International

Biden cuts Trump’s advantage in the presidential race to two points, according to a poll

US President Joe Biden cut the lead of former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) to two percentage points in the face of next November’s presidential elections, at a time when the majority of voters express negative opinions about both opponents.

According to the NBC News poll released this Sunday, Biden cuts Trump’s previous advantage to only two points (44%-46%) in this contest, an improvement over last January’s poll, when the difference was five percentage points (42%-47%) in favor of Trump.

In this close face-to-face fought between Biden and Trump, the proportion of those who say they have a great interest in the presidential race has reached its lowest level in almost 20 years, with only 64% of registered voters with a high interest in the elections.

This is a significantly lower figure than that collected by NBC News at this time in the presidential contests of 2008 (74%), 2012 (67%), 2016 (69%) and 2020 (77%).

The survey was carried out from April 12 to 16, at a very turbulent moment in US politics, coinciding with the beginning of the criminal trial of Trump in New York, as well as new attacks and intensified tensions in the Middle East.

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While Biden, 81, surpasses Trump, 77, in issues related to the right to abortion and the unification of the country, the former Republican president is ahead in terms of competition and inflation management.

This latest nationwide survey by the NBC News channel finds that inflation and immigration top the list of the most important problems facing the country, while only a third of voters give credit to Biden for an improvement in the economy.

Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt, of Hart Research Associates, who conducted the poll together with Republican Bill McInturff, of Public Opinion Strategies, said that “Americans do not agree much these days, but nothing unites the country more than the desire to stop paying attention to these elections.”

The survey shows that the two candidates are essentially tied between independent voters (Biden 36%, Trump 34%) and among those between the ages of 18 and 34 (Biden 44%, Trump 43%).

“One of the great mysteries of the polls of this cycle is whether young voters have defected from Biden,” or whether the Democrats have maintained their advantage among this demographic group, the poll points out.

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In this context, the survey highlights how the low interest of voters and the independent candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “potentially complicate what has been a stable presidential contest more than six months before election day.”

While Trump has a two-percentage-point advantage over Biden in the direct confrontation, the Democratic president leads the former Republican president by two points (39% -37%) in a vote between five candidates that includes Kennedy (13%) and other candidates from third parties.

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.