Florida oath keepers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A new congressional map drawn by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' staff that could diminish the state's Black representation in Washington was reinstated by an appeals court Friday, a week after a lower court judge said the map was unconstitutional. The 1st District Court of appeals ruled Judge Layne Smith erred when he ordered a replacement map be used for the 2022 election. The latest order means the governor's map is reinstated pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the map. While the appeals court didn't address the constitutionality of the map, it did cite “the need for certainty and continuity as election season approaches.” The ruling comes as the state gets closer to the June 13 to 17 qualifying period for federal office. The DeSantis map would likely boost the number of Florida seats held by Republicans, while also making it difficult for Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson to maintain his seat in a north Florida … [Read more...] about Florida appeals court reinstates DeSantis congressional map

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — A domestic battery charge against a 23-year-old Florida rapper who goes by the name Rod Wave has has been dropped, according to court documents. Prosecutors filed a notice Thursday in Osceola County court that the case against Rodarius Green was not suitable for prosecution. Green, whose song “Heart on Ice" broke into the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020, was arrested earlier this month following a traffic stop in St. Petersburg on a warrant out of Osceola County, officials said. According to an arrested warrant, Green's ex-girlfriend accused him of entering her central Florida home and choking her last month while their two children were in another room of the house. The former couple had dated for about four years, and the girlfriend told investigators that Green accused her of seeing other men while they were broken up. Green grew up in St. Petersburg and began working on his music career while at Lakewood High School, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He broke … [Read more...] about Battery charge dropped against Florida rapper Rod Wave

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A group of mostly Democratic congress members, including the House majority leader, on Thursday proposed a binding plebiscite to decide whether Puerto Rico should become a state or gain some sort of independence. The draft proposal unveiled at an online news conference would commit Congress to accepting Puerto Rico into the United States if voters on the island approve it. But even if the plan were to pass the Democratic-led House, the proposal appears to have little chance in the Senate, where Republicans have long opposed statehood. Voters also could choose outright independence or independence with free association, whose terms would be defined following negotiations over foreign affairs, U.S. citizenship and use of the U.S. dollar, said Rep. Darren Soto of Florida. If no majority emerges, a second round of voting would be held between the top two alternatives. The measure, not yet introduced, follows months of negotiations between federal … [Read more...] about US lawmakers urge binding vote on Puerto Rico status

Cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada will find out June 16 if they've been selected to be one of the 16 host sites for the 2026 World Cup. There are expected to be three cities selected from Mexico, three more from Canada and 10 in the United States, which gives Houston's NRG Stadium an excellent shot at being picked. There are 17 United States stadiums in the running, which has been narrowed down from the original 38 stadiums that put in pitches to host. Only a handful of the finalists have the experience that Houston and NRG Stadium has in hosting big-time events. NRG Stadium has been home to two Super Bowls and two Final Fours, with another coming next year. It also will host the college football national championship game in January 2024. The stadium also has drawn more than 70,000 fans for soccer matches, including World Cup qualifiers and CONCACAF semifinals. Some of the other United States' favorites in the field include Pasadena, California's Rose Bowl - which … [Read more...] about Houston finds out in June if it will host 2026 World Cup matches

It's not worth the effort This year could be the toughest yet for Prayut Chan-o-cha's administration although reasons abound why the prime minister will be able to sidestep traps and complete the government's four-year term in March next year, according to Democrat Party veteran, Thepthai Senpong. Thepthai: Only court stands in way Mr Thepthai, a former MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat, has stepped back from active political roles after he was stripped of his MP status by the Constitutional Court over his 2020 conviction for fraud in the 2014 election for the Nakhon Si Thammarat provincial administration organisation chief. However, he has managed to offer his opinion on unfolding, significant developments in politics. So, with a political storm looming large for Gen Prayut in the coming months, he did not pass up the opportunity to take to Facebook to speak his mind. Last week, Mr Thepthai wrote that nothing stood in the way of Gen Prayut hanging around until the government … [Read more...] about It’s not worth the effort