U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
The new voting law that was set in place in Georgia has resulted in a lot of backlash with many companies facing pressure to denounce the new legislation that was put into law. With Major League Baseball making the decision to move its all-star game out of Atlanta due to the law, former President Barack Obama congratulated the organization for standing against the new election law in the state.
Obama tweeted his congratulations to the organization, which was a stark contrast to his Republican successor who called to boycott MLB. MLB made the announcement of its decision to move the All-Star game out of Atlanta as a response to the election law that many have blasted as a voter suppression effort which goes back to the days of Jim Crow. Georgia is one of the states that are passing legislation to limit voter participation, which would affect minorities.
“Congratulations to @MLB for taking a stand on behalf of voting rights for all citizens. There’s no better way for America’s pastime to honor the great Hank Aaron, who always led by example,” tweeted the former president.
The new election law in Georgia would impose voter identification requirements for absentee ballots, give state officials the authority to take over local election boards, limit the use of ballot drop boxes, and criminalize giving food and water to voters that are waiting in line.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, warned that the MLB’s decision to move its All-Star game out of the state would be the first of many moves to “boycott” in response to the new law. Bottoms also urged state Republicans to either repeal the legislation or make significant changes. Despite the state going to Joe Biden in the recent elections, Biden has also publicly blasted the new legislation put forth by the state GOP.
In other news, In a clip released last week on the upcoming final episode of Obama’s podcast with Bruce Springsteen, the pair discussed the misuse of the song “Born in the USA.” Springsteen’s 1984 hit was often mistaken as a patriotic anthem especially among politicians.
Springsteen explained his process of writing the song, noting that he was brainstorming ideas for a song about the Vietnam war, as he spoke with war veterans, and reading the biography of paralyzed activist Ron Kovic. The singer described the song as a “complex picture of the country.”
