China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
US President Joe Biden is set to unveil who he is going to nominate to become the next Supreme Court Justice. Legal expert Laura Coates recently weighed in on the inevitable Senate battle on Biden’s Supreme Court pick, challenging the right-wingers to come after the future nominee.
In an interview with Dean Obeidallah for Salon, Coates, who is a former federal prosecutor with a new book, “Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness,” weighed in on the inevitable fight regarding Biden’s future Supreme Court nominee. Biden pledged to make good on a campaign promise that he will nominate the first Black woman on the high court.
Coates said that this is a very significant move and it is not just for diversity’s sake, but also because of the numerous Black women with credentials that Biden can choose from.
“Have you seen the embarrassment of riches that this president has to choose from?” said Coates. “We’re not talking about people that he’s picked out of oblivion and said ‘I hope this meets the standard.’ They have surpassed it in their legal excellence. They are revered and renowned for their intellect, for their impartiality, for the idea of being able to have the integrity we want on the bench.”
Coates then dared the right-wingers to come after Biden’s future nominee, following the recent criticism of many Republicans, especially Senator Ted Cruz, that Biden should consider every qualified woman, not just a Black woman.
“I dare you to challenge the dignity of these particular women. If you have things that need to be addressed, then by all means let the American people know. But these coded dog whistles about why a Black woman’s not qualified, or President Biden’s wrong to hone in on particular criteria, that are an asset, an addition – not a credential, but an asset in addition to the credentials that are already there? Please.”
In other related news, Biden said that there is still time to avoid a full-blown war, as Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk – seized by pro-Russia separatists – are independent states. Putin has also ordered troops into the two regions as “peacekeepers.”
Following the issuance of the first set of sanctions against Russia, Biden said that there is no doubt that Russia is “the aggressor” and that there is still time to pursue a diplomatic approach in order to keep the conflict from escalating into a full-scale war.
