The Trump Administration's 'Long-Term' Play
Department of Education, while Alabama is already taking proactive steps to improve its math scores. In 2022, Alabama passed the Numeracy Act, which emphasizes the importance of mathematics in early education. Dr. Karen Anderson, from the Office of Mathematics Improvement at the Alabama State Department of Education, joins us to discuss how her state has enhanced its educational initiatives and the positive results they have seen because of it.
Don't miss the good news with Tonya J. Powers.
Plus, commentary from the host of 'Tomi Lahren is Fearless on Outkick,' Tomi Lahren.
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Yahoo
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- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers approve redistricting map favouring Republicans
Texas legislators have approved new congressional maps designed to give Republicans an edge in next year's elections for the US House of Representatives. After a two-week standoff, where Democrats fled the state to stall the vote and rally supporters against the redistricting plans, Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives passed the new voting lines in an 88-52 vote. The maps will now go to the Texas Senate, where they are expected to be swiftly approved. They create five new Republican-leaning seats that would shore up the party's US House majority in Washington DC. Democratic-led states are pushing to redraw their own maps to offset the Texas ones. President Donald Trump backed redrawing the maps to safeguard a Republican majority in the US House. Republicans hold a slim majority in the upper chamber of Congress, which Democrats aim to win back in the 2026 midterm elections. Wednesday's vote in Texas followed a dramatic showdown as Democrats fled across state lines to deny Republicans the quorum necessary in the state legislative body to take a vote. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, ordered their absent Democrats' arrest, and some of them said law enforcement had monitored their homes while they were gone. The lawmakers returned this week, saying they had achieved their objective of drawing national attention to the matter. In an effort to ensure Democrats would not attempt to halt the vote again, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered the statehouse chamber doors to be locked on Monday. He also said Democrats would be "released into the custody" of a designated police officer to ensure they returned to the statehouse on Wednesday for the redistricting vote. Several Democrats instead ripped up the written agreements that they were required to sign for the police escort. One lawmaker, Nicole Collier, decided to sleep in the chamber rather than be escorted by an officer. In the time since Texas started planning these new voting maps, other states controlled by both political parties - including Florida, New York, Ohio and Missouri - have been weighing similar changes. California lawmakers are currently debating new maps that would give new advantages to Democrats in five districts, which would cancel out changes made in Texas. A key provision in California says the maps would only go into effect if Texas or other states went ahead with changes favouring Republicans. After the vote on Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X: "It's on, Texas." The new maps in Texas sparked uproar over gerrymandering - the redrawing of electoral boundaries to favour a political party - which is practised by both main parties and is legal unless ruled to be racially motivated. Like other states, Texas typically redraws congressional districts once a decade when new population data is released by the US Census. Texas Democrats claimed that redrawing the maps before the next population count in 2030 was being done along racial lines - an argument that has been rejected by Republicans. Voting maps that were approved in 2021 after the last population count are still being litigated over claims of racial discrimination. During one of the many heated exchanges during debate in the Texas statehouse, Republican legislator Todd Hunter, who introduced the redistricting bill, was applauded as he scolded Democrats. "Don't come into this body and say we didn't include you," he said. "You left us for 18 days, and that's wrong." Democrats in the chamber questioned the legality of the maps and accused Republicans of trying to "steal" an election. "Let's talk about cowardice and cheats," Democratic legislator Ann Johnson said. "The root of all of this is around racism and power," she added. "A pure power grab." Democrats and civil rights groups have said the new maps will dilute voting power from minorities, which would violate federal law, and have threatened to sue. Texas Democrats return home after redistricting row California governor unveils voting lines plan to counter Texas Republicans Texas redistricting feud escalates as Democrats face bomb and FBI threats
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Protesters heckle Vance, Hegseth at photo op to thank National Guard troops in DC
As President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Washington continued Wednesday, protesters booed Vice President JD Vance during a photo op with the guardsmen stationed in the city. The protesters jeered Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller as they visited Union Station, blocks from the U.S. Capitol, to thank the troops at a Shake Shack where they bought lunch for the guard members. "Well, a lot has changed in the past seven days," Vance told the troops, referring to when the federal surge against D.C. crime began. "You guys are doing a hell of a job. I'm proud of you and we're grateful," he told the troops. "So, we'll say hello for a bit -- just want to shake some hands and say hey to you guys." "Free D.C.," the protesters shouted as the three officials arrived and then later inside the Shake Shack. The chants drowned out much of what Vance, Hegseth and Miller said as they tried to speak to reporters. MORE: 6th Republican-led state sends National Guard troops to DC as Trump continues law enforcement takeover Vance and Miller dismissed the jeers, calling the protesters "crazy" and "communists." "They appear to hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities," Vance said. Vance was asked why troops were stationed at Union Station instead of parts of the city with higher crime rates. The vice president said the station was being overrun with homeless people and visitors didn't feel safe. "This should be a monument to American greatness," he said. Vance added that he believed that crime statistics do not report the full scope of crime on the streets of the nation's capital. After being met with boos at Union Station, Vance sat down with Fox News Wednesday evening to recap his visit, and criticized those who called the surprise visit a PR stunt. "You've got a lot of national guardsmen over there, some D.C. cops who have been heckled by some of the protesters. So I thought, what a good show of moral support to have the vice president, some of the senior team at the White House show up." At a back-to-school event Wednesday morning, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city doesn't need federal agents to ensure safety in D.C. "Crime has gone down in our city and it has gone down precipitously over the last two years because of a lot of hard work, changes to our public safety ecosystem, including changes to the law," Bowser said. "And we know that those facts don't comport to what some people are saying, but those are the facts." Bowser also said she doesn't believe the National Guard should be used for "law enforcement." "They have to be used on mission specific items that benefit the nation," she said of the guardsmen. However, when asked about how her relationship with President Trump has changed since the start of the year, Bowser said her plan is to "represent the district." Flanked by Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith, Bowser repeatedly deferred to Smith when asked about the city's crime data. The MPD has been collaborative with the federal agencies and so far has developed a congenial relationship with its federal partners, according to Smith. Smith also acknowledged having federal agents spread throughout the city has been helpful to the city's police force. "Hearing from the officers on the street, some of them have found it to be very helpful, some people in the community have found it to be very helpful," she said. ABC News' Arthur Jones II contributed to this report.
NBC News
9 minutes ago
- NBC News
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil's federal police said that messages found on the telephone of embattled former president Jair Bolsonaro showed that at one point he wanted to flee to Argentina and request political asylum, according to documents seen Wednesday by the Associated Press. Bolsonaro is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling about an alleged coup attempt and on Wednesday found out he might face another case as police formally accused him and one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, of obstruction of justice in connection with his pending trial. The AP had access to the police investigation, messaging app exchanges, voice messages and reviewed the documents, which were sent to Brazil's Supreme Court. The 170-page police report said that Bolsonaro had drafted a request for political asylum from Argentine President Javier Milei's government dated Feb. 10, 2024. Bolsonaro saved the document two days after authorities searched his home and office as part of an investigation into an alleged coup plot. In a 33-page letter addressed to Milei, Bolsonaro claimed he was being politically persecuted in Brazil. 'I, Jair Messias Bolsonaro, request political asylum from Your Excellency in the Republic of Argentina, under an urgent regime, as I find myself in a situation of political persecution in Brazil and fear for my life,' the former Brazilian leader wrote. Argentina's presidential spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bolsonaro did not make comments about the investigation either. On Feb. 12, Bolsonaro reportedly spent two nights at the Hungarian Embassy in Brasília, fueling speculation among critics that he may have been attempting to avoid arrest. Brazilian federal police investigators also said in their report that Bolsonaro's decision to ignore precautionary measures established for his house arrest and spread content to his allies 'sought to directly hit Brazilian democratic institutions, notably the Supreme Court and even Brazil's Congress.' With regards to Wednesday's obstruction of justice accusations, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a lawmaker who has lived in the United States, said in a statement that he 'never aimed at interfering in any ongoing proceedings in Brazil.' He added the conversations with his father that are part of the investigation are 'absolutely normal' and its publication has a political bias. Silas Malafaia, an evangelical pastor who is a staunch ally of Bolsonaro's, was also targeted by police. He had his passport seized by investigators but was not formally accused of obstruction of justice. Several messages exchanged between Bolsonaro and his son show their interest in praising U.S. President Donald Trump to affect legal proceedings in Brazil. Last month, Trump imposed 50% tariffs on some Brazilian exports and claimed the trial of the former president was the main reason for his sanctions. 'You won't have time to reverse the situation if the guy here turns his back on you. Everything here is very touchy, every little thing affects you,' Eduardo Bolsonaro told his father in one of the exchanges. 'In today's situation, you don't even need to worry about jail; you won't be arrested. But I'm afraid things will change here (in the United States). Even inside the White House, there are people telling (Trump): 'OK, Brazil is gone. Let's move on',' Eduardo Bolsonaro said. Some exchanges also show frictions sauced with expletives between father and son. Eduardo, who moved to the U.S. earlier this year despite holding a seat in Brazil's congress, calls Bolsonaro 'ungrateful' for his efforts to influence the Trump administration in their favor.
