Delaware ex-Gov. Mike Castle, who championed 50 State Quarters Program while in Congress, dies at 86
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Winnipeg Free Press
40 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The next steps in California Democrats' plan to counter Texas Republicans' redistricting push
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is the first Democratic-led state to wade into a brewing national redistricting fight after President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to draw new maps to maintain the party's slim U.S. House majority after the 2026 midterm elections. The Texas plan was temporarily stalled when minority Democrats left the state to stop the Legislature from passing any bills, but some lawmakers said they'll return to Texas now that California is moving forward with its counter act. Both parties hope to add five seats for their side. Here's what happens next in California: Legislative approval Lawmakers will return to the Capitol on Monday after summer break and plan to immediately take up the partisan plan. State Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers — enough to act without any Republican votes — and Newsom has said he's not worried about winning the required support from two-thirds of lawmakers to advance the maps. Lawmakers will hold hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday on a package of bills to establish the new congressional map, declare a Nov. 4 special election and authorize to reimburse local government for the costs. Elections committees in both houses are asking for public feedback on the proposed map, but it's unlikely any changes would be made after the bills are officially introduced Monday. Amendments to any legislation would require a 72-hour wait before a vote. That would jeopardize Democrats' plan to approve the package by Thursday to give elections officials enough time to prepare ballots for a statewide election in November. State leaders already have blown past deadlines designed to give local officials adequate time for organizing an election. Special elections are costly California sends every voter a mail-in ballot roughly a month before each election. That means local officials have less than two months to prepare and print ballots. They're already preparing. On Friday, a coalition of county officials urged the Legislature to provide money in advance, because many counties are cash-strapped, and officials worry they won't have enough money to administer the election. A 2021 special election cost over $200 million to conduct. State Republicans this week estimated this year's would cost $235 million. Democrats chose Nov. 4 for the election because Los Angeles County and others are already holding local elections that day. An intense campaign Newsom is leading the campaign in favor of the maps. He and Democrats signaled Thursday they'll make the effort a referendum on Trump and tie it to the future of American democracy. Perhaps the most prominent opponent will be former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who championed the state's independent redistricting commission during his time in office. On Friday, he posted a photo of himself lifting weights on social media wearing a T-shirt that called to 'terminate gerrymandering,' a nod to his role in the 'Terminator' movies. Republican donor Charles Munger Jr., who spent tens of millions to support the California ballot initiative that gives redistricting power to an independent commission, also plans to 'vigorously defend' nonpartisan redistricting, his spokesperson said. State Republicans say the move is a power grab by Democrats and some have vowed to go to court. Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for governor, earlier this month paid for a legal opinion that says redistricting outside of the normal process and cycle violates the California Constitution. The new map wouldn't be fair because state lawmakers are relying on outdated population data, he said. Common Cause, a good governance group that supports independent redistricting, initially opposed California's effort but this week reversed its stance. The group said it won't challenge partisan redistricting in California if the effort is approved by voters, among other criteria. A temporary change California voters in 2010 gave the power to draw congressional maps to an independent commission, with the goal of making the process less partisan. The commission last redrew maps following the 2020 census, and the maps were in place for the 2022 and 2024 U.S. House elections. Newsom and Democratic leaders say they'll ask voters to approve their new maps only for the next few elections. They say they'll return map-drawing power to the commission following the 2030 census. The new map would take effect only if a Republican state moves forward with new maps.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. legislator shocked by American senator's ‘nonsense' pitch to join U.S.
VICTORIA – A British Columbia legislator says he went from 'disappointed' to 'enraged' after receiving a pitch from a Republican state senator for Canada's four western provinces to join the United States. Brennan Day, with the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, says his office had to first confirm the authenticity of the 'nonsense' letter from Maine Sen. Joseph Martin after receiving it last week. He says the most shocking part of the letter was its attack on Canadian institutions, like the Charter of Rights, federalism, multiculturalism, and the dismissal of those cornerstones as 'political baggage.' Day says Martin needs to look at 'how heavy his luggage' is, and his party is 'hauling around wheeled trunks' of baggage in the United States where the Constitution is 'being torn up by Republicans.' Day says it's not clear why Martin wrote him, but suspects it might be 'some of the rhetoric' coming out of Alberta that led him to believe British Columbians would also be interested. Martin's pitch says if B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were to seek admission to the United States, it must be as full American states. He says entry would not be in the form of annexation, but adoption, and the welcoming home of 'kindred spirits who were born under a different flag.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
‘Enough with the fighting': Russians hope for summit breakthrough
A traditional Russian Matryoshka doll depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump is displayed for sale at a souvenir shop in Moscow, Russia on Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) In a Moscow tourist shop, Russian nesting dolls featuring the faces of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump line up next to each other -- the Russian leader standing slightly taller than his American counterpart. Hopes are high in the Russian capital that Friday's summit in Alaska will bring the two men even closer together -- paving the way to ending the conflict with Ukraine, triggered by Moscow's February 2022 military offensive. 'I think that positive decisions will be taken at the summit. The war that is going on will end,' said Boris, a 60-year-old tax inspector walking along Moscow's famed Arbat street. After a series of phone calls, the presidents will meet face-to-face for the first time since Trump returned to the White House in a high-stakes summit to see if a deal can be struck to end the fighting. Nerves are high in Ukraine, which is not invited to the summit, and across Europe that Trump will undercut Kyiv and offer Putin a favourable deal. The Russian leader has already rejected multiple calls for a ceasefire, including directly from Trump, and has outlined a string of hardline territorial demands from Ukraine if it wants the Russian army to halt its advance. But pensioner Gennady, 85, is among those hopeful this time will be different. 'Enough with the fighting. It's time to reach an agreement,' he told AFP. 'The people of America, Ukraine and Russia, they are peaceful people, and they want peace in the world,' said Irina, a 65-year-old teacher. Trump has spent months trying to broker an end to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands, destroyed much of southern and eastern Ukraine and forced millions to flee their homes. Russia US Summit Face masks depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin hang for sale at a souvenir shop in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) 'Nothing particularly good' But not everyone in Moscow believes a breakthrough is possible. 'If I'm being a realist, nothing particularly good is expected,' said Vladimir, 69. 'The only thing this summit can achieve is that at some point they will find some kind of way to halt some of the fighting. In the air or at sea maybe,' he added. 'But on the whole, of course there will be no end to the hostilities. The two sides have completely opposite positions,' he added. Putin has also repeatedly pointed to the gulf in positions between Moscow and Kyiv. Moscow wants Ukraine to cede more territory, renounce its Western military backing and give up on NATO membership. Kyiv says it will never accept territorial concessions and wants tough Western-backed security guarantees and troops on the ground to enforce any ceasefire -- demands already rejected by the Kremlin. Amid the uncertainty, even those selling the matryoshka dolls were hedging their bets. 'Maybe next week we'll have one with Putin and Trump together,' said a saleswoman at one shop. 'It all depends on the outcome of the summit.'
