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.
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.
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.
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
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.
The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.
Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.
Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.
The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.
Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.
International
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.
Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.
The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.
“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.
Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.
“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.
The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.
Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.
Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.
The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.
In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.
International
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
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