Democrats nominate Biden for presidency

US Democrats on Tuesday nominated Joe Biden as their 2020 presidential candidate, formally designating the Washington veteran as the party’s challenger to incumbent President Donald Trump in the November election.

In an unprecedented roll call vote that took place entirely online due to the coronavirus pandemic, all 50 states and seven territories announced their vote tallies that cemented Biden’s role as the party flagbearer.

“Well thank you very, very much, from the bottom of my heart,” a beaming Biden said in a live video link as he celebrated the nomination.

“It means the world to me and my family,” he added, reminding viewers he will deliver a formal acceptance speech on Thursday at the conclusion of the four-day jamboree.

The nomination was a formality as he had already won the majority of the more than 3,900 delegates back in June.

The roll call came on Day 2 of the most virtual Democratic National Convention aimed at celebrating the party’s candidate and welcoming independents and frustrated Republicans into their political movement to oust Trump from the White House.

The proceedings included a series of presentations by party leaders past and future who unleashed their own arguments against the White House incumbent and urged voters to rally around Biden.

The lineup featured president Jimmy Carter, who served one term from 1977, and 1990s commander-in-chief Bill Clinton, who warned that the Trump White House is swirling with chaos instead of the competence necessary to address the nation’s crises.

“At a time like this, the Oval Office should be a command center. Instead, it’s a storm center. There’s only chaos,” Clinton said.

“Just one thing never changes — his determination to deny responsibility and shift the blame,” Clinton said. “The buck never stops there.”

The president faced a barrage of criticism on opening night too, most notably from former first lady Michelle Obama who said Trump lacks the character and skills for the job.

“I thought it was a very divisive speech, extremely divisive,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

In her pre-taped remarks to the convention, Obama urged Americans to rally behind Biden, her husband’s former vice president, in the November 3 presidential election.

Trump’s White House is marred by “chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy,” Barack Obama’s wife said in unprecedented criticism of a sitting US president by a former first lady.

“Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” she added. “He is clearly in over his head.”

Later Tuesday on a visit to battleground state Arizona, Trump knocked Obama for delivering taped remarks.

“Thursday night I’m doing it live,” Trump said, referring to his speech next week when he formally accepts his party’s nomination at the Republican convention, which has also shifted online.

Trump said he has chosen the White House South Lawn as the location, after saying in recent weeks that he would pick between the presidential mansion and the historic battlefield at Gettysburg.

Delivering such an obviously political speech from the White House will stir substantial controversy, as presidents are required to separate their campaigning from taxpayer-funded governing.

– Loyal top supporter –

In addition to Clinton and Carter, Tuesday’s lineup featured Jill Biden, who has been married to the candidate since 1977.

The educator from Pennsylvania, who served eight years as the second lady, has campaigned at length for Biden, repeatedly speaking of his values and commitment to everyday Americans.

The educator from Pennsylvania delivered a personal, high-stakes prime-time testimonial about her husband, including how the personal tragedy of the death of his first wife and daughter in a 1972 car crash has shaped him.

“How do you make a broken family whole?” she said. “The same way you make a nation whole. With love and understanding — and with small acts of compassion. With bravery. With unwavering faith.”

The camp is promoting Joe Biden as a unifier. In their appeal to middle-of-the-road voters and frustrated Republicans, the convention featured a video of the unlikely friendship between Biden and late Republican senator John McCain, narrated by his widow Cindy McCain.

Republican former secretary of state Colin Powell also delivered videotaped remarks in which he endorsed Biden and said he shared the Democrat’s values.

Tuesday’s keynote was notable in that it featured 16 mostly young current and former elected Democrats seen as upcoming leaders including Stacey Abrams, who spent time as a Georgia lawmaker.

“Faced with a president of cowardice, Joe Biden is a man of proven courage,” Abrams said.

Former President Obama will speak on Wednesday along with the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Biden’s running mate, Senator Kamala Harris of California. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/

Read More........ → August 19, 2020

Obama announces troop withdrawal, economic measures in State of the Union address

US President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address. Obama's speech took place in front of a joint session of Congress as many Americans watch from home. While inviting the president to give the yearly address, House Speaker John Boehner cited the country's "immense challenges" ahead. Obama urges Iran to diplomatic solution; US President Barack Obama told Iranian leaders it was

time they ended a standoff over the country's nuclear program, just two weeks before fresh talks with world powers. "The leaders of Iran must recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations," Obama said in his State of the Union address. US President pledges not to send troops abroad to fight terrorists: To fight terrorists, the US does

not have to send troops abroad or occupy other countries, said President Barack Obama while delivering his annual State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday. He made it understood that to counter the terrorist threat the US will help such allies as Yemen, Libya and Somalia. The US leader also offered assurances that whenever necessary, the US will continue countering terrorists by resorting to various means. The US has recently been frequently criticized for using drones to deliver pinpoint strikes to wipe out militants. Criticism comes from the fact that the drones also kill civilians quite often. Afghan war will

draw to a close by late 2014 – Obama:  The Afghan war will draw to a close by late 2014, the US President Barack Obama told Congress as he addressed the lawmakers with his annual State of the Union speech. President Obama's decision to reduce troop levels in Afghanistan by 34,000 by this time next year still gives the coalition enough muscle to support Afghan security forces as they battle through another fighting season this summer while staying on track to wrap up the combat mission in two years, military officials and analysts say. "Tonight, I can announce that over the next year, another 34,000 American troops will come home from Afghanistan," Obama said. "This drawdown will continue. And by the end of next year, our war in Afghanistan will be over." Obama said the US adherence to the idea of a united and sovereign Afghanistan will be in place also after the troop pullout. The President pointed out that talks are under way with the Afghan government on drafting an agreement that would be focused on training and equipping the Afghan forces, as well as on antiterrorist efforts. The man in the White House added that the US would go ahead with the talks with Russia on further nuclear arsenal reductions. Obama hails Obamacare, targets

medicare, drugs for savings: President Barack Obama called on Congress to send him an immigration reform bill "in the next few months," upping the pressure on Senate and House members to find a compromise. "We know what needs to be done," Obama said in his State of the Union address. "As we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill, and I applaud their efforts. Now let’s get this done. Send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and I will sign it right away." Obama has devoted considerable attention to immigration reform during the first weeks of his second term, including in a major address on the topic in Las Vegas at the end of last month. In that speech, the president said Congress needed to deal with immigration "in a timely manner" - without setting an exact timeframe - or else he would send his own legislation for a vote. Obama signs executive order on cyber defense: Barack Obama has signed an executive order on cybersecurity following 

rumors that he would do so. In his State of the Union address he cited “growing threat from cyber-attacks” as the reason he used his executive power against the will of lawmakers. The order, which does not have the same force as a law, directs the secretary of homeland security to "increase the volume, timeliness and quality" of information on cyber threats shared between the government and the private sector. To aid the process, the order will ease the process of sharing classified cyber threat information with eligible companies that provide or support critical infrastructure. It calls for expedited security clearance for some employees of such companies as well. Obama's executive action also orders the creation of a set of standards to reduce cybersecurity risks as well as a voluntary program, including incentives, for companies to adopt them. Cyber attacks in recent months targeted a succession of major U.S. companies and government agencies, continuing to raise the stakes in the debate about how the government and the private sector can best protect sensitive information. Obama delivers State of the Union address In a State of the Union address focused on creating middle-class jobs, President Barack Obama called on lawmakers to help pull working Americans out of poverty by raising the federal minimum wage and pegging it to

inflation. Obama's proposal to boost the wage floor to $9 an hour revives an old campaign pledge to the working poor that was derailed by the Great Recession and the stubbornly high unemployment rate of his first term. It also sets the stage for a fight with congressional Republicans and powerful business lobbies, who no doubt will assail the measure as a job-killer during a fragile recovery. "Even with the tax relief we’ve put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong," Obama said. "Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour. This single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. "It could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank; rent or eviction; scraping by or finally getting ahead. For businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets." State Of The Union 2013 Live (VIDEO), Reuters, Huffington Post, RT, USA Today, AFP, RIA, TASS, Source:Voice of Russia

Read More........ → February 14, 2013

Zuckerberg says Facebook is working with Russia investigation

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (C) testifies at a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., United States, on April 10, 2018. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Congress in written testimony on Monday that he is "responsible for" not preventing the social media platform from being used for harm, including fake news, foreign interference in elections and hate speech. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said that his company is working with special counsel Robert Mueller in the sweeping Russia investigation, during his first appearance before Congress Tuesday over a data breach scandal.

Zuckerberg, during a hours-long grilling, told 44 U.S. senators that Facebook is working with Mueller's team, but stressed that he wants to be careful because the "work with the special counsel is confidential."

The congressional hearing came nearly a month after news broke that Cambridge Analytica, a data consulting firm with ties to President Donald Trump's campaign, accessed information from as many as 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge.

Russian groups were alleged to have taken advantage of the social media platform to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Facebook was "too slow to spot and respond to Russian interference," Zuckerberg said. "It's clear now that we didn't do enough to prevent these tools from being used for harm."

"And that goes for fake news, foreign interference in elections and hate speech, as well as developers and data privacy," the 33-year-old CEO added, in an apologetic tone, noting that Facebook plans to have more than 20,000 employees working in security and content review by the end of this year.

He also revealed that Facebook is developing artificial intelligence technology in order for hate speech to be "flagged upfront" in five or 10 years.

Besides, Facebook said it has dramatically restricted the amount of data that developers can access and proactively reviews the apps on its platform. But several Senators have expressed their dismay over its actions or lack of action.

"In the past, many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have been willing to defer to tech companies' efforts to regulate themselves," said Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune. "But this may be changing."

Zuckerberg admitted that Facebook recognizes the need to "take a more proactive role."

Facebook's stock price ended up 4.5 percent for the day, rallying to its highest point during the testimony, after the data scandal had wiped away tens of billions of dollars from Facebook's market value.

Zuckerberg, who traded his usual gray T-shirt and jeans attire for a dark suit on Tuesday, is scheduled to appear Wednesday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Source:  China.org.cn

Read More........ → April 12, 2018

Atal Bihari Vajpayee,Madan Mohan Malviya to be conferred with Bharat Ratna

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Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Madan Mohan Malviya were on Wednesday chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. The announcement came ahead of Vajpayee's 90th birthday on Thursday. A meeting of the Union Cabinet was convened in Delhi today where the was taken. "The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya(posthumously) and to Atal Bihari Vajpayee," a press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. One of India's most charismatic leaders, Vajpayee is lauded as a statesman  and has been often described as the moderate face of BJP. Vajpayee, who has been ailing for sometime, has been credited for taking bold initiatives, notable being the attempt to bridge Indo-Pak differences. India's longest serving prime minister outside of Congress party, Vajpayee's detractors called him "mask" of the RSS. Several BJP leaders and

MPs, including Murli Manohar Joshi, have demanded that the top honour be awarded to Vajpayee. NDA partner Shiv Sena too came out in support of conferring Bharat Ratna to the first BJP Prime Minister. An educationist with a vision, Malviya's main achievement was the establishment of the Banaras Hindu University. Born on December 25, 1861, Malviya was catapulted into the political arena immediately after his first moving speech at the second Congress session held in Kolkata in 1886. He was President of INC in 1909 and 1918. Malviya is also remembered for his stellar role in the Independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism. He was one of the initial leaders of the right-wing Hindu Mahasabha. The recommendation for Bharat Ratna is made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. No formal recommendation for this is necessary. Source: The Asian Age, Image: flickr.com

Read More........ → December 24, 2014

Forget India, the whole world will stand up and salute you: Shastri in rousing dressing room speech

JAN 20, 2021 BRISBANE: There were smiles, lots of whistles and a round of applause to each other every few seconds as India coach Ravi Shastri got down to commending the "courage, resolve and spirit" of his wounded warriors in a stirring dressing room speech after the conquest at Gabba. It was a little over three-minute speech that Shastri delivered after his injury-ravaged side chased down an imposing 328 in the fourth and final Test to hand Australia their first loss in 32 years at ''Fortress Gabba'' to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in style. "The courage, the resolve, the spirit, that you guys have shown is unreal. Not for once you were down, injuries, 36 all out (in the first Test), you had the self-belief in you," an emotional Shastri said with captain Ajinkya Rahane standing calmly by his side. "It doesn''t come overnight but now that you have this self-belief, you can see where you have taken a game as a team. Today forget India, the whole world will stand up and salute you. "So remember what you guys have done today. You need to enjoy this moment, don''t let it just go away, enjoy as much as you can," advised the young team. Batting mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara, who took blows to his body but stayed firm, match-winner Rishabh Pant''s extraordinary strokeplay, and young opener Shubman Gill''s calm counter-attack drew special appreciation from Shastri. "It started in Melbourne. Sydney was fantastic, it allowed us to come here even-steven. And to pull off something (like this) today was simply outstanding," said Shastri. "Shubman great, great. Puji you will be known as the ultimate warrior," said Shastri to whistles, especially from young pacer Mohammed Siraj, and applause from the team. "And Rishabh, simply outstanding. The way you were batting, you gave heart attacks to a few every moment but what you have done is magnificent," he added as the keeper-batsman looked on with a childlike grin on his face. The man who continued to be resolutely calm amid the obvious excitement was Rahane and he nodded in acceptance as Shastri acknowledged his leadership. "Jinx to lead the side from the position where we were and to make them bounce back and control things in the middle like the way you have done is simply, simply, brilliant," said the 58-year-old former all-rounder. And finally, Shastri applauded T Natarajan, the net bowler who became a front-liner, and the duo of Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur, the men who made as much difference with the bat as with the ball. "...in this Test match, I would not want to forget is three debutants and their performances in that first innings. Nattu, Washi and I say Shardul because he was injured in the first Test he played (in 2018). "For you to show that spirit, that''s what broke the back of Australia, more than anything else, that we could come back and get 330 or 340 on this wicket after being 180/6," he said. India will take on England in their next Test assignment scheduled to start from February 5. Copyright © Jammu Links News, Source: Jammu Links News

Read More........ → January 20, 2021