International

The big U.S. TV networks will ask for a face-to-face between Biden and Trump

The five largest television networks in the United States are preparing a joint letter to ask the US president, Joe Biden, and the virtual Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to participate in televised debates, in the face of speculation that in this electoral year they will not reach an agreement to celebrate this traditional face-to-face.

CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox News request that the presidential campaign that leads to the election in November, this year have those debates that have been part of the tradition of the United States in all electoral cycles since 1976.

“The signatory national news organizations urge the probable presidential candidates to publicly commit to participate in debates before the election,” says a draft of the request revealed by The New York Times.

The 81-year-old Democrat Biden has not discarded the idea of facing Trump again in front of the cameras and the national audience, as he did twice in 2020.

For his part, Trump, 77, who refused to participate in the debates of the Republican primaries this year, has said that he is willing to debate with Biden “at any time, anywhere.”

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These debates have been losing interest for voters: the second confrontation between Trump and Biden in 2020 attracted an audience of 63 million people, 10 million less than the first, and 8.6 million less than the final debate of Trump and Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.

In their letter, according to the draft cited by The New York Times, television networks affirm that “if there is something that Americans can agree on, in these times of polarization, it is that what is at stake in this election is exceptionally important.”

“Simply, nothing can replace the debate of the candidates face to face, before the citizenry, with their visions for the future of the nation,” the text adds.

The first of these televised debates occurred in the 1960 campaign when Republican candidate and vice president Richard Nixon, and young Democratic Senator John F., clashed. Kennedy, and it took 16 years until the confrontation of then Republican President Gerald Ford, and the Democratic Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.