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Joe Biden ends 2024 re-election campaign

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Joe Biden ends 2024 re-election campaign
US President Joe Biden

Washington: US President Joe Biden on Sunday announced that he will end his candidacy for re-election, saying “it is in the best interest of my party and the country”.

The 81-year-old president’s decision comes four months before Americans go to the polls on November 5.

Biden’s decision follows weeks of intense pressure from fellow Democrats after a disastrous presidential debate performance against his Republican rival and former US president Donald Trump at the end of June.

In a letter posted to his social media account, he said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president.

“And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term”.

Israel’s latest airstrikes in Gaza kill at least 15 including children

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Israel's latest airstrikes in Gaza kill at least 15 including children

Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip): Israeli airstrikes killed at least 15 people including women and children overnight in Gaza, according to hospital officials and a body count by an Associated Press journalist on Sunday.

The latest strikes occurred as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to leave Monday for the United States, where he is expected to meet with President Joe Biden and address Congress to make his case for the nine-month war against Hamas while cease-fire negotiations continue.

The already precarious humanitarian conditions inside besieged Gaza have worsened with the discovery of the polio virus as water and sanitation services have suffered for the territory’s population of 2.3 million, most of it displaced.

Traces of the virus were found in sewage samples in Gaza. The World Health Organisation has said no one has been treated for symptoms caused by infection.

Israel’s military said solders would be vaccinated, and it would work with organisations to bring in vaccines for Palestinians.

Israel’s latest airstrikes were in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, where nine people including two children were killed, and the southern city of Khan Younis, where at least six people were killed including two girls. Men and women wept and embraced the small bodies in white shrouds.

“Unknown body of five-month baby” was written on one.

Smoke also rose from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, but there was no immediate word on casualties.

The war in Gaza has killed more than 38,900 people, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war began with an assault by Hamas group on southern Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostage. About 120 remain held, about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.

Netanyahu has vowed to wipe out Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and secure the return of the remaining hostages. Families of hostages and thousands of other Israelis have rallied in weekly demonstrations urging the prime minister to reach a cease-fire deal that would bring loved ones home.

Mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States continue to push Israel and Hamas toward a phased deal that would stop the fighting and free the hostages.

Concerns about a wider regional conflict continue. Israel on Saturday struck the port of Hodeida in Yemen in the first known Israeli strikes there since the war in Gaza began. The strikes, in response to a deadly Houthi drone strike in Tel Aviv, threatened to open a new front as Israel battles Iranian proxies in the region including Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.

On Sunday, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen as the Houthis vowed “impactful strikes”.

Minister Byrati Suresh announces 7-day closure of GT Mall over farmer insult

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Minister Byrati Suresh announces 7-day closure of GT Mall over farmer insult

Bengaluru: Minister Byrati Suresh has announced that GT Mall will be shut down for seven days as a response to alleged disrespect towards farmers.

The decision was announced in the Monsoon session of the Legislature, where the issue of denial of entry to a farmer into GT Mall was raised.

Minister Suresh, speaking on behalf of the government, stated, “We have engaged with the BBMP commissioner regarding this matter. Legal provisions allow for government action. Consequently, we have decided to close the mall for seven days as a disciplinary measure.”

Background

On July 17th, a farmer and his son visiting GT Mall on Magadi Road in Bengaluru were allegedly denied entry due to the farmer’s attire—a dhoti and white shirt. The incident sparked outrage after the farmer, identified as Fakirappa from Haveri, was initially refused entry while accompanying his family for watching a movie.

Following the incident, which was recorded on video by his son and circulated on social media, there was widespread condemnation from pro-Kannada and farmers’ organizations across the state. They demanded an immediate apology from the mall authorities and threatened protests if their demands were not met.

On Wednesday, activists led by Rupesh Rajanna from a Pro-Kannada organization gathered outside GT Mall, protesting vehemently against the discrimination faced by Fakirappa. The demonstrators called for stringent action against the mall authorities, after which police personnel were deployed to maintain order and prevent any potential disruptions.

Subsequently, the mall authorities issued an apology and later honored Fakirappa.

BJP’s fight is not against Muslims it’s against Hindus: Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil

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Former DC Sasikant Senthi

New Delhi: In a recent interview with the BBC, Sasikanth Senthil, a former IAS officer and the newly elected Congress MP from the Tiruvallur Lok Sabha constituency, shared his views on the Hindutva agenda and the political strategies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Senthil expressed concern that the primary objective of Hindutva is to restore the Varna system, a hierarchical structure of social classes in Hindu society. He argued that while Muslims are often used as a political tool to mobilize voters and win elections, the real targets of this agenda are the Dalits and backward classes who have made socio-economic progress over the past 50 years.

“The focus on Hindu majoritarianism by the BJP is misleading,” Senthil said. “Their ideology is fundamentally opposed to the concept of equal rights for all Hindus. They cannot tolerate the fact that individuals who once worked in the fields are now participating as equals in the parliament.”

Senthil emphasized that the portrayal of a Hindu majoritarian state in India is a myth, contrasting it with other majoritarian regimes worldwide. “This version of Hindu majoritarianism is a façade,” he stated, suggesting that the true aim is to undermine the social advancements made by marginalized communities.

As a former bureaucrat who resigned from the Indian Administrative Service citing concerns about the state of democracy in India, Senthil’s transition to politics has been closely watched. His statements are expected to spark further discussion about the direction of political discourse in the country.

BJP report identifies 10 reasons for UP election setback

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BJP report identifies 10 reasons for UP election setback
BJP chief JP Nadda with CM Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow (PTI)

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh’s BJP Chief Bhupendra Chaudhary has outlined several critical factors contributing to the party’s underperformance in the state’s recent Lok Sabha elections. The comprehensive 15-page report, compiled from feedback received from 40,000 BJP workers across constituencies, was discussed extensively by the BJP leadership in Delhi.

The report attributes the BJP’s reduced electoral success, securing only 33 out of 80 seats, to a range of issues. Key concerns highlighted include dissatisfaction among party workers towards the government, resentment towards the Agnipath scheme, and displeasure among the Rajput community.

A significant decline in the BJP’s vote share across all six regions of Uttar Pradesh—Western UP, Braj, Kanpur-Bundelkhand, Awadh, Gorakhpur, and Kashi—is also noted. Particularly, the party struggled in the West and Kashi regions, securing only eight seats out of 28, and in Braj, where it won eight out of 13 seats. In Gorakhpur and Awadh, the BJP secured six out of 13 and seven out of 16 seats respectively. In Kanpur-Bundelkhand, the party failed to regain its previous seats, managing only four out of 10.

The report identifies the following factors contributing to the BJP’s electoral setback:

1. Arbitrary conduct of officials and administration within the state.
2. Worker dissatisfaction with the state government’s performance.
3. Persistent issues of paper leaks in government job exams over the past six years.
4. Opposition criticism over the government’s preference for general category candidates in contract job recruitments.
5. Discontent among the Rajput community.
6. Controversial statements made by party leaders regarding constitutional amendments.
7. Early distribution of election tickets leading to decreased worker enthusiasm in the later voting phases.
8. Lingering concerns among government employees regarding the old pension scheme.
9. Controversies surrounding the Agnipath recruitment scheme for military personnel.
10. Allegations of voter list manipulation resulting in the removal of BJP’s core voter names.

The internal review also highlights a decrease in BJP’s support from non-Yadav OBCs (Kurmi, Kori, Maurya, Shakya, and Lodh castes), alongside a noted decline in Dalit vote share for Mayawati’s BSP, which benefited the Congress Party.

The findings of this report were discussed in detail with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP National President JP Nadda.

Accused being forced to name CM, DCM in Valmiki scam: Karnataka Ministers claim

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Accused being forced to name CM, DCM in Valmiki scam: Karnataka Ministers claim

Bengaluru: Ministers in Karnataka have raised concerns over the selective investigation tactics of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Valmiki Corporation scam. They questioned why similar attention was not given to scams that occurred under the previous BJP government.

During a press conference at Vidhana Soudha, Karnataka’s Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, along with Ministers Krishna Byre Gowda, Dinesh Gundu Rao, KJ George, and Santosh Lad, criticized the central agencies’ approach.

Kharge pointed out scams in various corporations and trusts, such as the APMC, Bovi Corporation, Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation, Dr. Ambedkar Development Corporation, and Devaraj Arasu Trust, questioning why these were not investigated.

Kharge accused the BJP of a pattern of overthrowing state governments through strategic operations in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Gujarat. He presented statistics claiming that since 2014, 444 MLAs have been influenced through agencies like the IT department, ED, and CBI to destabilize governments with a majority.

Kharge also alleged that ED officials are pressuring individuals involved in the Valmiki Corporation scam to name the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and other ministers as part of the investigation.

He questioned why cases against former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and the Reddy brothers were not being pursued, suggesting that those who refuse to join the BJP face undue pressure.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda also raised these concerns, accusing the central government of misusing investigative agencies like the IT, ED, and CBI to target states with opposition governments. He claimed that forced statements were being extracted during the Valmiki Corporation scam investigation to implicate government officials.

Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derails in UP’s Gonda

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Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derails in UP's Gonda
Passengers and locals near the derailed coaches of the Dibrugarh Express train after an accident

Gonda (UP): At least four coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, officials said.

The district administration is yet to say if there are any casualties.

According to police, some coaches of the passenger train headed to Dibrugarh derailed between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations.

Senior railway and local administration officials are at the spot to oversee rescue operations.

Accidental misfire during cow slaughter raid claims UP police constable’s life

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Accidental misfire during cow slaughter raid claims UP police constable's life
Police Constable yakoob

Lucknow: In an accidental misfire during a raid to arrest suspects of cow slaughter in Aligarh district last night, Police Constable Yakoob lost his life after being accidentally shot in the head.

The fatal shot was fired from the jammed pistol of Sub-Inspector (SI) Rajeev. According to official reports, SI Rajeev was attempting to clear a jam in his pistol during the operation.

In an unexpected turn, the firearm discharged, the bullet passing through SI Rajeev’s abdomen and tragically striking Constable Yakoob in the head.

SC directs NTA to declare centre-wise marks of NEET-UG candidates by July 20

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SC directs NTA to declare centre-wise marks of NEET-UG candidates by July 20
Supreme Court of India (PTI), Student organisations protest against NEET-UG results

New Delhi, Jul 18: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to declare by 12 noon of July 20 the centre and city-wise results of controversy-ridden NEET-UG 2024 while masking the identities of the aspirants, saying it wanted to ascertain whether candidates appearing at allegedly tainted centres scored more marks than those elsewhere.

As it strove to address the allegations of malpractices in the conduct of the May 5 examination, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said any order for conducting it afresh has to be on concrete conclusion that the alleged leak was “systemic” and the sanctity of the entire process was affected.

“We direct the NTA to publish the marks obtained by students at the UG-2024 NEET examination, while, at the same time, without disclosing the identity of the students. The result should be declared city and centre wise by 12 noon on July 20, 2024 and shall be uploaded on the website of the NTA,” the bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said in its order.

“We want the identity of students be masked. You can have dummy roll numbers. But let us see it centre-wise what is the marks pattern,” the bench said.

The top court will resume hearing arguments on July 22 on a batch of pleas seeking cancellation, re-test and court-monitored probe into the allegations of malpractice in the prestigious exam.

The bench noted the counsel for the petitioners have submitted that it would be appropriate if the result of NEET-UG 2024 examination was published on the NTA website so as to bring about transparency with regard to centre-wise marks obtained by candidates.

It also said that material collected by the Bihar Police and the report of its Economic Offences Wing (EOW), before the investigation was taken over by the CBI, shall be filed in the court by 5 P.M. on July 20.

At the outset, the bench said it has prioritised the hearing on the pleas over other cases as these have “social ramifications” and lakhs of students are waiting for the outcome.

It rejected the submission of the petitioners that they were handicapped as the CBI’s status report filed in the court was not made available to them.

“This is not a sealed cover procedure and we are all for transparency. What the CBI has told us, if it is revealed, probably the investigation may get scuttled. The investigation is going on as of today. The people will become wise,” the CJI said.

“You (petitioners) will have to show us prima facie that the leak is systemic and has affected the sanctity of the entire exam so that we must cancel it,” the bench said.

Senior advocate Narender Hooda, appearing for some of the petitioners, vehemently sought cancellation of the exam claiming “systemic failure” in holding it.

He alleged transportation of question papers was compromised and that they were in the custody of a private courier company for six days in Hazaribagh. Shockingly, he claimed, they were transported in an e-rickshaw to an exam centre whose principal later got arrested for alleged involvement in the racket.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, asserted there was no leak of question papers.

Hooda informed the court that around 23.33 lakh students appeared for the exam for about 1.08 lakh seats in government and private medical colleges.

“Merely because out of 23.33 lakh only 1.08 lakh students will get admission, we cannot order a re-test. Re-examination has to be on a concrete footing that the entire exam is affected,” the bench said.

The bench said it prima facie appeared that the question paper leak was limited to Patna and Hazaribagh, and nothing of that sort could be said to have happened in Godhra in Gujarat.

In Patna and Hazaribagh, the question papers allegedly got leaked, while in Godhra there were claims that a person involved in holding the test took money for filling up the OMR sheets of certain candidates at an exam centre.

Questioning the claims about the leak of question paper on social media platform ‘Telegram’, the bench said, “You have to bear in mind that the idea of somebody doing this was not to make a national charade. People did it for money. So, it was not to bring disrepute to the exam and somebody was doing it to make money which is evident. Mass leakage requires contacts also at that level so that you connect to all such key contacts in different cities.”

The NTA’s counsel claimed the Telegram video was doctored.

The bench questioned the NTA for hiring a private courier for transporting question papers from the printing press to the vault of the SBI and Canara Bank in different cities.

“How much you make in terms of revenue from the examination?” the bench asked. Mehta said around Rs 400 crore was generated from such exams and the expenditure stood at approximately Rs 300 crore.

“Mr Solicitor, you engage a private courier company (for transporting question papers)?” the CJI asked Mehta.

Mehta then referred to the CBI’s status report filed in the court and said the agency has probed the entire chain– from the printing press to the examination centre– and there was a seven-layer safety system to prevent any malpractice.

The bench referred to the NTA data about 100 toppers and said they hailed from different states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

“What is worrying us is how much was the time gap between the breach (paper leak) and the exam,” the bench observed during the hearing.

While posting the matter for further hearing on July 22, the bench said it would like to have a copy of the report of Bihar Police, which initially probed the case.

At the fag end of the hearing, when Hooda asked the court if the counselling for NEET-UG 2024 can be stayed, Mehta said counselling takes two-three months and it is likely to commence from July 24.

More than 23.33 lakh students had taken the test on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 overseas.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

Hindu priest in Uttar Pradesh breaks Ganesh idol, falsely accuses Muslims: Police

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Hindu priest in Uttar Pradesh breaks Ganesh idol, falsely accuses Muslims: Police

New Delhi: In Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district, a Hindu temple priest has been found guilty of breaking a Ganesh idol and falsely implicating two Muslim men for the act.

On July 16, Krich Ram, the priest at a temple in Taulihawah village, filed a complaint at Kathela Samaymata police station, accusing Mannan and Sonu, both Muslims, of vandalizing the Ganesh idol and threatening him to stop his religious activities.

The complaint reportedly emphasised on the religious identities of the accused, alleging they assaulted his wife during the incident.

Reacting immediately, local police registered an FIR against the two men, charging them with causing harm and defiling a place of worship.

However, subsequent investigations revealed a different narrative. Police visited the scene and interviewed witnesses, particularly children aged 8-10, who disclosed that it was the priest himself who had broken the idol. Based on this testimony, the authorities interrogated Krich Ram, who eventually confessed to fabricating the allegations against Mannan and Sonu due to a prior dispute.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Darvesh Kumar informed that legal action is now being pursued against the priest for his false accusations.

The situation in the region, despite initial tensions, has since calmed down, the police said.

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