The Supreme Court has sided with Texas in the case of *Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton*, upholding a law requiring age verification for adult websites. The court ruled that the First Amendment does not protect the right of adults to access content deemed obscene for minors without first providing proof of age, opening the door for similar age-gating measures nationwide. This decision, reached with a 6-3 majority, effectively revisits a 2004 ruling and attributes the change to advances in technology. The ruling highlights the absence of a strict scrutiny standard for age verification, potentially affecting privacy.
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On June 28th, Ukrainian Defence Intelligence (DIU) drones targeted military facilities in Bryansk, Russia. Local reports indicated loud explosions and gunfire, sparking discussion amongst Russians. While authorities remained silent, a Ukrainian intelligence source confirmed the DIU attack hit facilities of the 120th Arsenal. This follows a previous DIU strike on June 26th targeting fuel and lubricant warehouses in the same city.
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The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has paved the way for potential federal enforcement of an executive order restricting birthright citizenship. This ruling, though not addressing the order’s legality, limits federal courts’ power to issue nationwide injunctions, preventing policies from taking effect during litigation. In dissent, Justices Sotomayor and Jackson criticized the decision, accusing the court of undermining its role in checking government power and warning of broader threats to constitutional protections, including the potential for executive overreach and creation of a “zone of lawlessness.” The justices emphasized that the principle of birthright citizenship has stood unchallenged for over a century.
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The Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. CASA, effectively dismantling nationwide injunctions, has unleashed legal chaos. This decision removes the ability of lower courts to issue broad injunctions, empowering Trump to potentially violate constitutional rights on a case-by-case basis, varying by state or even county. The ruling’s consequence could mean that citizenship status will depend on where a person is born, mirroring the pre-Civil War era, which is a step backward. By targeting nationwide injunctions in this context, the court paves the way for Trump to implement policies previously blocked, including those related to birthright citizenship, thus pulling the country back to a neo-Confederate legal landscape.
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Takahiro Shiraishi, dubbed the “Twitter killer,” was executed in Japan for the murders of nine individuals he met online. He targeted vulnerable users who posted about suicide, offering to help them or die alongside them. Shiraishi’s crimes, including robbery, rape, murder, and dismemberment, occurred in 2017 and involved the concealment of body parts in coolers and toolboxes. The Justice Minister cited the heinous nature of the crimes as the reason for the execution, which was Japan’s first since 2022.
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Two smugglers involved in the 2022 Texas tractor-trailer tragedy, the deadliest human smuggling attempt in U.S. history, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Felipe Orduna-Torres, the alleged leader, received two life sentences plus 20 years, while Armando Gonzales-Ortega, his assistant, was sentenced to 87.5 years. The men were convicted for their roles in a human smuggling conspiracy that led to the deaths of 53 migrants. The 64 migrants had been trapped inside a trailer with broken air conditioning, and were left for hours until the truck was opened in San Antonio.
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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced he will not engage in telephone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing the failure of previous attempts to de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine. Merz pointed to the attacks following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit and a phone call between Putin and former Chancellor Olaf Scholz as evidence of the ineffectiveness of such communications. While Putin has expressed openness to discussions with Merz, the current chancellor has stated that he would only consider a meeting if it could contribute to ending the war. Furthermore, Merz noted a growing skepticism and criticality toward Putin from US President Donald Trump, indicating an aligning assessment within Europe.
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In a poignant tribute, Gilbert, the golden retriever, received the unprecedented honor of lying in state alongside his owners, Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, who were fatally shot. Gilbert, who was also killed in the attack, is believed to be the first dog to receive this distinction, typically reserved for human dignitaries. The Capitol ceremony included a pedestal for Gilbert’s remains and a memorial with a box of dog biscuits, reflecting the deep bond and shared loss. This gesture highlights the profound impact of the tragedy, which also involved the shooting of other political figures.
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Opponents of President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship are pursuing new legal strategies to challenge it. The ACLU and immigration rights advocates have filed a class-action lawsuit arguing the order violates the Constitution, seeking an emergency restraining order. The suit, filed in New Hampshire, seeks to protect a class of babies and their parents, potentially filling gaps left by existing litigation. The legal move is an attempt to navigate a recent Supreme Court decision limiting sweeping injunctions, although justices have raised concerns about the use of nationwide class actions to challenge the order.
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John Q. Hosedrinker