Australia Orders Independent Review After Bondi Mass Shooting, Albanese Resists Royal Commission Calls 
China Conducts Largest-Ever Live-Fire War Games Around Taiwan Amid Rising Cross-Strait Tensions 
MSF Faces Possible Ban From Gaza as Israel Enforces New Aid Registration Rules 
South Korea Prosecutor Alleges Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee Abused Power for Bribes 
Boeing Secures $8.6 Billion Pentagon Contract for F-15 Jets for Israel 
Bukele Signals Willingness to Extend Power as El Salvador’s Term Limits Are Scrapped 
Kremlin Says Ukrainian Drone Attack Hardens Russia’s Stance on Peace Talks 
U.S. Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Enforce Medicaid Funding Ban on Planned Parenthood 
Zohran Mamdani Names Steve Banks as New York City Corporation Counsel Amid Clash With Trump 
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Three Intellexa-Linked Executives Amid Spyware Controversy 
Israel’s Recognition of Somaliland Sparks U.N. Debate and Regional Tensions 
Global Concern Grows as Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Deepens Despite Ceasefire 
Lavrov Says Russia Holds Strategic Initiative in Ukraine as Settlement Talks Continue 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Discussing Possible U.S. Troop Presence as Security Guarantee 
Trump–Netanyahu Talks Aim to Revive Gaza Ceasefire and Address Iran, Hezbollah Tensions 
U.S. Questions Russia’s Claim of Ukrainian Drone Attack on Putin Residence 
In recent months, actions have now been taken by the Biden administration in addressing the hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the country. Following the passage of the anti-Asian American hate crimes bill by the House, Biden is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming days.
Biden is set to sign the legislation that aims to address hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The proposal was previously passed by the House on a 364-62 vote, which will fast-track the DOJ’s review of hate crimes while providing grants to help local law enforcement agencies in improving their investigation, identification, and reporting of incidents that would otherwise go unreported. The Senate previously passed the bill with an almost unanimous vote.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been targeted in many hate crimes in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Former President Donald Trump has also escalated the rhetoric, calling the coronavirus “Kung Flu” repeatedly. As more cases of COVID-19 came in the US, so did the attacks against the AAPI community.
Democratic Rep. Grace Meng praised the bill’s passage in the House. “Asian Americans have been screaming out for help, and the House and the Senate and President Biden have clearly heard our pleas,” said Meng. Meng led the House efforts to pass the bill.
Despite the passage, some activist groups said that the bill relies heavily on law enforcement without addressing underlying issues that lead to the discrimination of the AAPI community.
In other news, Biden spoke again with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that he expects de-escalation from Israeli forces on its attacks on Gaza that resulted in many Palestinian fatalities. This would be the fourth conversation between the two leaders following the attacks at Gaza by the militant group Hamas and the Israeli airstrikes.
The Israeli airstrikes have resulted in 227 Palestinians dead, including 64 children and 38 women. Israel said that over 3,400 rockets have struck the cities and towns. 12 people have died in Israel.
“The President conveyed to the Prime Minister that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire,” said the White House readout of the conversation.
