International
Harris and Trump commemorate the anniversary of the attack on Israel with symbolic acts
US Vice President Kamala Harris planted a pomegranate in her official residence on Monday, while Former President Donald Trump visited the grave of a prominent rabbi in New York, in acts of great symbolic content to commemorate the first anniversary of Hamas’ attack against Israel.
Both candidates sought to give a solemn air to the day with gestures that reaffirmed their commitment to Israel and, although they tried to maintain an institutional tone, the ceremonies acquired a clear political dimension less than a month before the November 5 elections.
“Today we plant a pomegranate in this garden because, in Judaism, it is a symbol of hope and virtue,” Harris said in statements to the press, in which she said she felt “devastated by the pain and loss” caused a year ago by the Hamas attack, which left 1,200 dead and took 251 hostages.
Trump and Harris star in symbolic acts for Israel
Harris reaffirmed his commitment that he will “always” ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself, but also considered that the world must work to alleviate the “immense suffering” of the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip, who have experienced “so much pain and so much loss during this year.”
In addition, in response to questions from the press, he said that he will not “surrender” in attempts to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages.
The vice president, like US President Joe Biden, has reiterated her support for Israel at all times, but has spoken with a firmer language about the suffering in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli offensive has already left more than 41,900 fatalities.
Trump visits the grave of a key figure for Orthodox Jews
For his part, Trump visited in New York the grave of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a prominent figure of Orthodox Judaism who led the Jabad-Lubavitch movement for more than four decades until his death in 1994.
Known as the “Rebe of Lubavitch”, Schneerson was the seventh leader of this religious current and some considered him a messianic figure, although the Jabad movement has officially denied any interpretation in this regard.
With a black kippá on his head, Trump, who belongs to the Presbyterian Church, deposited a stone on the tombstone of Schneerson’s tomb, following a Jewish custom. In addition, in front of the cameras, he broke into pieces a small piece of paper on which he had apparently left a message for the rabbi and left it inside the mausoleum.
Trump did not make statements to the press at that event, but he will address the media this afternoon in Miami.
In a statement, Karoline Leavitt, one of the Republican spokespeople, reiterated that if the former president had been in the White House, the Hamas attacks “would never have happened.”
Biden lights a candle to honor the victims
Meanwhile, Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, participated this Monday in a ceremony with a rabbi in which they lit a yahrzeit candle, used in Judaism to honor the memory of the deceased, and kept a moment of silence to remember the victims of Hamas.
The ceremony was officiated by Rabbi Aaron Alexander of the Adas Israel Congregation, a family friend of the American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was taken hostage by Hamas and whose body was found at the end of August in a tunnel in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip.
Although Biden did not speak during the event, in the morning he issued a statement in which he reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself after the Hamas attacks, while reiterating his government’s determination to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that allows the release of the hostages.
Condolences from the United States
“We will not give up until we bring the hostages home,” he said in his statement.
In addition, Biden spoke on the phone on Monday with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, to express his condolences on the anniversary of the attack.
The president, however, did not call the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he has not spoken since August 21 and with whom he maintains an increasingly tense relationship after the failed attempts of the United States to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas that allows a ceasefire and release the hostages.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
International
Trump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views
The administration of President Donald Trump is evaluating new immigration guidelines that could deny permanent residency to immigrants based on their political views, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The proposed measures, outlined in internal Department of Homeland Security documents, would instruct immigration officials to take applicants’ public expressions and ideological positions into account when reviewing green card applications.
According to the report, cases involving “possible anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideologies” would need to be referred to higher authorities for additional review.
Even if applicants have not violated any laws, authorities could still reject residency requests if they determine that individuals have “endorsed, promoted, or supported anti-American views.”
Among the factors listed in the guidelines are participation in pro-Palestinian activities, actions considered antisemitic, and the burning of the U.S. flag.
The documents reportedly describe such actions as “heavily negative” factors in immigration evaluations, potentially blocking applicants from obtaining permanent residency and, eventually, U.S. citizenship.
The directives also place particular attention on demonstrations held on university campuses following the 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel.
However, flag burning has previously been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court as a form of protected free speech under the Constitution.
The proposal has sparked criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, including the New York Immigration Coalition.
Its president, Murad Awawdeh, warned that the policies could pose a threat to fundamental rights and freedoms.
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