US Politics & Elections: Texas AG Ken Paxton’s win over John Cornyn in the GOP Senate runoff deepens Trump’s grip on the party and raises fresh worries for Republicans heading into the general election. Immigration Enforcement: Protests at Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center escalated again, with ICE deploying pepper spray amid claims of inhumane conditions and hunger strikes. South Africa Accountability: The EFF urged Parliament to oppose President Ramaphosa’s bid to set aside the Phala Phala Independent Panel report, arguing it would weaken Parliament’s constitutional role. Electoral Participation: South Africa’s IEC reported 376,000+ new online voter registrations since January, pushing the roll to nearly 28 million ahead of June local elections. Ukraine War: Zelenskyy warned Trump that Ukraine’s ballistic missile air defenses are running critically low and urged urgent Patriot support. Middle East Security: Czech FM Petr Macinka told the UN Prague is ready to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, aligning with Trump’s push for stronger NATO defense and navigation freedom. Climate & Governance: Canada’s Steven Guilbeault confirmed he’ll quit as an MP to keep fighting climate change outside government, citing dismantling of climate policies under Mark Carney. China-Pakistan Ties: Xi Jinping urged faster progress on a closer China-Pakistan community and deeper “all-weather” cooperation during talks with Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif. Higher Education Policy: Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell advanced a bipartisan college sports bill aimed at stabilizing NIL rules, transfers, and coach movement.