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Hello, I'm David Harper with the BBC News.
The lower house in the U.S. state of Texas has approved a bitterly divisive bill, redrawing electoral boundaries in a way that favors the Republican majority. The new map is designed to switch five seats in the narrowly divided U.S. Congress from the Democrats to the Republicans in midterm elections next year. Arunade Mukherjee is in Washington. Plans for redistricting in Texas ahead of time have been pushed by President Donald Trump in the hope that it will give Republicans more representation in the House of Representatives where they currently hold slim majority. This now opens the door to other states trying to do the same ahead of what is likely to be a closely fought midterm election next year. Last Thursday, California's Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom said he would ask voters in his state to approve new maps before elections. In California, voting maps are typically drawn by an independent commission but Governor Newsom's plan could give at least five additional congressional seats to Democrats, nullifying the five seats Republicans hope to gain in Texas. The Israeli military says the first stage of its assault on Gaza City is underway, with troops establishing a foothold on the outskirts. A million Palestinians have already endured days of relentless bombardment, with thousands fleeing as Israeli forces advance. Emir Nader reports from Jerusalem. Humanitarian organizations, Israeli opposition politicians and a number of Western leaders have denounced the potential catastrophic impact the invasion could have on the city's one million Palestinians alongside Israeli hostages that may be held captive there. Israel said it will adapt the humanitarian infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip to meet the needs of those it displaces from Gaza City. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is unimaginable to force civilians into an even smaller area of the Gaza Strip and it risks worsening an already catastrophic situation. The U.S. vice president and defense secretary have been jeered by protesters while visiting National Guard troops deployed to combat crime in Washington D.C. J.D. Vance and Pete Hegseth were greeted with chants of "Free D.C." Mr. Vance said the aim was to free the capital from lawlessness and murder. This protester explained why they were there. "We're here to say from D.C. to Palestine, we are on the side of the people. We want occupation of no communities. And we want to be investing in the very things that make communities thrive. And it's not more military." British and Danish scientists have developed what's being described as a "superfood" for honeybees to help protect them against climate change and habitat loss. The bees feed on pollen and nectar from flowers which contain lipids and sterols but struggle when these are in short supply. Using gene editing, the researchers have managed to engineer a yeast that can produce the six sterols they need. Honeybees are essential for food production, contributing to the pollination of 70 percent of leading global crops. World News from the BBC. NATO military commanders have held a series of meetings in Washington to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine if there is a peace deal with Russia. A senior Ukrainian official, Andriy Yermak, said they were also working on how to respond if Russia decided to prolong the war. Thirteen people have been arrested in Mexico for their alleged roles in the killing of two senior officials in the capital in May. The daytime shooting of two aides of the mayor, Clara Brugada, shocked the city, which is less accustomed to the violence in other parts of the country. Ximena Guzmán and José Muñoz were on their way to work in Mexico City when a gunman opened fire. Scientists warn that the recent rapid and continuing loss of Antarctic sea ice could mark a tipping point that will be impossible to reverse. Since 2014, the continent's ice sheet has retreated by an average of 120 kilometers, a trend that could leave the Antarctic waters largely ice-free in the summer months before the Arctic. The celebrity U.S. judge Frank Caprio, whose empathy towards defendants made him popular around the world, has died at the age of 88. Judge Caprio featured in a long-running reality TV show centered on a municipal court in Providence, Rhode Island. The case of a 96-year-old man caught speeding was just one example of his compassionate and humorous approach to the law. "I was going to the blood work for my boy. He's handicapped." "You were taking your son to the doctor's office?" "Yeah. I take him for blood work every two weeks because he's got cancer." "You are a good man. You really are what America is all about. Here you are in your 90s, and you're still taking care of your family. It's just a wonderful thing for you. I wish the best for your son, and your case is dismissed." The governor of Rhode Island called him a "treasure" who showed justice could be tempered with humanity. Live from London, that's the latest BBC News. |