Senate Majority Leader John Thune Moves to Advance Crypto Clarity Act 
Trump Administration Weighs Executive Order on Vaccines and Autism Research 
Trump Orders Probe Into Pentagon Munitions Stockpile Leaks After Iran Conflict 
Colombia President Abelardo De La Espriella Pledges Drug Crackdown, Economic Reforms 
Taiwan President Lai Oversees Coastal Strike Drills in Han Kuang War Games 
ICE to Complete Nationwide Body Camera Rollout by End of August 
Bezalel Smotrich Faces Election Battle as Israel’s Far-Right Vote Fractures 
North Korea May Deploy 120 Missiles to Russia 
US-Backed Venezuela Government, Opposition Talks Begin 
Trump Faces Tough Choices as Iran War Drags On 
Iran-Oman Near Strait of Hormuz Deal as Shipping Tensions Persist 
US Expands Social Media Vetting to Foreign Journalists Seeking Visas 
Russian Strikes on Ukraine Kill Six, Wound Dozens in Balakliia and Sumy 
Ukraine Agrees to Protect Kazakhstan Oil Exports via Black Sea 
Zelensky Urges Faster NATO Action on Air Defense Missiles 
Trump Unveils $3 Billion U.S. Critical Minerals Push 
Since 2019, Hong Kong underwent a lot of mass protests, with many of its residents facing police brutality because of China’s interference with its autonomy. Recently, Donald Trump announced that he has signed legislation to impose sanctions on China for its interference.
CNBC reports during a meeting with the press at the White House Rose Garden, Trump announced that he has signed the legislation that will bring sanctions onto China. The law, which is now referred to as the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, would result in mandatory sanctions against Chinese officials and companies that aided in the nation’s imposing of a security law designed to forcibly eliminate any dissent in Hong Kong. The bill was passed in Congress earlier in the month.
The Trump administration has long been critical of the national security law Beijing has tried to impose on Hong Kong. The law would mean rejection of any literary material that opposes or criticizes the Chinese Communist Party as well as place a limit on Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Along with imposing sanctions on China, Trump has also announced that he signed a new Executive Order ending the preferential treatment for Hong Kong. “Hong Kong will now be treated the same as mainland China. No special privileges, no special economic treatment, and no export of sensitive technologies. In addition to that, as you know, we are placing massive tariffs and have placed very large tariffs on China,” said Trump during the meeting.
Meanwhile, the administration has come under fire for its new law forcing international students to return to their home countries unless they are enrolled in classes in the upcoming semester. This policy has resulted in states as well as educational institutions filing lawsuits to drop the rule. The first to sue were ivy league schools Harvard and MIT. 59 other universities and educational institutions have expressed their support to drop the policy in a court brief. 18 state attorneys general have also filed lawsuits.
Massachusetts District Judge Allison Burroughs revealed that the parties have now come to an agreement. The agreement stipulates the policy made back in March, that foreign students would be able to attend their classes that have since moved online because of the pandemic, and that they would be allowed to remain in the US legally.
