Everything is very difficult, there's a lot of uncertainty, says Venezuelan taxi driver Jose Luis Ledezma, who works in Caracas. Ledezma has been hit hard by the collapse in trips to Maiquetia airport, his most common route. I used to do six trips a day to the airport. Now, if I do three a week, that's a lot, he explains. I work with people of all ages, from wealthy people to very poor people. I see nervousness.
Trump has been dismissing negative polls about the economy as fake, including in Truth Social posts this week where he complained he's not getting enough credit for fixing the mess left by former President Joe Biden. When will I get credit for having created, with No Inflation, perhaps the Greatest Economy in the History of our Country? When will people understand what is happening? When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago? he wrote on Truth Social this week. Probably when the economy's better. Maybe that's when it's going to happen. Come on now, Daniels said in response to Trump's question about getting credit.
It's easy to understand the reluctance to upgrade. Phones can do loads more than they could a decade ago, and their price tag reflects that. Their cameras are absurdly good, their screens run at buttery smooth framerates, and their hardware is powerful enough to let you play games just as easily as they let you edit video, join conference calls - or, let's be real, doomscroll. How much more juice do they really need with each generation?
Contrary to all credible reports, Donald Trump continues to claim the economy is thriving and that everyday necessities are becoming more affordable. But according to CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten, Americans aren't buying it. Enten cited a University of Michigan poll that showed consumer sentiment regarding current conditions is at its worst ever, dating back to 1951. "This is record-breaking in the way you don't want to be breaking records," Enten said, adding that the number is "down 30% since January, when Donald Trump took office."
It's hard to argue you care about the working class while you're fighting to not fund SNAP payments. It's hard to argue Democrats are to blame for the shutdown when your party controls all of Congress. It's hard to argue prices are coming down everywhere when they're obviously going up for coffee, orange juice, ground beef, energy and housing.
It's a big loss. You can say that these states were traditionally blue, but you can also say that heading in, there was some thought that, especially New Jersey, that [Jack Ciattarelli] would do better. The spreads here are surprising. Maybe not the results, but the spreads. And if you look inside the numbers, there are some dangerous things. One, young women overwhelmingly in New Jersey and Virginia supported the Democrat based on economy.
Economist Dr. Bravious Kahyoza says that in many developing countries, economies often react to how elections are managed, with political tension capable of triggering shocks. "It's therefore crucial for national leaders to handle such moments wisely," he told DW. Tanzania's political and economic climate remains relatively stable, signaling the likelihood of a peaceful election and continued economic steadiness thereafter, according to Kahyoza. "The economy runs on confidence, and currently, that confidence appears solid."
Who leads on the economy? Republicans by seven. Immigration? Republicans by 13. How about crime? A big issue for Donald Trump and the Republicans. Look at that, lead by 22 points! So the bottom line is, at this particular point, the ball may be on the ground, but the Democrats have not picked up the ball and running with it.
There are reports of severe disruption in other parts of the country, including the northern provinces of Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan and Takhar. The Taliban leadership has not provided an official explanation, however a spokesperson for the governor of Balkh stated that the decision was taken to "prevent immorality." But many experts suspect the Islamic fundamentalist group wants to block critical content and preempt potential protests.
