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There’s so much going on in the world—a newwar between Israel and Iran, ongoing wars inGazaandUkraine,tariffsupending theglobal economy,riots in Los Angeles,planes falling out of the sky,political violenceandterrorist attacks—it can be hard to know where to look.

Experts say that’s what authorities in Hong Kong may be counting on, as they intensify a democratic crackdown in the semi-autonomous Chinese region, quietly building off of moves that began years ago to align the once-democratic stronghold with the more authoritarian government of Beijing.

On June 12, Hong Kong authoritiesconducteda joint operation with China’s national security officials in the city, raiding the homes of six people and the office of an organization suspected of “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security.” Just days before, Hong Kong policewarnedagainst downloading a “seditious” mobile video game deemed to be “endangering national security.” And on June 10, the city’s leader, John Lee,saidHong Kong will ramp up “national security” screenings of food and entertainment establishments.

Since the Chinese Central Government passeda controversial law in 2020in response to widespreadanti-establishment proteststhe year before, Hong Kong has steadily transformed from a place known for freer expression to one that Benedict Rogers, a British human rights activist focused on Asia, described last month as a “police state.”

When the law, which penalizes a swathe of actions deemed critical of Hong Kong and China, was passed, officials from both parties in the U.S. at the time saw it as an infringement on democratic rights, and the U.S. imposed sanctions to try to mitigate the effects.

Trump’s second-term Administration, however, has said little about what’s unfolding in Hong Kong. Secretary of State Marco Rubiosaid in Marchthat “Beijing has broken its promises to the people of Hong Kong” amid the crackdowns, and on March 31, the State Departmentsanctionedsix individuals related to the erosion of freedom in Hong Kong, including national security officials and the city’s former police commissioner.

But critics say the U.S. response seems to end there, and the latest wave of actions in June have not been addressed.

The turmoil around the globe may be proving helpful for Hong Kong to fasttrack its crackdown. Eric Yan-ho Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, tells TIME that “the rising geopolitical tensions, particularly between the U.S. and China, has favoured the Hong Kong government to expand national security governance in the city.”

Lai also said the latest developments show that Hong Kong officials have since shifted to “executive-led” regulatory approaches to quell dissent, rather than arrests en masse.

Under Trump’s second-term Administration, U.S. policy has so far focused on China, with Hong Kong often lumped in with the mainland. For example, enhanced scrutiny ofChinese students’ visasalso covered those from Hong Kong. Hong Kong was also included in U.S.tariffs on Chinese goods.

Expertspreviously told TIMEthat Trump’s second-term Administration, in hopes of negotiating with China on priorities like trade, may avoid measures aimed at non-economic areas, such as China’s domestic democratic and human-rights concerns, that could potentially ruffle Trump’s relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Ja Ian Chong, associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore,  tells TIME he thinks members of the Trump Administration like Rubio are “aware” of what’s happening in Hong Kong but that the Administration is “most focused” at the moment on its own domestic issues.

On that front, Beijing may also benefit, observers have noted in recent days, as increasingly authoritarian-resembling moves by the Trump Administration, includingsending troops to quell protests in Los Angelesearlier this month andhosting a military paradeover the weekend, cast the U.S. as comparatively hypocritical and weak, according to Chinese media.Said one state-run outletabout Saturday’s lackluster parade: “Democracy is struggling in the mud.”

As Alex Colville and David Bandurski of the China Media Projectput it: “Trump’s assault on democratic norms is an unexpected gift for China’s leaders, and one that may in the long term prove costlier than any trade war or diplomatic standoff.”

In the United States, maternity leave is a patchwork of policies. Some are generous, but most are lacking in adequate time, pay, flexibility, or realistic expectations. Almost all are failing to account for one of the hardest parts of postpartum recovery: thereturn to work.It’s during the first four weeks back in the office after maternity leave—the “transition month”—that many new mothers struggle the most. From logistics involving pumping, newly established childcare, and shifting to a completely different daily routine—to the mental battle of actually leaving their baby for the first time combined with sleepless nights and surging hormones—it’s a very challenging and crucial time in the postpartum journey. It’s also the time when the pendulum swings and many decide they cannot continue, having to give up their career altogether. In fact, an average of1 in 4 womenexit the workforce during their first year of motherhood.

This is not because they don’t want to work. It’s because the system, which was never designed with mothers in mind, expects them torapidly transform overnight. One day, they are entirely consumed with the demands of caring for a newborn: navigating feeding schedules, sleep routines, postpartum hormone surges and physical recuperation, a new family dynamic, and more changes that only new moms can understand. The next day, as soon as their leave is up—if they even have leave to begin with—it’s back to meetings, emails, and expectations that they perform at their pre-baby level, if not higher, without any period of adjustment.

A transition month offers a realistic compromise. Instead of forcing mothers to choose between quitting or returning at full speed, a structured, reduced-hours model allows them to reintegrate while reestablishing career momentum.

I’ve learned this from personal experience. During my first pregnancy, I thought I was prepared to return to work after maternity leave. I had built my career in high-pressure environments after all—starting in the White House Social Office during the Bush Administration, later moving to Dallas to lead global events for the George W. Bush Presidential Center, where I spent nearly a decade of my career. But it wasn’t until those early post-partum months that I was faced with the conflict of how my life as a mother and my career could co-exist.When I had my first child, I planned to take just the “standard” 12 weeks of maternity leave and jump back into my role early and ahead of the game, as I had done so often in my career. I loved my job and was eager to return. I believed and trusted that the standard policy would give me enough time to adjust. But in reality, as 12 weeks passed, I was just starting to get into a routine with my baby. I hadn’t even begun to figure out logistics like pumping schedules and nap routines, or started to consider the emotional weight of leaving my newborn behind each day. It wasn’t just physically exhausting; it was mentally destabilizing.

It was even harder when I was diagnosed with postpartum OCD, which I had never even heard of. Fast forward to today, and nearly 75% of my full-time team has also experienced postpartum depression, anxiety, or OCD, which goes to show how commonly these struggles affect working mothers and how little support we receive in navigating them.

Once I gave myself permission to take our company’s full 16 weeks off, plus a transition month working at 50% capacity, I came to realize just how vital that time was to my mental health and my ability to return to work. It felt like the air I needed to survive. I eased back in with reduced hours, a flexible schedule, and remote work. It gave me the time and space to gradually adjust, troubleshoot childcare issues, and figure out how this new version of my life could work. I still struggled, of course. But I didn’t break.

Read More:The Heart-Shattering Feeling of Going Back to Work After Having a Baby

This concept of a phased return isn’t radical. Many European countries already have policies that allow for a gradual re-entry into the workforce after parental leave, recognizing that postpartum recovery isn’t just about physical healing—it’s about restructuring your entire life. Yet in America, where workplace culture has often prized productivity over personal well-being, even suggesting a transition period can feel like asking for too much, rather than advocating for a necessity.

This model also doesn’t just benefit mothers; it benefits employers, too. Studies done pre and post-pandemic show thatworkplace flexibilityreduces turnover and increases employee engagement. When working parents are given the time and space to adjust, they are more likely to remain in their jobs and perform at a higher level. Something companies should pay attention to, as research shows that the highest-achieving, highest-earning women are often themost likelyto leave their jobs after maternity leave.

We remain hopeful that federal mandates for fair, reasonable leave will one day become the new standard in the U.S. Until then, it’s up to employers to implement policies that protect the longevity of mothers in the workforce. And a transition month is a cost-effective solution where employee retention and company culture intersect.

For some companies, this could mean offering intentional career pauses or sabbaticals. For others, it could be hybrid models that allow phased returns, such as a 50% transition month where employees work reduced hours for part-time pay, or have the option to work remotely, reducing logistical burdens like commuting and childcare. Additional support could include dedicated lactation spaces, childcare stipends, or mentorship programs for returning parents. This kind of support isn’t just for large corporations with extensive resources either, it’s achievable for companies of all sizes.

My own experience running a company proves that. Despite launching just before the pandemic in 2019, navigating five team pregnancies within 13 months between 2020 and 2021, and having four core members—including myself—on maternity leave last year, our boutique event company has remained profitable and retained our talent each year since COVID.

At the end of the day, whatever it looks like, it’s a model that pays for itself. The investment in proper support is minimal compared to the high cost of losing, replacing, and re-training top talent. Because when we fail to provide adequate support for new mothers, we lose them.

America’s current workplace policies treat new mothers as if they should be grateful for having any leave at all. But survival is not the standard we should be striving for. The transition month is a small, reasonable adjustment with a massive impact—not just on individual families, but on workplace culture as a whole. A transition month is not an indulgence; it’s the missing piece of a system that was never designed with working mothers in mind.

President Donald Trump said he wants to “expand efforts to detain and deport illegal Aliens in America’s largest cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside” in a lengthy Sunday nightTruth Social postaimed at Democrats.

“These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State,” he added.

Trump also said he had directed his entire administration “to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration.”

The comments follow widespread “No Kings” protests that swept across the U.S. on Saturday—including in Washington D.C.alongside a military parade organized by the President—in response to what demonstrators say are his authoritarian excesses.

Sunday's post came after Trump had earlier expressed concerns about deportations harming businesses in the American heartland. “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,” hewroteon Thursday.

According to The New York Times, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official Tatum King sent an email to regional leaders on Thursday that, “Effective today, please hold on all work site enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meat packing plants), restaurants and operating hotels.”

The Trump Administrationis reportedly dividedon immigration raids. On Wednesday, Trump took a call from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins who relayed alarm from farmers and agricultural groups. But other officials, including Stephen Miller, have urged a hardline approach.

ICE raids in Los Angeles have sparked major demonstrations, which prompted Trump todeploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines last week, against the wishes of state officials.