Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Trump Claims He Will Void Biden Documents Signed with Autopen 
Taiwan Opposition Criticizes Plan to Block Chinese App Rednote Over Security Concerns 
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 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results 
This week sees US President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda on the line as Democrats in both the House and the Senate look to pass two bills that could move it forward. The White House has announced that Biden has postponed his trip to Chicago in order to focus on the proposals.
Biden was originally set to travel to Chicago this week to address his administration’s COVID-19 vaccine policy, but in order to focus on his legislative agenda, the White House announced that the trip would be postponed. The two proposals hang in the balance due to Republican opposition along with internal conflicts in the Democratic Party despite receiving bipartisan support from the public. There is also the issue of a possible government shutdown as lawmakers scramble to prevent the country from going into an economic collapse.
“He will remain at the White House tomorrow to continue working on advancing these two pieces of legislation to create jobs,” said a Biden administration official Tuesday.
When it comes to raising the debt ceiling that received bipartisan action three times under Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, Republicans in the Senate have all opposed the measure now under the Democratic leader. The GOP cited that the Democratic Party should do so on their own as they hold control in the Senate, the House, and the White House. However, at the same time, the GOP also blocked the measure, sending the government into default.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has already warned that the government will likely exhaust its funds by October 18 unless the debt ceiling is raised.
In other news, India’s ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, spoke warmly of the recent visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US. Modi visited Washington, where he and Biden had their first in-person bilateral meeting along with their meeting with their counterparts in the Quad alliance. The latest visit is Modi’s first meeting with Biden as US President, as Biden has previously met with him twice during his vice presidency.
Speaking at an event hosted by Indiaspora Wednesday, Sandhu said Modi’s visit was successful and that there was a “good, candid, and substantial exchange between all four leaders.”
