UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
Trump Claims He Will Void Biden Documents Signed with Autopen 
Donald Trump is up for reelection in November and is actively campaigning to gain four more years in office as president. This week, Trump held a televised town hall where he took in questions from voters as well as criticism towards his administration.
Trump had a town hall that was televised on ABC News on Tuesday hosted by George Stephanopoulos where they discussed his administration’s COVID-19 response, the vaccine for the pandemic, as well as the issue of race, immigration, and healthcare in the country. In the midst of aggressive questions from Americans who have yet to make their vote, he was also faced with a tense moment with another potential voter, Ellesia Blaque, who is a professor from Philadelphia. Ms. Blaque shut Trump down, asking him to let her finish her question when he interrupted her query about health insurance.
The biggest topic of discussion between Trump and the voters who were present was that of COVID-19. Trump said that the disease would go away even without a vaccine, suggesting herd immunity - he mistakenly said “herd mentality” - as a reason why the pandemic would eventually die down.
“It would go away without the vaccine, George. Sure, over a period of time. You’ll develop like a herd mentality, it’s gonna be … it’s gonna be herd-developed, and that’s gonna happen. It will all happen,” said Trump.
Trump was also confronted by his remarks on deliberately downplaying the severity of COVID-19 to the public, noting the audio from Bob Woodward’s taped interview with him. Trump denied downplaying the pandemic, insisting he “up-played” it instead.
Trump then spoke to the press at the White House on Wednesday, saying that he has yet to sign off on the deal made by Oracle to buy TikTok from its China-based parent company ByteDance. Trump reasoned national security concerns as well as ensuring that the government gets its share from the buy-out. When confronted later on with the fact that the government cannot take a cut from the deal, Trump said he will have people in the government look into it.
Trump also expressed his dislike in the fact that the US purchasing company does not hold the controlling stake.
