Live updates: Trump gives speech at GOP midterm convention

• EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas recently told The Irish Times that the European Union should treat Israeli settlements similarly to Russian-occupied Crimea. • Kallas argued that implementing an EU-wide trade ban on goods from these occupied territories would be a principled stand.

• A drone nearly struck Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plane while he was traveling to a royal funeral in Norway. • The incident occurred shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed threats to Europe during a phone call with Donald Trump.

• Heavy fighting between the Houthis and the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen has left hundreds of people dead. • American journalist and feminist activist Gloria Steinem died at the age of 92.

• President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance delivered closing remarks and a keynote speech on Thursday to conclude the GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas. • The first-of-its-kind event spanned two days and featured speeches from Republican leaders, candidates, and American families.

• A court rejected a Trump-backed congressional map in Missouri, meaning the state will revert to its former districts. • This decision follows a pattern of unfulfilled promises, such as Trump's pledge to use tariff revenue and government efficiency savings to send payments of $2,000 or more to citizens.

• A U.S. appeals court rejected a bid by the Trump administration to implement new USPS mail-in voting restrictions. • The court declined to lift a lower court injunction that prevents the postal service from enforcing stricter voting requirements.

• The U.S. Department of Justice sent letters to election officials in 30 states demanding they retain and hand over sensitive voter data. • These letters cite the enforcement of election rules under the Civil Rights Act, despite previous court rulings denying the federal government permission to collect this state data.

• Donald Trump held a campaign rally to demonstrate strength and energize his base ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. • Organizers attempted to fill the venue by distributing free tickets, but the upper seating sections remained empty.

• Drew Cline, chairman of the state Board of Education, reflected on the lasting political and cultural impact of the September 11 attacks. • Cline stated that the events left Americans less united, less patriotic, and less trusting of both outsiders and each other.

• The Trump administration directed officials in more than two dozen states to preserve all records from the 2024 election. • This order is part of a broader campaign to force states to turn over detailed voter records despite the administration facing repeated court losses.

• Israel has invested significant resources into public diplomacy and influence operations to shape American perceptions and policy regarding its relationship with the United States. • The current campaign against Iran lacks broad international backing and has not yet stopped Iran's nuclear development.