Politics

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, United States — In 2020, amid the tumult following the tragic death of George Floyd, former President Donald Trump expressed approval for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s handling of a critical period of civil unrest. This support came despite previous criticism from Trump and his political ally J.D. Vance of Walz’s tactics. During a strategy call with U.S. governors on June 1, 2020, Trump praised the actions taken in Minneapolis. “They took control quickly and effectively,” Trump noted in the call, highlighting the city’s swift response. This conversation, recorded and later obtained by the Associated Press, is significant because…

The U.S. Department of Justice has assigned the case against Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to the Eastern District of New York. There, he is expected to face multiple charges, including drug trafficking, according to declassified documents verified by a knowledgeable source. Now 76, Zambada was arrested in El Paso, Texas, and has appeared twice in state court. The timing of his transfer to New York remains unclear, with estimates suggesting it could happen within the next few weeks, according to a source familiar with the details. Despite efforts by the Eastern District of Texas to keep the case, a decision…

CNY - New York City emergency officials have apologized for broadcasting flood warnings in hard-to-understand Spanish via drones flying over certain neighborhoods. Authorities had begun deploying high-tech devices to broadcast pre-flood warnings. Things escalated when a video of a drone issuing warnings in both English and Spanish circulated widely on social media, sparking criticism over the pronunciation of the Spanish version in a city where nearly a quarter of residents speak Spanish at home. "Why is the Spanish version incomprehensible?" wrote one user on social media. “Can’t the city hire someone who speaks Spanish to put out this notice?” asked…

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, has a long history with China, from his days as a schoolteacher in Guangdong to serving on a key congressional committee overseeing U.S.-China relations. His trip includes witnessing the pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989. As an educator at Foshan No. 1 Secondary School, Walz taught history, culture, and English during a pivotal period marked by major student demonstrations against the Chinese Communist Party. This experience profoundly shaped his understanding of and connection to the region. In a 2007 interview with The Hill, Walz said, "The year I spent…

A reformist candidate critical of Iranian government policies, including the mandatory headscarf law, will face a hardline conservative in a presidential runoff next week, Iran’s Interior Ministry announced Saturday. It follows a special vote called after the previous leader, Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash last month. The second round of voting, scheduled for July 5, will pit reformist Masoud Pezeshkian against Saeed Jalili, an ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator. The need for a runoff was prompted by low voter turnout and a field of three leading candidates, with Iranian law requiring a winner to win more than 50 percent…

Israelis expressed growing concern Sunday that President Biden’s faltering debate performance could embolden the country’s Middle Eastern adversaries at a critical moment for American leadership in the region. Israeli commentators across the political spectrum have sounded the alarm that Iran and its allies could exploit Biden's apparent weakness as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and faces the prospect of all-out conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. U.S. officials have been working to broker a diplomatic solution to tensions between Israel and Hezbollah to prevent a broader regional war that could involve both Iran and the United States. The Biden administration is…

U.S. defense officials raised the security alert level at military bases in Europe over the weekend in response to vague threats from the Kremlin about Ukraine using long-range weapons on Russian soil, U.S. and Western officials said. Officials noted that no specific information has been gathered about potential Russian attacks on U.S. bases. However, any such attack by Russia, overt or covert, would mean a significant escalation of its war in Ukraine. Russia has stepped up its sabotage efforts in Europe, aiming to disrupt the flow of materials to Ukraine. So far, no U.S. bases have been targeted in these…

Haiti's new prime minister, Garry Conille, met with top Democratic congressional leaders Tuesday to request more American assistance, after a U.S.-backed international police mission arrived to restore stability in a country besieged by criminal gangs. The Biden administration plans to allocate $100 million for the mission, with the United States as the lead donor. However, Mr. Conille told Democrats that more money is urgently needed to address basic infrastructure and services. “This is a critical point,” Mr. Conille said, stressing the need for continued investment after meeting with lawmakers and international financial institutions. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Democrat of Florida and the…

Relief efforts began Wednesday in New York City's Caribbean community, as residents anxiously followed the path of Hurricane Beryl. The storm has already claimed at least seven lives in the southeastern Caribbean, leaving thousands without power. By Wednesday afternoon, Beryl had weakened from a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4 hurricane, coasting just south of Jamaica and unleashing destructive winds and heavy rains on the island. In Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood, those with ties to Jamaica have been closely monitoring the storm’s progress. Nadine Ducille, chef at Caribbean Vibes Jamaican Restaurant and Bakery on Nostrand Avenue, said she’s been…

Voters in Portsmouth, a city famous for its naval base on England’s south coast, streamed into a polling station on Thursday morning. Warmly greeted by poll workers, they arrived in a steady stream: elderly couples holding hands, parents with babies in strollers, and young professionals rushing to work. According to the latest polls, every vote cast has added weight to what could be the decisive conclusion to 14 years of Conservative government. “I just want to see change,” Sam Argha, 36, said after voting for Labour. “We need to try something different.” This sentiment reverberated across the city, where many,…