Gavin's tit-for-tat move: Proposes special election to counter Texas redistricting; sparks GOP outrage
In retaliation to Republican-led redistricting in Texas, California governor Gavin Newsom has urged the legislature to authorise a November special election aimed at approving a new congressional map, a move critics say undermines independent redistricting, reported news agency AP.
Dubbed the Election Rigging Response Act, the measure would temporarily override the citizens redistricting commission - California's independent, voter-approved body, and return power to the Democratic-controlled Legislature to redraw congressional districts. The proposed map is designed to add five Democratic seats if GOP states such as Texas redraw theirs mid-decade. Newsom said the move is necessary to "fight back" against 'Trump-driven' partisan gerrymandering.
Republican leaders wasted no time in condemning the proposal, Representative Doug LaMalfa fumed that the plan was 'an absolutely ridiculous gerrymander!', sarcastically noting that under the plan, his rural district would stretch all the way to Marin County.
The California GOP labelled it a 'MASTERCLASS IN CORRUPTION'. While Representative Christian Martinez, on behalf of the NRCC, branded Newsom's initiative as 'a giant middle finger to every Californian,' as quoted by the agency.
Not all critics are from the right. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Republican governor and architect of California's independent redistricting commission, denounced the move, arguing that restoring partisan control over map drawing violates both reform ideals and democratic norms.
Republicans have already filed a legal challenge with the state Supreme Court, claiming that the proposal violates the state constitution and lacks adequate public scrutiny.
However, legal experts from UCLA and Loyola law schools suggest that the Legislature can legally propose constitutional amendments and that federal law does not prohibit mid-decade redistricting.
Gavin Newsom's redistricting gambit has ignited fierce partisan backlash and renewed debate over democratic process versus political expediency. Whether California voters support this high-stakes countermeasure in November could reshape both state and national power dynamics, and perhaps shed light on the future of reform in electoral mapping.
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The Hindu
25 minutes ago
- The Hindu
When DMK opposed a Vice-President candidate from Tamil Nadu 41 years ago
Shortly after the BJP-led NDA fielded Maharashtra Governor and former Coimbatore MP C.P. Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the upcoming polls for the post of Vice-President, several political party leaders, including AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami and TMC (Moopanar) leader G.K. Vasan, had appealed to parties in Tamil Nadu to sink differences and back his candidature. The last time a candidate hailing from Tamil Nadu was fielded for the post was 41 years ago – when R. Venkataraman entered the fray. However, now, the Opposition INDIA bloc, of which the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu is a constituent, has announced former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy, who hails from Telangana, as their nominee to take on Mr Radhakrishnan. While Mr. Radhakrishnan's victory is likely guaranteed on account of the NDA's numbers in both Houses of Parliament, the DMK and its allies shall be opposing the 'son of the soil' for political reasons. However, such a stand is not new for the Dravidian party. On August 1, 1984, the Congress (I) Parliamentary board formally nominated R. Venkataraman, who was serving as the Defence Minister in Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's Cabinet, for the office of Vice-President of India. He had earlier served as a Minister holding various portfolios in Madras State, playing an instrumental role in the State's industrialisation. A report published in The Hindu on August 2, 1984, said that after nominating Venkataraman, also called R.V., Indira Gandhi apprised Satyasadan Chakraborty, the CPI(M) leader in the Lok Sabha, of the views of the Congress board members. The CPI(M) leader, in turn, informed his colleagues in the Opposition about the ruling party's decision, as the Prime Minister had sought their support to ensure Venkataraman's election by consensus, even though the Congress nominee could win comfortably on the party's own strength. Referring to the archival reports of Murasoli, the DMK's mouthpiece, R. Kannan, the author of The DMK Years and biographer of Dravidian stalwarts C.N. Annadurai and M.G. Ramachandran, noted that failing to achieve consensus, leaders of the Opposition parties, including Era. Mohan of the DMK, Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the BJP and Indrajit Gupta of the CPI convened a meeting on August 2, 1984, and decided to field B.C. Kamble, a former MP from the Republican Party, was their joint candidate, fully realising that the contest would only be token in nature. Mr. Chakraborty said the Opposition had nothing personal against R.V. but regretted that the Prime Minister had not followed the procedure of choosing a candidate on the basis of all-party consensus. The Opposition was keen that a member of the weaker sections be given an opportunity to occupy the post of Vice-President, The Hindu reported. Despite not being a part of the Congress-led alliance in the Parliamentary elections in 1980, the AIADMK, which eventually showed signs of moving closer towards the Congress in the early 1980s, supported R.V.'s candidature for the Vice-President post. The election held on August 22, 1984, ended as expected with R.V. defeating Kamble by a comfortable margin. In a statement, Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) thanked Indira Gandhi, saying, 'I am happy that Mr. R. Venkataraman has been elected Vice-President of the Indian Republic. You made it possible by enabling a Tamilian to contest the election and to win it. On behalf of the people and the Government of Tamil Nadu and on my own behalf, I express my sincere thanks to you for having fulfilled a long-cherished wish of the people of Tamil Nadu.' Three years later, when the Congress nominated R.V., the incumbent Vice-President, for the post of President, the AIADMK, by then in alliance with the Congress, backed him. The Opposition parties convened a meeting in New Delhi and unanimously decided to field eminent jurist V.R. Krishna Iyer for the top post. Even this time, the DMK opposed R.V.'s candidature and backed the Opposition as it was part of it. R.V. comfortably won the elections and went on to become the eighth President of India. Chief Minister MGR, in a statement, congratulated R.V. and said, 'Your election to the highest office of the Indian Republic is thus a natural culmination of your eventful public life and is a most fitting tribute to your selfless service. It is a matter of supreme pride for the people of Tamil Nadu, and I am profoundly happy in sharing this pride with them.' The DMK President M. Karunanidhi, in a telegram to R.V., said, 'Please accept my hearty congratulations on your election as the President of India.' AIADMK, DMK both backed Kalam In 2002, when the BJP-led NDA proposed the name of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, an eminent scientist and native of Tamil Nadu, for the post of President of India, both the ruling AIADMK and the DMK rallied behind him. The DMK was then a key constituent of the NDA. Despite not being a part of the combine, AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa described Kalam as the ideal choice and said her party was happy to extend support. In a statement, she said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had spoken to her over the phone about Kalam's candidature. 'I told him that I was delighted with the choice…. Apart from the fact that Dr. Kalam is an eminent and internationally renowned scientist who is respected all over the world, it is a matter of great pride and happiness for the AIADMK that he belongs to Tamil Nadu,' The Hindu reported on June 12, 2002, quoting Jayalalithaa. A report published in this daily on June 16, 2002, noted how the DMK too welcomed Kalam's nomination. Reacting to the Left's contention that Kalam lacked political experience and knowledge of the Constitution, DMK president M. Karunanidhi said political experience was not listed as a necessary qualification for the post of the President of India. Comparing Kalam to former Presidents S. Radhakrishnan and Zakir Hussain, Karunanidhi said all three were eminent in their fields. 'In the current situation, a non-political, secular, non-partisan person like Dr. Kalam was best suited for the role,' he said. On July 18, 2002, the 71-year-old scientist was elected as the President of India. With the support of the NDA, the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party and the Samajwadi Party, Kalam secured nearly 90% of the valid votes against his sole rival Captain Lakshmi Sahgal. After his victory, Kalam addressed his critics who had doubted his suitability for the presidency because of his lack of political background. 'I have been working from 1982 onwards directly with the Government, whether it be related to research, launch vehicles or nuclear programmes. Unless political decisions are taken, satellites will not be in orbit. Political decisions are vital for the success of any programme. I have worked with six Prime Ministers, I know how to handle politics,' a report published in The Hindu on July 19, 2002, quoted Kalam.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Germany signals policy shift on Israel as ‘unjustified' war on Gaza rages on
'What the Israeli Army is doing in the Gaza Strip, I no longer understand the goal…To harm the civilian population in such a way can no longer be justified as a fight against terrorism,' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on May 26. It was the first time since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, that led to the killing of around 1,200 people, that a top German politician had criticised Israeli operations in Gaza. Given Germany's Second World War history and its historical relations with Israel, this was a noticeable shift in its tone. The death toll in Gaza has now passed 62,000. Since the end of May, a large number of people have been killed or injured while trying to obtain food and medical aid from any of the four Israel-controlled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites. Between May 27 and July 31 this year, over 800 Palestinians have been killed mostly by the Israeli military, while attempting to obtain food as per the United Nations. Human Rights Watch has called this a serious violation of international law and a war crime. On July 28, Germany announced airlifting humanitarian aid into Gaza with Jordan. As of August 14, Bundeswehr planes had airdropped 192 tonnes of aid via a total of 18 flights. Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Belgium, Canada, have also been involved with airdrops. According to the UN Relief Works and Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), airdrops are ineffective and cost 100 times more than the trucks while carrying much less aid. It is estimated that one pallet of airdrop can carry 11-14 tons, while a single truck can carry similar or more tonnage multiple times a day. 'It is not very effective, even the German government has acknowledged it. But for the time being, when Israel has blocked all land routes, it is still saving some lives. The larger message being sent is that Germany is ready to invest money to ensure the well-being of Palestinians,' said Dr. Markus Loewe, co-ordinator for research on the Middle East and North Africa at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). Dr. Muriel Asseburg, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), calls the airdrops more of a symbolic measure than one to alleviate the situation on the ground in Gaza. Critical voices in Germany Since October 7, 2023, most Western countries have refrained from criticising the actions of the Israeli government, but the tide seems to have changed over the last few months. Most of the G-7 countries have criticised the Israeli government's policies, with France, the U.K. and Canada even agreeing to recognise the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. While Germany has made no such proclamation, it has reiterated its stand on a two-state solution. On August 8, Mr. Merz announced that Germany would not sell weapons to Israel that could be used in Gaza Strip till further notice. This decision came soon after the Israeli Security Cabinet's decision to take over Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed it was 'the best way to end the war speedily'. This decision was promptly condemned by the United Nations and many countries around the world. 'German policy toward Israel remains unchanged. But we cannot supply weapons to a conflict that is being attempted to be resolved exclusively by military means, that can claim hundreds of thousands of lives,' Mr. Merz said in a TV interview on August 10. According to Ms. Asseburg, Germany's critical stance against Israel has been prompted by multiple factors, with the current Israeli government being the most important one. 'The Chancellor and the Foreign Minister have been in close contact with their Israeli counterparts. However, there is a growing sense that these interactions and pleas to address the humanitarian situation and find a way to end the war are not making progress. Using the bilateral relations to change the situation has not worked. Secondly, public opinion in Germany has been demanding a different stance on Israel and Gaza,' Ms. Asseburg said. As per a recent nationwide Deutschlandtrend survey, 66% of Germans want their government to put more pressure on Israel to change its conduct, 63% believe Israel's military response has gone too far, and 73% feel Israel's actions impacting Palestinian civilians are unjustified. On the question of limiting weapons delivery to Israel, 43% are in favour of limiting arms exports, while 30% want a complete halt. This trend also reflects the growing number of protests happening in Germany calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, including a 60,000-strong protest march in Berlin in June. However, Mr. Merz has maintained that his decisions were not influenced by public pressure but prompted more by what he was hearing from experts, including former Israeli intelligence experts who were critical of Israeli government's decision to conduct military operations in Gaza City. According to Mr. Loewe, all Western governments have taken a critical position vis-à-vis Israel in the last six months, with Germany coming in later. 'Given the history, the German government is cautious about criticising Israel too openly. But it has reached a point where the current actions of the Israeli government have forced Germany to express more clearly that it cannot accept everything that the Israeli government does,' Mr. Loewe said. A recent case in point is Israel's controversial plan to build 3,400 new settlements in West Bank on August 14 that was criticised by the Federal Foreign Office. 'The construction of settlements is in violation of international law and of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, making it more difficult to achieve a negotiated two-state solution and to end the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, as called for by the ICJ,' noted a release from the Federal Foreign Office. The Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, had told earlier this year that Germany's friendship and responsibility towards Israel 'do not mean that we must stand by and watch the actions of the Israeli government without criticism'. Opposition politicians such as the co-chair of the Greens party, Franziska Brantner, told a local daily, 'It is important to differentiate between Israel and the Israeli government. Mr. Netanyahu is not Israel. Mr. Netanyahu has never been in favour of a peaceful solution with the Palestinians. And he has far-right Ministers in his Cabinet.' Political backlash Mr. Merz's announcement of Germany limiting its weapons sales to Israel got a lot of criticism from his own ranks. The sister party of the Christian Democrats (CDU) from the Bavarian region, the Christian Social Union (CSU), claimed they were not consulted in the decision-making. Speaking to a local tabloid, CSU regional group leader Alexander Hoffmann said, 'The CSU was not involved in this decision and we consider it worrying. This would be a departure from decades of foreign policy continuity towards Israel and as such, at least in need of explanation.' However, this pushback will not change Mr. Merz's decision, noted Ms. Asseburg. 'There has been resistance from his party and its sister party, the CSU. But it is not enough for this decision to be reversed. Mr. Merz has been somewhat successful in mending fences with the CSU, and even though they differ on this matter, he will not reverse his decision,' Ms. Asseburg said. Mr. Loewe also agreed that Mr. Merz will not reverse his decision. 'But at the same time, he will think twice before taking any further steps. One has to consider that Mr. Merz leads a government with a conservative party in lead, where some factions are very conservative – especially the Bavarian sister party CSU. They are reluctant to criticise Israel,' he noted. However, the ruling government's coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD) has supported this call by Mr. Merz. In addition to senior politicians, even the youth wing of CDU put up a question on its Instagram channel, 'Reason of state abolished? A break with the principles of policy,' referring to Germany's 'Staatsraison' or 'reason of state'. In 2008, the then-Chancellor Angela Merkel had declared that Israel's security was Germany's 'reason of state,' underlining Germany's special historical responsibility after the Holocaust that led to the killing of over 6 million Jews by the Nazi regime in the Second World War. Weak leverage in Europe Despite all the critical statements from Germany and many Western nations, the Israeli government has not changed its tactics. On July 29, the European Commission proposed partially suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement to prevent Israel from participating in EU research programs such as Horizon Europe due to concerns about Israel's human rights violations in Gaza. According to IDOS's Mr. Loewe, this move will not have any impact. 'There is very little Europe can do to make the Israeli government change its mind. They are just considering this ban because they have nothing else that is powerful enough to push the needle,' Mr. Loewe said. Ms. Asseburg believes that international pressure can only work if Europe presents a united front and is not being pulled apart. 'Of course, the U.S. is crucial in that regard. The Israeli Prime Minister has the backing of the U.S. in expanding its operations in Gaza and pursuing a military approach. Also, the Trump administration is not clear on a two-state solution, which allows Mr. Netanyahu to pursue his current stance,' Ms. Asseburg said. Mr. Loewe believes only the U.S. can put pressure on the Israeli government to change the situation in Gaza. But he does not see the current Trump government taking any action in that regard. 'Only in 1991, when George Bush Sr was the U.S. President, did the U.S. put pressure on Israel to join negotiations with not just other Arab partners but also with the Palestinians. This was the groundwork for the Oslo Accords,' Mr. Loewe said. The Oslo Accords (1993 and 1995) were a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) to establish a peace process for the Israel-Palestine conflict through a mutually negotiated two-state solution. While the deadline to achieve this was set to May 1999, the 1996 election of Benjamin Netanyahu, an ardent critic of the Oslo Accords, effectively ended the two-state solution negotiation. Mr. Netanyahu continues to categorically reject the two-state solution to date. Germany-Israel relations While Germany has been taking an increasingly critical stand against the Israeli government, experts noted that this disagreement will not alter Germany-Israel diplomatic relations. In the TV interview in which Mr. Merz announced the decision to limit weapons delivery to Israel, he also reiterated that the foundational principles of the Israel-Germany relationship have not changed and will remain unchanged. 'When it comes to diplomatic efforts, Germany will back Israel if it comes to the question of its existence in the world – Staatsraison. Germany will be more critical of singular decisions taken by the Israeli government and continue to search for a solution to the war in Gaza. It will continue to hint that many Israeli people, Israeli NGOs and former military heads are also criticising the war in Gaza,' Mr. Loewe said, stressing that Germany can stand by the State of Israel, but can still be critical about its government's policies. For Ms. Asseburg, the far-right wing of the Israeli government is the problem. 'The extreme right-wing government in Israel makes it very difficult for Germany to maintain close relations and convincingly balance what is called the historical responsibility towards Israel on the one hand and Germany's commitment to international law, multi-lateralism and human rights. The contradictions are increasing, making it difficult to maintain the same level of relations that Germany has had with Israel in the past.'
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Rare earth, common ground: India and China realign amid US tension
Synopsis China has eased export restrictions on key items to India. This includes rare earth magnets and fertilizers. The move signals warmer relations between the two nations. It precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China for the SCO summit. Shipments of these items have already commenced. This development follows discussions between the foreign ministers of both countries. AP Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, shakes hand with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Aug.19, 2025. New Delhi: China has lifted restrictions on the export of rare earth magnets, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines to India in a diplomatic breakthrough, signalling a warming of ties between the Asian giants in the face of US tariff threats. With shipments of the critical inputs getting underway, the initiative to ease tensions to stabilise ties comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China, his first in seven years, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at the end of the month. The development took place at the meeting that visiting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Monday. The minister assured Jaishankar that China would address India's need for rare earth magnets, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines, a source said. ET has learnt that shipments of these items have already Tuesday after Wang Yi called on the PM, Modi said he's looking forward to his next meeting with the Chinese President in Tianjin on the margins of the SCO Summit. 'Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other's interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity,' PM Modi wrote on X. The Jaishankar-Wang Yi talks covered economic and trade issues, cross-border pilgrimage, people-to-people contacts, river data sharing, trade, connectivity and bilateral exchanges. This was the second time since July that Jaishankar had discussed the issue of trade restrictions with Wang had reported August 14 that India and China may discuss a trade package covering supplies of critical rare earth magnets, fertilisers and pharmaceuticals ahead of the Prime Minister's proposed China trip. The first sign of a thaw in Sino-Indian ties since 2020's border tensions comes as the Trump administration has taken a more accommodating view toward Beijing by extending a trade truce and delaying the imposition of tariffs by another 90 days on August 11, besides moving to lift curbs on the export of high-end chips to China. Trump has been more aggressive against India, threatening to double tariffs to 50%, putting in doubt the visit by a US trade team to negotiate a bilateral trade automobile and electronics industries, including companies such as Bajaj Auto and industry association Electronic Industries Association of India, have repeatedly flagged shortages of rare earth magnets, warning of production getting April, China mandated special export licences for seven rare earth elements and related magnets. Rare earth minerals are considered vital for high-end technology products, including electric vehicles (EVs), drones and battery storage. China has been a dominant player in the critical minerals supply chain globally. China's fertiliser curbs disrupted di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) supply during the rabi season. Beijing had stopped exports without an official notification, having been a prominent supplier of DAP to India until FY24. Imports from China crashed to 840,000 tonnes in FY25 from 2.29 million tonnes in FY24. Nothing has come to India since January this year. With China's move, Indian DAP stocks are likely to grow, ensuring timely distribution for the cropping cycle. This will relieve pressure on India's procurement channels, sources said.
