International

The US media point to Trump as the winner of the debate against Biden

The American media and polls show their concern about the ability of the president, Joe Biden, 81, to take charge of the White House for one more term and point to former President Donald Trump, between 2017 and 2021, of 78, as the winner of the debate between the two candidates that was held on Thursday.

A CNN poll, the network that made the first face-to-face among the November presidential candidates, indicated on Thursday that registered voters who watched the debate “largely think that Trump overcame Biden.”

“Most say they have no real confidence in Biden’s ability to lead the country. At the same time, most of those who tuned in to the program say that it had little or no effect on their election for president,” the channel said.

Republicans who witnessed the first debate of 2024 expressed broad confidence in Trump’s performance, according to the survey, while Democrats are less optimistic about his party’s candidate.

“96% of observers say that Trump did a better job, while a more modest 69% of observers of the Democratic debate see Biden as the winner of the night,” according to the poll.

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In 2020, when both candidates were fighting for the Oval Office, the same poll pointed out that the audience considered that Biden surpassed Trump in his two debates.

For his part, a YouGov survey conducted this Friday indicates that Trump won the debate by a margin of two to one. 43% of respondents thought that Trump won the debate, compared to the 22% who said it was Biden. The remaining 35% indicated that they were not sure.

For its part, The New York Times published after the debate that “a hesitant action by President Biden left Democratic strategists stunned, which generated doubts about their aptitude to stay in the race.”

The media, adds that the personal attacks “overshadowed the discussions about policies during the debate,” since in a part of its 90 minutes the candidates discussed topics such as who played golf best, their cognitive abilities and their legal problems.

“The cognitive and age concerns that revolve around President Biden came to light,” says The Hill, a media that, in addition, points out that the Democrat “was clearly confused and lost at times.”

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Kate Bedingfield, former director of communications at Biden’s White House, said on CNN that the president’s performance was “disappointing”: “Her biggest problem was to show the American people that she had the energy and resistance, and she didn’t do it.”

Politician Andrew Yang pointed out in X that the Biden who was seen in the debate “is a very different type” that he faced several times in the Democratic debates for the 2020 candidacy.

“Democrats should nominate another person before it’s too late,” he added in another publication.

Most national polls – before the debate – showed Trump and Biden almost tied, with an advantage of just two tenths on the part of the tycoon, according to the average made by the FiveThirtyEight website.

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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.