Latest news with #SB16
Sharjah 24
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
Now streaming: Biennial Bytes season two
Biennial Bytes 2 kicks off with a conversation between the five curators of SB16—Alia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala and Zeynep Öz. Moderated by Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, the episode explores the synergies between curators' individual projects, the diverse formats in which audiences can experience the art at SB16, and how a Biennial can be a space of encounter and collective processing. Subsequent episodes spotlight specific works and projects presented at SB16 through conversations between individual curators and various participating artists, including Bint Mbareh, an artist and sound researcher working around songs of resistance in relation to land and water sovereignty in Palestine, and Joe Namy who sheds light on his collaborative approach to creating sound installations and performances. Yhonnie Scarce speaks about the historical context of nuclear testing on Aboriginal lands in Australia, and Tabu Osusa, founder of Singing Wells, dives into the group's decolonial mission to platform and preserve East African music, while Citra Sasmita talks about her collaboration with Kamasan maestra Mangku Muriati. Tune in to the podcast to listen to personal anecdotes and the stories behind their artworks. Other SB16 artists featured in the podcast are: Stephanie Comilang, Hellen Ascoli, Ana Iti, Naeem Mohaiemen, Pratchaya Phinthong, Adelita Husni-Bey, Mahmoud Khaled and Kapulani Landgraf. Convening under the title to carry, a multivocal and open-ended proposition, SB16 presents over 650 works by nearly 200 participants, including more than 200 new commissions. Exploring the ever-expanding questions of what to carry and how to carry it, SB16 is an invitation to encounter the different formations and positions of the five curators, as well as the resonances they have gathered. The Biennial runs until 15 June 2025 across several venues in Sharjah City, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba and other locations in the Emirate of Sharjah. New episodes are released every Monday on Apple, Spotify, Anghami, Google and other podcast platforms.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas considers requiring citizenship proof for voter registration
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas lawmakers are reviewing legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship to register to vote. Some activist groups said they're concerned the policy outlined in Senate Bill 16 and House Bill 5337 will end up blocking eligible Texans from voting. The bills do not provide a way to submit documentation online. It can only be done in person, through mail or over the phone, according to SB 16. Under the legislation, voters would need to provide the following when showing up at the polls, as stated in SB 16: a copy of a U.S. passport; a passport card; a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a U.S. state or territory; 'United States citizenship papers issued to the person' identification issued by the U.S. agency responsible for citizenship and immigration; or 'for citizens abroad, a certificate of report of birth or consular report of birth abroad' issued by the U.S. Department of State Texas has more than 18 million registered voters, according to The Texas Tribune. 'We need to find a way to allow people to make voting easier, not harder, not creating barriers,' said Chase Bearden, executive direction with Coalition of Texans with Disabilities. Supporters of the legislation, like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, said the policy will maintain Texas election integrity, allowing citizens to be confident in the outcome of state elections. 'This issue is not controversial; only citizens should vote in Texas elections. I thank Sen. Hughes for his continued leadership in ensuring Texas elections are more secure than ever,' Patrick said in a statement on April 1. SB 16 passed in the Senate in early April and is pending in the House elections committee, along with House Bill 5337. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico's new open primaries bill is just the beginning
Bob Perls, left, addresses a small crowd inside a church in Corrales on April 15, 2025, as former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman looks on. Both are leaders of the Forward Party, a political party launching in New Mexico. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM) Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski is one of the few Republicans standing up to President Trump and expressing fear that key strategic alliances, our democracy, civil liberties and the rule of law are being under-mind. She also was one of the few Republicans to vote to impeach him. What makes her different? What allows her to feel free to make those statements and take that action that are nearly unheard of right now within the Republican MAGA party? It is the structure within which she was elected. Alaska has non-partisan primaries that allow all voters to vote for all candidates. Primaries are no longer controlled by the parties. Then the top four vote getters go to the general election where ranked choice voting is used. She can move through the primary without fear of being 'primaried' in a race in which only the party base, the most MAGA, can vote. Rather, she is incentivized to reach out to all voters, and the majority of voters want her to be independent and vote her conscience, not tow the party line. This is what democracy reform at all levels is about: Creating a representative government that works for all of us all the time. This is the opposite of what Wyoming has, which is a closed primary system. Remember how brave Congresswoman Liz Chaney was to buck her party and vote to impeach President Trump because he incited the Capitol riots through his election denialism? Well, she lost her Republican primary election in Wyoming by a huge margin because only Republicans could vote. But, so what? Why is that important today here in New Mexico? The New Mexico Legislature recently passed SB16, which allows independent voters to choose one major party ballot. This is one small step toward that ideal where all voters can vote for all candidates. I spent 10 years as founder and president of NM Open Elections working on its passage. It will set up a situation in which partisan candidates have to reach out to independent voters who will not have the same feelings about party discipline as the party base, and I mean with both the Republicans and the Democrats. It means candidates and incumbents alike will have to do a better job of spreading their message and listening to a broader cross section of the voting public. And it means there is a better chance that incumbents can vote their conscience, rather than bending to a party line that they may or may not agree with all the time. And the outcome of this freedom will be better policies representing a broader cross section of voters. I know that we are years away from being able to pass the next steps in democracy reform here in New Mexico, but we have taken the first step by ending our closed primary system. But make no mistake there have to be next steps. Step one: Educate independents that they can vote in the 2026 primary and make sure large majorities do. Let's prove the pundits wrong and show that independent voters will come out to vote when given the chance. Step two: Support candidates who will prioritize reaching out to those independent voters and teach them how to communicate with these non-aligned voters. Step three: Plan for the next steps in reform including finally passing an independent redistricting commission, paying our Legislature, placing term limits on our Legislature to match the term limits we have on nearly every other office and moving to a truly open primary system in which all voters can vote for all candidates in first round public elections. To be sure, Democrats supported SB16 in greater numbers than Republicans and I deeply appreciate that. But Democrats oppose nearly every reform in step three above as do Republicans. The other states that have adopted these reforms, and there are many, all have legislative by-pass through ballot initiate where a voter can gather signatures and place an issue on the ballot. We don't have that here. Unfortunately, both major parties play politics with the law to game the system. When President Biden declined to seek re-election, why did the Democratic Party refuse to hold a primary or even an open convention so that many candidates could be heard and vetted? It's time for a party to put voters first and that is why I am now working with others to found the New Mexico Forward Party. We support all the democracy reform issues listed above and will be running candidates in 2026 for the State House of Representatives against those law makers who voted against open primaries. Stay tuned.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tennessee lawmakers will research possibility of dissolving or taking control of TSSAA
Tennessee legislators this summer will research the possibility of dissolving the governing body for Tennessee high school athletics, or bringing it under the control of the state government. Lawmakers have been at odds with the TSSAA, a 501c non-profit that has governed high school sports in Tennessee since 1925, over the association's previous transfer rule going back to 2023. Advertisement Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, and Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, now say their interest goes beyond the rule. Cepicky and Lowe said during a joint April 21 press conference that they believe the TSSAA has not been trustworthy during discussions over the past six months and questioned the association's Legislative Council. More: Tennessee lawmakers pause one-time transfer bill aimed at TSSAA until 2026 More: Why out-of-state athletes can utilize TSSAA's new one-time transfer rule Cepicky and Lowe co-sponsored bills this session that were originally written to force the TSSAA to adopt a rule that allowed student-athletes one free transfer without eligibility restrictions. Those bills were eventually amended to reflect a bylaw the TSSAA amended on March 3 that allows students one free transfer to another school due to reasons of significant academic, social-emotional, environmental or mental health needs. That's if the sending school's administration attests the move is not for athletic or disciplinary reasons. Advertisement The bill was one step from becoming law after its Senate version SB16 passed, 25-4, on April 7. When HB25 reached the House floor on April 17, Cepicky acknowledged that many House members wanted him to drop the bill, so he moved it to the next calendar date in February 2026. Cepicky and Lowe say the TSSAA didn't take action on loosening students' ability to transfer until the legislature became involved. Cepicky believes the TSSAA held out on passing its rule to see if the two lawmakers would drop their bills. "Rep. Cepicky, myself, members of leadership are having very active conversations to consider whether or not there needs to be legislative oversight of this entity, or of the activity of our public school students' athletic participation," Lowe said. Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for him? Reach Tyler at tpalmateer@ and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83. He also writes The Tennessean's high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg. Subscribe to the newsletter here. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee lawmakers looking into dissolving TSSAA after one-time transfer spat
Al Etihad
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Sharjah Art Foundation announced further details about the inaugural edition of April Acts
5 Apr 2025 17:52 SHARJAH (WAM)Sharjah Art Foundation announced further details about the inaugural edition of April Acts, a dynamic weekend initiative expanding on the curatorial framework of Sharjah Biennial 16 (SB16). Titled 'To carry new formations', the programme endeavours to build constellations of gathering and dialogue across multiple positions, societal experiences and ongoing Acts 2025 takes place as a key extension of Sharjah Biennial 16, which features more than 650 works by nearly 200 participants, including more than 200 new SB16 as both a platform and an instrument, April Acts 2025 engages with the works at the Biennial to highlight independent and collective dialogues around systemic transition, societal shifts, ruptured and recovered histories, forms of collective organising, leadership (including communal leadership) and old knowledge reimagined in new forms. Encouraging practices of new and experimental methodologies, self-organisation and deep reflection and listening, the programme explores collaborative cultural production, acoustic heritage, creative infrastructures under threat, and the spatial and psychic boundaries that limit the movement of people and ideas. Through panel discussions, artist talks, participatory workshops, film screenings and live music performances, April Acts 2025 aims to create a polyphonous space that invites multiple perspectives to co-exist and thrive.
