Zohran Mamdani Names Steve Banks as New York City Corporation Counsel Amid Clash With Trump 
Bolsonaro Discharged From Hospital and Transferred to Prison After Medical Treatment 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Seeks Strong Peace Deal, Rejects “Weak” Agreement in New Year Address 
Venezuela Frees More Detainees After 2024 Election Protests Amid Rising U.S. Pressure 
Salvador Nasralla Challenges Honduras Election Results Amid Fraud Allegations 
Zohran Mamdani Sworn In as New York City Mayor, Pledges Bold Progressive Agenda 
U.S. Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Enforce Medicaid Funding Ban on Planned Parenthood 
Philippines Challenges Chinese Research Vessel Spotted Near Cagayan Coast 
Trump Ends National Guard Deployments in Major Cities Amid Legal Setbacks and Crime Debate 
Trump Administration Cancels National Links Trust Lease for Washington Public Golf Courses 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Discussing Possible U.S. Troop Presence as Security Guarantee 
Trump Delays Tariff Increases on Furniture and Cabinets for One More Year 
Trump Administration Lifts Sanctions on Three Intellexa-Linked Executives 
Trump Administration Clarifies Minnesota Childcare Funding Status Amid Fraud Claims 
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry 
U.S. Intelligence Disputes Russia’s Claim of Ukrainian Drone Attack on Putin 
UN Condemns Israel’s Move to Cut Utilities to UNRWA Facilities 
Previously, the Trump administration issued an executive order against the video-sharing platform TikTok and its parent company ByteDance which is scheduled to take effect by mid-September. However, TikTok is planning to challenge the ban imposed by Donald Trump.
Washington has raised concerns about TikTok and how it handles its users’ information. They cite that because ByteDance is based in China, the people behind the app may be passing on information to the Beijing government, a claim that the company has denied.
TikTok has over 80 million American users on its platform, and the company has been trying to engage and speak with the administration but have been unsuccessful. Thus, the company is now forced to challenge the executive order against them through a lawsuit.
“To ensure the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the executive order through the judicial system,” said a spokesperson for ByteDance. TikTok is expected to take legal action this week.
Last week, a group of Chinese-Americans also challenged a similar ban placed on social media app WeChat, which is owned by Chinese company Tencent. These are the latest moves Trump has made against his trade war with China prior to the November elections. Tensions between the two countries have soured since the beginning of the year due to COVID-19. However, the US is not the only country that has placed a ban on TikTok. India has also banned its use, and Australia is considering taking the same action.
This week is also the Republican Convention, and as Trump has accepted the party’s nomination, public endorsements by prominent Republicans towards Trump’s Democratic opponent Joe Biden were being made. Along with these endorsements come ads featuring Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen. In the ads that are running this week, Cohen recounts his own firsthand experience while at the same time blasting Trump.
Cohen warns Republicans and those who will be tuning into the convention, that Trump will lie. “He can’t be trusted and you shouldn’t believe a word he utters. So when you watch the President, this week, remember this: If he says something huge, it’s probably small. If he says something will work, it probably won’t. And if he says he cares about your and your family, he certainly does not.”
