International
Biden will resume his campaign events next week and presents an improvement of COVID-19
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, who is at his home in Delaware after having contracted COVID-19, announced on Friday that next week he will resume his campaign events for the November elections.
The campaign made the announcement in a statement in which it lashes out against the “dark vision” that former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) outlined during his speech of acceptance of the Republican nomination on Thursday night at the party convention in Milwaukee.
“I’m looking forward to returning to the electoral campaign next week,” Biden said in the statement, which comes at a time when the pressure has redoubled to end his candidacy, with more members of Congress publicly asking him this Friday to “pass the witness” to someone younger.
In that statement, Biden makes no mention of the revolt within his party and only raises the elections as a dilemma between his vision for the United States and the one outlined by Trump during his speech. “The challenge is great and the choice is clear. Together, we will win,” he says.
In most of the statement he criticizes Trump, saying that his 90-minute speech “focused on his own grievances” and did not put on the table any plan to “unite” the country or to “improve the lives of workers.”
“Donald Trump’s dark vision for the future is not who we are as Americans. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the polls,” he says.
Trump gave a speech of an hour and a half on Thursday in which he began with a gloomy tone, alluding to the attempted murder he suffered only a few days ago, and in which he called for unity, although he also gave space to conspiracy theories about electoral fraud in the 2020 elections and returned to his harsh rhetoric against migrants.
President Joe Biden has shown a “significant” improvement since Thursday although he continues to have symptoms from COVID-19, especially cough, as reported this Friday by the president’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, in a letter distributed by the White House.
“His dry cough and hoarseness continue to be his main symptoms, but they have improved significantly since yesterday,” the doctor said in a statement.
Biden is in isolation in his Delaware home, after last Wednesday he tested positive for COVID-19 while campaigning in Nevada, a key state for the November elections.
About thirty members of Congress have publicly asked Biden to withdraw from the presidential race and several publicly asked him this Friday to “pass the witness,” in a drip that increases the pressure on the president.
Biden has seen in recent hours how his support weakens among key figures of the party. As reported on Thursday by The Washington Post, Former President Barack Obama (2009-2017) has told his close circle that Biden should “seriously reconsider” the future of his candidacy.
The call for him to withdraw came after the debate on June 27 against Trump, in which Biden, who at 81 years old is the oldest president in the history of the United States, projected an aged image and had difficulty concluding some sentences.
International
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
The Ukrainian government on Wednesday declared a nationwide energy state of emergency amid continued Russian military attacks and extreme winter weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius.
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe (…) Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media following a meeting with senior officials.
Zelensky announced the creation of a “permanent coordination headquarters” to manage the crisis in the capital, Kyiv, and tasked former defence minister and current energy chief Denys Shmyhal with overseeing support efforts for affected individuals and communities, including addressing power outages, heating shortages and other “practical issues.”
“There are many problems that require urgent solutions,” the president said, noting that repair crews, energy companies, municipal services and the State Emergency Service are working “around the clock” to restore electricity supplies. Kyiv has been particularly affected after Russian strikes last Friday disabled key parts of the power grid, as daytime temperatures hover around minus 12 degrees Celsius and plunge to minus 18 at night.
Zelensky added that public authorities will “maximize efforts with partners to obtain the necessary equipment and additional support,” while the government will ensure “maximum deregulation of all processes” to speed up the connection of backup power equipment to the grid. He also confirmed that work is underway to significantly increase electricity imports into Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader further instructed his Cabinet to review curfew regulations in light of the extreme cold, arguing that citizens must have the greatest possible access to assistance centers, while businesses should be given flexibility to plan their operations according to the state of the energy system.
International
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed in the early hours of Thursday (Wednesday afternoon in El Salvador) that France will take part in “Operation Arctic Resistance,” after Denmark announced it would expand its military presence in Greenland amid rising tensions with the United States over Washington’s stated ambitions regarding the semi-autonomous territory.
“At Denmark’s request, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, ‘Operation Arctic Resistance,’” Macron said in a brief message posted on social media at 5:18 p.m.
The French president added that “the first French military elements are already on their way, with others to follow,” though he did not specify the number of troops being deployed or the scale of France’s planned contribution.
The governments of Sweden, Norway and Germany have also confirmed the deployment of military contingents to Greenland. Germany’s armed forces will send a 13-member reconnaissance team to the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, to take part in a mission scheduled to run from Thursday through Saturday, according to the German Ministry of Defence.
Denmark’s announcement came shortly before a Danish delegation met at the White House with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Washington’s plans regarding Greenland. Copenhagen said the military activities would be carried out “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
International
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Iranian authorities closed the country’s airspace in the early hours of Thursday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, amid growing threats of a possible U.S. attack as protests across the country continue and have reportedly left thousands dead.
According to FlightRadar24, the Iranian government suspended all flights to and from the country, except for international flights that have received special authorization. The notice was initially issued for a duration of just over two hours.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump in recent days threatened to strike Iran if its security forces failed to halt the deaths linked to weeks-long protests that began in Tehran and later spread to other Iranian cities. Despite the threats, the White House said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred option.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “the deaths in Iran have stopped” and said there would be no executions of protesters following his warnings to Tehran. He added that his administration would seek to verify those claims.
“I’ve been told the deaths in Iran are stopping. They’ve stopped, and that there are no plans for executions,” Trump told reporters, cautioning that the United States would be “very upset” if those assurances proved to be untrue.
The statements contrast with reports from rights groups. The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that more than 3,400 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Meanwhile, Kurdish-Iranian rights group Hengaw reported this week that a 26-year-old Iranian man, Erfan Soltani, was facing execution as of Wednesday.
Ukraine declares nationwide energy emergency amid russian attacks and extreme cold
France joins Denmark’s ‘Operation Arctic Resistance’ in Greenland amid U.S. tensions
Iran closes airspace amid U.S. threats and deadly nationwide protests
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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