U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
Honduras Election Turmoil Deepens as Nasralla Alleges Fraud in Tight Presidential Race 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
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 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
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 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
Another key issue that appears to have caused more conflicts is over the debt ceiling, with Republicans apparently committing to block Democrats from raising the debt limits to avoid a government shutdown. The Wall Street allies of US President Joe Biden have agreed that Democrats should continue ramping up the pressure on the Republicans.
Biden blasted the Republicans, particularly Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, for refusing to raise the debt limit despite the GOP, who ran the Senate majority under Biden’s predecessor, adding trillions more to the country’s debt. While McConnell previously said that Democrats should do it alone as they hold the majority, they still blocked the party’s attempt to raise the debt ceiling on party lines due to filibuster rules. Biden called the move by the GOP “hypocritical, dangerous, and disgraceful.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also highlighted the deficit spending under Biden’s predecessor, pinning McConnell as the person to blame for the financial crisis that the government fell into if no consensus is reached from the dragging negotiations on the debt ceiling.
“To me, this is insanity that Republicans who talk like they are so pro-business are screwing around with the full faith and credit of the US government,” said former UBS Americas chief executive and Obama economic adviser Robert Wolf. “This shouldn’t be the polarizing issue that everyone is talking about and working on. You want to have a fight over policy -- infrastructure and climate action and healthcare benefits -- then have that fight. But I don’t think you want to have a fight over the debt ceiling.”
In other news, Biden recently spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping over Taiwan, with both leaders finding common ground in abiding by the “Taiwan Agreement,” as tensions remain between Taiwan and China. Taiwan, which has a democratic government, has resisted the pressure campaign being done by China to accept Beijing as sovereign over the island nation.
“We made it clear that I don’t think he should be doing anything other than abiding by the agreement,” said Biden following his trip to Michigan. The US leader may have been referring to the “One-China Policy” by Washington.
