US News: Democrats Walk Out Over GOP's New Texas Voting Map Texas Redistricting Crisis
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
24 minutes ago
- NDTV
Analysis: In High-Stakes Summit, Trump, Not Putin, Budges
Donald Trump wanted to go bold -- a high-pomp, high-stakes summit with Vladimir Putin to test whether the Russian leader would compromise on the Ukraine war. In the end, it looks like it was Trump, not Putin, who budged. Putin, visibly delighted as he stepped foot in the West for the first time since ordering the 2022 invasion, made no apparent concession at the talks at an Alaska air base. In a brief joint media appearance with Trump, who unusually took no questions, Putin again spoke of addressing the "root causes" of the Ukraine war and warned Kyiv and Europeans against disrupting "emerging progress" with the United States, the top defender of Ukraine under Trump's predecessor Joe Biden. Trump, who bills himself as a master negotiator, acknowledged there was "no deal" but said there were "very few" areas of disagreement, although he was vague on what they were. But posting hours later on his Truth Social account, Trump said he wanted Russia and Ukraine to "go directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war" and not a ceasefire. Trump's own administration had been pushing a ceasefire for months, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signing on after intense pressure from Trump. Putin had repeatedly rejected truce offers and kept up attacks on Ukraine, seeking to maximize battlefield advantage. Putin Again Woos Trump Trump had vowed to be firm with Putin after wide criticism of the US president's cowed appearance before him at a 2018 summit in Helsinki. But Putin again found ways to flatter and trigger Trump, who in his second term constantly speaks unprompted about his many grievances. Putin told Trump before the cameras that there would have been no war -- which Putin himself launched -- if Trump were president in 2022 rather than Biden, a frequent Trump talking point. Trump bemoaned the effect on ties with Putin of what he again called the "hoax" of the findings by US intelligence that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help him. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity after the summit, Trump said that "one of the most interesting things" Putin told him was about... the US voting system. Trump said approvingly that Putin -- who has held power in Russia since 2000 and was declared the winner of elections last year with 88 percent of the vote -- told him of the risks of mail-in ballots and said of Trump's 2020 loss to Biden, "You won that election by so much." US election authorities and experts have found no evidence of wide-scale fraud from mail-in ballots in the 2020 election, which Trump, uniquely in US history, refused to concede. 'Shameful' Or Wait And See? Trump's Democratic rivals voiced outrage that the summit secured no breakthrough and said it only served to normalize Putin, who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. "By quite literally rolling out the red carpet, Trump has legitimized Russia's aggression and whitewashed Putin's war crimes. It's shameful," said Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Experts said it was too early to write off the summit completely, as much is not known about what was discussed behind closed doors. Trump will meet Zelensky on Monday at the White House. Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, which backs US restraint, said that Trump's critics have been proven wrong in saying he would "give Ukraine to Putin or force Kyiv to accept surrender." "His focus has been and remains getting Putin to the negotiating table. Mr. Trump deserves credit rather than condemnation for his efforts so far," she said. But Kristine Berzina, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, said an initial read was that "Putin scored a victory by showing up, and Trump's limited words and tense demeanor left Putin to control the narrative." "For a man so attached to showmanship, Trump unusually allowed Putin to be the star of what should have been the Trump show," she said.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
'Stop the Trump Takeover': Thousands protest across 34 states against President Donald-backed redistricting
Thousands of Americans are expected to gather across various cities, towns, and community spaces on August 16 as part of a coordinated National Day of Protest against Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas and beyond, reported The Guardian. President Donald Trump's request to redistrict and add five seats in the red state is currently being considered by Texas Republicans.(AP) According to another CNN report, organizers say more than 200 events in 34 states are taking place under the banner 'Stop the Trump Takeover'. The largest rally is anchored in Austin, Texas, where former Congressman Beto O'Rourke, labor leader Dolores Huerta, and other prominent speakers are scheduled to address demonstrators at the State Capitol. Also Read: Trump softens stance on India, China tariffs? What he said after meeting Putin Texas at the center of the protests The wave of protests comes as Texas Republicans consider a mid-decade redistricting plan, reportedly at President Donald Trump's request, that could hand the GOP five new congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterms. In response, Texas House Democrats fled the state earlier this month to prevent a quorum and block the vote. They have demanded that Republicans end their special session and that Democrats in California advance their own offsetting maps before returning. According to CNN, the event page for the Austin rally stated, 'Texas is being used as a testing ground for extremist policies and partisan games that do not reflect our values.' Anti-Trump protests will be held from Texas to California The fight, The Guardian report added, has spilled beyond Texas. California Governor Gavin Newsom was quoted as saying that Democrats will push forward with their own redistricting plan, which will add five Democratic seats, but only if Republican states advance their efforts. Per the report, Democrats have argued that Trump and his allies are attempting to 'rig the system' by redrawing congressional maps. Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, was quoted as saying that Trump knows he cannot win on his ideas and is changing the rules. The DNC is helping coordinate the demonstrations. Inside the nationwide protests against Trump While the main spotlight is on Austin, demonstrations are spreading across the United States. Protestors are gathering at Central Park in New York City, and organizers are painting banners and signs across the city in Washington, DC. Protestors have planned 'Bridge brigades' across 16 bridges in North Carolina, including in Raleigh and Durham. Meanwhile, California will see creative protests in locations like a Tesla showroom in Palo Alto. Moreover, in Florida, Missouri, and Ohio, rallies are expected to be held in Sarasota, Jefferson City, and Cincinnati. Apart from speeches, events include teach-ins, banner drops, art-making, and musical performances. Also Read: Photos: Protesters oppose Putin's warm welcome on US soil, Alaskan summit with Trump Drucilla Tigner, executive director of the Texas For All coalition, framed the Trump Takeover protests as part of a broader struggle. He told CNN that even though the fight began in Texas, it does not end there. Tigner said, 'This isn't just about redistricting or one state's politics. It's about the future of our democracy.' Organizers have stressed a 'commitment to nonviolence' as demonstrations unfold. FAQs Q1. How many Trump Takeover protests are planned today? Over 200 events in 34 states are taking place across the US. Q2. Where is the main protest? The largest protest is scheduled for Austin, Texas, at the State Capitol. Q3. What is at the center of the protests? Protesters are opposing Republican-led redistricting plans in Texas and other states, backed by Donald Trump, that could give the GOP more congressional seats.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
US senator Hawley launches probe into Meta AI policies
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills US Senator Josh Hawley launched a probe into Facebook parent Meta Platforms artificial intelligence policies on Friday, demanding documents on rules that had allowed its artificial intelligence chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual."Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed alarm over the rules outlined in an internal Meta document first reported by Reuters on a Republican from Missouri, chairs the Senate subcommittee on crime and counterterrorism, which will investigate "whether Meta's generative-AI products enable exploitation, deception, or other criminal harms to children, and whether Meta misled the public or regulators about its safeguards," he said in a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg "We intend to learn who approved these policies, how long they were in effect, and what Meta has done to stop this conduct going forward," Hawley declined to comment on Hawley's letter on Friday. The company said previously that "the examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed."In addition to documents outlining those changes and who authorized them, Hawley sought earlier drafts of the policies along with internal risk reports, including on minors and in-person meetups. Reuters reported on Thursday about a retired man who died while traveling to New York on the invitation of a Meta must also disclose what it has told regulators about its generative AI protections for young users or limits on medical advice, according to Hawley's has often criticized Big Tech. He held a hearing in April on Meta's alleged attempts to gain access to the Chinese market which were referenced in a book by former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams.
