During the phone call, the Obamas told Harris that they’ll “do everything” to get her through the upcoming US elections and into the Oval Office….reports Asian Lite News
Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, on Friday, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for the presidential race.
“Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend Kamala Harris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in November. We hope you’ll join us,” Barack Obama posted on X along while also sharing the video of the conversation.
During the phone call, the Obamas told Harris that they’ll “do everything” to get her through the upcoming US elections and into the Oval Office.
“I am proud of you. This is going to be historic,” Michelle Obama told Harris.
Expressing her gratitude, Harris said, “Michelle, Barack, this means so much to me. I am looking forward to doing this with the two of you.”
Earlier this week, Michelle and I called our friend @KamalaHarris. We told her we think she’ll make a fantastic President of the United States, and that she has our full support. At this critical moment for our country, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure she wins in… pic.twitter.com/0UIS0doIbA
“The words that you have spoken and the friendship that you have given over all these years mean more than I can express. So thank you both; it means so much to me…And we’re gonna have some fun with this, too,” she added.
The Obamas are among the last major Democratic party figures to formally endorse Kamala Harris in her presidential bid after US President Joe Biden dropped out of the race under mounting pressure from those sceptical of his chances.
Harris is believed to have already picked the endorsements from the majority of the Congressional Democrats and Governors.
The Governors backing her included most of those who were expected to throw their hats in the ring, such as Gavin Newsom of California, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
The FBI in a statement on Thursday said it had been “consistent and clear that the shooting was an attempted assassination”…reports Asian Lite News
Donald Trump could have been hit by shrapnel rather than a bullet during his attempted assassination, the director of the FBI has suggested. Thomas Crooks, 20, tried to assassinate the former president at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on 13 July.
Trump dropped to the floor after a bullet appeared to narrowly miss his head and graze his ear when the gunman opened fire – killing one person and wounding two others. But at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, FBI director Christopher Wray suggested it was unclear whether he was hit by a bullet or something else.
“There’s some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear,” he said. “As I sit here right now, I don’t know whether that bullet, in addition to causing the grazing, could have also landed somewhere else.”
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. The suspected shooter who wounded Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally is dead, US media reported Saturday, along with one bystander. (Photo by Rebecca DROKE / AFP)/2024-07-14 11:57:35/
The FBI in a statement on Thursday said it had been “consistent and clear that the shooting was an attempted assassination”. A Trump campaign spokesperson, Jason Miller, called the idea that Trump was not hit by a bullet a “conspiracy,” adding an expletive.
Representative Ronny Jackson, who was formerly Trump’s chief medical advisor, called Wray’s remarks “absolutely irresponsible” on social media. He said they marked “another politically motivated move by the man that has repeatedly weaponized his office to tear down President Trump,” and added he had seen the wound. Wray was nominated as FBI director by Mr Trump in August 2017.
The FBI director also told the committee hearing that Crooks had searched for details on the assassination of John F Kennedy in the week leading up to the attempt. Lee Harvey Oswald killed Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on 22 November 1963, while the then-president was travelling in a motorcade.
Wray said the Google search “how far away was Oswald from Kennedy?”, thought to have been carried out on 6 July, was “significant” in terms of Crooks’s “state of mind”. “That is the same day that it appears he registered” for the Trump rally, scheduled for 13 July, Wray added.
Crooks’s motive remains unknown, Wray said, adding: “A lot of the usual repositories of information have not yielded, anything notable in terms of motive or ideology.” It comes after the director of the US Secret Service resigned over the assassination attempt on Tuesday after she called it the “most significant operational failure” in decades
Kimberly Cheatle told the House of Representatives Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday that members of the public had pointed out a suspect to law enforcement officers before the shooting – and admitted the agency was told about a suspicious person “between two and five times”.
“We failed. As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse,” Cheatle said.
Kamala Harris, who ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for a second term on Sunday, confirmed her commitment to the September 10 debate…reports Asian Lite News
Vice President Kamala Harris stated on Thursday that she is prepared to debate former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Harris, who ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for a second term on Sunday, confirmed her commitment to the September 10 debate.
“I’m ready to debate Donald Trump,” Harris told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. “I have agreed to the previously scheduled September 10 debate. He had agreed to that earlier, but now it seems he is reconsidering. However, I’m ready.”
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, initially expressed his desire to debate Harris, who is now the Democratic presidential nominee. Although Trump had agreed to an ABC News debate with Biden on September 10, he has recently indicated a preference for Fox News to host the debate instead.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign communications director, mentioned on Thursday that the debate details are still uncertain. “Due to the ongoing political turmoil surrounding Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrat Party, the finalization of general election debate details is pending the formal nomination decision by the Democrats,” Cheung said in a statement.
“Many within the Democrat Party view Kamala Harris as a Marxist fraud who cannot defeat President Trump, and they are hoping for a different candidate. Therefore, it would be premature to schedule debates with Harris as the nominee could still change.”
Biden decided to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race over the weekend and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee shortly thereafter. Harris quickly gained the support of Democratic leaders and raised a record $126 million since Biden’s announcement.
On Monday, Harris secured the required number of delegates to become the Democratic nominee, and she is expected to formally accept the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19-22.
White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean Pierre emphasised that no one is more qualified to step in as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee than US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jean-Pierre noted that Kamala Harris has been vice president for more than four years now.
“The vice president (Kamala Harris) has been vice president for more than four years. I do not see anyone more qualified to step in at this moment. She was a senator. She was an attorney general…,” she said while addressing the White House briefing.
Jean-Pierre noted that Kamala Harris was a partner in that to the president, adding that President Joe Biden is proud to make this decision.
“I’ve listed out what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last three and a half, almost four years, an unprecedented record. She was a partner in that with the president. This is a decision that this president made, and I think he (US President Joe Biden) is proud to have made that decision…,” she added.
Harris, over the past 3.5 years as vice president, has visited more than 19 countries and met with more than 150 foreign leaders, according to the White House website.
She has visited over 19 countries and met with more than 150 foreign leaders, according to information available on the White House website.
Democrats adopted the rules the party will use to choose their presidential nominee, with voting to officially nominate Harris likely to begin on August 1.
Harris will have to secure the support of the majority of delegates at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago in August.
President Donald J. Trump listens to participants deliver remarks during the National Dialog on Safely Reopening America’s Schools event Tuesday, July 7, 2020, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
Under the rules approved by the Democratic National Convention’s rules panel Wednesday, presidential hopefuls have until Saturday evening to formally declare their candidatures and until Tuesday, July 30, to submit signatures from at least 300 delegates, with not more than 50 from a single state counting towards the threshold, reported CNN.
Voting will be conducted by electronic ballots sent to convention delegates. If only one candidate meets the petition requirements, which is likely considering how quickly the party has coalesced around Harris, voting is expected to begin on August 1, although it will be up to party leaders to set the times for voting to begin and end.
If more than one candidate were to meet the requirements, party leaders can set a period of no more than five days for candidates to make their case to delegates, reported CNN.
The party has said its goal is to nominate its presidential and vice presidential candidates by August 7 to avoid the possibility of litigation over ballot access in Ohio.
While the state has pushed its deadline for political parties to submit their official nominees to September 1, the new law won’t take effect until the end of August.
This index ranks the travel documents of 199 countries based on the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa requirements…reports Asian Lite News
For the fourth consecutive year, the Pakistani passport has maintained its position as the fourth worst globally, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, Dawn reported.
This index ranks the travel documents of 199 countries based on the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa requirements.
In the most recent ranking released on Tuesday, Pakistan’s passport shares the 100th spot with Yemen, offering visa-free access to 33 countries. This places it higher only than Iraq (101), Syria (102), and Afghanistan (103), a ranking unchanged from the previous year.
“Afghanistan remains firmly entrenched as the world’s weakest passport, losing access to yet another destination over the past six months, leaving its citizens with access to only 26 countries visa-free — the lowest score ever recorded in history of the 19-year-old index,” a press release said.
Singapore once again secured the top spot, with its passport granting visa-free access to 195 destinations, setting a new record. Following closely tied in second place were Germany, Italy, Japan, France, and Spain, each providing access to 192 countries.
Ranked third were Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden, offering visa-free access to 191 destinations, as reported by Dawn.
The United Kingdom shared the fourth position with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland, enabling travel to 190 states. The United States occupied the eighth rank with access to 186 destinations.
A notable addition to the top 10 was the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking its debut in this category. The UAE achieved a significant rise, now offering visa-free access to 185 destinations, an increase of 152 since the index began in 2006. This ascent also catapulted the UAE 53 places in the rankings, from 62nd to 9th position.
The press release quoted Henley & Partners CEO Juerg Steffen as saying that the UAE’s “meteoric ascent” was the result of “deliberate and concerted efforts by the Emirati government to position the UAE as a global hub for business, tourism, and investment.
“Our research has consistently shown a strong correlation between a country’s visa-free score and its economic prosperity. Nations with higher visa-free scores tend to enjoy greater GDP per capita, increased foreign direct investment and more robust international trade relationships,” the release added, Dawn reported. (ANI)
India, China military-level talks end on positive trajectory.
The legislation would set a Statement of Policy that the US will support India in its response to growing threats to its territorial integrity…reports Asian Lite News
US Republican senator Marco Rubio on Thursday said he has introduced a bill — US-India Defense Cooperation Act — to enhance the strategic diplomatic, economic, and military relationship with New Delhi to counter China.
“Communist China continues to aggressively expand its domain in the Indo-Pacific region, all while it seeks to impede the sovereignty and autonomy of our regional partners. It’s crucial for the US to continue its support in countering these malicious tactics. India, along with other nations in the region, is not alone,” Rubio said in a statement announcing his legislation.
The legislation would set a Statement of Policy that the US will support India in its response to growing threats to its territorial integrity, provide necessary security assistance to India to deter adversaries, and cooperate with India with respect to defence, civil space, technology, medicine, and economic investments;
When passed into law, it would provide a limited exemption for India from CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions) sanctions for purchases of Russian equipment that are currently used by the Indian military and set a Sense of Congress that expeditious consideration of certifications of letters of offer to sell defence articles, defence services, design and construction services, and major defence equipment to India is consistent with US interests and it is in the interest of peace and stability of India to have the capabilities needed to deter threats.
The bill proposes to treat India as if it were of the same status as US allies such as Japan, Israel, Korea, and NATO allies regarding technology transfers; authorise the Secretary of State to enter into a memorandum of understanding with India to increase military cooperation; expedite excess defence articles to India for two years and grant India the same status as other allies and expand International Military Education and Training Cooperation with New Delhi.
It requires a report to Congress on Pakistan’s use of offensive force, including through terrorism and proxy groups, against India; and bar Pakistan from receiving security assistance if it is found to have sponsored terrorism against India.
Ernakulam, Jun 14 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan speaks to the media on the victims who lost their lives in the Kuwait fire incident, at the Cochin International Airport, in Ernakulam on Friday. (ANI Photo)
The order by the Kerala government dated July 15, stated that the secretary (labour and skills) K Vasuki “will hold the additional charge of the matters connected with external cooperation.”…reports Asian Lite News
Reacting to Kerala government appointing a Secretary for External Cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs said that foreign affairs are the “sole prerogative” of the Union Government and not concurrent or state subject, adding that the state governments should not intrude into matters that are beyond their constitutional jurisdiction.
This comes after Kerala government ‘appointed’ senior IAS officer, K Vasuki, as a secretary in charge of “matters concerning external cooperation”.
“The Constitution of India, under the 7th Schedule list 1–Union list, item 10, clearly specifies that foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into relation with any foreign country, are the sole prerogative of the Union Government,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the weekly press briefing on Thursday.
“Foreign affairs is not a concurrent subject and definitely not a state subject. Our position is that State governments should not intrude into matters that are beyond their constitutional jurisdiction,” he added.
The order by the Kerala government dated July 15, stated that the secretary (labour and skills) K Vasuki “will hold the additional charge of the matters connected with external cooperation.”
It also mentioned that the Resident Commissioner at Kerala House in the national capital will be supporting Vasuki in matters concerning external cooperation and will liaise with the Ministry of External Affairs, Missions, and Embassies.
This announcement attracted strong criticism from the Centre as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party.
BJP State President K Surendran slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government, saying that it is a “blatant overreach” and a violation of the Union List of the Constitution.
“The appointment of an IAS officer as ‘Foreign Secretary’ in Kerala by CM Pinarayi Vijayan is a blatant overreach and a violation of the Union list of our Constitution. The LDF government has no mandate for foreign affairs. This unconstitutional move sets a dangerous precedent. Is CM Pinarayi Vijayan trying to establish Kerala as a separate nation?” Surendran said on X.
Reacting to the criticism, Kerala Chief Secretary, Dr V Venu, clarified, saying the appointment was part of an effort to establish new relations for the development of the state. He further said the move was not meant to engage in diplomatic relations, which was under the central government’s jurisdiction.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also reacted to the appointment and said that there was nothing unusual and that the appointment of the young officer was a focal point of responsibility within the government. (ANI)
The nature of the conspiracy is beginning to reveal a dark connivance aimed at disgracing the Bangladesh ‘s Awami League (AL) government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has to her credit back-to-back election victories, writes Hafiz Aamir Hassan
There are ample indications that the so-called quota reform movement allegedly led by students over July 18-19 causing large scale unrest in Bangladesh is being fomented and egged on by a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) intrigue. The nature of the conspiracy is beginning to reveal a dark connivance aimed at disgracing the Awami League (AL) government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has to her credit back-to-back election victories. Dhaka Police have hinted that the Chattra Shibir, the student wing of the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) backed by Pakistan’s ISI, has played a major role instigating violence and transforming student protests into a political movement in Bangladesh that has impacted the routine of millions.
Every few years, the opposition BNP, which has lost the support and sympathy of the people, tries to undermine the validity of the government by staging and orchestrating violent protests over some cause or the other. It has become adept at organising nationwide strikes and blockades often bringing Bangladesh to a grinding halt. This latest student protests were openly backed by the backed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, with Razakars who aided the Pakistani military’s genocide of locals in erstwhile East Pakistan prior to the creation of Bangladesh among its ranks. The motive of Pakistan’s army and ISI is to destabilise the Shiekh Hasina government and bring the opposition BNP back in power.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
The BNP itself is a master of engaging in disinformation campaigns. A diverse combination of actors including BNP hired trolls, bots, its leading politicians, highly partisan media outlets, the mainstream media, and its allied foreign governments are all playing overlapping roles in producing and amplifying disinformation with regards to the quota reform movement in the media.
In Bangladesh, the “fake news” tool has been used more effectively by the BNP and its allied Islamist parties to stoke tensions and disseminate fundamentalist propaganda. This time the BNP supporters attacked the High Court decision of reviving the old quota system wherein 30% were reserved for the descendants of freedom fighters. The BNP and its allies have systematically tried to undermine the Bangladeshi people’s struggle for accountability regarding the Genocide perpetrated against its people by the Pakistani military authorities. This genocide, organised in tandem with Islamic fanatic organisations from both West and East Pakistan, was meant to destroy the Bengali identity by murdering elites, destroying religious diversity, and raping women.
BNP chief Khaleda Zia
After the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) raided BNP’s Nayapaltan central office on July 23, more than 100 cocktails, 5-6 bottles of petrol, a large number of sticks and 60 local and foreign weapons were recovered from the BNP office.Seven members of BNP’s associate bodies, including Chhatra Dal, were arrested in this connection. Among them is former president of Chhatra Dal Kazi Rownakul Islam (Srabon).
The BNP head office is where the conspiracies and violent politics centering the quota reform movement was being instigated and abetted by the leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and its associate bodies.
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has said that the BNP-Jamaat is using the movement as a tool to loot political benefits.
The Bangladesh Supreme Court was forced to scale back the quota system, offering a major victory to the BNP led protesters. The 30% quota for families of the fighters of the Liberation war has now been brought down to 5%.
In the past steady negative propaganda by BNP leaders in exile resulted in the Biden Administration distinguishing Pakistan as a democracy and Bangladesh as a non-democracy, coupling this stamp with a set of sanctions in 2021. During every election sensing its poor chances of winning on the merits of its performance, the BNP leaders are engaged in creating a narrative about the supposedly faulty conditions of the elections. Take for instance how the BNP and its Islamist allies like the Jamaat used the plight of the fire victims in the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp on 25 March 2023, to criticise the Awami League and portray a picture of Rohingya persecution in Bangladesh, in order to create discord.
The large majority obtained by the Awami League since 2009 has allowed Sheikh Hasina to lead the country with a steadiness never experienced before in its history. In 2014 a rattled BNP unleashed the worst election violence in Bangladesh’s history. In every election cycle the BNP threatens to trigger a wave of protests similar to those of 2014. The political instability brings to the fore the risk of adverse fallout on the economic situation; the current student unrest will also prove to be a setback for the AL government which has been consistently working towards the economic upliftment of the country, deftly navigating the nation from the worst impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of Islamist ideology and historical connections the BNP has always focused on better relations with Pakistan and by extension, the military establishment in Islamabad has always sought a BNP led government in Dhaka.
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen
The Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh,Yao Wen has described the protests as Bangladesh’s internal matter, adding that the people & government of Bangladesh were fully capable of maintaining peace in the country. However, prior to the protests that erupted on July 18, specifically on July 17, the Chinese Ambassador held a meeting with senior BNP leaders, including Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, BNP Vice Chairman & former Home Minister and Shama Obaid, Organising Secretary, at the Chinese Embassy. Interestingly, Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof also visited the Chinese Embassy while the BNP leaders were meeting the Chinese Ambassador.
What cannot be ignored is the role of China, during Bangladesh’s war of independence against Pakistan in 1971. China, being Pakistan’s key ally, opposed the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent state. Although China claims to have a cooperative relationship with the Awami League (AL) which has been historically closer to India, it prefers that the BNP return to power. The role of the ISI to undermine the Hasina government which has cracked down against radicals is nothing new, but now, what started as a student protest against quotas in jobs has been transformed into a political movement through infiltration of cadres of opposition parties into the protesting groups.
Meanwhile the Hasina government has responded to the quota movement with patience and tolerance.
The poll was released internally on July 10, 11 days before President Joe Biden ended his campaign under pressure from Democrats and endorsed Harris to take the top spot on the ticket. …reports Asian Lite News
Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for President, has an 18 percentage point lead over her Republican rival Donald Trump in favourability ratings among Indian Americans, according to a poll by Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVOTE).
The APIAVOTE findings were cited on Wednesday in a memo from Harris campaign Chair Jen Q’Malley Dillon on the overall state of the US Presidential race at this time.
It included polls on a whole range of issues. The outcome on Indian Americans was part of the polling among Asian Americans, which also included those of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Filipino descent.
The poll was released internally on July 10, 11 days before President Joe Biden ended his campaign under pressure from Democrats and endorsed Harris to take the top spot on the ticket. She is not the de facto nominee of the party.
The poll measured the favourability ratings of Biden, Trump, Harris, and Nikki Haley, the former US Ambassador to the UN who is also of Indian descent like Harris, among Asian Americans.
A combined total of 54 per cent Indian Americans said they have a “very favourable” to “somewhat favourable” impression of Vice President Harris, which was 19 percentage points more than Trump’s 35 per cent.
She also beat Haley by 21 percentage points but came a shade behind her boss, Biden, who at 55 per cent surpassed her by a solitary percentage point.
The head-to-head match between Biden and Trump showed a remarkable decline in support for the former among the community.
Only 46 per cent of them said they would vote for President Biden if elections were held at the time of the survey, while 29 per cent said they would vote for Trump. As many as 20 per cent either refused to answer, or were not decided yet.
That is a precipitous fall from 2020, when 72 per cent of Indian Americans surveyed by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think-tank, said they will vote for Biden in a pre-poll survey, while 22 per cent said they will go with Trump.
This fall is likely a reflection of the general lack of enthusiasm for a second term for Biden even though he is liked and seen favourably.
The APIAVOTE poll showed that 55 per cent of Indian Americans said they planned to vote for Democratic candidates in the US Senate races, and 52 per cent for Democratic candidates running for the House of Representatives.
The Republican party has made some headway in the community with 29 per cent of them planning to vote for Republicans running for the Senate, and 31 per cent for Republicans in the race for the House.
The population of Indian Americans in the US is between 4.16 million and 4.4 million, accounting for roughly 1.4 per cent of the US population of more than 333 million.
Only 2.62 million Indian Americans are US citizens of which 1.9 million are registered voters, which is 0.82 per cent registered voters in all of the country. These numbers may seem to make the community look inconsequential numerically, but that is not accurate.
Virginia, a once solidly Republican state, is now reliably Democratic because of its sizable population of Indian Americans and others of foreign descent living and working along the state’s northern region abutting Washington.
The community says it plays a critical role in the swing states that decide presidential elections by hair-thin majorities — Biden won Wisconsin by a 0.63 per cent vote margin last time.
O’Malley Dillon said in the memo that the 2024 race between Harris and Trump will be “tight”.
President says that in defence of democracy, which is at stake, it is more important than any title…reports Asian Lite News
President Joe Biden emphasised that he has decided to pass the torch to a new generation, adding that his decision to step aside from his campaign is a matter of democracy.
Addressing the nation from the Oval Office, the first since he announced his withdrawal from the 2024 election race and endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party nominee as the country’s president, Biden said that this is the best way to unite our nation.
“I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That’s the best way to unite our nation. You know, there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices and that time and place is now,” he said.
Oval Office addresses have historically been serious moments for presidents to speak to the American people at times of national crisis or to make major policy announcements.
Biden, who returned to the White House on Tuesday after testing negative for COVID-19, addressed his decision to step aside from his campaign and said that he was framing the 2024 election as a choice “between moving forward and backwards, between hope and hate” and casting his decision as a matter of democracy.
“My fellow Americans, it has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years. Nowhere else on earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States,” the US President said.
Biden recalled the extraordinary American presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt.
“In this sacred space, I’m surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American presidents. Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington showed us that presidents are not kings. Abraham Lincoln, who implored us to reject malice, and Franklin Roosevelt, who inspired us to reject fear, I revere this office, but I love my country more,” Biden said.
The US President added that in defence of democracy, which is at stake, it is more important than any title.
“It’s been the honour of my life to serve as your president. But in defence of democracy, which is at stake and is more important than any title. I draw strength and I find joy in working for the American people,” he said.
“This sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It is about you. Your families. Your futures. It is about ‘we, the people,” he added.
“We are a great nation because we are good people. When you elected me to this office, I promised to always level with you, to tell you the truth. The truth, the sacred cause of this country, is larger than any one of us,” he said. “We must unite to protect it.”
Biden further noted that now, in just a few months, the Americans will choose the course of America’s future.
He also championed his vice president, who’s now taking his place on the ticket, and said that he has made his choice and has made his views known.
Calling the US Vice President tough and capable, Biden said, “I would like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris. She’s experienced. She’s tough, and she’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people.”
The Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, meanwhile, said at a rally that Kamala Harris was a “radical left lunatic”.
As he was concluding his speech, he said that the choice of president is “up to you, the American people.”
“When Ben Franklin was asked, as he emerged from the convention going on, whether the founders had given America a monarchy or a Republic, Franklin’s response was: a republic, if you can keep it…whether we keep our republic, is now in your hands,” he said.
While Biden did not mention Donald Trump by name, he tried to draw a clear contrast with the former president, whose ambition led him to claim victory in an election he did not win four years ago.
Biden said that in America, kings and dictators do not rule, the people do, adding that history is now in the hands of the American people.
“The great thing about America is, here, kings and dictators do not rule,” Biden said. “The people do. History is in your hands, the idea of America lies in your hands.” (ANI)
With this, West Bengal became the second state after Tamil Nadu to pass a motion demanding scrapping of NEET….reports Asian Lite News
A motion moved by the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal Assembly demanding scrapping of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and restoration of the previous system of individual state governments conducting such examinations, was passed in the House on Wednesday.
With this, West Bengal became the second state after Tamil Nadu to pass a motion demanding scrapping of NEET.
The development came in the wake of the recent NEET paper leaks that took place in the country.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising the same demand.
Now, after passing the motion in the House, the Treasury Bench officially recorded its reservations about NEET.
According to West Bengal Education Minister, Bratya Basu, his party has always been against NEET with its all-India nature.
He said that his party had been resisting the move since it was against the federal structure of the country.
However, the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly pointed out that the ruling party in a state whose leaders were neck-deep in the cash-for-school job case were not raising questions and moving on the issue.
Meanwhile, in a big blow to the litigants alleging irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday that sufficient material was not available on record to order a re-test.
Referring to the data analytics undertaken by IIT Madras and other statistics placed on record, a bench presided over by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud observed that there was no systematic leak of question papers breaching the sanctity of the competitive exam.
The bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said that it was mindful of the fact that directing fresh exam would be replete with serious consequences for over 2 million students who had appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) on May 5.
The apex court clarified that its judgment won’t prevent authorities from taking action against candidates who had secured admission using malpractices.
It also asked the National Testing Agency (NTA) to re-tally the marks afresh in view of the opinion rendered by the expert panel of IIT Delhi in respect of a contentious physics question, saying that two options cannot be treated as the correct answers to a question.
During the previous hearing, the SC had asked the Director of IIT Delhi to constitute a team of three experts to formulate its opinion on the correct option and remit its opinion to the registrar of the court by 12 noon on July 23.
During the hearing on pleas seeking cancellation of the NEET-UG, a petitioner pointed out that as many as 44 candidates were able to secure full marks on account of the ambiguous question, and questioned NTA’s decision to award compensatory marks in violation of its own instructions asking students to follow the latest NCERT textbook.
