U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
Trump Claims He Will Void Biden Documents Signed with Autopen 
Honduras Election Turmoil Intensifies as Nasralla Blames Trump for Shift in Results 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Lawmakers in the US are looking to increase support for Taiwan as it continues to be under pressure from China, which claims the island as part of its territory. Senators introduced legislation that would expand the country’s support for the island nation in terms of security.
Reuters reports two US Senators, Democrat Bob Menendez and Republican Lindsey Graham, introduced legislation that would significantly increase support for Taiwan. Among the provisions in the legislation include allocating billions of dollars in US security assistance and changes to the law between Washington and Taiwan.
The bill comes at a time when relations between the US and China have been under significant strain, the lowest in decades. Washington has expressed support for Taiwan and has accused Beijing of increasing military coercion on the island. The US is also Taiwan’s main arms supplier under the law between the island nation and Washington.
The legislation named the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 will impose severe sanctions on China for any aggression towards Taiwan and would provide $4.5 billion in foreign military funding for the next four years and designate the island as a “major non-NATO ally.”
Menendez and Graham said it would be the most comprehensive restructuring of the US policy on Taiwan since the Taiwan Relations Act was established in 1979.
“As Beijing continues to seek and coerce and isolate Taiwan, there should be no doubt or ambiguity about the depth and strength of our determination to stand with the people of Taiwan and their democracy,” said Menendez, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a statement.
Taiwan has repeatedly rejected China’s claims of sovereignty over the island, saying that the people of Taiwan are the only ones who should decide their own future.
Recently, the island accused Beijing of “bullying” Monday after the organizers of the World Cup in Qatar changed the reference of Taiwanese visitors applying for an ID that would also serve as an entry visa to list their nationality as “Chinese Taipei.”
Taiwan’s foreign ministry condemned the move, saying the organizers of the event were “unable to strictly reject the intervention of political forces.”
