U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
Hong Kong Faces Low Turnout in “Patriots-Only” Election Amid Public Grief After Deadly Fire 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Trump Administration Halts Immigration, Green Card, and Citizenship Processing for 19 Countries 
Australia Progresses AUKUS Review as U.S. Affirms Strong Support 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
Taiwan Signals Openness to Renew Ties with Honduras as Election Unfolds 
The United States is gearing up for the midterm elections that will take place in November, determining which ruling party will control one or both chambers of Congress on federal and state levels. Michigan’s Secretary of State has warned that violence and political disruptions pose threats to the upcoming races.
Speaking on CBS “Face the Nation” Sunday, Michigan’s Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that potential violence and interference pose threats to the upcoming midterm elections.
Benson added that election officials from both parties are coordinating with law enforcement to protect the November 8 elections to make it clear that those who attempt to interfere will be held accountable.
“We are, in many ways, even more prepared this year than ever before,” said Benson, who added that state authorities are probing how a piece of the state’s voting machinery surfaced on eBay. Benson said the piece may have been discarded by accident.
Michigan is considered a swing state and in recent years has been the focus of high-profile election-related criminal cases.
One such incident was in the leadup to the 2020 elections, when alleged right-wing militia members plotted to kidnap the state’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Two of the 13 suspects were convicted back in August.
The state’s Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel also launched a statewide probe this year into the alleged illegal breaches of voting machines. The probe followed suspected breaches of voting machines by Republican officials and activists trying to prove the former president’s baseless claims of election fraud.
The upcoming midterm races in November will determine whether the Democratic Party maintains its majority in both the House and the Senate or whether the Republican Party may retake control.
During his Labor Day address in Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden ripped into Republicans who are staunch loyalists of his predecessor Donald Trump.
“We have a choice,” said Biden in his remarks urging union workers to vote for Democratic candidates. “Trump and the MAGA Republicans made their choice. We can work to have a better America or we can continue down this sliding path to oblivion where we don’t want to go.”
In separate remarks in Wisconsin, Biden made clear that he wasn’t attacking all Republicans but those who defended the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
