International

“Will they replace Biden?”, the big question after a black night for the president of the United States

“Will they replace Joe Biden?” was the big question that invaded the atmosphere after a black night for the president of the United States in Atlanta, where he clearly lost the first presidential debate against his rival, former Republican president Donald Trump.

All eyes were on the vigorousness of Biden, who at 81 years old is the oldest president in history, and the worst omens were fulfilled.

Despite having locked himself up for almost a week with his team to prepare for a historic day, he appeared with a hoarse, slow, tired voice and with difficulty concluding some sentences.

Trump, only three years younger, repeated many of the hoaxes that characterize him and avoided answering the most uncomfortable questions of the moderators, but he was seen more content than expected and much more energetic than his rival.

In a lapidary final shot of the debate, the first lady, Jill Biden, was shown, helping her husband, who had a lot of difficulty going down the stairs of the stage and saying goodbye to the moderators.

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Panic had taken over Biden’s campaign in the middle of the debate and his team hurried to justify that the president suffered the flu during the week, but the damage was already done.

The Republicans did not take long to make firewood from the fallen tree and several of Trump’s allies quickly went out to sing victory in the ‘spin room’, a press room installed in a stadium adjacent to the CNN studios where the face-to-face was broadcast.

“This man cannot continue as president of the United States, I am very worried about this country. I don’t think he can continue even for the six months he has left in office,” said Vivek Ramaswamy, who faced Trump in the Republican primaries and is now one of his greatest acolytes.

Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott walked through the room repeating that it was a crushing victory for Trump, of whom both aspire to be vice presidents in a second term.

Matt Gaetz, congressman of the most radical wing of the Republicans, soon verbalized to the press what many were thinking. He opined that in a few days an internal battle will be opened in the Democratic Party to replace the president.

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The proof of disbelief within the Democratic ranks is that it took several minutes for Biden’s allies to appear together before the press in the ‘spin room’, where they tried to convey an optimistic message that contrasted with their long faces.

Among them were Senator Raphael Warnock and Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, but all eyes were on the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, one of the most prominent faces of the Democratic Party.

The press asked him several times if he is ready to replace Biden but categorically denied that he was going to take the step: “He has my support. We are with him,” he said seriously.

The official vision of the Democratic campaign, according to a statement, is that the president presented “a positive and winning vision for the future of the United States” in the face of a Trump who wants to end democracy and the right to abortion.

This debate, unusually early given that the campaigns have not yet started formally, was especially decisive since it came at a time when both candidates were tied in the polls and knew that any mistake could make the balance decant.

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According to a first CNN poll published at the end of the match, Trump was the clear winner for 67% of those surveyed.

The truth is that the Democratic Party still has to hold its national convention next August in Chicago to formally nominate its candidate. Technically there would be time for a replacement, but it would be something never seen before.

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.