INTERNACIONAL
Former Biden aide sounds alarm on Democratic party backing Platner as scandal deepens: ‘Dangerous game’
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Former Press Secretary for First Lady Jill Biden Michael LaRosa said he has been «shocked» by the amount of Democratic support for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner and that the Platner campaign reveals a line in the sand within the Democratic Party.
«I am shocked at some of the people, some of the Democrats who I consider friends, being so all-or-nothing about this guy, and I don’t really understand why,» LaRosa told Fox News Digital. «He is not really representative of the values I would expect in a Democratic candidate, even by today’s standards. I’m a little surprised at the number of people who are circling the wagons just to beat Susan Collins.»
Despite criticism across the political spectrum over Platner’s resurfaced sexually explicit and vulgar online posts, including one mocking a Purple Heart veteran shot multiple times by the Taliban, and a tattoo of a Nazi symbol on his chest have drawn criticism across the political spectrum, Platner continues to lead in the polls.
LaRosa accused Democrats of brushing off serious concerns over Platner’s controversial past.
DEMOCRATIC MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER CONFRONTED BY MS NOW HOST ABOUT TATTOO CONTROVERSY
Former Press Secretary for First Lady Jill Biden Michael LaRosa warns the Democratic party is playing a «dangerous game» backing Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. (Fox News Digital ; Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
«Democrats are playing a really dangerous game,» he said. «It’s really funny to me how selective and how short memories are in politics.»
LaRosa added that he personally draws the line at backing «a Democrat who has Nazi tattoos,» adding that Platner was «just not for me.»
«I get it,» he said. «I want the Senate seat, I want Democrats to win, I want Chuck Schumer to be the majority leader, but I’m not willing to take anybody off the street to run just because they arouse some vibes in a few portions of the Democratic Party.»
LaRosa said five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins is «much more my style than somebody who I consider kind of a performative economic populist like Graham Platner,» adding that Platner attended elite private schools that LaRosa’s «family certainly couldn’t afford.»
«It’s kind of odd to hear him talk about the elite when he was educated by the most elite of New England prep schools,» LaRosa said.
LaRosa told Fox News Digital that he believes winning the election is «just not worth it» if it means supporting Platner.
KNIVES OUT FOR FETTERMAN: MAVERICK SENATOR JOINS LONG LINE OF DEMS PUNISHED FOR BREAKING FROM LEFT
Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks at a news conference Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Lewiston, Maine. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP PHoto)
«It’s his own behavior that disqualifies him. It’s his own history of rhetoric, of advocating for political violence, of mocking wounded U.S. soldiers shot by the Taliban. All of that stuff, it’s just not worth it for me as a Democrat.»
He said just because Platner is a Democrat does not mean he is qualified to serve in the U.S. Senate.
«That does not make him a good candidate,» he said. «It won’t make him a good senator. It just makes him a D. What’s the point in having a party if you don’t have standards anymore?»
Despite Platner’s high polling numbers, LaRosa pointed to his experience campaigning in 2020 with former Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, who repeatedly surged ahead of Collins in the polls before Collins won re-election in one of the most expensive races in state history, calling it a «cautionary tale.»
«Sara Gideon did not trail Susan Collins in a single poll,» he said. «Six years ago, our Democrat outpolled, outraised and outspent Susan Collins, and the state of Maine on Election Day chose both Joe Biden and Susan Collins by 9 points.»
Platner became the Democrats’ presumptive nominee in the June 9 primary to decide who will face Collins in November after two-term Gov. Janet Mills ended her campaign last month.
More moderate stances that have drawn criticism from some Democrats, including Sen. John Fetterman’s support for Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and criticism of Democrats’ handling of border security, «were extremely normal or mainstream in the Democratic Party» years ago but are now being used to purge strong candidates, LaRosa explained.
«We’re going to do to John Fetterman exactly what Trump is doing to candidates who opposed him or aren’t with him 100% of the time, and I don’t like it,» he said. «I don’t like that my party is going to target John Fetterman for simply having, holding and defending views that were extremely normal or mainstream in the Democratic Party.»
He said Democrats could be in for a «major disappointment» and that he personally would not «publicly support, give money to, contribute to or work for» Platner.
MAINE GOV JANET MILLS DROPS OUT OF DEMOCRATIC RACE FOR SENATE, SIGNALING SHE STRUGGLED TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, addresses the press at Washington Crossing Inn in Washington Crossing, Pa., on Nov. 6, 2022. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)
«My party seems to think that this guy represents what the rest of America wants or what Maine voters want or what people outside of the Beltway actually want,» he said. «Democrats believe that Graham Platner seems to represent what people are yearning for and wanting outside of Manhattan and D.C.»
LaRosa said the decision is now up to the voters and «Maine now has the choice» to decide if Platner will represent «their values and their views and their anger and their frustrations.»
«They now have the opportunity to vote for him or Susan Collins, and we, the Democratic Party, have given and provided Maine that choice for them, and so now they’re going to decide,» he said.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.
democrats elections, republicans elections, john fetterman, senate elections, democrats senate
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INTERNACIONAL
Costa Rica vuelve a destacar entre los mejores destinos del mundo para jubilados, según Forbes
Costa Rica fue incluida nuevamente entre los mejores lugares del mundo para que ciudadanos disfruten su etapa de retiro, según la edición 2026 del ranking de destinos internacionales para jubilados elaborado por la revista Forbes.
La clasificación analizó 96 destinos ubicados en 24 países de cinco continentes, tomando en cuenta factores como costo de vida, impuestos, calidad y precio de los servicios médicos, seguridad, estabilidad política, facilidad para regresar a Estados Unidos, integración social, requisitos migratorios y riesgos asociados al cambio climático.
El país centroamericano destacó por una combinación de características que durante años han atraído a jubilados extranjeros: naturaleza, tranquilidad, acceso a servicios, cercanía con Norteamérica y un estilo de vida menos acelerado que el de muchas ciudades estadounidenses.
Según Forbes, Costa Rica mantiene un atractivo especial para quienes buscan retirarse cerca de espacios naturales. Sus playas en ambos océanos, los bosques tropicales y la diversidad ecológica fueron señalados como algunos de los principales motivos por los cuales el país continúa apareciendo en este tipo de rankings internacionales.
Además, el informe resalta que el costo de vida es considerablemente menor al promedio estadounidense, mientras que la seguridad es valorada como relativamente alta en comparación con otros destinos internacionales y el sistema político es considerado estable.
Sin embargo, el análisis también menciona algunos desafíos. Entre ellos destaca el impacto de la temporada lluviosa, especialmente las inundaciones que afectan distintas zonas del territorio nacional y que representan uno de los principales riesgos para residentes locales y extranjeros.
Uno de los puntos destacados por Forbes fue el sistema de salud costarricense. El ranking señala que en las principales ciudades del país existe atención médica de alta calidad a costos accesibles y menciona la posibilidad de que residentes extranjeros jubilados se incorporen a la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS).
El informe indica que algunos jubilados pueden pagar alrededor de $150 mensuales por la cobertura, aunque en la práctica la contribución depende de los ingresos declarados y de la situación particular de cada residente extranjero.
El idioma español aparece como un elemento recomendable para facilitar la adaptación, aunque Forbes señala que no representa una barrera determinante debido a la presencia de comunidades extranjeras y servicios orientados a residentes internacionales.
En materia migratoria, el país también conserva una ventaja competitiva. La publicación destaca la categoría de residencia para pensionados, conocida como “pensionado”, que permite a extranjeros con ingresos permanentes solicitar autorización para vivir legalmente en Costa Rica.
Este régimen exige demostrar una pensión vitalicia de al menos $1,000 mensuales y otorga una residencia temporal renovable por periodos de dos años, de acuerdo con la normativa migratoria costarricense. Además, el país permite a visitantes estadounidenses permanecer como turistas durante varios meses mientras completan sus trámites de residencia.
Otro aspecto señalado fue el sistema tributario. Forbes resalta que Costa Rica no grava los ingresos generados fuera del territorio nacional, una característica relacionada con su modelo de tributación territorial. Aunque Estados Unidos y Costa Rica no cuentan con un tratado específico para evitar la doble imposición, los ingresos extranjeros de muchos jubilados no son sujetos al impuesto costarricense.
Entre las zonas recomendadas aparecen San José, el Valle Central y comunidades como Atenas, reconocida internacionalmente por su clima templado. También se menciona Santa Cruz, en Guanacaste, como una alternativa atractiva para quienes buscan cercanía con playas y comunidades de extranjeros.
El Valle Central continúa siendo una de las regiones preferidas por jubilados internacionales debido a su cercanía con hospitales, servicios, el aeropuerto internacional y costos generalmente más bajos que algunas zonas costeras de alta demanda.
Costa Rica comparte la lista con otros destinos que compiten por atraer a esta población, entre ellos Panamá, México, Belice, Colombia, Uruguay, Portugal, España, Francia, Italia, Tailandia y Vietnam.
El ranking de este año también incorporó con mayor peso los riesgos climáticos. Algunos destinos europeos fueron retirados debido a factores como incendios forestales y temperaturas extremas, mientras que otros países fueron descartados por altos niveles de vulnerabilidad ante fenómenos naturales.
Costa Rica, que ha aparecido durante años en listas similares, mantiene su presencia gracias a una combinación de factores que siguen siendo valorados por los jubilados extranjeros: estabilidad, naturaleza, servicios médicos, cercanía geográfica con Estados Unidos y opciones migratorias accesibles.
No obstante, el escenario internacional cambia constantemente y cada edición de estos rankings refleja nuevas prioridades, especialmente aquellas relacionadas con seguridad, sostenibilidad y capacidad de los países para enfrentar los efectos del cambio climático.
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President Ronald Reagan met with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev five times in the late 1980s. The first such meeting was in Geneva, Switzerland in November 1985 when the two leaders began to form a relationship. It was the second meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, where Reagan and Gorbachev began to find trust.
«The reason I wanted to do it really, truly, was because I think these days we’ve gotten so good at yelling at one another that we are not talking anymore,» said «The Brink of War» director Michael Gunn. «What blew me away about the story when Secretary Schultz told me about it was that these were two guys who had every reason to hate each other, had every reason to be enemies, and they sat down in a room together and tried to make a better world.»
US RAMPS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PRODUCTION TO COLD WAR LEVELS AS CHINA PURSUES ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ BUILDUP
Jeff Daniels stars as President Ronald Reagan in «The Brink of War,» a film centered on the 1986 Reykjavik summit with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. («The Brink of War» / Angel Studios)
Jeff Daniels stars as Reagan in «The Brink of War,» which follows the Reykjavik summit with Gorbachev, played by Jared Harris. Reagan’s Secretary of State George Schultz, played by J.K. Simmons, was instrumental in giving Gunn behind-the-scenes details for his film.
«We spent hours and hours together. I interviewed him. He gave me the declassified transcripts that informed the script. He’s a hero of mine. The movie is dedicated to him, for him, for his public service,» Gunn said.
NEW FOX NATION DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLES 20-YEAR JOURNEY BEHIND ‘REAGAN’ FILM
«The Brink of War» explores how Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev built trust during nuclear arms negotiations in Iceland. («The Brink of War» / Angel Studios)
«The Brink of War» not only highlights the Reagan administration’s ambitions for peace but also their disappointments. One scene shows Reagan’s doubt over trusting Gorbachev amid the negotiations as Schultz assures him it was not the end of talks to find common ground between the two global powers.
«This moment where they figured out just the two of them in a room that they could trust one another, I think led to all that. The first arms reduction agreement in human history,» Gunn said.
While no final agreement was reached in Iceland, the summit paved the way for several more meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev. It also led to several peace treaties — like the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which required both sides to liquidate a class of nuclear weapons.
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NEGOTIATING TEAM PRAISED BY NUCLEAR EXPERTS FOR WALKING AWAY FROM PAKISTAN TALKS
Director Michael Gunn says Reagan and Gorbachev’s willingness to keep talking offers a lesson for leaders confronting conflicts today. («The Brink of War» / Angel Studios)
«For the first time on the highest level, we and the Soviets came close to an agreement on real reductions of both strategic and intermediate-range weapons,» President Reagan said after his meeting with Gorbachev in Iceland. «We were in sight of an historic agreement on completely eliminating the threat of offensive ballistic missiles by 1996. I can help remembering being told just a few years ago. Radical arms reduction was an impossible dream, but now it’s on the agenda for both sides.»
Gunn believes the Reagan and Gorbachev’s discussions should be an inspiration for ending today’s conflicts.
«I think the lesson for today is that we have to continue dialog,» Gunn said. «As tough as it gets, I want people to walk out of the theater with hope that if we engage, if we’re strong, if we are seeking peace in a genuine way and we find a genuine partner that we can make a better safer world even today.»
«The Brink of War» debuts in theaters Aug. 14.
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POLITICA2 días ago“Vamos a acelerar con todo”: el objetivo del Gobierno por las reformas y la agenda electoral de cara al 2027
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POLITICA1 día agoReelecciones indefinidas: el oficialismo bonaerense niega que busque ampliar la Legislatura como parte de una reforma política para beneficiar a los intendentes
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CHIMENTOS2 días ago¡Chau Luck Ra! La salida de soltera de La Joaqui, muy bien acompañada, a días de su separación