Good morning.
The Republican-controlled Texas House passed a redrawn congressional map requested by Donald Trump on Wednesday despite the attempts of Democrats to thwart it.
The redistricting vote came after weeks of protests by the Democrats, with a group of Democratic lawmakers leaving the state in order to stall the vote. They returned after California began advancing a redistricting bill to neutralize the Texas plan, which will hand the GOP up to five more congressional seats in the southern state.
What happens now? The measure will go to the state senate, where it is expected to pass, before being signed into law by the state’s Republican governor.
Could other states do the same? Yes – Trump has said “Florida, Indiana, and others are looking to do the same thing”. Even Democrats highly opposed to the brazen practice of gerrymandering are backing aggressive efforts to counter the Republicans’ efforts.
Trump to target Smithsonian museums to ‘get the Woke out’
The White House has flagged seven Smithsonian museums for review, the Guardian can reveal after it saw a document that details examples of how the popular museums are said to be casting US history in an over negative light.
Based on public submissions shared with the administration, the document identifies what it views as problematic exhibits at seven different museums. This includes a Benjamin Franklin exhibit that links his scientific achievements to his ownership of enslaved people.
It is the latest example of the Trump administration’s push to reshape cultural institutions. Under pressure, the Smithsonian has already changed an exhibit referencing Trump, removing all mention of his impeachments from a presidential power display at the American history museum in July.
What has the administration been asking for? It has instructed museum officials to issue “content corrections” including replacing “divisive” language.
Uganda reaches agreement with US to take in some of its asylum seekers
Uganda has struck a deal with the US to take in deportees from third countries who may not get asylum but are “reluctant” to go back to their home countries, according to Uganda’s foreign ministry.
The east African country will not accept people with criminal records or unaccompanied minors under the temporary arrangement, the foreign ministry’s permanent secretary said in a statement. He did not say whether Uganda would receive payments or other benefits, or how many deportees it would accept.
Which other third countries has the US deported people to? In July, the US deported five people from various countries to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), where they remain imprisoned, and eight to South Sudan.
In other news …
North Korea has a built an “undeclared” military base near its border with China that may house its long-range ballistic missiles, posing a “potential threat” to the US and east Asia, according to a report.
JD Vance was booed as he posed for photos with national guard troops in Washington DC on Wednesday, with protesters shouting slogans such as “Free DC”.
Campaigners are calling on Tanzania to free a victim of domestic violence with severe intellectual disabilities who has been on death row for 13 years.
Brazil police have accused the former president Jair Bolsonaro of plotting to flee to Argentina ahead of the verdict in his trial for allegedly plotting a military coup.
Stat of the day: Children exposed to corporal punishment are 24% less likely to be developmentally on track
Children exposed to corporal punishment were 24% less likely to be developmentally on track than those who were not, according to a report that looked at 49 low- and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization labeled corporal punishment a global public health concern, warning that it seriously harms children’s physical and mental wellbeing and can lead to criminal behaviour.
Don’t miss this: ‘Pregnant, homeless, what now?’ The search for a safe place to abandon a baby
As far as records go back, we know that women have made the desperate decision to abandon their babies. The controversial baby window, which allows women to give up their newborn anonymously, has made a comeback globally since start of the 21st century. But does the modern iteration of the foundling wheel help or make matters worse?
Climate check: Californians brace for worst multiday heatwave of the year
Californians are bracing for 2025’s first major heatwave that could bring dangerous triple-digit temperatures. It is expected to last for multiple days and could pose significant health risks and severely increase the chance of wildfires. Fueled by the climate emergency, extreme heat is already the most deadly weather-related disaster in the US, and deaths are rising.
Last Thing: Bare with me? How the thong bikini took over
Thong bikinis are having a moment. What was once the preserve of Brazilian beaches and Love Island is now everywhere, writes the Guardian’s assistant features editor Leah Harper, who even spotted the skimpy bikini being worn at a Scottish loch. Harper investigates what’s behind the rise of the itsy-bitsy bathing suit.
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