America in Brief

Sen. JD Vance (L) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (R) shake hands at the start of the vice presidential debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, on Oct. 1, 2024. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Vance, Waltz Face Off in Vice Presidential Debate

The U.S. vice presidential candidates faced off with each other on Oct. 1 in a surprisingly civilized debate that marked a striking contrast to the previous two presidential debates earlier this year.

Vice presidential candidates Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shared their partners’ goals while defending their policies without any direct confrontations, while attempting to connect with voters.

Their televised debate on CBS will be their only one before the upcoming presidential elections in November.

Former President Donald Trump had engaged in a heated debate with President Joe Biden on CNN on June 28, which after a poor performance from Biden, led to him dropping out of the race, nominating Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.

Harris and Trump dueled with each other on ABC News on Sept. 11.

No further debates between the two have been authorized.

East Coast Port Strikes Come to an End

The U.S. East Coast port strikes have come to an end after a week of striking over pay disagreements, which threatened to grind the country’s productivity to a halt.

Around 45,000 workers returned to work after the country’s largest union of maritime workers, the International Longshoremen’s Association reached a deal with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which governs the East and Gulf Coast shipping ports, late on Oct 3.

Dock workers began striking on Oct. 1 over demands of a pay increase that came to a halt on the third day when the alliance agreed to a 60 percent pay increase.

A one-week port strike could have cost the U.S. economy $540 million a day, according to The Conference Board.

Andrew Moran contributed to this report.

Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association take part in a strike near the Maher shipping terminal in Elizabeth, N.J., on Oct. 1, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

Prosecutors Unveil Revision of Trump’s Election Case

Prosecutors have unveiled a revision of a case against former President Donald Trump in which he allegedly conspired to interfere with the results of the 2020 presidential election results by navigating around his privileges of immunity as president.

Special Council Jack Smith said in a 165-page filing that Trump’s efforts to swing the results of the 2020 elections in his favor were done as a private person and not while holding office.

Trump had previously been given a win by the U.S. Supreme Court that gave him some presidential immunity for acts that he had taken while holding office in his defense against the charge.

The trial is unlikely to take place before the Nov. 5 elections when he faces his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump has continuously denied any wrongdoing.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Mich on Oct. 3, 2024. Scott Olson/Getty Images

US Supreme Court Hear Challenge to Mexico’s Case Against Gun Makers

The United States’ highest court is hearing a gun maker’s appeal against a case brought by Mexico accusing the company of supplying the country with firearms and aiding Mexican cartels.

Mexico is seeking $10 billion in its case against Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms accusing them of knowingly cashing in on the trafficking of guns to Mexico which has contributed to an “epidemic of violence.”

Mexico claims that 70 percent of traced firearms that enter the country come through the United States.

The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on July 30, 2024. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Mexico had originally sued seven gun makers in 2021, but six of them were thrown out by a U.S. court in August on legal grounds. Interstate Arms is a firearms distributing company.