SUMMARY: Oleksandr Donii, a leader of Ukraine’s 1990 student protests, expected a long struggle for independence, but Ukraine declared sovereignty quickly after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Despite independence, Russia maintained influence through political pressure and social division, culminating in the 2022 invasion. Early reform efforts failed to oust the Soviet-era rulers, and Ukrainian society was deeply divided. Key mistakes included surrendering Ukraine’s nuclear arsenal under Russian pressure, receiving little in return beyond the weak Budapest Memorandum security assurances. These early compromises have significantly impacted Ukraine’s ongoing fight for sovereignty, European integration, and survival against Russian aggression.

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SUMMARY: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to quickly sign a new GOP-favored congressional map designed to help Republicans maintain their slim House majority. The Texas Legislature approved the redistricting plan, which adds five Republican-leaning seats, amid fierce Democratic opposition and accusations of unlawfully diluting minority votes. Democrats vowed legal challenges, citing Voting Rights Act violations. This move aligns with broader national GOP efforts, encouraged by Trump, to redraw maps in states like Indiana and Missouri ahead of the 2026 midterms. Meanwhile, Democratic-controlled states like California employ independent commissions to create maps favoring their party, intensifying the partisan redistricting battle.

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SUMMARY: An under-construction railway bridge in Qinghai Province, northwest China, collapsed early Friday, killing at least 12 workers and leaving four missing. The accident occurred during a tensioning operation when a steel cable snapped around 3 a.m. The 1.6-kilometer-long bridge, spanning the Yellow River with a deck 55 meters above the water, suffered a large section collapse, with a bent portion hanging downward. Rescue efforts involve boats, a helicopter, and robots searching for the missing workers. The incident was reported by state media and documented by aerial photos from Xinhua News Agency.

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