CBS News
Biden and Trump to hold dueling events at the southern border today
Washington — President Biden is set to visit the southern border on Thursday. But his won’t be the only visit to the region— former President Donald Trump will also make an appearance in a different Texas border town, in a split-screen evident of the political moment.
Mr. Biden is visiting Brownsville, Texas, where he’s set to meet with border patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders, the White House said. He’ll deliver remarks to “highlight the need for Congress to pass the bipartisan border security agreement” negotiated in the Senate that Republicans rejected earlier this month when Trump intervened.
Meanwhile, the former president and the frontrunner for the Republican nomination is set to appear in Eagle Pass, Texas, a little more than 300 miles from the president. Trump is expected to deliver remarks Thursday afternoon, while his campaign is lambasting Mr. Biden’s visit as a “last-minute, insincere attempt to chase” him to the border.
But Mr. Biden told reporters that he’s been planning the visit for Thursday, adding that “what I didn’t know is my good friend is apparently going” on the same day.
The border has become a political flashpoint in recent months amid record levels of migrant arrivals. Republicans have railed against the Biden administration for its handling of the southern border. In a rare move earlier this month, House Republicans voted to impeach Mr. Biden’s chief border official, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. And the GOP has repeatedly called on Mr. Biden to take executive action on immigration.
Democrats have attempted to go on offense on the immigration issue after Republicans rejected the long-sought border deal that would have marked the first comprehensive border security policy reform in Congress in decades. Congressional Democrats and the White House have pointed to the flip flopping, accusing Republicans of seeking to use the border as political fodder rather than seeking to address the issue.
Mr. Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, has called out Trump for “blocking border security.”
The visit comes ahead of Mr. Biden’s March 7 State of the Union address, and as the White House has been weighing whether to severely restrict access to the U.S. asylum system, sources previously told CBS News. For Mr. Biden, the visit marks his first to the southern border since a trip to El Paso in January 2023.
“He wanted to show that it was important for him to go down there to hear from Border Patrol agents, to hear from first responders on what’s going on on the ground,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre told reporters on Wednesday. “And he also wants to lay out the work that he has been able to do with senators in a bipartisan way.”
CBS News
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf; forecast to strengthen into hurricane headed toward Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane headed toward Florida with possible impacts to its western coast, the National Hurricane Center said on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are expected to be at 40 mph with higher gusts and Milton is currently moving north-northeast, NHC said in an advisory.
Milton is forecast to undergo a period of rapid intensification before it makes landfall as a Category 2 hurricane across Florida’s west coast, CBS News Miami reported.
The forecast comes a little more than a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and across the Southeast, killing more than 200 people and causing immense destruction. President Biden on Thursday took an aerial tour of Florida’s Big Bend where Helene struck as a Category 4 storm. Hundreds of people are still missing and Mr. Biden said the work to rebuild will cost “billions of dollars” as communities suffer still without power, running water and passable roads.
NOAA
Milton is forecast to move across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night then across the south-central Gulf on Monday and Tuesday before reaching Florida’s west coast by the middle of the week, NHC said. Heavy rain is possible in the region starting Sunday into Monday, CBS Miami reported, and more rain and heavy winds will most likely arrive on Wednesday. Hurricane and storm surge watches will most likely be required for portions of Florida starting Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Along with the heavy rainfall, the hurricane center said to expect risks of flooding.
Residents in the area should ensure they have a hurricane plan in place, the National Hurricane Center said, follow the advice of local officials and check back for forecast updates.
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A new Barbie has joined Mattel’s lineup of inclusive dolls. The first “Diwali doll” was announced by the toymaker on Friday, a few weeks shy of the Hindu holiday of Diwali, also known as the festival of lights.
The festival, which lasts for five days, is marked on Western calendars to begin on Nov. 1, but some celebrations start on Oct. 31.
The doll, created in collaboration with fashion designer Anita Dongre, features traditional elements including the lehenga skirt, floral print and golden shoes, according to Mattel’s website. The doll is available at major retailers for $40.
“The look is infused with beauty and symbolism to rejoice in victory of light over darkness with contemporary silhouettes,” the description reads for the Diwali doll.
Lalit Agarwal, country manager for Mattel India, said in a news release that through the Diwali doll, the brand is hoping to showcase “India’s vibrant cultural heritage on a global stage while continuing to celebrate the power and beauty of diversity.”
Earlier this year, Mattel announced the first-ever blind Barbie doll and a Black Barbie with Down syndrome.
In addition, to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 and Barbie’s 65th birthday on March 9, the doll brand announced it was adding new dolls to its Role Models collection, based on real-life singers and actresses from around the world. They’re not for sale – a one-of-a-kind doll was made for each of the honored women.
The dolls are meant to introduce “girls to remarkable women’s stories to show them you can be anything,” according to Mattel.
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Nine years after his murder, Barway Collins returns to a community that won’t forget him
30 days out, Harris and Trump campaigns are in a grueling race to the finish