Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
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 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
UN General Assembly Demands Russia Return Ukrainian Children Amid Ongoing Conflict 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Trump Claims He Will Void Biden Documents Signed with Autopen 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
This week marks the Republican National Convention, where Donald Trump will formally accept the party’s nomination for the upcoming presidential elections. Coinciding with the first day of the convention, several prominent Republicans have endorsed former vice president Joe Biden.
Politico reports the Biden Campaign launched the group Republicans for Biden on the same day of the party’s convention. Republicans for Biden was former to encourage Republicans who support the former vice president in organizing their fellow GOP voters in time for the November elections. With the formation of the group, 27 former GOP lawmakers have voiced their support for Biden, including former Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, who has become a staunch critic of Trump. Flake previously warned his fellow Republicans not to reelect Trump back in September through an op-ed piece he wrote for The Washington Post.
Other Republicans who endorsed Biden this week include former senators Charlie Dent, John Warner, Ray LaHood, and Gordon Humphrey. They join groups of other prominent Republicans, including former Trump administration and Bush administration officials in supporting Biden this upcoming election. A few prominent Republicans also spoke during last week’s Democratic Convention like John Kasich, Susan Molinari, Colin Powell, Christine Todd Whitman, and Meg Whitman.
Following the news of the endorsements from these Republicans, the Biden campaign issued a statement. The campaign said that the former lawmakers are backing the former vice president because Trump’s failures in his Presidency already goes beyond partisanship. The Trump campaign dismissed the endorsements, saying that Trump still holds a lot of support from his own party.
As the United States is also undergoing civil unrest over the past several months, with protests calling to end police brutality and systemic racism, Biden called out the Wisconsin law enforcement officials responsible for the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back. Blake was shot multiple times as he was opening the door of his vehicle where his three children were sitting. Blake has since been taken to a hospital to undergo surgery and is reported to be stable.
“This calls for an immediate, full, and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable,” said Biden. “These shots pierce the soul of our nation. Jill and I pray for Jacob’s recovery and for his children. Equal justice has not been real for Black Americans and so many others. We are at an inflection point. We must dismantle systemic racism.”
The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced that the police officers responsible are now placed on administrative leave.
