy's progress since 1965?
Absentee ballots have already been distributed and in some cases returned. In a statement, Louisiana's attorney general said the state had to suspend House races after the Supreme Court ruled its current map an unconstitutional gerrymander. And a lower court told the state this week it can't use the map for any election.
The governor's executive order asks the legislature to approve a new map quickly so House primaries can be held in time for the November election. Early voting starts Saturday. For NPR News, I'm Aubrey Juhasz in New Orleans.
More than 2,600 people from 150 countries were supposed to travel to Zambia this week for RightsCon to talk about human rights and technology. But now that's been canceled. And as NPR's Emily Fang reports, conference organizers say it's because of pressure from Chinese officials.
Last week, China and Zambia signed a new economic development agreement. And two days later, even though conference organizers say that they'd received a public endorsement from the Zambian government, things changed. A Zambian government official told organizers that Chinese diplomats were objecting to the attendance of people from Taiwan, the island China one day wants to control.
And this week, Zambia canceled the event. China's embassy in Washington, D.C. did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier last month, Taiwan's president canceled travel to Africa after several countries he needed to fly through revoked Taiwan's use of their airspace, a decision Taiwan blamed on Chinese pressure. Emily Fang, NPR News.
Wall Street finished mixed but mostly up on Friday. The Nasdaq rose nine-tenths of a percent while the S&P 500 finished up three-tenths. The Dow Jones Industrials, though, dropped three-tenths of a percent. You're listening to NPR News. President Trump Friday said he will increase tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union next week to 25% in a social media post.
He said the EU is not following a trade deal signed last year between the U.S. and the EU. Some economists say the move could damage the world economy even more. Thousands of public school teachers marched through downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, Friday as part of a May Day event. May Day is honored across the country with demonstrations for workers' solidarity and economic equality.
The State Teachers Association organized that event. Liz Schlemmer from member station WUNC reports.
The line of educators wrapped for blocks as they circled the state legislature. Nearly two dozen school districts closed to students because of the number of school employees who requested leave. The North Carolina Association of Educators organized the protest to call for better school funding and pay.
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Chapter 4: What challenges are candidates facing after the suspension of congressional races in Louisiana?
While Todd Pletcher-trained Renegade opened as a 4-1 favorite, several other horses are considered to be strong contenders. It's the 152nd running of the fabled race. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.
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