WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday set the stage for Alabama to eliminate one of two largely Black congressional districts before this year’s midterm elections, creating an opening for Republicans to gain an additional U.S. House seat in a partisan battle for control of the closely divided chamber.
The decision follows a Supreme Court ruling in April that struck down a majority-Black U.S. House district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, significantly weakening a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act.
Alabama officials had pointed to the Louisiana case as reason for the Supreme Court to end a judicial order to use a court-imposed House map until after the 2030 census. The high court on Monday overturned that order and directed a lower court to reconsider the case in light of the Louisiana decision. That could free the state to instead use a map approved in 2023 by the Republican-led legislature that includes only one district where Black residents comprise a majority.
Anticipating a court reversal, Alabama officials recently enacted a law allowing it to void the results of a May 19 primary for some congressional districts and instead hold a new primary under the revised district boundaries. Alabama had asked for an expedited decision ahead of the primary.
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Alabama Republicans praised the decision.
“Today, the Supreme Court vindicated the state’s long-held position. Now, the power to draw Alabama’s maps goes back to the people’s elected representatives. That’s our Legislature,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a video statement. Marshall said his job was “to put the legislature in the best possible legal position to draw a congressional map that favors Republicans seven-to-zero.” He concluded with the statement, “Stay tuned.”
Republican House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter called the decision “a massive victory not just for Alabama, but for conservatives across the country.”
In a dissent to Monday’s brief ruling, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the Louisiana case had reversed only one of the grounds upon which the Alabama case had been decided. Although the Voting Rights Act violation is gone, Sotomayor said a lower court could still find that Alabama had intentionally discriminated against Black voters in violation of the 14th Amendment.
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The decision was a setback for Black residents and groups that had waged a legal fight for several years to get a second Alabama congressional district where Black voters had an opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.
“We are witnessing a return to Jim Crow. And anybody who is alarmed by these developments — as everybody should be — better be making a plan to vote in November to put an end to this madness while we still can,” NAACP National President Derrick Johnson said in a statement.
Deuel Ross, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorney who argued the Alabama case, said, “We will consider all of our options to fight to protect the rights of these voters and keep the court ordered map in place.”
Shalela Dowdy, a plaintiff in the Alabama redistricting case, said she was disappointed in the decision.
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“For me, I feel like this is a step backwards towards the Jim Crow era for congressional representation. The state is not going to stop here,” Dowdy said, predicting Alabama will eventually go after the remaining district.
Primaries are just a week away
The decision comes a week ahead of the May 19 primaries, setting up a potentially confusing scenario for voters. Alabama lawmakers last week approved legislation to allow special primaries in four impacted congressional districts if the state is able to switch maps. The special elections would be set by the governor.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen called the decision a “historic win for Alabama voters.” Allen said the May 19 primaries will proceed as scheduled and his office will remain in close contact with the governor’s office “as this situation continues developing.”
The change would give Republicans a chance to reclaim the district now represented by Rep. Shomari Figures, a Democrat. Figures was elected in 2024 under the court-ordered map. His election gave the state — where Black residents comprise more than one quarter of the population — two Black representatives in its congressional delegation for the first time in history.
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Figures called the Supreme Court action an “incredibly unfortunate decision” that “sets the stage for Alabama to go back to the 1950s and ‘60s in terms of Black political representation in the state.”
Alabama is one of several states trying to change their congressional district boundaries before the November elections as part of a nationwide redistricting battle being won, so far, by Republicans.
Voting districts typically are redrawn once a decade, immediately after a census, to account for population changes. But President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans last year to redraw congressional districts to their advantage in a bid to hold onto a narrow House majority in the midterm elections.
Democrats in California countered with their own redistricting. And numerous Republican-led states have followed. The high court’s Louisiana ruling provided fuel for Republicans to intensify their redistricting efforts.
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So far, Republicans think they could win as many as 14 additional seats in the November elections from new districts enacted in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Tennessee. Democrats think they could win up to six additional seats from new districts in California and Utah. But Democrats suffered a major setback when the Virginia Supreme Cour t overturned a voter-approved redistricting amendment that could have yielded four more seats for the party.
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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri, and Chandler from Montgomery, Alabama.
Tel had already shown his erratic side in the first half when he found himself in a tight spot in his own penalty, then attempted to resolve the problem by delivering a perfect cross onto the head of an onrushing Leeds United forward, only for Kevin Danso’s desperate clearance to spare his embarrassment.
This was nothing compared to a bicycle kick in his own area that connected with Ethan Ampadu’s head, leaving the Leeds captain in a heap.
The Video Assistant Referee merely confirmed what everyone else in stadium knew, De Zerbi raising his eyes to the heavens as Dominic Calvert-Lewin slammed home the penalty.
After being a relatively low-key presence in his early Spurs games, which have included vital wins away at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, this was the night when the Italian’s combustible temperament bubbled throughout.
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De Zerbi jumped up and down on the spot in disgust at slow play from his team in the first half, then incurred the wrath of referee Jarred Gillett, who delivered a touchline dressing down as the Italian repeatedly left his technical area.
He received a yellow card as things threatened to boil over late on, with 13 minutes of added time increasing the unbearable tension around the stadium.
No wonder De Zerbi looked so frustrated at the final whistle, because the door to survival that opened wider when West Ham United lost so contentiously to Arsenal on Sunday, suddenly closed again as they missed the chance to open up a significant four-point advantage going into the final two games of the season.
De Zerbi told Match of the Day that the pressure of their situation may have had an impact on his players.
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“We didn’t play a great game – we played a good game,” De Zerbi said.
“I think we deserved to win anyway but maybe the pressure, the crucial game, the crucial part of the season, we suffered too much.
“Anyway I am happy because I watched my players with the right spirit, with the right mentality.
“We made too many mistakes. If we want to win we have to reduce the mistakes, but we knew before this game it will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game. It is tough for us and tough for everyone.”
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On Tel, he said: “He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn’t need too many words. He was sorry for the mistake. It can happen to a young player.”
De Zerbi added: “I think we have to consider the result, but we also have to consider the performance. We played a good game, we are making points – in the last four games we made eight points.
“Congratulations to Leeds. They played a great game. They have to play the last game at West Ham and we’ve no doubt that they will play the same way.”
“So long as the visit proceeds smoothly and Trump concludes he was treated respectfully, then the uneasy calm in the bilateral relationship will endure. If, on the other hand, Trump leaves feeling disrespected or trifled with, then he could have a change of heart,” says Ryan Hass, Director of the John L Thornton China Centre at the Brookings Institute.
Twelve hospital staff at Radboud University Medical Centre will be in isolation for six weeks after failing to follow strict PPE protocols when treating a hantavirus-infected patient evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius
Rachel Vickers-Price UK and World News Reporter
01:33, 12 May 2026
A dozen hospital workers in the Netherlands face quarantine after flouting strict PPE protocols while treating a patient who had been aboard the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, the MV Hondius.
The Netherlands’ Radboud University Medical Centre (Radboudumc) confirmed on Monday that 12 members of staff had put themselves at risk of contamination by failing to adhere to specific, rigorous protocols when handling blood and urine samples from an infected individual who had been aboard the virus-plagued vessel.
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Despite the risk of infection being deemed low, the 12 healthcare workers will remain in “preventive quarantine for six weeks as a precaution,” the hospital confirmed.
The patient, who contracted the rodent-borne virus, has been receiving hospital treatment since Wednesday following a medical evacuation from the ill-fated Dutch vessel, which has been at the centre of an international health emergency in recent weeks.
Blood samples were taken from the patient and processed using standard safety measures. “Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” a hospital spokesperson confirmed on Monday. “In addition, it became clear on Saturday, May 9, that the most up-to-date international regulations had not been followed during the disposal of the patient’s urine.”
Staff members will be provided with any necessary support while in isolation, the university medical centre confirmed, with Radboudumc board chair Dr Bertine Lahuis seeking to reassure the public that the risk to the wider community remains minimal.
“Despite the fact that the chance of actual infection is very small, these measures have a significant impact on all those involved. We regret that this has happened at our university medical centre,” she said, adding that a careful investigation is coming to “learn from this and to prevent it from happening in the future” once again.
Her public statement follows days after the infected patient was first assessed at the hospital, with the Dutch medical centre having previously assured the public that its staff had the hantavirus containment measures firmly under control.
A spokesperson said at the time: “On the ward where the patient is admitted, appropriate isolation measures have been taken to prevent spread, in accordance with internationally agreed protocols.
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The team is specialised and trained in the care of patients with severe infectious diseases.” The patient at Radboudumc was among three individuals who were medically evacuated from the MV Hondius while the vessel was docked off the coast of Cape Verde last week.
They were transported back to the Netherlands, along with another patient who has since been admitted to Leiden University Medical Centre.
A third person evacuated from the ship was taken to a hospital in Germany, and has since tested negative for hantavirus.
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Three people lost their lives following a recent hantavirus outbreak aboard the Dutch-flagged vessel, which had 147 passengers and crew members on board. Two of the fatal victims were identified as a man and woman from Friesland in the Netherlands, while the third was reported to be a German woman.
The remaining passengers still aboard the Dutch-flagged ship were finally able to disembark on Monday, bringing weeks of uncertainty to a close.
Here’s what the stars have in store for your day (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
The Moon in Pisces angles towards a charged Jupiter, heightening emotions throughout the day ahead. Go easy on yourself.
Gemini, Taurus and Aries, don’t be afraid of your own company today. You always look outward; make some room for intropection.
Protect your energy within this raw cosmic shift, and be sparing with your interactions. Really feel all that this placement has to offer.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Tuesday May 12, 2026.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
Your abode really can be a place of refuge today. Some new soft furnishings can tempt too. The Moon in your sector of escapism and gentle healing could also see you in the mood to book a therapeutic treatment, a spa day, or to luxuriate later in the day in a deep, hot bath, with all the candles and personal care goodies to make it particularly soothing and nurturing.
A sense of flow can just seem to smooth your path. Things that can sometimes snag likely will not, and even the usual awkward things that can snare can just go your way. The lovely thing about today’s celestial influences is that you may be in the mood to share the vibe with friends or a loved one, and you may be fortunate to receive a really thoughtful gift or text.
You can be one of the most effervescent of signs. But today, you may be happier cocooning yourself away with your private thoughts and ruminating on recent events. That does not mean to say you will not necessarily be busy. Your mind can still be active, perhaps processing sensitive issues or, in a more practical sense, conducting much-needed research.
Cancerian people can often be among the most effective leaders, as you have an innate gift for managing both people and practical matters astutely. So if you are collaborating with others today, you may find yourself being in demand because others can be keen for your important perspective and perhaps even guidance. Mind, there can be some fun in the mix too.
The Part of Fortune is a very influential point in any person’s unique birth chart. And today, it is in a beautiful embrace with Venus, the planet of charm, in the part of your ‘scope to do with quick communication. This connection could be just as much in your professional or worldly interactions as in a social or romantic context, but it could prove helpful.
There is a really bubbly set of influences impacting your zodiac sign at the moment, Virgo, all of which are encouraging you to socialise, plan exciting adventures, holidays, or big nights out. And it can be just the tonic you need, as you are often so very conscientious. Give yourself permission for some escapism; it can recharge you for the daily grind.
Cosmic messages for Cosmic messages for Virgo today
Libra
September 24 to October 23
If you work in a business role, either for an organisation or in your own enterprise, your acumen can be particularly good today when a balance of shrewdness and positivity could see you make some very astute decisions. You may also be alert to developing trends, yet as much as this can be financially beneficial, it may also show up in fashion and music too.
The Moon, in the most social part of your chart, links to the upbeat Jupiter, in the most enthusiastic area. Perfect if you choose to get together with friends. However, your relationship sector continues to sparkle, and this bubbly vibe can give you extra confidence if you meet someone new. You can be cautious in these situations; today, though, you may more than likely just go with it.
Your ruling planet, Jupiter, is the traditional guide of Pisces, where his role is largely about faith and emotional wisdom. Currently domiciled in the homely Cancer, he is helping you to think about long-term finances, property, and family hopes. Yet with your practical sector supported by the Sun and sharp-eyed Mercury, your grasp of details is heightened too.
Every now and again, the planets align to give us a wonderful platform to sparkle. We do not have to embrace it, of course, and particularly if we are concentrating on important worldly or practical strands. However, if you do get some space today to connect with friends, spend quality time with a partner or family members, and enjoy some jolly exchanges, then do.
Your home or family time can prove to be productive. Whether it is catching up on neglected domestic chores, a DIY project that has stalled, or decluttering and freeing up more space, it can be very therapeutic. You may want to turn up the music, or you may want total peace and quiet, but either way, if you put your mind to it, you can get a lot done and feel good for it.
The Moon in your sign angles towards your traditional ruler Jupiter, in a really harmonious way. He is in Cancer, another Water sign, and he can give you a sense of fun or an appreciation for the arts and creativity. And with the Sun and Mercury joining in the chattiest part of your Solar chart, there is likely a lot for you to enthusiastically share or discuss.
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Every paper on Tuesday morning has dedicated its front page to the future of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, with the Times declaring: “Cabinet turns on Starmer.” The paper reports that “nearly 80” Labour MPs have publicly told the prime minister that it is time to go, including at least three senior Cabinet ministers. Sources have told the Times that both the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, have pressed the prime minister to “set out a timeline for his departure”.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said he believes the Ukraine war is “coming to an end,” remarks made shortly after Russia held a noticeably scaled-down Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Putin also hinted at possible future negotiations on European security and floated former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a potential intermediary, though many European leaders rejected the idea.
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Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 04:13
Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of violating ceasefire
Ukraine and Russia accused each other of repeatedly violating a US-backed temporary ceasefire almost immediately after it came into effect.
Kyiv reported continued drone strikes, battlefield clashes, and civilian deaths, while Moscow claimed Ukrainian drones and shelling targeted Russian territory and positions.
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Despite the truce reducing some large-scale attacks, both sides said fighting never truly stopped.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 04:28
Germany sceptical on Putin’s suggestion of Schroeder role in Ukraine peace talks
Germany rejected Russian president Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder could help mediate peace talks between Russia and the European Union over Ukraine.
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Putin had named Schröder as his preferred intermediary after European Council president Antonio Costa said there was “potential” for talks with Moscow about Europe’s future security structure.
But German officials dismissed the idea as not credible, saying Russia had not changed any of its demands on Ukraine or shown serious interest in negotiations.
One official told Reuters the Kremlin was making bogus offers aimed at dividing Western allies and said a real test of Russia’s intentions would be whether it agreed to extend a temporary three-day ceasefire.
Schröder remains controversial in Germany because of his close ties to Putin and his work with Russian energy companies after leaving office. Berlin also stressed that any talks involving the EU must be closely coordinated with Ukraine and European member states.
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Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 04:44
Latvian defence minister resigns after Ukrainian drones hit oil tanks
Latvian defence minister Andris Spruds resigned after two Ukrainian drones crossed into Latvia from Russia and struck oil storage tanks in the eastern city of Rezekne.
Latvian prime minister Evika Silina demanded his resignation, saying the country’s anti-drone systems were not activated quickly enough.
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The incident prompted Latvia and neighbouring Lithuania to urge Nato to strengthen air defences in the Baltic region.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the drones were Ukrainian but claimed they had been deliberately diverted off course by Russian electronic warfare while targeting sites inside Russia.
Ukraine also said it was considering sending experts to help improve Baltic air security after the incident.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 04:55
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Moscow accuses Armenia for giving Zelensky platform for ‘anti-Russia remarks’
Russia criticised Armenia after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made remarks in Yerevan suggesting Russia feared possible drone attacks over Moscow’s Red Square during the 9 May Victory Day parade.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, accused Armenia of giving Zelenskyy “a platform for anti-Russian remarks” and said Moscow expected an explanation from Yerevan.
Peskov stressed that Russia did not want Armenia to adopt an “anti-Russian stance”, AS growing tensions between the two longtime allies as Armenia moves closer to Western and European partners.
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Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 05:18
Russia and Ukraine trade blame as fragile US-brokered ceasefire rocked by deadly drone strikes
Russia has accused Kyiv of breaking a US-brokered ceasefire, while Ukrainian officials claimed one person had been killed and more injured by Russian drone and artillery strikes in the past 24 hours.
Two people were injured by Ukrainian shelling in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine‘s Kherson region, the area’s Moscow-installed leader Vladimir Saldo said on Sunday.
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Separately, Russia’s ministry of defence accused Kyiv of committing more than 1,000 ceasefire violations, state media reported, citing a daily briefing on Sunday. The ministry stated Ukrainian forces had attacked civilian targets in several Russian regions and carried out strikes against Russian military positions on the frontline.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 05:40
Germany divided after Putin floats Schroder as Ukraine mediator
Vladimir Putin recently suggested that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder could help negotiate peace in Ukraine, saying he believes the war may be “coming to an end”.
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The idea divided opinion in Germany. Former lawmaker Michael Roth said a mediator “cannot be Putin’s buddy” and stressed that Ukraine should decide who can take part in peace talks.
“Neither Moscow nor we can decide that on Kyiv’s behalf,” he said in an interview with Tagesspiegel.
But some members of Germany’s Social Democratic Party said the proposal should still be “carefully considered” with European partners.
Schroder has stayed close to Russian president Putin even after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. He also worked on major Russian energy projects, including the Nord Stream gas pipelines and the Russian oil company Rosneft.
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Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 06:17
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner expected to visit Moscow soon
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said on Sunday that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to visit Moscow soon for fresh talks aimed at pushing forward peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine, according to news agency Interfax.
The planned visit comes as a fragile three-day ceasefire brokered by the US faced strain, with both Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of continued attacks and battlefield clashes.
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Donald Trump had presented the temporary truce, announced during Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, as a possible first step toward ending the war.
However, Ukrainian officials reported deadly Russian drone strikes and hundreds of frontline clashes after the ceasefire began, while Russia accused Ukraine of launching dozens of drones into Russian territory.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 06:50
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EU’s Kallas criticises Putin’s suggestion of Schroder as mediator in peace talks
European Union’s Kaja Kallas criticised Russian president Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder could help mediate Ukraine peace talks.
Kallas said Schroder, who worked with Russian state energy companies after leaving office, would effectively be “sitting on both sides of the table”.She added that it “would not be wise to give Russia right to negotiate on our behalf”.
Her remarks came after Putin proposed Schroder as a possible intermediary between Russia and the European Union, a suggestion that has sparked criticism across Europe because of Schroder’s long-standing ties to the Kremlin and Russian energy interests.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 May 2026 07:12
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Kremlin dismisses Zelensky’s remarks over Victory Day parade as ‘silly joke’
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who earlier said Russian authorities “fear drones may buzz over Red Square” during Moscow’s Victory Day parade, later joked that the area would temporarily be spared from Ukrainian strikes so the celebrations could proceed.The Kremlin dismissed his remarks as a “silly joke”.
Earlier, a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine announced by Donald Trump on Friday eased concerns over a possible Ukrainian attack during Moscow’s Red Square Victory Day parade, though it appeared unlikely to lead to a wider peace agreement.
Earlier unilateral ceasefires declared by both sides had quickly broken down, with Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of violations.
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Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to pause fighting from Saturday through Monday and carry out a prisoner exchange, adding that the temporary truce could mark the “beginning of the end” of the war, which is now in its fifth year.
Trump on Monday conducted an informal straw poll of visiting law enforcement officials and other allies whom he’d gathered for dinner on the slate patio where the White House Rose Garden was until he tore it up and paved it over last year.
After opining about the current state of the Democratic Party’s bench and laying into California Governor Gavin Newsom over a months-old interview, Trump dismissed the potential 2028 opposition to a MAGA successor as “a lot of beauties.”
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Turning to Vance, Trump said: “JD, I envy you — and other people.”
(Getty)
“I don’t know who’s it going to be — Is it going to be JD, is it going to be somebody else? I don’t know,” he said.
The president then turned to his guests for their views.
After diners responded with tepid applause, Trump asked another question: “Who likes Marco Rubio?”
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The crowd’s response was slightly more muted.
At that point, Trump appeared to have had his fun, telling the loyalists arrayed before him that a Vance-Rubio ticket sounded good to him.
“JD, this is a perfect that was a perfect ticket. By the way. I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details,” he said.
But lest his vice president get any delusions of grandeur, the president then cautioned him: “That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance!”
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Trump’s dinner emcee act echoed what The New York Times has reported to be a familiar survey he’s put to guests at his Mar-a-Lago club during his frequent visits there, asking his friends and colleagues to pick which of the two top officials should succeed him.
The president only poses the question for fun, Trump advisers have said, according to the New York Times, and often suggests the two men, whom he refers to as “kids,” should run on the same ticket.
But the consistent conversations around Vance and Rubio have ignited debates, especially as both men take on more public-facing roles.
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Vance has taken a larger step into foreign affairs, helping lead so-far unsuccessful peace negotiations with Iran and attempting to rally support for Viktor Orbán, the former Hungarian leader who lost his re-election bid.
Once a self-described “never Trump guy,” Vance’s progression to becoming Trump’s running mate mirrors much of the Republican Party’s feelings toward Trump between 2015 and now.
“I’m not saying you have to agree with me on every issue. What I am saying is don’t get disengaged because you disagree with the administration on one topic,” Vance said.
Rubio, an ex-Florida senator who unsuccessfully sought the presidency in the crowded 2016 primary that eventually crowned Trump as the GOP standard-bearer, has less of a high profile despite his years in public service in Florida’s legislature and the U.S. Senate.
But his time in the Trump administration has seen him become the subject of a running joke stemming from the many roles he fills while also serving as head of the State Department.
In addition to his Senate-confirmed job, making him fourth in line to the presidency, he is also the first person since Henry Kissinger to serve as both Secretary of State and the White House National Security Adviser.
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But Rubio has also had stints, now complete, as acting Archivist to the United States and acting head of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
And while he’s infamously been cut out of high-stakes negotiations over the Russia-Ukraine and Iran wars in favor of Trump’s friend Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Rubio has nonetheless stepped into a more public spokesman role recently by leading the White House press briefing with jokes and making a public display of amends with Pope Leo XIV.
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But the Secretary of State, who remains a close friend of Vance’s from their shared time in the Senate, has publicly stated that he would not run against the vice president if he chose to seek the presidency.
“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio said in a Vanity Fair interview last year.
Neidle, who has investigated the tax affairs of several politicians, looked into Polanski’s situation and wrote on his Tax Policy Associates website this week: “If, as seems likely, that was his main residence, then Mr Polanski and his partner should have paid council tax there.”
Three Government aides resigned on Monday evening – Joe Morris, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and Tom Rutland, a PPS to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, urged the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for his departure.
Ms Foy said: “After listening to the Prime Minister carefully this morning, I’ve decided to offer my honest opinion about the situation we currently find ourselves in.”
She claimed “no one listened” to her various warnings about the state of the government impacting local election results both last year and this month.
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(Image: UGC)
“Backbench MPs like me have felt consistently ignored, disappointingly branded the ‘usual suspects’ who aren’t ‘playing the team game’,” she said.
“My heart breaks at the current state of the party I’ve called my political home for my entire life and I’m embarrassed by the never-ending sound bites from Cabinet Ministers stating they don’t hear issues about the leadership on the doorstep.
“Perhaps they should knock on the same doors I have, but their lack of interest in listening to backbench colleagues has been made abundantly clear.
“Apologies won’t cut it any longer. I know I might disappoint some Labour members by saying this, but we’ve reached an existential crisis.
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“Labour lies on its death bed – with the only realistic cure being a change in direction and a change in leadership.”
Ms Foy is the latest North East MP to call on Sir Keir to step down, following earlier calls from Jonathan Brash, Kate Osborne, Andy McDonald, Luke Myer and Mr Morris, among others.
In a speech in central London on Monday, Sir Keir said he took “responsibility” for the losses but would fight on.
Monday’s address had been billed as a move to set out sweeping changes needed to tackle the “big challenges” facing Britain, and was widely seen as a “make-or-break” moment for the Prime Minister.
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Sir Keir set out a number of measures including legislation to nationalise British Steel, a ban on “far-right agitators” coming to the UK for a planned march on Saturday and a plan to put the UK “at the heart of Europe”.
The UK’s local elections saw the Green Party gain 440 councillors across England and win its first two elected mayors. They will join many councillors from all parties who will have to confront the same question: what can any one local authority actually do about climate change?
If they ask what they are required to do, the answer is: surprisingly little. In the UK’s highly centralised system, most responsibility lies with central government. Local authorities in England have no specific climate duties or targets – even though they have asked for them.
Ask instead what councils can do, and the answer is very different. Powers over things such as planning, business development, transport and social care, open up a huge range of opportunities to contribute to climate action. There are hundreds of initiatives driven or supported by local politicians which could provide vital inspiration to newly elected councillors.
Global problem, local action
For instance, local authorities across Cambridgeshire have worked together on a plan to boost home energy efficiency, providing help and funding to householders to fit heat pumps, cut energy use and bills, and creating green jobs.
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The Robin is a new transport service in rural Gloucestershire that can be booked on demand, to fill in gaps in formal transport provision and reduce isolation for rural dwellers who don’t have access to a car. Leeds City Council has partnered with private energy companies to develop Pipes, a city-wide district heating network. Some local authorities, including North Somerset and Sheffield, have even banned advertising of high-carbon products and services such as petrol cars and flights.
The tallest structure in Bristol is this wind turbine, owned collectively by residents of the Lawrence Weston housing estate. Captain Galaxy / wiki, CC BY-SA
In Lawrence Weston, a relatively low-income area of Bristol, local government and a community organisation worked together to build the UK’s largest onshore wind turbine, which ploughs its revenues back into the community.
In Hull, an area prone to flooding, the council is working closely with local residents to protect them from increasingly extreme weather, through sustainable urban drainage systems, and a “floodmobile” which engages with local communities to discuss how best to protect households and gains vital feedback from people’s experiences.
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People want more action
My local town council, Kendal, held a citizens’ jury in 2020, to ask residents what Kendal should be doing about climate change. It was one of the first of many local assemblies and juries to involve a randomly selected group of ordinary people in climate decision-making.
My research group has pulled together the findings of over 30 of these processes. It found that people want more action on climate and support more ambitious policies on transport, home energy and green space. They want the opportunity to be more involved in the decisions that affect them.
Kendal, near England’s Lake District, hosted one of the country’s first citizens’ juries on climate change. Kevin Eaves / shutterstock
Since Kendal’s jury, the town council has used its very limited budget to create more allotments, set up a bike maintenance hub, and support a community-run café that uses surplus food from supermarkets to serve pay-as-you-can meals.
These examples, from cities, towns and rural areas, involving councillors of all political persuasions, show what can be done by a determined local authority. What they have in common is they connect climate goals to immediate local benefits: lower bills, better transport, more green space and help for families struggling to make ends meet.
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But there are limits
While it’s important to celebrate these successes, there’s a need to attach a substantial health warning. Each initiative has relied on a determined council officials, elected members, and community and business support. Nearly all need external funding, which is increasingly hard to come by. Local councils’ own budgets are under constant pressure, and there are fewer staff in post. Funding per person has decreased by 18% since the 2010s. Remember that councils have no formal duties to reduce emissions – and it’s easy to understand why many feel they need to prioritise elsewhere.
It’s also an uncomfortable, rarely discussed, truth that some things local councils do actually make it harder to meet our climate objectives. Examples include planning policies which increase car dependence through low-density housing and out-of-town developments, poor transport planning which makes walking and cycling more dangerous, and support for high-carbon industrial development. We may have a climate crisis on our hands, but with limited budgets and an increasingly fraught political arena, there is a huge temptation for local councillors to look the other way.
Given this mixed and confusing picture, one of the things a new councillor could do to have the most impact would be to lobby for clear climate-related responsibilities, targets and funding for local areas. This would provide firmer foundations for local areas to act, would raise the floor, to ensure that all local areas were playing their part, and would standardise reporting so that we could compare and learn what results in the best outcomes for climate, people and nature.
Perhaps targets, funding and reporting is not the best rallying cry for climate action, but it would be the best way to make sure that these exceptional initiatives that have sprung up across England could become the norm – not the exception.
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