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Trump wants the war in Ukraine to end 'as quickly as possible,' says WH deputy press secretary

Trump wants the war in Ukraine to end 'as quickly as possible,' says WH deputy press secretary

Fox News4 hours ago
Deputy White House press secretary Anna Kelly joins 'America Reports' to discuss President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Putin, efforts to end the war in Ukraine and the crackdown on crime in D.C.
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Texas House finally passes congressional redistricting map after weeks of walkouts, lock-ins and arrest warrants
Texas House finally passes congressional redistricting map after weeks of walkouts, lock-ins and arrest warrants

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Texas House finally passes congressional redistricting map after weeks of walkouts, lock-ins and arrest warrants

The new map could secure the GOP five additional seats in Congress in next year's midterms. Democrats say they now plan to challenge the map in court. The Texas House of Representatives approved a new map for the state's congressional districts on Wednesday, cementing a legislative win for Republicans that had been put on hold for weeks when Democratic legislators fled the state to block its passage. The new map would give the GOP a chance to secure up to five additional seats in Congress in next year's midterm elections. A final vote in the state Senate, which is expected to approve the plan, is needed before the it can be signed into law. Democrats say they intend to challenge the map in court. Republicans first announced their intention to pursue redistricting outside of the usual 10-year cycle in June. But the fight over the plan didn't become a national story until earlier this month, when dozens of Democrats left the state in order to prevent the House from having enough members present to formally meet. Each absent Democrat was fined $500 a day during the roughly two weeks they were out of state. Texas's Republican governor Greg Abbott also threatened to have them removed from their seats and civil warrants were issued for their arrests. In the end, though, the Democrats opted to return home in order to 'build a strong public legislative record for the upcoming legal battle' over the maps. They argue that the new district violates both the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act. Their walkout, which was never likely to prevent the maps from passing entirely, inspired Democrats in blue states across the country to rally behind their cause, pleading to pursue their own redistricting plans to offset the GOP's gains in Texas. So far, only California has formally moved forward with that process. Democratic governor Gavin Newsom has called for a special election in November to ask voters to approve new district lines in the state. Texas Democrats returned to the House for the first time on Monday, which allowed the chamber to meet briefly before adjourning with a plan to meet again on Wednesday to consider the maps. At the end of Monday's session, the House's GOP leadership instituted a rule requiring all Democrats who had previously left the state to submit to police escort in order to be allowed to exit the Capitol. All but one, Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth, consented. Collier chose instead to remain in the House chamber. She spent Tuesday night sleeping at her desk with her feet propped up on a rolling chair. Two of her colleagues, including House Minority Leader Gene Wu, joined her overnight protest Tuesday night. More Democrats did the same on Wednesday night. The House reconvened on Wednesday morning for a lengthy — and at times heated — debate over the redistricting plan. Democrats proposed a variety of amendments to the proposal, including one that would have only allowed the maps to go into effect if the federal government agreed to release all files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. 'What we are doing today is unjust, it is un-Texan and it is un-American,' Democratic representative Cassandra Garcia Hernandez said before the bill's final passage. The bill was eventually passed in an 88—52 party-line vote. The issue now moves to the courts. The standards for what makes congressional maps legal or not can be complicated. The Supreme Court has ruled that gerrymandered maps drawn to give one party a political advantage are generally constitutional. However, district lines that deliberately weaken the voting power of a specific racial group are not. The fate of Texas's new map will hinge on whether the courts view it as a racial gerrymander, as Democrats claim, rather than a purely partisan one. Republicans are also looking at a number of other red states where they believe there may be opportunities to gain extra seats through redistricting, including Ohio, Missouri and Indiana. Democrats are doing the same in blue states outside of California, though their ability to put more favorable district lines in states like Illinois, Maryland and New York may be limited. Read more: Texas redistricting fight goes national as GOP, Dems prepare for more battles over future House maps The ultimate outcome of the redistricting battle, in Texas and nationwide, could play a major role in deciding which party has control of Congress after the 2026 midterms. Democrats only need to gain a small number of seats to get the majority in the House. If they do, they would effectively have veto power over any legislation Trump and the GOP want to pass. They would also have new oversight authority and the ability to launch investigations into the president's most controversial moves since he returned to office.

Texas House passes GOP redistricting plan after weeks-long standoff
Texas House passes GOP redistricting plan after weeks-long standoff

CBS News

time26 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Texas House passes GOP redistricting plan after weeks-long standoff

The Texas House of Representatives gave final passage on Wednesday to House Bill 4, a controversial Republican-backed proposal to redraw the state's congressional maps and potentially add up to five new GOP-leaning districts. Entering Wednesday, the bill needed to pass two votes in the House to advance to the Senate. Each vote passed 88-52. Before the final vote, lawmakers debated a series of amendments offered by Democrats, all of which were rejected by the Republican majority. The bill was the sole item on the agenda for the day's floor session, which began at 10 a.m. The Texas Senate, which approved a similar version of the redistricting legislation earlier this week, is scheduled to take up the House-passed bill when it convenes this Thursday at 7 p.m. If the Senate approves the House version without changes, the legislation could be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott by the end of the week. If not, the two chambers will need to reconcile differences in a conference committee. The vote came after a dramatic standoff earlier this month, when Democratic lawmakers fled the state to break quorum and block action on the redistricting bill. Their absence stalled the Legislature and effectively ended the first special session, delaying the measure for two weeks. Gov. Greg Abbott called a second special session hours after the first adjourned, and Democrats returned to the House chamber on Monday, allowing the legislation to move forward. That evening, HB 4 passed out of the House redistricting committee on a 12-8 party-line vote. To prevent another walkout, House Speaker Dustin Burrows imposed a rule requiring Democratic members to be escorted by Department of Public Safety officers if they wished to leave the Capitol. While most Democrats complied, Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth refused. She was temporarily locked in the House chamber and was later allowed to go to her Capitol office. On Monday, Collier filed a petition in state court alleging she was under "illegal restraint by the government." The court has not yet ruled on the matter. On Tuesday, several other Democrats joined Collier in protest, tearing up their signed escort agreements and spending the night in the Capitol. With the passage of HB 4, Republican leaders dropped the escort requirement. The redistricting plan is expected to give Republicans a significant advantage in the 2026 midterm elections, potentially flipping up to five congressional seats.

To understand Russians, try catching a ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre
To understand Russians, try catching a ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre

New York Post

time27 minutes ago

  • New York Post

To understand Russians, try catching a ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre

He's Putin on the ritz To try to understand a land which birthed a Putin, I went back to my old notes. I have been to Russia several times. A taxi, empty, cruised past, slowly, repeatedly, then grudgingly stopped. In English, the cabbie said: 'We must take foreign language in school. Still, we avoid anyone who looks American. They're trouble. They carry little conversation dictionaries but Americans we never understand. Talk too fast. 'Impatient. When you can't understand they bang you on the back — and you hit yourself against the wheel. Always they get mad. One threw hands around, pointed to where he wanted to go and his arm crossed my face. I couldn't see to drive. Dangerous. Americans are much trouble.' The Bolshoi Theatre got me into a personal cold war. They make you remove your coat before entering. I was freezing. It was chilly outside and inside. Also, my nose was running. Me walking to my seat, he then trotted out from his booth. This Gardes Des Robes tugged at my lapel. I tried sign language. He did physical language. As I headed for my seat he physically barred my way. A shivering lady comrade who'd doffed her wrap explained: 'People here are used to authority. You obey automatically.' Another said, 'We are on a cultural level. The sold-out Kremlin opera seats 6,000, Tchaikovsky Hall has nightly musical concerts. Also the Central Puppet Theatre, Operetta Theatre, Children's Theatre and 27 other Moscow theatres, including the Bolshoi, which was founded in 1776. And for three rubles [less than a dollar], I can sit in the seat which once held the czar.' She comes here how often? Her answer: 'This the first time.' On the outside, pleasant. Inside, something else. Crumple a Kleenex in your luggage. It's crumpled differently upon your return. Hotel elevators delist two floors. Reportedly, it's where the hotel held the building's wire tap equipment. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Showers without curtains. Sinks minus stoppers. Room service that doesn't answer. I myself brought in a chicken sandwich and cup of hot chocolate. Two days later a chicken sandwich and candy bar were on my bed. The manageress: 'Our new hotel will have 6,000 rooms. Equipped with every modern facility.' Me: 'Will it have a swimming pool?' She: 'Certainly not. But it will have a concert hall.' 'Hotels have reasonable rates. Wish entertainment — you pay extra.' I asked if she vacations with her husband. 'No. I go separately. To the Crimeas. Sochi in the Black Sea where many of the presidium go.' I also asked famed Russian circus clown Popov if he gets a percentage of all the Popov dolls sold. Answer? 'Nyet.' Does his contract guarantee special dressing room and dresser in attendance? 'Nyet.' How then can you tell you're a star? 'I have a car.' In the words of Commie Slamdamnhe, there are many nice things about that country. Like parking places. Only problem? They got nothing to park. Only in Putinville, kids, only in Putinville.

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