International
The debate from the inside: two podiums, stopwatch of lights and a thousand journalists in a stadium
The logistics of a presidential debate in the United States is not a simple thing and even less in the first and decisive face-to-face that democrat Joe Biden faces Republican Donald Trump this Thursday.
These are the studies inside where this historic day will be held in the city of Atlanta, which were already armored by the Police with several surrounding streets cut off to traffic.
The debate will begin at 9:00 p.m. local time (01:00 GMT on Friday) in a CNN television studio on the Techwood campus, in downtown Atlanta, with no public presence and will last 90 minutes with two advertising breaks.
The candidates, the oldest in history, will debate standing on two podiums separated by 2.4 meters and will have behind them a set with the slogan ‘CNN Presidential Debate’.
By lot, it was up to the Democratic campaign to choose the position of the candidates and opted for Biden to be on the right side of the television screen and Trump, on the left side.
Candidates will access the study by opposing entries and it is unknown if they will greet each other by shaking hands.
Right in front, the moderators of the debate, journalists Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, will be sitting at a table, who will ask the questions to the candidates and they will have two minutes to answer.
Biden and Trump will not have a stopwatch as such: above the cameras they will see lights that will turn yellow when they have 15 seconds left of their turn of speech, they will blink when five seconds remain and they will be red when their time has run out.
Only the microphone of the candidate who has the turn of the word will be turned on and his rival will have it off. Anything he says will be practically inaudible to viewers.
This is how it is tried to prevent the repetition of the screams and interruptions that led the two tense face-to-face between Biden and Trump of the 2020 elections.
None of the candidates will be able to talk to their advisors during the two breaks and they are prohibited from taking previous notes, although they will have a notebook and a pen to take notes.
About a thousand journalists from several dozen different countries have been accredited for the debate, a demonstration of the great international interest of this event, which could break audience records.
But the reporters will not be in the CNN studio, but in an adjoining basketball stadium, the Hank McCamish Pavilion, where the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets usually play.
It is not an unusual press room. Journalists work from the stands where spectators usually watch the matches, but this time what they will see on the giant screens of the stadium is the face-to-face between Biden and Trump.
The court where the games are played has been lined with a red carpet to house the famous ‘spin room’ and the programs of the major American television networks.
It will be in that space, where the advisors of both campaigns will walk to give interviews and pull arguments to convince journalists that their candidate was the clear winner of the day.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
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Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
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