The GPR Digest- April 28, 2025
Currents and Crossroads, E.U. antitrust law, the gubernatorial election, and more!
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Welcome to the final GPR Digest post of Spring 2025. The Digest has been happy to provide quality coverage of weekly news events.
We would like to thank our readers for staying up-to-date with us, for commenting, and for liking and sharing our newsletter. We hope to see you as we return in the fall—as always, with quality coverage on news in Georgia, the U.S., and around the world!
Many thanks,
The GPR Digest Team
GPR FEATURES: BREAKING NEWS!
The latest edition of the Georgia Political Review, titled Currents and Crossroads, is out now! This magazine features 13 outstanding articles by GPR writers. Issues covered include Christian nationalism, Southern Belles, space pollution, and others.
Editor-in-Chief Piper Garrett states: “This edition reflects the tension between movement and choice, between the systems that carry us forward and the points where we must pause, consider, and act. From state policy shifts in Georgia to international disputes and cultural transformations, these stories examine how individuals, communities, and nations respond to the tides of change and the forks in the road that have become ever-present.”
Pick up your copy at the nearest library around UGA Campus, or read a copy of the magazine online on the Georgia Political Review website!
GEORGIA
State Sen. Jason Esteves enters 2026 Gubernatorial Election
On Monday, State Sen. Jason Esteves announced that he would be entering the race for Georgia’s next governor, joining Olu Brown as the second Democrat to throw his hat in the ring. Prior to entering politics in 2022, Esteves was a lawyer for Equifax and McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP after teaching middle school social studies in Houston, TX and serving as chair of the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education. In his first campaign video, he listed several issue areas he seeks to focus on as governor: the cost of living, access to healthcare, housing costs, education, and small businesses.
Current Governor Brian Kemp will be term-limited and unable to run again in 2026. The most critical office in Georgia has drawn much attention early on, with Attorney General Chris Carr and Olu Brown entering the race as a Republican and Democrat, respectively. There are still a number of names looming large, including Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Michael Thurmond, and Stacey Abrams.
Possible increase in Georgia logging reported
Georgia is home to over 750,000 acres of forests and some of the largest federal forests on the East coast, including the Chattahoochee National Forests.. However, a new directive instated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forest Service reduces many of the restrictions on federal lands. This directive is looking into new lands to increase the production of domestic timber, and given current orders by President Trump, Georgia officials report potential increases in the logging business as a result.
NATIONAL
FBI arrests Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan in an immigration dispute
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the F.B.I. Friday, April 25, on charges of obstructing immigration enforcement. F.B.I. director Kash Patel, said in a statement made on social media that Judge Dugan “intentionally misdirected federal agents away from an immigrant being pursued by federal authorities.” Judge Dugan, who is adamant about fighting the charges against her, is well known in progressive circles in Milwaukee and has spent her career working on behalf of low-income communities and marginalized groups.
Wisconsin officials have raised concerns over the FBI’s conduct, including the Governor and the Milwaukee County executive David Crowly. Crowly said in a statement that: “It is clear that the F.B.I. is politicizing this situation to make an example of her and others across the country who oppose their attack on the judicial system and our nation’s immigration laws.”
Judge Dugan’s arrest comes only weeks after Wisconsin voters elected Democratic-backed judge Susan Crawford, whose win kept liberal control of the state’s highest court and as such, over redistricting cases ahead of midterm elections in 2026. Donations made by President Trump’s billionaire advisor Elon Musk to the Republican-backed candidate made this judicial election the most expensive in U.S. history.
INTERNATIONAL
Apple and Meta fined for breach of E.U. antitrust law
On Wednesday, April 23, Apple and Meta were fined 500 million euros ($570 million) and 200 million euros, ($228 million) respectively, by European Union antitrust regulators. The companies’ fines follow a year-long investigation by the European Commission, analyzing their compliance with the Digital Markets Act. Although both Apple and Meta have criticized the decision—with Apple choosing to challenge the fine in court—E.U. policymakers and staff, including antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, are calling for strict enforcement of the Union’s laws and practices.
Since its release in 2023, the Digital Markets Act has sought to allow smaller companies into the markets of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Bytedance, Meta, and Microsoft, increasing competition. However, the act threatens to increase tensions with U.S President Donald Trump, who has recently threatened to levy tariffs against countries punishing U.S. companies.
Turkey faces 6.2 magnitude earthquake
On Wednesday, April 23, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Turkey. The quake occurred at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), and its epicenter was 70 miles west of Istanbul. It lasted about 13 seconds but was followed by several aftershocks, the strongest of which was 5.9 in magnitude.
The earthquake and its aftershocks sent several citizens into a panic. At least 236 people have been treated for injuries related to the earthquake, with some being caused by this panic and others by structural damages. 173 of these injuries were in Istanbul.
Car drives through Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver, killing at least 11
On Saturday, April 26, a car drove through a public festival, killing at least 11 people and injuring several others in Vancouver. Police are confident it was not an act of terrorism, and the suspect has been apprehended and identified as a 30-year-old individual, Kai-ji Adam Lo, who has a reported of mental health issues after suffering the death of his brother and the attempted suicide of his mother. According to a circulated video, he was caught first by bystanders before being detained by police, holding his head and saying “I’m sorry”.
The festival was a celebration of Lapu Lapu Day. Lapu Lapu Day is a Filipino holiday celebrating Datu Lapu-Lapu, an Indigenous chieftain who opposed Spanish explorers in the 16th century. Canadian authorities, including Mayor Ken Sim, city councillor Peter Fry, and Prime Minister Mark Carney—who changed his campaign events on Sunday in light of the event—have offered their shock and condolences to those affected.
CULTURE
Dutch town hall accidentally discards Warhol print
A Dutch town hall admitted it likely threw away 46 artworks—including an Andy Warhol silkscreen of former Queen Beatrix—during renovations last year. The Maashorst municipality said the pieces, valued at around €22,000, were improperly stored in a basement and possibly discarded with the trash due to a lack of proper handling procedures. Mayor Hans van der Pas called the loss regrettable. The missing Warhol print, part of his Reigning Queens series, was estimated to be worth about €15,000. Officials say the artworks are unlikely to be recovered.
The municipality’s internal investigation pointed to major gaps in how the artwork was handled, citing poor storage practices and the absence of clear policies during the building’s renovation. Some pieces were reportedly kept in wheelie bins, leading investigators to conclude that neglect and disorganization played a major role in their disappearance. Local officials now believe there is little chance the missing works, including Warhol’s rare print, will ever be found.
Contributors: Sophia Nguyen, Jackson Bost, Jason Eappen, Blake Daniel, Aviella Schwartz