World
‘He’s as sharp as ever’ — White House says Biden remains in presidential race

The White House says US President Joe Biden is not backing down in the country’s presidential election despite growing concerns about his age.
US citizens and even his fellow Democrats fear that the president’s age and mental alertness could make re-election impossible, especially after his shaky performance against Donald Trump in their presidential debate.
The US president acknowledged that age affected his fluency during the debate but insisted that he “could do the job”.
Biden also cited a cold and jet lag as reasons for his feeble performance.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, said it was not an excuse but added that it provided context for his debate.
Jean-Pierre said that while the last few days have been challenging, any leader would have to prove themselves to their constituents.
“The president is clear-eyed, and he is staying in the race,” she added.
“That is what the president is focused on, continuing to deliver for the American people.”
The White House spokesperson said, regardless of the debate, “this moment is critical”.
“This is a president who is strong and resolute,” Jean-Pierre said.
“He is as sharp as ever, as I have known him to be.”
Former US President Barack Obama had thrown his weight behind Biden amidst the lower confidence ratings he got in the debate.
Obama said bad debate nights happen and urged Americans to pick someone who always says the truth.
World
Trump imposes 25% tariffs on Colombia after US deportation flights were denied entry

US President Donald Trump has imposed 25 percent tariffs on Colombia after its president barred two military planes carrying deported migrants from landing in the country.
Earlier today on his official X page, Colombian President Gustavo Petro had denied entry to US military planes carrying deported migrants into the country.
“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” Petro posted.
“I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory.
“The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them.”
US officials told the BBC on Sunday, that two military planes from San Diego were due to land in Colombia with migrant deportees, but the plans were scrapped due to complications.
Speaking on the matter in a post on Truth Social, Trump said emergency tariffs “on all goods” entering the US from Colombia would be implemented “immediately”.
Trump said the 25 percent tariffs would be increased to 50 percent in a week.
The president said the US would impose a travel ban and “immediate visa revocations” on Colombian government officials.
Trump also said there would be visa sanctions on Colombian government supporters, and enhanced customs and border protection inspections “of all Colombian nationals and cargo on national security grounds”.
“These measures are just the beginning,” Trump added.
The US president said his administration would not allow the Colombian government “to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the United States”.
During the campaigns for the US presidential elections, Trump had promised to carry out “mass deportations” of illegal migrants.
The president signed multiple executive orders related to immigration on his first day in office.
Some of Trump’s executive orders were signed to expand immigration and customs enforcement’s (ICE) ability to arrest and detain unlawful migrants on US soil.
World
US lawmaker introduces bill seeking third term for Trump

A Republican house member has introduced a bill seeking to allow US President Donald Trump to run for a third term.
Andy Ogles, the representative, initiated the resolution on Thursday.
The US Constitution does not permit anyone to be elected to the office of the president more than twice.
Ogles’ resolution seeks to revise this to read: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than three times … ”
According to the lawmaker, Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history capable of reversing our nation’s decay and restoring America to greatness, and he must be given the time necessary to accomplish that goal”.
“It is imperative that we provide President Trump with every resource necessary to correct the disastrous course set by the Biden administration,” Ogles said in a statement.
“He is dedicated to restoring the republic and saving our country, and we, as legislators and as states, must do everything in our power to support him.
“I am proposing an amendment to the Constitution to revise the limitations imposed by the 22nd Amendment on presidential terms.”
Trump previously dismissed insinuations that he would seek a third term. However, after winning the 2024 presidential election, he light-heartedly hinted that he would be open to a third term during a chat with Republican lawmakers.
“I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you do something,” Trump had said.
“Unless you say, ‘he’s so good, we have to just figure it out.’”
Ogles praised Trump’s slew of executive orders signed on the first day of his second coming, including the handling of the southern border, restricting gender identities to male and female, energy production, and withdrawing from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The 22nd Amendment was proposed in 1947 and adopted in 1951. It was ratified to prevent the President Franklin Roosevelt scenario.
Roosevelt ran for the presidency and won four times (1933-1945). He died in 1945, less than 90 days after his fourth inauguration.
Afterwards, Americans welcomed George Washington’s proposition that any president who served more than two terms would likely gravitate to a king or dictator.
Washington is the founding father of the United States and the country’s first president.
Republicans currently hold a three-seat majority in the US house of representatives.
World
Trump’s official portrait sparks mixed reactions on social media

The official portrait of the US President-elect, Donald Trump, has been unveiled.
Daniel Torok, the president-elect’s chief photographer, shared the photo in an X post on Thursday alongside that of Vice-President-elect JD Vance.
“We are entering the GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA!” Torok captioned the starkly contrasting photos of Trump and Vance.

As Vance struck a relaxed pose, smiling for the camera, Trump opted for a stern, unyielding stare.
The brightly lit photo is also a departure from his 2017 portrait where he smiled warmly.
The president-elect’s stare closely mirrored his mugshot after leaving jail in 2023.
In the mugshot, the 78-year-old stared menacingly at the camera with furrowed brows and a clenched jaw.
He was the first US former president to have their mugshot taken.
The photograph sparked a fundraising bonanza, appearing on t-shirts and mugs. It soon became the physical characterisation of Trump as a politically motivated prosecuted victim.
Trump’s transition team said the official photographs “go hard.” The pair will be sworn in on Monday.
Social media users had mixed reactions to the presidential pose.