Free Republic

Virginia's Redistricting Commission voted on Monday to redraw the commonwealth's congressional and state legislative districts from scratch, marking a victory for anti-gerrymandering advocates. The 16-person commission, made up of eight Virginia lawmakers and eight citizens, voted 12-4 and planned to enlist a bipartisan group to help outline the state's new political maps. The development comes after voters approved a constitutional amendment last fall that moved the power in the redrawing process from the state legislature to the commission. Voters previously voiced concerns that earlier maps have been heavily influenced by politics.

STUTTGART, Germany - The U.S. military will keep a "strong and vibrant" presence in Europe, the top U.S. military commander in Europe said Friday, even as Washington considers plans for a more agile force. One of Marine Gen. James Jones' first tasks after taking command of the 116,000-strong U.S. forces in Europe in January was to draft plans to transform the defensive Cold War military structure into a sleeker force able to deploy more quickly. Since then, there has been much speculation about the scope of the contraction. But Jones told The Associated Press in an interview that Europe would...