The Advocate

The United States has accused China of conducting secret nuclear weapons tests, raising fears of a new nuclear arms race between the two powers. The claim intensifies tensions in an already fraught strategic relationship, with concerns growing that both countries could resume explosive testing or expand arsenals. Arms control advocates warn the standoff undermines global non-proliferation efforts.

Advocates are calling for mental health diversion programs for the thousands of people held at New York City's Rikers Island jail who need psychiatric treatment rather than incarceration. The push reflects growing concerns that the jail complex, long criticized for violence and poor conditions, is being used as a de facto mental health facility, and that treatment-based alternatives would better serve inmates and public safety.

A federal memo would exempt the accidental killing of endangered species from liability under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal, reported by Montana outlet Flathead Beacon, would shield parties from penalties when protected animals are killed unintentionally. Environmental advocates are expected to push back, arguing it could weaken protections for at-risk wildlife such as grizzly bears and wolves in regions like the northern Rockies.

Pacific women are calling on global climate advocates to listen to their priorities before the COP31 negotiations. Writing on the Development Policy Centre's blog, they argue that those most affected by rising seas and extreme weather in the Pacific must shape climate policy, not simply be represented by it. Their message is a direct appeal to negotiators and campaigners ahead of the summit.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed nine bills expanding reproductive and maternal health care in the state. The legislation broadens access to reproductive services and strengthens maternal care protections, positioning California as one of the most protective states on these issues. Advocates have welcomed the move as national debate over reproductive rights continues following the overturning of federal abortion protections.

President Trump is moving to withhold immigration-related spending, according to a report by GV Wire. The measure would block allocated funds from being distributed, a step likely to draw scrutiny from Congress and immigration advocates who argue such spending is mandated by law. Supporters see it as a way to curb programs they oppose, while critics warn it could disrupt enforcement and services already funded.

The Joy and Justice Tour concluded in Columbia, South Carolina, where advocates argued that period poverty — the lack of access to menstrual products — takes a measurable toll on girls' mental health. Speakers called attention to the shame, stress and missed school that many girls face when they cannot afford basic hygiene supplies.

Researchers have put Bionic Reading — a format that bolds the first letters of words to guide the eye — to a scientific test, examining whether it genuinely helps people read faster. The findings are drawing attention among readers and accessibility advocates who have debated whether the popular technique offers real benefits over normal text or is largely a matter of perception.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has changed its policy on locating immigrants who have final deportation orders, according to a Las Vegas news report. Details of what the new policy involves and how it will affect enforcement operations were not provided in the report, and reactions from immigration advocates and officials are not yet known.

An activist is campaigning to strengthen Black voting power following a Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act. The case has prompted local organizing efforts, with advocates working to register voters and redraw districts in response to the decision, which weakened protections that previously helped challenge discriminatory electoral maps.

Donald Trump has criticised the US Supreme Court after it rejected a challenge related to Missouri's congressional map, which supporters had pushed as part of a broader effort to redraw district lines in Republicans' favour. The rebuke highlights growing tension between Trump and the Court over redistricting fights ahead of the midterms, with advocates urging justices to back partisan map redraws in Republican-led states.

More Americans are losing access to SNAP benefits, the federal food assistance program better known as food stamps, as Congress weighs the program's future. Lawmakers are debating changes to eligibility and funding, raising concerns among recipients and advocates about how proposed cuts or new requirements could affect low-income households relying on the benefits.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is pressing the DC Circuit to vacate a drone flight restriction that effectively criminalized recording immigration agents from the air. The group argues the rule blocks lawful First Amendment activity, preventing the public and journalists from documenting federal immigration enforcement operations. The case is now before the appeals court, drawing attention from civil liberties advocates.

A federal judge has denied a request to block Tennessee Highway Patrol traffic stops conducted in coordination with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ruling allows the joint enforcement operations to continue while the legal challenge proceeds. The decision is likely to draw reaction from immigration advocates who oppose the stops and from supporters of tougher immigration enforcement.

Former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney told the New York Times that the world's heavy reliance on the U.S. dollar is unsustainable, arguing that the international financial system is at risk. Carney, now Canada's prime minister, has long advocated alternatives including multipolar currency arrangements and has criticized U.S. trade and monetary policy under President Trump for accelerating calls to reduce dollar dependence.

Immigration arrests in Oregon are increasingly taking place outside big-box stores and supermarkets, according to local reporting. The pattern suggests federal agents are conducting enforcement operations at retail locations where day laborers and workers gather, raising concerns among immigrant communities and advocates about workplace-adjacent detentions across the state.

A judge has ordered a pause on construction of an ICE detention facility in Gilroy, California, citing environmental concerns. The ruling stops work on the project while the environmental issues raised are addressed. The decision adds to ongoing legal fights over immigration detention expansion in California, with supporters of the facility and immigration advocates likely to weigh in as the case moves forward.

The Seattle City Council has voted to prohibit surveillance pricing in the sale of groceries, a practice where retailers use customer data — such as shopping history, location, or personal characteristics — to set individualized prices. Consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports, which supported the measure, says the ban protects shoppers from being charged differently based on profiling. The vote has drawn attention from privacy advocates and others watching how cities regulate algorithmic and data-driven retail practices.

Demonstrators gathered in San Francisco for a rally demanding an end to deportations to Haiti and calling for human rights protections for Haitian migrants. The event formed part of a national day of action, with coordinated rallies held in cities across the United States to press the US government to halt removals to Haiti, citing unstable conditions there.