Epic Corruption in Plain Sight

• A coalition of 11 environmental groups has formed a legal alliance to end bottom trawling in the European Union's protected marine areas. • The group argues that while strict nature laws exist, lax enforcement allows heavy nets to continue damaging seabeds within Natura 2000 sites.

• The Atlantic Council's Freedom and Prosperity Center released a report outlining a democracy assistance agenda for 2026-2028 to combat anti-US regimes. • The publication serves as the conclusion to "The future of democracy assistance" series, focusing on actionable policies to promote global democratic governance.

• The Supreme Court issued a landmark decision on Tuesday affirming that children born in the United States automatically acquire birthright citizenship. • The ruling upholds the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, reinforcing a legal precedent established by an 1898 case involving the child of Chinese guest workers.

• Russia launched a series of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, resulting in at least 21 deaths. • President Trump promoted the launch of "Trump Accounts" for children's investing on Monday, claiming the market will "go through the roof" to distract from inflation concerns ahead of the November midterm elections.

• The Supreme Court recently issued a ruling in Trump v. Slaughter that critics and some legal observers claim is a glaring contradiction of previous legal standards. • The decision is particularly controversial because a conservative justice reportedly admitted that the ruling could not be legally justified.

• Peter Ticktin, a longtime friend and legal associate of Donald Trump, has advocated for the former president to declare a "national emergency" to seize control of the midterm elections. • Ticktin has a history of pushing legal boundaries, including efforts to help Trump prove election fraud and filing lawsuits against the U.S. government regarding the events of January 6.

• The Philippine Senate has officially commenced the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. • The proceedings are taking place amidst a bitter and escalating political feud between Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

• Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Austria, and other Schengen allies are implementing a new EU digital Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU nationals. • The rollout of these biometric checks has triggered massive airport delays and travel chaos across Europe, prompting an urgent security overhaul of Schengen zones.

• Anti-immigrant slogans were discovered on trucks in Switzerland, raising concerns over rising xenophobia and social tension. • A new housing cooperative has introduced a special rent discount specifically for families to improve urban affordability.

• The U.S. Supreme Court's deep ideological divide has become increasingly apparent through a series of recent rulings led by its conservative majority. • These decisions have significantly impacted critical national issues, including voting rights, the participation of transgender athletes, and the legal interpretation of securities statutes.

• Security was tightened around the residence of TMC leader and former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday following the deployment of central forces. • The increased security measures occurred ahead of Banerjee's scheduled visit to Baruipur to address the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl.