WASHINGTON (AP) — Alabama on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to allow it to use a congressional map favoring Republicans in this year’s elections, despite a lower court’s ruling that the redistricting plan intentionally discriminates against Black people.

The state’s Republican leadership filed an emergency appeal with the justices a day after a three-judge court refused to let the state use a map it adopted three years ago that has a majority Black population in just one of its seven congressional districts.

The judges instead required Alabama to continue using a court-ordered map that was put in place for the 2024 elections that includes two districts where Black residents comprise a majority or close to it.

Attorney General Steve Marshall told the court that the state did not intentionally discriminate against Black residents and should be allowed to hold elections this year under a map chosen by lawmakers, not judges.

The appeal is the latest development in the fallout from last month’s Supreme Court ruling that struck down a Black-majority district in Louisiana and weakened the federal Voting Rights Act. That ruling has led Republicans in several Southern states, including Alabama, to take steps to reshape voting districts with large minority populations that have elected Democrats.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant, who had a central role in the “Friends” star’s descent into ketamine addiction and injected him with the fatal dose of the drug, was sentenced Wednesday to three years and five months in prison.

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence to 60-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa in federal court in Los Angeles. He was also sentenced to two years of probation and a $10,000 fine.

It was the fifth and final sentencing in the 2 1/2-year investigation and prosecution that followed Perry’s death at age 54 on Oct. 28, 2023.

“You were privy to his struggle with addiction,” Judge Garnett said before handing down the sentence. “Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death.”

The sentence was exactly what prosecutors had sought, though Garnett disagreed on some of the details. She found that Iwamasa did not abuse a position of trust, which could’ve brought more prison time.

and she said “there is no hard evidence that you acted with malicious intent, though some would disagree.”

Iwamasa was at Perry’s side through the final days of his life, acting as the actor’s enabler, drug messenger and de facto doctor. He was the last person to see Perry alive, and he was the one who found him dead in his Jacuzzi.

He was the first person to reach a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty in August of 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death, and became their most important witness.

Iwamasa’s lawyer Alan Eisner argued for a six month prison term with six months of home confinement, emphasizing he was always acting at the direction of a boss with much more power than he had.

“His loyalty to Mr. Perry was paramount,” Eisner told the judge. “He worshipped Mr. Perry, he looked up to Mr. Perry. All he did was please and accommodate Mr. Perry.”

When Eisner said Iwamasa was unable to act differently than he did, the judge cut him off and said: “Unwilling. Not unable. He could have said no.”

Perry’s family members, some of whom may speak in court, made it clear in letters to the judge that there is no one they blame for his death more than Iwamasa — a longtime friend they thought would help the actor maintain sobriety but instead indulged the worst impulses of a lifelong addict.

“Mathew trusted Kenny. We trusted Kenny. Kenny’s most important job — by far — was to be my son’s companion and guardian in his fight against addiction,” wrote Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison. “We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.”

Perry’s family members, some of whom may speak in court, made it clear in letters to the judge that there is no one they blame for his death more than Iwamasa — a longtime friend they thought would help the actor maintain sobriety but instead indulged the worst impulses of a lifelong addict.

“Matthew trusted Kenny. We trusted Kenny. Kenny’s most important job — by far — was to be my son’s companion and guardian in his fight against addiction,” wrote Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison. “We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.”

Perry had hired Iwamasa in 2022, and he was paying him $150,000 a year to live at his Los Angeles home and act as his assistant.

The actor had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally for depression, an increasingly common off-label use. But he wanted more than his doctor would give him.

According to Iwamasa’s plea agreement, he bought off-the-books ketamine from another doctor, Salvador Plasencia, who taught him how to inject it. Plasencia was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in July.

Iwamasa also began buying ketamine from Perry acquaintance Erik Fleming, who was getting it from a street dealer. Fleming was sentenced to two years in prison two weeks ago.

The dealer, Jasveen Sangha, dubbed “The Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years on April 8.

In the final days of Perry’s life, Iwamasa was injecting him six to eight times per day. On Oct. 23, 2023, he shot the 54-year-old actor full of a large dose and left to run errands. He returned to find Perry dead in the Jacuzzi. The LA County Medical Examiner found that ketamine was the primary cause of death. Drowning was a secondary cause.

At first, Iwamasa lied to police, omitting ketamine from the list of medications Perry was using, and saying nothing about his injections. But when investigators served a search warrant in January of 2024, he began coming clean.

Perry became one of the biggest stars of his generation along with Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow on “Friends,” NBC’s megahit sitcom that ran from 1994 to 2004.

Jakub Mensik collapsed on court after his second-round win and Novak Djokovic sweltered for almost four hours as players were made to work hard on another hot Paris day at the French Open.

Temperatures reached the mid-30s in Celsius as the heatwave in France continued.

Mensik, 20, was overcome with emotion and cramp as he fell to the floor after beating Argentina’s Mariano Navone 6-3 2-6 6-4 1-6 7-6 (13-11) in four hours and 40 minutes.

The Czech – whose flashes of brilliance in his young career have been beset by injury – was struggling to move and needed eight match points to close out victory.

After he fell the floor, opponent Navone crossed the net to congratulate him and also help him up, but Mensik was unable to move.

The 26th seed lay on the floor for several minutes and was attended to by a number of medical staff, who placed ice packs on his head, neck and chest to help.

An ice pack was also laid on the floor for Mensik to rest his head on like a pillow.

Eventually, Mensik was helped to his feet and was able to walk off court, only to struggle again as he headed towards the locker room.

He was then placed in a wheelchair and taken away – it remains to be seen if he will recover for his third-round match against eighth seed Alex de Minaur on Friday.

Mensik was competing on one of the outer courts at Roland Garros, which offer no shade.

“It’s the boats, the immigrants, every conversation I’m having with everybody is about that,” says Brian McKay, speaking in Worsley Mesnes in Wigan.

He’s not the first person in the area to mention the issue – it’s a hot topic in this area, which is part of the Makerfield constituency.

While speaking to voters brings up a raft of local issues that people want sorted out, immigration comes up again and again.

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Brian, who moved to this corner of Makerfield from his native Scotland in 1972, said it is the number one issue which could sway votes in the crunch by-election being held on June 18.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “If you’re asking who I would vote for, I’ve already done a postal vote, a change is as good as a rest, so I voted for Reform.

“I don’t know if they’re going to be good enough, they’re not tried and tested, but we’ve had a Labour government in, and they’re making a right hash of things, we’ve had a Conservative government in, we’ve had Brexit, no improvement whatsoever, so Reform I voted for.

“I hope I don’t regret it.”

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Immigration isn’t the first thing Brian mentioned. He thinks there are issues with drugs and alcoholism in the area, and feels there has been a loss of local shops. He also points to different ways that he thinks the council could be spending money to fix the roads.

But when asked what the biggest issue which could sway how people vote in the Makerfield by-election, Brian said straight away: “Nobody is doing anything about immigration, they talk about it a lot, but nothing is ever happening.

“I’m sick of hearing ‘we’ll do this, we’ll do that, we’ll do the next thing’, but they’re still coming over and over and over and over.”

He later added: “I’m not racist by any means, but I can see the problem, most people can see the problem, I don’t know why Labour or the Conservatives can’t see the problem, because they’re coming over by the boat load.”

Polls suggest the Makerfield by-election could be close. Labour and Reform UK appear to be both in the running to win the race.

But voters in the constituency keep saying that the election could be decided by what the candidates say about immigration.

Worsley Mesnes Community Centre sits on Clifton Street. A woman is sitting outside in her car, waiting for her partner and son inside.

She doesn’t give her name, but asked about the election, she says: “I’m not very political, I’m not sure how I’ll vote.

“I live on the estate over there, and everyone is talking about immigration and voting Reform.

“I don’t know enough about it to know if that’s right, but it’s what everyone is saying.”

Bob Shearer is parked outside the community centre in Worsley Mesnes after dropping off his daughter.

He lives in Ashton-in-Makerfield, and is planning to vote for Reform UK in the by-election as a protest vote.

Asked about the key local issues, he says: “Rented housing is certainly in shortage, we are building rented houses but who is getting them?

“I’m not going to use the racism word, because it may not be them, but unfortunately there’s not enough houses to rent, especially for single people and young couples, families with children, there’s just the lack of rented accommodation.

“That’s the government who have taken some perks away from the landlords, who need an incentive to buy a house and rent it out.

“Put too many restrictions, like the latest ones, you’re bound to get shortages. There will be no point in being a landlord.”

A short drive down the road families were gathering at the Three Sisters Nature Reserve in Bryn.

The sun was out and children were enjoying the playground as their parents and grandparents watched on.

Julie Ellis, 51, was one of those making the most of the good weather. She’s got three grown up children and six grandchildren.

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She said: “I’ve not decided how I’m going to vote yet, I just don’t know. A lot of people are talking about Reform or Labour, but I think you need to know what they are planning to do.

“Someone from The Times came into the salon in Ashton recently and asked us about it, but it can be difficult to talk about politics there.

“People will come to their appointment and talk about things like immigration, it does come up a lot.

“As for the things affecting this area, it’s the cost of living, how difficult everything is. Some of my family are teachers, they’re working every given hour of the day and they still can’t get on the housing ladder.

“It does make you feel angry about it all.”

Sharon Hardman, 56, is also from Ashton and is at the park with her daughter and grandchildren.

She said: “There are families in this area who are struggling. A lot of people rely on places like this because it’s free to go to.

“I would say there are some families who can’t afford to feed their kids in this area, it’s a big problem.”

Mohamed Nassar, a Tesco security guard, is critically ill in hospital after choking and suffering a cardiac arrest during his shift

A Tesco security guard is critically ill in hospital after suffering brain damage following a choking incident during his shift, his family has said.

Mohamed Nassar, 58, was working at the Tesco Express store on New Bailey Street in Salford, close to Manchester city centre, on May 8 when the tragic incident occurred.

The dad of three was on a break when he began choking on a doughnut and suffered a cardiac arrest, his family say. Paramedics attended the scene and eventually managed to resuscitate him.

However, his heart stopped for a total of 23 minutes and his heartbroken loved ones say they have been told he has been left severely brain damaged as a result, the Manchester Evening News reports.

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Mr Nassar and his family, moved to Manchester from London in 2020 and live in Ardwick. Previously a musician, he is employed by a third party security company for whom he has worked for around five years.

His 23-year-old son Seif Abdelwaneis said his mum, Nancy Elkarnshawy, and his sisters Nariman, 28, and Malak, 14, were left in a state of shock when they received a phone call telling them he had collapsed at work.

“It was very emotional finding this out” Seif said. “Especially for my mum, she was crying a lot. We went straight to the hospital.”

Mr Nassar is currently on life support in intensive care, where he is undergoing tests to determine the extent of his brain damage. Doctors have told his family that it will be ‘very difficult’ for him to survive, Seif said. His family are keeping a regular vigil at his bedside at the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI).

Seif described his dad as “the kindest person”. “He would do anything to help people” he said.

“He’s very outgoing, very social. All the customers know him and have a good relationship with him. He’s known for helping them and carrying their bags and things like that. But more than anything he’s a very loving dad. He cares so deeply about his family.

“All his friends and colleagues have said that, that all he ever talked about was us. He spent so much time with my little sister. He had also become a grandad as well and loved that.”

Mr Nassar was the family’s sole provider and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help support them financially as they navigate “the most devastating time of their lives”. For more information and to donate click here.

The French vistors enjoyed golf, camaraderie and visits to many cultural and beauty spots.

Bothwell residents recently welcomed visitors from their twin town Jouy-en-Josas in France.

Last month, the golf section of the twinning group participated in a few days of golf, camaraderie and visits to many cultural and beauty spots in Scotland.

The visitors from France arrived on Wednesday, May 13. Teams from both Bothwell and Jouy participated in a friendly golf competition on Thursday, while the non – golfers enjoyed a visit to Edinburgh.

The day ended with dinner at Bothwell Castle Golf Club to which the visiting president and vice-president of the Jouy twinning committee, were invited.

Friday saw teams competing again, at Glasgow Gailes Golf Club, where the French guests appreciated playing a links course. Those not golfing made a trip to the New Lanark Heritage Museum, followed by shopping at the Glenmuir golf retail outlet.

The evening saw Barbara and Jim Jordan open their doors to provide over 40 people, French and Scots, with an informal buffet and light entertainment.

Traditionally, Saturday is a free day and hosts and guests decide on the day’s activities/visits. This time, the ‘grand finale’ was the prize-giving dinner at Glasgow Golf Club, where the winners of the golf competitions were cheered wildly as they received their well -earned rewards.

A spokesperson for the Bothwell section of the twinning said: “The guests returned to France on Sunday having experienced true Scottish hospitality and friendship, promising us a warm welcome for a return trip in 2028.

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“The visit this year marks 33 years of golf exchange and 50 years of the signing of the twinning charter in Jouy in December 1976. Long may the twinning continue.

“We owe a special thanks to Tunnock’s for their generosity in providing us with biscuits and tea cakes for a welcome gift bag, and to both Bothwell Castle Golf Club and Glasgow Golf Club who impressed our French guests with such outstanding ambience, service and cuisine.”

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Shocking images capture the level of litter left on this and two other Welsh beaches after thousands headed to them to enjoy the hot weather

Visitors and locals were left horrified by the amount of rubbish abandoned on popular beaches across Wales following the May bank holiday weekend.

As temperatures soared to levels comparable to the Mediterranean, thousands flocked to coastal hotspots including Langland Bay, Coney Beach and Rhos-on-Sea to enjoy the sunshine. However, the scenes left behind have sparked outrage, with overflowing bins, discarded barbecues, broken bottles and piles of litter strewn across beaches and sand dunes.

Lee-Ann Thomas, who visited Langland Bay on Tuesday morning (May 26), described the aftermath as “the worst” she had ever seen. “The beach was literally covered – it’s the worst I’ve seen,” she said.

“I consider myself a local. I was born in Swansea and grew up visiting beaches like Langland, Caswell, Three Cliffs and Pobbles. Although I moved away for university and work, we still visit several times a year and usually stay in Langland overlooking the beach.

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“On Tuesday morning I could see litter from our balcony, but it wasn’t until I came down to the beach that I realised how widespread it was. It looked like there had been a festival. I was utterly disgusted and heartbroken that people think it’s okay to treat a beautiful beach like this.”

Ms Thomas said larger bins near the beach steps were overflowing, with rubbish piled beside them, despite smaller bins along the walkway not being full.

“I feel littering has been getting worse,” she added. “There have been a lot of young people on the beach in the evenings and fires burning, but I don’t believe they created all the mess.”

Unable to ignore the scenes, Ms Thomas began collecting rubbish herself using abandoned carrier bags she found on the beach. “The first thing I did was take photos, then I started filling up bags with rubbish and carrying them to the bins,” she said. “I filled nine bags before someone told me the council had arrived.”

Amongst the waste collected were soft drinks cans, alcohol bottles – some smashed – takeaway containers, half-eaten food, vapes, tissues, towels, clothing and disposable barbecues.

“Some of this junk will have washed out to sea,” she said. “If you have litter, whether it’s takeaway packaging or something you brought with you, put it in a bin or take it home. It’s your responsibility to clean up after yourself.”

Similar scenes were reported in Porthcawl, where crowds gathered at Coney Beach and Newton Beach during the bank holiday weekend. Overflowing bins, abandoned plastic bottles, cans and barbecue waste were left scattered across the shoreline.

Local litter-picking group, Porthcawl Wombles, said they were working alongside Bridgend County Borough Council to tackle the growing problem.

On Coney Beach and Newton Beach, the group found bags of litter in their dozens surrounding already overflowing bins. Plastic bottles and cans were also found strewn across the sand.

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In a statement, the group said: “We are working in collaboration with Bridgend Council and we do not blame them. But we are blaming the teenagers coming down drinking alcohol and mindless families leaving all their beach stuff and nappies behind.

“We need bins on beaches, enforcement, fines, signage and police patrols in the evenings.” For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

Meanwhile, residents in Rhos-on-Sea also reported overflowing bins and litter strewn across nearby sand dunes, with one person stating that there was “so much” litter on the beach, noting that there was more than they could take pictures of.

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The mounting frustration of locals was echoed by councils.

A spokesperson from Swansea Council said: “Like our other beaches, Langland Bay beach is cleaned every morning and litter teams have been on duty in the area throughout the bank holiday.

“We are working extremely hard over the summer to keep our beaches clean and we’ve recruited 13 extra staff to help us do that. So it’s disappointing to see the condition it’s sometimes left in by a minority of selfish individuals.

“We are playing our part to keep beaches clean and it’s frustrating that there are people who are making this task even harder. If you are visiting the beach, please use litter bins provided, and if litter bins are full then please take your rubbish home with you.”

A Bridgend County Borough Council spokesman, added: “Coney Beach is cleansed daily by our council staff and we would also like to thank volunteers and community groups such as the Wombles for their support in keeping our coastline and beaches clean and safe for everyone to enjoy.

“Additional litter bins have been installed in the area and while they can fill up quickly, they are also emptied on a regular basis by our crews.

“We regularly encourage all visitors to dispose of their litter and waste appropriately or to consider taking home where possible. It’s also important that any disposable barbecues are not left on our beaches as these can remain warm for many hours after use and are a risk to other visitors. These can be placed in our fireproof barbecue bins.”