Oklahoma to test teachers from New York, California to guard against ‘radical leftist ideology'
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma's public schools superintendent, said Monday that any teacher coming from the two blue states will be required to pass an assessment exam administered by PragerU, an Oklahoma-based conservative nonprofit, before getting a state certification.
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Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Maine senator's letter proposing three provinces join the U.S. is straight-up ignorance combined with arrogance
I hadn't heard of Joseph Martin until five minutes ago, and I bet you hadn't either. Martin is a Republican state senator from a rural corner of Maine, not exactly a power position. Even most Mainers, as they call themselves, would probably have a hard time picking him out of a lineup. But Sen. Martin is suddenly famous, or more accurately notorious, in the inflamed world of Can-Am relations for making what must be the most arrogant, offensive pitch for this country (at least the resource-rich western parts) to join the Great Republic to the South. And that's saying something, given the considerable competition in that space these days.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
India's Modi to meet China's top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with China's top diplomat on Tuesday in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after a yearslong standoff between the Asian powers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border, and resuming some trade there, is expected to be on the agenda. The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China's influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the U.S. along with Australia and Japan. 'Compromise at the highest political level' India and China's decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas. Some progress has been made since then. Last year, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks. In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights. Last week, the spokesman for India's foreign ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3,488-kilometer (2,167-mile) border. Manoj Joshi, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, said relations are still at an uneasy level of normalization. 'Settling the boundary issue between the two countries requires political compromise at the highest political level,' said Joshi, who also served as a member of the advisory board for India's National Security Council. He asserted that the countries are 'still talking past each other when it comes to the border dispute and issues surrounding it.' On Monday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing is willing to take Wang's India visit as an opportunity to work with the Indian side to 'properly handle differences and promote the sustained, sound and stable development of China-India relations.' Mao said Wang's meeting with Modi's national security adviser will 'continue in-depth communication to jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas.' Modi plans to visit China soon The thaw between Beijing and New Delhi began last October when Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at a summit of emerging economies in Russia. It was the first time the leaders had spoken in person since 2019. Modi is set to met Xi when he travels to China late this month — his first visit in seven years — to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional grouping formed by China, Russia and others to counter U.S. influence in Asia. Earlier this year, Xi called for India and China's relations to take the form of a 'dragon-elephant tango' — a dance between the emblematic animals of the countries. Last month, India's external affairs minister visited Beijing in his first trip to China since 2020. The U.S. and Pakistan play roles in the thaw The renewed engagement comes as New Delhi's ties with Trump are fraying. Washington has imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which includes a penalty of 25% for purchasing Russian crude oil. The tariffs take effect Aug. 27. India has shown no sign of backing down, instead signing more agreements with Russia to deepen economic cooperation. Trump's renewed engagement with India's arch rival, Pakistan, has also encouraged New Delhi's overtures to China, said Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who led Indian military's Northern Command from 2014 to 2016. In June, Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief for a White House lunch and later announced an energy deal with Islamabad to jointly develop the country's oil reserves. Both followed Trump's claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the two sides traded military strikes in May. That clash saw Pakistan use Chinese-made military jets and missiles against India. 'China is heavily invested in Pakistan and, practically speaking, you can't have any expectation that Beijing will hold back support to Islamabad,' Hooda said. 'But you can't have two hostile neighbors on your borders and simultaneously deal with them also.' ___ Associated Press writer Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar, India, and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Democrats get police escorts to prevent a new redistricting walkout as California moves to retaliate
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Democrats who ended a walkout found themselves shadowed by law enforcement officers to keep them from repeating the protest that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts and fulfill President Donald Trump's desire to reshape U.S. House maps. Republicans in the Texas House forced returning Democrats to sign what the Democrats called 'permission slips,' agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state Department of Public Safety officers to leave the floor. However, Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier, of Fort Worth, refused and remained on the House floor Monday night. The Democrats' return to Texas puts the Republican-run Legislature in position to satisfy Trump's demands, possibly later this week, as California Democrats advance new congressional boundaries in retaliation. Lawmakers had officers posted outside their Capitol offices, and suburban Dallas Rep. Mihaela Plesa said one tailed her on her Monday evening drive back to her apartment in Austin after spending much of the day on a couch in her office. She said he went with her for a staff lunch and even down the hallway with her for restroom breaks. 'We were kind of laughing about it, to be honest, but this is really serious stuff,' Plesa said in a telephone interview. 'This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and really performative theater.' Collier, who represents a minority-majority district, said she would not 'sign away my dignity' and allow Republicans to 'control my movements and monitor me.' 'I know these maps will harm my constituents,' she said in a statement. 'I won't just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.' 2 states at the center of an expanding fight The tit-for-tat puts the nation's two most populous states at the center of an expanding fight over control of Congress ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The battle has rallied Democrats nationally following infighting and frustrations among the party's voters since Republicans took total control of the federal government in January. Dozens of Texas Democratic lawmakers left for Illinois and elsewhere on Aug. 3, denying their Republican colleagues the attendance necessary to vote on redrawn maps intended to send five more Texas Republicans to Washington. Republicans now hold 25 of Texas' 38 U.S. House seats. They declared victory Friday, pointing to California's proposal intended to increase Democrats' U.S. House advantage by five seats. Many absent Democrats left Chicago early Monday and landed hours later at a private airfield in Austin, where several boarded a charter bus to the Capitol. Cheering supporters greeted them inside. Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows did not mention redistricting on the floor but promised swift action on the Legislature's agenda. 'We aren't playing around,' Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, whose district includes part of the Dallas area, said in a post on the X social media platform. Democrats promise to keep fighting Even as they declared victory, Democrats acknowledged Republicans can now approve redrawn districts. Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu said Democrats would challenge the new designs in court. Lawmakers did not take up any bills Monday and were not scheduled to return until Wednesday. Trump has pressured other Republican-run states to consider redistricting, as well, while Democratic governors in multiple statehouses have indicated they would follow California's lead in response. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said his state will hold a Nov. 4 special referendum on the redrawn districts. The president wants to shore up Republicans' narrow House majority and avoid a repeat of the midterms during his first presidency. After gaining House control in 2018, Democrats used their majority to stymie his agenda and twice impeach him. Nationally, the partisan makeup of existing district lines puts Democrats within three seats of a majority. Of the 435 total House seats, only several dozen districts are competitive. So even slight changes in a few states could affect which party wins control. Redistricting typically occurs once at the beginning of each decade after the census. Many states, including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps. California is among those that empower independent commissions, giving Newsom an additional hurdle. California Democrats start redrawing process Democratic legislators introduced new California maps Monday. It was the first official move toward the fall referendum asking voters to override the independent commission's work after the 2020 census. The proposed boundaries would replace current ones through 2030. Democrats said they will return the mapmaking power to the commission after that. State Republicans promised lawsuits. Democrats hold 43 out of California's 52 U.S. House seats. The proposal would try to expand that advantage by targeting battleground districts in Northern California, San Diego and Orange counties, and the Central Valley. Some Democratic incumbents also get more left-leaning voters in their districts. 'We don't want this fight, but with our democracy on the line, we cannot run away from this fight,' said Democrat Marc Berman, a California Assembly member who previously chaired the elections committee. Republicans expressed opposition in terms that echoed Democrats in Austin, accusing the majority of abusing power. Sacramento Republicans said they will introduce legislation advocating independent redistricting commissions in all states. Texas' governor jumped to the president's aid Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott launched the expanding battle when he heeded Trump's wishes and added redistricting to an initial special session agenda that included multiple issues, including a package responding to devastating floods that killed more than 130 people last month. Abbott has blamed Democrats' absence for delaying action on those measures. Democrats have answered that Abbott is responsible because he effectively linked the hyper-partisan matter to nonpartisan flood relief. Abbott, Burrows and other Republicans tried various threats and legal maneuvers to pressure Democrats' return, including the governor arguing that Texas judges should remove absent lawmakers from office. As long as they were out of state, lawmakers were beyond the reach of the civil arrest warrants that Burrows issued. The Democrats who returned Monday did so without being detained by law enforcement. The lawmakers who left face fines of up to $500 for each legislative day they missed. Burrows has insisted Democratic lawmakers also will pay pick up the tab for law enforcement who attempted to corral them during the walkout. ___ Barrow reported from Atlanta. Nguyen reported from Sacramento, California. Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas.
