Florida lawmakers pass charter school expansion on last day of session
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — On the 105th day of what was supposed to be a 60-day legislative session, Florida lawmakers passed a bill to allow charter schools to 'co-locate' inside traditional public schools. It's the latest move by the Republican-controlled Legislature to expand school choice in a state that has long been a national model for conservative education policy.
The measure to expand what are known as 'schools of hope' faced fierce pushback from Democratic lawmakers and public school advocates, and the proposal appeared to die on what was supposed to be the last day of the regularly scheduled session in May. But as budget talks stretched into the summer, lawmakers resurrected the measure and slipped it into the budget package, sidestepping the normal vetting process for legislation.
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Winnipeg Free Press
26 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Colombia's Senate approves labor bill that would mean more pay and protections for workers
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia's Senate on Tuesday night approved a labor bill that is expected to grant workers more overtime pay while making it harder for companies to hire employees on short-term contracts. The bill's approval comes as tensions have been increasing between the Senate and President Gustavo Petro over reforms to the economy and health system that have polarized the nation's politics and tested the separation of powers in Colombia's fragile democracy. Petro has repeatedly accused Congress of blocking his reforms and last week issued a decree that called on Colombia's elections agency, the National Registrar, to organize a referendum on labor laws. The agency said Tuesday it would wait for Colombian courts to decide if it was legal for it to organize the referendum, because the Senate had voted against the referendum last month. Petro has threatened to change Colombia's constitution, by calling for a constituent assembly, if his request for a referendum on labor laws is not granted, and in a post on X Tuesday, said that those who did not approve the referendum were committing 'treason.' Opposition leaders have accused the president of developing an authoritarian streak, as he tries to override decisions made by Congress. The labor bill approved by Colombia's Senate on Tuesday includes many of the changes to Colombia's labor laws proposed by Petro's party, the Historical Pact. It increases surcharges paid to employees who work Sundays and also makes companies pay more for late evening shifts, which is likely to apply to many retailers, restaurants and hotels. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The bill also says delivery apps must formally hire delivery workers as freelancers or as full-time employees and help to pay for their health insurance. Business associations in Colombia oppose the changes, arguing they will raise the cost of employing people and could ultimately increase unemployment. Currently, 56% of Colombian workers labor with no contracts, in what is known as the informal economy. Economists expect the reforms to push more people into informality, while supporters of the bill argue they are just pushing for the restoration of rights workers had in the early 1990s, before Colombia began to make labor laws more flexible. The Senate and House of Representatives must now reconcile the differences in the bills each chamber drafted and then agree on a final version of the bill. Petro wrote in a message on X that he will continue to push for the referendum until legislators from both chambers have voted on a final bill.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
Trump to extend deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner to sell app
Published Jun 17, 2025 • 2 minute read The TikTok app logo is shown on an iPhone on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in Houston. Photo by Ashley Landis / AP WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will sign an executive order this week to extend a deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner to divest the popular video-sharing app, the White House announced Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Trump had signed an order in early April to keep TikTok running for an additional 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice. 'As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. 'This extension will last 90 days, which the administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.' Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington early Tuesday from the Group of Seven summit in Canada that he 'probably' would extend the deadline again. Trump also said he thinks Chinese President Xi Jinping will 'ultimately approve' a deal to divest TikTok's business in the United States. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It will be the third time Trump has extended the deadline. The first one was through an executive order on Jan. 20, his first day in office, after the platform went dark briefly when the ban approved by Congress — and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court — took effect. The second was in April, when White House officials believed they were nearing a deal to spin off TikTok into a new company with U.S. ownership that fell apart after China backed out following Trump's tariff announcement. It is not clear how many times Trump can — or will — keep extending the ban as the government continues to try to negotiate a deal for TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance. Trump has amassed more than 15 million followers on TikTok since he joined last year, and he has credited the trendsetting platform with helping him gain traction among young voters. He said in January that he has a 'warm spot for TikTok.' Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists NHL Editorial Cartoons
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
Los Angeles mayor lifts curfew imposed during immigration raid protests
Published Jun 17, 2025 • 1 minute read A small group of demonstrators rally and march to call on the city officials to remove National Guard troops and ICE from their community on June 17, 2025, in Paramount, Calif. Communities in Los Angeles County continue to recover after experiencing several days of sometimes violent protests, sparked primarily by the immigration policies of the Trump administration. Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass lifted a curfew in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday that was imposed in response to clashes with police, looting and vandalism amid protests against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in the city. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The curfew set in place June 10 provided 'successful crime prevention and suppression efforts' and protected stores, restaurants, businesses and residents, the Democratic mayor said. On Monday, she trimmed back curfew hours after a drop in arrests in the area. The curfew covered a relatively tiny slice of the sprawling city — the area of concern was concentrated in a section of downtown where the looting and vandalism occurred. Bass faulted a relatively small group of 'bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community,' a nod to thousands of protesters who exercised their rights peacefully. On June 8, thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to Trump's deployment of the National Guard, blocking off a major freeway as law enforcement used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to control the crowd. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A day later, police officers used flash bangs and shot projectiles as they pushed protesters through a popular downtown commercial area where bystanders and restaurant workers rushed to get out of their way. Some protesters set off fireworks and threw water bottles at the officers, yelling, 'Shame!' Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire. Trump ordered the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 marines to the nation's second-largest city following protests over his stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws. On Sunday, Trump directed federal immigration officials to prioritize deportations from Democratic-run cities, a move that comes after large protests erupted in Los Angeles and other major cities against his administration's immigration policies. Read More Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists NHL Editorial Cartoons
