nationwide

NEW YORK — At the top of his victory speech at a Brooklyn theater late Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani — the 34-year-old democratic socialist just elected New York’s next mayor — spoke of power being gripped by the bruised and calloused hands of working Americans, away from the wealthy elite.

“Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it,” he said. “The future is in our hands.”

The imagery was apropos of the night more broadly — when a beaten-down Democratic Party, still nursing its wounds from a wipeout by President Trump a year ago, forcefully took back what some had worried was lost to them for good: momentum.

From coast to coast Tuesday night, American voters delivered a sharp rebuke to Trump and his MAGA movement, electing Democrats in important state and local races in New York, New Jersey and Virginia and passing a major California ballot measure designed to put more Democrats in Congress in 2026.

The results — a reversal of the party’s fortunes in last year’s presidential election, when Trump swept the nation’s swing states — arrived amid deep political division and entrenched Republican power in Washington. Many voters cited Trump’s agenda, and related economic woes, as motivating their choices at the ballot box.

The wins hardly reflected a unified Democratic Party nationally, or even a shared left-wing vision for a future beyond Trump. If anything, Mamdani’s win was a challenge to the Democratic Party establishment as much as a rejection of Trump.

His vision for the future is decidedly different than that of other, more moderate Democrats who won elsewhere in the country, such as Abigail Spanberger, the 46-year-old former CIA officer whom Virginians elected as their first female governor, or Mikie Sherrill, the 53-year-old former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor who won the race for New Jersey governor.

Still, the cascade of victories did evoke for many Democrats and progressives a political hope that they hadn’t felt in a while: a sense of optimism that Trump and his MAGA movement aren’t unstoppable after all, and that their own party’s ability to resist isn’t just alive and well but gaining speed.

“Let me underscore, it’s been a good evening — for everybody, not just the Democratic Party. But what a night for the Democratic Party,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said during his own remarks on the national wins. “A party that is in its ascendancy, a party that’s on its toes, no longer on its heels.”

“I hope it’s the first of many dominoes that are going to happen across this country,” Noah Gotlib, 29, of Bushwick said late Tuesday at a victory party for Mamdani. “I hope there’s a hundred more Zohrans at a local, state, federal level.”

On a night of big wins, Mamdani’s nonetheless stood out as a thunderbolt from the progressive left — a full-throated rejection not just of Trump but of Mamdani’s mainstream Democratic opponent in the race: former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani — a Muslim, Ugandan-born state assemblyman of Indian descent — beat Cuomo first in the Democratic ranked-choice primary in June. Cuomo, bolstered by many of New York’s moneyed interests afraid of Mamdani’s ideas for taxing the rich and spending for the poor, reentered the race as an independent.

Trump attacked Mamdani time and again as a threat. He said Monday that he would cut off federal funding to New York if Mamdani won. He even took the dramatic step of endorsing Cuomo over Curtis Sliwa, the Republican in the race, in a last-ditch effort to block Mamdani’s stunning political ascent.

Instead, city voters surged to the polls and delivered Mamdani a resounding win.

“To see him rise above all of these odds to actually deliver a vision of something that could be better, that was what really attracted me to the [Democratic Socialists of America] in the first place,” said Aminata Hughes, 31, of Harlem, who was dancing at an election-night party when Mamdani was announced the winner.

“A better world is possible,” the native New Yorker said, “and we’re not used to hearing that from our politicians.”

In trademark Trump fashion, the president dismissed the wins by his rival party, suggesting they were a result of two factors: the ongoing federal shutdown, which he has blamed on Democrats, and the fact that he wasn’t personally on people’s ballots.

Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s chief advisors, posted a paragraph to social media outlining the high number of mixed-status immigrant families in New York being impacted by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and mass deportation campaign, which Miller has helped lead.

Democrats in some ways agreed. They pointed to the shutdown and other disruptions to Americans’ safety and financial security as motivating the vote. They pointed to Trump’s immigration tactics as being an affront to hard-working families. And they pointed to Trump himself — not on the ballot but definitely a factor for voters, especially after he threatened to cut off funds to New York if the city voted for Mamdani again.

“President Trump has threatened New York City if we dare stand up to him. The people of New York came together and we said, ‘You don’t threaten New York,’” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). “We’re going to stand up to bullies and thugs in the White House.”

“Today we said ‘no’ to Donald Trump and ‘yes’ to democracy,” New Jersey Democratic Chair LeRoy J. Jones Jr. told a happy crowd at Sherrill’s watch party.

“Congratulations to all the Democratic candidates who won tonight. It’s a reminder that when we come together around strong, forward-looking leaders who care about the issues that matter, we can win,” former President Obama wrote on social media. “We’ve still got plenty of work to do, but the future looks a little bit brighter.”

In addition to winning the New York mayoral and New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races, Democrats outperformed Republicans in races across the country. They held several seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and won the Virginia attorney general’s race. In California, voters passed Proposition 50, a ballot measure giving state Democrats the power to redraw congressional districts in their favor ahead of next year’s midterms.

Newsom and other Democrats had made Proposition 50 all about Trump from the beginning, framing it as a direct response to Trump trying to steal power by convincing red states such as Texas to redraw their own congressional lines in favor of Republicans.

Trump has been direct about trying to shore up Republicans’ slim majority in the House, to help ensure they retain power and are able to block Democrats from thwarting his agenda. And yet, he has suggested California’s own redistricting effort was illegal and a “GIANT SCAM” under “very serious legal and criminal review.”

Trump had also gone after several of the Democrats who won on Tuesday directly. In addition to Mamdani, Trump tried to paint Spanberger and Sherrill as out-of-touch liberals too, attacking them over some of his favorite wedge issues such as transgender rights, crime and energy costs. Similar messaging was deployed by the candidates’ Republican opponents.

In some ways, Trump was going out on a political limb, trying to sway elections in blue states where his grip on the electorate is smaller and his influence is often a major motivator for people to get out and vote against him and his allies.

His weighing in on the races only added to the sense that the Democrats’ wins marked something bigger — a broader repudiation of Trump, and a good sign for Democrats heading into next year’s midterms.

Marcus LaCroix, 42, who voted for Proposition 50 at a polling site in Lomita on Tuesday evening, described it as “a counterpunch” to what he sees as the excesses and overreach of the Trump administration, and Trump’s pressure on red states to redraw their lines.

“A lot of people are very concerned about the redistricting in Texas,” he said. “But we can actually fight back.”

Ed Razine, 27, a student who lives in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn, was in class when he heard Mamdani won. Soon, he was celebrating with friends at Nowadays, a Bushwick dance club hosting an election watch party.

Razine said Mamdani’s win represented a “new dawn” in American politics that he hopes will spread to other cities and states across the country.

“For me, he does represent the future of the Democratic Party — the fact that billionaires can’t just buy our election, that if someone really cares to truly represent the everyday person, people will rise up and that money will not talk,” Razine said. “At the end of the day, people talk.”

The Associated Press and Times staff writer Connor Sheets contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — Protesting the direction of the country under President Trump, people gathered Saturday in the nation’s capital and hundreds of communities across the U.S. for “ No Kings ” demonstrations.

This is the third mass mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House and comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that not only has closed federal programs and services, but is testing the core balance of power as an aggressive executive confronts Congress and the courts in ways that organizers warn are a slide toward American authoritarianism.

Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.

“They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview airing early Friday, before he departed for a $1-million-per-plate MAGA Inc. super PAC fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. Protests were expected nearby Saturday.

More than 2,600 rallies are planned Saturday in cities large and small, organized by hundreds of coalition partners.

Republicans are countering the nationwide street demonstrations by calling them “hate America” protests.

A growing opposition movement

While the earlier protests this year — against Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts in spring, then to counter Trump’s military parade in June — drew crowds, organizers say this one is building a more unified opposition movement. Top Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and progressive leader Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are joining in what organizers view as an antidote to Trump’s actions, including the administration’s clampdown on free speech and its military-style immigration raids in American cities.

“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible, among the key organizers.

As Republicans and the White House try to characterize the mass protests as a rally of radicals, Levin said the sign-up numbers are growing. Organizers said rallies are being planned within a one-hour drive for most Americans.

Rallies were also held in major European cities, where gatherings of a few hundred Americans chanted slogans and held signs and U.S. flags.

‘Crooks and con men’ and fears of police response

Retired family doctor Terence McCormally was heading to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to join up with others Saturday morning and walk across the Memorial Bridge that enters Washington directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He thought the protests would be peaceful but said the recent deployment of the National Guard makes him more leery about the police than he used to be.

“I really don’t like the crooks and con men and religious zealots who are trying to use the country” for personal gain, McCormally said, “while they are killing and hurting millions of people with bombs.”

Republicans denounce rallies

Republicans have sought to portray participants in Saturday’s rallies as far outside the mainstream of American politics, and a main reason for the prolonged government shutdown, now in its 18th day.

From the White House to Capitol Hill, GOP leaders disparaged the rallygoers as “communists” and “Marxists.”

They say Democratic leaders, including Schumer, are beholden to the far-left flank and willing to keep the government shut down to appease those liberal forces.

“I encourage you to watch — we call it the ‘Hate America’ rally — that will happen Saturday,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

“Let’s see who shows up for that,” Johnson said, saying he expected attendees to include “antifa types,” people who “hate capitalism” and “Marxists in full display.”

In a Facebook post, Sanders said, “It’s a love America rally.”

“It’s a rally of millions of people all over this country who believe in our Constitution, who believe in American freedom and,” he said, pointing at the GOP leadership, “are not going to let you and Donald Trump turn this country into an authoritarian society.”

Democrats in Congress have refused to vote on legislation that would reopen the government as they demand funding for healthcare, which has been imperiled by the massive GOP spending bill passed this summer. Republicans say they are willing to discuss the issue only after the government reopens.

But for many Democrats, the government closure is also a way to stand up to Trump and try to push the presidency back to its place in the U.S. system as a coequal branch of government.

The situation is a potential turnaround from just six months ago, when Democrats and their allies were divided and despondent, unsure about how best to respond to Trump’s return to the White House. Schumer in particular was sharply criticized by many in his party for allowing an earlier government funding bill to sail through the Senate without using it to challenge Trump.

In April, the national march against Trump and Musk — who was then leading the White House government-slashing group known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE — had 1,300 registered locations. In June, for the first “No Kings” day, there were 2,100 registered locations.

“What we are seeing from the Democrats is some spine,” Levin said. “The worst thing the Democrats could do right now is surrender.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said he wasn’t sure if he would join the rallygoers Saturday, but he took issue with the Republicans’ characterization of the events.

“What’s hateful is what happened on Jan. 6,” he said, referring to the 2021 Capitol attack, in which a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the building in an attempt to overturn his election loss to Joe Biden. “What you’ll see this weekend is what patriotism looks like.”

Mascaro, Riddle and Freking write for the Associated Press. Riddle reported from Montgomery, Ala. AP writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.

BRITAIN’S banks are giving away free cash payments of up to £200 each – and customers need to do one thing to be eligible to claim the money.

The extraordinary deals are being offered by major UK banks such as Lloyds and NatWest as part of the fight to boost customer numbers.

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Nationwide is also among the list of banking giants handing out the free cash payments for changing bank accounts.

The deals are part of switching incentives, and also come with extra perks like cashback and savings rates well above the average.

Nationwide Building Society

The first bank on the list is giving out a handsome sum of £175 to customers who complete a full switch through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).

Those joining can pick from three accounts: FlexPlus, FlexFirect or FlexAccount.

The FlexDirect account offers 5 per cent AER interest on balances up to £1,500 for the first 12 months.

It also offers 1 per cent cashback on debit card spending with a maximum of £5 per month.

Combining this with the switching bonus, cashback and interest, smart savers could horde up to £400 in free payments in the first year of joining.

Nationwide’s Director of Group Retail Products Tom Riley said: “It’s never been more rewarding to be a Nationwide member and that’s why we want to help more people benefit by offering this switching offer.”

The building society consistently ranks top for customer service and has already attracted over a million new customers through CASS since 2013.

Lloyds Bank

For a £200 free cash payment, Lloyds Bank is giving away bonuses to customers who make a switch.

People who move their existing account to a Club Lloyds or Lloyds Premier account can get the free cash.

But the payment comes on condition they set up three or more direct debits.

Lloyds Bank is one of the UK’s largest financial services organisations and serves tens of millions of Brits.

NatWest

For account holders switching with NatWest, customers can get up to £175 on one condition.

Those choosing a Select or Reward account can get the free cash.

But they must pay in £1,250 first.

And customers also need to login to the mobile app within 60 days.

Other major banks

RBS, part of NatWest Group, is also offering £175 for switching to a Select or Reward account, as long as they pay £1,250 and login to the app in 60 days.

First Direct is offering £175 for switching to its popular 1st Account.

Customers must pay in £1,000 minimum, set up two direct debits or standing orders, and make five debit card payments within 45 days.

The Co-operative Bank’s switch deal stands at £100, with customers able to make another £75.

Customers need to meet the same requirements as First Direct switchers over the next three months.

What energy bill help is available?

There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.

If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.

This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.

If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.

Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.

But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.

For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.

British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.

You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.

EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.

Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).

The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.

Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.

Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.

Financial expert Kate Steere said Nationwide’s package may be the best in value over 12 months, factoring in interest and cashback.

She said: “If you max out the savings and cashback alongside the switching bonus, you could be looking at nearly £400 in your first year.”

Lloyds is offering the highest single payout though, standing at £200 upfront.

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Aug. 26 (UPI) — Families of Israeli hostages and their supporters staged protests across the country Tuesday, blocking major roads and setting tire bonfires, demanding the government end the war in Gaza and agree a deal to bring their loved ones home.

The day of action organized by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum brought rush-hour traffic to a standstill on multiple highways and intersections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv — where the main Ayalon thruway was closed for the second time in a week — and the main coastal highway linking Tel Aviv with the port city of Haifa.

The group kicked off the so-called “National Solidarity Day” by unfurling its huge yellow flags in front of the branch office of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, with demonstrators also gathering outside the private residences of Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Education Minister Yoav Kisch.

A mothers and strollers protest was also planned in Tel Aviv, marches across the country scheduled for 2 p.m. local time and a large rally capping the day off in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square in the evening.

“For 690 days, the government has been waging a war without a clear objective,” Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan Zangauker, who has been held by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023, told a news conference

“Today, it is clear that Netanyahu fears one thing, public pressure. We could have ended the war a year ago and brought all the hostages and soldiers home. We could have saved hostages and soldiers, but the prime minister chose, again and again, to sacrifice civilians for the sake of [maintaining] his rule,” she said.

Leaders of the group seized on comments Monday by U.S. President Donald Trump that there would be a “pretty conclusive ending” to the war in the next two to three weeks, to appeal to him to intervene and use his influence to help seal a cease-fire with Hamas.

In comments to reporters at the White House, Trump said a “very serious” diplomatic effort to end the war and secure the release of Israeli hostages was underway and that he had told Netanyahu he’d better get it settled soon.”

Trump did not elaborate but pointed to recent initiatives by his special envoy Steve Witkoff.

A framework first proposed by Witkoff in June formed the basis for a Qatari-Egyptian negotiated part-agreement for a 60-day cease-fire and hostage-prisoner swap deal currently on the table, accepted by Hamas but not Israel, which has instead launched a major military offensive to capture Gaza City.

The proposal, which calls for the release of half of the hostages in two phases, was not on the agenda of a meeting of Netanyahu’s security cabinet due to take place Tuesday afternoon, its first full meeting since the latest plan emerged Aug. 18.

Netanyahu has insisted that only a deal in which all the hostages are released will be considered, ordering his negotiators to resume talks on that basis — while restating his intention to follow through with seizing control of Gaza City.

A MAJOR garage has closed down at the worst possible time – after thousands of drivers across the country were ordered to avoid using their cars as part of a huge recall.

A serious fault recently discovered in Citroen and DS3 vehicles has resulted in a nationwide safety notice.

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However, the sudden closure of Duff Morgan Citroen and Peugeot – a widely-used service centre in Norwich – has now left many vehicle owners in the lurch.

According to the Eastern Daily Press, the service centre and its Express Service, located on Whiffler Road, closed its doors several weeks ago.

And while the reason for the outlet’s closure has not been revealed, it does coincide with one of the largest car recalls the country has experienced so far this year.

The recall, first announced back in June, targets certain Citroen and DS3 vehicles due to potentially faulty airbags.

It has left thousands of UK drivers unable to use their cars, as Stellantis, the parent company of Citroen, issued an urgent “stop driving” alert.

The affected models include all Citroen C3 and DS3 vehicles manufactured between 2009 and 2016, as well as some DS3 models produced from 2016 to 2019.

Recently, the recall was also expanded to include C4, DS4 and DS5 models.

Reports suggest the expansion added roughly 9,968 UK cars to the total, meaning nearly 106,000 Citroen or DS vehicles in Britain are covered by the stop‑drive action.

The recall was prompted by concerns over airbags supplied by the now-defunct Japanese manufacturer Takata, whose components have been linked to fatal accidents.

In one incident, a driver in France was killed after a minor collision resulted in metal shrapnel from a faulty airbag hitting them – prompting an immediate reaction from the company.

Consumer protection organisation, Which?, has since slammed Stellantis for their “chaotic” handling of the recall and called on them to make urgent improvements.

Thousands of customers across the country have been left unable to drive their cars, with many having no alternative modes of transport, according to Which?.

No incidents are yet to be reported in the UK, but the consumer group has expressed its concern for the lack of clarity around available compensation for customers.

They outlined how “major upheaval” had been caused for customers who were reliant on their cars.

This has only been compounded for Norwich residents, as the closure of the Duff Morgan service centre means many have been unable to get repairs necessary for them to use their cars to access work, healthcare appointments or essential activities, such as taking their children to school.

Elderly individuals in rural areas have also experienced isolation due to the lack of transportation.

Many owners across the country have already complained of substantial delays in receiving necessary repairs, with garages struggling to source replacement airbags.

Sun Motors has contacted Duff Morgan for a comment, an explanation on why the site has closed, and which alternative locations frustrated car owners can take their cars for repairs.

Citroen & DS models affected by UK ‘stop drive’ action

• Citroen C3 (second gen) – built from 2009 to 2016
• Citroen DS3 – built from 2009 to 2016
• DS Automobiles DS3 – built from 2016 to 2019
• Citroen C4 – built from 2010 to 2018
• Citroen DS4 – built from 2010 and 2017
• Citroen DS5 – built from 2010 to 2018

Thousands of protesters in Israel have taken to the streets demanding an end to the war in Gaza and a deal to free captives held there, as the military intensifies attacks on Gaza City to force tens of thousands of starving Palestinians to flee again.

Israeli schools, businesses and public transport have been shut down, with demonstrations planned in major cities as part of a national day of action by two groups representing a number of the families of captives and bereaved families.

Protesters, who fear further fighting could endanger the 50 captives believed to remain in Gaza, only about 20 of whom are thought to be alive, chanted: “We don’t win a war over the bodies of hostages.”

“Military pressure doesn’t bring hostages back – it only kills them,” former captive Arbel Yehoud said at a demonstration in Tel Aviv’s so-called “Hostage Square”. “The only way to bring them back is through a deal, all at once, without games.”

Police said they had arrested 32 as part of the nationwide demonstration – one of the fiercest since the uproar over six captives found dead in Gaza last September.

Sunday’s rallies came just days after Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to advance on Gaza City, nearly two years into a genocidal war that has devastated the enclave, left much of its population on the brink of famine, and led to Israel being increasingly internationally isolated.

At Tel Aviv’s so-called “Hostage Square”, activists unfurled a huge Israeli flag covered with the faces of captives still held in Gaza. Protesters also blocked major roads, including the highway linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where tyres were set alight and traffic came to a standstill, according to local reports.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of those held, declared a nationwide strike. “We will shut down the country today with one clear call: Bring back the 50 hostages, end the war,” the group said, pledging to escalate their campaign with a protest tent near the Gaza border.

“If we don’t bring them back now – we will lose them forever,” the group warned.

In Jerusalem, businesses closed as demonstrators joined marches. “It’s time to end the war. It’s time to release all of the hostages. And it’s time to help Israel recover and move towards a more stable Middle East,” said Doron Wilfand, a 54-year-old tour guide speaking to the AFP news agency.

Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat and consul general in New York, told Al Jazeera from Tel Aviv that while protests were spread across the country, turnout remained relatively small.

“The number of people is pretty small … I do expect it to increase during the day,” he said, noting many shops, restaurants and universities were closed, with public transport running at half capacity. “It’s not a general strike in the sense that people envisage, but it is palpable, it’s tangible, you can feel it in the air.”

On Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to the unrest, Pinkas was scathing. “Most prime ministers would have resigned after October 7th … He is not just another prime minister. He cares only about his survival. He is driven by some Messianic delusions of redrawing the Middle East.”

Pinkas added that Netanyahu was deflecting public anger by blaming “the elites” and a “deep-state cabal” rather than taking responsibility.

Israeli government condemns protests

President Isaac Herzog voiced support for the captives’ return, urging international pressure on Hamas rather than heeding calls to halt the war.

But senior government figures lashed out at the protests.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich denounced them as “a perverse and harmful campaign that plays into the hands of Hamas,” while Culture Minister Miki Zohar said blocking roads “is a serious mistake and a reward to the enemy”.

Police reinforced their presence across the country, warning that no “public order disturbances” would be tolerated. Demonstrations were also held near the Gaza border, including in Beeri, a kibbutz badly hit during the Hamas-led attack of October 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in that attack that triggered what campaigners say is Israel’s war of vengeance. More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority women and children, in an Israeli offensive that has been dubbed genocide by multiple rights groups.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yaov Gallant have been issued arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

Meanwhile, Egyptian officials said efforts were under way to broker a 60-day truce that would include captive releases. A previous round of talks in Qatar collapsed without progress. The last trace agreed to in January was broken by Israel in March.

Israel’s plan to expand the offensive into Gaza City has been met with international alarm, as United Nations-backed experts warn of famine across the territory.

Aug. 16 (UPI) — Demonstrations are taking place Saturday in 34 states to protest congressional redistricting efforts in Texas that have caused state House Democrats to flee the state to prevent the measure.

Well over 150 rallies are being organized by the movement “Fight the Trump Takeover,” as part of a national day of action.

Protesters are demonstrating against the move by Texas state Republicans and Governor Gregg Abott’s push to redraw the district lines mid-decade at the urging of President Donald Trump.

The re-drawn maps could add five Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives if the Republican proposal passes.

State House Democrats left Texas last week, heading to Blue states like Illinois to prevent a vote from taking place on the issue.

Abbott this week called a second special session of the state’s House of Representatives, after Democrats suddenly left Texas to stymie the vote.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., said if Abbott pushes ahead with Trump’s request, his state will respond by redrawing its districts to establish more Democratic seats in Congress.

Typically, congressional redistricting is done at the end of a decade in conjunction with a new census.

“Texas House Democrats are blocking a redistricting vote in the Texas House right now to Stop the Trump Takeover. But Trump has made it clear that he’s not stopping at Texas. He’s targeting Missouri, Ohio, Florida and every state he can twist to help him steal Congress. States like Florida and New York are already fighting back,” the protest organizers’ website states.

Newsom has been a vocal supporter of the Texas state Democratic caucus.

“Califorina coming on board gives us more options,” said Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu told reporters in an interview Friday.

“If California passes a trigger bill, then there will be real incentive for Texas to not pass its [redistricting] bill.”

In June, millions of people attended hundreds of “No Kings” protests across the United States, demonstrating against Trump’s large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army and his 79th birthday.

Aug. 6 (UPI) — United Airlines on Wednesday night briefly suspended flight departures nationwide because of a technology issue and expected further flight delays throughout the night.

Shortly after 7 p.m. CDT, the airline reported an outage and one hour later the system was coming back up, CBS News reported.

“Due to a technology issue, we are holding United mainline flights at their departure airports,” United said in a statement obtained by ABC News. “We expect additional flight delays this evening as we work through this issue. Safety is our top priority, and we’ll work with our customers to get them to their destinations.”

United later posted on Instagram: “We are working with customers to get them to their destinations after a technology disruption on Wednesday evening. The underlying technology issue has been resolved, and, while we expect residual delays, our team is working to restore our normal operations.”

The airline said to go to united.com or its United app for the latest flight information.

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily issued a ground stop for United flights at United hubs: Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Denver International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Houston’s George Bush International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.

By 10:30 p.m. EDT, the stops were only in Denver and Newark until 11 p.m. EDT.

Airports urged travelers to check with the airline on status. Passengers on connecting flights with other airlines could be affected.

United Express Flights and those already in the air were not affected, the airline told ABC.

United, which is based in Chicago, has approximately 4,600 flights per day at 354 destinations in 38 countries.

Through 10:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, 1,308 flights have been delayed and 53 have been canceled, according to FlightAware.

At O’Hare, 16 flights — 11 departures and seven arrivals — have been canceled. The airport was reporting delays ofg hours, as of 9:30 p.m. CDT.

A line of United planes at O’Hare were stopped at the tarmac waiting for available gates, according to video taken by a passenger to CBS News.

Aug. 3 (UPI) — Groups around the world will gather this week to commemorate the Aug. 6th bombing of Hiroshima, a nuclear attack that killed 200,000 Japanese people 80 years ago.

Events, prayer gatherings and services memorializing the bombings of Hiroshima and, three days later, Nagasaki, range from an event at a small library in Kansas and a gathering at a church in Spokane, Wash. to a series of reflection ceremonies in the Northeast and a ceremony in a park in a North Carolina park.

Japan exited World War II within days of the Hiroshima bombing, an event that changed the rules of war and elicited shock and disbelief on the global stage. The Hiroshima bombing marked the first occasion that a nuclear weapon had been used on a large scale, and raised questions about human rights and what constituted fair rules of engagement.

The bombongs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a nuclear arms race that accelerated over the decades and remains a constant today.

Recent data from the Pew Research Center shows a third of Americans feel that dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified while nearly the same number said it was not. Another third said they are unsure if the drastic measures were warranted.

Many of the deaths were instantaneous. Other people died years later as a result of exposure to nuclear radiation, researchers have said.

Spain is rolling out its new nationwide register affecting holiday rentals including properties in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands in a bid to help combat the issues of overtourism

Brits planning Spain holidays should be aware of a new rule that’s coming into force as of today (July 1) across the mainland, as well as the Canary Islands and the Balearic islands.

The holiday hotspot is launching its new nationwide register for any property used for tourism, whether that’s seasonal or a short-term rental. Under the Single Tourist Rental Registry, property owners will need to register to get a code that verifies they are legally allowed to use the property for tourism.

This will include entire homes, individual rooms within a property that’s rented out separately, and homes listed on the likes of Airbnb and Booking.com.

The register was already rolled out in January, but at that time it was still optional; now it’s mandatory. According to local publication Canarian Weekly, the Spanish Ministry of Housing says it’s had a total of 199,686 applications to date, the majority of which were for holiday rentals.

If a property is not on the register, then legally it won’t be able to be advertised online, and owners could face fines or even be suspended from being able to offer the home as a holiday rental.

READ MORE: Brits heading to Spain, France and Greece this summer issued ’24-hour warning’

If you’ve got a holiday booked to Spain, the good news is that you don’t need to do anything, as the responsibility lies with the holiday rental platforms and property owners to obtain the correct registration. In fact, one of the aims of the register is to protect tourists from unregulated and potentially unsafe rentals.

When you book a holiday rental in Spain, you should be able to see if it has a valid registration number before you finalise your booking, with the idea that it will offer holidaymakers extra peace of mind before they part with their cash.

READ MORE: Tiny seaside town right by Spain’s biggest holiday resorts is much cheaperREAD MORE: Simple cruise hack can help you get more cabin storage without paying extra

The move comes as Spain’s holiday hotspots have been hit with a number of protests from locals in recent years, due to the burden of overtourism. The volume of holiday rentals is seen as a contributing factor to homelessness on the islands, with locals being priced out of areas or struggling to buy homes in areas where properties are used for tourism.

It’s estimated that over four million foreign visitors descended on the Canaries in the first quarter of this year alone. Local officials have been taking steps to try and mitigate the impact of overtourism. For example, Tenerife has introduced a new online booking system for some of the trails in Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Meanwhile over in Fuerteventura they’re taking similar measures with a new tourist tax for those who want to visit spots such as the wild beach of Cofete, the awe-inspiring sand dunes of Correlejo and the vast sea caves of Ajuy.

The move comes after official figures showed that Fuerteventura had a 7.8 per cent increase in tourists between January and March, compared to the same period last year. As a result, the hotspot’s infrastructure is under mounting pressure across the likes of roads, water supply, waste management systems and accommodation capacity.

Has your holiday been affected by anti-tourism protests? Email us at [email protected].

June 14 (UPI) — Millions of people turned out for “No Kings” protests nationwide on Saturday that were largely peaceful though there were some arrests and police had to disperse unruly crowds, including in Georgia and Los Angeles.

In Texas, a credible threat led to the temporary closing of the Texas Capitol building in Austin on Saturday before a planned protest there. The Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the building and grounds after learning of a threat made against state lawmakers planning to attend the, KXAN reported.

The DPS arrested one person during a traffic stop in La Grange and reopened the Capitol grounds shortly before 5 p.m. CDT, which is when the protest was scheduled to start.

Law enforcement did not identify the suspect or any charges against that person.

In Atlanta, members of the far-right Proud Boys appeared at the city’s protest, wearing the group’s distinctive black and yellow colors.

Police in Georgia arrested at least eight protesters after they entered a roadway in DeKalb County during the afternoon, WSB-TV reported.

Hundreds gathered to protest against President Donald Trump at a site near Chamblee Tucker Road, and many began marching in the road toward Interstate 285 northeast of Atlanta.

Local police ordered the crowd to return to the sidewalk and deployed tear gas when they did not.

Two motorists have been arrested in separate incidents on opposite ends of the country after driving into protesters, according to a report by The Guardian.

At least four protesters suffered non-life-threatening injuries at a protest in San Francisco when a motorist allegedly drove into them. The unidentified motorist was detained.

Police in Culpeper, Va., arrested Joseph Checklick Jr., 21, on reckless driving charges in an incident that caused no injuries.

1,500 protests scheduled nationwide

At least 1,500 “No Kings” protests nationwide were scheduled Saturday, the same day as President Donald Trump’s large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army and his 79th birthday.

The protests across all 50 states and commonwealths were “largest single-day mobilization since President Trump returned to office — a mass, nationwide protest rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy,” according to the organizers’ website.

The 50501 Movement — 50 protests, 50 states, one movement — is one of the main organizers of the demonstrations that are designed to be peaceful.

“The ‘No Kings’ mobilization is a direct response to Donald Trump’s self-aggrandizing $100 million military parade and birthday celebration, an event funded by taxpayers while millions are told there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools,” according to the website.

The parade is officially celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and has been planned for well over a year, although it has been expanded to meet Trump’s requests since he retook office.

The protests were organized by a coalition of more than 200 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America.

Protests nationwide began after Trump’s inauguration for his second presidency on Jan. 20 over several of the Trump administration’s moves, including its crackdown on immigrants and cuts to the federal workforce and services.

Where protests happened

A map shows where the events took place.

In New York, about 50,000 protesters marched a mile on Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Madison Square Park, an NYPD spokesperson told WNBC-TV. As of 4:30 p.m., the NYPD reported no arrests or incidents of note related to the demonstrations.

“Real power looks like the thousands of people that are going to gather here in Bryant Park and stand up to their neighbors and for their communities,” 50501 organizer Hannan Strauss told CNN during an interview in New York.

In Chicago, several thousand people packed streets in and around Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago. They then marched to Trump Tower, shouting “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” and “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”

Events in Minnesota, including in Minneapolis, were canceled though several thousand showed up in the state capital, St. Paul. Minnesota State Patrol and Gov. Tim Walz asked people not to participate after State Rep. and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed. State Sen. John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times.

Despite triple-digit temperatures, a crowd demonstrated at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

More than 75 protests were scheduled in Florida, including near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach where demonstrators marched to the Mar-a-Lago gates. They were met by Trump supporters.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state is ready to “quell any violence” at events in his state. During an interview on Fox News, he said local police, county sheriffs, highway patrol and the National Guard will be ready to stop any violence or “unrest” against federal anti-illegal immigration efforts.

The protests, large and small, are taking place everywhere except the nation’s capital “to draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.”

“We’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings,” the website reads. Trump on Thursday told reporters that, despite the protests’ title, “I don’t feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved.”

Demonstrators gathered outside a Metro station in Arlington, Va.

D.C. residents were encouraged to go to a demonstration in Philadelphia, which is America’s first capital and the birthplace of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The protest includes plans to march from Love Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

A Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson told WCAU-TV an estimated 80,000 people attended the protect along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Situation in Los Angeles

Protests against immigration arrests have been going on for a week in downtown Los Angeles.

Some protesters in downtown Los Angeles threw objects at police officers as they attempted to clear the crowd using chemical irritants ahead of a nightly curfew, city police said.

The Los Angeles Police Department issued dispersal orders in downtown and approved the use of less lethal munitions that it said “may cause discomfort and pain.”

On Saturday, protesters in Los Angeles carried an enormous copy of the Constitution through the streets. The protest drew about 25,000, KCBS-TV reported.

And there was a 20-foot balloon of Trump wearing a diaper in downtown’s Gloria Molina Grand Park.

A nightly curfew that began Tuesday will remain in effect through the weekend, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Friday. It turns from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Trump has nationalized California’s National Guard at the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There are 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines.

A massive military parade in Washington DC to mark 250 years since the founding of the US Army coincided with Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. At the same time, protesters in thousands of cities rallied with the message that Americans want ‘No Kings’.

June 14 (UPI) — At least 1,500 “No Kings” protests nationwide are planned Saturday on the same day President Donald Trump scheduled a large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C. on Flag Day and his 79th birthday.

Millions of people are expected to participate in protests in all 50 states and commonwealths in the “largest single-day mobilization since President Trump returned to office — a mass, nationwide protest rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy,” according to the organizers’ website.

The 50501 Movement — 50 protests, 50 states, one movement — is one of the main organizers of the demonstrations.

A map shows where the events are planned, including rallies in New York City at Bryant Park on Fifth Avenue and in Chicago at Daley Plaza.

“We’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings,” the website reads. Trump on Thursday told reporters that, despite the protests’ title, “I don’t feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved.”

The protests, large and small, will take place everywhere except the nation’s capital “to draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.”

D.C. residents are encouraged to go to a demonstration in Philadelphia, which is America’s first capital and the birthplace of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. They will march from Love Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

“The ‘No Kings’ mobilization is a direct response to Donald Trump’s self-aggrandizing $100 million military parade and birthday celebration, an event funded by taxpayers while millions are told there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools,” according to the website.

The parade is officially celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and has been planned for well over a year, although it has been expanded to meet Trump’s requests since he retook office.

The protests were organized by a coalition of more than 200 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America.

Protests nationwide began after Trump’s inauguration for his second presidency on Jan. 20 over several of the Trump administration’s moves, including its crackdown on immigrants and cuts to the federal workforce and services.

In a guidance document for participants and organizers, “No Kings” said participants should practice nonviolence and de-escalate any conflicts with outside parties.

“By the way, for those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force. And I haven’t even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country,” Trump said Tuesday about rallies that may occur in Washington, D.C.

Protests against immigration arrests have been going on for a week in downtown Los Angeles.

A nightly curfew that began Tuesday will remain in effect through the weekend, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Friday.

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said local authorities were aware of at least 30 demonstrations planned that could require law enforcement resources.

Trump has nationalized California’s National Guard at the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There are 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines.

MINNEAPOLIS — Police reform and civil rights activists joined thousands of other people Sunday to mark the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder at religious services, concerts and vigils nationwide and decry the Trump administration for setting their efforts back decades.

The Rev. Al Sharpton said at a Houston graveside service that Floyd represented all of those “who are defenseless against people who thought they could put their knee on our neck.”

He compared Floyd’s killing to that of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black boy who was abducted and lynched in Mississippi in 1955 after being accused of offending a white woman.

“What Emmett Till was in his time, George Floyd has been for this time in history,” Sharpton said.

In a park about 2 miles away from Floyd’s grave site, a memorial service was set to take place, followed by five hours of music, preaching, poetry readings and a balloon release.

Events started Friday in Minneapolis with concerts, a street festival and a “self-care fair,” and were to culminate with a worship service, gospel music concert and candlelight vigil on Sunday.

The remembrances come at a fraught moment for activists, who had hoped the worldwide protests that followed Floyd’s murder by police on May 25, 2020, would lead to lasting police reform across the U.S. and a continued focus on racial justice issues.

Events in Minneapolis center around George Floyd Square, the intersection where Police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, used his knee to pin Floyd’s neck to the pavement for about 9½ minutes, even as the 46-year-old Black man’s cried, “I can’t breathe.” Even with Minneapolis officials’ promises to remake the Police Department, some activists contend that the progress has come at a glacial pace.

“We understand that change takes time,” Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, said in a statement last week. “However, the progress being claimed by the city is not being felt in the streets.”

The Trump administration moved Wednesday to cancel settlements with Minneapolis and Louisville that called for an overhaul of their police departments following Floyd’s murder and the police killing of Breonna Taylor. Under former President Biden, the U.S. Justice Department had pushed for oversight of local police it had accused of widespread abuses.

President Trump has also declared an end to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the federal government, and his administration is using federal funds as leverage to force local governments, universities and public school districts to do the same. Republican-led states also have accelerated their efforts to stamp out DEI initiatives.

Vancleave and Lafleur write for the Associated Press and reported from Minneapolis and Houston, respectively.