mondAY 22 july, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard n e pa l two-third majority for oli Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli secured 188 votes in favour of the vote of confidence motion tabled by him while 74 votes were cast against him A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS Page 9 l New Delhi l J8.00 l PAGES 12 biden quits u.s. presidential race Endorses Kamala Harris as the new nominee; first prez to abandon campaign for re-election over concerns of mental acuity a G E N C I E S @ Washington AFTER ignoring calls to quit the presidential race for weeks, US President Joe Biden on Sunday dropped out of the presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee. The dramatic announcement came less than a month before the Democratic National Convention, set to start on August 19. The 81-year-old was under tremendous pressure from Democrats following a disastrous debate perfor mance. Biden’s decision to leave the race, though not unexpected, would force Republican candidate Donald Trump to change his strategy . “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 focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden said in a letter on X while recovering from Covid at his beach house in Delaware. Biden said he would “speak to the nation later this week in more detail about my decision.” He later added that he was backing Harris — who is the first female, Black and South Asian vice president in US history and , will now be aiming to become its first female commander-in-chief. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” Biden said on X. “Democrats - it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.” Biden is the first president in US history to pull out so late in an election race, and the first to bow out because of concerns over his mental acuity and health. Budget session to be stormy as Oppn, allies raise heat RA J E S H K U M AR T HA K UR @ New Delhi DROPPING hints that the Budget session of Parliament starting Monday is going to be stormy, the all-party meeting on Sunday saw Opposition parties demanding discussion on a number of contentious issues, including the NEET fiasco, the UP government’s order to eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route, among others. Misuse of central agencies, Centre-state relations, and Lok Sabha deputy speaker post were among the other issues the Opposition parties wanted discussion on. But what will put the BJP-led government in a tricky situation is the demand by the Opposition as well as some BJP allies JD(U) and LJP for special status NEET, Kanwar yatra pleas in SC today The SC will on Monday hear a batch of petitions related to the NEET-UG 2024. The apex court will also hear a petition against the Uttar Pradesh government’s order that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of their owners for states. The JD(U), the BJD and the YSR Congress Party demanded the status for Bihar, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, respectively As many as 55 leaders from 44 parties attended the meeting. In a bid to signal its political outreach, the government had invited a number of smaller par- Economic Survey to be presented today The Economic Survey 2023-24 will be presented in the Lok Sabha at 1 pm and in the Rajya Sabha at 2 pm on Monday. The survey gives details about the economic progress the country made in the previous year. The Union Budget will be presented on Tuesday | P10 ties, including some having only one MP. While most opposition parties participated in the meeting, the Trinamool Congress chose to skip it. At the meeting, which lasted for over three hours, the Congress batted for the post of deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha for Opposition while the AAP What next With Biden stepping aside, Democrats will technically begin an open convention next month Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. She must work to win support of 4,000 delegates and 700 super delegates Given Harris’ strong support among Black women, analysts say it would be risky for Democrats to pass her over for a white nominee Others that could be considered are: Governors Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer and Josh Shapiro Maha campaign In rare attack on Pawar, Amit Shah calls him ‘ringleader of corruption’ S u d h i r S u r ya w a ns h i @ Mumbai Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched an unusually blistering attack on Opposition leader Sharad Pawar, calling him the ‘sargana of corruption’ (ringleader of corruption). Shah’s attack drew an equally sharp response from the NCP (SP), which called the BJP, “a washing machine” that legitimises corruption. Shah was speaking at the BJP’s state convention in Pune, kick-starting the party’s elections campaign for the upcoming assembly elections. “They (Opposition) talk about corruption, but the biggest leader of corruption in Indian politics is Sharad Pawar and I have no confusion when I say this. Sharad Pawar institutionalised corruption in many governments of this country Shah ,” alleged. Shah also said whenever Sharad Pawar’s government comes to power, Maratha reservations go out. “Therefore, if we want Maratha res- ervations, Sharad Pawar should not be voted to power,” Shah added. He said Rahul Gandhi has become arrogant after the Opposition’s surprisingly strong performance in the Lok Sabha polls. “Once we win... assembly polls later this year, Rahul Gandhi’s arrogance will be crushed,” Shah said. Responding to Shah’s attack on Pawar, NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, “They accuse political leaders of corruption, and then once those who they accuse join BJP, they are all given a clean chit.” k a r t h ik K K @ Mysuru Commissioned in 2021 at Chennai training academy In 2021, Supreetha was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Army. Rigorous training at the Officers’ Training Academy in Chennai prepared her for her role in the Army Air Defence unit. lakadu Police Station, expressed immense pride in his daughter’s achievements. “Supreetha has always been determined and focused. Her journey to Siachen is a dream come true for her and an inspiration to many he said. ,” Supreetha studied at Shastri Vidya Samsthe in Hunsur, St Mary’s in HD Kote, St Joseph’s Express read Traffic advisory issued ahead of Kanwar Yatra 14-year-old Nipah patient in Kerala dies Delhi Police on Sunday issued a traffic advisory regarding the elaborate arrangements for the Kanwar Yatra that begins on Monday and cautioned that congestion is expected at several places. About 15-20 lakh Kanwariyas are expected to reach Delhi this year, while some of them will go to Haryana and Rajasthan via Delhi borders, the advisory said. P3 The 14-year-old boy from Pandikkad in Malappuram, who contracted Nipah, passed away while under treatment at the hospital on Sunday. The boy, who was on a ventilator, suffered a cardiac arrest around 10.50 am. Though the health department received monoclonal antibodies from ICMR to treat the boy, he died before the doctors could administer it. P5 in KR Nagar and Marimallappa’s School in Mysuru. She pursued LLB at JSS Law College and also got her BBA. During her studies, she earned the NCC Air Wing C Certificate, represented Karnataka at the All-India Vayu Sainik Camp, and marched in the prestigious Republic Day Parade in 2016. Cops gear up for Nuh yatra, drones deployed B’desh SC dials down govt job quota behind deadly unrest u j w a l j a l a l i @ New Delhi Mysuru to Siachen: Capt Supreetha 1st woman to enter highest battlefield In a remarkable achievement, Captain Supreetha CT from Mysuru has become the first woman officer from the Corps of Army Air Defence to be operationally deployed at the formidable Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield. Born to Thirumalesh, a pol i c e s u b - i n s p e c t o r, a n d Nirmala, a homemaker, Supreetha’s journey from the serene Mysuru to the treacherous ter rains of Siachen has emerged as a testament to her unwavering determination and pioneering spirit. In 2021, Supreetha’s military dreams took flight when she was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Army Rigorous train. ing at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai prepared her for her role in the Army Air Defence unit. Her service saw her deployed in strategic locations, like Anantnag, Jabalpur and Leh. Her posting to Siachen Glacier came on July 18, said Thirumalesh, who hails from Chamarajanagar district. Thirumalesh, an SI at the Ta- raised serious concerns against the alleged misuse of central agencies such as ED and CBI. Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who chaired the meet, appealed to all parties for the smooth conduct of Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government is willing to discuss all issues in accordance with the rules. Most Opposition parties criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s fiat that eateries and shops along the Kanwar Yatra route must display owners’ names, terming it ‘communal and divisive’. The Budget session will have 19 sittings till August 12 when the government is expected to present six bills, including the one to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act. Trump quickly reacted, saying Biden had not been “fit to run” or “fit to serve” as president. House Speaker Mike Johnson also called for Biden’s resignation. “If Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He must resign immediately he said. ,” Biden spent more than three weeks resisting calls to step down following the shock of the June 27 debate, at one point insisting that only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to back out. To show he was up to the job, he gave a number of interviews, but P9 made further gaffes. Agencies @ Dhaka The Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra set to pass through Haryana’s Nuh district on Monday will be adequately guarded by the police and monitored through drones to avoid any untoward situation, a Haryana police officer said on Sunday . “We are prepared and have deployed adequate security arr a n g e m e n t s. E a ch r o u t e through which the yatra will pass is completely guarded and will be monitored by drones,” a senior Haryana Police officer told this newspaper. Last year, at least six people, including two home guards and a cleric, were killed in clashes that erupted in Nuh on July 31 over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession. The violence spread to Gurugram over the next two days. The Haryana Police said they have deployed around 2,500 police and paramilitary personnel in the district. Meanwhile, the authorities have suspended internet service in the district from 6 pm Sunday to 6 pm Monday . The Bangladesh Supreme Court on Sunday pared back the contentious quotas for government jobs after days of clashes between students and security forces that have killed at least 155 people. Protests erupted after a lower court last month ordered that a scheme, that reserved 56% of government jobs for select applicants, be brought back. It had been scrapped by the Sheikh Hasina government in 2018 amid protests by youngsters. Critics accused the government of using the scheme to stack public jobs with loyalists to Hasina’s ruling Awami League. The Supreme Court on Sunday decided that the lower court’s order to reintroduce the scheme was “illegal”. The court curtailed the number of reserved jobs from 56% to 7%, AFP reported. It reserved 5% of all government jobs for the children “freedom fighters” who took part in the 1971 liberation war, down from 30%. One percent is Special forces stand guard at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Sunday | AFP Our doors open: Didi West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she would keep the doors of her state open for people in distress from Bangladesh. “There is a UN Resolution to accommodate refugees in regions adjacent to those under turmoil,” she said. P7 reserved for tribal communities, and another one percent for people with disabilities. The remaining 93% of positions would be decided on merit, the court ruled. This, h o w e v e r, h a s f a i l e d t o mollify university student lead- State-level boxer held for bid on uncle’s life e x p r ess ne ws se r v ice @ New Delhi A 30-year-old state-level boxing player was arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly shooting his uncle as the latter had abused and insulted his mother, an officer said on Sunday . The accused, identified as Rajan Phour alias Mantri, was previously involved in four cases of attempt to murder, abduction, and other cases in Haryana. DCP (Crime-Branch) Satish Kumar said the accused had a property dispute with his uncle Azad, residing in the Nangla Paar village in Haryana’s Panipat. Azad was also previously involved in criminal cases. Last month, Azad had abused and insulted Phour’s mother, following which Rajan vowed to take revenge. “On June 23, Azad was returning to his village when Phour and his asso- ciates opened fire at his car. One of the bullets pierced through the vehicle and hit him in the waist,” the DCP said. However, Azad managed to reach his house, dodging Rajan, who was tailing him. He was rushed to a hospital. Haryana Police registered a case for attempt to murder and initiated a probe. While the police was looking for Phour, the Delhi Police Crime Branch received a tipoff about his presence in the Rohini area, following which a trap was laid and the accused apprehended. “Phour is a state level boxer. One of his uncles was in jail in a murder case. The accused came in contact with gangsters through his uncle,” said a police officer. He had also helped gangsters in getting passports with fake names from his home address. ers, with students calling for a complete abolition of the “freedom fighter” category . “ We wo n’ t c a l l o f f o u r protests until the government issues an order reflecting o u r d e m a n d s, ” S t u d e n t s Against Discrimination, a student group leading the protests has said. Reports said soldiers were patrolling cities across Bangladesh on Sunday after riot police failed to restore order. In an update on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that over 4,500 Indian students have retur ned from Bangladesh. india hosts 1st world heritage committee meeting Addressing the meet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that more than 350 heritage items have returned in recent times and this is a display of global generosity and respect for history. He also pointed out the growing research and tourism opportunities in the field | P7
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