POLITICAL WRAP: Biden VP Pick; Election Interference?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – This week, Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden could announce his running mate.

So who are the final contenders?

And what factors will go into the former Vice President’s decision?

And the U.S. intelligence community’s top election security official is raising concerns about election interference.

Our political contributor Mary C. Curtis has more in the video above.

Mary C. Curtis: President Trump Threatens to Pull WHO Funding

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Trump is threatening to permanently pull funding from The World Health Organization because of its early response to the coronavirus crisis. The president says the organization needs to “commit to substantive improvements in the next 30 days.” In a letter to the WHO Director-General, Trump says the organization’s mishandling of the pandemic has been costly for the world. Last month, Trump temporarily halted funding to the agency.

WCCB Political Contributor, Mary C. Curtis is breaking down President Trump’s latest criticism of WHO and the potential impacts of cutting funding.

President Trump’s U.N. Speech: ‘America First’ and an Iran Rebuke

CHARLOTTE, NC — President Trump did not say “America First”; but he didn’t have to. His message this week to world leaders was the same one his administration has been sharing since he was elected.

In a speech influenced by his senior domestic adviser Stephen Miller and national security adviser John Bolton, Trump rejected globalism and affirmed the U.S. withdrawal from international agreements.

“America will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance, control and domination,” Trump said.

President Trump’s boasts about accomplishments in the first two years of his presidency also drew laughter from the assembled leaders.

WCCB political contributor, Mary C. Curtis weighs in on Trump’s speech and the reaction.

An Impasse in North Korea

CHARLOTTE, NC– World leaders are trying to figure to out how to deal with North Korea. This comes after North Korea claimed to have successfully launched it’s largest nuke ever, on Sunday. Amid the threat, South Korea has stepped up its live military exercises.

Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis offers more perspective on the role of the North Korea’s other neighbors and the U.S.

Tillerson: U.S. Proposes Sit-Down Talks with North Korea

(CNN) — Conflicting signals about the possibility of war between the U.S. and North Korea. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that the U.S. is willing to sit down for talks with North Korea, but only if it relinquishes its pursuit of nuclear weapons. He says the goal of all U.S. foreign policy now is to make good on President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan to “make America great again.”

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham says military option is “inevitable” if Kim Jong Un continues developing missiles that are capable of reaching major U.S. cities.

This all comes after Pyongyang’s firing of two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July. In response, the U.S. has just tested it’s fourth ICBM.

Political Contributor, Mary C. Curtis offers more perspective into the rising North Korea threat.

The Heat: Journalist round table talks Wikileaks, THAAD, travel ban

China’s Two Sessions continue as the U.S. begins to install the controversial THAAD missile defense system in South Korea. Meanwhile, international outcry as WikiLeaks reveals CIA secrets and Trump’s travel ban makes its second appearance.

All these stories and more on The Heat’s weekly roundtable with a panel of journalists:

    • Qinduo Xu, political analyst for China Radio International
    • Nathan King, CGTN correspondent
    • Eduardo Cue, an international freelance journalist
    • Mary C. Curtis, a columnist for Roll Call