Adedokun Waliyu 
The US Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris will go head-to-head with former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump in their first presidential debate at 21:00 EDT (02:00 BST) today (Tuesday).
The debate, taking place in Philadelphia, is expected to be a heated and decisive moment in the 2024 presidential race.
Both candidates will have 90 minutes to address key issues that are foremost on the minds of Americans, including the state of the economy, immigration policies, abortion control, and reproductive rights.
This is not only the first debate of the 2024 election cycle, but also the first time Harris and Trump will formally meet face-to-face.
The debate will follow a strict format, designed to minimize outside distractions and ensure direct engagement between the candidates.
The stakes are high, as this could potentially be the only debate between the two contenders before Election Day.
While Trump claimed victory in his first debate against President Joe Biden in 2020, the dynamics have changed since Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, with Harris stepping in as the Democratic nominee.
Harris, a former federal prosecutor known for her sharp debating skills, presents a different challenge for Trump as they square off on stage.
The outcome of the debate could be pivotal in shaping the final stretch of the election campaign, as both candidates aim to win over undecided voters in what has already been a continuous race.
