U.S.-NATO MEETING: U.S. and NATO military officials will meet today to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine as the White House works to arrange a summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday kicked off a heated debate over a new congressional map creating five new potential GOP seats that is expected to pass the chamber later in the day as part of a growing national redistricting battle.

Texas legislators on Wednesday took up a new state congressional map intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats in next year's midterm elections, after dozens of Democratic lawmakers ended a two-week walkout that had temporarily blocked passage.

As high-stakes redistricting battles erupt nationwide, an Ohio coalition is stepping back into the spotlight to fend off partisan gerrymandering. The Equal Districts Coalition — a statewide alliance of environmental,